GDR’s national Identity in “National Foundation” films: "Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt" and "Ich war neunzehn"

Table of Contents

Introduction

Genre: Anti-Fascist Film

Genre: Anti-War Film

Genre: Biographical Film

Genre: Road Movie

Genre: Western

Conclusion and Further Work

Objectives and Themes

This dissertation investigates how two "National Foundation" films, Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt and Ich war neunzehn, construct and contribute to East German national identity through the lens of specific film genres.

• Analysis of DEFA's "National Foundation" films as tools for shaping national identity.
• Exploration of how genre conventions are utilized to communicate didactic state messages.
• Comparison of the "good" socialist-aligned German versus the "bad" SS-aligned German.
• Investigation into the themes of generational identity, trauma, and societal reconstruction in the 1960s GDR.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

Introduction: This chapter introduces the focus on two seminal DEFA films and outlines the methodological approach using film genre to analyze GDR national identity.

Genre: Anti-Fascist Film: This section details how the GDR utilized the anti-fascist genre to establish a foundational myth of loyalty to the socialist state by contrasting it with a perceived fascist West Germany.

Genre: Anti-War Film: This chapter analyzes how these films differentiate themselves from traditional war movies by focusing on the disillusionment and pointlessness of war rather than military glory.

Genre: Biographical Film: This section examines the use of fictionalized biographies to create relatable protagonists that embody the transition from National Socialist ideology to socialist consciousness.

Genre: Road Movie: This chapter explores how the travel motif serves as a catalyst for self-discovery and reconciliation with a homeland that has been radically transformed.

Genre: Western: This final analytical chapter discusses how western tropes are applied to describe the GDR as a frontier society defending socialist civilization against outlaw forces.

Conclusion and Further Work: This chapter summarizes the findings and proposes future research avenues regarding the biography of Joachim Kunert and the broader comparative study of East and West German film history.

Keywords

DEFA, GDR, National Identity, Anti-Fascism, Werner Holt, Konrad Wolf, Joachim Kunert, National Foundation Films, Genre, Socialism, World War II, Bildungsroman, Frontier, Heimat, Cultural Memory.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the primary focus of this dissertation?

This work examines the GDR's construction of national identity through two "National Foundation" films: Die Abenteuer des Werner Holt and Ich war neunzehn.

What are the central thematic areas?

The core themes include the formation of a socialist national identity, the confrontation with the National Socialist past, and the role of generational trauma.

What is the primary research goal?

The goal is to determine how film genre can be utilized to discern and analyze the national identity of a state as projected through its cinematic output.

Which scientific method is employed?

The dissertation utilizes film genre analysis, comparing how conventions of anti-fascist, biographical, road movie, and western genres are applied to these specific DEFA productions.

What topics are discussed in the main body?

The main body systematically applies different genre lenses—anti-fascism, war, biography, road movie, and western—to analyze how Kunert and Wolf portrayed the German experience and the legitimacy of the GDR.

Which keywords characterize this work?

Key terms include DEFA, national identity, anti-fascism, genre theory, and the specific historical context of 1960s East Germany.

Why did the director Joachim Kunert choose a train for the road movie motif instead of a car?

While the classic road movie often uses cars or trucks, Kunert’s use of the train emphasizes the specific German landscape and the logistical "stations" of the protagonist's disillusionment during the final years of the war.

How does the author interpret the "Western" ending of these films?

The author views the "western" endings—where protagonists ride or drive off into an uncertain landscape—as a refusal of the state to provide definitive certainties, reflecting underlying creative tensions during a period of societal and political crisis.