''Ride to Freedom'' (german: Ritt in die Freiheit) is a 1937 German

historical History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...

war film War film is a film genre concerned with warfare, typically about naval, air, or land battles, with combat scenes central to the drama. It has been strongly associated with the 20th century. The fateful nature of battle scenes means that war fi ...

directed by

Karl Hartl Karl Hartl (10 May 1899 – 29 August 1978) was an Austrian film director. Life Born in Vienna, Hartl began his film career at the Austrian Sascha-Film company of Alexander Kolowrat and from 1919 was assistant to the Hungarian director Alexande ...

and starring

Willy Birgel Willy Birgel (19 September 1891 – 29 December 1973), born Wilhelm Maria Birgel, was a German theatre and film actor. Career Birgel began his acting career before World War I on the stage in his native city of Cologne, and came to movies ra ...

Viktor Staal Viktor Staal (17 February 1909 – 4 June 1982) was an Austrian film actor. Selected filmography * '' Everything for the Company'' (1935) * '' Eva, the Factory Girl'' (1935) * '' Das Einmaleins der Liebe'' (1935) * '' The World's in Love'' (1935 ...

and

Hansi Knoteck Johanna Knoteck, known as Hansi Knoteck (2 March 1914 – 23 February 2014), was an Austrian film actress. Selected filmography * '' Count Woronzeff'' (1934) * '' Hubertus Castle'' (1934) * '' The Gypsy Baron'' (1935) * ''The Saint and Her F ...

. The film is set in the 1830s during Poland's

November Uprising The November Uprising (1830–31), also known as the Polish–Russian War 1830–31 or the Cadet Revolution, was an armed rebellion in the heartland of partitioned Poland against the Russian Empire. The uprising began on 29 November 1830 in W ...

against the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended the Great Northern War. ...

. It portrays the rehabilitation of a Polish cavalry officer whose initial reluctance to engage the enemy leads to the death of his comrades, but later dies fighting bravely. The film was made by German's leading studio

UFA Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya and Ufa rivers, in the centre-north of Bashkortostan, on hills forming the ...

, with interiors shot at the

Babelsberg Studios Babelsberg Film Studio (german: Filmstudio Babelsberg), located in Potsdam-Babelsberg outside Berlin, Germany, is the second oldest large-scale film studio in the world only preceded by the Danish Nordisk Film (est. 1906), producing films since ...

. UFA received co-operation from the Polish War Ministry who supplied 5th Regiment of Zaslaw Uhlans for the filming of battles scenes that took place around Ostroleka in

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...

. The Polish ambassador to Germany

Józef Lipski Józef Lipski (5 June 1894 – 1 November 1958) was a Polish diplomat and Ambassador to Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1939. Lipski played a key role in the foreign policy of the Second Polish Republic. Life Lipski trained as a lawyer, and joined th ...

attended the film's premiere at the

Palast-am-Zoo The Ufa-Palast am Zoo, located near Berlin Zoological Garden in the New West area of Charlottenburg, was a major Berlin cinema owned by Universum Film AG, or Ufa. Opened in 1919 and enlarged in 1925, it was the largest cinema in Germany until 192 ...

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 ...

on 14 January 1937. Around the same time Germany and Poland, future enemies in the

Second World War 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 ...

, co-produced two films together ''

Augustus the Strong Augustus II; german: August der Starke; lt, Augustas II; in Saxony also known as Frederick Augustus I – Friedrich August I (12 May 16701 February 1733), most commonly known as Augustus the Strong, was Elector of Saxony from 1694 as well as Ki ...

'' and ''

Adventure in Warsaw ''Adventure in Warsaw'' (german: Abenteuer in Warschau) is a 1938 German-Polish comedy film directed by Carl Boese and starring Georg Alexander, Paul Klinger and Jadwiga Kenda. The film was the second of two German-Polish co-productions following ...

