Der Edelweißkönig (1957)

Ferdl flees from the police and makes his way to his older brother Jörg. Their sister Hanni, five months pregnant, had committed suicide in Munich by jumping into the Isar. The father of her child, a count, had been Hanni’s lover. Shortly after her death, Ferdl brought the count her personal effects and a letter from Hanni, and told him that Hanni had been pregnant. He then asked whether the count had been the child’s father. Ferdl struck him in a fit of anger, and the count fell and died. Ferdl is now wanted for murder, although it soon becomes clear that the count survived, badly injured. Jörg initially hides Ferdl in his house and plans to help him escape across the nearby border. Just before they reach the border, however, Ferdl is taken by surprise by the border police and, while fleeing, falls into a raging mountain river. He is presumed dead, but despite his injuries he manages to make his way back to Jörg. Jörg hides him in a mountain cave, where he is regularly looked after by Jörg and also by Jörg’s young relative Veverl. Ferdl and Veverl fall in love. The local police suspect that Ferdl is still alive. Police Sergeant Wimmer continually invades Jörg’s family’s privacy; his relentless activity culminates in a search warrant, during which Ferdl’s bloodstained jacket and a correspondence between Jörg and a real estate agent are found. Jörg wants to emigrate to America against his wife’s wishes, since he can no longer live in the area. Because Jörg refuses to sign the report of the house search and also ignores summonses from Munich, he is eventually arrested and taken to Munich. Ferdl, who had long wanted to turn himself in but had always been prevented by Jörg, now gives himself up to the police. Together with Jörg, he learns that the count, who has since recovered, will not press charges against Ferdl. The count is embarrassed by the question Ferdl asked at the time—whether he was the father of Hanni’s child—because he knew the answer was yes. He also stated on record that it was not Ferdl’s blow but the unfortunate fall that followed which caused his serious injury. Jörg and Ferdl leave the police station as free men and return to their village. Ferdl hurries to Veverl, who has already been waiting for him, and the two fall into each other’s arms.