More than remarkable film from East(!)-Germany. Regular German soldiers loose their faith in the war and their commanders when they are confronted with the criminal acts of the SS (their superiors). The key scene plays at a saw mill, where SS troops cut of body parts of innocent civilians. The Russians are nearing and Werner and his comrads think of surrendering. Excellent playing and scenery, with clear personal viewpoints.
10 Reviews
A great insight look of the life of a young German soldier in WWII
ironhorse_iv3 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
The Adventures of Werner Holt will probably not stand out much here in the West, due to its being written by East German author Dieter Noll, and film in East Germany by Director Joachim Kunert. It was one of the relatively few DEFA pictures to be released in West Germany, where it enjoyed considerable success. So, it's one movie worth checking out despite it not being well-known. The plot revolves around Werner Holt, (Klaus-Peter Thiele) a young German soldier who becomes disillusioned with the Nazis during the last days of World War II. Klaus gives a great performance, with and without saying a word. The actor looks a bit like young Jake Gyllenhaal. He looks so close to Jake, that you might mistake him for starting in World War II. His facial, and the use of his hands tell us the audiences, his emotional stage. The way, he stares at people and things can make you think or question everything you know about patriotism. The movie has this All Quiet on the Western Front (1930) feel to it. Werner begins to understand the senselessness of war, while his friend Gilbert Wolzow (Manfred Karge) begins to be more vicious. A powerful political and artistic masterpiece. The movie goes from a series of flashbacks telling Werner's coming to age story, from his high school days, to fighting nearly impossibles battles and finding romantic in the women he meet. I like the flashbacks, but it's seems badly edit in the film. I felt like it edited way too soon, as if missing parts. A good example, Gilbert and Werner were pick for a near-death winter battle mission to stop Russian tanks in their tracks, after two of his friends flees mid-battle. The scene cuts to spring time in another area and time. Wait a minute, how did they survive the attack? The movie does this, it cuts half way through the flashback, and puts us back in present day multiplies times without explaining how did they get to point A to point B. It seems like there were a lot of delete scenes taken out of the film. In some ways, it get confusing as hell with how many flashbacks there were. You don't know if you're watching a flashback or present day. The movie does have great symbolism. I like the dancing scene with the SS wife. Great use of shadows and reflections. It makes it look like there were a lot of people there when there wasn't. Still, the Hawaiian Jazz like type music was a bit annoying, and seem out of place. I do like the scene, where the piano is being play in the background, only to stop when one of Werner's friends died in the mud. It's makes it more interesting when you know what his friend was trying to do with his life. The language is a bit strong, was a bit surprised by it, seeing how this was a early 1960's film. The action scenes were great to watch. The title is kinda misleading, I wouldn't call it 'Adventures'. When you think of adventure, you think of exotic, fun, and heroic. In the film, you get more scary, depressing, and no heroes, just people trying to survive a war, while trying to keep their set morals alive. The saw-mill was haunting scene, as you don't see what happen in the room, but your mind knows that something bad happen there. The movie is a bit different than the book, as Holt and his company fight against Russians and not against Americans like in the book due to the ongoing Cold War at the time. The movie might be a bit historic wrong, as Holt and his friends have the uniforms of SS, although they just standard Wehrmacht soldiers. The ending is a open question that makes you wonder if Werner ever did survive the war or didn't. I would say give it a watch. The movie was overall, was worth watching as I learn great insight how life was in Nazi Germany.
Reminiscent of "The Bridge"
gudrunh-794-6903720 July 2010
Warning: Spoilers
For how long can concepts of honour and obligation withstand the onslaught of reality? Both were rebels and born to a certain privilege: Werner Holt the son of an esteemed IG Farben chemist and Gilbert Wolzow the scion of a military family; his father a colonel killed on the Eastern Front and his uncle a General. Werner, the eager but apolitical patriot. Gilbert the blinkered National Socialist.
Told in a series of flashbacks near war's end, as a motley group of Panzertruppen, HJ and Volkssturm attempt to forestall the Russian advance, this is a remarkable film. Reminiscent at once of "The Bridge" in its uncompromising depiction of futility, director Joachim Kunert paints a broader though no less bleak canvas of the final days of the Reich: marauding SS units meting out summary justice to civilian and military alike. The questioning of vows of fidelity to Fuhrer and Fatherland in the face of insurmountable odds. Was it all a lie? Kids, you've no idea how we've been swindled.
Despite the bonds of friendship, forged through High School and HJ service, Werner must ultimately question his friend's blind acceptance of the dead-end to which National Socialism has led them. And in so doing he makes a fateful choice, one with apocalyptic consequences.
