The Kaiser's Lackey

Synopsis

Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On his honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favor. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the address. He stands behind the lectern in the pouring rain, saluting his Kaiser. The crowd is dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins...

Trailer

Play trailer: Der Untertan - DEFA-Trailer

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Cast

• 

  Werner Peters
  Diederich Heßling

• 

  Paul Esser
  Regierungspräsident von Wulckow

• 

  Blandine Ebinger
  Frau von Wulckow

• R

  Renate Fischer
  Guste Daimchen

• 

  Carola Braunbock
  Emmi Heßling

• E

  Emmy Burg
  Magda Heßling

• 

  Sabine Thalbach
  Agnes Göppel

• 

  Friedel Nowack
  Mrs. Göpel

• 

  Friedrich Maurer
  Göpel

• 

  Erich Nadler
  Father Heßling

• G

  Gertrud Bergmann
  Mother Heßling

• 

  Ernst Legal
  Zillich

• 

  Raimund Schelcher
  Dr. Wolfgang Buck

• E

  Eduard von Winterstein
  Buck sen.

• 

  Hannsgeorg Laubenthal
  Mahlmann

• 

  Friedrich Gnaß
  Napoleon Fischer

• W

  Wolfgang Kühne
  Dr. Mennicke

• F

  Fritz Staudte
  Kühlemann