Die Nibelungen (1924), revisited

Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) is one of the masterpieces of the Weimar cinema. It is a diptych of silent fantasy films: Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge. Years ago, we already did a post of Die Nibelungen with sepia postcards by Ross Verlag. Today, EFSP presents a German postcard series with watercolours by Uvachrom and an Italian series with stills in black and white by G. Vettori. This post is the first in a series of posts about three classic silent films by Fritz Lang.


German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5433. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried's sword.

How Siegfried Slayed the Dragon

Die Nibelungen was produced by the Ufa and Decla studios, and it starred Austrian actor Paul Richter as the (nearly) invulnerable hero Siegfried. The screenplays were written by Fritz Lang and his wife at the time, Thea von Harbou. They were based upon the epic Nordic poem 'Nibelungenlied', written around AD 1200 and told through seven cantos.


German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5434. Photo: Ufa. Paul Richter as Siegfried in Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: The lime leaf.

It is the tale of the legendary German hero Siegfried (Paul Richter), son of King Siegmund. He masters the art of forging a sword at the shop of Mime (Georg John). On his journey home, he hears tales from the locals about Princess Kriemhild (Margarete Schön), the beautiful sister of King Gunter of Burgundy (Theodor Loos).


Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Paul Richter and Georg John in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - Mime tries to betray Siegfried by putting him on the wrong track -.

Siegfried decides to go to Worms, the capital of Burgundy, to win Kriemhild. On his journey to Worms, he is attacked by a dragon. Siegfried slays the dragon and bathes in his blood. This bath makes him invulnerable - except for one spot on his shoulder blade which is missed after being covered by a falling lime leaf.

How Volker, the Bard, sang of Siegfried in front of Kriemhild, and How Siegfried Came in Worms

Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Paul Richter in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924).

Siegfried trespasses on the land of the Nibelungen and is attacked by Alberich, King of the Dwarves (again Georg John). He fights and defeats Alberich who was wearing his wonder cloak of invisibility and transformation. Alberich asks Siegfried to spare his life and in return, he gives the Treasure of the Nibelungen and the Balmung sword. While Siegfried is mesmerised by the treasure, Alberich tries to defeat him but dies in the attempt. Dying, Alberich curses all inheritors of the treasure and he and his dwarves turn to stone. Siegfried makes twelve kings as his vassals and arrives in Worms as a hero.

How Siegfried Won Brunhild for Gunther

Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Hanna Ralph, as Brunhild in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - Siegfried - Brunhild.

News reaches the court that Brunhild, a queen of outstanding strength and beauty may be won only by a man capable of matching her athletic prowess. Gunther decides to woo Brunhild (Hanna Ralph) with the aid of Siegfried, to whom he promises the hand of Kriemhild if successful. The men travel to Iceland, to the kingdom of Brunhild, where Siegfried feigns vassalage to Gunther so that he can avoid Brunhild's challenge. He uses instead the cloak's power of invisibility to help Gunther beat the powerful Queen in a three-fold Amazonian battle of strength: throwing stones, throwing a spear and jumping.

How Brunhild Enters Worms and How the King Celebrate Their Wedding

German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5435. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Brünhilde's entry.


Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Margarete Schön in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - Siegfried ...you don't have to carry it - A terrible secret is locked in its short circle.

The men return to Burgundy where Gunther marries Brunhild and Siegfried weds Kriemhild. Brunhild is not, however, completely defeated. She suspects deceit and says to Gunther that she is his captive but not his bride. Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) convinces Siegfried to help. Siegfried transforms himself with the cloak into Gunther and battles Brunhild and removes her arm ring during battle after which she submits to his will. Siegfried leaves the real Gunther to consummate the marriage. Siegfried accidentally brings Brunhild's armlet with him.

How After Half a Year, Siegfried's Gift to His Bride, The Nibelungen Treasure, Arrives in Worms and How the Two Queens Quarrel With Each Other

German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5436. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: The quarrel of the queens.

