Ludwig: Requiem for a Virgin King

Ludwig: Requiem for a Virgin King (German: Ludwig – Requiem für einen jungfräulichen König) is a 1972 West German historical drama film directed by Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, starring Harry Baer as Ludwig II of Bavaria. The film was shot on a soundstage with rear-projected scenography and an intentionally artificial style.

The film received the Deutscher Filmpreis for Best Film and Best Screenplay. It is the first part in Syberberg's "German trilogy" and was followed by Karl May in 1974 and Hitler: A Film from Germany in 1977.

Three norns introduce Ludwig as suffering from a curse, given by Lola Montez, that will make him the last king of Bavaria. The king organises his court according to infatuations and aesthetical preferences. He is opposed to industrialism, progressivism and the emerging modern mass society. He complains about his aching teeth and behaves eccentrically, but interacts with ordinary people to stay in contact with life outside the court. Early in his life he began to protect and finance the then unknown Richard Wagner, who greatly apprecietes the support, but others see this as scandalous. Elisabeth of Austria sympatises with the king, who is her cousin, and compares him to Sitting Bull. A group of ministers led by Ludwig's uncle Luitpold plot to assassinate the king so they can industrialise the country.

A couple perform a Bavarian folk dance, Wagner discusses his future, and Ernst Röhm and Adolf Hitler dance rhumba. Ludwig gives in to Otto von Bismarck and allows Bavaria to be annexed into the German Empire. The conspirators discuss how to get rid of Ludwig but worry that the Bavarian monarchy itself might be in danger. A man of the people strongly opposes the plan to kill Ludwig. Ludwig's financial debts are held against him and the press describes him as insane. He admits that his struggle against the progressives has failed but that others soon will follow him. The king is found drowned in an assumed suicide. Ludwig's brother Otto becomes the new king, but Luitpold rules as Prince Regent due to Otto's mental illness. It is discovered that Ludwig's debts were smaller than assumed.