Der letzte Zug
Encyclopedia
Der Letzte Zug is a 2006 German film directed by Joseph Vilsmaier
and Dana Vávrová
, and starring Gedeon Burkhard
, Lale Yavas
, and Lena Beyerling. The film depicts the fate of some of the last remaining Jews in Berlin
, who in April 1943 were rounded up at the Berlin-Grunewald station and sent to the Nazi concentration camp
at Auschwitz
. The film stands out due to its proximity as well as the unsparing realism with which the brutality of a transport to the Auschwitz concentration camp appears.
and went into production in May 2005 on a budget of €2.7 million. During filming, director Joseph Vilsmaier fell from a crane and suffered permanent, albeit minor, injuries. Production halted for two weeks while he was hospitalized. Filming resumed once Vilsmaier recovered, but his wife, actress Dana Vávrová took over directing duties while Vilsmaier supervised.
The film premiered on May 20, 2006 at the 40th Hof International Film Festival. It was widely released in theaters in Germany on November 9, 2006, by The Central Cinema Company
Joseph Vilsmaier
Joseph Vilsmaier is a German film director.-Work:After attending a boarding school near Augsburg, he was trained as a technician to make film cameras and then spent nine years at a music conservatory. Following this he was a member of a jazz group...
and Dana Vávrová
Dana Vávrová
Dana Vávrová was a Czech-German film actress and director.-Biography:Vávrová was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and played her first main film role in Ať žijí duchové! in 1976, having played a minor role in Jak se točí Rozmarýny...
, and starring Gedeon Burkhard
Gedeon Burkhard
Gedeon Burkhard is a German film and television actor. Although he has appeared in numerous films and TV series in both Europe and the US, he is probably best recognised for his role as Alexander Brandtner in the Austrian/German television series Kommissar Rex , which has been aired on television...
, Lale Yavas
Lale Yavas
-Biography:Born in 1978 in Zürich, she studied arts at the University of Bern. After finishing her studies, she landed roles in Alles wird gut, I was a Swiss banker, and Imbissness. In 2005, she received a lot of praise for her role in the film Zeit der Wünsche, and was subsequently rewarded with...
, and Lena Beyerling. The film depicts the fate of some of the last remaining Jews in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, who in April 1943 were rounded up at the Berlin-Grunewald station and sent to the Nazi concentration camp
Nazi concentration camps
Nazi Germany maintained concentration camps throughout the territories it controlled. The first Nazi concentration camps set up in Germany were greatly expanded after the Reichstag fire of 1933, and were intended to hold political prisoners and opponents of the regime...
at Auschwitz
Auschwitz concentration camp
Concentration camp Auschwitz was a network of Nazi concentration and extermination camps built and operated by the Third Reich in Polish areas annexed by Nazi Germany during World War II...
. The film stands out due to its proximity as well as the unsparing realism with which the brutality of a transport to the Auschwitz concentration camp appears.
Background
Der letze Zug was filmed in Germany and LithuaniaLithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
and went into production in May 2005 on a budget of €2.7 million. During filming, director Joseph Vilsmaier fell from a crane and suffered permanent, albeit minor, injuries. Production halted for two weeks while he was hospitalized. Filming resumed once Vilsmaier recovered, but his wife, actress Dana Vávrová took over directing duties while Vilsmaier supervised.
The film premiered on May 20, 2006 at the 40th Hof International Film Festival. It was widely released in theaters in Germany on November 9, 2006, by The Central Cinema Company