When Kriemhild finds Brunhild's armlet, Siegfried tells her how her brother won the queen. When the Nibelungen treasure that Siegfried acquired from Alberich arrives at the court of Burgundy as Kriemhild's morning gift, the jealous Brunhild becomes more suspicious about Siegfried's feigned vassalage to Gunther. Brunhild dons the Queen Mother's jewellery and proceeds to the cathedral to enter as the first person, as is her right as Queen of Burgundy. Kriemhild and Brunhild quarrel. Brunhild ridicules Kriemhild for marrying a vassal, and Kriemhild reveals Siegfried’s and Gunther’s deception.

How Gunther Betrayed Siegfried

German postcard by Uvachrome, Serie 405, no. 5437. Image: Watercolour after a famous still from Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924).


Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Paul Richter as Siegfried in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - The arrow of vengeance touched the vulnerable spot and killed Siegfried.

Brunhild demands Siegfried be killed. She lies to Gunther and tells him that Siegfried stole her maidenhood when he battled her on her wedding night. King Gunther and his uncle and loyal warrior, Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow), conspire to murder Siegfried during a hunt in the Odenwald Forest. Hagen deceives Kriemhild into telling him the vulnerable part of Siegfried's body where the leaf has fallen. She sews a cross on the spot in Siegfried's tunic. After the hunt, Hagen challenges Siegfried to a race to a nearby spring. When Siegfried is on his knees drinking, Hagen pierces him from behind with a spear.

How Kriemhild Swears Revenge to Hagen Tronje

German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5438. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen I (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Kriemhilde's Lament.


Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Hanna Ralph, Paul Richter and Margarete Schön in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - Kriemhild and Brunhild watch over Siegfried's body.

In an evil twist of bitter revenge, Brunhild confesses that she lied about Siegfried stealing her maidenhood to avenge Gunther's deceit of her. Gunther killed his only loyal friend. Kriemhild demands her family avenge her husband's death at the hands of Siegfried, but her family is complicit in the murder, and so they protect Hagen. Kriemhild swears revenge against Hagen while a guilt-ridden Brunhild commits suicide at the foot of Siegfried's corpse laid in state in the cathedral. Kriemhild swears revenge to Hagen.


Italian postcard by G. Vettori, Bologna. Hans Adalbert Schlettow as Hagen, Theodor Loos as Gunter, Paul Richter as Siegfried and Margarete Schön as Kriemhild in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Die Nibelungen - You must avenge me King Gunter - Hagen of Tronje killed my groom.

Kriemhild's Revenge

German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5653. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen II (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Rüdiger, King Etzel's Bride wooer.


German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5654. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen II (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Kriemhild's Entry into Hun Country.

In the second film, Kriemhild's Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge, is shown how Kriemhild gets her revenge. After Siegfried's dead, Kriemhild marries Etzel, the King of the Huns. She gives birth to a child and invites her brothers to a party. She tries to persuade Etzel and the other Huns, that they kill Hagen, the murderer of Siegfried, but he is protected by her brothers. A fierce battle begins to force her brothers to give Hagen to her.

Probably no literary work has given more to Germanic arts than the 'Nibelungenlied'. Many variations and adaptations appeared through the centuries. The most significant modern adaptation is Richard Wagner’s famous opera cycle 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' (1853–1874). The 1924 film Die Nibelungen is still astounding to look at. Fritz Lang gives the film a real sense of wonder by way of fantasy elements such as dwarfs, dragons and magic powers. Amazingly, such a masterpiece of cinema could have been made in the early 1920s. The standout is the dragon-slaying scene with its wonderful special effects.


German postcard by Uvachrom, series 405, no. 5656. Photo: Ufa. Die Nibelungen II (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: The grim Hagen.

Sources: Claudio Carvalho (IMDb), Thomas Staedeli (Cyranos), Encyclopedia Britannica, IMDb and Wikipedia.

Margarete Schön

The career of German stage and film actress Margarete Schön (1895-1985) spanned nearly fifty years. She is best known for her role as Kriemhild, the beautiful but revengeful princess of Burgundy in Fritz Lang’s silent epic Die Nibelungen (1924).


