The Kaiser's Lackey

Aug 31, 1951

1h 49m

★ 6.5

Overview

Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On his honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favor. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the address. He stands behind the lectern in the pouring rain, saluting his Kaiser. The crowd is dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins...

Genres

Drama

History

Comedy

Production Companies

DEFA

The Kaiser's Lackey Trailers

Cast

Diederich Heßling

Werner Peters

Regierungspräsident von Wulckow

Paul Esser

Frau von Wulckow

Blandine Ebinger

Guste Daimchen

Renate Fischer

Emmi Heßling

Carola Braunbock

Magda Heßling

Emmy Burg

Agnes Göppel

Sabine Thalbach

Mrs. Göpel

Friedel Nowack

Göpel

Friedrich Maurer

Father Heßling

Erich Nadler

Mother Heßling

Gertrud Bergmann

Zillich

Ernst Legal

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