Theme of this scenic documentation is the consistent preparation of the Franco-German War by Bismarck and leading Prussian military, who, with the help of the conservative and liberal Berlin press, created the mood in which the publication of the heavily redacted "Emser Depesche" showed an effect desired by Bismarck. The authenticity of the game plot is supported by documents and documentary material.
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| FFritz BartholdtOtto von Bismarck | Otto von Bismarck |
 Wilhelm Koch-HoogeWilhelm I. | Wilhelm I. |
| WWolfgang ThalHelmuth von Moltke | Helmuth von Moltke |
 Rudolf UlrichKriegsminister von Roon | Kriegsminister von Roon |
 Hannjo HasseGraf Benedetti | Graf Benedetti |
| GGünther HerbrichAugust Bebel | August Bebel |
 Michael NarlochWilhelm Liebknecht | Wilhelm Liebknecht |
| CChristoph EngelNot listed | Not listed |
| FFred LudwigNot listed | Not listed |
| AArthur JoppNot listed | Not listed |
 Willi SchradeNot listed | Not listed |
| MMichael ChristianNot listed | Not listed |
 Giso WeißbachNot listed | Not listed |
| GGünther PolensenNot listed | Not listed |
 Ulrich AnschützNot listed | Not listed |
| WWilhelm GröhlNot listed | Not listed |