''Der Tunnel'' is a made-for-television German film released in 2001 and loosely based on true events in

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

following the closing of the East German border in August 1961 and the subsequent construction of the

Berlin Wall The Berlin Wall (german: Berliner Mauer, ) was a guarded concrete barrier that encircled West Berlin from 1961 to 1989, separating it from East Berlin and East Germany (GDR). Construction of the Berlin Wall was commenced by the government ...

Roland Suso Richter Roland Suso Richter (born January 7, 1961 in Marburg) is a German film director and producer. Biography Richter was born in Marburg and lived there until making his Abitur in 1980 at the local Elisabethschule. Wanting to pursue a film career, ...

directed the film. The theatrical release is 20 minutes shorter than the original television version. The subtitled English version was released in 2005.

Plot

The central character of the film is Harry Melchior, based on the real tunneler, Hasso Herschel. Despite being imprisoned for several years for his role in the June 1953 uprising in East Germany, Melchior competes for and wins the national swimming championship in 1961. With the aid of a false passport and disguise, Harry succeeds in fleeing to West Berlin. His best friend, Matthis, manages to escape through the underground sewer, but Matthis's pregnant wife Carola is caught and remains in East Berlin. Harry's beloved sister, Lotte, and her husband and daughter are ambivalent about leaving the confines of the GDR. Committed to getting their loved ones out of the GDR but knowing that ground routes are heavily guarded, Harry and Matthis have the idea of going underground. Matthis is an engineer by training. They link up with a small circle of others, initially Vittorio 'Vic' Constanza and Fred von Klausnitz. They find an unused factory building close to the Wall that has ample underground space. They are eventually joined by Fritzi Scholz, whose fiancé, Heiner, is also trapped in the east. The work is slow, hard and sometimes dangerous, and the group reluctantly agrees to take in several more helpers. Over a span of months, the tunnel takes shape following Matthis' design, with the necessary shoring, lights and even a railbed. Discovering a film crew from

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

in the city one day, the leaders convince the network to fund their efforts in exchange for exclusive footage of the digging and eventual escape. In the meantime, communication with the would-be rescuees in the east is necessary but hazardous. Vic, an American citizen, can pass through the border freely. He is in contact with Lotte and with Carola. The latter, however, has been blackmailed by the

Stasi The Ministry for State Security, commonly known as the (),An abbreviation of . was the Intelligence agency, state security service of the East Germany from 1950 to 1990. The Stasi's function was similar to the KGB, serving as a means of maint ...

to inform; if she does not cooperate, the state will take her soon-to-be-born baby. Carola informs on Vic and he is detained when trying to cross back to West Berlin. He is released after a while but cannot go back to the east. Fritzi's love, Heiner, makes a futile attempt to cross the barbed wire and walls, but is shot by the East German border guards and left to die in a scene mirroring the true case of

Peter Fechter Peter Fechter (14 January 1944 – 17 August 1962) was a German bricklayer who became the twenty-seventh known person to die at the Berlin Wall. Fechter was 18 years old when he was shot and killed by East German border guards while trying t ...

. The American soldiers prevent Harry from climbing the wall to help Heiner. Overseeing the efforts to thwart tunnelers and other efforts at "illegal emigration" is Colonel Kröger. Finally the pieces are all in place for the planned escape of about 30 people. Word is spread by surreptitious means, though the Stasi are watching closely. They go to the home of Fred's widowed mother to take her into custody, but she takes her own life first. Carola has admitted to Lotte that she has been an informant but swears she can now be trusted. In a ruse that means leaving her baby with Lotte's family, she leads her Stasi tail to a remote location far from the actual escape site. In the meantime, Fritzi has crossed the border with a fake passport to guide the escapees through the tunnel. After the true location of the escape is discovered, Harry enters East Berlin through the tunnel and, surprising a border guard, takes his uniform, helmet and gun, and blends in with the troops swarming the area in order to send them in wrong directions. The would-be escapees gather in a café across from the building where the tunnel begins, and Fritzi gradually escorts them over. Tense moments ensue as Colonel Kröger closes in, and pursues the escapees through the tunnel. A sign has been erected in the tunnel marking the boundary of the French sector, and the pursuing guards have the political sense to know they cannot go further.

