391:. He argues that the film, rather than being an advert for West Berlin, is in fact a critique of Americanization in the western side of the capital, and that American masculine influences weakened traditional senses of authority in both public and domestic life, and says, "In typical neo-realist fashion, Klein and Kohlhaase evoke the Americanization of East Berlin through their relationship ." The film, in this context, can therefore be seen as the struggle of young, working-class West German men in the city in a changing society with new pressures and influences brought about by the Americanization of the capital. Uschi's stern parents represent the traditional values which conflict with the emerging youth culture in the city. One of the most important pieces of consumer iconography in the film is the
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416:. These two films are regarded as the most accurate insights into the East Berlin youth scene in the aftermath of World War II and were a considerable success amongst the public. The films have been described as "offering a more open engagement with American youth culture" and playing a "pivotal role in the rituals of protest shared by urban youth in East and West Berlin". The film was praised by newspapers such as
387:, argues that connection between bourgeois and individualism and the ethos of socialism became increasingly politicized after the Second World War. He claims consumerist fantasies between the west and the eastern sectors of Berlin increased as the city was being masculinized as a direct result of the American influence in the capital and the legacy of Hollywood film rebels, such as
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The film is a love story about a seventeen-year-old East German apprentice shop assistant named Uschi (Bürger) and an unemployed auto mechanic named Hans (Thein) from West Berlin. She leaves her familial home and moves into West Berlin, drawn by the bright lights and economic progress on the western
405:
The film received a mixed reception upon release in May 1956. The film was criticized by the
Ministry of Film in East Germany and was said to directly provide a negative instruction to young people in the east to move to the west where life is depicted as superior. Despite this, Klein and Kohlhaase
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Then she meets Hans, an auto mechanic who, while also aspiring to be trendy, is living in relative poverty and is considered less physically attractive than Lord. Although initially mesmerized by the glamour of West Berlin and Lord, she falls in love with Hans, deciding that looks and image are not
445:
believed that the "vital matters of the divided city" could have been dealt with much more effectively by Klein and
Kohlhaase and by being more assertive in their depictions of the positive and negative aspects of the city at the time. He did offer some praise of Bürger's portrayal of Uschi,
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for its accurate representation of urban culture in contemporary life in Berlin in the mid-fifties, showing people as they really were. However, some East German papers criticized the film for not providing an effective counter response to Uschi's notions that the East is bland and boring in
367:, is a poignant insight into the difference in socio-economic customs and general domestic life which divided the city of Berlin during this period. Through the protagonist, Uschi, the audience is able to understand the feelings and emotions felt by many at the time.
374:
The film is a strong critique of the consumerist and image obsessions of the Berlin youth, influenced by
American culture in the aftermath of World War II. Pictured are Uschi and Lord, with hairstyles and clothing evoking the Golden Age of
397:, a battery-powered portable radio, which Lord wears around his neck and which Uschi is very much impressed with. It is a metaphor for the economic and technological discrepancy which existed at the time between East and West Berlin.
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remarking that "She has a sweet, attractive face and a sexy figure (accentuated by tight dresses), but being an amateur, she is only convincing as long as she plays herself."
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side. She initially dates handsome, stylish and well-earning Lord (Uwe-Jens Pape) who seeks to emulate
American movie heartthrobs.
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The film is one of the strongest critiques of consumer culture in
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important. She eventually returns home to her parents along with Hans, who finds a job in the
Eastern side of the city.
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Americanization and anti-Americanism: the German encounter with
American culture after 1945
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Americanization and Anti-Americanism. The German
Encounter with American Culture After 1945
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used techniques such as wide-angle lenses, extensive location work and high-speed film.
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Jazz, rock, and rebels: cold war politics and
American culture in a divided Germany
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210:. The film was the second collaboration between Klein and Kohlhaase; the first was
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and the
Americanization of the capital and are amongst DEFA's best known films.
