Two soldiers come home, but the war won't let them go.
Zündschnüre explores the emotional and psychological aftermath of war. The story follows two former soldiers who return home after serving in a brutal conflict. They find themselves struggling to reintegrate into civilian life, grappling with trauma, guilt, and their difficult pasts. As they attempt to reconnect with their families and rebuild their lives, the haunting effects of war continue to haunt them, testing their resilience and relationships. Fuses is a poignant and intense exploration of human suffering, healing, and the lingering scars of violence.
Acting
Olbrich and Funk carry unbearable weight in every silence.
Direction
Hauff refuses easy catharsis — pain lingers, unresolved.
Director
Reinhard Hauff
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made for West German television in 1974, this was Hauff's brutal response to national silence about returning Vietnam-era soldiers and postwar German trauma alike.
The title refers to both explosive fuses and the fragile connections between men who can no longer communicate — the double meaning haunts every scene.
DE
