Stawka większa niż życie (More Than Life at Stake, Stakes Larger Than Life or Playing for High Stakes) is a very successful cult Polish

Poland

Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...

 black and white TV series about the adventures of a Polish secret agent

Secret Agent

Secret Agent is a British film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, loosely based on two stories in Ashenden: Or the British Agent by W. Somerset Maugham. The film starred John Gielgud, Peter Lorre, Madeleine Carroll, and Robert Young...

, Hans Kloss (real name, Stanisław Kolicki, codename J-23), who acts as a double agent

Double agent

A double agent, commonly abbreviated referral of double secret agent, is a counterintelligence term used to designate an employee of a secret service or organization, whose primary aim is to spy on the target organization, but who in fact is a member of that same target organization oneself. They...

 in the Abwehr

Abwehr

The Abwehr was a German military intelligence organisation from 1921 to 1944. The term Abwehr was used as a concession to Allied demands that Germany's post-World War I intelligence activities be for "defensive" purposes only...

 during Second World War in occupied Poland.

The series was filmed from March 1967 to October 1968. There were 18 episodes, 9 of which were directed by Janusz Morgenstern

Janusz Morgenstern

Janusz "Kuba" Morgenstern was a Polish film director and producer.Janusz Morgenstern was born in 1922 to a Jewish family in the village of Mikulińce near Tarnopol , to Dawid Morgenstern and Estera .He debuted as a director with the film Goodbye, See You Tomorrow...

 and the other 9 by Andrzej Konic.

It became popular also in other countries, especially in former Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia

Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...

.

Cast

• Stanisław Mikulski (lieutenant, later, captain Hans Kloss/J-23) - main role
• Emil Karewicz
  Emil Karewicz
  Emil Karewicz is a Polish television and cinema actor.-External links:...
  
   (Hermann Brunner
  Hermann Brunner
  SS-Sturmbannführer Herman Brunner is a recurrent supporting character from the Polish popular TV series More Than Life at Stake...
  
  , support role)
• Bronisław Pawlik
  Bronisław Pawlik
  Bronisław Pawlik was a Polish actor. He starred in the TV series Stawka większa niż życie and 1978 comedy film What Will You Do When You Catch Me?.-Honours and awards:...
  
   (Kloss's contact)
• Mieczysław Stoor
  Mieczysław Stoor
  Mieczysław Stoor was a Polish film actor. He appeared in 37 films between 1954 and 1973.-Selected filmography:* Landscape After the Battle * Jak rozpętałem drugą wojnę światową...
  
    (Sturmführer Stedtke)
• Seweryn Butrym (general Wiehringer)
• Janina Borońska (radio operator Irena)
• Krzysztof Chamiec (Sturmbannführer Lothar)
• Alicja Zommer  (doctor Marta Becher)
• Lucyna Winnicka
  Lucyna Winnicka
  Lucyna Winnicka is a Polish actress. She appeared in 21 films between 1954 and 1978. She played the lead role in the film Mother Joan of the Angels, which won the Special Jury Prize at the 1961 Cannes Film Festival....
  
   (Ingrid Heizer, owner of "Cafe Ingrid")
• Tadeusz Bartosik  (Lobler, owner "Excelsior")
• Andrzej Konic (Georg, contact in Gdańsk)
• Mieczysław Kalenik (Hans Diederlich, reacher)
• Igor Śmiałowski (engineer Reil)
• Leon Niemczyk
  Leon Niemczyk
  Leon Stanisław Niemczyk was a Polish actor.Niemczyk appeared in over 500 films and television shows over the course of his very long career...
  
   (Rioletto)
• Lech Ordon (Puschke)
• Marian Opania
  Marian Opania
  Marian Opania is a Polish film actor. He has appeared in over 50 films since 1965.-Selected filmography:* Pearl in the Crown * Man of Iron * Dreszcze * Chopin: Desire for Love...
  
   (Kazik Truchanowicz)
• Tadeusz Kalinowski (Kreisleiter)
• Tadeusz Schmidt (major Horst)
• Krystyna Feldman
  Krystyna Feldman
  Krystyna Feldman was a Polish actress.-Life and career:Born in Lemberg, Austria-Hungary to a Catholic mother, Katarzyna Sawicka-Feldman, an opera singer and a Jewish father, Ferdynand Feldman, an actor, Feldman identified with Catholicism...
  
   (secretary Reila)
• Alina Janowska (Rose Arens, owner of "Cafe Rose")
• Janusz Bylczyński (councilor Witte)
• Edmund Fetting
  Edmund Fetting
  Edmund Fetting was a Polish movie and theatrical actor and occasional singer.Fetting was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta and the Gold Cross of Merit ....
  
   (Christopulis)
• Leon Pietraszkiewicz (owner of inn "Orient")
• Mieczysław Voit (prince Mdżawanadze)
• Iga Cembrzyńska
  Iga Cembrzynska
  Iga Cembrzyńska, born Maria Elżbieta Cembrzyńska, also known as Iga Cembrzyńska-Kondratiuk is a Polish actress. She is also screenwriter, composer, film director and producer - she runs her own film company Iga Film....
  
