Funeral in Berlin

Date: 1966
Director: Guy Hamilton
Production Company: Jovera S.A., Paramount Pictures, Lowndes Productions Limited

Stars: Michael Caine, Paul Hubschmid, Oskar Homolka, Eva Renzi, Günter Meisner, Guy Doleman, Hugh Burden, Heinz Schubert
Location(s): London, West Berlin

Region(s): ,

Storyline:

A British agent is sent to Berlin to receive a Communist defector, but the true situation turns out to be rather more complicated.

Additional Information:

Screen captures uploaded by Phil Wilkinson

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An establishing sequence at the start of the film. Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche (Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church) stands to the right of centre whilst the Mercedes-Benz building and the Europa-Center are seen in the background. West Berlin.

Günter provides this shot of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church and the Mercedes House. A good shot from ground level. (RL)

The sequence continues - looking along Kurfürstendamm towards Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche.

Günter shows that the City is always greener now with this further shot of the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church. (RL)

Daily life goes on in West Berlin - Hotel Am Zoo on Kurfürstendamm, West Berlin 10719.

Günter sends his 2010 picture of "Hotel am Zoo" saying that the entrance has now been re-designed. (RL)

Fountains in Charlottenburg district. Ernst-Reuter-Platz, Berlin 14050 Germany.

As close and as high that I could get on the day and too cold for fountains. (RL)

Looking over 'The Wall' into East Berlin. This is at Potsdamer Platz looking along Stresemannstraße. Located by Allan Hailstone who was there in 1962.

Substantial changes and the line of the wall is recorded with cobbles and can be seen in the foreground. (RL)

On the right, sightseers gaze from the west into the east. Allan Hailstone advises that this is looking east along Zimmerstraße from the junction with Friedrichstraße near Checkpoint Charlie.

The position of the wall is recorded with cobbles that cross the road just in front of those discarded Christmas trees awaiting collection. At least one building on the left remains. (RL)

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Another view into East Berlin. Maria Bergman advises that this is Potsdamer Platz looking south towards Wilhelmstrasse. The big grey building with a cream coloured entrance was Joseph Goebbel’s Propaganda Ministry, now the Social and Labour Ministry. In 1988 buildings were constructed that blocked the view of the Ministry and narrowed the death strip. The grassed area is approximately the location of Hitler’s bunker which was finally destroyed in 1986 when a housing estate for the DDR-elite was built.

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Warning signs over 'The Wall'. Is Bernauerstrasse located by Maria Bergman who adds "The derelict buildings were emptied when they blocked the border. Many people used them to escape by jumping out of the windows but they bricked them up and later took them down. For a while the house façades were used as a makeshift wall but then they cleared them away and built the typical wall with the pipe on top in the 1970s. There is now a wall memorial there, with watchtowers and the death strip intact."

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Dereliction in East Berlin. Unknown location.

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Close to the border between East and West Berlin. Unidentified location.

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Guards in a watch tower keep an eye on a work detail near the border. Unknown location.

One of the work detail escapes in a construction bucket. Mark O'Neill tells us that this is the Technische Universität located at Hardenbergstraße 36, Berlin.

Technische Universität located at Hardenbergstraße 36, Berlin.

Mark explains that the 'wall' would have been 'propped' in as the closest the actual wall came to this point was approx 2 miles away.

East German virtuoso Viktor Bajevski appears from the bucket after his flight over 'The Wall'. The Technische Universität located at Hardenbergstraße 36, Berlin identified by Mark O'Neill.

A further shot from Mark. (RL)

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Bajevski heads for a car later to be identified as Kreutzman's. Hardenberger Strasse confirmed by Maria Bergman.

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Harry Palmer travels by bus after receiving an order to see Colonel Ross. Kingston Hill in Kingston upon Thames, Greater London advises Amanda Jonkler.

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Harry Palmer (Michael Caine) arrives at the Ross residence. Amanda tells us that the background buildings are on Kingsnympton Park in Kingston upon Thames.

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Colonel Ross' house. Set back from Kingston Hill in Kingston, once in Surrey. Location identified by Amanda Jonkler.

Ross sends Palmer to see Hallam.

62 Warrington Crescent, W9, almost opposite the Warrington Hotel. SJ

Hallam (Hugh Burden) calls Palmer down to his flat at fictional 62 Wallington Road.

Piping, railings all in the right place. SJ

Hallam and Palmer go inside.

Lots of new growth but the door is there! SJ

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Houses at the end of the runway of West Berlin's Tempelhof Airport. This appears to be the now redeveloped Oderstraße, Berlin 12057.

Johnny Vulkan (Paul Hubschmid) meets Palmer at Zentralflughafen Tempelhof-Berlin. The airport, which closed in 2008, was also seen in 'A Dandy in Aspic' and 'A Prize of Gold'.

Mark o'Neill had no one to meet, so took this shot for us. (RL)

Aaron Levine (Heinz Schubert) watches Palmer and Vulkan. Berlin Tempelhof Airport.

