Micha Hartung: The secret hero of the Wall escape in the film debut!

Micha Hartung: The secret hero of the Wall escape in the film debut!

On December 22, 2025, the film “The Hero from Friedrichstraße Station” will be shown in the cinema of the city of Mülheim an der Ruhr. The film, based on the best-selling novel by Maxim Leo, offers a lively comedy that deals with the complex history and mythology of the German culture of remembrance. In other words: It shows how life is a game of remembering, forgetting and inventing, which puts the main character Micha Hartung, played by Charly Hübner, to the test. Micha is a video store owner in Berlin and is on the verge of bankruptcy. But when, on the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, he is portrayed by a journalist as the mastermind of the GDR's largest mass exodus, his life is completely thrown off course.

The comedy opens up questions about authenticity and the living culture of remembrance in Germany. This is also evident in Micha's relationship with Paula, a clever and humorous woman who shows great interest in him. Unfortunately, the budding love is overshadowed by a small but crucial lie that makes things even more complicated.

The legacy of GDR literature

The film is downright timely against the backdrop of the current debate about the GDR's literary heritage, which was initiated 35 years ago on the occasion of the fall of the Berlin Wall. NDR highlights how important authors such as Christa Wolf and Brigitte Reimann shaped the image of GDR literature. Wolf is considered one of the most influential voices, while Reimann's “Franziska Linkerhand” is still relevant today. Works by Ulrich Plenzdorf and Stefan Heym are also recognized as integral parts of the literary canon, with Heym's autobiographical writings having a particularly great influence on the following generation of writers.

But the discussion about GDR literature is not just about readership or bestseller lists, but also focuses on the authenticity and relevance of these works for understanding history. What is particularly interesting is how the children's book “Alfons Zitterbacke” is woven into public and private memories and what challenges the SED's cultural policy presented to the writers.

Rethinking the culture of remembrance

Another notable aspect is Sebastian Klinge's book, which addresses the question "What drives GDR memory?" explains. Transcript Publisher thus offers a new view of the historical-political actors and their roles in the historical construction. The book invites discussion and emphasizes that each of us is involved in the politics of history, be it as a contemporary witness, curator or simply as a member of society.

In an emotional discourse that is often highly value-laden, an attempt is made to view the politics and memory of history in a more differentiated manner and to take it seriously. The different perspectives of these discussions about the legacy of the GDR offer numerous starting points for the cultural debate in Germany.

With the presentation of the film “The Hero from Friedrichstrasse Train Station” in Mülheim, this discourse is further fueled and offers viewers the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences and collective memory.