The era of the feared sea pirates Klaus Störtebeker and Gödeke Michels is coming to an end. After a long period with no booty at last a bulging ship appears on the horizon. However, Störtebeker is badly wounded in the attempted capture and the pirates suffer ignominious defeat. Not only their ship is down the drain - Störtebeker himself is suddenly plagued by anxiety and doubt about his very existence as a pirate. He is drawn to the beautiful country girl Bille, while Michels gets rebuffed by the friesian princess Okka. In the very moment that the crew have mutinied and co-captain Michels is literally at the end of his tether, they discover on board their ramshackle old tub a most unique wonder weapon. Glory days are quickly revived - until the mighty Hanse consolidate their power and weaponry and go to war against the pirates. Störtebeker and Michels are forced to decide: To live as a farmer or to die as a pirate.
Acting
Schweighöfer's manic Michels vs Zehrfeld's wounded stoicism.
Production
Ramshackle ships that look actually seaworthy, somehow.
Writing
Pirates doing paperwork. Existential dread in wigs.
Director
Sven Taddicken
Ronald Zehrfeld
Klaus Störtebeker
Matthias Schweighöfer
Gödeke Michels
Franziska Wulf
Bille
Oliver Bröcker
Lupe
Hinnerk Schönemann
Keule
Jacob Matschenz
Nolle
Sascha Reimann
Beule
Jana Pallaske
Okka
Devid Striesow
Simon von Utrecht
Detlev Buck
Waffenhändler
Thomas Neumann
Pfeffersack
Peter Kurth
Keno Tom Brooke
Alexander Scheer
Hermann Lange
Milan Peschel
Nikolaus Schocke
Achim Reichel
Henker Rosenfeld
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Störtebeker was a real 14th-century pirate legend; the '12 paces' of the title references his alleged execution deal—walk 12 paces after beheading, free your men.
Taddicken filmed on actual Baltic Sea locations where Störtebeker historically operated, though the 'wonder weapon' is pure invention.
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