Jamie Davis sent this picture of the same location, taken in 2009.

Palmer and Vulkan get into the car outside Zentralflughafen Tempelhof-Berlin.

Another lovelly match from Jamie, again from 2009.

Driving through West Berlin streets. A. J. Lewis identifies this as facing east at the intersection between Nürnberger Straße and Lietzenburger Straße in Berlin 10789 . . .

. . . and provides this capture of the previously unidentified location as evidence. Image copyright Google.

Vulkan drives Palmer into the centre of West Berlin. Maria Bergman identifies the yellow building to the left as the Philharmonic Concert Hall on Tiergarten Strasse 4 built by the well known Jewish architect Hans Scharoun. The lonely looking building is the remains of Hotel Esplanade on Potsdamer Platz.

Günter advises that the movie shot cannot be taken now but send this photo of the Berlin Philharmonic today built next to the Chamber Music Hall. (RL)

Tauentzienstraße with the Europa-Center to the right and Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirche in the centre left background. Charlottenburg, Berlin.

The best that I was able to achieve from ground level. (RL)

Palmer and Vulkan arrive at Vulkan's cover premises. Allan Hailstone identifies this as Fasanenstraße in what was West Berlin The shot is looking towards the junction with Kurfürstendamm. On the far side of this junction is the Kempinski Hotel, with its distinctive square windows, and the MPI of KEMPINSKI can just be made out at the top of the image.

One building cleared on the left but the KEMPINSKI remains. (RL)

Vulkan arranges a meeting between Palmer and Colonel Stok. Checkpoint Charlie on Friedrichstraße, Kreuzberg, Berlin.

The border crossing "Checkpoint Charlie" in Friedrichstrasse, taken by Günter in October last. He advises that the crossing was recreated in Dublin for the film The Spy who came in from the Cold". (RL)

Vulkan takes Palmer to the border.

Günter took this shot from the film camera position. The building on the right has been built in front of the building shown in funbe030 and sent a second shot to support. (RL)

Palmer walks along Rudi-Dutschke Straße towards Friedrichstraße with Kochstraße U-Bahn station in the foreground.

Another view of Checkpoint Charlie from Günter showing the newly built "Checkpoint Charlie Museum"...it had to happen! (RL)

An American guard at Checkpoint Charlie watches as Palmer approaches. Friedrichstraße, Berlin 10969.

The scene now taken by Günter. (RL)

Once through the check point, Palmer takes a taxi to meet Colonel Stok at 59, Marx-Engels-Platz. Outside the police station on the Western side of Friedrichstrasse looking towards the East located by Maria Bergman with the building disguised to look like a DDR one.

The building now, captured by Holger Braune.

The taxi takes Palmer into East Berlin. Again. Maria Bergman locates this as outside the police station on the Western side of Friedrichstrasse.

Holger Braune matches the view 57 years later.

The taxi passes derelict buildings. Maria Bergman explains that this is looking east from Stresemann Strasse with the building to the left now the Berlin State Parliament, Abgeordneten Haus, and that the ruined building on the right is now the Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum.

Günter advises that the original camera position cannot now be taken. The building on the left is the Chamber of Deputies of the Berlin senators and the one on the right is the "Walter Grobius Building", now a museum. The Berlin Wall was exactly between the two buildings. (RL)

Palmer arrives at the films fictional Marx-Engels-Platz. Kreuzbergwith district, Berlin.

Taken from Görlitzer park where Berlin Görlitzer Bahnhof once stood by Mark O'Neill. (RL)

Palmer asks the taxi to wait . . . . . . . it doesn't. Kreuzbergwith district, Berlin. Outside the ruins of Görlitzer Bahnhof confirmed by Maria Bergman.

Also taken by Mark from Görlitzer park where Berlin Görlitzer Bahnhof once stood he tells us that the main reception area, outside which Michael Caine is standing here (also the following capture), was demolished in 1967. (RL)

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Waiting for the planned rendezvous. Kreuzbergwith district, Berlin outside the ruins of Görlitzer Bahnhof identified by Maria Bergman.

The East Berlin police arrive. This is in the Berlin district of Kreuzbergwith with Die Emmauskirche (Emanus Church) on Lausitzer Platz in the left background.

As Mark reveals Die Emmauskirche (Emanus Church) on Lausitzer Platz in the left background remains even if the Berlin Görlitzer Bahnhof has gone. (RL)

Palmer is arrested and driven away. Kreuzbergwith district with Die Emmauskirche to the left. The wall in the background is seen from the other side in a later capture.

Mark provides this shot of a much less stark environment. (RL)

The police car travels along May-Ayim-Ufer, Berlin 10997.

Mark reveals the improvements that have been made. (RL)

Panning shot from image funbe041. May-Ayim-Ufer looking across the River Spree to the East Side.

Is that the same seat Mark? (RL)

The police bring Palmer to Colonel Stok's headquarters.

