Synopsis:
This was the first feature film produced in Germany after the Second World War. It was made under the auspices of the newly created DEFA Studios, featuring the budding star Hildegard Knef. In this film, a man and a woman each return to war-torn Berlin to face the harsh realities of post-war Germany. Susanne Wallner is a concentration camp survivor who, despite unspeakable experiences, is filled with a new desire to live. She wants to move back into her Berlin apartment, where Dr. Hans Mertens has taken up residence. He is a former officer in the German army and physician who finds himself unable to deal with the haunting memories of his role in the war. Through Susanne's caring, the broken man gathers new strength and courage, but discovers that the shadow of his past cannot be avoided. Ranked by film critics among the top ten of Germany's 100 most important films. Its film noir style is reminiscent of German expressionism.

Press Comments:
"Marked by superb camera and montage technique... a serious film concerned with the knotty problem of individual German's guilt for Nazism." -- Variety Movie Guide

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