"Der Hauptmann (The Captain) 2017" Topic

Just finished watching the 2017 German film "Der Hauptmann," a dramatized non-fiction and coffee-dark black comedy about the real world personality of Willi Herold, a German army deserter that comes across an officer's uniform in the final weeks of the war and goes on a tour of carnage in southern Germany with his new-found aura of authority. Very highly recommended. The movie is a smart and critical look at awareness, complicity, obediance, quid-pro-quo, mania and the lengths people will go to get what they want. It's obviously social and political commentary on the period, but it nevertheless gives a terrific insight into the dizzying psychology of late war Germany in the very last days of the Nazi regime.

Highly recommended, but not for the squeamish.

Is this not post ww1 not post ww2?

I am not 100% sure I understand your question, but the movie is set during WW2.

dragon 6 are you confusing this with the "Hauptmann Von Kopenik"? A series of plays and films were made regarding this rather ludicrous incident which occurred in 1906. The film "Der Hauptmann" recounts an altogether darker incident from 1945. Both are based on historical events.

Ah

And the real life Kopenik impersonator was an ex-con named Wilhelm Voight,at the time working as a cobbler.

I saw a trailer for this on YT. Is it available with English subtitles?

It should be, yes. I think it is actually getting a subbed theatrical release in North America. It's been out in Germany for about a year I think.

Somethings get lost in translation, of course… for example, the title "Der Hauptmann" means a captain in the military, but can also be used to mean the headman, the chief, the man in charge. You'll get who this is alluding to if you watch the film.