Berlin Alexanderplatz

Berlin Alexanderplatz is a novel by Alfred Döblin, published in 1929. The story concerns a small-time criminal, Franz Biberkopf, fresh from prison, who is drawn into the underworld. When his criminal mentor murders the prostitute whom Biberkopf has been relying on as an anchor, he realizes that he will be unable to extricate himself from the underworld he has sunk into.

The novel is set in the working class Alexanderplatz district of Berlin. Its narrative style is reminiscent of that of James Joyce. It has multiple point of view characters , and uses sound effects, newspaper articles, songs, speeches, and other books to propel the plot forward.

The novel was made into a movie, called Berlin - Alexanderplatz, in 1931. Döblin worked on the adaptation, along with Karl Heinz Martin and Hans Wilhelm . It was directed by Piel Jutzi , and starred Heinrich George , Maria Bard , Margarete Schlegel , Bernhard Minetti , Gerhard Bienert , Albert Florath and Paul Westermeier . It ran 85 minutes.

A television mini-series was broadcast in 1980. It was adapted and directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and starred Günter Lamprecht ; it was 15½ hours long.[1]