Günter Rätz

Die Spur führt zum Silbersee

Günter Rätz

Gert Grasse, Henry Hübchen

Die fliegende Windmühle

Günter Rätz

Peter Groeger, Volkmar Kleinert

Olli, the main character in the movie, got a very bad grade and is terribly annoyed. She runs away from home and, together with a dog and a horse, finds a (mad? nutty?) scientist in a windmill. They experience the strangest adventures in this windmill and find other interesting characters, a lot of excitement and peril. While you may well interpret something as the "socialist value system" into this movie, it is more meant to be a children's movie, showing the kids that there are more exciting things out there than the ones that your parents and teachers show you, and that you will only find out most of those things on your own, if you show enough curiosity.

Die Weihnachtsgans Auguste

Günter Rätz

Hildegard Alex, Wolfgang Dehler

When Luitpold Leuwenhaupt sees a faboulous goose in the local pet shop, he can't resist buying it for christmas. But the three kids become friends with the goose, calling her 'Auguste'. So, is there any way left for Luitpold to make a fine christmas feast out of Auguste?

Hirsch Heinrich

Günter Rätz

By ship and train Heinrich, the Deer gets to the local zoo where he's greeted bey a group of children. With the winter arriving and snow falling, Heinrich explores the surroundings - even outside his compound...

Gleich links hinterm Mond

Günter Rätz

Sepp Klose

The residents in heaven are worried because Santa does not know what to do. All of the children would like a sputnik that beeps for Christmas. Nobody in Santa's crew knows what a sputnik is. So he has to go to earth and find out about it.

Das Erntefest

Günter Rätz

Feine Spielwaren - Made in USA

Günter Rätz

This short puppet-animated film criticizes American toy companies for their militaristic toys and marketing which fosters politically aggressive attitudes. Catalogues and building sets made by the American toy companies Aurora and Lindberg report on the ways they are misused for imperialist manipulation. The film particularly emphasizes the rehabilitation and propagation of the German imperialist military tradition, which is seen as responsible for destroying humanistic viewpoints and replacing them with perverted and sadistic attitudes towards humanity.

Die Leuchtturminsel

Günter Rätz

Wolfgang Brunecker, Peter Groeger

Der Wettlauf

Günter Rätz

Part of the Filopat and Patafil series of East German animated short films.

A kid's animation special - DEFA children's animation film without words

Monika Anderson, Lutz Dammbeck

THis program for young viewers includes eight short films produced with different animation techniques by the DEFA Studio for Animaion Film in Dresden.