Germanin is a 1943 German drama film directed by Max W. Kimmich and starring Peter Petersen, Luis Trenker and Lotte Koch. The film's sets were designed by the art director Anton Weber. It was shot at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin and the CinecittÃÂ Studios in Rome with on location around Rome. It is adapted from the novel of the same title by Hellmuth Unger, as well as the uncredited use of material from Tsetse by Norbert Jacques. Like the 1941 film Carl Peters it was produced as an anti-British propaganda film attacking the British Empire in Africa.
A German medical expedition heads to Central Africa aims to test the suramin serum known as Germanin in order to treat the deadly sleeping sickness spread by the tsetse fly. When the First World War breaks out British troops attack and destroy the medical mission. One of the doctors, Hans Hofer is able to flee with the important information of their research. After the war they return to the territory, now a British colony due to the Peace of Versailles, to cure the locals with the Germanin medicine. However the British attempt to sabotage their efforts and instead promote a much inferior drug produced by their American allies.