''Five Days, Five Nights'' (; ) is a 1961 joint

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

–

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 ...

film, directed by

Lev Arnshtam Lev Oskarovich Arnshtam (; 15 January 1905 – 26 December 1979) was a Soviet film director and screenwriter. He directed nine films between 1936 and 1967. Arnshtam was named People's Artist of the RSFSR in 1969. Biography Arnshtam was initiall ...

and

Heinz Thiel Heinz Thiel (10 May 1920 – 9 March 2003) was a German film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 20 films between 1956 and 1977. His 1967 film ''Bread and Roses'' was entered into the 5th Moscow International Film Festival. Se ...

. On 8 May 1945, the day of Germany's surrender at the

end End, END, Ending, or ENDS may refer to: End Mathematics *End (category theory) * End (topology) * End (graph theory) * End (group theory) (a subcase of the previous) * End (endomorphism) Sports and games *End (gridiron football) *End, a division ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, exiled communist Erich Braun returns along with the

Red Army The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

to his native city of

Dresden Dresden (; ; Upper Saxon German, Upper Saxon: ''Dräsdn''; , ) is the capital city of the States of Germany, German state of Saxony and its second most populous city after Leipzig. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, 12th most p ...

, only three months after it was devastated in aerial bombardment. He aids a group of Soviet soldiers to recover the art of the

Old Masters Picture Gallery Old or OLD may refer to: Places *Old, Baranya, Hungary *Old, Northamptonshire, England *Old Street station, a railway and tube station in London (station code OLD) *OLD, IATA code for Old Town Municipal Airport and Seaplane Base, Old Town, Mai ...

from the ruins of the

Zwinger A () is an open kill zone area between two defensive walls that is used for defensive purposes. s were built in the medieval and early modern periods to improve the defence of castles and town walls. The term is usually left untranslated, ...

Palace. During the next five days, while searching for the collection, he encounters several of the city's residents who have also returned from the war. Although they distrust the Soviets at first, they eventually assist them to recover the pictures.

Plot

On May 8, 1945, Soviet soldiers occupy Dresden as World War II comes to an end. The city lies in ruins. Communist Erich Braun returns to Dresden, while Captain Leonov searches for the missing paintings of the Dresden Gallery amidst the destruction. Leonov is referred to the artist Paul Naumann, who possesses paintings, but they are his own works depicting the city’s devastation and his lost love, Katrin. Having lost his left arm in the war, Paul vows never to paint again. Leonov takes him to the gallery, where they meet museum employee Luise Rank. Initially reluctant to disclose anything, Luise recognizes Leonov’s passion for art and hands him a map showing a tunnel where dozens of paintings, including Rembrandt’s

The Prodigal Son in the Tavern ''The Prodigal Son in the Brothel'' or ''The Prodigal Son in the Tavern'' or ''Rembrandt and Saskia in the parable of the prodigal son'' () is a painting by the Dutch master Rembrandt. It is now in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister of Dresden, ...

