I Was a Criminal

I WAS A CRIMINAL is based on an incident that happened in the Second German Reich of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1906. Bassermann plays Wilhelm Voight, a small time ex-con, who wants to return to his old home (in his German state). At the time the German Empire was made up of German petite kingdoms (Prussia, Bavaria, Wurtemburg, Hanover), and principalities (Hesse Cassel, Baden, etc.) and you required special permission to travel back to your native state. (imdb)