''New Year's Eve on Alexanderplatz'' (German: ''Silvesternacht am Alexanderplatz'') 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

Richard Schneider-Edenkoben Richard Schneider-Edenkoben (1899–1986) was a German screenwriter and film director.Kreimeier p.236 Selected filmography * ''The Big Attraction'' (1931) * ''Signal in the Night ''Signal in the Night'' (German: ''Signal in der Nacht'') is a 193 ...

and starring Hannes Stelzer,

Carl Raddatz Carl Raddatz (13 March 1912 – 19 May 2004) was a German stage and film actor. Raddatz was a leading man of German cinema during the Nazi era appearing in a number of propaganda films and romances. Later in his career he developed a reputation f ...

and

Jutta Freybe Jutta Freybe (1917–1971) was a German stage and film actress.Giesen p.197 She appeared in ten films during the Nazi era, in leading roles. Her sisters were the writers Johanna Sibelius and Martha Albrand. Selected filmography * ''Love Can Lie ...

. It was shot at the

Johannisthal Studios The Johannisthal Studios were film studios located in the Berlin area of Johannisthal. Founded in 1920 on the site of a former airfield, they were a centre of production during the Weimar and Nazi eras. Nearly four hundred films were made at Johan ...

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 ...

and on location in the city. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Emil Hasler Emil Hasler (November 8, 1901 – January 15, 1986) was a German art director who worked on more than a hundred films during his career. These included a number of Weimar classics such as ''Diary of a Lost Girl, M'' and ''The Blue Angel''.Prawe ...

and

Fritz Lück Fritz originated as a German nickname for Friedrich, or Frederick (''Der Alte Fritz'', and ''Stary Fryc'' were common nicknames for King Frederick II of Prussia and Frederick III, German Emperor) as well as for similar names including Fridoli ...

.Klaus p.171

Synopsis

Amidst the joyous

New Year's Eve In the Gregorian calendar, New Year's Eve, also known as Old Year's Day or Saint Sylvester's Day in many countries, is the evening or the entire day of the last day of the year, on 31 December. The last day of the year is commonly referred to ...

celebrations on

Alexanderplatz () ( en, Alexander Square) is a large public square and transport hub in the central Mitte district of Berlin. The square is named after the Russian Tsar Alexander I, which also denotes the larger neighbourhood stretching from in the nort ...

, a man named Reinhardt feels suicidal. However, as he observes the various dramas of those he encounters that evening he develops a better appreciation of life.

Cast

* Hannes Stelzer as Dr. Storp *

as Reinhardt *

as Ilse Hewegh *

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 Fred Delken *

Jakob Tiedtke Jakob Karl Heinrich Wilhelm Tiedtke (23 June 1875 – 30 June 1960) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 190 films between 1914 and 1955. Selected filmography * ''The Pied Piper of Hamelin (1918 film), The Pied Piper of Hamel ...

as Herr Schebke *

Gertrud Wolle Gertrud Wolle (11 March 1891 – 6 July 1952) was a German film actress. Selected filmography * '' Die Insel der Glücklichen'' (1919) * ''Prince Cuckoo'' (1919) * ''Roswolsky's Mistress'' (1921) * '' A Glass of Water'' (1923) * ''Burglars'' (1 ...

as Frau Schebke *

Hilde Hildebrand Emma Minna Hilde Hildebrand (10 September 1897 – 12 May 1976) was a German actress born in Hanover, Germany on 10 September 1897. She died at the age of 78 in Grunewald, Berlin, on 27 May 1976. Selected filmography * ''Die Scheidungsehe'' ...

as Madeleine *

Lotte Rausch Lotte Rausch (24 May 1913 – 11 March 1995) was a German stage and film actress.Youngkin p.324-25 Selected filmography * '' If We All Were Angels'' (1936) * ''The Broken Jug'' (1937) * '' Triad'' (1938) * ''Women for Golden Hill'' (1938) * ' ...

as Frau Zenge * Aribert Wäscher as Pistor *

Ellen Bang Ellen Bang (16 May 1906 – 8 November 1981) was a German film actress. She appeared in thirty films between 1934 and 1950. Selected filmography * ''Don't Lose Heart, Suzanne!'' (1935) * '' My Friend Barbara'' (1937) * '' The Gambler'' (1938) * ...

as Gerda *

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 ...

as Gast im 'Elite' *

Josef Dahmen Josef Dahmen (21 August 1903 – 18 January 1985) was a German stage, film and television actor.Youngkin p. 462. Dahmen was married to the actress Gisela von Collande, with whom he had a daughter Andrea Dahmen. His granddaughter Julia Dahmen is ...

as Anton Lingenfelder *

Hans Paetsch Hans Paetsch (7 December 1909 – 3 February 2002) was a German actor. He appeared in 52 films between 1939 and 2002. He is most notable for his voice acting, especially as a narrator of fairy tales and audio dramas. Selected filmography * ...

as Rudi Lingenfelder * Bruno Hübner as Schnitzereienverkäufer * Hans Richter as Klingenberg *

Oscar Sabo Oscar Sabo (29 August 1881, in Vienna – 2 May 1969, in Berlin) was an Austrian actor. Selected filmography * '' Jettatore'' (1919) * ''The False Dimitri'' (1922) * '' Storm in a Water Glass'' (1931) * ''The Little Escapade'' (1931) * '' The Span ...

as Schupo

References

Bibliography

* Klaus, Ulrich J. ''Deutsche Tonfilme: Jahrgang 1939''. Klaus-Archiv, 1988. * Wilson, Christopher S. & Erk, Gul Kacmaz . ''Reframing Berlin: Architecture, Memory-Making and Film Locations''. Intellect Books, 2023.

External links

* 1939 drama films German drama films 1939 films Films of Nazi Germany 1930s German-language films Films directed by Richard Schneider-Edenkoben Tobis Film films Films set in Berlin Films shot in Berlin Films shot at Johannisthal Studios German black-and-white films 1930s German films Films scored by Ernst Erich Buder {{1930s-Germany-film-stub