29.10.2025

Next week, Czech Film Wednesday once again overlaps with the Czech-German Culture Days. We have picked out a special gem that has probably never been shown in Germany: "Černí baroni" (The Black Barons) from 1992, a cult comedy that was later turned into a TV series, which somewhat overshadowed the film. But it didn't deserve that.

The members of the so-called auxiliary technical battalions (PTP), which formed a special component of the Czech "People's Army" in the 1950s, were known as the Black Barons. Black was the color of their epaulettes, and they were called barons because they were the only full-time soldiers at the time who had money, as they received part of their pay in cash.

The social composition of these units was interesting: On the one hand, conscripts were assigned to the "Pétépaks" (PTP-lers) because of a physical deficiency, such as "chest weakness", but also the politically unreliable editor of the racing magazine or an assistant director. On the other hand, there were also people with a criminal past or for racist (Roma) or classist (former nobility) reasons. Like the "Pétépaks", their commanders, who were generally characterized by exceptional stupidity, were similarly low in the military hierarchy.

We have again scheduled two performances, of which the one at 8 p.m. is already as good as sold out. Tickets are still available for 5.30 pm.

More about the movie and tickets

(This is an automatic translation by DeepL Translator.)