The seeds of doubt take root in a critical scene when Werner makes contact with his father. A brilliant chemist he may have been, but his refusal to take part in the production of certain "extermination" chemicals has led to him being labeled "politically unreliable." Demotion, family separation and divorce soon followed.
Under the emblem that you wear on your arm, in Germany's name, the Nazis have unleashed the most barbaric war in history. And they're losing it.
Then ultimately there is the saw-mill.
Why are they all against us? They'll do the same things to us if we don't win. That's why we must fight to the end.
One makes a choice. The other has the choice made for him. The house of cards falls, but in the cruelest of ways. The final scenes are breathtaking in both their brutality and their poignancy.
An uncompromising movie, every one of its 164 minutes makes for riveting, if unnerving viewing, and this is aided by the genius of cinematographer Rolf Sohre. The eccentric noir angles and full-screen close-ups typify his style and they can be seen to further great advantage in another of Kunert's classic DEFA films, "Das Zweite Gleis" (The Second Track).
Told in a series of flashbacks near war's end, as a motley group of Panzertruppen, HJ and Volkssturm attempt to forestall the Russian advance, this is a remarkable film. Reminiscent at once of "The Bridge" in its uncompromising depiction of futility, director Joachim Kunert paints a broader though no less bleak canvas of the final days of the Reich: marauding SS units meting out summary justice to civilian and military alike. The questioning of vows of fidelity to Fuhrer and Fatherland in the face of insurmountable odds. Was it all a lie? Kids, you've no idea how we've been swindled.
Despite the bonds of friendship, forged through High School and HJ service, Werner must ultimately question his friend's blind acceptance of the dead-end to which National Socialism has led them. And in so doing he makes a fateful choice, one with apocalyptic consequences.
The seeds of doubt take root in a critical scene when Werner makes contact with his father. A brilliant chemist he may have been, but his refusal to take part in the production of certain "extermination" chemicals has led to him being labeled "politically unreliable." Demotion, family separation and divorce soon followed.
Under the emblem that you wear on your arm, in Germany's name, the Nazis have unleashed the most barbaric war in history. And they're losing it.
Then ultimately there is the saw-mill.
Why are they all against us? They'll do the same things to us if we don't win. That's why we must fight to the end.
One makes a choice. The other has the choice made for him. The house of cards falls, but in the cruelest of ways. The final scenes are breathtaking in both their brutality and their poignancy.
An uncompromising movie, every one of its 164 minutes makes for riveting, if unnerving viewing, and this is aided by the genius of cinematographer Rolf Sohre. The eccentric noir angles and full-screen close-ups typify his style and they can be seen to further great advantage in another of Kunert's classic DEFA films, "Das Zweite Gleis" (The Second Track).
A timeless classic of bold Authenticity
wiltvid16 November 2009
This movie is a timeless masterpiece, and one of Germany's top 10 rated films. It will draw the viewer with surprising frankness , and bold actions of 2 young men of an unlikely friendship, coming of age in the 1940's Germany. Drafted from Highschool to the German Military, both of them going through a character Transition: Werner, a more sensible person, turns more and more into a sceptic by witnessing how his ideals getting destroyed by the application of a ruthless fascist system where he has to be part of it. Gilbert, also intelligent, a man of action and a Go Getter develops a passion for everything Military, that eventually will challenge his friendship to Werner. The viewer will experience both of them as likable characters at first, and will go with them through a transition .Eventually feel the painful decision process they are forced to undergo. The gap between them widen and resolves a final movie climax. Being a complex psychological Drama, the film does not lack action or battle scenes, which were masterfully staged and ahead of their times. Using newly invented filmographic artwork, a realistic ambiance leaves the viewer in awe, even today with it's special effects and CGI technologies. Many elderly Germans who I had the pleasure sharing this movie with, attested it as being an authentic capture of the period. Made in 1965, the memory of the 40's where fresh and painful, the production used people with first hand experiences, to left no detail missing. For most movie directors using flashbacks of a flashback are usually a No No to use in blockbuster films. Surprisingly it works very well in this film. It does, because it helps the viewer to understand their character transitions from High School to the dramatic combat scenes. Both of them are not the typical blind Nazi followers, nor fanatics, nevertheless prisoners of their times. Sometimes even swimming against the popular tide of fascism, by beating up their schools Hitler Youth leader, for being a cruel prick.
If they would have been born 20 years later, they would have blended right into our social fabric, as perhaps intellectuals (Werner) or aggressive businessman (Gilbert).
