It premièred at the Ufa-Palast am Zoo on 12 October 1932, part of a whole string of 'patriotic' movies released in the late days of the Weimar Republic.

The film's sets were designed by the art directors Robert Herlth and Walter Röhrig.

Several paramilitary Freikorps units battle the French forces, among them the Black Brunswickers led by the 'Black Duke' Frederick William of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel.

After the War of the Fifth Coalition, the Black Hussars are pursued by Napoleon throughout the country, but frequently take refuge with noble-minded Germans.

They hear of the plans by the French governor Darmont to abduct Duke Frederick William's bride, Princess Marie of Baden, to marry her to the Polish prince Potovski.