The Murderers Are Among Us (1946)
Directed by Wolfgang Staudte, The Murderers Are Among Us was the first German feature film released after the Second World War and stars Hildegard Knef and Ernst Wilhelm Borchert. Set among the ruins of Berlin, it follows a traumatised former army surgeon who discovers that the officer responsible for a wartime massacre is living comfortably in civilian life. The film confronts war crimes, guilt, trauma and the question of personal revenge in the immediate aftermath of Nazi Germany.

Somewhere in Berlin (1946)
Directed by Gerhard Lamprecht, Somewhere in Berlin follows a group of children growing up among the ruins of post-war Berlin as their families struggle to rebuild their lives. Young Gustav eagerly awaits the return of his father from captivity, only to discover a man physically and psychologically damaged by war. The film combines family drama and the experiences of children with a portrait of a city and generation trying to recover from the consequences of the Second World War.

Police Raid / Razzia (1947)
Directed by Werner Klingler, Police Raid is a crime film set amid the flourishing black market of post-war Berlin. When confiscated goods lead police investigators to a nightclub and a detective is murdered, the case exposes smuggling, corruption and criminal connections inside the police itself. Paul Bildt and Claus Holm star in this early DEFA police thriller combining murder investigation with the criminal underworld of a city struggling with post-war shortages.

Marriage in the Shadows / Ehe im Schatten (1947)
Directed by Kurt Maetzig, Marriage in the Shadows follows two Berlin actors whose marriage is placed under increasing pressure when the Nazi regime begins persecuting Elisabeth because of her Jewish heritage. Based on Hans Schweikarts Es wird schon nicht so schlimm and inspired by the fate of actor