A musical comedy, it premiered at the Theater am Schiffbauerdamm on 23 January 1935.
It marked the directoral debut of actor Veit Harlan.
The title refer to the Panke, a small river that runs through the working-class district of Wedding in Berlin.
[1] It was popular with audiences, although critics were generally dismissive.
The cast included Gerhard Bienert, who makes subtle jokes about Hermann Göring.