The Council of the Gods
- Paul Bildt: Privy Mauch, Chairman of the Council of the gods
- Fritz Tillmann: Dr. Hans Scholz, chemist
- Willy A. Kleinau: Mr. Lawson
- Hans -Georg Rudolph: Director Tilgner
- Albert Garbe: Uncle Karl
- Helmuth Hinzelmann: Colonel Schirrwind
- Inge Keller: Edith Scholz
- Yvonne Merin: Claudia Mauch
- Kate Sharp: Mrs Scholz
- Theodor Vogeler: Dr. Hüttenrauch - Chemist
- Arthur Wiesner: Father Scholz
- Karlheinz Deickert: Dieter Scholz
- Agnes Windeck: Woman Mauch
- Helene Riechers: Mother Scholz
- Brigitte Krause: Katchen
- Eva Pflug: Mabel Lawson
- Franz Weber: Hölzli
The Council of the Gods is a German film drama directed by Kurt Maetzig with a screenplay by Friedrich Wolf. He lit the way of the IG Farben Group's 1930 until 1947.
Action
Basics of the film are a 1947 published documentation and the records of the Nuremberg trials. In the center of the action are the CEO Privy Mauch - an allusion to the convicted war criminal Carl Krauch (1887-1968) - and the fictional chemist Dr. Scholz. Both are primarily responsible for the production of armaments and poison gas production of the IG Colors. Pursuit of profit at any cost led the participants to become actively involved in the crimes of the Nazi regime. Dr. Scholz closes to 1948 eyes and ears in order to save his job and the family. It was only when terrible damage occurs in a forbidden explosive exercise in Ludwigshafen, he breaks his silence.
Background
The Council of the Gods is one of the first films that explicitly deals with the complicity of a German group in Nazi crimes.
Film Music
The composer Hanns Eisler composed the music for the film.
As a conclusion, in order to emphasize the people's victory in the struggle for peace, 5.Sinfonie by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky used.
Reviews
" Technically considerable political drama of the DEFA, which is in the final to an apotheosis of the peace movement à la Moscow. "
"The film was a costly prestige company DEFA. But ... under the direction of Kurt Maetzig then came all so striking, so it abundantly clear that the desired effect often turned into its opposite in this movie. Artistically, the film was of no great significance. "
Comments on the film
"I have many movies, and many television stories done in my life, but never experienced such a wonderful feel-good mood as the Council of the gods again. These Yvonne Merin has contributed. She was a wonderful woman, just not a good actress, but she could not. Maetzig loved her and gave her the role. "