# The Devil's General > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Devil's_General > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Devil's_General.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_General > Source revision: 1341603436 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) 1955 West German film The Devil's General Directed by Helmut Käutner Written by Gyula Trebitsch Helmut Käutner George Hurdalek Based on play by Carl Zuckmayer Produced by Walter Koppel Richard Gordon Starring Curd Jürgens Marianne Koch Viktor de Kowa Karl John Eva Ingeborg Scholz Harry Meyen Cinematography Albert Benitz Edited by Klaus Dudenhöfer Production company Real Film Distributed by Europa-Filmverleih Release date 23 February 1955 (1955-02-23) Running time 117 minutes Country West Germany Language German ***The Devil's General*** ([German](/source/German_language): ***Des Teufels General***) is a 1955 black and white West German film based on the [play of the same title](/source/Des_Teufels_General_(play)) by [Carl Zuckmayer](/source/Carl_Zuckmayer).[1] The film features [Curd Jürgens](/source/Curd_J%C3%BCrgens) as General Harras, [Marianne Koch](/source/Marianne_Koch), [Viktor de Kowa](/source/Viktor_de_Kowa), [Karl John](/source/Karl_John_(actor)), [Eva Ingeborg Scholz](/source/Eva_Ingeborg_Scholz), and [Harry Meyen](/source/Harry_Meyen).[2] It was shot at the [Wandsbek Studios](/source/Wandsbek_Studios) in [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg). The film's sets were designed by the [art directors](/source/Art_director) [Albrecht Becker](/source/Albrecht_Becker) and [Herbert Kirchhoff](/source/Herbert_Kirchhoff). It was one of a number of films made in Germany in the 1950s that emphasized resistance to [Hitler](/source/Hitler) among German generals in World War Two. Others included *[Canaris](/source/Canaris_(film))*, *[Children, Mother, and the General](/source/Children%2C_Mother%2C_and_the_General)*, and *[The Last Ten Days](/source/The_Last_Ten_Days)*.[3] ## Plot [Nazi Germany](/source/Nazi_Germany) in 1941. The title character is *[Luftwaffe](/source/Luftwaffe)* General Harras, a highly decorated World War I veteran contemptuous of the Third Reich and the [World War II](/source/World_War_II) attempt to conquer Europe. Initially courted by *[SS](/source/Schutzstaffel)* officials, he continually mocks the Nazi leadership, which leads to friends turning into enemies and suspicion from *SS* and [Gestapo](/source/Gestapo) of what may be treason. He is temporarily arrested by order of [Heinrich Himmler](/source/Heinrich_Himmler) and, after his release, is determined to break his [deal with the devil](/source/Deal_with_the_devil). He backs the [sabotage](/source/Sabotage) action of his flight engineer, threatens an *SS* officer at gunpoint and finally crashes his aircraft into the control tower of his airbase. ## Cast - [Curd Jürgens](/source/Curd_J%C3%BCrgens) as *Harras*, whose character is supposedly based upon German Luftwaffe General [Ernst Udet](/source/Ernst_Udet) - Bum Krüger as *Lüttjohann*, Harras's adjutant. - [Paul Westermeier](/source/Paul_Westermeier) as *Korrianke*, Harras's chauffeur. - [Albert Lieven](/source/Albert_Lieven) as *Friedrich Eilers*, Colonel & squadron leader. - [Harry Meyen](/source/Harry_Meyen) as *Hartmann*, Luftwaffe officer. - Hans Daniel as *Hastenteuffel*, Luftwaffe officer. - [Beppo Brem](/source/Beppo_Brem) as *Pfundtmayer*, Luftwaffe officer. - [Karl Ludwig Diehl](/source/Karl_Ludwig_Diehl) as *Sigbert von Mohrungen*, President of the Raw Materials Procurement Department. - [Werner Fuetterer](/source/Werner_Fuetterer) as *Baron Pflungk*, Attaché in the [Ministry of Foreign Affairs](/source/Federal_Foreign_Office). - [Viktor de Kowa](/source/Viktor_de_Kowa) as *Dr. Schmidt-Lausitz*, Nazi Party official. - [Karl John](/source/Karl_John_(actor)) as *Oderbruch*, engineer in the [Ministry of Aviation](/source/Ministry_of_Aviation_(Nazi_Germany)). - Erica Balqué as *Anne Eilers*, Friedrich Eilers' wife. - [Eva Ingeborg Scholz](/source/Eva_Ingeborg_Scholz) as *Waltraut von Mohrungen*, nicknamed *Pützchen*, Anne's sister. - [Camilla Spira](/source/Camilla_Spira) as *Olivia Geiss*, diva. - [Marianne Koch](/source/Marianne_Koch) as *Diddo Geiss*, Olivia's niece; love interest of General Harras, despite how much younger than him she is. - [Ingrid van Bergen](/source/Ingrid_van_Bergen) as *Lyra Schoeppke*, named "die Tankstelle," which means "The Gas Station." - [Inge Meysel](/source/Inge_Meysel) as *Frau Korrianke*. - Joseph Offenbach as *Zernick*, [SS-Hauptsturmführer](/source/Hauptsturmf%C3%BChrer). - [Wolfgang Neuss](/source/Wolfgang_Neuss) as police photographer. - [Robert Meyn](/source/Robert_Meyn) as *von Stetten*, Generalleutnant. - Werner Riepel as *Kleinschmidt,*, Göring's chauffeur. - [Werner Schumacher](/source/Werner_Schumacher) as SS-Wachtmeister. - Wolfried Lier as *Herr Detlev*, restaurant waiter.