Kadetten (1941)

During the Seven Years’ War, Russian soldiers lay siege to Berlin. To protect the civilian population, the warring parties agree that the Prussian soldiers will withdraw to the fortress of Spandau. The youngest cadets of the Berlin Cadet House who remain in Berlin are taken prisoner, in violation of the agreement. They are forcibly transported east under great hardship. When an escape attempt by some of the cadets fails, the Russian commander Goroschew—a Cossack colonel—decides to shoot every tenth cadet. This gives Captain von Tzülow, who had previously defected from the Prussian army to the Russians, an occasion to change sides once again. In a key scene, he hums the “Cadets’ Song” as a sign of his support. Under Captain von Tzülow’s command, the cadets take refuge in an abandoned fort. One cadet is sent on horseback to the Prussian troops to seek help. By the time the Prussian troops arrive, Captain von Tzülow has fallen. The Russians withdraw, and the young cadets return home amid the cheers of Berlin’s population.