''D III 88'' (sometimes written as ''DIII 88'') is a 1939 German

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Herbert Maisch Herbert Maisch (born 10 December 1890in Nürtingen, Württemberg, died 10 October 1974 in Köln) was a German film director. Selected filmography * '' The Royal Waltz'' (1935) * ''Boccaccio'' (1936) * '' Love's Awakening'' (1936) * '' Men Witho ...

and

Hans Bertram Hans Bertram (26 February 1906 – 8 January 1993) was a German aviator, screenwriter and film director. Biography Early life Hans Bertram was born on 26 February 1906 in Remscheid, Germany. Career During 1920, Bertram trained under fly ...

and starring

Christian Kayßler Christian Friedrich Kayssler, commonly spelled Kayßler (14 June 1898 – 10 March 1944), was a German stage and film actor. He was the son of the actor Friedrich Kayßler. He appeared in 14 films before dying in an Allied bombing raid on Berlin ...

Otto Wernicke Otto Karl Robert Wernicke (30 September 1893, Osterode am Harz – 7 November 1965) was a German actor. He is best known for his role as police inspector Karl Lohmann in the two Fritz Lang films '' M'' and ''The Testament of Dr. Mabuse''. Marrie ...

and

Heinz Welzel Heinz Welzel (1911–2002) was a German stage, television and film actor. He was also a noted voice actor Voice acting is the art of performing voice-overs to present a character or provide information to an audience. Performers are called vo ...

. It was made as a

propaganda film A propaganda film is a film that involves some form of propaganda. Propaganda films spread and promote certain ideas that are usually religious, political, or cultural in nature. A propaganda film is made with the intent that the viewer will ad ...

with the support of

Luftwaffe The ''Luftwaffe'' () was the aerial-warfare branch of the German ''Wehrmacht'' before and during World War II. Germany's military air arms during World War I, the ''Luftstreitkräfte'' of the Imperial Army and the '' Marine-Fliegerabtei ...

chief

Hermann Göring Hermann Wilhelm Göring (or Goering; ; 12 January 1893 – 15 October 1946) was a German politician, military leader and convicted war criminal. He was one of the most powerful figures in the Nazi Party, which ruled Germany from 1933 to 1 ...

, and was the last of a series of Nazi aviation films to be made before the outbreak of

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

. It was one of the most commercially successful films released during the Nazi era. It was praised by

Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazi politician who was the ''Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to 19 ...

as "an irreproachable film of national destiny". The title, referring to the serial number of the

Albatros D.III The Albatros D.III was a biplane fighter aircraft used by the Imperial German Army Air Service (''Luftstreitkräfte'') during World War I. A modified licence model was built by Oeffag for the Austro-Hungarian Air Service ( ''Luftfahrtruppen''). T ...

flown by one of the characters in the

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, was an attempt to re-inforce the propaganda link between the modern Luftwaffe and that of

.Paris p. 95

Synopsis

Two extraordinary young pilots engage in a competitive rivalry and also fight over the same girl. In an effort to show off both fly into a dangerous storm, damaging their planes and are suspended from duty. They are finally convinced by their commanding officer, a veteran of World War I, to use their talents in a more disciplined way for their country.

Cast

as Oberleutnant Mithoff *

as Oberwerkmeister Bonicke *

as Obergefreiter Fritz Paulsen *

Hermann Braun Hermann Braun (November 1, 1917 – January 18 or 20, 1945) was a German film actor, and the son of chamber singer Carl Braun (opera singer), Carl Braun. Biography New York City-born, Braun made his film debut in 1933 with ''Der Jäger aus Kur ...

as Obergefreiter Robert Eckhard * Adolf Fischer as Gefreiter Zeissler *

Horst Birr Horst Birr (17 February 1912 – 8 October 1943) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 40 films between 1934 and 1941. Birr was a member of the Nazi Party. There are different accounts about his death. Some sources state that he comm ...

as Monteur Hasinger *

Karl Martell Charles Martel ( – 22 October 741) was a Frankish political and military leader who, as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. He was a son of the Frankish statesma ...

