I Survived My Own Death
Country
CzechoslovakiaCopyright
1960Production year
1959—1960Premiere
18 November 1960Runtime
93 minDirector
Vojtěch JasnýCategory
filmGenre
dramaTypology
featuretheatrical distributionlongOriginal title
Přežil jsem svou smrtCzech title
Přežil jsem svou smrtEnglish title
I Survived My Own DeathSummary
The 1960s brought about a fresh and more complex examination of the question of heroism, betrayal and the moral compromises necessary for people to survive occupation during the Second World War. This 1960 drama from director Vojtěch Jasný serves as one of the first Czechoslovak films to ride this new wave of more controversial subject matters. The story is set in a Nazi death camp, and centres on prisoner Tonda Majer. The young boxer finds himself in a concentration camp after getting into a fight with a man who turns out to be a Gestapo officer. The formerly apolitical Tonda gains the respect of both fellow prisoners and his captors by demonstrating unwavering resolve and forthrightness. Ultimately, the camp’s brutal methods lead Tonda towards joining the ranks of the illegal communist underground. As part of offering up a story deemed “correct” by the existing regime, the filmmakers manage to touch upon issues of collaboration by certain prisoners, and the existence of forced prostitution at such camps for “non-political” inmates. František Peterka excels in the leading role of this classic drama – the actor’s coarse features and natural style meant that only rarely was he afforded a chance at larger and more challenging roles.
Synopsis
One man stands out among a group of new prisoners just arrived at a concentration camp - the well-built young boxer Tonda Majer. Questioned by the nazi officer he states that he is a communist and that he was convicted for illegal activities. This is not true, however, in reality he had used his boxing talents in the street against a man who, unknown to him, was a member of the Gestapo. His proud attitude saves his life since, paradoxically, the guards are impressed by him. His fellow prisoners are at first suspicious that he is a provocateur, however, they gradually come to recognize his straight-forward nature. The shocking cruelty and sadism of the nazis who senselessly torture and murder the prisoners lead the young boxer to join an illegal camp organization. He smuggles bread over to the Russian prisoners who are dying of hunger in the adjacent camp. When he is caught he decides it is best to confess to stealing the bread and he is relegated to the punitive commando. The arduous work nearly kills him but one of the fellow prisoners saves his life. He is again caught trying to smuggle acid to the illegal group. He is tortured until he falls unconscious but his fellow prisoners manage to get him into the prison hospital. A dead prisoner is given his number and Tonda survives the War under a different name.
Photos
Cast
František Peterka
vězeň Tonda Majer
Jiří Sovák
vězeň Josef
Václav Lohniský
vězeň Ruda
Martin Ťapák
ruský vězeň Vaska
Paul Berndt
Scharführer SS /rotný/
Hans-Joachim Hegewald
Hauptscharführer SS /vrchní šikovatel/
Fred Delmare
blokový Unek
Fred Düren
vězeň Georg
Wojciech Siemion
polský vězeň Tadek
Rudolf Asmus
vězeň, židovský zpěvák
Vlastimil Brodský
vězeň lékař
Vladislav Hamšík
vrchní šikovatel
Miroslav Homola
brýlatý vězeň
Vladimír Menšík
kápo Hranáč, dříve kasař
Ervín Zolar
vězeň písař
Václav Babka
jednoruký vězeň
Vítězslav Černý
tlouštík
Richard Falbr
španělský vězeň Olejo
Ladislav Gzela
vězeň
Jarka Pižla
vězeň, divák na boxu
Hana Hegerová
Cikánka
Július Torma
boxer, italský vězeň
Karel Jelínek
vězeň Pelzer
Eugen Jegorov
vězeň s klarinetem
Josef Koza
vězeň
Zdeněk Kutil
poddůstojník SS
Jiří Lír
tlumočník
František Miška
židovský vězeň
Jindřich Narenta
příslušník SS v lomu
František Pálka
velitel tábora
Zdeněk Řehoř
světlovlasý vězeň
Georgis Skalenakis
francouzský vězeň Pierre
Jan Šelle
kápo
Oto Ševčík
německý vězeň
Zlatomír Vacek
blokový v karanténě
Cyril Hykel
Crew and creators
Director
Second Unit Director
Assistant Director
Screenstory
Screenplay
Shooting Script
Director of Photography
Camera Operator
Jiří Štaud, Karel Dobřichovský
Production Designer
Film Editor
Sound Designer
Production Manager
Unit Production Manager
Consultant
Cooperation
Josef Janoušek (fotograf)
Music
Music Composed by
Selected Music
Franz Schubert (Ave Maria)
Songs
Ave Maria
Song Composer Franz Schubert
Singer Rudolf Asmus
Housličky jalové
Production info
Original Title
Přežil jsem svou smrt
Czech Title
Přežil jsem svou smrt
English Title
I Survived My Own Death
Category
film
Typology
featuretheatrical distribution
Genre
drama
Origin country
Czechoslovakia
Copyright
1960
Production Year
1959—1960
Production specifications
literary Screenplay approved 11 February 1959
technical Screenplay approved 7 July 1959
start of filming 2 September 1959
end of filming 9 June 1960
projection approval 10 August 1960
Premiere
preview 11 November 1960 (kino Sevastopol /1 týden/, Praha)
premiere 18 November 1960 /suitable for youths/ (kina Lucerna /2 týdny/, Revoluce /1 týden/ a Svornost /1 týden od 25. 11./, Praha)
Production
Copyright Holders
Studio
Distribution
Creative Group
Tvůrčí skupina Šebor – Bor, Vladimír Bor (vedoucí dramaturg tvůrčí skupiny), Jiří Šebor (vedoucí výroby tvůrčí skupiny)
Technical info
Duration typology
feature film
Duration in minutes
93 min
Original length in metres
2 660 meters
Distribution carrier
16mm, 35mm
Aspect ratio
1:1,37
Colour
black & white
Sound
sound
Sound system/format
mono
Versions
Czech
Dialogue languages
Czech, German, Polish, Russian
Subtitles languages
Czech
Opening/End credits languages
Czech
Awards
Vítěz
Event: Státní ceny za rok 1960
1961
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Československý film
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní filmový festival Mar del Plata
1961
Mar del Plata / Argentina
Vítěz
Festival: 3. mezinárodní filmový festival Mar del Plata
1961
Mar del Plata / Argentina
Vojtěch Jasný
Vítěz
Event: Umělecká soutěž k 15. výročí zrodu lidově-demokratické Československé republiky
1960
Praha / Czechoslovakia
Milan Jariš
