Der Katzensteg (1915)

Prussia during the Wars of Liberation, 1813 to 1815: The old Baron von Schranden, the son of a Frenchwoman, makes a pact with Napoleon Bonaparte’s troops. This earns him the bitter enmity of his son Boleslav, who remains loyal to the Prussian resistance. Father and son break with each other, and Boleslav leaves the family castle. Meanwhile, the old Schranden’s love of the French goes so far that he even commits treason. He forces the maid Regine to lead the French troops over the Katzensteg and behind the Prussian free corps, who are fighting to liberate Germany from Napoleonic subjugation. Some time later, the old Schranden’s son returns to the family estate. His father has long been dead, and the French are in retreat. But the curse of his father’s treachery weighs heavily on Boleslav and the von Schranden name. Back home, Regine has been cast out of the village community because of her forced collaboration with the enemy. She is considered an outcast. Boleslav, who knows that the simple girl did not commit the deed of her own free will, strongly stands up for her. As a result, his engagement to Helene, the pastor’s daughter, now also falls apart. Reluctantly, Boleslav too becomes more and more of an outsider; only Regine stands by him. Boleslav von Schranden wants to clear his name, and he and his men throw themselves into the decisive battle against the Napoleonic occupiers. At the Katzensteg, Boleslav has a talk with his former fiancée, Helene. Regine runs toward him. A shot rings out, meant for Boleslav von Schranden. Regine throws herself in the bullet’s path and dies in Boleslav’s arms.