Nazi mythology

Identifier
irn1001971
Language of Description
English
Alt. Identifiers
  • 1994.121.1
  • RG-60.1200
Dates
1 Jan 1936 - 31 Dec 1936
Level of Description
Item
Languages
  • German
Source
EHRI Partner

Creator(s)

Scope and Content

As expressed by this film's subtitle, "Allegory of our History and Life," the German forest is a symbol for the German people. The film describes the intimate relationship between peaceful Germans and wood from the Germanic times of Arminius to the present. It draws an analogy between the vertical German tree and the upright German peasant-soldier. In contrast, the aggressive alien is shown as destroying beloved trees, thus destroying the German people. This mystical relationship between man and nature is grounded in the organic idea of a pure-blooded Volksgemeinschaft [ethnic-racial community] rooted in healthy soil. After showing the 'rebirth' of the forest and nation under the National Socialist movement, the film ends with: "Volk steht wie Wald in Ewigkeit" [The people, like the forest, will stay forever]. The film is composed of feature, newsreel, and Kulturfilm [cultural movie] elements and was produced for the NS-Kulturgemeinde [National Socialist culture league]. It describes the anti-rational worship of the forest as a romantic obsession in German culture long before National Socialism and in contrast to the decadent civilization in the metropolis. Furthermore, the film establishes a connection between pagan Aryan customs and rites of the ancient past to the neo-pagan ideology of the SS. After passing censorship on August 20, 1936 it was screened for the first time on August 28, 1936 and distinguished as "volksbildend" [educating the people]. Despite its impressive cinematography, Ewiger Wald received criticism because its sophisticated arrangement favored beautiful pictures and bombastic music instead of typical National Socialist poetic coercion.

Note(s)

  • Also known under the international title "Enchanted Forest" (1936). Length of entire film: 63 minutes Credits: Released by Carl Cuerten Filmverleih, Munich, 1936. Production: for NS-Kulturbund Photography: Sepp Allgeier, Werner Bohne, Otto Ewald, Wolf Hart, Ernst Kunstmann, Guido Seeber, Wilhelm Siem, Heinrich Weidemann, Adolf-Otto Weitzenberg, Bernhard Wentzel Music: Wolfgang Zeller Commentary voice: Aribert Mog Script: Albert Graf von Pestalozza; Carl Maria Holzapfel Narrators: Guenther Hadank; Heinz Herkommer; Paul Klinger; Lothar Koerner; Kurt Wieschala. See Film and Video departmental files for documentation and a summary of the film. See Stories 1198-1200 for entire film. On Film ID 981, the end of the movie [FBA 6452 (Story 1199)] appears before middle of the movie [FBA 6453 (Story 1200)]

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Genre

This description is derived directly from structured data provided to EHRI by a partner institution. This collection holding institution considers this description as an accurate reflection of the archival holdings to which it refers at the moment of data transfer.