The film was not available for distribution for 20 years because of music-licensing issues. These issues were resolved in 2021 and the film was made available again, e.g. with its first home-video release.
The screenplay Hans Fallada suppose to write in the first part of the movie suppose to be what later became the novel "Der eiserne Gustav "(The Iron Gustav) from 1938, which was adapted after Fallada's death as Der eiserne Gustav (1958) and Der eiserne Gustav (1979).