Bauer’s controversial past was revealed in an article in Die Zeit, which uncovered historical research suggesting that Bauer was both a member of the Nazi party and a member of the SA, the Nazis’ pre-war paramilitary wing. Bauer also appeared to be a key part of Goebbels’ Reichsfilmintendanz, a body established by the propaganda ministry in 1942 to control the cinema industry.
Hmm.
The revelation, coming just days before the opening of the 70th festival, is of huge embarrassment to the Berlinale, which has always held Bauer in high regard, naming one of its most important prizes after him in 1986, after Bauer’s death. The prize celebrates filmmakers who open up new perspectives in the art of cinematography.
The thing is, whatever other vilenesses Goebbels and his team committed – a lot of them too – they did open up new perspectives in the art of cinematography. They were masters at the use of it in propaganda for example. Leni and the Olympics is a masterwork, whatever else it is too.
Not that I disagree with the decision here, nor even the discomfort.
Roman Polanski is a brilliant director with a lifetime of awesome work behind him. No drugged and buggered 13-year-old victim can change that.
It may be tough ro accept that, but it’s true.
Is it just me, or do the words “suggesting” or “appeared” seem to be at odds with the conclusion of the article.
“Bauer’s controversial past was revealed in an article in Die Zeit, which uncovered historical research suggesting that Bauer was both a member of the Nazi party and a member of the SA, the Nazis’ pre-war paramilitary wing. Bauer also appeared to be a key part of Goebbels’ Reichsfilmintendanz, a body established by the propaganda ministry in 1942 to control the cinema industry.”
Blacklisting is OK, as long as it’s non-Communists being blacklisted.
Don’t tell The Graun that Bert Trautmann was a member of the Hitler Youth and a German Paratrooper. The only man in history to be awarded 2 Iron Crosses, English Footballer of the Year and an OBE. They may demand Manchester City remove the memorial plaque from outside The Etihad Stadium.
The late Philip Kerr’s Bernie Gunther novels based in 1930’s pre and post Weimar Germany, Bernie is a police detective and has to solve problems for Goebbels, and the storylines often involve the nazi movie business.
Jussi,
Thanks for the tip, I may try those books. A little pricier than I would have liked but kindle has a deal on the first three.
Roue le Jour, there are usually two parallel storylines that emerge, Bernie in Nazi Germany and perhaps managing a hotel in Nice in the late 50’s being hunted although he was not a nazi. Or he might be in a Gulag after the war, or in Argentina.
It is a shame Kerr died, I was expecting Bernie to be involved hunting Eichmann.
Haha, how embarrassing for the Germans. How lucky we were not to have anyone in the media sympathetic to the Nazis. Imagine if the DG of the BBC thought Hitler was magnificent or summat.
Humans have an urge to prosecute the past. The people AT THE TIME adjudicated all.
‘Bauer was both a member of the Nazi party’
Being a Nazi would not distinguish Bauer from other Germans.
@Gamecock
Same as member of Communist Party, Saddam’s Party, RMT Union etc
Employees must be in a closed shop, doesn’t mean support
Reminds me of the tale my brother told me, of a bloke he met in Germany who was told by the local party rep that he either joined the Nazi party, or his business would boycotted and he and his family could be beaten up.
Naturally he joined the Nazi party.
Or perhaps I should be thinking of the girls in Rotherham raped by Pakistanis. Since they’re untermenschen, it’s naturally immoral to protest.
This sort of thing happens in all societies at all times.
‘doesn’t mean support’
Though the support was probably there. Many citizens liked the Third Reich.
@Gamecock
Given how quickly Saddam’s Ba’ath Party member soldiers ran away, there wasn’t much support
One of USA’s biggest cock-ups was sacking all Ba’ath Party members
@Boganboy
+1 it’s join or die/no-job. Legal in UK until Mrs Thatcher abolished in 1980s
I was talking about the Third Reich. You brought up Iraq. What happened in Iraq changes nothing about Nazi Germany. Hitler had broad support.
Lenin, Stalin, Hitler, Franco, Castro, Chavez..
As did Saddam until things changed. If rules/laws say one must support or no job/die self-preservation prevails and “I support” lie told
Membership of both the NSDWP and the SA was far from voluntary. If certain people informed you that you were to join one or the other, you joined, even if you said no.