The Axe of Wandsbek
Das Beil von Wandsbek
Synopsis
Hamburg, Germany 1934: An executioner is needed. Teetjen makes the biggest mistake of his life. Because his butcher shop is facing bankruptcy, he agrees to execute a group of political prisoners for the Nazis. Once this becomes known, Teetjen’s life falls apart.
Top Cast
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Erwin Geschonneck
Albert Teetjen
Käthe Braun
Stine Teetjen
Gefion Helmke
Käthe Neumeier
Willy A. Kleinau
Hans-Peter Footh
Ursula Meissner
Annette Koldewey
Blandine Ebinger
Mrs. Lintze
Maly Delschaft
Mrs. Lehmke
Fritz Wisten
Siegfried Mengers
Arthur Schröder
Dr. Koldewey
Helmuth Hinzelmann
Lintze
Hilde Sessak
Anneliese Blüthe
Claus Holm
Trowe
Erika Dannhoff
Lene Prestow
Albert Garbe
Otto Merzenich
Kurt Mikulski
Costume Distributor
Gert Schaefer
Willi Schröter
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Falk Harnack
- Screenplay & Story
- Arnold Zweig, Falk Harnack, Hans Robert Bortfeldt
- Original Score
- Ernst Roters
- Original Title
- Das Beil von Wandsbek
- Country of Origin
- East Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German
- Runtime
- 1h 50m
- Production Studios
- DEFA
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Falk Harnack
Arnold Zweig, Falk Harnack, Hans Robert Bortfeldt
Ernst Roters
Robert Baberske
Hildegard Tegener
Department Leadership Roster
Falk Harnack
Director
Robert Baberske
Director of Photography
Hildegard Tegener
Editor
Falk Harnack
Writer
Hans Robert Bortfeldt
Writer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Axe of Wandsbek.
Featured In Curated Collections
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War: World War II
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Axe of Wandsbek
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Axe of Wandsbek about?
Hamburg, Germany 1934: An executioner is needed. Teetjen makes the biggest mistake of his life. Because his butcher shop is facing bankruptcy, he agrees to execute a group of political prisoners for the Nazis. Once this becomes known, Teetjen’s life falls apart.
Who directed The Axe of Wandsbek?
The Axe of Wandsbek was directed by Falk Harnack.
Who stars in The Axe of Wandsbek?
The principal cast of The Axe of Wandsbek includes Erwin Geschonneck, Käthe Braun, Gefion Helmke, Willy A. Kleinau, Ursula Meissner.
When was The Axe of Wandsbek released and how long is it?
The Axe of Wandsbek was released in 1951 with a total runtime of 1h 50m.
Who composed the musical score for The Axe of Wandsbek?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Axe of Wandsbek was composed by Ernst Roters.
Is The Axe of Wandsbek based on a book or true story?
The Axe of Wandsbek is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Arnold Zweig".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Axe of Wandsbek?
The Axe of Wandsbek holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.).