Former East German engineer Erich Becker had been lured to West Germany by promises of a high reward.
Reserved for the Death was, according to author Sabine Hake, one of a "hyperbole of espionage thrillers" produced soon after the erection of the Berlin Wall.
[1] Writer Gerhard Bensch told in an interview that the plot was based on "numerous authentic documents, files and details" gleaned by him from the intelligence services.
[2] After an evaluation board of DEFA viewed the unedited picture before its release, its members concluded that the producers managed to create a "good picture... Exposing the inhuman methods of the Imperialists... And allowing the audience to see the experiences of our society's heroes, engaged in brutal class struggle.
"[5] Peter Ulrich Weiss added that it was a typical 'saboteur film', that presented a negative portrayal of West Germany.