Aimée & Jaguar
This war drama/romance takes place in Berlin, late in World War II and is based on a true story. The two main characters are Lilly Wust (AKA Aimée) and Felice Schragenheim (Jaguar). Lilly is a…
Die geliebten Schwestern
This 2014 historical drama-romance is another telling of Friedrich Schiller’s story. (We previously saw Schweighöfer’s Schiller, which was released in 2005.) This telling features Florian Stetter as Schiller and Henrietta Confurius and Hannah Herzsprung as…
Kaspar Hauser
This 1993 film adaptation of the famous historical drama/mystery stays well to the original story. Perhaps the most recognisable faces are Uwe Ochsenknecht and Katharina Thalbach. We also see Udo Samel (Mein bester Feind, Die…
Trautmann
Rated 12 and up in Germany, this 2018 war drama is a UK/Germany production and as such the language does not always match the lips when played in German. (They opted to dub the English…
Kästner und der kleine Dienstag
This 2016 historical drama is currently available on Amazon. Kästner is played by Florian David Fitz, who we’ve seen and discussed already. Among the cast is also Katharina Lorenz, who we may recognize from her…
Die Unsichtbaren
This 2017 historical drama focuses on the Jews still living in Germany in 1943, when Goebbels declared German “Jew-free.” This is based on 4 true stories, and the young people who survived this time were…
Judgement at Nuremberg
This 1961 U.S. film covers the trials of the war crimes of WWII. This film is originally in English. The German dubbing is – shall we say tolerable, especially given the release year. Featuring Spencer…
Der Untergang
This 2004 film starring Bruno Ganz shows the final days of Hitler as reported by his last secretary. It is important to remember the 1955 film, Der letzte Akt, which also used Traudl Junge as…
Der Baader Meinhof Komplex
This 2008 Moritz Bleibtreu film is based on the true story of the Red Army Faction (RAF) and its actions during the 1960s and 70s. The styling of this film makes it look like a…
Berlin ‘48
This documentary shows Germany in the post-war era, especially focusing on the Berlin Airlift. This particular documentary was originally in English and the titles and other written information are not translated into German. I’m writing…
Christiane F.: Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo
This 1981 film features the music of David Bowie. There is a lot to be said about this film. It is very educational. From the underground culture in Berlin in this time to the struggles…
Die Fälscher
Based on Operation Bernhard, this 2007 war film with August Diehl and Karl Markovichs is the story of a Jewish man whose skills in counterfeiting become well known among the Nazis. This film shows various…
Der neunte Tag
This 2004 war film, somewhat based on a wartime diary, follows a priest into Dachau and for nine days of freedom in his home country of Luxembourg. Our priest is played by Ulrich Matthes, who…
Amen.
This international collaboration was originally filmed in English, French, Italian, and German. It appears to play automatically in the originally filmed languages, switching from German to English with no other reason beyond the actors’ languages…
Berlin 36
This 2009 film is marketed as a true story of the Olympics, 1936. Gretel Bergmann was the best high jumper of her time, but as a Jew, she did not want to return to Germany…
Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer
Based on the true story of the man who brought Eichmann to justice, this 2015 film touches on the personal as well as professional life of Fritz Bauer and his assistant, Heinz Mahler. Fritz Bauer…
Harmonists
This 1997 film is based on the true story of the musical group The Comedian Harmonists, who were very popular in the years before WWII. As some of the members were Jewish, the war meant…
Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes
This Werner Herzog film from 1972 is categorized as adventure-drama and features Klaus Kinski as Don Lope de Aguirre. Kinski was a key player in German film, especially back in the 1970s. He played Nosferatu…
Der Fall Gleiwitz
This 1961 film is in black and white and shows Germany at the beginning of WWII, as Germany was justifying the invasion of Poland. This film is from East Germany. Given the release year, this…
Was nützt die Liebe in Gedanken
This 2004 film featuring Daniel Brühl as Paul is based on the true story, the 1927 Steglitz student tragedy. Daniel Brühl is a well-known German actor. Many may recognize him from such movies as Goodbye,…
Der blinde Fleck
This 2013 film is a true story of a journalist who investigated the terror attack at Oktoberfest, September 1980. With that, the knowledge that we are viewing a murder investigation. Most of the deaths were…