Whilst sending us this shot Mark tells us that this and Capture 44, was the headquarters of Victoria Insurance from 1913 and is located at Lindenstrasse 25, Berlin. (RL)

The police car turns off the road. See also Capture 43

Once again timing was against Mark (why should he be different from the rest of us?) as he arrived to find it covered in scaffolding. The building is currently being converted into luxury apartments to become known as Victoriahöfe. Mark would like to give public thanks to Günter for directing him to the spot allowing him to take this shot. (RL)

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The police car enters the courtyard at Colonel Stok's headquarters. Unknown location.

Samantha Steel (Eva Renzi) follows Palmer out of the former Berlin Hilton hotel. Budapester Straße, Berlin 10787.

Substantial changes now it is the InterContinental. (RL)

Palmer and Samantha share a cab. Outside the former Hilton hotel, now the InterContinental Berlin. Budapester Straße.

With a very important imminent arrival to the Hotel I was lucky to get the one shot. (RL)

Palmer and Samantha arrive at her apartment at the films 24, Leitzenseeufer. And guess what - this really is the place - Lietzenseeufer in Berlin 14057. Except that it's number 10.

Little has changed except for more cars. (RL)

The morning after the night before, Palmer leaves Samantha's apartment. Lietzenseeufer, Berlin.

Holger Braune returned to the location where the bollards have been rearranged.

Vulkan arranges for Palmer to meet Kreutzman at the Chez Nous Night Club. Frank Bartoschek locates this as on Marburger Straße, not far from Tauentzienstraße and the Europa Center. The Chez Nous closed in 2008.

Mark found that the tenor of the location had changed. (RL)

Palmer leaves the Cheznous after being instructed to follow a man with a green carnation. Marburger Straße, Berlin 10789 identified by Frank.

It is very quiet, maybe someone was following Mark. (RL)

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Kreutzman's car arrives and Palmer is told to get in. Frank tells us that this is Marburger Straße again.

The car stops to drop Palmer off after a price is agreed for helping Colonel Stok escape to the west. Marburger Straße once more, found by Frank Bartoschek.

A daytime shot from Mark. (RL)

Kreutzman (Günter Meisner) and Palmer discuss the plan to move Colonel Stok from the east. The Europa-Center, Kurfürstendamm.

Holger Braune explains that the terrace doesn’t exist any more but there’s a staircase, so he was able to take this comparison from almost the exact spot.

Brandenburger Tor (Brandenburg Gate), Berlin, Germany.

Günter provides this up to date shot of the Brandenburg Gate. The white building on the right is the American Embassy. (RL)

Palmer and Kreutzman meet again on top of the Mercedes-Benz building. Berlin.

The Mercedes house on Kurfürstendamm courtesy of Günter. (RL)

Palmer and Kreutzman make the final arrangements atop the Mercedes-Benz building.

The Mercedes star on the roof of the house. Even Günter wasn't able to actually get onto the roof. (RL)

Palmer's view through the telescope. Brandenburger Tor, Berlin.

A view of the high Victory Column at the Brandenburg Gate taken by Günter in 2010. (RL)

The escape plan is put into action. The hearse travels along Skalitzer Straße with the corner of Görlitzer Straße in the foreground. Kreuzbergwith, Berlin.

Mark found it to be a less intimidating junction now. (RL)

Panning shot from image funbe059. Görlitzer Straße Berlin 10997.

Mark finds that it is now a place to park your car. (RL)

The hearse continues on its journey along Görlitzer Straße.

Mark was obliged to include the Graffiti. (RL)

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The hearse is switched en route to Glienicker Brücke (Glienicke Bridge) near Potsdam. Unidentified location.

The funeral party wait on the west side of Glienicker Brücke over the River Havel. The bridge was known as the 'Bridge of Spies' and was where agents were exchanged during the cold war. But this bridge is only playing the role . . . . . .

Not surprisingly Mark found no barriers now. (RL)

Swinemünder Brücke (Swinemünder Bridge) Berlin

. . . . . . it's actually Swinemünder Brücke (Swinemünder Bridge), a bridge over the railway line at Gesundbrunnen S-Bahn station where Kreutzman's 'mourners' retrieve the coffin.

From Mark's shot it would seem to have expanded its use to parking. (RL)

Palmer arrives back at his hotel. Hotel Am Zoo, Kurfürstendamm.

The Hotel Am Zoo sign is on the roof but the canopy has gone. (RL)

Colonel Stok (Oskar Homolka) visits West Berlin. Outside Hotel Am Zoo on Kurfürstendamm.

More changes during the intervening years. (RL)

Palmer speaks with Stok. Kurfürstendamm, Berlin.

No such conversation today. (RL)

Palmer returns to Samantha's apartment. Lietzenseeufer once again.

A cleaner building now. (RL)

Tilt shot from image funbe068 showing more of the building. Lietzenseeufer, Berlin, Germany.

Clearly better kept these days. (RL)

Palmer crosses Trafalgar Square at the end of the film. London SW1.

Attempted this match, with mixed results, from the top of a bus and memory if you'll forgive the zeugma. SJ