Der Film thematisiert die Verstrickung der IG Farben in Rüstungsproduktion und Giftgasherstellung für die Konzentrationslager. Dem Vorstandsvorsitzenden Geheimrat Mauch geht es um Expansion und Gewinn für die Firma um jeden Preis. Der Chemiker Dr. Scholz ist ein Mitläufer, der sich aus Angst um Stellung und Familie der Wahrheit verschließt. Als 1948 eine verheerende Explosionskatastrophe in Ludwigshafen beweist, dass der Konzern trotz Verbotes der Alliierten wieder Sprengstoff produziert, bricht Scholz sein Schweigen.

East German drama about the dealings of IG-Farben from the time of their support to bring Hitler to power in 1933 up til the time of the criminal trials in Nuremberg against the firm for crimes against humanity.  In the center of the film stand the manager Mauch and the chemist Dr. Scholz, without whom the mass extermination in the concentration camps by Zyklon-B gas would not have been possible.  Mauch is concerned with profit and expansion at any price.  Scholz is an accomplice who worries about his position in the firm and does everything to shield the nature of his work from his family.   Only in 1948 does the chemist open his mouth about the activities of IG Farben when an explosion in Ludwigshafen reveals that the company is once again making munitions, even though this has been forbidden for them to do by law. 

The film mainly concerns the ability of IG Farben to make war due to their close cooperation with the Swiss, the Allies and, in particular, with the United States.  Due to the pre-War transfer of patents from IG Farben to Standard Oil, IG Farben was able to almost guarantee that their facotries would be spared the future bombing raids of the Anglo-Americans.  Such incidents are indeed grounded in fact.  The East Germans, however, cleverly mix the truth with very subtle lies, making this a particularly insidious anti-American film.  Sensitive viewers should also note that there is a re-enactment of a test of Zyklon-B on animals in the movie and, while mild enough, can be very disturbing.

DVD-R IS IN GERMAN  WITH switchable ENGLISH SUBTITLES.  EXCELLENT QUALITY.  (105 mins.)

PLEASE NOTE THAT SWITCHABLE (SOFT) SUBTITLES WILL NOT SHOW UP WHEN VIEWING THE SAMPLE BELOW.  IF YOU SEE SUBTITLES, THEN THEY ARE HARD-ENCODED (meaning, they cannot be turned off when viewing the film):