Bayern stars on the silver screen. Berlin director Werner Jacobs (1909-1999) certainly realised better cinematic projects than the film adaptations of Ludwig Thoma's "Lausbubengeschichten" (Rascal Stories). We recall timeless classics such as "Und sowas muss um 8 ins Bett" (And This Has to Be in Bed by 8), "Die Lümmel von der ersten Bank — Zur Hölle mit den Paukern" (The Rascals of the Front Row — To Hell with the Teachers) or "Was ist denn bloß mit Willi los?" (What on Earth Is Wrong with Willi?).
For "Die Lümmel von der ersten Bank," young star Hansi Kraus, aka Pepe Nietnagel, was deployed by Jacobs twice in 1967. Alongside the teacher film, he also directed "Wenn Ludwig ins Manöver zieht" (When Ludwig Goes on Manoeuvres), the second part of Thoma's Rascal Stories. The cast was star-studded. In addition to Kraus and Heidelinde Weis, Georg Thomalla, Claus Wilcke ("Hui Buh") and Friedrich von Thun tried their hand in the Bavarian-Prussian military farce.
And because even in 1967 nobody could get past FC Bayern München, players Sepp Maier and Gerd Müller as well as coach Zlatko "Tschik" Čajkovski were cast and kitted out in uniforms complete with Pickelhaube helmets. Today, of course, this is politically completely incorrect. Čajkovski as the army cook, Sepp Maier as "Sepp Maier" and Gerd Müller as "Müller" — one can imagine the intellectual ambition of this comedy. The critics had seen enough: "At times, one has the impression of watching a promotional film."