German postcard by Verlag Herm. Leiser, Berlin-Wilm., no. 4838. Photo: Atelier E. Bieber, Berlin.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 672/6, 1919-1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 676/1, 1919-1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 677/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen, II. Teil, Kriemhilds Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) at the spring where Siegfried died.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/10. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Margarete Schön as Frieda, wife of Axel.

The Vengeful Kriemhild

Margarete Schön was born as Margarete Schippang in Magdeburg, Germany in 1895.

She received private acting lessons with the theatre actor Hans Calm in Dessau. In 1912 she made her stage debut in Bad Freienwalde. Shortly thereafter, she received a commitment at the municipal theatre of Bromberg (now Bydgoszcz, Poland). From 1915 to 1918, she was part of the ensemble cast of the Deutsches Theater in Hannover, and from 1918 to 1945 she performed at the famous Staatstheater Berlin (Berlin State Theatre).

According to Wikipedia, Schön made her film debut in the silent Du meine Himmelskönigin/You are my queen of heaven (Carl Wilhelm, 1919). Philippe Pelletier at Ciné Artistes and Thomas Staedeli at Cyranos write that her first appearance was a year earlier, in Schirokko/Scirocco (Edmund Heuberger, 1918) with Kurt Brenkendorf.

She would spend the next years in small roles for directors Carl Froelich, Hanna Henning, and Walter Schmidthässler. She had bigger parts in Die Pflicht zu leben/The obligation to live (Carl Wilhelm, 1919) with Reinhold Schünzel, and Die goldene Krone/The Golden Crown (Alfred Halm, 1920) starring Henny Porten.

She worked several times with the Danish director Robert Dinesen who was her husband at the time. Among their films were Frauen vom Gnadenstein/Women of Gnadenstein (Joe May, Robert Dinesen, 1920), and Der Leidensweg der Inge Krafft/Inge Krafft's Calvary (Robert Dinesen, 1921) featuring Mia May.

Schön had a leading role as Hannele’s (Margarete Schlegel) mother in the popular drama Hanneles Himmelfahrt/Hannele's Ascension (Urban Gad, 1922), based on the Traumgedicht (dream poem) by Gerhart Hauptman. For director Friedrich Zelnik she appeared in Erniedrigte und beleidigte (1922) starring Lya Mara.

Then she really became a star after the release of Fritz Lang's two-part mythical fantasy Die Nibelungen (1924). Lang and his wife at the time, Thea von Harbou, had written a script based on the epic poem 'Nibelungenlied' written around AD 1200. Schön had a starring role as the vengeful Kriemhild, opposite Paul Richter as the epic hero Siegfried.

The success of Die Nibelungen (1924) would cement her popularity in Germany and she achieved international recognition as an actress. Strangely, there was not a real follow-up film. She appeared in several unremarkable productions. In the more interesting films, like her husband’s Der Weg durch die Nacht/The Way Through the Night (Robert Dinesen, 1929), she only had a supporting part.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 673/1. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Siegfried (Paul Richter) and Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) in part I. of Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/8. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Ferdinand von Alten and Margarete Schön.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 851/1, 1925-1926. Photo: Hanni Schwarze, Berlin.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 1097/1, 1927-1928. Photo: Ernst Sandau, Berlin.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 1922/1, 1927-1928. Photo: Atelier Ebert, Berlin.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 125/6. Photo: Ufa. Otto Gebühr as Frederick the Great, Margarete Schön and Olga Engl in Das Flötenkonzert von Sanssouci/The Flute Concert of Sans-Souci (Gustav Ucicky, 1930). This picture is a literal citation of the famous painting Flötenkonzert Friedrichs des Großen in Sanssouci (1850-52) by Adolph (von) Menzel, now at the Alte Nationalgalerie in Berlin.

Wife or Mother

Margarete Schön made the transition to sound films with ease and through the 1930s and 1940s she was a popular character actress. She often portrayed parts as the wife or the mother.