Some viewers criticized this film for not using authentic WW2 rifles, pointing towards the AK-47, allegedly used in this film by German soldiers. When in fact they where "Sturmgewehr 44s", with whom not many people are familiar with. This Gun was issued by few German units in 1945, and described as one of Hitlers so called Wonder weapons to change the outcome of the war.
The Actors and the Acting As a German raised Canadian, I love those Actors, because I grew up seeing them on German TV for half of my lifetime, and recently again, because the internet and online shopping makes it possible to reunite with them. Most of them can still be seen on new German TV productions today. For me, they where simply the best. Does a wage of x-million $ per film, make a Hollywood actor better, than an actor from another country who does quality work with a moderate wage ? I guess only American movie fans can answer that. For me, they just created one of my most favourite films. My Dad , a veteran of age 84 and I, are in accord on this opinion, as for my part I have listened a lot but not enough of my past 55 years to him, specially interested in the wartime. At first very reluctant to tell me much, my insistence paid of over the years. He grew up like a normal child from a middle class farming family, enjoying the seasons, Fishing, hunting and swimming in the ancient Hessel river. Joined the Hitler Youth, because almost every young boy did. That meant privilege's like participating in motor sport and glider plane classes. Our farming community lived in a quite and tranquil place of Germany, with not much going on. There was plenty of food on the farm, many family gatherings and celebrations, it seemed like time would not touch this little peaceful and enchanting world. That idyll all ended in the second year of the war, just like it did in the movie. If my Dad says the movie got it accurately, than I do believe him
If they would have been born 20 years later, they would have blended right into our social fabric, as perhaps intellectuals (Werner) or aggressive businessman (Gilbert).
Some viewers criticized this film for not using authentic WW2 rifles, pointing towards the AK-47, allegedly used in this film by German soldiers. When in fact they where "Sturmgewehr 44s", with whom not many people are familiar with. This Gun was issued by few German units in 1945, and described as one of Hitlers so called Wonder weapons to change the outcome of the war.
The Actors and the Acting As a German raised Canadian, I love those Actors, because I grew up seeing them on German TV for half of my lifetime, and recently again, because the internet and online shopping makes it possible to reunite with them. Most of them can still be seen on new German TV productions today. For me, they where simply the best. Does a wage of x-million $ per film, make a Hollywood actor better, than an actor from another country who does quality work with a moderate wage ? I guess only American movie fans can answer that. For me, they just created one of my most favourite films. My Dad , a veteran of age 84 and I, are in accord on this opinion, as for my part I have listened a lot but not enough of my past 55 years to him, specially interested in the wartime. At first very reluctant to tell me much, my insistence paid of over the years. He grew up like a normal child from a middle class farming family, enjoying the seasons, Fishing, hunting and swimming in the ancient Hessel river. Joined the Hitler Youth, because almost every young boy did. That meant privilege's like participating in motor sport and glider plane classes. Our farming community lived in a quite and tranquil place of Germany, with not much going on. There was plenty of food on the farm, many family gatherings and celebrations, it seemed like time would not touch this little peaceful and enchanting world. That idyll all ended in the second year of the war, just like it did in the movie. If my Dad says the movie got it accurately, than I do believe him
Hysterical Cult Sleeper
eaglestar7822 October 2012
This movie is a cult sleeper waiting to be discovered. If war can be funny than this movie is as funny as "Full Metal Jacket". The end of the Second World War is seen through the eyes of two German teenage boys, one a fanatic Nazi caught up in the glory of war and the other is his friend awed by the experiences they have at the end of the war fighting for a hopelessly lost cause. The nightmarish landscape, photography and surreal atmosphere of situations and characters captures the madness of war in Germany with a unique childlike wishful thinking expressed by the characters. A unique perspective of war that ranks with the movies "Cross of Iron" and Breakthrough"
Excellent Movie made in East Germany
Cephyros8 April 2004
Warning: Spoilers
SPOILER FREE
Very intriguing movie with superb acting (!) that shows the life and mindset of young Germans during WW2, how they were moulded into becoming killers without second thoughts and how they were eventually used up in war. Definitely worth watching, especially if so far you have been exposed only to Hollywood's interpretation of the second world war and the nazis.
