Roman einer jungen Ehe
Encyclopedia
Story of A Young Couple is an East German film, directed by Kurt Maetzig
. It was released in 1952.
, his wife cannot bring herself to follow him, viewing the play as seditious. They decide to divorce. Jochen becomes a celebrated star in the West, but slowly realizes that not all is well: he sees that former influential Nazis are rehabilitated. After witnessing an anti-war demonstration brutally dispersed by the police, he arrives in the divorce court and asks Agnes to reconcile with him. The two reunite and move to East Berlin.
. In part, Story of A Young Couple was intended as a response to Jean Paul Sartre's anti-communist play Dirty Hands
, which was also mentioned in the plot. Assistant-director Siegfried Hartmann told an interviewer that the film was made when the Cold War turned into a grim reality, and when Joseph Stalin
's cult of personality was at its height, with both those factors heavily influencing the picture. Kurt Maetzig told that "in this film... we attempted to tackle a problem facing every honest German today... namely, the division of our fatherland and the prospects for reunion".
columnist wrote that "the film makes us sit up and take notice - and we are pleased to see a film with such sound, humane groundwork". The West German Der Spiegel
commented that "Maetzig's work was too 'progresive' even for the party hard-liners" and quoted DEFA official Albert Wilkening who disapproved of the picture, saying that "unfortunately, there is still much rigidity in our film industry".
Seán Allan and John Sandford wrote that the film presented a confrontation between the morally-superior Socialist system in East Germany and the barely de-nazified, corrupt one of West Germany, in a manner common in pictures from the Democratic Republic. Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor described Story of A Young Couple as "painfully true to the party line"; according to Alexander Stephan, it also contained anti-American rhetoric typical to the time. Anke Pinkert characterized the picture as one of DEFA's most important "woman films", in which the figure of an emancipated female was the main driver of the plot and played an important role in bringing about social change. John Griffith Urang noted that rather than have love transcend politics, as was the case in Maetzig's Marriage in the Shadows, Story of A Young Couple had the protagonists' romantic relations depend on their world view.
Kurt Maetzig
Kurt Maetzig is an East German film director who had a significant effect on the film industry in the GDR. He is one of the most respected filmmakers of East Germany. He currently lives in Wildkuhl, Mecklenburg, and has three children....
. It was released in 1952.
Plot
Agnes and Jochen are two young actors who meet and fall in love while appearing in a Berlin production of Nathan the Wise. After the two marry, Agnes is drawn to the communist cause, and begins acting in East German films, which her husband views as sheer propaganda, especially when she recites a poem praising Stalin. When Jochen decides to accept a role in Les Mains SalesLes Mains Sales
Dirty Hands is a play by Jean-Paul Sartre. It was first performed on 2 April 1948 at the Theatre Antoine in Paris, starring François Périer, Marie Olivier and André Luguet...
, his wife cannot bring herself to follow him, viewing the play as seditious. They decide to divorce. Jochen becomes a celebrated star in the West, but slowly realizes that not all is well: he sees that former influential Nazis are rehabilitated. After witnessing an anti-war demonstration brutally dispersed by the police, he arrives in the divorce court and asks Agnes to reconcile with him. The two reunite and move to East Berlin.
Cast
- Yvonne Merin: Agnes Sailer
- Hans-Peter Thielen: Jochen Karsten
- Willy A. Kleinau: Dr. Ulrich Plisch
- Hilde Sessak: Carla
- Martin Hellberg: Möbius
- Hanns Groth: Lutz Frank
- Alfons Mühlhofer: Ernst Winkler
- Horst Preusker: Jonas
- Waltraud Kogel: Asttrid Kern
- Albert Grabe: Otto Dulz
- Brigitte Krause: Brigitte Dulz
- Gisela Rimpler: Felicitas Bach
- Alwin Lippisch: 'Hartmann' (Veit HarlanVeit HarlanVeit Harlan was a German film director and actor.-Life and career:Harlan was born in Berlin. After studying under Max Reinhardt, he first appeared on the stage in 1915 and, after World War I, worked in the Berlin stage. In 1922 he married Jewish actress and cabaret singer Dora Gerson; the couple...
)
Production
The script was written by Maetzig and author Bodo UhseBodo Uhse
Bodo Uhse was a German writer, journalist and political activist. He was recognised as one of the most prominent authors in East Germany.-Early years:...
. In part, Story of A Young Couple was intended as a response to Jean Paul Sartre's anti-communist play Dirty Hands
Dirty hands
Dirty hands is a metaphor used in moral and political philosophy and everyday conversation to symbolize the sullying of one's moral standing by dealing with unsavory matters...
, which was also mentioned in the plot. Assistant-director Siegfried Hartmann told an interviewer that the film was made when the Cold War turned into a grim reality, and when Joseph Stalin
Joseph Stalin
Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin was the Premier of the Soviet Union from 6 May 1941 to 5 March 1953. He was among the Bolshevik revolutionaries who brought about the October Revolution and had held the position of first General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union's Central Committee...
's cult of personality was at its height, with both those factors heavily influencing the picture. Kurt Maetzig told that "in this film... we attempted to tackle a problem facing every honest German today... namely, the division of our fatherland and the prospects for reunion".
Reception
On 22 January 1952, a Berliner ZeitungBerliner Zeitung
The Berliner Zeitung, founded in 1945, is a German center-left daily newspaper based in Berlin, published by Berliner Verlag. It is the only East German paper to achieve national prominence since unification. In 2003, the Berliner was Berlin's largest subscription newspaper—the weekend...
columnist wrote that "the film makes us sit up and take notice - and we are pleased to see a film with such sound, humane groundwork". The West German Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
commented that "Maetzig's work was too 'progresive' even for the party hard-liners" and quoted DEFA official Albert Wilkening who disapproved of the picture, saying that "unfortunately, there is still much rigidity in our film industry".
Seán Allan and John Sandford wrote that the film presented a confrontation between the morally-superior Socialist system in East Germany and the barely de-nazified, corrupt one of West Germany, in a manner common in pictures from the Democratic Republic. Peter C. Rollins and John E. O'Connor described Story of A Young Couple as "painfully true to the party line"; according to Alexander Stephan, it also contained anti-American rhetoric typical to the time. Anke Pinkert characterized the picture as one of DEFA's most important "woman films", in which the figure of an emancipated female was the main driver of the plot and played an important role in bringing about social change. John Griffith Urang noted that rather than have love transcend politics, as was the case in Maetzig's Marriage in the Shadows, Story of A Young Couple had the protagonists' romantic relations depend on their world view.
External links
- Roman einer jungen Ehe on PROGRESS' website.
- Roman einer jungen Ehe on filmpotal.de.
- Roman einer jungen Ehe original poster on ostfilm.de.
- Roman einer jungen Ehe on film-zeit.de.