For the Ufa she played princess Amalie in Das Flötenkonzert von Sans-Souci/The Flute Concert of Sans-Souci (Gustav Ucicky, 1930) starring Otto Gebühr as King Frederick II of Prussia; Madame Mercier in the Chopin biography Abschiedswalzer/Farewell Waltz (Géza von Bolváry, 1934), and the mother of Ilse Werner in Ihr erstes Erlebnis/Her First Experience (Joseph von Báky, 1939).

In 1931 she even co-directed a film herself, Schön ist die Manöverzeit/Manoeuver Time Is Fine (Margarete Schön, Erich Schönfelder, 1931) with Ida Wüst. It would remain her only directorial job.

During the Second World War she appeared in approximately ten films, but she generally avoided roles in Nazi propaganda films and stayed decidedly apolitical. One exception was an uncredited bit part in Veit Harlan's nationalistic film Kolberg (Veit Harlan, 1945) starring Heinrich George.

One of her most popular roles of the era was the character Frau Knauer opposite Heinz Rühmann in the classic comedy Die Feuerzangenbowle/The Punch Bowl (Helmut Weiss, 1944) for the Terra-Filmkunst studios.

After the Second World War, Schön worked extensively for the radio and also worked as a voice actor for the synchronisation of foreign films.

From 1948 to 1950, she played for the Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft (DEFA), the state-owned film studio of East Germany. There she appeared in small roles in such films as Affaire Blum/The Blum Affair (Erich Engel, 1948) about an anti-Semitic court case in Weimar Germany, Die blauen Schwerter/The Blue Swords (Wolfgang Schleif, 1949) starring Hans Quest as the inventor of blue porcelain, and the biography Semmelweis - Retter der Mütter/Dr. Semmelweis (Georg C. Klaren, 1950) with Käthe Braun.

In West-Germany she had parts in such films as the thriller Rittmeister Wronski/Cavalry Captain Wronski (Ulrich Erfurth, 1954) starring Willi Birgel, and Oberwachtmeister Borck/Sergeant Borck (Gerhard Lamprecht, 1955). Her last screen appearance was in the TV film Ich rufe Dresden/I Call Dresden (Curt Goetz-Pflug, 1960).

That same year Margarete Schön retired from acting. In 1968, she was awarded the Bundesfilmpreis for her long and outstanding achievements in the German cinema. At the age of 90, she died in West-Berlin, Germany in 1985. Schön was married to Danish director Robert Dinesen.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 673/4, 1919-1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried (Paul Richter) presents Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) the circlet.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, nr. 673/6, ca. 1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) mourns Siegfried's (Paul Richter) death and points accusingly to Volker von Alzey (Hans Adalbert Schlettow).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/5. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen, part I, Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) and the women in the 'kemenate', the heated private room of the castle, also called 'cabinet'.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/9, 1919-1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) and Brunhild (Hanna Ralph) at the side of the body of Siegfried (Paul Richter).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 677/8, 1919-1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) has got the deathblow. In the back, King Hetzel (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) looks on in astonishment.

Sources: Philippe Pelletier (CinéArtistes - French), Volker Wachter (DEFA Filmsterne - German), Thomas Staedeli (Cyranos), Wikipedia and IMDb.

Kampf um die Scholle (1925)

Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) was produced by the Cultural Department of the Universum Film AG (UFA). This was also announced on the series of Ross Verlag cards, issued to promote the film. The German production featured a cast with diverse stars like Polish-born Mary Parker, Hungarian matinee idol Oscar Marion, Ferdinand von Alten and Margarete Schön, known as Kriemhild from Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen (1924).


Oscar Marion. German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 989/3, 1925-1926. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 989/4, 1925-1926. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925), with Mary Parker as Luise, daughter of the estate manager Karl Marten.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 989/3. This postcard is dated: Stuttgart, 19 June 1925. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Wilhelm Diegelman as Uncle Uhl.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 989/6. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Hans Hermann.

Much effort, passion and hard work

Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) was based on the novel Der Kampf um die Scholle : eine Geschichte aus Masuren by author Fritz Skowronnek. The subtitle refers to Mazury, then a part of Prussia, now a region in Poland, where the story is situated.

