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Odyssey in Potsdam

When Stanley Kubrick filmed his movie Barry Lyndon, he attached great importance to filming the story of this 18th century conman at the original locations. Since during the commotion of the Seven Years’ War Barry also came to the Berlin of Frederick the Great, the master wanted to film in the heart of Prussia.
His stage designer Jan Schublach searched throughout Germany to find suitable locations. The GDR government – always interested in foreign currency – finally permitted the film crew to enter East Germany. In the movie a carriage drives down the avenue “Unter den Linden”. In reality the scene was filmed with the coach driving between the “Neues Palais” and the “Communs” (outbuildings). The bumpy cobblestone pavement of the “Mopke” (parade-ground) for this scene was covered with a thick layer of sand by the props department.