   (Benita von Henning)
• Ignacy Gogolewski (captain Ruppert)
• Ewa Wiśniewska
  Ewa Wiśniewska
  Ewa Wiśniewska is a Polish actress. Her sister, Małgorzata Niemirska, is an actress.Wiśniewska was awarded the Order of Polonia Restituta, one of Poland's highest Orders, and many other Orders, including Gold Cross of Merit....
  
   (Anna)
• Mariusz Dmochowski (Gruppenführer Fischer)
• Piotr Pawłowski (Adam Schmidt)
• Jolanta Zykun (Agnieszka)
• Władysław Hańcza (count Edwin Wąsowski)
• Gustaw Lutkiewicz
  Gustaw Lutkiewicz
  Gustaw Lutkiewicz is a Polish actor and singer.He was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta in 1970 and the Officer's Cross in 1985.-Filmography:*1999:With Fire and Sword under Jerzy Hoffman....
  
   (Sturmbannführer Lohse)
• Ignacy Machowski (Standartenführer Diblius)
• Wiesława Mazurkiewicz
  Wiesława Mazurkiewicz
  Wiesława Mazurkiewicz is a Polish actress. In 1974 she starred in the Academy Award nominated film The Deluge under Jerzy Hoffman.-References:...
  
   (major Hanna Bösel)
• Henryk Bąk (councilor Gebhard)
• Adam Pawlikowski (captain Boldt)
• Feliks Żukowski
  Feliks Zukowski
  Feliks Żukowski was a Polish actor and theatre director. He worked in theatres in Warsaw, Vilnius, Lublin, Częstochowa and Łódź. Feliks was a manager of Stefan Jaracz Teatr in Olsztyn...
  
   (colonel Kornel)
• Czesław Wołłejko (Sturmbannführer Geibel)
• Janusz Kłosiński (Józef Filipiak "Filip")
• Bogusław Sochnacki (Zając)
• Zdzisław Mrożewski
  Zdzisław Mrożewski
  Zdzisław Mrożewski was a Polish actor. He appeared in 30 films between 1932 and 1981. He starred in the 1977 film Death of a President, which was entered into the 28th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the Silver Bear for an outstanding artistic contribution.-Selected filmography:*...
  
   (colonel Kraft)
• Maciej Damięcki (2 roles: Wacek Słowikowski, Eryk Słowikowski vel Eryk Getting)
• Józef Nalberczak (Wojtek)
• Joanna Jędryka (Basia Borzemska)
• Jan Englert
  Jan Englert
  Jan Englert is a Polish film actor. He has appeared in over 60 films since 1957.-Selected filmography:* Liberation * Salt of the Black Earth * Pearl in the Crown * Osadeni Dushi...
  
   (Tadek)
• August Kowalczyk (Sturmbannführer Dehne)
• Bolesław Płotnicki (Józef Podlasiński)
• Władysław KowalskiWładysław Kowalski (Adam Pruchnal)
• Stanisław Niwiński (lt. Neumann)
• Jerzy Trela
  Jerzy Trela
  Jerzy Trela is a Polish actor. In 2003 he starred in the film An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God under Jerzy Hoffman.During the communist era, he was a deputy in the Sejm.-Honours and awards:...
  
   (Romek)
• Józef Nowak (partisan commander)
• Jerzy Nowak (tailor Skowronek)
• Lidia Korsakówna (Jeanne Mole)
• Eliasz Kuziemski (major Elert)
• Leszek Herdegen (2 roles: lt. von Vormann, English colonel)
• Leonard Pietraszak (Hubert Ornel)
• Edward Linde-Lubaszenko (Wehrmacht officer)
• Zdzisław Kuźniar (Wehrmacht officer)
• Igor Przegrodzki (doctor)
• Beata Tyszkiewicz
  Beata Tyszkiewicz
  Beata Maria Helena Tyszkiewiczówna-Kalenicka is a Polish actress.-Biography:Beata Tyszkiewicz is one of Poland’s quintessentially cinematic beauties, having worked exclusively on the big screen...
  
   (Christin Kield)
• Ryszard Filipski
  Ryszard Filipski
  Ryszard Filipski is a Polish actor. In 2003 he starred in the film An Ancient Tale: When the Sun Was a God under Jerzy Hoffman.-Awards and honours:Filipski has received numerous awards, including:...
  
   (Sturmbannführer Schabe)
• Jerzy Block (Oskar)
• Anna Seniuk
  Anna Seniuk
  Anna Seniuk is a Polish TV and theatre actress.After World War II, together with other Poles from Stanisławów, she was forced by the Soviet government to leave her hometown, settling in the town of Zator, near Oświęcim...
  
   (łączniczka)
• Witold Pyrkosz
  Witold Pyrkosz
  Witold Pyrkosz - Polish actor. He is best known as Lucjan Mostowiak in a very popular Polish serial "M jak miłość", as Pyzdra in "Janosik", as Wichura in "Czterej pancerni i pies" and as Balcerek in "Alternatywy 4"....
  