In Kampf um die Scholle, Freiherr (manor owner) von Wulfshagen (Gustav Oberg) has built- with much effort, passion and hard work - his manor into a magnificent estate. After the death of his father, son Axel (Ferdinand von Alten) takes over the management of the estate, but under his leadership, the property deteriorates rapidly.

Axel is not interested in agriculture, he is a lighthearted sportsman who does not care about the well-intentioned advice of the old inspector Karl (Otto Kronburger), but accumulates more and more debts.

Not even his younger brother Franz (Oscar Marion), who has studied agriculture and diligently builds his own estate, manages to speak to his conscience. Through his stubbornness, Axel spoils his relationships with all those who mean well with him.

As the sneaky property dealer Grosskopp (Victor Schwanneke) learns of Axel's money shortages, he scents an easy prey. He presents himself as an understanding friend and grants Axel repeatedly loans, albeit with the aim of bringing the valuable goods sooner or later into his possession.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/1. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Gustav Oberg as Freiherr von Wulfshagen.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/5. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with in the middle Ferdinand von Alten as Axel von Wulffshagen at the races, squandering his father's money.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/6. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Otto Kronburger as Karl Merten, Mary Parker as his daughter Luise, and Hans Hermann (Schaufuss) as Gutseleve Fritz Quirlitz.

Atmospheric lighting and sublime facial close-ups

Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (1925) was produced by the 'Kulturabteilung' (cultural department) of the UFA, and was a typical Heimatfilm. The Kulturabteilung was known as the documentary unit of UFA, but also produced the Kulturfilm Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit/Ways to Strength and Beauty (Wilhelm Prager, Nicholas Kaufmann, 1925).

Erich Waschneck made his directorial debut with this film. Waschneck had started his film career as a still photographer and later as camera assistant to the famous cinematographer Fritz Arno Wagner. Since 1921, he had been a cinematographer for such films as Ein Glas Wasser/One Glass of Water (Ludwig Berger, 1923).

Kampf um die Scholle was scripted by Willy Rath and director Erich Waschneck, and they based it on a novel by Fritz Skowronnek. (IMDb and Wikipedia both mistakenly mention Fritz Reuter as the author. Skowronnek also wrote under the pseudonyms Fritz Bernhard and Hans Windeck). The set design was done by Botho Höfer, Bernhard Schwidewski, and Hans Minzloff.

Cinematographer was Friedl Behn-Grund, who was only 18 at the time. He had started his film career as a child actor in 1919. In 1923, he started to work as an assistant cameraman to Erich Wasneck and learned all aspects of the craft swiftly. Kampf um die Scholle was his debut as a cinematographer.

Hans-Michael Bock writes in The Concise Cinegraph about him: "Renowned for his atmospheric lighting, sublime facial close-ups and ability to adapt to the requirements of individual directors, Behn-Grund remained a sought-after cinematographer from the 1920s through the 1970s."

The exteriors of Kampf um die Scholle were shot between 1924 and January 1925 at Lensahn (Holstein). The film premiered on 27 January 1925, at the Ufa-Palast am Zoo in Berlin.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/8. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Ferdinand von Alten and Margarete Schön.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/9. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Oscar Marion as Franz, the younger brother of estate owner Axel, who has an affair with Luise (Mary Parker), daughter of the estate manager Karl Marten (left; Otto Kronburger). The man behind Parker is Wilhelm Diegelmann, who plays Uncle Uhl.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 700/10. Photo: Ufa. Publicity still for Kampf um die Scholle/Struggle for the Soil (Erich Waschneck, 1925) with Margarete Schön as Frieda, wife of Axel.

Sources: Hans-Michael Bock (The Concise Cinegraph), Filmportal.de (German), Wikipedia and IMDb.

