229:- the Western Allies. Scholz, fearing to lose his position, turns a blind eye even as he realizes what the gas he developed is used for. Throughout the war, American bombers do not destroy IG Farben plants, as they are pressured by the company's associates in the United States to leave its infrastructure intact. After the war ends, the Americans acquit most of the directors from charges of crimes against humanity and secretly use their experience to produce chemical weapons for potential deployment against the Soviet Union. After an explosion in a chemical factory kills hundreds, Scholz - who is now a communist - cannot remain silent. He publicizes the truth about IG Farben's wartime activity, warning that they are planning yet another war to make more money. An immense demonstration takes place outside the firm's headquarters. The American general supervising the managers proposes to disperse them with tanks, but Mauch refuses, fearing the crowd's reaction. The demonstration turns into a
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United States and in West
Germany. Bernd Stöver claimed that the film was part of a propaganda campaign run by the East German government in the early stages of the Cold War, the message of which was not only that capitalism was aggressive by nature, but also that the post-Nazi magnates of the Federal Republic were planning to resume "Hitler's great crusade against socialism" in the immediate future, with the aid of their Western allies. Ralf Schenk wrote that the American representative was portrayed as a "latent fascist", keen to fight a new war against the Soviet Union.
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346:, was inspired by the divine assembly that closed the Odyssey: IG Farben's directors were the "gods" that run the affairs while the common mortals bled and died on the field, like in the Homerian myth. According to the author, his work was to "reveal the 'gods' and the machinations behind the curtains". He was also determined to discredit Germany's old elites, both due to personal convictions and the ideological requirements of the Socialist Unity Party.
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and only became free when he embraced socialism; the latter was interested in profit alone, no matter where the money came from. She also wrote that the film was the last to depict the horrors of the Second World War from the viewpoint of passive victims; henceforth, East German cinema turned to concentrate on the active resistance of the anti-fascists.
386:. As many as 500 extras were used to film the crowd scenes. Although DEFA director-general Sepp Schwab demanded that the film be in Socialist Realist style, only one common worker - Uncle Karl, played by Albert Grabe - was featured in the picture. The lack of working-class heroes displeased the SED, and State Secretary for Press and Agitation
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Ursula
Heukenkamp noted that the portrayal of the main protagonist, Dr. Scholz, and the main antagonist, Mauch, was typical to communist cinema: the former was merely an insignificant part of a huge company, who could not stop developing chemicals even when he realized they were used to gas millions,
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pointed out that it was the first film to "articulate anti-capitalist economical positions" and aimed them against
America. Daniela Berghahn shared this view, writing that the film asserted that the capitalist economical structures brought about World War II, and that they remained intact both in the
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The filming took place against the background of the escalating Cold War. In 1949, the
Socialist Unity Party's Politburo established a DEFA Commission to directly oversee all films produced in East Germany, after it found those made during 1946-7 as "lacking in statements on the matters of society".
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was praised by the SED, and defined by it as the "most important film" of 1950; a politburo resolution stated that it was "up to the standards required by our country's democratic public opinion". Although it had a premiere in West Berlin, and a West German distributor sought to purchase it, it was
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lasted for two years. Maetzig later claimed that the film was made as a "documentary feature film": while the characters were basically fictional, it was based on real events. He maintained that he viewed the IG Farben trial, that was run only by the US, as the beginning of the rift between the
437:
wrote that "almost everything in it is a fraud." The
Federal Republic's Catholic Film Service cited it as "noteworthy political drama made by DEFA, the finale of which culminates in a scene worthy of the peace movement Ă la Moscow." At 1961, American critics Scott MacDonald and
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was the first picture to "fully embrace the ideological animosities of the Cold War", and that it tried to demonstrate that beside their wartime collaboration, IG Farben, Standard Oil and the capitalists dominating both were preparing a new war.
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was East
Germany's first "massive propaganda film." Maetzig, who had directed several socially critical pictures at that time and had been reprimanded by the political establishment, turned to making more politically pleasing works.
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claimed that the military commandants of West Berlin's three occupation sectors registered an official complaint to the
Soviets, claiming that the picture had such an influence on the public that it was undermining their authority.
221:
in his quest to dominate
Germany, and subsequently, the whole of Europe. Director General Mauch and his fellow managers, who jokingly call themselves 'the council of the gods', are cleverly using the
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Wechselseitige
Bezugsrahmen einer "doppelten Bewältigung" des Nationalsozialismus - Der deutsche Spielfilm der Nachkriegszeit als Medium der ... Gedächtnisses: Ein historischer Vergleich
349:
The characters in Wolf's story were modeled on the real directors of IG Farben, and even their names sounded much alike: the film's arch-villain, privy councillor Mauch, was based on
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379:'s Stalinist epics. It was officially dedicated "to all peace-loving people of the world" and intended to show how "the IG Farben were the originators of the war".
