The Battle of Hermann
About The Battle of Hermann
The Romans hold Arminius, son of the Cheruscan prince Segimer, and he learns their way of war while leading auxiliary troops. Freed, and made a Roman citizen and a knight, he goes back to Germany. He finds Segimer and Tusnelda, and sees Germans worked like slaves. He gathers warriors from other tribes. In 9 AD his army destroys the legions of Publius Quinctilius Varus. Varus kills himself. Arminius and Tusnelda embrace at the victory.
Cast & crew
More about The Battle of Hermann
Leo König wrote and directed it for Klio-Film in Berlin. Marius Holdt photographed it. Fritz Chlodwig Lange wrote the music. Most of it was shot by December 1922 around Detmold, in the Teutoburg Forest, and at the Saalburg fort, with reshoots in 1923 after bad weather. The battle scenes used 1,000 extras and 200 horses. It opened on February 27, 1924, at the Landestheater in Detmold. A DVD version runs 54 minutes. Georg Schmieter plays Arminius. Adolf Bassermann plays Segimer. Annemarie Wisser plays Tusnelda. A copy taken in 1945 was found in Moscow in 1990.
Themes
Background
The story is the defeat of Varus in 9 AD. The film was shot in 1922–23 and premiered in 1924.
Making
König staged the battle near Detmold with 1,000 extras and 200 horses, then opened the film in that town.
Look
Marius Holdt shot the Detmold country, the Teutoburg Forest, and the Saalburg fort.
Music
Fritz Chlodwig Lange wrote the music.
Preservation
A copy taken in 1945 was found in Moscow in 1990.
Notes
- Arminius is the Roman name. The German title is Die Hermannschlacht.
- Mia Pankau plays the orphan Gunthild. Gustav Czimeg plays Segestes. Hans Mühlhofer plays Marbod.
- Varus is played by de Stefano-Vitate.
- The 54-minute figure is the DVD version, not a stated original length.
Scenes
- Arminius comes home and sees the forced labor.
- Varus kills himself after the legions are destroyed.