Kuhle Wampe takes place in early-1930s Berlin. The film begins with a montage of newspaper headlines describing steadily-rising unemployment figures. This is followed by scenes of a young man looking for work in the city and the family discussing the unpaid back rent. The young man, brother of the protagonist Anni, removes his wristwatch and throws himself from a window out of despair. Shortly thereafter his family is evicted from their apartment. Now homeless, the family moves into a garden colony of sorts with the name “Kuhle Wampe.”

Cast & crew

Slatan Dudow

Director

Hertha Thiele

Anni

E

Ernst Busch

Fritz

M

Max Sablotzki

Vater Bönicke

L

Lilli Schoenborn

Mutter Bönike

M

Martha Wolter

Gerda

A

Adolf Fischer

Kurt

Gerhard Bienert

Zeitungsleser

Erwin Geschonneck

Arbeitersportler

Anna Müller-Lincke

Sängerin

H

Helene Weigel

Ballad singer (voice)

H

Hermann Krehan

H

Hugo Werner-Kahle

R

Richard Hilgert

Hans Sternberg

K

Karl Wagner