Der Stern von Afrika

Mathias, the black servant, was actually a South African corporal, Mathew Letuku, who had been captured by the Germans and served as a driver. Marseille adopted him as his personal servant and driver (much like a British officer's "batman"), and they became fast friends. Marseille made his fellow officers promise him that Mathias was to remain with the unit if something happened to him. They kept that promise, saving him from an uncertain fate in some PoW camp, and when the war neared its end, they infiltrated Mathias in a temporary camp where he could be liberated without no one being the wiser. Years later, he was invited to one of the veterans' reunions, and was greeted with genuine friendship.

The news vendor in front of the Marseilles' apartment building is shown in August 1939 selling issues of "Das Reich" magazine. The first issue of this magazine wasn't published until May 1940.