Nichts als die Wahrheit
Encyclopedia
After the Truth is a 1999 German
film depicting the fictional trial of Dr. Josef Mengele
, known as the "death angel of Auschwitz
".
The film, starring Götz George
as Mengele and Kai Wiesinger
as his lawyer, is based on the original English-language screenplay by American writers Christopher and Kathleen Riley. The German title translates to "Nothing but the truth". The German phrase on the US promotional poster translates to "Thou shalt not kill", one of the Ten Commandments
.
as an 87-year-old man who is in his last days. Back in Germany, he must face trial for his crimes. Peter Rohm, a young solicitor and expert on Mengele, has to defend him. But Rohm feels unable to do so; when he decides to take on the case he endangers not only the relationship to his wife but also their very lives.
While the entire world looks on the Mengele trial, Rohm learns that the history of his own family has a closer connection with the Nazis' genocide than he ever had suspected.
was also a co-producer of the film, which had problems finding financial support. The actor invested heavily to see the film completed.
Cinema of Germany
Cinema in Germany can be traced back to the late 19th century. German cinema has made major technical and artistic contributions to film.Unlike any other national cinemas, which developed in the context of relatively continuous and stable political systems, Germany witnesses major changes to its...
film depicting the fictional trial of Dr. Josef Mengele
Josef Mengele
Josef Rudolf Mengele , also known as the Angel of Death was a German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He earned doctorates in anthropology from Munich University and in medicine from Frankfurt University...
, known as the "death angel of Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
".
The film, starring Götz George
Götz George
Götz George is a German actor, son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg commissar Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series Tatort.-Early years:...
as Mengele and Kai Wiesinger
Kai Wiesinger
Kai Wiesinger is a German actor.-Life and work:Kai Wiesinger began taking private acting lessons as a teenager. After his Zivildienst , he became an acting student in Munich...
as his lawyer, is based on the original English-language screenplay by American writers Christopher and Kathleen Riley. The German title translates to "Nothing but the truth". The German phrase on the US promotional poster translates to "Thou shalt not kill", one of the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
.
Synopsis
The infamous Nazi doctor Josef Mengele, who killed more than 300,000 people in the Auschwitz concentration camp, comes back from his hideout in ArgentinaArgentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
as an 87-year-old man who is in his last days. Back in Germany, he must face trial for his crimes. Peter Rohm, a young solicitor and expert on Mengele, has to defend him. But Rohm feels unable to do so; when he decides to take on the case he endangers not only the relationship to his wife but also their very lives.
While the entire world looks on the Mengele trial, Rohm learns that the history of his own family has a closer connection with the Nazis' genocide than he ever had suspected.
Production
Götz GeorgeGötz George
Götz George is a German actor, son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg commissar Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series Tatort.-Early years:...
was also a co-producer of the film, which had problems finding financial support. The actor invested heavily to see the film completed.
Cast
- Kai WiesingerKai WiesingerKai Wiesinger is a German actor.-Life and work:Kai Wiesinger began taking private acting lessons as a teenager. After his Zivildienst , he became an acting student in Munich...
as Peter Rohm - Götz GeorgeGötz GeorgeGötz George is a German actor, son of actor couple Berta Drews and Heinrich George. His arguably best-known role is that of Duisburg commissar Horst Schimanski in the TV crime series Tatort.-Early years:...
as Josef MengeleJosef MengeleJosef Rudolf Mengele , also known as the Angel of Death was a German SS officer and a physician in the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau. He earned doctorates in anthropology from Munich University and in medicine from Frankfurt University... - Karoline Eichhorn as Rebekka Rohm
- Doris SchadeDoris SchadeDoris Schade is a German television actress.-Selected filmography:* 1979: Derrick - Season 6, Episode 2: "Anschlag auf Bruno"* 1981: Die bleierne Zeit...
as Hilde Rohm - Peter Roggisch as Chief Prosecutor Heribert Vogt
- Bastian TrostBastian TrostBastian Trost is a German actor. He has appeared in 30 films and television shows since 1994. He starred in the film Schläfer, which was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival.-Selected filmography:...
as Felix Hillmann - Peter Rühring as Dr. Füglein
- Michaela Rosen as Judge Gunda Friedrichs
- Traugott BuhreTraugott BuhreTraugott Buhre was a German actor.Buhre was born at Insterburg, East Prussia, Germany the son of a Lutheran Pastor. His parents divorced in his childhood and after World War II he started his actor's education at the stage school of Hanover.Buhre appeared at the Frankonian Theater of Wetzhausen...
as Dabrowski - Stephan Schwartz as Daniel Ginsberg
- Heinz Trixner as Müller
- Detlef BotheDetlef BotheDetlef Bothe is an East German sprint canoer who competed in the mid 1970s. At the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, he finished fifth in the C-2 1000 m event while being eliminated in the semifinals of the C-2 500 m event.-References:*...
as Siebert - Volker Risch as Prosecutor
- Frank RöthFrank RothFrancis Charles Roth was a Major League Baseball catcher. He played all or part of six seasons in the majors, between and , for the Philadelphia Phillies, St. Louis Browns, Chicago White Sox and Cincinnati Reds...
as Wendler - Peer Martiny as Adlatus Vogt
- Jockel Tschiersch as Commissioner Wichmann
- Michael Schenk as Judge Kürten
Further reading
- Johannes W. Betz, Beate Veldtrup: Nichts als die Wahrheit Fischer October 2001, (ISBN 3-596-14492-2)