In addition to many German language feature films, the Library also owns films of a cultural and historical significance that may be of interest to you:
This 10-DVD film set provides an overview of German history, focusing on the lives of major historical figures from Otto the Great in the 10th century to Wilhelm II and Philipp Scheidemann in 1918.
The filmmaker looks at European colonialism in Africa through the lens of Christian evangelism as the model for the relationship between Africa and western countries today. The history of German missionaries in Namibia in the 19th and 20th centuries is discussed by African and German historians and theologians, revealing how colonialism destroyed African beliefs and social systems and replaced them with European ones.
This film, commissioned by Adolf Hitler to record the 1934 Nazi party rally in Nuremberg, is the "most powerful piece of propaganda ever produced". Included are many scenes of gatherings, marches, and parades. The viewer will also hear speeches given by Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, and Hess as well as samples of monumental architecture designed by Albert Speer.
At the heart of this film is the question of whether Leni Riefenstahl was a Nazi, as her detractors claim, or whether she was the victim of society-- a naive, young woman who made Triumph des Willens on assignment, and simply did a very good job. This film does not judge, and Riefenstahl (a fiesty 90 during production) is genuine in her protest. Or has the passage of 50-plus years simply rewritten history in her mind? Viewers must judge for themselves.
Select German Instruction Films
Here is a sample of streaming films about German language, literature, and culture:
In Germany, trains, subways, and trams provide convenient ways to get around. This program looks at how to buy train and cable car tickets and how to order meals. Featured activities include sightseeing in the Bavarian Alps, lunching at the award-winning Paulaner Imtal restaurant in Munich, eating Kaiserschmarren in Oberammergau, and dining on Japanese cuisine at Munich's No Mi Ya restaurant.
This program demonstrates how to say where one lives and works and what one does for a living, how to ask for and give directions, and how to ask what the costs of things are. The BMW factory, an all-organic supermarket, the renowned Borstei apartments, and Neuschwanstein Castle are featured.
This program covers how to greet friends, introduce oneself to strangers, talk about where one comes from, and say what languages one speaks. Settings include a Munich art gallery featuring contemporary art, a renowned violin-making school in the ancient town of Mittenwald, and Munich's annual arts and music festival. In addition, a whirlwind tour of Germany reveals the country's regional diversity
This program, filmed at the Cafe Tambosi and Rischart's Backhaus, the Englischer Garten, a christening, a beer garden, and the unique Corpus Christi boat procession in Seeburg, shows how to order and pay for food and beverages and how to express familial relationships and marital status. Commentary provides insights into Kaffee und Kuchen culture and other social events in Germany.
When the time comes for getting away from it all, Bavaria offers a wide range of options. This program introduces questions and answers related to shopping for vacation supplies and arranging for lodgings. Settings include a department store, a country hotel, a hostel in the Ammergauer Alps, and an ancient Benedictine convent located on Frauen Island, in the Chiemsee.
This program puts the focus on leisure activities, including visiting Rischart's Backhaus, to learn how salt-topped pretzels were invented, and Ettal Abbey, to see how its famed liqueur is made; taking a hot-air balloon excursion; buying high-fashion sunglasses; unwinding at the legendary Schumann's American Bar; and dancing the night away at The Atomic Cafe, a 1970s-style disco.
