The Russians Are Coming
Die Russen kommen
Synopsis
It’s the spring of 1945 in a small resort town on the Baltic. Günter is 16 and firmly believes that the Germans will win the war. During the hunt for a forced labourer who is on the run, Günter catches him and watches as he is shot to death. He proudly accepts the award of an Iron Cross before being shipped to the nearby front as part of the last contingent of troops. He is quickly captured by Soviet soldiers, but manages to escape and return home. When the town is occupied by the Red Army, Günter is arrested for the murder of the forced labourer. The film was banned in 1968 before it was completed, and a large portion of the negative was later destroyed.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Gert Krause-Melzer
Günter
Viktor Perevalov
Igor
Dorothea Meissner
Christine
Norbert Christian
Vater Bergschicker
Karla Runkehl
Mutter Bergschicker
Vsevolod Safonov
Golubkow
Rolf Ludwig
Vater Walcher
Katja Paryla
Mutter Walcher
Hans Hardt-Hardtloff
Polizist
Claus Küchenmeister
Willi
Ulrich Teschner
Bannführer
Peter Bause
deutscher Soldat
Lissy Tempelhof
Release History & Theatrical Window
East Berlin
Festival / Special Debut
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Heiner Carow
- Screenplay & Story
- Heiner Carow, Claus Küchenmeister, Egon Richter
- Original Score
- Peter Gotthardt
- Original Title
- Die Russen kommen
- Country of Origin
- East Germany
- Spoken Languages
- German, English, Russian
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Production Studios
- DEFA-Studio für Spielfilme
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Heiner Carow
Heiner Carow, Claus Küchenmeister, Egon Richter
Peter Gotthardt
Evelyn Carow
Department Leadership Roster
Heiner Carow
Director
Heiner Carow
Writer
Claus Küchenmeister
Writer
Evelyn Carow
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Russians Are Coming.
Featured In Curated Collections
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War: World War II
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Russians Are Coming
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Russians Are Coming about?
It’s the spring of 1945 in a small resort town on the Baltic. Günter is 16 and firmly believes that the Germans will win the war. During the hunt for a forced labourer who is on the run, Günter catches him and watches as he is shot to death. He proudly accepts the award of an Iron Cross before being shipped to the nearby front as part of the last contingent of troops. He is quickly captured by Soviet soldiers, but manages to escape and return home. When the town is occupied by the Red Army, Günter is arrested for the murder of the forced labourer. The film was banned in 1968 before it was completed, and a large portion of the negative was later destroyed.
Who directed The Russians Are Coming?
The Russians Are Coming was directed by Heiner Carow.
Who stars in The Russians Are Coming?
The principal cast of The Russians Are Coming includes Gert Krause-Melzer, Viktor Perevalov, Dorothea Meissner, Norbert Christian, Karla Runkehl.
When was The Russians Are Coming released and how long is it?
The Russians Are Coming was released in 1987 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.
Who composed the musical score for The Russians Are Coming?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Russians Are Coming was composed by Peter Gotthardt.
Is The Russians Are Coming based on a book or true story?
The Russians Are Coming is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Egon Richter".