Die Nibelungen (1924)

Today starts the 33rd edition of the Giornate del Cinema Muto, which will take place in Pordenone, Italy, from 4 to 11 October. The Teatro Verdi will be the venue for 60 screenings of silent films. The main programme section is devoted to The Barrymores, Lionel, Ethel and John - the Royal Family of Broadway who brought prestige to 1920s Hollywood. The closing show of the festival is a live performance of City Lights (Charles Chaplin, 1931), with Chaplin's own score restored. There are exciting rediscoveries of films long considered lost, among them Lady Hamilton (Richard Oswald, 1921) with Conrad Veidt as Nelson, the sensational white-slave drama Das Frauenhaus von Rio/Girls for Sale! (Bud Pollard, Hans Steinhoff, 1927), and Die Macht der Finsternis/Power of Darkness (Conrad Wiene, 1924), a legendary adaptation of Tolstoy's drama. Another highlight is a marathon screening of both films of Fritz Lang's Die Nibelungen diptych, screened successively on the same afternoon and evening, and accompanied by Günter Buchwald (piano) and Frank Bockius (percussion). I can't attend the screening, but today's extra-long film special honours this film and the Giornate del Cinema Muto.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/1. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Paul Richter.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 672/6. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Margarete Schön.

How Siegfried Slayed the Dragon

Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) is one of the masterpieces of the Weimar cinema. Die Nibelungen is a diptych of silent fantasy films: Die Nibelungen: Siegfried and Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge.

It was produced by the Ufa and Decla studios, and it starred Austrian actor Paul Richter as the (nearly) invulnerable hero Siegfried. In 1924, Ross Verlag published a beautiful series of sepia-tinted postcards with stills of this classic film.

The screenplays were written by Fritz Lang and his wife at the time, Thea von Harbou. They were based upon the epic Nordic poem 'Nibelungenlied', written around AD 1200 and told through seven cantos.

It is the tale of the legendary German hero Siegfried (Paul Richter), son of King Siegmund. He masters the art of forging a sword at the shop of Mime (Georg John). On his journey home, he hears tales from the locals about Princess Kriemhild (Margarete Schön), the beautiful sister of King Gunter of Burgundy (Theodor Loos).

Siegfried decides to go to Worms, the capital of Burgundy, to win Kriemhild. On his journey to Worms, he is attacked by a dragon. Siegfried slays the dragon and bathes in his blood. his bath makes him invulnerable - except for one spot on his shoulder blade which is missed after being covered by a falling lime leaf.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 678/1. Photo: Decla / Ufa-Film. Publicity still for part I. of Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Paul Richter as Siegfried. Caption: Siegfried's fight with the dragon.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 678/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried's fight with the dragon.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 678/3. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Caption: Siegfried's fight with the dragon.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 678/4. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried bathes in the dragon's blood. After slaying the dragon, Siegfried (Paul Richter) bathes in the dragon's blood, which will make him invulnerable. Incidentally, a leaf falls on his back, creating Siegfried's one weak spot (his Achilles heel). When the vain and arrogant Paul Richter refused to strip for this scene, Lang called in the not-so-pretty Rudolf Klein-Rogge (Etzel - Attila - in the film), who immediately undressed and played the scene, to the dismay of Richter, as people now would identify Klein-Rogge's behind as his.

How Volker, the Bard, sang of Siegfried in front of Kriemhild, and How Siegfried Came in Worms

Siegfried trespasses on the land of the Nibelungen and is attacked by Alberich, King of the Dwarves (again Georg John).

Siegfried fights and defeats Alberich who was wearing his wonder cloak of invisibility and transformation. Alberich asks Siegfried to spare his life and in return, he gives the Treasure of the Nibelungen and the Balmung sword.

While Siegfried is mesmerised by the treasure, Alberich tries to defeat him but dies in the attempt. Dying, Alberich curses all inheritors of the treasure and he and his dwarves turn to stone.

Siegfried makes twelve kings as his vassals and arrives in Worms as a hero.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried and Alberich in the fog meadow.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/3. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Paul Richter as Siegfried and Georg John as Alberich. Caption: Siegfried and Alberich in the cave.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 672/1, 1924. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924).

How Siegfried Won Brunhild for Gunther

News reaches the court that Brunhild, a queen of outstanding strength and beauty may be won only by a man capable of matching her athletic prowess.

Gunther decides to woo Brunhild (Hanna Ralph) with the aid of Siegfried, to whom he promises the hand of Kriemhild if successful.

