An Enemy of the People (1937)
An Enemy of the People (1937), directed by Hans Steinhoff, starring Heinrich George and Herbert Hübner.
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Synopsis
Before the First World War, Dr. Hans Stockmann had a practice in a small town. His powerhungry brother is the mayor of Bad Trimburg, which has developed into a respectable resort. Dr. Stockmann is called in to become the town’s chief physician. He considers the sanitary conditions to be intolerable and insists on a clean-up. His ambitious brother and all those who, till now, have profited well from the corner cutting, are, of course, against that for financial reasons. The doctor is condemned from all sides and the conflict escalates.
- Karl PuthCinematography
- Hans SteinhoffDirector, Writer
- Gertrud Hinz-NischwitzEditing
- Erich EbermayerWriter
About the film
An Enemy of the People (German: Ein Volksfeind) is a 1937 German drama film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring Heinrich George, Herbert Hübner, Franziska Kinz and Carsta Löck. The film is an adaptation of the 1882 play of the same title by the Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin and on location around Glücksburg and the Flensburg Fjord in Schleswig-Holstein. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Karl Haacker and Hermann Warm. It updates the setting of the story from Norway in the 1880s to pre-Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
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An Enemy of the People (German: Ein Volksfeind) is a 1937 German drama film directed by Hans Steinhoff and starring Heinrich George, Herbert Hübner, Franziska Kinz and Carsta Löck. The film is an adaptation of the 1882 play of the same title by the Norwegian writer Henrik Ibsen. It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin and on location around Glücksburg and the Flensburg Fjord in Schleswig-Holstein. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Karl Haacker and Hermann Warm. It updates the setting of the story from Norway in the 1880s to pre-Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
Synopsis
In a small German spa town of Bad Trimburg towards the end of the Weimar Republic Doctor Hans Stockmann discovers that the local medicinal springs, the lifeblood of his town's economy, are dangerously contaminated. When he attempts to go public his own brother, the mayor, leads the community in a fierce campaign to suppress the truth to protect their profits. Abandoned by the local press and fellow townspeople, the doctor is branded a "Volksfeind" (enemy of the people) during a chaotic town meeting. Despite the social ruin and threats to his family, Stockmann remains defiant, choosing his principles over the corrupt interests of the majority.
Cast
References
Bibliography
Giesen, Rolf. Nazi Propaganda Films: A History and Filmography. McFarland & Company, 2003.
Klaus, Ulrich J. Deutsche Tonfilme: Jahrgang 1937. Klaus-Archiv, 1988.
Waldman, Harry. Nazi Films in America, 1933-1942. McFarland, 2008.
External links
An Enemy of the People at IMDb
Text from An Enemy of the People (1937 film) on Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Enemy_of_the_People_(1937_film)
Trivia
- It premiered on October 25, 1937, a Monday.
- It runs 1h42 — a typical feature length.
- Its original title is "Ein Volksfeind".
- This film's quiz has 9 questions — enough to play more than once without repeats.
Production
- StudiosF.D.F.
- CountriesGermany
- LanguagesGerman
- StatusReleased
More about this film
Based on
- An Enemy of the People
Cast
-
Heinrich George
Dr. Hans Stockmann -
Herbert Hübner
Bürgermeister Stockmann -
Franziska Kinz
Johanna Stockmann -
Carsta Löck
Lehrerin Petra -
Hans Richter
Walter Stockmann -
Albert Florath
Worse -
Fritz Genschow
Kapitän Holster -
Hubert von Meyerinck
Redakteur Fink -
Ernst Fritz Fürbringer
Ministerialrat -
Bernhard Minetti
Minister -
Hans Hermann Schaufuß
Zeitungsbesitzer Dornbach -
Werner Pledath
Schulprofessor -
Olga Limburg
Patientin -
Klaus Pohl
-
Georg H. Schnell
Ministerialdirektor Prof. Köster - Eberhard Bartke Frederik Stockmann
-
Heinz von Cleve
Redakteur Hofstetten - Claire Reigbert Frau Kettler
-
Walter Werner
Medizinalrat Dr. Kettler -
Ernst Legal
Baumeister
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Crew
- Karl Puth Cinematography
- Hans Steinhoff Director
- Gertrud Hinz-Nischwitz Editing
- Erich Ebermayer Writer
- Hans Steinhoff Writer
Questions about this film
What is An Enemy of the People about?
An Enemy of the People: Before the First World War, Dr. Hans Stockmann had a practice in a small town. His powerhungry brother is the mayor of Bad Trimburg, which has developed into a respectable resort. Dr. Stockmann is called in to become the town’s chief physician. He considers the sanitary conditions to be intolerable and insists on a…
Who directed An Enemy of the People?
An Enemy of the People was directed by Hans Steinhoff in 1937.
Who stars in An Enemy of the People?
The cast of An Enemy of the People includes Heinrich George, Herbert Hübner, Franziska Kinz, Carsta Löck and Hans Richter.
How long is An Enemy of the People?
An Enemy of the People runs for 102 minutes, or 1h42.
What is An Enemy of the People based on?
An Enemy of the People is based on An Enemy of the People.
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Page updated on 09/15/2026.
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