German educational film: marriage customs in Upper Silesia
Creator(s)
- Dr. Steven Zabin
- Reichsstelle fur den Unterrichtsfilm (Producer)
- Puchstein film (Producer)
Scope and Content
This short documentary depicts the town of Schonwald in Upper Silesia, and the various activities which occur in preparation for a wedding ceremony that takes place in the village. VS, villagers carrying farm implements, heading off to fields. MCU in the village (of Schonwald), two peasant women read an announcement posted on the side of a building. CUof the announcement (in German), stamped by the town official. VS, young woman pumping water at a well. VS, young townswomen in tradtional costume, kneeding dough and preparing large trays of bread. MS, two older women braid the hair of a young woman (the bride to be) and then outfit her in the traditional regional wedding costume. VS, the wedding ceremony, many townspeople are present, the bride and groom and other members of the wedding party carry out a number of rituals, including pinning corsages on each other, exchanging rings, exchanging vows, etc. After the ceremony in the church, a celebration ensues. At the celebration young girls dance together, a band plays (accordion, stringed, and percussive instruments). The young girls seem to be taking dancing cues from a person out of the frame, adults watch the young girls, but the adults do not participate in the dancing. The bride and groom are escorted to their home. The bride takes off her ornate head dress, and replaces it with a black shawl, to signify that she is now a married woman. END.
Subjects
- MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
- CARTS/WAGONS
- WOMEN
- HORSES
- WEDDINGS
- DANCING
- PEASANTS
- CHILDREN
- VILLAGES
- BREAD
- MUSIC
- POLES
- CLERGY
- POLAND
- CEREMONIES
Places
- , Silesia
- , Poland
Genre
- Instructional.
- Film