Ernst Thälmann – Son of the Working Class (1954)
This film is the first of a two-part historical and biographical portrait of the communist politician and anti-fascist Ernst Thälmann. In early November 1918, Ernst Thälmann is an unwilling soldier serving on the western front. As the revolutionary movement at home is threatened by the betrayal of the Social Democrats and fissures in the working class, Thälmann calls on his fellow soldiers to put down their weapons and unite with the workers in the communist struggle at home. Thälmann’s qualms about which side he is fighting on continue, but when the local police attempt to prevent a shipment of provisions and supplies from reaching the people in Petrograd, he intervenes and the ship is unloaded. With this moment of clarity, Thälmann continues to follow his political convictions and joins the workers at the Hamburg uprising in October 1923.
Director: Kurt Maetzig
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Günther Simon as Ernst Thälmann |
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Hans-Peter Minetti as Fiete Jansen |
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Erich Franz as Arthur Vierbreiter |
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Erika Dunkelmann as Martha Vierbreiter |
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Johannes Arpe as Höhn |
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Raimund Schelcher as Krischan Daik |
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Karla Runkehl as Änne Harms |
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Gerhard Bienert as Otto Kramer |
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Robert Trösch as Kuddel Riemöller |
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Wolf Kaiser as Major Zinker |
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Werner Peters as Hauptmann Quadde |
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Martin Flörchinger as Karl Liebknecht |
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Steffie Spira as Clara Zetkin |
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Hans Flössel as Scheidemann |
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Walter E. Fuß as Karl Borns |
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Rudolf Klix as Willbrandt |
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Hans Klering as Asmussen |
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Gerhard Lau as Hein Heber |
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Sergei Kalinin as Sowjetischer Kapitän |
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Werner Pledath as Hauck |
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Karl Kendzia as Adolf Wahlkeit |
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Carla Hoffmann as Rosa Thälmann |
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Judith Harms as Rosa Luxemburg |
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Peter Schorn as Lenin |
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Karl Weber as Friedrich Ebert |
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Oswald Foerderer as Martin Bünse |
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Lotte Loebinger as Emma Kramer |
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Wilfried Ortmann as Hannes Harms |
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Hans-Edgar Stecher as Peter Brinkmann |
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Gerd Jäger as Josef Wissarionowitsch Stalin |
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Karl Eugen Lehnkering as Gustav Stresemann |
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Joe Münch-Harris as Gustav Noske |
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Arthur Pieck as Wilhelm Pieck |
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Hermann Dieckhoff as Dr. Matthies |
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Erich Brauer as Freese |
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Wilhelm Gröhl as Brandler |
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Otto Ernst Tickardt as Mahlmann |
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Willi Schwabe as Berber |
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Harry Preuß as Tarnow |
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Nico Turoff as Brandler |
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Ursula Röschmann as Frau Harms |
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Kurt Dunkelmann as Trenow |
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Günther Polensen as Bauer |
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Sonja Haacker as Freese |
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Wilhelm Otto Eckhardt as Puttkamp |
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Frithjof Rüde as General Vogt |
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Adolf Peter Hoffmann as Alland |
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Erich Mirek as Karl |
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Alfred Bohl as Walter |
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Karl Brenk as Hinnerk |
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Oskar Neugebauer as Eddi |
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Paul Funk as Paul |
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Leonid Ritter as Sowjetischer Matrose |
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Alexej Plesnizow as Vertreter der Petrograder Gewerkschaften |
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Charlotte Küter as Frau mit Revolver |
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Jean Brahn as Polizist |
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Walter Lendrich as Häftling |
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Willi Narloch as ZK-Vertreter |
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Harry Studt as Oberst im Geheimdienst |
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Axel Triebel as General |
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Harro ten Brook as General |
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Hans Fiebrandt as Frontsoldat |
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Wilhelm Hinrich Holtz as Geschäftsführer im Kaiserhof |
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Wolf von Beneckendorff as Russischer Emmigrant |
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Ludwig Sachs as Spitzel |
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Dorothea Thiesing as Gemüsefrau |
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Friedrich Gnaß as Hauswirt |
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Rudolf Fleck as Gefängniswärter |
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Kurt Sperling as Gewehrzähler |
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Eberhard Kratz as Reichswehroffizier |
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Hans Rose as Erster Arbeiter |
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Carl Lange as Zweiter Arbeiter |
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Hermann Stetza as Dritter Arbeiter |
| Directing | Kurt Maetzig | Director |
| Writing | Willi Bredel | Writer |
| Writing | Michael Tschesno-Hell | Writer |
| Editing | Lena Neumann | Editor |
| Sound | Wilhelm Neef | Music |
| Camera | Karl Plintzner | Director of Photography |
| Art | Otto Erdmann | Production Design |
| Art | Willy Schiller | Art Direction |
| Costume & Make-Up | Gerhard Kaddatz | Costume Design |