Unfortunately there is one HUGE propaganda-insertion though, which the DEFA included: At 54 minutes into the movie, the young men (or rather, boys) discuss Nazi racial-theory, where eventually one states that "Slavs are basically Aryans" (without anyone dissenting it) "Selbst wenn die Slawen nicht so hochwertig sind wie die Nordische Rasse, so sind sie doch immer noch Arier". This is total nonsense of course. The Slavs were considered sub-human by the Nazis, worth not very much more than Jews themselves. This propaganda-insertion is really bad in TWO ways because it a) twists around the truth 180 degrees in order to make their Big Brother from Russia look better AND b) because it looks like they ACCEPT the nazi-racial theory; why else would they try to make the Slavs look better? The Nazi racial theory IS COMPLETE NONSENSE of course since there are no human races. This one sentence should be cut out when showing "Werner Holt" today, as it gives the whole movie a cheap taste: What else could be made up? And that shouldn't be, since everything else in it seems very accurately depicted.
One note concerning the previous comment by Mrdat Kundu: Their black uniforms are quite correct. Those are Panzer-uniforms. Maybe you should have done some research before claiming such nonsense. Besides, they never were "standard Wehrmacht". First they were members of the HJ (Hitler Youth), then RAD (Reichs Labour Service) and then members of the Panzertruppe (Armoured Troops). Did you really read the novel 3-4 times?
The reason for them fighting Soviets instead of Americans in the movie is quite obvious: How could the DEFA possibly have gotten American WW2 tanks/uniforms/weapons? And it really shouldn't matter to anyone that the Soviets are using Kalashnikov rifles, as the movie is not trying to depict weapons, but people. (Unless of course you have read the novel 3-4 times, do not know the difference between Panzer and SS uniforms and rate the quality of a movie by the types of weapons used in it).
Very intriguing movie with superb acting (!) that shows the life and mindset of young Germans during WW2, how they were moulded into becoming killers without second thoughts and how they were eventually used up in war. Definitely worth watching, especially if so far you have been exposed only to Hollywood's interpretation of the second world war and the nazis.
Unfortunately there is one HUGE propaganda-insertion though, which the DEFA included: At 54 minutes into the movie, the young men (or rather, boys) discuss Nazi racial-theory, where eventually one states that "Slavs are basically Aryans" (without anyone dissenting it) "Selbst wenn die Slawen nicht so hochwertig sind wie die Nordische Rasse, so sind sie doch immer noch Arier". This is total nonsense of course. The Slavs were considered sub-human by the Nazis, worth not very much more than Jews themselves. This propaganda-insertion is really bad in TWO ways because it a) twists around the truth 180 degrees in order to make their Big Brother from Russia look better AND b) because it looks like they ACCEPT the nazi-racial theory; why else would they try to make the Slavs look better? The Nazi racial theory IS COMPLETE NONSENSE of course since there are no human races. This one sentence should be cut out when showing "Werner Holt" today, as it gives the whole movie a cheap taste: What else could be made up? And that shouldn't be, since everything else in it seems very accurately depicted.
One note concerning the previous comment by Mrdat Kundu: Their black uniforms are quite correct. Those are Panzer-uniforms. Maybe you should have done some research before claiming such nonsense. Besides, they never were "standard Wehrmacht". First they were members of the HJ (Hitler Youth), then RAD (Reichs Labour Service) and then members of the Panzertruppe (Armoured Troops). Did you really read the novel 3-4 times?
The reason for them fighting Soviets instead of Americans in the movie is quite obvious: How could the DEFA possibly have gotten American WW2 tanks/uniforms/weapons? And it really shouldn't matter to anyone that the Soviets are using Kalashnikov rifles, as the movie is not trying to depict weapons, but people. (Unless of course you have read the novel 3-4 times, do not know the difference between Panzer and SS uniforms and rate the quality of a movie by the types of weapons used in it).
For The Record - During WW2, Not All Germans Were Swastika-Waving, Nazi-Lovers
strong-122-47888524 August 2014
I view this well-produced wartime drama as being something of a belated apology from Germany.
Its story clearly tells the viewer that there were many Germans who didn't adhere to the beliefs and values of their fanatical Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. But, due to the stringent laws set down at the time, they were forced to toe-the-line, or else face severe punishment and, yes, even death.
Filmed in b&w, our story concerns young Werner Holt who (through numerous flashbacks) reflects on his experiences throughout the war.
First as a wide-eyed student and zealous Nazi-wannabe, disillusionment and hateful resentment towards the almighty SS soon sets in as Werner eventually learns some cold, sobering truths about what allegiance to the Third Reich really means.
Competently directed by Joachim Kunert, this 1965 picture was well-received in both East & West Germany upon its theatrical release.
One of this film's biggest pluses was that there was no American presence in the story. One of this film's biggest minuses was its 2-hour/37-minute running time.
