The Hymn of Leuthen

The Hymn of Leuthen (German: Der Choral von Leuthen) is a 1933 German film depicting Frederick the Great, directed by Carl Froelich starring Otto Gebühr, Olga Chekhova and Elga Brink. It was part of the cycle of nostalgic Prussian films popular during the Weimar and Nazi eras. The title refers to the 1757 Battle of Leuthen.

The Hymn of Leuthen
German film poster
German	Der Choral von Leuthen
Directed by	Carl Froelich Arzén von Cserépy
Written by	Johannes Brandt Friedrich Pflughaupt Ilse Spath-Baron
Based on	Fridericus by Walter von Molo
Produced by	Carl Froelich
Starring	Otto Gebühr Olga Chekhova Elga Brink
Cinematography	Franz Planer Hugo von Kaweczynski
Edited by	Oswald Hafenrichter Gustav Lohse
Music by	Marc Roland
Production company	Carl Froelich-Film
Distributed by	Ufa Film Company (US)
Release date	3 February 1933 (1933-02-03)
Running time	91 minutes
Country	Germany
Language	German

The film was loosely based on the novel Fridericus by Walter von Molo. It presented Frederick as an inspired leader.^[1] It was shot at the Tempelhof Studios in Berlin. The film's sets were designed by the art director Franz Schroedter.

Cast

• Otto Gebühr as King Frederick II of Prussia
• Olga Chekhova as Countess Mariann
• Elga Brink as Comtesse Charlotte von Mudrach
• Harry Frank as Captain Hans von Wustrow
• Paul Otto as Prince Heinrich
• Hans Adalbert Schlettow as Herzog Moritz von Dessau
• John Mylong as Gen. Seydlitz
• Hugo Froelich as Gen. von Möllendorf
• Werner Finck as Christian Kandidat der Theologie
• Josef Dahmen as Georg - soldier
• Veit Harlan as Paul - soldier
• Walter Janssen as Count Daun
• Paul Richter as Herzog Karl von Lothringen
• Anton Pointner as Pandurenoberst Rawitsch
• Otto Hartmann as Coronet
• Ludwig Trautmann as Austrian officer
• Fritz Spira as Austrian officer
• Oskar Marion as Austrian officer
• Wolfgang Staudte as Saxon officer

Production

Johannes Brandt and Ilse Spath-Baron wrote a screenplay based on an idea by Friedrich Pflughaupt, who was loosely adapting the themes of Walter von Molo's Fridericus.^[2] The music was composed by Marc Roland.^[3]

Release

The film was approved by the censors on 30 January 1933, and premiered on 3 February.^[2] It premiered four days after Adolf Hitler became chancellor of the Reich.^[4]