Maikäfer flieg (2016) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

An eight-year-old girl experiences displacement, military occupation, and a fragile friendship during the final days of the Second World War.

Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases

Bombs Force A New Home

Air raids badly damage the Nöstlinger home in Hernals. Christine's family moves to a villa in Neuwaldegg, while the grandparents remain behind.

Key Events

• Air Raid Damages Home — Air raids badly damage the Nöstlinger family home in Hernals. Characters: Christine Location: The Nöstlinger house in Hernals
• Relocation Offer — Christine's mother accepts an offer to move the family to a villa. Characters: Christine Location: Hernals
• Neuwaldegg Villa — The villa becomes the family's temporary refuge during the war's final phase. Characters: Christine Location: Neuwaldegg
• Grandparents Stay Behind — The grandparents remain in the damaged apartment while the family moves. Location: The bombed apartment
• Father Is Wounded — Christine's father is heavily wounded in the legs as a Wehrmacht soldier. Location: A military hospital

A Wounded Father Returns

Christine's father deserts from a military hospital despite serious leg wounds. He returns to the family but must hide from both German and Russian soldiers.

Key Events

• Hospital Desertion — Despite fragments in his leg, Christine's father deserts from the hospital. Location: A military hospital
• Return To Family — Christine's wounded father returns to his family after leaving the hospital. Characters: Christine Location: The Neuwaldegg villa
• Deserter In Hiding — As a deserter, Christine's father must hide from German and Russian soldiers. Characters: Christine Location: The villa and surrounding area
• Wehrmacht Capitulation — The capitulation of the Wehrmacht changes control of the villa and the city. Location: Vienna

The Russians Occupy The Villa

After the Wehrmacht's capitulation, Russian crew members quarter themselves in the villa. Fear of the soldiers coexists with Christine's growing friendship with Cohn.

Key Events

• Russian Quartering — Russian crew members quarter themselves in the villa after the capitulation. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: The Neuwaldegg villa
• Fear Of Soldiers — The household fears the soldiers' unpredictable behavior and constant drunkenness. Characters: Christine Location: The Neuwaldegg villa
• Christine Meets Cohn — Christine befriends Cohn, the Russian field cook quartered in the villa. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: The Neuwaldegg villa
• Cart Ride Begins — Cohn transports Christine toward her grandparents in a horse-drawn cart. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: Road from the villa

A Promise Interrupted

Cohn takes Christine to her grandparents by horse-drawn cart and promises to return. He is arrested as a deserter, leaving Christine to be collected by her father.

Key Events

• Cart Ride Begins — Cohn transports Christine toward her grandparents in a horse-drawn cart. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: Road from the villa
• Visit To Grandparents — Cohn brings Christine to the grandparents who stayed in the damaged apartment. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: The grandparents' apartment
• Promise Of Return — Cohn promises to return and take Christine back to the mansion. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: The grandparents' apartment
• Cohn Does Not Return — Cohn fails to return because he is arrested as a suspected deserter. Characters: Christine, Cohn Location: The grandparents' apartment
• Father Retrieves Christine — Christine is picked up by her father after Cohn's arrest. Characters: Christine Location: The grandparents' apartment
• Cohn Arrested — Cohn is arrested because he is considered a deserter. Characters: Cohn Location: A Russian-controlled area

Leaving The Villa

The Russian forces depart from the villa. The Nöstlingers then move out, closing this temporary chapter of wartime displacement.

Key Events

• Russian Departure — The Russian forces depart, ending their occupation of the villa. Characters: Cohn Location: The Neuwaldegg villa
• Family Leaves Villa — After the Russians leave, the Nöstlingers move out of the villa. Characters: Christine Location: The Neuwaldegg villa

Story Breakdown

• Bombed Family Home — Air raids destroy the family's original living arrangement and force a move.
  • Hernals Air Raids — The Nöstlinger house in Hernals is badly damaged by bombing.
  • Villa Relocation — Christine's family accepts an offer to move to a villa in Neuwaldegg.
• Separated Generations — The move divides the family between the villa and the damaged apartment.
  • Grandparents Remain — The grandparents stay behind in the bombed apartment.
  • Christine Changes Homes — Christine becomes part of the household living in the villa.
• Wounded Father Returns — A wounded Wehrmacht soldier deserts and returns to his family under dangerous conditions.
  • Hospital Desertion — Christine's father leaves the hospital with shrapnel fragments in his leg.
  • Hiding From Armies — As a deserter, he hides from both German and Russian soldiers.
• Russian Villa Occupation — The Wehrmacht's capitulation brings Russian crew members into the villa.
  • Unpredictable Soldiers — The household fears the soldiers' unpredictable nature and constant drunkenness.
  • Cohn Arrives — Cohn is introduced as a Russian field cook quartered in the villa.
• Christine And Cohn — Christine forms a friendship with Cohn that briefly crosses the boundaries created by war.
  • Growing Friendship — Christine befriends Cohn despite the fear surrounding the Russian occupation.
  • Horse Cart Journey — Cohn takes Christine to her grandparents in a horse-drawn cart.
• Arrest And Departure — Cohn's arrest ends the friendship's immediate future, while the family leaves the villa.
  • Broken Promise — Cohn promises to return but does not appear because he is arrested as a deserter.
  • Family Moves Again — After the Russians depart, the Nöstlingers move out of the villa.

Directed by

Mirjam Unger

Key Cast

• Ursula Strauss — Mutter
• Lissy Pernthaler — Ludmilla
• Zita Gaier — Christine
• Krista Stadler — Großmutter
• Konstantin Khabenskiy — Cohn