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.
Credits
Ernst Thälmann – Son of the Working Class Cast
| Name |
Character |
|
Karla Runkehl
She was 23, 56 years old when she died
|
as Änne Harms |
|
Karl Kendzia
He was 56, 75 years old when he died
|
|
|
Hans Flössel
He was 51, 70 years old when he died
|
as Scheidemann |
|
Erich Franz
He was 50, 57 years old when he died
|
as Arthur Vierbreiter |
|
Werner Peters
He was 35, 52 years old when he died
|
as Hauptmann Quadde |
|
Martin Flörchinger
He was 44, 95 years old when he died
|
as Karl Liebknecht |
|
Walter E. Fuß
He was 32, 74 years old when he died
|
|
|
Steffie Spira
She was 45, 86 years old when she died
|
as Clara Zetkin |
|
Johannes Arpe
He was 56, 65 years old when he died
|
as Polizeisenator Höhn |
|
Hans-Peter Minetti
He was 27, 80 years old when he died
|
as Fiete Jansen |
|
Günther Simon
He was 28, 47 years old when he died
|
as Ernst Thälmann |
|
Wolf Kaiser
He was 37, 75 years old when he died
|
as Major Zinker |
|
Hans Klering
He was 47, 81 years old when he died
|
|
|
Erika Dunkelmann
She was 40, 86 years old when she died
|
as Martha Vierbreiter |
|
Gerhard Bienert
He was 56, 88 years old when he died
|
as Otto Kramer |
|
Werner Pledath
He was 55, 67 years old when he died
|
|
Ernst Thälmann – Son of the Working Class Crew
| Name |
Department |
|
Wilhelm Neef as Music. He was 38 (74) years old when He died
|
Sound |
|
Lena Neumann as Editor. |
Editing |
|
Karl Plintzner as Cinematography. He was 42 (63) years old when He died
|
Crew |
|
Kurt Maetzig as Director. He was 43 (101) years old when He died
|
Directing |
|
Kurt Maetzig as Writer. He was 43 (101) years old when He died
|
Writing |
