Jew Suss and the Eternal Jew

Compare the drama Jew Suss and the "documentary" Eternal Jew as historical documents (both are products from 1940/41; both make claims about history). How can we use them today to gain insight into Nazi perspectives?

October 13-15: La Habanera

Identify and defend your categorization of the film's hero, either Don Pedro or Sven Nagel. Think about the different ways each character is presented, cast, shot. Take the complexity of each character into account when making your argument. One option would be to pick a scene and discuss how it functions for the audience. Consider how lighting, sound, and the edition of shots function, including how they seem to represent specific cultural values.

If you prefer, you can instead tease out problem points, where you believe the scene to change shots, perspectives. Be sure to also make use of the actual film: lighting, editing choices. It may be productive to think of the film in terms of things which are not included.

October 6-8: The Broken Jug

Imagine you were writing a paper on the Broken Jug. How would you address its position as a Nazi film? Some helpful ways of thinking of this question (you do not need to use all of them or any of them!) What categories would you use to answer this question? How does the film associate with Nazi culture? How might you organize your argument?

If you use the Silberman article (on OAK) to help frame your argument, post your answer on the Readings blog. Otherwise, make use of the Films blog.

September 29-October 1

For this week, please consider one of the two possible prompts.
Film: Consider the categories/genres Nazi cinema, Western, Trenker film. How would using the various categories change the interpretation of the film The Emperor of California? Which details would you highlight to make your case that the film belonged to this category?
Reading: Focus on the Koepnick article Unsettling America: German Westerns and Modernity (on OAK). What is Koepnick's argument? Is it convincing? What do you agree or disagree with?

September 22-24: Alice Hamilton, Hitlerjunge Quex, and Kuhle Wampe

For this week's post, consider the Alice Hamilton reading (on OAK between weeks 2 and 3 in the "Course Readings" folder) in relation to Hitlerjunge Quex and Kuhle Wampe. Use either the films or the reading as your focus.

Post September 15-17

For this week, please feel free to raise points or questions beyond the prompts.

For Films: How is gender represented in Hitlerjunge Quex? Which concepts of femininity and masculinity are offered by the Communists? By the National Socialists?

For Readings: Identify significant issues in the Goebbels reading or the Schulte-Sasse reading. You can trace the argument or raise questions.

Post September 8-10: Cohen and Jaskot

*Please remember: you do not have to limit yourself to one of the questions, but can use your blog entry to explore an idea you noticed during the screening that did not get discussed in class.

For Film: How are good and bad art distinguished from one another in the Third Reich? Is Cohen's film a form of political art?

For Reading: Consider Jaskot's article on Himmler. What is the relationship between art and politics? Is this consistent with Cohen's film?