Hamburg, Germany 1934: An executioner is needed. Teetjen (Erwin Geschonneck) makes the biggest mistake of his life. Because his butcher shop is facing bankruptcy, he agrees to execute a group of political prisoners for the Nazis. Once this becomes known, Teetjen's life falls apart. The Axe of Wandsbek was the only DEFA film made by Falk Harnack, a former anti-Nazi resistance fighter who was interested in exploring the involvement of the middle class in Nazi crimes. Despite positive reviews, the film was withdrawn shortly after its premiere; it became the first East German film ever to be banned. The film is adapted from one of the most important works by German-Jewish author Arnold Zweig; basing the story on real events, Zweig wrote the novel in exile in Palestine in 1943.