Cast

Heino Ferch Heino Ferch (born 18 August 1963) is a German film, theatre and television actor. His notable film roles include Albert Speer in ''Downfall (2004 film), Downfall'' (2004) and Harry Melchior in The Tunnel (2001 film), ''The Tunnel'' (2001). Biogr ...

- Harry Melchior *

Nicolette Krebitz Nicolette Krebitz is a German director, actress, model, and singer. She is often credited as Coco in her creative works. Life and work Nicolette Krebitz made her film debut at age eleven. Later, she hosted television and radio shows for childr ...

- Friederike 'Fritzi' Scholz *

Sebastian Koch Sebastian Koch (born 31 May 1962) is a German television and film actor. He is known for roles in the 2007 Academy Award-winning film ''The Lives of Others'', in Steven Spielberg's '' Bridge of Spies'', and as Otto Düring in the fifth season of ...

- Matthis Hiller *

Alexandra Lara Alexandra Maria Lara (''née'' Plătăreanu; 12 November 1978) is a Romanian-German actress who has appeared in ''Downfall (2004 film), Downfall'' (2004), ''Control (2007 film), Control'' (2007), ''Youth Without Youth (film), Youth Without You ...

- Lotte Lohmann *

Mehmet Kurtuluş Mehmet Kurtuluş (born 27 April 1972) is a Turkish-German actor. He is best known for his work with German director Fatih Akin. Life and career Kurtuluş was born in Uşak, Turkey, and moved at the age of 18 months to Germany, where he grew up ...

- Vittorio Costanza *

Heinrich Schmieder Heinrich Schmieder (14 February 1970 – 21 July 2010) was a German actor. Life Heinrich Schmieder was the son of Albanian people, Albanian-Banat Swabians, Banatdeutsch immigrants. From 1991-1994 he studied acting at the private International ...

- Theo Lohmann *

Dorothea Moritz Dorothea (also spelled Dorothée, Dorotea or other variants) is a female given name from Greek (Dōrothéa) meaning "God's Gift". It may refer to: People * Dorothea Binz (1920–1947), German concentration camp officer executed for war cri ...

- Hermine *

Claudia Michelsen Claudia Michelsen (born 4 February 1969) is a German actress. She has appeared in more than eighty films since 1989. Selected filmography External links * {{DEFAULTSORT:Michelsen, Claudia 1969 births Living people Actors from Dresden G ...

- Carola Langensiep *

Felix Eitner Felix may refer to: * Felix (name), people and fictional characters with the name Places * Arabia Felix is the ancient Latin name of Yemen * Felix, Spain, a municipality of the province Almería, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, ...

- Fred von Klausnitz *

Uwe Kockisch Uwe Kockisch (born 31 January 1944) in Cottbus, Germany) is a German stage, screen and television actor. Career Kockisch completed his training to become an actor at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts in Berlin. He accepted engagements in ...

- Oberst Krüger *

Karin Baal Karin Baal (born 19 September 1940), real name Karin Blauermel, is a German film actress. She has appeared in more than 90 films since 1956. Filmography Films *1956: ''Teenage Wolfpack'' *1957: '' Tired Theodore'' *1957: ' *1957: '' The Heart ...

- Marianne von Klausnitz * Wolf-Dietrich Sprenger - Fotograf Grüner *

Florian Panzner Florian Panzner (born 20 July 1976) is a German actor who has been active since 1999. Life and career Panzner studied at the University of Film and Television Potsdam-Babelsberg. In 2000, he played the role of Truffaldino in the comedy ''The S ...

- Heiner

Awards

* Winner of the 2001

Bavarian TV Award Bayerischer Fernsehpreis (the Bavarian TV award) is an award presented by the government of Bavaria, Germany since 1989. The prize symbol is the "Blue Panther", a figure from the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory. The prize money is €10,000 (Spec ...

(

and

) * Winner of the 2001 German Television Award (best TV film/mini-series) * Heino Ferch was awarded the Golden Camera in 2002

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tunnel 2001 films Films about the Berlin Wall Films set in Berlin German television films 2000s German-language films German films based on actual events Films scored by Harald Kloser German-language television shows Sat.1 original programming Films set in East Germany Films set in West Germany Films set in 1961