The men travel to Iceland, to the kingdom of Brunhild, where Siegfried feigns vassalage to Gunther so that he can avoid Brunhild's challenge.

He uses instead the cloak's power of invisibility to help Gunther beat the powerful Queen in a three-fold Amazonian battle of strength: throwing stones, throwing a spear and jumping.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 673/3. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 672/8. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Hanna Ralph as Brunhild.

How Brunhild Enters Worms and How the King Celebrate Their Wedding

The men return to Burgundy where Gunther marries Brunhild and Siegfried weds Kriemhild.

Brunhild is not, however, completely defeated. She suspects deceit and says to Gunther that she is his captive but not his bride.

Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) convinces Siegfried to help. Siegfried transforms himself with the cloak into Gunther and battles Brunhild and removes her arm ring during battle after which she submits to his will.

Siegfried leaves the real Gunther to consummate the marriage. Siegfried accidentally brings Brunhild's armlet with him.

On the postcard below Siegfried presents Kriemhild the circlet.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/6. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried greets Kriemhild.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 673/1. Photo: Decla / Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Siegfried (Paul Richter) and Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) in part I. of Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/7. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Siegfried (Paul Richter) presents Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) the circlet.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 673/4. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924).

How After Half a Year, Siegfried's Gift to His Bride, The Nibelungen Treasure, Arrives in Worms and How the Two Queens Quarrel With Each Other

When Kriemhild finds Brunhild's armlet, Siegfried tells her how her brother won the queen.

When the Nibelungen treasure that Siegfried acquired from Alberich arrives at the court of Burgundy as Kriemhild's morning gift, the jealous Brunhild becomes more suspicious about Siegfried's feigned vassalage to Gunther.

Brunhild dons the Queen Mother's jewellery and proceeds to the cathedral to enter as the first person, as is her right as Queen of Burgundy.

Kriemhild and Brunhild quarrel. Brunhild ridicules Kriemhild for marrying a vassal, and Kriemhild reveals Siegfried’s and Gunther’s deception.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 672/7. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Theodor Loos as Gunther.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 673/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Siegfried (Paul Richter) in the woods.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/5. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen, part I, Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) and the women in the 'kemenate', the heated private room of the castle, also called 'cabinet'.

How Gunther Betrayed Siegfried

Brunhild demands Siegfried be killed. She lies to Gunther and tells him that Siegfried stole her maidenhood when he battled her on her wedding night.

King Gunther and his uncle and loyal warrior, Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow), conspire to murder Siegfried during a hunt in the Odenwald Forest.

Hagen deceives Kriemhild into telling him the vulnerable part of Siegfried's body where the leaf has fallen. She sews a cross on the spot in Siegfried's tunic.

After the hunt, Hagen challenges Siegfried to a race to a nearby spring.

When Siegfried is on his knees drinking, Hagen pierces him from behind with a spear.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/8. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: Siegfried at the well.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 673/6. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Margarete Schön as Kriemhild near the corpse of Siegfried (Paul Richter). She points at the murderer Hagen Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow). Her brother, King Gunther (Theodor Loos), is standing next to her.

How Kriemhild Swears Revenge to Hagen Tronje

On the postcard below Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) and Brunhild (Hanna Ralph) mourn by the body of Siegfried (Paul Richter).

In an evil twist of bitter revenge, Brunhild confesses that she lied about Siegfried stealing her maidenhood in order to avenge Gunther's deceit of her. Gunther killed his only loyal friend.

Kriemhild demands her family avenge her husband's death at the hands of Siegfried, but her family is complicit in the murder, so they protect Hagen.

Kriemhild swears revenge against Hagen while a guilt-ridden Brunhild commits suicide at the foot of Siegfried's corpse laid in state in the cathedral. Kriemhild swears revenge to Hagen.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/9. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard. Decla-Ufa-Film. Ross Verlag, no. 672/4. Bernhard Goetzke as Volker von Alzey, the bard in Die Nibelungen (1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 672/2. Photo: Decla / Ufa-Film. Publicity still for part I. of Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Hans-Carl Müller as Gerenot von Burgund and Erwin Biswanger as Giselher von Burgund.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 672/3. Photo: Decla / Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Gertrud Arnold as Queen Ute.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 672/5. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Hans Adalbert Schlettow as Hagen (von) Tronje in Fritz Lang's saga Die Nibelungen (1924).

