''Berlin, Schoenhauser Corner'' () is an

East German East Germany, officially known as the German Democratic Republic (GDR), was a country in Central Europe from its formation on 7 October 1949 until its reunification with West Germany (FRG) on 3 October 1990. Until 1989, it was generally vie ...

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by

Gerhard Klein Gerhard is Gerard, a name of Germanic origin and may refer to: Given name * Gerhard (bishop of Passau) (fl. 932–946), German prelate * Gerhard III, Count of Holstein-Rendsburg (1292–1340), German prince, regent of Denmark * Gerhard Barkhorn (19 ...

. It was released in 1957.

Plot summary

Dieter, Angela, Kohle and Karl-Heinz are part of a group of delinquent youths who prowl Schönhauser Allee, in Berlin's

Prenzlauer Berg Prenzlauer Berg () is a Boroughs and localities of Berlin, locality of Berlin, forming the southerly and most urban district of the borough of Pankow. From its founding in 1920 until 2001, Prenzlauer Berg was a district of Berlin in its own right ...

. The four, each with their troubled life, are often in trouble with the police. Karl-Heinz steals an identity document and uses it to enter

West Berlin West Berlin ( or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin from 1948 until 1990, during the Cold War. Although West Berlin lacked any sovereignty and was under military occupation until German reunification in 1 ...

, where he murders a man while committing armed robbery. The police suspect that his friends assisted him. When he returns, Kohle and Dieter confront Karl-Heinz about an unpaid debt; he threatens them both with a pistol, and Kohle knocks him unconscious. Karl-Heinz recovers and runs away, but Dieter and Kohle believe they have killed Karl-Heinz. Kohle and Dieter get assistance in fleeing to West Berlin, and stay in a home with other young men in the western sector of the city. They plan to get to the

Federal Republic of Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen constituent states have a total population of over 84 ...

. Before long Dieter wonders whether Karl-Heinz is really dead, and whether it would be safe to return to East Berlin. He is threatened by some of the young men in the home where they are staying. Kohle is concerned that the two friends will be separated. He drinks a solution of coffee and tobacco to feign illness, so he can't be sent away. The next morning, Dieter discovers Kohle dead, poisoned by the beverage. Dieter returns home, where Angela is pregnant with his child, and explains the situation to the police. He is released, while Karl-Heinz is imprisoned.

Cast

Ekkehard Schall Ekkehard Schall (29 May 1930 in Magdeburg – 3 September 2005 in Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 millio ...

as Dieter *

Ilse Pagé Ilse Pagé (29 May 1939 – 19 June 2017) was a German film actress, film and television actress. Selected filmography * ''Berlin, Schoenhauser Corner'' (1957) - Angela * ''Arzt aus Leidenschaft'' (1959) - Ein junges Mädchen * ''...und noch fre ...

as Angela *

Ernst-Georg Schwill Ernst-Georg Schwill (30 March 1939 - 9 April 2020) was a German actor, best known for his performance as ''Kohle'' in the 1957 film '' Berlin, Schoenhauser Corner'' and as ''Lutz Weber'' in ''Tatort''. For several years Schwill was an informant fo ...

as Kohle * Harry Engel as Karl-Heinz Erdmann *

Raimund Schelcher Raimund Schelcher (27 March 1910 – 27 March 1972) was a Tanzanian actor who appeared in over 43 films and television programs between 1939 and 1971. Personal life He was born in Dar es Salaam, German East Africa (now Tanzania) to a railway eng ...

as Police commissioner *

Helga Göring Helga Göring (1922–2010) was a German stage actor, stage, television actor, television and film actress.Brockmann p.247 Selected filmography * ''Castles and Cottages'' (1957) * ''Two Mothers (1921 film), Two Mothers'' (1957) * ''Sheriff Teddy' ...

as Angela's mother * Erika Dunkelmann as Kohle's mother * Maximilian Larsen as Kohle's stepfather * Ingeborg Beeske as Karl-Heinz's mother *