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cited it as a "hard-hitting propaganda film", but also as "the most important East German picture made up to date." During 1977, film scholars Miera and
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Cinema in the
Federal Republic of Germany: The new German film, origins and present situation : with a section on GDR cinema : a handbook
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Friedrich Wolf and his Soviet co-author, Phillipp Gecht, began writing the script in the summer of 1948, shortly after the end of the
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217:. While he develops new types of rocket fuel and a gas which he believes to be a pesticide, his corporate superiors support
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not released in the Federal Republic of Germany, where it was banned for being communist propaganda. The Soviet magazine
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and caused 280 deaths on 28 July 1948, which was combined into the plot's ending. Wolf later told that the title,
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353:. Wolf sought a director to create the film himself, and eventually chose Kurt Maetzig. The author's son,
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Schuld und Sühne Kriegserlebnis und Kriegsdeutung in deutschen Medien der Nachkriegszeit (1945–1961)
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Zwischen Propaganda Und Realpolitik: Die USA Und Der Sowjetisch Besetzte Teil Deutschlands 1945–1955
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The film sold 5,347,261 tickets in East Germany. It received a special Honorary Diploma in the 1950
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wartime Allies and, to an extent, even of the Cold War, and tried to depict it as such in the film.
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that he still regarded the film as an important work, and not as one of those he regretted making.
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327:. They used many original documents from the trial, but mainly relied of Richard Sasuly's book
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Americanization And Anti-Americanism: The German Encounter with American Culture after 1945
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Die Befreiung vom Kommunismus. Amerikanische 'Liberation Policy' im Kalten Krieg 1947–1991
8:
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430:, who watched it in East Germany, received a copy to his home in London on 22 June 1951.
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406:. On 8 October 1950, Maetzig, Wolf, cinematographer Friedl Behn-Grund and set designer
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Zwischen Regie und Regime. Die Filmpolitik der SED im Spiegel der DEFA-Produktionen
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was "intended to be a propaganda super-production," and its style was inspired by
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to earn a fortune, by supplying the Third Reich and - through their cartel with
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The Dancer Defects: the Struggle for Cultural Supremacy During the Cold War
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Das zweite Leben der Filmstadt Babelsberg. DEFA- Spielfilme 1946–1992
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The Most Important Art: Soviet and Eastern European Film After 1945
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In den Abgründen des 20. Jahrhunderts: Wer verloren hat, kämpfe: 1
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In a contemporary review of the film, West German journalist
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Massenmedien im Kalten Krieg: Akteure, Bilder, Resonanzen
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In the early 1930s, Dr. Scholz is a chemist working for
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Hollywood behind the Wall: the cinema of East Germany
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for "over-emphasizing the roles of the capitalists".
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Satire und Macht: Film, Zeitung, Kabarett in der DDR
331:. Another event which influenced their work was the
924:
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Cinema 16: Documents Toward History Of Film Society
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820:. Inter Nationes (1993). ASIN B0006F6CN8. p. 142.
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357:, served as an assistant-director. The work on
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816:Hans GĂĽnther Pflaum, Hans Helmut Prinzler.
736:List of the 50 highest-grossing DEFA films.
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446:claimed that it was "propaganda", as well.
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414:, 1st degree, for their work on the film.
831:Film, television and the left, 1950–1970
692:Spur der Filme: Zeitzeugen ĂĽber die DEFA
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404:Karlovy Vary International Film Festival
469:In a 2006 interview, Kurt Maetzig told
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382:Principal photography took place in
305:Karl-Heinz Deickert as Dieter Scholz
833:. Lawrence And Wishart Ltd (2002).
605:DEFA: East German cinema, 1946–1992
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314:Helene Riechers as Scholz's mother
296:Theodor Vogeler as Dr. HĂĽttenrauch
14:
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925:Thomas Lindenberger, ed. (2006).
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593:article on the film, 18 May 1950.
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648:Miera Liehm, Antonin J. Liehm .
278:Helmuth Hinzelmann as Schirrwind
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796:. Franz Steiner Verlag (2003).
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1332:Films directed by Kurt Maetzig
1158:Don't Forget My Little Traudel
851:Review quoted on film-zeit.de.
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555:An Interview with Kurt Maetzig
525:Antifaschismus im Film der DDR
1:
861:Scott MacDonald, Amos Vogel.
750:on DEFA Foundation's website.
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318:
287:Yvonne Merin as Claudia Mauch
272:Hans-Georg Rudolph as Tilgner
1327:German black-and-white films
1248:The Girl on the Diving Board
397:
293:Herwart Grosse as von Decken
7:
1322:1950s German-language films
865:. Wide Angle Books (2002).
603:Seán Allan, John Sandford.
499:. Oxford University Press.
290:Käthe Scharf as Mrs. Scholz
205:. It was released in 1950.
10:
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275:Albert Garbe as uncle Karl
1068:Berlin under Construction
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886:. Berghahn Books (2008).
527:. Papyros Verlag (1997).
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36:
26:
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1337:Films about Nazi Germany
1258:The Banner of Krivoi Rog
628:. Böhlau Verlag (2005).
