Pour le Mérite (1938)

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Directed by: Karl Ritter

Produced by: Karl Ritter

Written by: Fred Hildenbrandt, Karl Ritter

Music by: Herbert Windt

Otto Dobrindt (music editor)

Cinematography:    Günther Anders

Heinz von Jaworsky (aerial photography)

Edited by: Gottfried Ritter

Production company: Universum Film (UFA)

Distributed by: Ufa Film Company

Release date: 22 December 1938 (Germany)

Running time: 121 minutes

Country: Germany

Language: German

Starring:

Paul Hartmann: Captain Prank

Herbert A.E. Böhme: Gerdes

Albert Hehn: Lt. Fabian

Paul Otto: Maj. Wissmann

Fritz Kampers: Moebius

Josef Dahmen: surcharge

Willi Rose: frill

Carsta Löck: Gerda Fabian

Jutta Freybe: Isabel Prank

Gisela von Collande: Anna Moebius

Marina von Ditmar: Young Frenchwoman

Otz Tollen: Capt. Reinwald

Theo Shall: Capt. Cecil Wood

Wolfgang Staudte: Lt. Ellermann

Clemens Hasse: lancer

Walter Bluhm: hussar

Heinz Engelmann: cuirassier

Pour le Mérite is a 1938 film produced and directed by Karl Ritter for National-Socialist Germany. The film follows the story of officers of the Luftstreitkräfte (German Air Force) in the First World War who were later involved in the formation of the Luftwaffe. Pour le Mérite propagates the fact, which consigns the German military defeat in World War I to the treason in the homeland. At the same time, Ritter also glorifies the former fighter pilots as heroes of National-Socialism.

Plot

In 1918, German pilot Lieutenant Fabian (Albert Hehn), along with his fiancée Gerda (Carsta Löck) learn that he has been awarded the Order of Pour le Mérite („The Blue Max“), Germany’s highest award for valour. The next morning, Fabian and Jagdgeschwader 1 (the „Flying Circus“ of Manfred von Richthofen) is ordered back to the front.

On the Western Front, Fabian and other officers of the squadron continue the aerial fight. Their commanding officer, Captain Prank (Paul Hartmann) returns from homeland with the news that a revolution has broken out in Germany. Prank and his men fly their aircraft back to Germany, but the squadron becomes involved in disputes with the local workers and soldiers. With the squadron’s aircraft destroyed, the pilots and crew surrender, with only Moebius (Fritz Kampers) seemingly disappearing.

Postwar, the former officers successfully find work in civilian occupations, but, Prank cannot cope. Moebius suddenly reappears and takes Prank and his wife Isabel to his estate, where Moebius has hidden his former warplane. He plans to start a flying school, but, a communist group attacks, and his aircraft is destroyed. During the attack, Isabel is killed. Prank is arrested, and when Moebius fails in a rescue attempt, an embittered Prank serves out his sentence and then goes abroad.

After 1933, a wave of National Socialism flows in Germany with the National-Socialist regime attracting the discontented former officers of Jagdgeschwader 1, all holders of the coveted Pour le Mérite award. They have continued to keep in touch and developed a strong camaraderie. At one point, the men take to the streets to fight agains communists, and are arrested.

In 1935, National-Socialist Germany restores a new Luftwaffe and invites former officers to come back. Fabian, Gerdes (Herbert A.E. Böhme) and Moebius, convince Prank to come back to Germany, where the latter gets appointed as the commanding officer of a new fighter squadron.

Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring, a former commander of Jagdgeschwader 1, visits the squadron as it equips with the new Messerschmitt Bf 109 fighter aircraft.

Production

Pour le Mérite was produced and distributed by the UFA. The German premiere took place on 22 December 1938. The film was identified as „state political and artistic particularly valuable“ as well as of „youth value“.