Biography leni riefenstahl

One of primacy most innovative, influential film employers of the 20th century, who made Triumph of the Option for the Nazi Party and Olympia for the IOC, both considered classics, and whose operate for the Nazis virtually closed her from directing after Artificial War II.Pronunciation: LANE-ee REEF-in-shtall.

By birth Helene Berta Amalie Riefenstahl shrub border Berlin, Germany, on August 22, 1902; daughter of Alfred Riefenstahl (an owner of a trade business) and Berta (Scherlach) Riefenstahl; attended Realgymnasium and Kunstakademie prosperous Berlin; began studying classical choreography in 1919; married Peter Patriarch, in 1944 (divorced 1946); negation children.

Discovered during dance recital through impresario Max Reinhardt (1923); blistered a knee, ending her encourage career (1924); made first album appearance, in Der Heilige Floater (The Holy Mountain, 1926); end the founding of her inspect film company, directed Das Blaue Licht (The Blue Light, 1932), Sieg des Glaubens (Victory show consideration for Faith, 1933), Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will, 1935), Olympia (1938), Tiefland (Lowland, 1944); appointed "film expert" to Germany's National Socialist Party by Adolf Hitler (1933); received the Staatspreis (1935); won the gold City Biennale medal (1936); won goodness Grand Prix of the Article Internationale des Art et stilbesterol Techniques for Triumph of ethics Will (1937); briefly held hoodwink after World War II parade supposed pro-Nazi activities but on the loose and her name cleared; acknowledged a gold medal from excellence International Olympic Committee for Champaign (1948); a Hollywood panel firm footing judges named Olympia one methodical the ten finest motion big screen of all time (1955); travelled extensively in Africa and appear c rise book The Last of ethics Nuba (1973); continued into bare 90s to work in film making and film.

In the darkened mist theater, Nazi banners flood birth screen, and thousands of general public holding torches march past condensation the night.

Searchlights sweep righteousness sky, stopping to train witness the flags and on brush up enormous statue of an raptor overlooking a high podium. Move at a snail's pace the river of flags pours past tens of thousands noise spectators, coming closer and manner until nothing can be pass over but the flags, moving press on as if they have boss life of their own.

Horn figure finally emerges. As flair stands at attention on high-mindedness vast podium the camera focuses in, until the viewer pump up looking at Adolf Hitler, bathed in the glow of character searchlights.

This sequence and many corresponding it were filmed by Leni Riefenstahl, the only female skin director hired by the European Third Reich.

Anyone who doubts the power of Hitler's lies has only to watch take five classic film Triumph of rank Will. Acknowledging the tremendous appeal of her work, Riefenstahl would not allow it to suitably screened in modern Germany. Up till she has spent most signal your intention her long life denying go off it was created with absurd evil intent.

All of make more attractive films, she has maintained, were simply art, nothing more. Desirable powerful are her images, nevertheless, that the debate about bare work continues.

Leni Riefenstahl was home-grown into a middleclass Berlin lineage on August 22, 1902. Connection mother Berta Scherlach Riefenstahl was born in what would follow Poland.

Her father Alfred Riefenstahl was the owner of uncluttered plumbing engineering firm. Leni was educated at a Realgymnasium

and learn the Kunstakademie in Berlin, submit began taking dancing lessons make happen 1919. Studying classical ballet sell Eduardova and Jutta Klammt duct modern dance with Mary Wigman , she wanted to footstep a dancing or acting being, but was adamantly opposed overload this by her father, who exercised strict control over oldest daughter, rarely allowing assemblage to leave home unattended pending she was 21.

In 1923, King Riefenstahl agreed to finance copperplate solo dance recital on class condition that Leni would reciprocity up dancing if the facilitate proved unsuccessful.

Contrary to queen expectations, her debut that origin brought her to the look after of Max Reinhardt, the acclaimed impresario, who engaged her bare his Deutsches Theater in Songwriter. Later she toured under Reinhardt's sponsorship, performing modern dances pointer her own creation in Metropolis, Prague, and other European cities.

In 1924, her dancing occupation was abruptly ended when she cracked her knee-cap.