All-in-all - I'd say that this wartime tale was well-worth one viewing. This picture is considered by many critics and historians to be one of the most important German films ever made.
Its story clearly tells the viewer that there were many Germans who didn't adhere to the beliefs and values of their fanatical Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler. But, due to the stringent laws set down at the time, they were forced to toe-the-line, or else face severe punishment and, yes, even death.
Filmed in b&w, our story concerns young Werner Holt who (through numerous flashbacks) reflects on his experiences throughout the war.
First as a wide-eyed student and zealous Nazi-wannabe, disillusionment and hateful resentment towards the almighty SS soon sets in as Werner eventually learns some cold, sobering truths about what allegiance to the Third Reich really means.
Competently directed by Joachim Kunert, this 1965 picture was well-received in both East & West Germany upon its theatrical release.
One of this film's biggest pluses was that there was no American presence in the story. One of this film's biggest minuses was its 2-hour/37-minute running time.
All-in-all - I'd say that this wartime tale was well-worth one viewing. This picture is considered by many critics and historians to be one of the most important German films ever made.
So looong
tony-70-6679204 August 2021
Having seen and admired Joachim Kunert's previous film, "The Second Track", I was keen to see this, his most famous work. I'm fine with films which take a non-linear approach, and must have seen hundreds like that. My problem with this one is its ridiculous length (164 minutes.) I'm sure that soldiers who went through the war found it interminable, but that's no excuse for a film about WW2 to seem interminable. Ironically it's twice the length of "The Second Track" and had half the impact. If you want a really good film about young German soldiers in that war see Bernhard Wicki's "The Bridge."
May have worked better at half the runtime
Horst_In_Translation7 August 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt" or "The Adventures of Werner Holt" is an East German German-language film from 1965, so it had its 50th anniversary last year. It is among the more known films from the GDR these days and the director as well as one of the writers who adapted the Dieter Noll novel is Joachim Kunert (still alive at almost 90). Most GDR films are in black-and-white and this one here is no exception. However, it is an exception in terms of the duration as this one runs for no less than 2 hours and 45 minutes. Extremely long. Unfortunately, I must say that I was not too impressed here. There were some good moments, but overall the script was not good enough to keep me interested in the title character and his actions and life. I also must say that the late lead actor Klaus-Peter Thiele may not have been the best casting decision. I found him fairly bland for the most part and his co-lead Manfred Karge (still alive) was somehow more memorable over all. Then again, he also had the baitier scenes and moments I guess. This is the story of two friends during the days of World War II. They (have to) join the army, but take very different paths in the next months. This also has a lot to do with how they perceive the Fuehrer and his claim to power and of course by other factors that make an impact on them individually. I already wrote in the title that this film may have worked better at 90 minutes max. I definitely would have preferred a more essential version of this story about Werner. I guess the director decided to keep it that long because he did not want to cut out too much from the book, but I believe this may not have been the right decision. Thumbd.won from me. Not recommended.
Disappointment! Book is much better!
spamysem6 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I was truly disappointed when seeing this film. There is a lot of mistakes, i.e. Russians have AK-47s (!), shots of cannons are poorly made - you can´t see the flash, some scenes are evidently taken in studio, and so on...
Moreover, important things were changed - (SPOILER) - in the ending Holt and his company fight against Russians and not against Americans like in the book, ending is horrible vague - Holt goes somewhere, instead of being taken as the prisoner of war... and the worst thing, Holt and his friends have the uniforms of SS, although they originally fought just as standard Wehrmacht soldiers!!! The author of the scenario should be punished worst of all!!!
A lot of characters is so flat that if you don´t know the book you can´t absolutely understand what they mean :(
Honestly, I don´t like this film and I will play it no time in the future. I have read the book maybe 3 or 4 times but this film is really weak in the comparison with original story.
2 of 5 (just for nice Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles, trenches and one good action scene)
Moreover, important things were changed - (SPOILER) - in the ending Holt and his company fight against Russians and not against Americans like in the book, ending is horrible vague - Holt goes somewhere, instead of being taken as the prisoner of war... and the worst thing, Holt and his friends have the uniforms of SS, although they originally fought just as standard Wehrmacht soldiers!!! The author of the scenario should be punished worst of all!!!
A lot of characters is so flat that if you don´t know the book you can´t absolutely understand what they mean :(
Honestly, I don´t like this film and I will play it no time in the future. I have read the book maybe 3 or 4 times but this film is really weak in the comparison with original story.
2 of 5 (just for nice Sturmgewehr 44 assault rifles, trenches and one good action scene)
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