Der 10. Mai (The Tenth of May) was the date in 1940 that Hitler invaded the Low Countries: Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg. Neutral Switzerland, which hadn't experienced a war since the 14th century, hurriedly fortified its borders with battalions of inexperienced soldiers. The panic, confusion and isolated acts of courage which occurred on that fateful day are re-created in this Swiss docudrama. The story is "personalized" by concentrating on a fugitive German soldier (Heinz Reincke) who falls in love with the Swiss girl (Linda Geiser) who shelters him. Produced on a bare-minimum budget, Der 10. Mai is impressive more for its sincerity and raw energy than for its actual cinematic merits.

Cast

Heinz Reincke

Werner Kramer

Therese Giehse

Ida Herz

Heinrich Gretler

Wachmeister Grimm

Paulette Dubost

Madame Dubois

Walter Roderer

Mundharmonika spielender Soldat

Emil Hegetschweiler

Tschurni

Gustav Knuth

deutscher Konsul

Margrit Rainer

Frau Schuhmacher

Luis Rainer

Flüchtling