The premier took place on the 25th of July, 1924 in the city of Vienna. Members of the National Socialist party threw stink bombs into the movie theaters. In Linz, the film was banned.

On March 10, 1925, National Socialist thug Otto Rothstock shot Hugo Bettauer, the author of the novel. On March 26, Bettauer died. Rothstock was lionized as a hero. He spent 18 months in prison. When he was released, he found himself very wealth and resumed his career as a NAZI.