I Was Nineteen (1968): Cast & Plot
I Was Nineteen is a 1968 historical drama directed by Konrad Wolf, starring Jaecki Schwarz as Gregor Hecker, Rolf Hoppe and Vasiliy Livanov. It runs 1 hour 55 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 55m (115 min)
- Director
- Konrad Wolf
- Original language
-
German - Studio
- DEFA
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is I Was Nineteen About?
The premise of I Was Nineteen without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A young Soviet soldier crosses into Germany with the Red Army at the end of World II, yet feels like a stranger in his own land. Meeting German civilians deepens his ambivalence, forcing him to see himself as both victor and vanquished. His curiosity drives him to confront the lies and atrocities he discovers along the way.
I Was Nineteen Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- coming of age
- reference to adolf hitler
- identity
- russian
- young soldier
- surrender
- truck
- soldier
- red army
- episodic
- bernau
- army
+38 more Show fewer
- statement in title
- wehrmacht
- berlin germany
- claim in title
- war crime
- tank
- rape
- patriotism
- origin story
- nazi
- nazism
- murder
- militia
- machine gun
- loyalty
- invasion
- hanging
- gun
- friendship
- fascism
- east germany
- dictatorship
- deserter
- death
- concentration camp
- communism
- battle
- based on journal
- autobiographical
- archive footage
- year 1945
- world war two
- title spoken by character
- defeat of nazis
- reference to joseph stalin
- russian soldier
- soviet
- soviet invasion
I Was Nineteen Cast & Characters
Jaecki Schwarz leads the cast as Gregor Hecker, with Rolf Hoppe as Etappenmajor Behring and Vasiliy Livanov as Wadim. Directed by Konrad Wolf; 21 actors are credited in all.
- Director Konrad Wolf
- Jaecki Schwarz as Gregor Hecker
- Rolf Hoppe as Etappenmajor Behring
- Vasiliy Livanov as Wadim
- Johannes Wieke as Oberst Lewerenz
Also Starring in I Was Nineteen
· 17 more- Klaus Manchen
- Mikhail Gluzskiy Sowjetisches General
- Hermann Beyer 2. befreiter Häftling
- Galina Polskikh Sowjetisches Mädchen
- Wolfgang Greese Landschaftsarchitekt
- Jürgen Hentsch Oberleutnant Schenk, Adjutant
- Kurt Böwe SS-Sturmbannführer
- Fritz Mohr Feldwebel
- Jenny Gröllmann deutsches Mädchen
- Dieter Mann
- Anatoliy Solovyov
- Martin Trettau
- Wolfgang Winkler
- Otto Lang
- Afanasi Kochetkov
- Walter Bechstein
Show all 21 cast members Show fewer cast members
More from Konrad Wolf
More films directed by Konrad Wolf: Solo Sunny, Mama, I’m Alive, The Naked Man in the Stadium and The Little Prince.
I Was Nineteen Plot Summary
What happens in I Was Nineteen from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 14 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
On 16 April 1945, Gregor Hecker and his small squad follow in the wake of the 48th Army’s westward advance from Brandenburg through the Oder River. This is the first time the young Soviet officer has returned to his homeland since he and his parents immigrated to Moscow when he was eight years old. He returns to his homeland as a stranger.
Full summary
The whole story of I Was Nineteen, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know I Was Nineteen?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
What is the name of the young Soviet officer who returns to his homeland in the film?
I Was Nineteen Also Known As
7 alternative titles, including “Ich war 19” and “Heimkehr ’45”.
- Also known as
-
- Ich war 19
- Heimkehr ’45
- I Was 19
- J'avais 19 ans
- Мне было девятнадцать
- 我当年19岁
- Yo tenía 19 años
Seen I Was Nineteen?
Movies Like I Was Nineteen
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Germany, Year Zero, The Russians Are Coming and As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me.
I Was Nineteen FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of I Was Nineteen, each answered in a sentence.
How long is I Was Nineteen?
I Was Nineteen runs 1 hour 55 minutes (115 minutes).
When was I Was Nineteen released?
I Was Nineteen was released on February 1, 1968.
Who directed I Was Nineteen?
I Was Nineteen was directed by Konrad Wolf.
More films by Konrad Wolf Who is in the cast of I Was Nineteen?
I Was Nineteen stars Jaecki Schwarz as Gregor Hecker, Rolf Hoppe as Etappenmajor Behring and Vasiliy Livanov as Wadim, among 21 credited actors.
Does I Was Nineteen have a post-credit scene?
No. I Was Nineteen has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is I Was Nineteen in?
The original language of I Was Nineteen is German.
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