Die Sporck'schen Jäger (1927)

The German silent film Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger Madsen, 1927), produced by Carl Boese Film, was based on the novel 'Das Bataillon Sporck' (1912) by Richard Skowronnek. The film had an all-star cast including Albert Steinrück, Fritz Alberti, Otto Gebühr, Grete Mosheim, Walter Rilla and Elizza La Porta.


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 816. Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Otto Gebühr in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 817. Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Walter Rilla in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 818. Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Anton Pointner in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).

Foresters, poachers and a bataillon

Lenzburg, East Prussia, circa 1900. The chief forester Rüdiger (Albert Steinrück) is annoyed by a poacher who only takes the antlers and lets the meat go to waste. He suspects the perpetrator to be someone from the Sporck battalion, stationed nearby.

This leads to a break with his friend, Lieutenant Colonel Brinkmann (Fritz Alberti), who commands the battalion. On her return from Berlin, the forester's daughter Elisabeth (Grete Mosheim) meets in the train Oberleutnant Erich Fiedler (Anton Pointner), who will command the battalion.

But Fiedler's announced visit to the forester's house is postponed because Rüdiger no longer receives officers. Elisabeth's fatherly admirer Captain Rabenheiner (Otto Gebühr) identifies Lieutenant von Naugaard (Walter Rilla) as the poacher. He is having an affair with Mike (Elizza la Porta), the daughter of widow Retelsdorf.

Against his will, Rüdiger gets a 'helper' from the ranks of the authorities. But when von Naugaard rejects Mike, her mother informs Rüdiger who the poacher is. Rüdiger confronts him, and von Naugaard has to challenge him to a duel, but the former succumbs to a heart attack, after which von Naugaard shoots himself. Elisabeth prefers Rabenheiner to the smooth Fiedler.

In 1934 Rolf Randolf filmed the novel 'Das Bataillon Sporck' (1912) again. Fritz Alberti returned as Brinkmann. The cast included Theodor Loos as Rüdiger, Werner Schott as Rabenhainer, and Fritz Genschow as von Naugaard.


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 820. Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Albert Steinrück in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 821/1 Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Walter Rilla and Elizza La Porta in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).


Austrian postcard by Iris Verlag, no. 821/2. Photo: National / Verleih Mondial A.G. Elizza La Porta and Walter Rilla in Die Sporck'schen Jäger/The Sporck Battalion (Holger-Madsen, 1927).

Sources: Filmportal, Wikipedia (German) and IMDb.