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Seeking to infuse the film with a strong sense of realism, Cinematographer
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Legal tender: love and legitimacy in the East German cultural imagination
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romantic drama film about youth urban life in the divided city of
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collaborated again the following year with another realist film
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810:. DEFA Film Library at the University of Massachusetts Amherst
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McCormick, Richard W.; Guenther-Pal, Alison (20 April 2004).
412:(1957), which was a greater success at the box-office than
506:. Continuum International Publishing Group. p. 242.
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Bock, Hans-Michael; Bergfelder, Tim (30 December 2009).
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The concise Cinegraph: encyclopaedia of German cinema
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561:Die Stadt im Film: deutsche Spielfilme 1900-2000
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632:. Staatliches Filmarchiv der DDR. p. 111
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808:"A Berlin Romance (Eine Berliner Romanze)"
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626:Schulz, Günter; Hackbarth, Doris (1989).
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699:. Cornell University Press. p. 49.
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595:Spur der Filme: Zeitzeugen über die DEFA
539:. Taylor & Francis. 2006. p. 70
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435:comparison to the glamour of the west.
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558:Vogt, Guntram; Sanke, Philipp (2001).
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768:Allan, Seán; Sandford, John (1999).
727:Allan, Seán; Sandford, John (1999).
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838:. Berghahn Books. pp. 159–60.
771:DEFA: East German cinema, 1946-1992
730:DEFA: East German cinema, 1946-1992
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774:. Berghahn Books. pp. 103–5.
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872:A Critical History of German Film
598:. Ch. Links Verlag. p. 110.
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875:. Camden House. pp. 223–.
472:. Berghahn Books. p. 255.
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733:. Berghahn Books. p. 9.
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1013:German black-and-white films
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327:as construction entrepreneur
202:. The script was written by
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832:Stephan, Alexander (2005).
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660:. Routledge. p. 101.
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223:Berlin - Ecke Schönhauser
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186:. It was produced by the
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363:The film, inspired by
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958:Eine Berliner Romanze
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341:Commerce Organization
169:Eine Berliner Romanze
331:Günter Großsteinbeck
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949:East Germany portal
365:Italian neo-realism
307:Eckard Friedrichson
213:Alarm in the Circus
1008:1950s German films
409:Schönhauser Corner
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253:Annekathrin Bürger
204:Wolfgang Kohlhaase
192:Annekathrin Bürger
54:Wolfgang Kohlhaase
988:East German films
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882:978-1-57113-468-4
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667:978-0-415-08901-2
605:978-3-86153-401-3
571:978-3-89472-331-6
513:978-0-8264-1507-3
479:978-1-57181-655-9
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208:Günter Klück
196:Ulrich Thein
171:) is a 1956
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143:East Germany
130:Running time
107:Release date
84:Günter Klück
18:East Germany
419:BZ am Abend
394:Kofferradio
283:Erich Franz
277:Marga Legal
176:neo-realist
173:East German
40:Directed by
978:1956 films
972:Categories
450:References
425:Junge Welt
389:James Dean
353:Wolf Göthe
347:Production
325:Karl Weber
321:as teacher
289:Horst Kube
134:81 minutes
91:Production
64:Wolf Göthe
50:Written by
401:Reception
375:Hollywood
297:as Harald
70:Edited by
922:28 March
888:28 March
851:28 March
814:28 March
787:28 March
746:28 March
712:28 March
673:28 March
636:28 March
611:28 March
577:28 March
543:28 March
519:28 March
485:28 March
333:as Heini
315:as Karin
309:as Moses
149:Language
80:Music by
267:as Lord
261:as Hans
255:as Ushi
139:Country
118:1956-05
116: (
93:company
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359:Themes
291:as Max
180:Berlin
165:German
152:German
16:1956
963:IMDb
924:2011
911:ISBN
890:2011
877:ISBN
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840:ISBN
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508:ISBN
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474:ISBN
428:and
247:Cast
234:Plot
198:and
188:DEFA
99:DEFA
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