Valter Brani Sarajevo
Encyclopedia
Valter brani Sarajevo is a Yugoslav
partisan drama film
that takes place during World War II
.
, Bosnia against the German withdrawal from Yugoslavia
towards the end of World War II
in 1944. The Nazis are desperate to have their tank divisions in Greece diverted to shore up the defence of Germany. In order to get the tank divisions safely back, they need fuel, and Sarajevo is an important refuelling post. Utmost secrecy is required as interference with the fuel supplies in Sarajevo will endanger the whole of the German war effort. There is one problem however: a partisan resistance leader named Walter, who is so shadowy that not even his own people know anything about him, including what he looks like, gets in their way. The withdrawal is so critical that a top agent is sent to identify and eliminate Walter and the Sarajevo resistance movement.
With so little known about Walter, it is easy for the German agent to infiltrate the resistance movement and pretend that he is the resistance man. As betrayal follows betrayal nobody knows who is working for who, and least understood of all is the identity of a mysterious arrival who claims to be on the run from Mostar
.
named their first album Das ist Walter
, in honour of the film. The first track on the album is the theme from the film by Bojan Adamič
followed by the famous dialogue from the movie between two German officers while overlooking the city of Sarajevo.
The film is very popular in China, so much that Valter Beer was sold in China, with Velimir Bata Živojinović (as Walter) on the label. During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
, USA aircraft bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, and Velimir Bata Živojinović went to visit them in the hospital.
The film is also well known for its end dialogue in German:
Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was the Yugoslav state that existed from the abolition of the Yugoslav monarchy until it was dissolved in 1992 amid the Yugoslav Wars. It was a socialist state and a federation made up of six socialist republics: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia,...
partisan drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
that takes place during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Plot
Walter Defends Sarajevo takes place in SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
, Bosnia against the German withdrawal from Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
towards the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in 1944. The Nazis are desperate to have their tank divisions in Greece diverted to shore up the defence of Germany. In order to get the tank divisions safely back, they need fuel, and Sarajevo is an important refuelling post. Utmost secrecy is required as interference with the fuel supplies in Sarajevo will endanger the whole of the German war effort. There is one problem however: a partisan resistance leader named Walter, who is so shadowy that not even his own people know anything about him, including what he looks like, gets in their way. The withdrawal is so critical that a top agent is sent to identify and eliminate Walter and the Sarajevo resistance movement.
With so little known about Walter, it is easy for the German agent to infiltrate the resistance movement and pretend that he is the resistance man. As betrayal follows betrayal nobody knows who is working for who, and least understood of all is the identity of a mysterious arrival who claims to be on the run from Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
.
Pop culture
Yugoslavian band Zabranjeno PušenjeZabranjeno pušenje
Zabranjeno Pušenje is a Yugoslavian garage rock band from Sarajevo, closely associated with the New primitivism cultural movement and the radio and television satire show Top Lista Nadrealista...
named their first album Das ist Walter
Das ist Walter
-Personnel:*Bass — Munja Mitić*Drums — Šeki Gayton*Guitar [Rhythm] — Sejo Sexon*Guitar [Solo] — Mujo Snažni*Lead Vocals — Dr. Nele Karajlić*Organ, Keyboards — Seid Mali Karajlić*Saxophone, Flute — Ogi Gajić-External links:* on Discogs...
, in honour of the film. The first track on the album is the theme from the film by Bojan Adamič
Bojan Adamic
Bojan Adamič was a well-known Slovenian composer of film scores, born in Ribnica.-Biography:Adamič earned a degree in piano from the Ljubljana Music Academy. His teacher was Janko Ravnik. Although he had an early preference for jazz, he later concentrated on film, pop, and stage music...
followed by the famous dialogue from the movie between two German officers while overlooking the city of Sarajevo.
The film is very popular in China, so much that Valter Beer was sold in China, with Velimir Bata Živojinović (as Walter) on the label. During the 1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
1999 NATO bombing of Yugoslavia
The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia was NATO's military operation against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo War. The strikes lasted from March 24, 1999 to June 10, 1999...
, USA aircraft bombed the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, and Velimir Bata Živojinović went to visit them in the hospital.
The film is also well known for its end dialogue in German:
Colonel: Merkwürdig! Seit ich in Sarajevo bin, suche ich Walter und finde ihn nicht. Und jetzt, wo ich gehen muss, weiss ich wer er ist. (Since I have been in Sarajevo, I have been looking for Walter, but couldn't find him. And yet, as I am leaving, I know who he is.)
Gestapo: Sie wissen wer Walter ist?! Sagen Sie mir sofort seinen Namen! (You know who Walter is?! Tell me his name right away!)
Colonel: Ich werde ihn Ihnen zeigen... Sehen Sie diese Stadt? Das ist Walter! (I will show him to you... You see this city [Sarajevo]? That is Walter.)
Cast
- Velimir Bata Živojinović
- Rade Marković
- Ljubiša SamardžićLjubiša SamardžicLjubiša Samardžić is a Serbian actor and director, who is best known as Šurda in the Vruć vetar TV series.- Early life :Born to the family of a coal miner, his acting talent was discovered very early and he won a scholarship with respected director Bojan Stupica. Samardžić was educated at the...
- Neda Spasojević
- Dragomir Gidra Bojanić
- Pavle Vuisić
- Faruk BegolliFaruk BegolliFaruk Begolli was the most famous Kosovo Albanian actor and director of Yugoslavia ....
- Stevo ŽigonStevo ŽigonStevo Žigon was a famous Serbian and Slovenian actor, theatre director, and writer. His origins were primary Italian....
- Jovan Janićijević
- Relja BašićRelja BašicRelja Bašić is a Croatian actor.A native of Zagreb , Bašić is one of the most prolific and versatile Croatian actors with a career which lasts for more than half a century. He first appeared on screen in 1954 classic film Koncert...
- Hannjo HasseHannjo Hasse-Biography:Hasse began studying acting in 1938, and attended Lily Ackermann's Institute for Stage Artists' Education in Berlin. At 1941, he was drafted for the Labour Service, and later to the Army...