PDF berlin '36 - Film Education · ©Film Education 2013. Film Education is not responsible for the content of external sites 3 Many historical films like Berlin ‘36 are ...

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DirecteD by: Kaspar Heidelbach

certificate: 15

running time: 100 mins

country: Germany

year: 2009

Suitable for: Film studies, German, history and citizenship

berlin ’36

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SynopSiSIn the days leading up to the 1936 Olympics, the fate of high jumper Gretel Bergmann hangs in the balance as it is decided whether or not a Jewish athlete can be a part of the German Olympic team. Berlin ‘36 portrays real-life characters and the opening credits state: ‘The film is based on a true story’.

before ViewingIn groups, discuss the following questions then share your knowledge and your predictions with the rest of the class.

■ What do you know about Nazi Germany in 1936? Where does your information come from?

■ What are your expectations of watching a film about Nazi Germany in 1936? What themes do you expect will be central and how do you think these themes might be represented?

■ What other films have you watched set during Nazi rule? How have these films influenced your knowledge and understanding of this period in history?

■ To what extent do you think feature films are an effective way of learning about the past? Try to identify both the benefits and challenges in using films when looking at historical events.

repreSentationFilms set in the past provide rich source material for history students. In order to ascertain the authenticity of such films, we need to interrogate the purpose, representation and interpretation of characters and events portrayed in the film alongside primary sources.

Students of history, film and media will be aware that scriptwriters and directors often include fictional elements in period films for dramatic impact or narrative coherence.

After watching Berlin ’36, consider your answers to the following questions: ■ How would you describe the message of the film? To what extent do you think it reflects more about the time it was made (2009) than the time it was set (1936)?

■ A film about Nazi Germany made over seventy years later in Germany raises particular questions about cultural context and purpose. What do you think is the purpose of the film? To what extent does this affect its usefulness as a historical source?

■ Marie Kettleler is a fictional character although she is based on Dora Ratjen who competed for Germany in the women’s high jump at the 1936 Olympics and was later discovered to be a man. Why do you think director Kaspar Heidelbach might have chosen to fictionalise some characters whilst keeping others more true to their original identity? Does the inclusion of fictional characters affect the usefulness of Berlin ‘36 when learning about this period in history?


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■ Many historical films like Berlin ‘36 are ‘based on’ or ‘inspired by’ a true story. To what extent do you think a film such as this, which is based on a true story, is a better source for understanding the past than one based on a novel or play? Explain you reasons?

■ How is anti-Semitism represented in Berlin ’36? Consider in particular the portrayal of the two German high jump coaches, the other young women in the high jump squad and Gretel’s interactions with uniformed Nazis. To what extent do you find these representations authentic?

HiStorical enQuiryBerlin ’36 provides stimulating secondary source material to undertake a historical enquiry about a range of themes and concerns relating to the Nazi period. In the opening sequence, director Kaspar Heidelbach intercuts archive footage of Adolf Hitler with new, original shots of his central characters whilst at the end he includes survivor testimony from the real Gretel Bergmann. For students of history, who need to separate out fact from fiction, such editorial techniques present a challenge. How much of this ‘true story’ is actually ‘true’?

In groups, discuss some of the following themes as the start of your historical enquiry into the authenticity of events, ideas and characters represented in the film:

aryan maSter race(i) Early on, Gretel’s father introduces her to Mr Löwenstein from the Jewish Sports Federation. During this discussion Gretel explains how she wants to sabotage the Nazis’ hopes for her winning Germany a medal. Mr Löwenstein, however, suggests that if Gretel were to win a medal, this would help undermine their ludicrous philosophy of an Aryan master race: “If you want to disgrace the Nazis, you must beat them.”

What do you understand by the concept ‘Aryan master race’ and what actual events at the 1936 Berlin Olympics helped to prove Mr Löwenstein correct?

(ii) As the Nazi officials formulate their plan to use Marie Ketteler to exclude Gretel from the competition, Hans von Tschammer und Osten calls Marie to his office to coerce her into taking part in the women’s Olympic high jump team. He is fully aware of Marie’s identity crisis, using it to his advantage in his manipulative approach: “Normally, I’d have to have you put away in a mental home.”

What does this sequence suggest about the Nazis’ attitudes to sexuality, sexual orientation and transvestitism? How authentic do you find this representation?

cHoiceleSS cHoiceS(i) Towards the end of the film, Gretel is conflicted about whether to remain silent about the Nazi corruption so as to protect herself and her family or whether to speak out and risk death. What other examples of choiceless choices are you aware of during this period? How authentic is Gretel’s dilemma?


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Sabotage(i) At the end of the film, Marie sabotages the Nazis’ plan by deliberately knocking over the high jump bar in the Olympic final so the German team fails to win. How authentic do you find this representation of the women’s high jump final in the 1936 Olympics? What primary sources can you find to compare?

(ii) What other feature films do you know of that focus on characters sabotaging Nazi plans? What primary sources can you find that support or challenge these representations?

furtHer reSearcH

http://www.het.org.uk/index.php/the-holocaust-general

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/8241631.stm

http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/1936-berlin-olympics-how-dora-the-man-competed-in-the-woman-s-high-jump-a-649104.html

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PDF berlin '36 - Film Education · ©Film Education 2013. Film Education is not responsible for the content of external sites 3 Many historical films like Berlin ‘36 are ...

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