Hälfte des Lebens

Short Summary (English)

The years between 1796 and I 806 were decisive in the life of the great German poet, Friedrich Hölderlin, who remained underestimated in German letters for a long time. In 1796, Hölderlin became the private teacher of four children in the household of the Gontards, a Frankfurt bankers' family, this is where he met Susette Gontard, the lady of the house, his great love - his "Diotima" as she is called in his novel, "Hyperion". The poet's love for this delicate and sensitive woman found only a fleeting moment of fulfilment: after the banker caught wind of the romance, he put Hölderlin out of his house. Concomitant with his private pain was his despair concerning the complicated social situation in Germany. Ultimately, the echo of the French Revolution went unanswered in Germany: the forces of reaction were able to maintain and conserve their power. And Hölderlin's poetic work, which supported a revolutionary democratic program, attracted little attention. With the death of Susette, Hölderlin fell into a deep, painful depression and in a state of continuous emotional disorder. With despair in his heart and at odds with the world, Hölderlin was admitted to a clinic in Tübingen. Wretchedly vegetating in the clinic's "tower" for another 36 years, Friedrich Holderlin finally passed away in 1842.

Source: Progress Film-Verleih

Film Crew

Director

• Herrmann Zschoche

Script

• Herrmann Zschoche

Scenario

• Christa Kożik

Camera

• Günter Jaeuthe

Film Editing

• Monika Schindler (geb. Behrendt)

Cast

• Ulrich Mühe (Friedrich Hölderlin)
• Jenny Gröllmann (Susette Gontard)
• Swetlana Schönfeld (Marie Rätzer)
• Michael Gwisdek (Jakob Gontard)
• Peter-Mario Grau (Isaac von Sinclair)
• Christine Gloger (Hölderlins Mutter)
• Simone Frost (Hölderlins Schwester Henrike)
• Christine Harbort (Haushälterin Wilhelmine)
• Reimar Johannes Baur (Dr. Ebel)
• Rolf Hoppe (Wilhelm Heinse)
• Matthias Günther (Prof. Authenrieth)
• Hilmar Baumann (Konsul Meyer)
• Peter Bause (Landgraf)
• Trude Brentina (Seniorin Gontard)
• Thomas Gumpert (Freund N.)
• Gerd Michael Henneberg (Französischer Schlossherr)
• Susanne Lüning (Prinzessin Auguste)
• Friedrich Mokross (Diener in Livree)
• Frank Schenk (Sekretär)
• Willi Schrade (Französischer Grenzbeamter)
• Andreas Schumann (Freund H.)
• Nele Gebhard (Helene Gontard)
• Antje Hering (Malchen Gontard)
• Marco Katzer (Henry Gontard)
• Katrin Löffler (Henriette Gontard)
• Klaus Bergatt (Franz Gontard)
• Elfi Gäbel (Madame Krenzlin)
• Horst Giese (Französischer Diener)
• Andreas Albert (Diener)
• Eugen Albert (Arzt)
• Andreas Preuß (Ein Verhafteter)
• Jörg Erkens (Ein Verhafteter)
• Wido Weyer (Ein Verhafteter)
• Waldemar Baeger (Uhrmacher Calame)
• Harry Küster (Wärter)
• Günter (auch: Günther) Götze (Wärter)
• Werner Dissel (Alter Mann)
• Holger Eckert (Ein Herr)
• Eberhardt Wintzen (Ein Herr)
• Johanna Lesch (Dame)

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Assistant Director

• Eleonore Dressel

Assistant Camera

• Eckhart (auch: Eckhardt) Hartkopf
• Jörg Erkens

Production Design

• Dieter Adam

Script Editing

• Gabriele Herzog

Music

• Georg Katzer

Sound

• Horst Mathuschek
• Klaus Wolter (Musik)
• Helga Kadenbach (Tonmischung)

Musical Performance

• DEFA-Sinfonieorchester (Leitung: Manfred Rosenberg)

Costume Design

• Anne Hoffmann

Make-Up

• Klaus Becker
• Waltraud Becker
• Waltraud Dietze

Props

• Ingo Pries

Production Management

• Herbert Ehler

Unit Production Management

• Ralph Retzlaff
• Harald Jahn

Consulting

• Hans-Eberhard Gäbel (Fechten)

DEFA Photography

• Jörg Erkens

Short Summary (German)

Zehn Jahre aus dem Leben Friedrich Hölderlins, von 1796 bis 1806. Der junge, geniale Dichter tritt in das Haus des Frankfurter Bankiers Gontard ein, um als Hauslehrer seinen Lebensunterhalt zu verdienen. Er unterrichtet dessen vier Kinder und verliebt sich leidenschaftlich in Gontards Frau Susette, die seine Zuneigung erwidert. Doch es ist eine hoffnungslose Liebe, die nur eine kurze Zeit Erfüllung findet. Gontard weist Hölderlin aus dem Haus. Nach der Trennung sind beide gebrochene Menschen: Susette verweigert sich dem Leben, kränkelt und stirbt 1802, 33-jährig. Ihr Tod stürzt Hölderlin in tiefe Depressionen, von denen er sich nie wieder erholt. 1806 wird er in eine Tübinger Nervenklinik eingewiesen.

(Quelle: Das zweite Leben der Filmstadt Babelsberg. DEFA-Spielfilme 1946-1992)

Short Summary (Other Languages)

Il film narra dieci anni della vita di Friedrich Hölderlin, dal 1796 al 1806. Per guadagnarsi da vivere, il giovane poeta entra come insegnante privato nella casa del banchiere Gontard a Francoforte. Chiamato per educare i suoi 4 figli, il giovane insegnante s'innamora di Susette, moglie del banchiere. Nonostante l'amore sia contraccambiato, la storia fra i due dura poco. Gontard caccia Hölderlin di casa. Susette, disperata, si rifiuta di vivere e muore nel 1802 a soli 33 anni. Caduto in depressione per la scomparsa dell'amata, Hölderlin verrà ricoverato a Tubinga in una clinica neurologica. (Italienisch)