The First Polka

Overview

The intertwined lives of people of both Polish and German extraction who live on the pre-World War II border between the two countries are explored in this drama. Valeska is the Polish/German matriarch of a family living on the German side of the border. Her son is involved with the Hitler youth, but nonetheless keeps secret the presence on family land of a Jew who is hiding from the authorities. When the son inadvertently kills a soldier to prevent his sister from being raped, he runs away after borrowing money from the Jewish man. When soldiers come to the family's door looking for the missing soldier who had been billeted there, the Jewish man commits suicide. In another episode, one of the family's daughters marries a German soldier in a ceremony presided over by a Polish priest.

Cast

Maria Schell

Valeska Piontek

Ernst Stankovski

Anwalt Wondrak

Claus Theo Gärtner

Feldwebel Metzmacher

Eva Maria Bauer

Tante Lucie

Erland Josephson

Leo Maria Piontek

Guido Wieland

Herr Montag

René Schell

Josef Piontek

Marco Kröger

Andreas

Jan Biczycki

Archpriest Pattas

Regine Lamster

Irma