The film depicts the first month of 1945 when the Russian Red Army broke into the eastern part of Germany and forced millions of civilians to flee in the coldest of winter. While the Russians invaded Ostpreussen hundred of thousands of civilians were evacuated by ships. Gotenhafen was the last open port and ships left the town almost by the minute, overloaded by refugees. One of the last ships to leave Gotenhafen was the 'Wilhelm Gustloff', a former 'Kraft durch Freude' pleasure cruiser designed for 1000 passengers. Until today it is unknown how many people were on board but it is said to be around 10.000. The ship sunk without a trace and only a handful of people survived this hellish nightmare.
Genres:
Sonja Ziemann as Maria Reiser
Gunnar Möller as Kurt Reiser
Erik Schumann as Hans Schott
Brigitte Horney as Generalin von Reuss
Mady Rahl as Edith Marquardt
Wolfgang Preiss as Dr. Beck
Erich Dunskus as Vater Marquardt
Willy Maertens as Vater Reiser
Tatjana Bokan as Dienstmädchen Marta
Dietmar Schönherr as Gaston
Günter Pfitzmann as Oberleutnant Dankel
Günther Ungeheuer as Arzt
Karl-Heinz Kreienbaum as Funker der Gustloff
Carl Lange as Kapitän Zahn
Carla Hagen as Monika
Made by edimario