[4] ## Original play Swedish Ju 86 (1976) The film was based on a play by [Carl Zuckmayer](/source/Carl_Zuckmayer) who wrote it while in exile in the USA. In December, 1941, he read about the death of a personal friend, [Ernst Udet](/source/Ernst_Udet), who was a World War One ace who later became an important figure within the Nazi-era Luftwaffe, but eventually grew disillusioned with the regime and committed suicide. Zuckmayer wrote the play after World War Two and it had its debut in Zurich in 1946 and in Frankfurt in 1947.[5] The play was hugely popular in Germany and within a few years was the most frequently performed play in the country.[6] [Trevor Howard](/source/Trevor_Howard) starred in a production in England in 1953. ## Production The film was shot in [Hamburg](/source/Hamburg) and [Berlin](/source/Berlin) using Swedish-built [Junkers Ju 86](/source/Junkers_Ju_86) bombers with license-built [Bristol Mercury](/source/Bristol_Mercury) engines on a local airfield including its offices with [Esselte](/source/Esselte) Files on the shelf. The parking lot contains a post-war [VW Bus](/source/VW_Bus). All uniforms were of a material and tailoring standard unknown in wartime Germany. ## Reception The film was very successful at the box office in Germany. It was released in the US in 1958 and performed much better in that country than most German films at the time.[7] At the [German Film Awards](/source/German_Film_Awards) of 1955 Marianne Koch won the Film Award in Silver for Outstanding Individual Achievement: Supporting Actress for her performance in the film. Reviewing the film [Pauline Kael](/source/Pauline_Kael) wrote "Though the film is a melodrama of conscience, it derives much of its impact from the sexual assurance of Curt Jurgens in the leading role. Helmut Kautner’s direction is not imaginative, but for a solid story, well-told, about characters and obstacles, it doesn’t need to be: the film has the necessary pulse and excitement."[8] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Des TEUFELS GENERAL (1955)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20201108140521/https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b7e7ffe). *BFI*. Archived from [the original](https://www2.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b6b7e7ffe) on November 8, 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["The Devil's General (1955) - Helmut Käutner | Cast and Crew | AllMovie"](https://www.allmovie.com/movie/the-devils-general-v89371/cast-crew) – via www.allmovie.com. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Ott p 246 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Zuckmayer, Carl. "Des Teufels General." [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-596-27019-4](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-596-27019-4) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Ott p 246-247 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Germany Keeps Seeing 'Diary of Ann Frank"](https://archive.org/details/variety208-1957-10/page/n155/mode/1up?q=%22devil%27s+general%22+%22curt+jurgens%22). *Variety*. 16 October 1957. p. 2. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Hift, Fred (9 April 1958). ["Foreign Films in America: Up from Zero"](https://archive.org/details/variety210-1958-04/page/n102/mode/1up?q=%22devil%27s+general%22+). *Variety*. p. 25. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Kael, Pauline (1985). [*5001 nights at the movies : a guide from A to Z*](https://archive.org/details/5001nightsatmovi0000kael/page/145/mode/1up?q=%22devil%27s+general%22+%22curt+jurgens%22). Henry Holt and Company. pp. 145–146. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8050-0619-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8050-0619-3). ## Bibliography - Ott, Frederick W (1986). [*The great German films*](https://archive.org/details/greatgermanfilms0000ottf_g0e2/page/248/mode/1up?q=%22devil%27s+general%22+%22curt+jurgens%22). ## External links - [*The Devil's General*](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047572/) at [IMDb](/source/IMDb_(identifier)) v t e Films directed by Helmut Käutner Kitty and the World Conference (1939) Clothes Make the Man (1940) Woman Made to Measure (1940) We Make Music (1942) Anuschka (1942) Romance in a Minor Key (1943) Große Freiheit Nr. 7 (1944) Under the Bridges (1946) In Those Days (1947) The Original Sin (1948) Royal Children (1950) White Shadows (1951) Captain Bay-Bay (1953) The Last Bridge (1954) Portrait of an Unknown Woman (1954) Ludwig II (1955) The Devil's General (1955) Sky Without Stars (1955) The Girl from Flanders (1956) The Captain from Köpenick (1956) Love from Paris (1957) The Rest Is Silence (1959) The Goose of Sedan (1959) A Glass of Water (1960) Black Gravel (1961) The Dream of Lieschen Mueller (1961) Redhead (1962) The House in Montevideo (1963) Tales of a Young Scamp (1964) Die Feuerzangenbowle (1970) Authority control databases GND --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Devil's General](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_General) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Devil's_General?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.