Lissy Tempelhof

Professor Hans Mamlock is the distinguished chief of surgery in a university hospital. The year is 1933, and although the Professor is Jewish, he remains unconcerned with politics and the growing Nazi threat. Mamlock identifies strongly as a German, and he believes his culture to be simply incapable of the common barbarism associated with the Nazi party. Accordingly, he shows little understanding for people with strong or unpopular political views. (DEFA Film Library)

Despite his lack of enthusiasm, film student Ralf is assigned to make a documentary about a team of six women workers at a Berlin light bulb factory. At first, the team seems to work well together, but soon tensions between the women become apparent and they pull Ralf into their conflicts. When one of his interviews reveals that the team supervisor has been keeping a record of workplace disciplinary issues, it unleashes a strong reaction among the workers. (DEFA film library)