333:explosion that destroyed
245:as privy councilor Mauch
1128:Story of a Young Couple
1108:The Council of the Gods
1088:Marriage in the Shadows
761:DEFA chronicle of 1950.
571:. Dietz Verlag (2007).
418:The Council of the Gods
392:The Council of the Gods
373:The Council of the Gods
359:The Council of the Gods
344:The Council of the Gods
236:
208:
192:The Council of the Gods
950:Ralf Schenk (editor).
673:. Grin Verlag (2009).
410:were all awarded the
338:'s chemical plant in
1218:At a French Fireside
1148:Castles and Cottages
495:David Caute (2003).
199:black-and-white film
1198:Captain Loy's Dream
971:Ursula Heukenkamp.
882:Alexander Stephan.
558:. friedrichwolf.de.
454:Council of the Gods
1118:The Benthin Family
1053:Films directed by
1015:Der Rat der Götter
998:Der Rat der Götter
975:. Rodolpi (2001).
903:Daniela Berghahn.
748:Der Rat der Götter
384:Halle an der Saale
302:as Scholz's father
263:as Dr. Hans Scholz
187:Der Rat der Götter
22:Der Rat der Götter
1317:East German films
1299:
1298:
1168:The Sailor's Song
981:978-90-420-1435-0
960:978-3-89487-175-8
936:978-3-412-23105-7
929:. Böhlau Verlag.
913:978-0-7190-6172-1
892:978-1-57181-673-3
871:978-1-56639-924-1
839:978-0-85315-905-6
802:978-3-515-08261-7
781:978-3-412-03002-5
775:. Böhlau (2002).
724:978-3-86153-262-0
714:Dagmar Schittly.
700:978-3-86153-401-3
679:978-3-640-33588-6
658:978-0-520-04128-8
634:978-3-412-15005-1
613:978-1-57181-753-2
577:978-3-320-02110-8
567:Achim Engelberg.
533:978-3-89438-142-4
523:Detlef Kannapin.
506:978-0-19-924908-4
459:Alexander Stephan
377:Mikheil Chiaureli
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68:Friedl Behn-Grund
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615:. pp. 66–67, 77.
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584:
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511:pp. 263–264.
496:
468:
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448:
432:
428:Ivor Montagu
422:
417:
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391:
388:Hermann Axen
381:
372:
367:
364:
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348:
343:
340:Ludwigshafen
328:
322:
227:Standard Oil
219:Adolf Hitler
212:
203:Kurt Maetzig
191:
186:
185:
184:
157:East Germany
144:Running time
121:Release date
88:Hanns Eisler
31:Kurt Maetzig
1228:Preludio 11
1141:(1954–1955)
591:Der Spiegel
550:Markus Wolf
471:Markus Wolf
450:David Caute
390:criticized
368:The Council
355:Konrad Wolf
351:Carl Krauch
282:Inge Keller
196:East German
148:107 minutes
48:Produced by
27:Directed by
1312:1950 films
1306:Categories
1278:Janus Head
1208:The Shadow
681:. pp. 145.
477:References
440:Amos Vogel
435:Curt Riess
319:Production
243:Paul Bildt
176:3,000,000
95:Production
78:Ilse Voigt
37:Written by
894:. p. 154.
873:. p. 389.
804:. p. 247.
783:. p. 577.
579:. p. 177.
535:. p. 117.
398:Reception
329:IG Farben
257:as dancer
255:Laya Raki
249:Eva Pflug
215:IG Farben
74:Edited by
16:1950 film
1268:Our Time
962:. p. 60.
915:. p. 73.
841:. p. 28.
636:. p. 28.
194:) is an
163:Language
84:Music by
56:Starring
233:rally.
231:May Day
153:Country
130: (
97:company
1291:(1976)
1281:(1970)
1271:(1969)
1261:(1967)
1251:(1967)
1241:(1965)
1231:(1963)
1221:(1963)
1211:(1961)
1201:(1961)
1191:(1961)
1181:(1960)
1171:(1958)
1161:(1957)
1151:(1957)
1131:(1952)
1121:(1950)
1111:(1950)
1101:(1949)
1091:(1947)
1081:(1946)
1071:(1946)
1005:
979:
958:
941:p. 54.
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722:
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531:
503:
173:Budget
167:German
1003:IMDb
977:ISBN
956:ISBN
931:ISBN
909:ISBN
888:ISBN
867:ISBN
835:ISBN
798:ISBN
777:ISBN
720:ISBN
696:ISBN
675:ISBN
654:ISBN
630:ISBN
609:ISBN
573:ISBN
529:ISBN
501:ISBN
336:BASF
237:Cast
209:Plot
132:1950
128:1950
103:DEFA
1001:at
1308::
954:.
907:.
809:^
718:.
707:^
694:.
652:.
641:^
607:.
589:A
552:.
540:^
516:^
485:^
1046:e
1039:t
1032:v
939:.
509:.
190:(
134:)
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