Ein Katzensprung

Short Summary (English)

Young lieutenant Riedel, the leader of a motorized unit of NVA riflemen, is always concerned about his men. Thus, he is all the more happy that everything is running smoothly with the new recruits when he returns from his honeymoon. It seems to him that lance corporal Weißenbach, who is not only the oldest of the men but also a formidable armoured personnel carrier driver, has been a reliable stand-in for him. Thus, Riedel is all the more surprised when he learns that Weißenbach boosts the squad's performance with partly questionable methods. For instance, Weißenbach reports non-swimmer Maier sick when a swimming test is called for. Instead he waits until Maier is off duty and literally throws him in the cold water to teach him swimming. Maier nearly dies in this incident. Thus, the recruits take their protest to Riedel who makes short shrift of Weißenbach and removes him from his post. But lieutenant Riedel soon realizes that this decision jeopardizes the combat readiness of his squad, when Weißenbach's successor screws up during a manoeuvre. After squadron commander Kaiser brings Riedel back into line, Weißenbach returns to his post and Riedel realizes that he had acted precipitately.

(Source: filmportal)

Film Crew

Director

• Claus Dobberke

Script

• Claus Dobberke

Scenario

• Walter Flegel
• Wolfgang Ebeling

Camera

• Hans Heinrich

Film Editing

• Christa Helwig (geb. Stritt)

Cast

• Walter Plathe (Leutnant Riedel)
• Holger Mahlich (Gefreiter Weißenbach)
• Jörg Panknin (Hauptmann Kaiser)
• Ute Drewniok (Maria)
• Willi Schrade (Oberleutnant Melchert)
• Gisbert-Peter Terhorst (Feldwebel Kranz)
• Ursula Christowa-Staack (geb. Staack) (Kellnerin Margit)
• Eberhard Prüter (Soldat Radewald)
• Rudolf Ulrich (Oberst Strauch)
• Rainer Gohde (Soldat Kellner)
• Maximilian Löser (Soldat Grell)
• Gerald Schaale (Soldat Helmke)
• Michael Scharffenberg (Soldat Heinrich)
• Veit Stübner (Soldat Maier)
• Jürgen-Michael Watzke (Soldat Rohde)
• Herbert Schulz (Mann mit Geige)
• Roland Kuchenbuch (ABV Krüger)
• Günter Rüger (Wirt)
• Sina Fiedler (Kellnerin)
• Marianne Behrens (Schrankenwärterin)
• Hannes Stelzer (Bürgermeister)
• Harald Fischer (Skatspieler)
• Horst Papke (Skatspieler)
• Manfred Kuhlmey-Becker (Kutscher)

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Assistant Director

• Harald Fischer

Assistant Camera

• Manfred Damm
• Hans Volkmar

Production Design

• Werner Pieske

Script Editing

• Hans-Joachim Wallstein

Music

• Stern Combo Meißen (Musikgruppe)
• Karl-Ernst Sasse (Musikberatung)

Sound

• Harry Fuchs
• Rosemarie Linde
• Gerhard Ribbeck

Make-Up

• Christa Kieseler
• Wolfgang Möwis

Production Management

• Gerrit List
• Manfred Peetz

Unit Production Management

• Manfred Peetz
• Herbert Hoffmann
• Ellen Götze

DEFA Photography

• Manfred Damm

Short Summary (German)

Nach seinem Hochzeitsurlaub kehrt der junge, mitunter stürmische NVA-Leutnant Riedel zu seiner Truppe zurück. Auf den Stubenältesten, den Gefreiten Weißenbach, ein hervorragender Schützenpanzerwagen-Fahrer, scheint Verlass. Als Riedel jedoch erfährt, dass Weißenbach mittels Manipulationen für die guten Leistungen der Einheit sorgt, setzt er ihn eigenmächtig von seinen Funktionen ab. Der von ihm eilig ernannte Nachfolger versagt bei einem militärischen Manöver. Riedel gerät nun selbst in die Kritik des Kompaniechefs Kaiser...

Short Summary (Other Languages)

Dopo il matrimonio, il giovane sottotenente Riedel ritorna dalla sua truppa, arricchitasi delle nuove leve. Qui apprende come l'affidabile caporale Weißenbach usi degli sporchi trucchi per migliorare le prestazioni del gruppo. Riedel destituisce Weißenbach dal suo incarico, ma dopo un incidente durante le esercitazioni, sarà costretto a riammetterlo, riconoscendo di aver agito troppo precipitosamente, dimenticandosi di Weißenbach come uomo. (Italienisch)