Post-WWII Germany: Nearly a decade after his affair with an older woman came to a mysterious end, law student Michael Berg re-encounters his former lover as she defends herself in a war-crime trial.
The haunting drama of a young man’s affair with an older woman – and the secret she carries from the war – was filmed in Germany itself, across Berlin, Cologne and the old town of Görlitz, with the wartime scenes shot in Poland.
Where was The Reader filmed?
The Reader was filmed across Germany – Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz – with concentration-camp scenes shot in Poland.
Every Reader location, explained
1
The city – Berlin and Cologne
The postwar German scenes used Berlin and Cologne, including the courthouse in Berlin’s Zehlendorf.
2
The old town – Görlitz
Period street scenes used the beautifully preserved town of Görlitz in Saxony.
3
The camp – Poland
The wartime scenes used locations in Poland, around Lublin.
4
The German countryside
Rural scenes used the landscapes of Saxony and Brandenburg.
Planning a visit
Görlitz – one of Germany’s best-preserved old towns – and the city of Berlin are real, accessible settings behind the film.
The Reader Fun Facts
1
Filmed in Germany The film was shot across Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz.
2
Görlitz's old town The preserved town of Görlitz supplied its period streets.
3
Winslet won an Oscar Kate Winslet won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
4
Based on a novel It adapts Bernhard Schlink’s acclaimed German novel.
5
A postwar reckoning The film grapples with German guilt and memory after the war.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was The Reader filmed?
Across Germany – Berlin, Cologne and Görlitz – with wartime scenes shot in Poland.