   (Obersturmbannführer Kleist)
• Zygmunt Malanowicz
  Zygmunt Malanowicz
  Zygmunt Malanowicz is a Polish film actor. He has appeared in 30 films since 1962.-Selected filmography:* Knife in the Water * Naked among Wolves * Hunting Flies * Landscape After the Battle...
  
   (Johann Streit)
• Zdzisław Maklakiewicz (Untersturmführer Abusch)
• Ryszard Kotys (agent Z-82)
• Henryk Hunko (lt. Schlosser)
• Aleksandra Zawieruszanka (Edyta Lausch)
• Józef Kostecki (captain Schneider)
• Stanisław Zaczyk (major Broch)
• Andrzej Herder (Klossa aide)
• Józef Łodyński (Wasiak)
• Halina Kossobudzka (Inga Glass)
• Jerzy Kaliszewski (professor Glass)
• Janusz Paluszkiewicz (Tomala)
• Stanisław Jasiukiewicz (general Pfister)
• Andrzej Krasicki (Sturmbannführer Knoch)
• Teresa Kamińska
  Teresa Marczewska
  Teresa Marczewska is a Polish actress and the wife of the Polish film director, Wojciech Marczewski.- Selected filmography :* Who Never Lived * Quo vadis * Weiser...
  
   (Simone)
• Barbara Burska (Janka)
• Eugeniusz Priwieziencew (Polish paratrooper)
• Barbara Brylska
  Barbara Brylska
  Barbara Brylska is a native Polish actress who also was featured in numerous films throughout the countries of the Warsaw Pact including the Soviet Union. She is noted especially for her role as Nadya in the 1975 Soviet comedy film Irony of Fate.-Biography:Barbara Brylska was born on June 5, 1941,...
  
   (Inga)
• Barbara Horawianka (Anna-Maria Elken)
• Barbara Rachwalska (Berta)
• Tobias Yves Zintel (2 roles: Austrian autistic, Nazi autistic)
• Stanisław Milski (Miller)
• Zygmunt Zintel (Schenk)
• Aleksander Fogiel (Polish colonel)
• Janusz Zakrzeński
  Janusz Zakrzeński
  Janusz Zakrzeński was a Polish film and theatrical actor.Zakrzeński was born at Przededworze. He graduated from high school III LO in Wrocław, Poland, in 1953. He was an actor in the Juliusz Słowacki Theatre of Kraków , the Polski , the Nowy , and the Narodowy theatres of Warsaw...
  
   (Wernitz)
• Zygmunt Kęstowicz (Ohlers)
• Józef Duriasz (Lüboff)
• Saturnin Żórawski (Fahrenwirst)
• Wieńczysław Gliński (general Harris)
• Tadeusz Pluciński (captain Roberts)
• Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
  Zbigniew Zapasiewicz
  Zbigniew Zapasiewicz was one of the most prominent post-war Polish actors, as well as a theatre director and pedagogue.- Biography :...
  
   (captain Karpinski)
• Ryszard Pietruski (lt. Lewis)
• Włodzimierz Skoczylas (Vogel)
• Barbara Sołtysik (radiooperator Marta)
• Wiktor Grotowicz (general William)
• Ferdynand Matysik (colonel Litzke)
• Zbigniew Józefowicz (Soviet general)

List of episodes

1. I know who you are (Wiem, kim jesteś) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
   Janusz Morgenstern
   Janusz "Kuba" Morgenstern was a Polish film director and producer.Janusz Morgenstern was born in 1922 to a Jewish family in the village of Mikulińce near Tarnopol , to Dawid Morgenstern and Estera .He debuted as a director with the film Goodbye, See You Tomorrow...
   
   
2. Hotel Excelsior (Hotel Excelsior) dir. Andrzej Konic
3. Top secret (Ściśle tajne) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
4. Café Rose (Café Rose) dir. Andrzej Konic
5. Last chance (Ostatnia szansa) dir. Andrzej Konic
6. Iron Cross (Żelazny Krzyż) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
7. Double Nelson (Podwójny nelson) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
8. The Great Give-Away (Wielka wsypa) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
9. Colonel Kraft's ingenious plan (Genialny plan pułkownika Krafta) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
10. In the name of the Commonwealth (W imieniu Rzeczypospolitej) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
11. Password (Hasło) dir. Andrzej Konic
12. Treason (Zdrada) dir. Andrzej Konic
13. Without intstructions (Bez instrukcji) dir. Janusz Morgenstern
14. Edyta dir. Andrzej Konic
15. Siege (Oblężenie) dir. Andrzej Konic
16. Operation: "Oak's leaf" (Akcja - "Liść dębu") dir. Janusz Morgenstern
17. Meeting (Spotkanie) dir. Andrzej Konic
18. The Search For Gruppenführer Wolf (Poszukiwany Gruppenführer Wolf) dir. Andrzej Konic