''Dr. Ahrendt's Decision'' (german: Die Entscheidung des Dr. Ahrendt) is an
East German
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
black-and-white film
Black-and-white (B&W or B/W) images combine black and white in a continuous spectrum, producing a grayscale, range of shades of gray, shades of grey.
Media
The history of various visual media began with black and white, and as technology imp ...
, directed by Frank Vogel. It was released in 1960.
Plot
Dr. Ahrendt developed a new model of an iron smelter. When his invention fails to produce the required results, he begins to doubt himself, and is even considered as a liar by some. However, the workers in the factory are determined to achieve the goals set forth, and together with the scientist they manage to prove that the machine can be used as planned.
Cast
*
Johannes Arpe
Johannes Arpe (29 July 1897 – 3 October 1962) was a German actor. He appeared in more than thirty films from 1953 to 1962.
Selected filmography
References
External links
*
1897 births
1962 deaths
German male film actors
20th ...
as Dr. Heinrich Ahrendt
* Rudolf Ulrich as Martin Kröger
*
Willi Schrade
Willi Schrade (born 31 January 1935) is a German actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films since 1957.
Selected filmography
References
External links
*
1935 births
Living people
Actors from Königsberg
People from East Pru ...
as Andreas Morgner
* Erika Radtke as Gisela Ahrendt
* Josef Stauder as Karl Szepinski
*
Fritz Diez
Fritz Diez (27 February 1901 – 19 October 1979) was a German actor, producer, director and theater manager.
Biography
Early life
Diez's mother was a servant, and raised her three children alone. To support his family, the child began working a ...
as Scholz
* Gisela May as Mrs. Kröger
* Fritz H. Kirchhoff as Dr. Maurer
* Paul Streckfuß as Kurt
* Werner Lierck as Rudi
* Hans Klering as Franz
* Roman Silberstein as Ede
* Helga Göring as Irma
* Hans Hardt-Hardtloff as Erwin
* Hans Flössel as Musner
*
Siegfried Weiß as Kripphahn
Production
The film was one of the so-called "mission films", commissioned in great number by the East German government during the late 1950s and the early 1960s, that were intended to promote distinct political aims. ''Dr. Ahrendt's Decision'' was meant to set an ideal model for behavior and attitude for the industrial workers.
Reception
Heinz Kersten wrote that the film resembled Socialist Realist pictures, and was intended to promote the economical aspirations of East Germany, by motivating the populace to work harder.
Marianne Lange noted that ''Dr. Ahrendt's Decision'' portrayed the transformation of simple workers to ambitious, skilled labor. The West German film service regarded it as "boring propaganda".
Die Entscheidung des Dr. Ahrendt
' on Zweitausendundeins.de.
References
External links
*
*
Die Entscheidung des Dr. Ahrendt' on PROGRESS' website.
1960 films
East German films
1960s German-language films
German black-and-white films
1960s German films
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