December 1981: Helmut Schmidt, chancellor of the FRG, visits the chairman of the state council of the GDR, Erich Honecker. The experiences with the visit of Willy Brandt in Erfurt in 1970 have warned the state leadership: Euphoria for a federal chancellor is out of the question this time. For December 13th, the protocol plans a visit to Güstrow. The Christmas market, the Barlach memorial, and the cathedral of Güstrow are on the agenda. The enormous machinery of the ministry of state security is set into motion in order to ensure the “safety of the guest”. Erich Mielke: “Never before, such a high effort was necessary as here in Güstrow.” People are temporarily arrested, inhabitants placed under house arrest, Stasi employees dressed up as “visitors of the Christmas market”. And like that, the media was supposed to get presented with a favourable image of the GDR. A reconstruction of three hours of state visit to Güstrow.
Unfortunately the movie Drei Stunden Güstrow is not yet available on HBO Max.
Crew | Siegfried Grupe | Editorial Staff |
Directing | Michael Krull | Director |
Production | Bernd Schneider | Executive Producer |
Writing | Michael Krull | Writer |
Art | Roger Pitann | Graphic Designer |
Editing | Angelika Sattler | Editor |
Camera | Karl-Heinz Ebert | Director of Photography |
Sound | Renate Lange | Sound Mixer |
Camera | Hans-Georg Kubisch | Assistant Camera |