Kriemhild's Revenge

In the second film, Kriemhild's Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge is shown how Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) gets her revenge.

After Siegfried's dead, Kriemhild marries Etzel, the King of the Huns. She gives birth to a child and invites her brothers to a party.

She tries to persuade Etzel and the other Huns, that they kill Hagen, the murderer of Siegfried, but he is protected by her brothers. A fierce battle begins to force her brothers to give Hagen to her.

Probably no literary work has given more to Germanic arts than the Nibelungenlied. Many variations and adaptations appeared through the centuries. The most significant modern adaptation is Richard Wagner’s famous opera cycle 'Der Ring des Nibelungen' (1853–1874).

The 1924 film Die Nibelungen is still astounding to look at. Fritz Lang gives the film a real sense of wonder by way of fantasy elements such as dwarfs, dragons and magic powers. It's amazing that such a masterpiece of cinema could have been made in the early 1920s. The standout is the dragon-slaying scene with its wonderful special effects.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 675/4. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Margarete Schön and Bernhard Goetzke in Die Nibelungen: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 676/1. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Margarete Schön as Kriemhild.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 676/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Fritz Alberti as Dietrich von Bern in Fritz Lang's medieval saga Die Nibelungen (1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 676/3. Photo: Decla / Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924) with Georg August Koch as Hildebrand.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 676/4. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Rudolf Rittner as Rüdiger von Bechlaren in Fritz Lang's historical drama Die Nibelungen, part II (1924). The geometric patterns in the costumes and sets were inspired by book illustrations for a 1908-1909 edition of Die Nibelungen, edited at Gerlachs Jugendbücherei. These illustrations were by the Viennese artist Carl Otto Czeschka.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 676/9. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Rudolf Klein-Rogge as lord Etzel, King of the Huns, in Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924), part II.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 677/1. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). The Betrothal of Giselher (Erwin Biswanger) and Dietlind (Annie Röttgen), led by her father Rüdiger von Bechlaren (Rudolf Rittner). To the right the Burgunds assist, including King Gunther (Theodor Loos), Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) and Volker von Alzey (Bernhard Goetzke).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 677/2. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) at the spring where Siegfried died. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen, part II, Kriemhilds Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 677/3. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). At the beginning of Kriemhild's Rache Margrave Rüdiger von Bechlaren (Rudolf Ritttner) swears loyalty to the vengeful Kriemhild (Margarete Schön).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 677/5. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) dumps the Nibelungen treasure, which has been the cause of so much fight, jealousy and even murder.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 677/6. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen, II, Kriemhilds Rache/Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Caption: The Banquet at Etzel's, King of the Huns. During the banquet the knights discover it is a trap. Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) kills the child of Etzel (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) and Kriemhild (Margarete Schön), after which Etzel swears to kill all Burgunds. Several are killed in fights. Finally, the banqueting hall is set on fire, killing all but Hagen and king Gunther. Most sets of the film were done by Erich Kettelhut, in collaboration with Otto Hunte and Karl Vollbrecht.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 677/7. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Hagen von Tronje (Hans Adalbert Schlettow) protects King Gunther (Theodor Loos) in the burning palace of Etzel.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, Berlin, no. 671/8. Photo: Decla-Ufa-Film. Publicity still for Die Nibelungen 2: Kriemhilds Rache/Die Nibelungen: Kriemhild's Revenge (Fritz Lang, 1924). Kriemhild (Margarete Schön) has got the deathblow. In the back, King Hetzel (Rudolf Klein-Rogge) looks on in astonishment.


See how Siegfried slays the dragon in a clip of Die Nibelungen (Fritz Lang, 1924). Source: Gtelloz (YouTube).

Sources: Claudio Carvalho (IMDb), Thomas Staedeli (Cyranos), Encyclopedia Britannica, IMDb and Wikipedia.

This post was last updated on 3 May 2023.