Today' s video features the classic song "Heimat, deine Sterne" composed by Werner Bochmann and Erich Knauf for the 1941 comedy "Quax, der Bruchpilot" (Quax, the Crash Pilot) starring Heinz Rühmann. The song became an instant hit and many versions were recorded in several languages. Journalist and writer Erich Knauf (1895-1944) - the song's lyricist - was arrested by the Gestapo in 1944 for telling political jokes and "undermining military morale". He was tried at the People's Court (Volksgerichtshof) in front of the notorious Roland Freisler who condemned him to death. He was beheaded on 2.5.1944.

Today's version features a version by the bariton Karl Schmitt-Walter (1900-1985) issued as a 12-inch recording on Telefunken. More information on him can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karl_Sc... .

"Quax, der Bruchpilot" was based on a 1928 story and starred Heinz Rühmann as Otto "Quax" Groschenbügel - a modest clerk in a tourism office in the small city of Dünkelstedt - who wins a newspaper competition that offers free flying lessons. After a lot of trials and tribulations, Quax turns out to be good pilot and becomes an instructor. Heinz Rühmann who was als a pilot in real life, did many of the flying stunts himself.

The video features sequences from "Quax, der Bruchpilot" which have been restored and upscaled to a 4K resolution. They were then colorized mostly manually and purely for entertainment purposes. The colorization is NOT historically correct but it tries to recreate the warm colors of early Agfacolor movies and does give an impression of what the sets and costumes may have looked like.

About the record:
Heimat, deine Sterne
Kammersänger Karl Schmitt-Walter
Chor und Orchester unter der Leitung von Adalbert Lutter

Telefunken
E 3254 / mx. 026558
Berlin, 1942

The record which is in average condition was transferred using a Graham Slee Revelation M Phono Preamp (bass Turnover 375 Hz - Rolloff 0) in combination with a Klark Teknik Tube Equalizer. The cartridge and stylus used is an Ortofon Om78. Editing was done in Adobe Audition