, are hidden. In the tunnel, Paul encounters Erich Braun, who reveals that Katrin was arrested alongside him and likely killed in a concentration camp for helping a Russian woman. When Erich asks Paul to create a poster calling for action, Paul refuses, rejecting violence entirely. Dr. Nikitina, an art restorer from Moscow, arrives to assess the deteriorated paintings, damaged by humidity in the tunnel. Acting on Paul’s advice, the artworks are moved to Schloss Rassnitz for preliminary restoration. When Raphael’s *Sistine Madonna* is unveiled, everyone is deeply moved, even Sergeant Koslow, who had previously dismissed the importance of art amidst the city’s devastation. Later, Paul witnesses a group of concentration camp survivors passing by, which stirs tension among Soviet soldiers. Leonov defends Paul, emphasizing that not all Germans bear guilt for Nazi atrocities. As the search for more missing artworks continues, the soldiers focus on Schloss Waldstein, rumored to be harboring SS officers and stolen paintings. Paul objects to violent action and leaves, heading back to Dresden. On his journey, he unexpectedly reunites with Katrin, who has survived the concentration camp. Meanwhile, the soldiers secure additional paintings from Waldstein and rescue Paul and Katrin from the roadside. In Dresden, Katrin becomes active in aiding the city’s orphans, urging Paul to join the effort, though he remains withdrawn. Among the rescued children is a blond boy whom Sergeant Koslow had greeted as “the first German” upon entering Dresden. Meanwhile, it is determined that the artworks require proper restoration in Moscow, prompting plans to transport them to the Soviet Union. Paul feels betrayed by the victors’ decision. A worker discovers that the last missing paintings are hidden in the heavily mined Brigitte Shaft. Koslow and the worker enter the shaft, where Koslow defuses mines and locates the submerged paintings. Tragically, Koslow dies when an overlooked mine explodes as he retrieves a painting. The recovered paintings are brought back, and Koslow’s coffin is placed among them, with Luise Rank paying tribute. Inspired by Katrin and the orphans, Paul finally picks up his brushes to paint a poster featuring the blond boy holding a teddy bear, a gift from Koslow. The child is depicted as a symbol of hope and resilience, ensuring that Koslow and others who made sacrifices will not be forgotten.

Cast

* Wilhelm Koch-Hooge as Erich Braun *

Annekathrin Bürger Annekathrin Bürger (born 1937) is a German stage, film and television actress. She was a prominent actress in East Germany, appearing in a number of films made by the state-run DEFA film studios as well as in television series such as '' Wolf ...

as Katrin * Erich Franz as Father Baum * Heinz-Dieter Knaup as Paul Naumann * Evgenia Kozireva as Nikitina * Marga Legal as Luise Ramk * Mikhail Mayorov as General * Vladimir Pitsek as Galkin * Nikolai Pogodin as Rudakov *

Vsevolod Safonov Vsevolod Dmitrievich Safonov (; 9 April 1926 – 6 July 1992) was a Soviet actor of theatre and cinema. He was awarded the title People's Artist of the USSR Prize (1974). Biography Vsevolod Dmitrievich Safonov was born on 9 April 1926 in Moscow. ...

as Captain Leonov * Vsevolod Sanaev as Sergeant Kozlov * Raimund Schelcher as farmer *

Gennadi Yukhtin Gennadi (birth name Geniy) Gavrilovich Yukhtin (; 30 March 1932 – 18 February 2022) was a Russian film and stage actor. Life and career At the age of fourteen, Yukhtin was orphaned: his mother died at the front during the Second World War i ...

as Strokov

Production

The picture's plot was inspired by the recovery of the art of the

by Soviet troops in 1945. The art collection was then taken to the USSR, where it was kept until being returned to the Dresden Gallery during 1960. The film was the first Soviet–East German co-production in the field of cinema.

Reception

''Five Days, Five Nights'' sold more than two million tickets in the German Democratic Republic. The film critic of ''

Der Spiegel (, , stylized in all caps) is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. With a weekly circulation of about 724,000 copies in 2022, it is one of the largest such publications in Europe. It was founded in 1947 by John Seymour Chaloner ...

'' described the picture as "making no claim to document history truthfully", while also quoting

Walter Ulbricht Walter Ernst Paul Ulbricht (; ; 30 June 18931 August 1973) was a German communist politician. Ulbricht played a leading role in the creation of the Weimar republic, Weimar-era Communist Party of Germany (KPD) and later in the early development ...

, who called it "a great work of the Working Class" and a monument to Soviet–East German friendship. The ''

Die Zeit (, ) is a German national weekly newspaper published in Hamburg in Germany. The newspaper is generally considered to be among the German newspapers of record and is known for its long and extensive articles. History The first edition of was ...

'' reviewer wrote: "the film portrays the Germans quite objectively. But the Soviets? We could only wish for it. Although we well realize that could not have been as they are depicted: noble, faultless and helpful."Non-credited writer.
Zuviel des Edelmuts
'. ''

'', 31 March 1961.

Plot

Cast

Production

Reception

References

External links