Siegfried Weiß Siegfried Weiss (18 April 1906 – 8 October 1989) was an East German actor. Biography Weiss made his artistic debut on the stage of the Halberstadt Theater, at 1924. He continued his career in the theaters of Lübeck, Königsberg, Magdeburg, Le ...

as Karl-Heinz's father * Manfred Borges as Dieter's brother *

Hartmut Reck Hartmut Reck (17 November 1932 – 30 January 2001) was a German television and film actor. He also appeared in the American-produced epic film, '' The Longest Day''. He also acted in the German film dubbing industry, dubbing into German the voic ...

as member of the

Free German Youth The Free German Youth (; FDJ) is a youth movement in Germany. Formerly, it was the official youth wing of the German Democratic Republic (GDR) and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany. The organization was meant for young adults, both male a ...

Gerd Michael Henneberg Gerd Michael Henneberg (14 July 1922 – 1 January 2011) was a German actor and theater director. Biography Gerd Henneberg's father, Richard, was a theater director. After the young Henneberg took private acting classes, he debuted on stage at a ...

as American man

Production

The screenplay of ''Berlin – Ecke Schönhauser…'' was written in summer 1956 - during the early months of the

Khrushchev Thaw The Khrushchev Thaw (, or simply ''ottepel'')William Taubman, Khrushchev: The Man and His Era, London: Free Press, 2004 is the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s when Political repression in the Soviet Union, repression and Censorship in ...

- and severely criticized by officials in the Ministry of Culture's Cinema Directorate upon its completion. It was seen by the authorities as portraying only the negative side of life in the country. Director Klein did not receive approval to begin filming, but did so anyhow, starting at October. When Klein held a screening of ''Ecke Schönhauser'' in the Ministry of Culture, the officials present strongly disapproved of it, and intended to ban it. But when it was presented to the Central Committee of the

Hans Modrow Hans Modrow (; 27 January 1928 – 10 February 2023) was a German politician best known as the last communist premier of East Germany. Coming into office amidst the Peaceful Revolution, he was the ''de facto'' leader of East Germany through ...

praised Klein's work and declared that it would be beneficial for the populace. The film was approved for release. ''Berlin - Ecke Schönhauser...'' was released only a year after the release of ''

Die Halbstarken ''Teenage Wolfpack'' () is a 1956 German crime film, crime drama film directed by Georg Tressler. The film is also known as ''Wolfpack'' in the United Kingdom. It was shot at the Spandau Studios in West Berlin Plot summary The drama of a youth ...

'' (1956) in the Federal Republic of Germany. ''Die Halbstarken'' is one of numerous German-made films inspired by the American young rebel films of the 1950s that featured young, male protagonists rebelling against the rule of law and breaking societal norms. Such films were heavily criticized by German officials of the GDR who believed it was the goal of the West to destabilize East German society through the release of such films.

Reception

The film was viewed by 1.5 million watchers in the first twelve weeks after its premiere. Mira and Antonin Liehm wrote that, while still attacking "West Berlin with the same propagandistic undertone of all DEFA films", it also "took into account the shady aspects of life in the East". Dagmar Schittly noted that the film acknowledged the East German youth's wish to emulate the life in the West, at least partially: on one occasion, Angela states that her model of the ideal man figure is

Marlon Brando Marlon Brando Jr. (April 3, 1924 – July 1, 2004) was an American actor. Widely regarded as one of the greatest cinema actors of the 20th century,''Movies in American History: An Encyclopedia''

. At 1995, ''Berlin – Ecke Schönhauser…'' was selected as one of the 100 most important German films in history.
Berlin – Ecke Schönhauser…
'' on PROGRESS' website.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Berlin Schoenhauser Corner 1957 films 1957 crime films German crime films East German films 1950s German-language films Films set in Berlin German black-and-white films 1950s German films German-language crime films