Somewhere in the GDR, in 1988: young soldier Henrik Heidler starts his service in the National People's Army, a whole new world. Together with the weighty troublemaker Krüger, Heidler and his fellow soldiers try to somehow do their time between old hands and bureaucrats. It's not always fun, because the superiors are annoying with socialist propaganda from the day before yesterday, the material and equipment is scarce and not exactly new, while morale is at rock bottom. His relationship with his girlfriend isn't holding up either. But then Heidler meets Marie, the daughter of commander Kalt of all people, and falls in love. And then, at some point, the Wall comes down and everything changes ... for everyone in the NVA!
Acting
Kim Frank's deadpan desperation as Heidler.
Direction
Haußmann's nostalgic but unsentimental GDR lens.
Production
Painfully authentic barracks decay and period detail.
Director
Leander Haußmann
Kim Frank
Henrik Heidler
Oliver Bröcker
Krüger
Detlev Buck
Oberst Kalt
Jasmin Schwiers
Marie Kalt
Annika Kuhl
Schwester Sonja
Ignaz Kirchner
Hauptfeldwebel Futterknecht
Maxim Mehmet
Unteroffizier Aurich
Robert Gwisdek
Traubewein
Philippe Graber
Stadlmair
Daniel Zillmann
Mischke
Torsten Michaelis
Hauptmann Stummel
Uwe Dag Berlin
Oberfähnrich Lenk
Ralf Dittrich
Laucke
Steffi Kühnert
Frau Heidler
Katharina Thalbach
Röntgenschwester Inge
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The NVA was the most politicized army in the Warsaw Pact, with Stasi informants embedded in every unit—something the film winks at but never fully explores.
Director Haußmann grew up in the GDR and based much of the bureaucratic absurdity on his own mandatory military service, including the infamous 'weapon care' scenes where soldiers polished non-functional equipment.
DE