as Lt. Ludwig Becker * Fritz Eberth as Funker Lindner *

Carsta Löck Carsta Löck (28 December 1902 – 9 October 1993) was a German film actress. Selected filmography * ''Refugees'' (1933) * '' Ripening Youth'' (1933) * '' The Double Fiance'' (1934) * ''Trouble with Jolanthe'' (1934) * ''Police Report'' (1934) ...

as Bauernmagd Lina *

Paul Otto Paul Otto Schlesinger (8 February 1878 – 25 or 30 November 1943) was a German film actor and director. Born in Berlin, he began a qualification as a retail merchant and made his actor's debut at the age of 17. Otto worked at Theaters in ...

as General *

Paul Bildt Paul Hermann Bildt (19 May 1885 – 13 March 1957) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 180 films between 1910 and 1956. He was born and died in Berlin, Germany. Selected filmography * ''Devil in Silk'' (1956) * ''Ich suche Di ...

as Stabsarzt der Flugstaffel * Hans Bernuth as Flieger *

Ernst Dernburg Ernst Dernburg (born Erich Wilhelm Franz Hermann Calow; 4 April 1887 – 23 September 1969) was a German stage and film actor.Giesen p.198 Selected filmography *'' The Sacrifice'' (1918) * '' The Living Dead'' (1919) * ''The Marquise of Armiani'' ...

as Adm. beim Manöver *

Erich Dunskus Erich Adolf Dunskus (27 July 1890 – 25 November 1967) was a German film actor. He appeared in 170 films between 1927 and 1966. He was born in Pillkallen, East Prussia and died in Hagen, Germany. Selected filmography * '' The King of Pa ...

as Bauer *

Heinz Engelmann Heinz Engelmann (1911–1996) was a German film actor. He was married to the actress Gertrud Meyen. Selected filmography * '' D III 88'' (1939) * ''Drei Unteroffiziere'' (1939) * ''Congo Express'' (1939) * ''The Girl at the Reception'' (1940) * ...

as Lt. Frank *

Ilse Fürstenberg Ilse Fürstenberg (12 December 1907, in Berlin – 16 December 1976, in Basel) was a German actress, working on stage, screen, television and as voice actress. Selected filmography * ''The Blue Angel'' (1930) - Raths Wirtschafterin / Maid * '' M ...

as Bäuerin *

Malte Jäger Malte Richard Friedrich Jaeger (sometimes named in cast lists as Malte Jäger) (4 July 1911 in Hannover – 10 January 1991 at Ladelund / district of North Friesland) was a German actor, theater director and voice actor. Early life Malte ...

as 1. Funker * Ferry Reich as 2. Funker * Josef Kamper as Bauernknecht * Hilde Land as Kantinenwirtin * Guenther Markert as Marineoffizier * Hans Meyer-Hanno as Kantinenwirt *

Egon Vogel Egon Vogel (1908–1993) was a German stage, television and film actor.Giesen p.190 A character actor he amassed over a hundred credits during his career, some of them in minor parts. Selected filmography Film * ''Boccaccio'' (1936) * '' The Deru ...

as Sanitäter *

Eduard von Winterstein Eduard Clemens Franz Anna Freiherr von Wangenheim (1 August 1871 – 22 July 1961), known as Eduard von Winterstein, was an Austrian-German film actor who appeared in over one hundred fifty German films during the silent and sound eras. He was ...

as Landarzt *

Wolfgang Staudte Wolfgang Staudte (9 October 1906 – 19 January 1984), born Georg Friedrich Staudte, was a German film director, script writer and actor. He was born in Saarbrücken. After 1945, Staudte also looked at German guilt in the cinema. Alongside He ...

as Marineoffizier * Walter Gross as Funker * Theo Brandt as Fliegeroffizier

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1939 films Films of Nazi Germany German drama films 1939 drama films 1930s German-language films German aviation films Films directed by Hans Bertram Films directed by Herbert Maisch German black-and-white films Tobis Film films 1930s German films {{1930s-Germany-film-stub