Tilman Riemenschneider

The important German wood sculptor Tilman Riemenschneider (born around 1460) is considered to be artistically and socially established. He was a councillor in Würzburg and held several offices. In his works and in the way he conducted his office, he showed himself to be connected to the common people, who revered him. But he also had a patron in the art-loving Prince-Bishop Konrad von Thüngen. But when the peasants' uprising spread to Würzburg in 1525, Riemenschneider stood up for the rights of the peasants and opposed the use of soldiers, Thüngen became his bitter opponent. Although he initially flees from the superior forces, he returns after the uprising has been suppressed and imprisons Riemenschneider. Weeks later, he is released from prison. His hands were broken, but not his steadfastness.

Directed by Helmut Spieß, Tilman Riemenschneider leans on a strong ensemble — Annekathrin Bürger, Kurt Oligmüller, Gerd Michael Henneberg — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1958.