La kermesse des brigands

About how the British broke the Brazilian monopoly on natural rubber. The storyline suggests a complex relation between adventure, military conquest and imperialism.

Life in the barracks, drill, harassment, and private Asch′s pranks are the ingredients of Hans Hellmut Kirst′s successful novel "08/15" (the number of an Army regulation). Shortly before the outbreak of World War II: Private Asch and gunner Vierbein belong to the same unit but could not be more contrary. The instructors use every opportunity to bully the clumsy Vierbein with erratic corporal Platzek leading the way. The harassment starts with minor extra duties but soon the methods become more and more brutal. Finally, Asch comes to Vierbein′s help and takes on his superiors. Joachim Fuchsberger stars in his first major role.

The love between a noble student and the daughter of a coffee house owner, set against clichéd images of Munich at the turn of the century.

Johann, the trusted valet of Count Zirndorf, has an affair with chambermaid Marie, but this liaison ends, as does the count's marriage. Years later trouble ensues when the count's daughter falls for young Hans who might be her brother.

They meet on the plane from Dakar to Casablanca: the well-known American defense lawyer Vandegrift, his daughter Jessie and the arrested Peter Roland, who allegedly kidnapped and murdered the famous film child Binnie Casilla in Stockford in 1928. Vandegrift, convinced of Roland's innocence, decides to represent the man at his upcoming sensational trial. But just as public opinion is increasingly questioning Roland's guilt, he testifies under pressure from prosecutor Adams. Now only Binnie herself can save the young man, but the search for her has so far been in vain...

Winter 1942: Like thousands of other German soldiers, Asch and Vierbein have ended up at the Eastern front. Although Vierbein finds a new friend in Kowalski, the squadron commander captain Witterer, a true army veteran, gives them a really hard time. Witterer’s pointless orders reflect the bad habits of many former superiors. And again, Vierbein has to bear the brunt.

In Latvia at the end of the First World War, a group of Freikorps battle against an attempted takeover of the Baltic States by Communist forces.

National-Socialist propaganda film that serves to memorialize one of the early representatives of colonialism: the German philologist Carl Peters. He is, at the end of the 1900′s, a noted advocate of the establishment of a German colony. Without support from Germany, he struggles on his own account against the English in East Africa. Later he is named Reichskommissar and promotes the expansion of a German colony. But Jewish and Social-Democrat opponents order him back to Germany and force him to resign.

Wilhelmine Enke, the daughter of a trumpeter, becomes the mistress of Crown Prince Frederick William II, the successor to Frederick the Great. The fact that the beautiful Wilhelmine is of common birth makes the love between her and the portly Frederick William a problem. So Frederick William marries her off to a valet and keeps her close to him. Later, he elevates her to the nobility and makes her Countess Lichtenau. After his death, she is put on trial for high treason, but the case is unsuccessful. She spends her twilight years in a small cottage near Berlin.

The third part of Paul May′s "08/15" trilogy based on the novel by Hans Hellmut Kirst takes place shortly before the end of World War II: In the spring of 1945, the German troops are practically defeated, and the battalion of Kowalski, major general von Plönnies and Asch who had risen to the rank of lieutenant in the meantime is left to its own devices to a large extent. They hope to be able to wait for the end of the war without having to encounter any combat operations. At the same time, Asch tries to prevent high-level Nazi officers from disappearing unnoticed and from cashing in on the chaotic circumstances.

Researchers in the African jungle find a young white woman living with a tribe, that adores her as goddess. They carry her off and proudly report to the press. It turns out that she may be Liane, the long lost daughter of the rich shipowner Amelongen. So Toren starts civilizing her and takes her to Germany, where she - now in love with Toren - has to defend herself against accusations of legacy-hunting. Will she fit into her new society?

The sequel to 1956's "Liane, Jungle Goddess" finds the title character still a jungle goddess, but captured by slave traders.