The opera singer Ludwig Löwenhaupt wants a proper festive roast for Christmas, so he buys a goose in advance to feed the whole family. What he doesn't realize, however, is that the children, Elli, Gerda and Peterle, will grow fond of the animal, which is christened Gustje, and will no longer want to eat it. After the "liberation", the "five kilos of meat", which were initially locked up in the cellar, become a pet that the children take to bed with them and communicate with. But shortly before Christmas, father Löwenhaupt still wants to slaughter them. However, as his family protests and his conscience gets in the way, he can't slaughter the goose after all. So Gustje only has to leave a few feathers as proof that she has been plucked, and the opera singer is given another goose that has already been cut up.
Production
GDR holiday aesthetics: drab kitchens, maximalist tinsel, one very confused bird.
Acting
Dietrich Körner's opera-singer dad: all bombast, no follow-through. Relatable.
Director
Bodo Fürneisen
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
GDR Christmas films often smuggled subtle critique into family fare—here, the scarcity of 'proper' holiday meat becomes absurdist class commentary.
The goose received no credit. Stefanie Stappenbeck (Annette) became a major German TV actress; Gustje's IMDb remains empty. Injustice.
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