Summer 1945, Weimar: American soldiers Jimmy and Fenmore want to surprise their comrades with a printed chronicle of their experiences in the Second World War and commission local publisher Karl-Friedrich Knabe to produce it. Jimmy, a talented translator, meets Anna Schaefer, who helps out at the publishing house, and a tender love develops. But the sudden handover of Thuringia to the Soviets and the relocation of their unit put an end to the project and their relationship. An attempt to collect the finished books fails at the Hesse-Thuringia border, which separates the American and Soviet zones. Jimmy desperately tries to get in touch with Anna, who is arrested while trying to enter the western sector. Hidden in the attic of the Knabe publishing house, the books are forgotten until they are discovered in 2001. BASED ON TRUE EVENTS
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Director Biography – Maik Giessler
2020 – The last Eyewitnesses – Documentary
2023 – Woiwode – Of Hope and Pain – Documentary
2025 – LOST PAGES OF WAR
Director Statement
In “Wir schwenkten keine Fahnen”, we delve into the tensions between personal memory and the collective responsibility of the past. The film reveals how deeply the Second World War and its moral questions continue to shape generations. Through the eyes of a grandfather who shares his story on Christmas Eve, we explore questions of guilt and humanity.
As a director, it is essential to me that the film reflects both the warmth and security of family life, as well as the cold distance of painful memories. The visual language will support this through warm colors in the Christmas scenes and cool, almost oppressive tones in the flashbacks. The contrast between lovingly staged, almost cinematic memories and the raw, fragmented images of true experiences will underscore the grandfather’s inner turmoil.
This film is meant to provoke thought: How do we deal with our past? What does it mean to take responsibility, even if you never pulled the trigger yourself? And how does this responsibility affect future generations? The questions of guilt, repression, and humanity that the film raises are more relevant today than ever.
| Maik Giessler Director, Writer, Producer Oswin Vogel Producer Steffen Knabe Producer Marc Weinmann Key Cast “Jimmy O. Connor” Vitali Huk Key Cast “Fenmore R. Seton” Maria Sommer Key Cast “Anna Schaefer” Alexander Waigel Key Cast “Soviet Colonel” Enrico Henniges Key Cast “Karl Knabe” Eduard Martens Key Cast “American Colonel” Franz Gnauck Key Cast “Soviet Lieutnant” |
