Kuhle Wampe or Who Owns the World?

Kuhle Wampe takes place in early-1930s Berlin. The film begins with a montage of newspaper headlines describing steadily-rising unemployment figures. This is followed by scenes of a young man looking for work in the city and the family discussing the unpaid back rent. The young man, brother of the protagonist Anni, removes his wristwatch and throws himself from a window out of despair. Shortly thereafter his family is evicted from their apartment. Now homeless, the family moves into a garden colony of sorts with the name “Kuhle Wampe.”

Cast

Hertha Thiele

Anni

Ernst Busch

Fritz

Max Sablotzki

Vater Bönicke

Lilli Schoenborn

Mutter Bönike

Martha Wolter

Gerda

Adolf Fischer

Kurt

Gerhard Bienert

Zeitungsleser

Erwin Geschonneck

Arbeitersportler

Anna Müller-Lincke

Sängerin

Helene Weigel

Ballad singer (voice)