Ich zwing dich zu leben

Ich zwing dich zu leben

  • Overview
  • Cast
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Apr 19, 1978

Runtime

1h 23m

Genres

Drama

Original Title

Ich zwing dich zu leben

Production Companies

DEFA

Director

Ralf Kirsten

Description

Germany at the end of World War II: Teacher Grübler lives in a small village in the Ore Mountains together with his 15-year old son Wolfgang. At school, the dutiful Grübler, a member of the NSDAP, teaches his pupils to volunteer for military service, but when his own son volunteers for the Waffen SS, he is nevertheless shocked and fears for his boy′s life. But Wolfgang starts to hate his father for his doubts: He thinks his father is a coward. In his desperation, Grübler chains and kidnaps his son to hide him in a dugout in the forest until the end of the war. In their shelter, father and son are fighting bitterly but when the Nazis who still believe in the "Endsieg" discover their hideout, Grübler sacrifices his life to save Wolfgang.