Leni Riefenstahl - Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg (The Destiny of the Hapsburgs), 1928

Following Leni Riefenstahl's success in the previous two Arnold Fanck films she starred in, Der heilige Berg and Der große Sprung, her next role was a smaller but more dramatic one in a minor film by director Rolf Raffé. Unfortunately, the film was a failure at the box office.

Titles

Full Title
Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg: Die Tragödie eines Kaiserreiches
("The Destiny of the Hapsburgs: The Tragedy of an Empire")

Alternate Titles
None

Cast

Fritz Spira Alfons Fryland Franz Kammauf Willi Hubert Ernst Recniczek Albert Kersten Paul Askonas Ferry Lukacs Erna Morena Maly Delschaft Leni Riefenstahl Irene Kraus Carmen Cartellieri Alice Roberts (Roberte) Minje van Gooten	— — — — — — — — — — — — — — —	Emperor Franz Josef Prince Rudolf Bratfisch, his Coachman Franz Ferdinand Philipp von Coburg Count Hoyos Montenuovo Emperor Karl Empress Elisabeth Princess Stefanie Baroness Mary Vetsera Baroness Helene Vetsera Countess Larisch Louise von Coburg Countess Sofie Chotek
and various Ladies & Gentlemen of the Court

Production Credits

Screenplay
Max Ferner

Director
Rolf Raffé

Assistant Director
Rolf Eckbauer

Camera
Marius Holdt

Sets
Arthur Berger

Executive Producer
Leo Meyer

Production Company
Essem-Film Produktion, Berlin

Distribution
Star Film, Berlin (Berlin & the east)
Rheinische Film, Cologne (the Rhineland, Westphalia, Saar region)
Siegel Monopolfilm, Dresden (central Germany)
Leofilm, Munich (southern Germany)
Nordfilm, Hamburg (northern Germany)

Production Details

Exterior Locations
Schönbrunn Castle (near Vienna)

Premiere

November 16, 1928 (Waterloo-Theater, Hamburg)

Awards

No awards were received for this film

Synopsis

This film deals with the tragedies which befell the Hapsburg dynasty of Austria in the years leading up to and surrounding World War I, with the main plot centering around the cousins Prince Rudolf of Austria and Franz Ferdinand, heirs to the throne of Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth.

In order to appease his father, the Emperor [Fritz Spira], Prince Rudolf [Alfons Fryland] marries Princess Stefanie [Maly Delschaft] of Belgium, and much to everyone's surprise the couple seems happy, until the birth of a daughter instead of the desired male heir causes a rift between Rudolf and his father. The prince begins an affair with the baroness Mary Vetsera [Leni Riefenstahl], but the relationship is discovered by his wife, and the prince is urged by his father to return to Stefanie. At first Prince Rudolf concedes, but as he goes to say goodbye to Mary, he learns that she is expecting his child, and seeing no other solution the forlorn couple commit suicide together. This is only the beginning of the tragedies which befall the family.

With his cousin's death, now Franz Ferdinand [Willi Hubert] inherits the throne, but then the Empress Elisabeth [Erna Morena] is assassinated; next Franz Ferdinand marries Countess Sofie Chotek [Minje van Gooten], a woman shamefully below his class; and finally the latter couple are assassinated as well in Sarajevo in 1914 — which becomes the spark that ignites what would become the First World War. The Emperor, too, dies before the war is over, and his successor, Emperor Karl [Ferry Lukacs], is also sent into exile after the revolution of 1918.

Image Galleries

Historical Notes

Analysis & Criticism (On-Site)

Web Links

Below are selected external links (to other sites) with information and/or articles about this film. External links to information about other Leni Riefenstahl films can be found in the Web Links section on the main pages for each of those films, or for more general information please see the Selected Leni Riefenstahl Links section of this site.

Das Schicksal derer von Habsburg

The Destiny of the Hapsburgs

Black & White/Silent, 1928
(approx. 7,900 feet)