''.Kreimeier p. 283

Cast

as Julek Staniewski *

as Jan Wolski *

as Janka Koslowska *

Ursula Grabley Ursula Grabley (8 December 1908 – 3 April 1977) was a German actress. She appeared in more than 80 films and television shows between 1929 and 1977. Selected filmography * '' Katharina Knie'' (1929) * '' The Concert'' (1931) * '' That's ...

as Katerina Tschernikoff *

Heinz von Cleve Heinz von Cleve (27 June 1897 – 9 October 1984) was a German stage and film actor.Goble p.293 Life Cleve was the son of Gottlieb von Cleve, a young officer in the 2nd Dragoon Regiment, by his marriage to Elisabeth zu Dobeneck. He attended school ...

as Saganoff *

Berthold Ebbecke Berthold Ebbecke (1906–1969) was a German actor and screenwriter. He collaborated with Ludwig Metzger.Noack p. 272 Selected filmography Actor * '' Trouble Backstairs'' (1935) * ''The Court Concert'' (1936) * ''The Beggar Student'' (1936) * '' R ...

as Malinowski *

Werner Schott Werner Schott (20 November 1891, in Berlin – 6 September 1965) was a German actor. Selected filmography * ''Gefesselt'' (1920) - Allan * ''Das vierte Gebot'' (1920) - Weltpriester Eduard * ''Wie Satan starb'' (1920) * ''Golgatha'' (1920) - Jos ...

as Bobrikoff *

Edwin Jürgensen Edwin Max Eduard Jürgensen (24 May 1898 – 1 April 1947) was a German actor. He appeared in more than forty films from 1930 to 1944. Selected filmography References External links * 1898 births 1947 deaths German male film actors ...

as Fürst Tschernikoff *

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. Biography New York City-born, Braun made his film debut in 1933 with ''Der Jäger aus Kurpfalz''. Braun was initial ...

as Milewski - polnischer Fähnrich * Hans Reinhard Knitsch as Smirnoff - russischer Fähnrich *

Rudolf Schündler Rudolf Ernst Paul Schündler (17 April 1906, in Leipzig – 12 December 1988, in Munich) was a German actor and director. He played "Karl" in ''The Exorcist'' (1973). After finishing the film ''The Nasty Girl'', Schündler died of a heart attack ...

as Polnischer Student *

Aribert Grimmer Aribert ( it, Ariberto) is a Germanic given name, from ''hari'' ("host") and ''beraht'' ("bright"). It may refer to: * Aribert (archbishop of Milan) * Prince Aribert of Anhalt (1866–1933), regent of Anhalt *Aribert Heim (1914–1992), Austrian Sc ...

as Polnischer Wachtmeister *

Clemens Hasse Clemens Hasse (13 April 1908 – 28 July 1959) was a German actor and synchroniser. Biography Hasse was born in Königsberg, East Prussia to a public official and attended his stage education at the ''Preussisches Staatstheater'' in Berlin. B ...

as Betrunkener Fährmann *

Peter Elsholtz Peter Ludwig Wilhelm Elsholtz (20 October 1907 – 30 August 1977) was a German stage and film actor.Giesen p.193 Selected filmography * '' The Castle in Flanders'' (1936) * '' Truxa'' (1937) * '' The Ruler'' (1937) * ''Ride to Freedom'' (1937) ...

as Adjutant des Gouverneurs *

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 Krupka *

Charlie Kracker Charlie may refer to: Characters * "Charlie," the head of the Townsend Agency', from the ''Charlie's Angels'' franchise * Charlie, a character on signs for the CharlieCard, a smart card issued by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority * ...

as Hässlicher Ulan * Lidija Daurdina as Gouvernante * Werner Bernhardy as Major *

Curt Cappi Kurt is a male given name of Germanic or Turkish origin. ''Kurt'' or ''Curt'' originated as short forms of the Germanic Conrad, depending on geographical usage, with meanings including counselor or advisor. In Turkish, Kurt means "Wolf" and i ...

as Diener des Rittmeisters Staniewski * Hermann Hardy as Erzieher des Prinzen * Gustav Mahncke as Unparteiischer beim Duell * Dagmar Muthardt as Junges Mädchen beim Ball * Siegmar Schneider as Großfürst * Louise von Krogh as Begleiterin des Gouverneurs beim Ball *

Michael von Newlinsky Michael von Newlinsky (21 June 1891 – 14 August 1964) was an Austrian film actor who appeared in numerous supporting roles during his career, in films such as Georg Wilhelm Pabst's ''Pandora's Box'' (1929).Roberts p.82 Selected filmography * ' ...

as Russischer Offizier beim Ball * Kurt Daehn

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1937 films Films of Nazi Germany German war films German historical films 1930s historical films 1937 war films 1930s German-language films Films directed by Karl Hartl Films set in the 1830s Films set in Poland Films shot in Poland German black-and-white films Films shot at Babelsberg Studios UFA GmbH films 1930s German films {{1930s-Germany-film-stub