Wir Wunderkinder

The action fast-forwards to the post-World War I period when Bruno works at the 'Bankhaus Stein & Co.', having befriended his schoolmate, the son and heir of the bank, Siegfried Stein. He also deals on the black market. Some years later, during the

During a Fastnacht party in 1932, Hans meets Kirsten, a student from Denmark. After the Nazis seize power, Siegfried Stein visits Hans and asks him for help. Stein wants to know whether he should flee across the border immediately or wait for a passport. Hans promises to talk to Bruno, who is now in a position of authority in the party and lives in a large house confiscated from a Jewish doctor. However, he finds that Bruno is quite unwilling to help a Jew.

Vera contacts Hans and asks him to meet her in Verona. He travels there but before they can talk, she learns that her father, an academic, had to flee Nazi Germany, leaving behind all his possessions. She decides to join her father in France and she and Hans part for good. When Hans returns to Munich, Kirsten has gone back to Denmark. The Nazis have taken over the newspaper and he loses his job when he fails to greet the visiting Bruno in the proper fashion. Asked for help, Bruno is willing to oblige, but only on condition that Hans joins the party. Hans refuses.

In 1939, Kirsten returns to Munich where Hans works as an assistant at a bookstore. They go to Denmark together and get married, but when war starts, Hans has to return to Germany and she accompanies him. The final scene from the Nazi years shows Bruno in 1944 giving a "holdout" speech.

With the war over, Hans returns to Neustadt, having been a

Finally, in the period known as the Wirtschaftswunder, Bruno has risen to the rank of Generaldirektor (head of company) while Hans works as a journalist. When he writes a critical article, referencing Bruno's Nazi past, Bruno visits Boeckel's boss and threatens to organise an advertising boycott of the paper unless Hans retracts the story. Hans refuses and Bruno storms out. Finally abandoned by his luck, he falls into an empty elevator shaft.

At Bruno's funeral, the attending political and economic leaders are shown to have previously been involved with the Nazi party as well, and while they vow to "continue onwards in his spirit", the film closes with a zoom on the letters ENDE of graveyard inscription, "Wir mahnen die Lebenden" ("We admonish the living/the survivors").

Cast

Production

This satire^[1] is based on the novel Wir Wunderkinder by Hugo Hartung, first published in 1957. Günter Neumann and Heinz Pauck wrote the script. Kurt Hoffmann directed it and it was produced by Hans Abich and Rolf Thiele.

Principal cinematography took place from 13 May 1958 through June 1958. Interiors were shot at the Bavaria Studios. On location filming was in Munich, Denmark, Verona (Piazza dei Signori, Roman Theatre) and Sicily.^[1]

Release

The film premiered on 28 October 1958 at the Sendlinger Tor-Lichtspiele in Munich.^[1]

Reception

The film received numerous awards. Most notably, it won the