Winnetou – domestic Indian

(photo: Dinko Denona)

Sometimes film stories find places where they seem almost real. That’s exactly what happened in the early 1960s when Europe got its own Wild West movie hero. It was Chief Winnetou.

The Winnetou film series was filmed between 1962 and 1968, based on the novels of German writer Karl May. The films were directed by Harald Reinl, Alfred Vohrer, Hugo Fregonese and Robert Siodmak, while the main role of the Apache chief was played by Pierre Brice. A total of 11 films were made, and in 2016 a television trilogy directed by Philipp Stolzl was also filmed.

A large part of the production took place in Croatia. The cooperation between German producers and the Jadran Film studio proved to be ideal. The rugged landscape of Dalmatia and Lika could easily have played the role of the American West. For many viewers, this is still the most beautiful part of the story.

 

Croatia as a cinematic Wild West

Most scenes were shot in the Paklenica National Park. The steep canyons perfectly suited the adventurous tone of the films. Velika Paklenica canyon appears in numerous action scenes. Another important location was the river Zrmanja. The home of Winnetou’s tribe was located on Pariževačka glavica. That scene became one of the most famous in the entire series. The mountain massif of Tulova greda has a special place. Winnetou’s death scene was filmed there. For many viewers, it was one of the most emotional moments of the film.

The film crew also used other impressive locations. Plitvice Lakes served as the legendary Silver Lake in the movie Treasure of the Silver Lake. Part of the scenes were filmed at the Krka waterfalls.

 

Actors who created a legend

The role of Winnetou was played by French actor Pierre Brice. His calm appearance perfectly suited the character of the chief. The German audience accepted him as a true hero of the Wild West. American actor Lex Barker performed with him. He played Old Shatterhand, Winnetou’s friend and ally. Their partnership became one of the most famous in European adventure films.

Italian actor Mario Girotti also appeared in some of the sequels. He would later become known as Terence Hill. Local actors also had smaller roles, including Ilija Ivezić. Numerous local residents also participated in the filming, most often as extras, and some, for example, learned to ride horses for the first time because of it.

Interestingly, the Winnetou films have become much more than just an ordinary adventure series over the decades. For generations of viewers in Germany and other European countries, they created a special cinematic world that is still remembered with nostalgia today. This is precisely why many fans still come to Croatia to see the places where these films were made. The canyons, rivers and mountains where the legendary scenes were filmed have thus remained permanently connected to the story of the chieftain who conquered the European audience.

In a way, Winnetou has thus become a part of Croatian history – a symbol of a time when local landscapes convincingly played the Wild West. Thus, a European production created a film legend that has lasted for more than six decades.