John Rabe (film)

John Rabe released in the United Kingdom as City of War The Story of John Rabe is a 2009 GermanChineseFrench biopictorial film directed by Florian Gallenberger and starring Ulrich Tukur, Daniel Brhl and Steve Buscemi.

The film begins in Nanking during late 1937, where German businessman John Rabe, director of the local Siemens subsidiary, and his wife Dora have resided for almost thirty years. The thought of transferring management to his successor Fliess and returning to Berlin is a substantial professional setback for him. During the farewell ball in his honor, Nanking is bombarded by planes of the Japanese forces. Rabe opens the company gate and saves the panicked civilians.While the fires are being put out the next morning and the damages are inspected, the remaining foreigners in the city discuss what they can do in the face of the threat. Dr. Rosen, a German Embassy Attache of partly Jewish descent, reports about Shanghai where a safety zone was established for civilians. His suggestion of a similar zone is warmly supported by his superior, Ambassador Trautmann, and Valrie Dupres, director of the International Girls College. John Rabe is nominated as the chairman of the international committee, since he is a German ally of the Japanese. The committee meets, though with the initial reluctance of Dr. Robert O. Wilson, the U.S. head doctor of a local hospital, who harbors ideological antipathy towards the German Nazi Rabe. The next day, Rabe sends his wife back to his own country. Tragically, the ship is bombed, and the passengers onboard are killed, presumably including his wife. ........

Source: Wikipedia