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Ernst Thälmann - Son of his Class
Ernst Thälmann - Sohn seiner Klasse

Movie Poster

Country	East-Germany
Directed by	Kurt Maetzig Johannes Arpe
Release Date	March 9, 1954
Language	German Russian
Studio	DEFA
Distributor	Progress Film

Main Cast
Character	Actor
Ernst Thälmann	Günther Simon
Fiete Jansen	Hans-Peter Minetti
Arthur Vierbreiter	Erich Franz
Martha Vierbreiter	Erika Dunkelmann
Krischan Daik	Raimund Schelcher
Änne Harms	Karla Runkehl
Otto Kramer	Gerhard Bienert

Ernst Thälmann - Son of his Class is a 1954 East-German movie directed by Kurt Maetzig and Johannes Arpe. In November 1918, a leaflet reaches the German soldiers on the Western Front urging them to do the same as the Russian peasants and workers and actively fight against their oppression. Tählmann, who had long since realized the futility of the war and was serving his time as an involuntary soldier, began to fight alongside his comrades immediately after his return home. However, the working class's attempt to revolt is prevented by right-wing social democrats, and the working class is threatened with depolarization.

The following weapons were used in the film Ernst Thälmann - Son of his Class:

Pistols

Luger P08

German officers including Hauptmann Alland (Adolf Peter Hoffmann) and some soldiers can be seen with Luger P08s.

Luger P08 - 9x19mm

A Luger is used by Fiete Jansen (Hans-Peter Minetti) during an ambush of the 1923 Hamburg Uprising. The man next to him holds a Gew. 88.

Alland fires his Luger during the same ambush.

Hauptmann Quadde (Werner Peters) leads a charge on a Spartakus postion.

Rifles

Gewehr 1898

The Gewehr 98 is widely used by German soldiers, Freikorps troops, and left-wing members (Spartakisten, USPD, KPD).

Mauser Gewehr 1898 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Mauser Gewehr 1898M - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Hannes Harms (Wilfried Ortmann) with his Gewehr takes cover on his way to developing an important message for his comrades.

A G98 hanging between German soldiers in a shelter.

Freikorps officers getting arrested with Gew. 98s.

Red members take the police's rifles. Note the different rear sights: The left Gewehrs have post-war tangent leaf rear sights.

Karabiner 98AZ

A broken rifle that could be a Karabiner 98AZ is briefly seen lying in the mud.

Karabiner 98AZ - 7.92x57mm

Karabiner 98b

Some early 1920s Karabiner 98b are also used by Reichswehr forces.

Mauser Karabiner 98b - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A soldier getting hit by a stone holds a Karabiner 98b.

This Kar 98b seem to be equipped with a S84/98 bayonet.

Gewehr 1888/05

Both Weimar forces and insurgents have Gewehr 1888/05.

Gewehr 1888/05 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

Members of the Kapp Putsch marching with Gewehr 88 rifles.

One Freikorps officer tries to hold back insurgents.

An insurgent points his Gew. 88 at a Kapp Pztsch member. Note the swastika on their helmets as a sign of their warlike appearance.

Police forces advancing in the streets. Their rifles have side.mounted bayonets.

Karabiner 1888

The Karabiner 1888 is also seen in some scenes.

Karabiner 1888 - 7.92x57mm Mauser

A Sturmmann named Müller complains why the truck blocking the road.

Machine Guns

Maxim MG 08

Maxim MG08s are used by both factions. Some are fitted with modified Interbellum muzzle boosters.

Maxim MG08 on 'sledge' mount - 7.92x57mm Mauser.

Reichswehr soldiers transporting the Maxim to crack down the Spartacist uprising in 1919.

A Spartakist defends the encircled building. In this scene, and in many more, the gunner and belt carrier only wiggle the gun/ammo belt. The top cover is not closed properly and bobs up and down.