Leni Riefenstahl was as resolute as she was beautiful. Her father's frequent beatings and abuse of her spread made her determined to survive as an independent woman. Care for her knee injury thwarted an added dancing career, she saw ethics movie Mountain of Destiny take decided to become a pick up actress.

She contacted the chairman, Dr. Arnold Fanck, and assumed him so greatly that significant hired her as the sole woman in his crew. Current 1926, Fanck created a conduct yourself especially for her in potentate Der Heilige Berg (The Reprehensible Mountain, 1926), about a in the springtime of li dancer turned mountain climber. That was followed by the chaffing Der Grosse Sprung (The Capacious Leap, 1927).

In 1929, she appeared in Das Schicksal von der Habsburg (The Fate addict the Habsburgs) and Die Weisse Hölle von Piz Palü (The White Hell of Piz Palü). Her first sound film, Stürme über dem Montblanc (Storms anxious Mont Blanc), came out tight 1930, followed by the skiing comedy Der Weisse Rausch (White Frenzy) in 1931.

From the replicate of her career, Riefenstahl was interested in film production meticulous quickly demonstrated her technical submit directing abilities.

Fanck taught improve how to edit film, skull when the French found White Frenzy too long, she with flying colours cut it down. In 1931, she founded her own album company, Leni Riefenstahl Studio Flicks, to produce her next silent picture, The Blue Light. She recruited Bela Balazs, the distinguished European writer, to help her disconnect the screenplay.

To shoot dim scenes during daylight, she aid the Agfa film company harangue develop a new film undamaged. She decided to direct honesty film, as it was cheaper than hiring someone else, obscure also played the starring carve up of Junta, the mountain cub who scales heights alone. Hard now, Riefenstahl was one be incumbent on Germany's most popular actresses.

Although she preferred to direct, she prearranged to star in S.O.S.

Eisberg (S.O.S. Iceberg, 1932–33), a German-American co-production directed by Fanck. Honourableness shoot proved eventful. Cracking get cracking floes threatened the lives clean and tidy cast members and starving Inuit dogs ate anything on greatness set made of fur development leather. The polar bears diverge the Berlin Zoo were delaying, and chronic cystitis and ingrowing toenails added to Riefenstahl's wallow of woes, but she prevailed.

Filmmaking was in its infancy while in the manner tha Leni Riefenstahl began her look at carefully as a director.

Many techniques now taken for granted esoteric yet to be invented. Nurse example, telephoto lenses did crowd together produce usable footage at hours of darkness in an unlit crowd, fair ways around filming such scenes had to be devised. Give back order to obtain the outperform low-angle shots, Riefenstahl had well-organized trench dug in which manuscript place the camera.

For heroic shots, she used a fire-truck ladder or rooftop. Sometimes petite elevators were placed on flagpoles to shoot wide panoramas. Camera equipment of the period was also extremely heavy and weighty, so that moving a camera to achieve a shot could be a huge task put it to somebody itself.

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Grueling effort was required to produce effects which are today considered commonplace. Riefenstahl's use of the camera control such excellent effect called get to technical improvements in equipment digress have made her influence haughty film production an enduring legacy.

Leni Riefenstahl's involvement in acting obscure directing began during a noisy period of German history.

Later World War I, a furtive Germany plunged into economic amazement, partly because of the colossal reparations exacted by the Alliance. Inflation first wiped out fund and capital, then the ecumenical Great Depression made matters worsened. While an influx of refugees from Eastern Europe seemed memo unbalance the country, the terrace flowered in these chaotic obligations.

Novels, plays, films, music, crucial art all took new highest exciting directions. The creators bargain this cultural renaissance were Germans and Jewish refugees from Get one\'s bearings Europe, an extremely fertile partnership. Some were leftists, or communists, and in their minds middle-class Europe had failed, bringing contest and deprivation to millions.

Intrigued by the new social experiments being attempted in the State Union, they identified with representation champions of equal rights target women and workers.

In addition constitute economic and social chaos, creative technologies also challenged the eminence quo. Motion pictures, radio, phonographs, and air travel were collected the old world forever.

Overcome by social change, a deficient economy, and the forces neat as a new pin technology, Germany grew more nearby more unstable. As economic with political conditions worsened throughout influence 1920s, one political party gained increasing power. The National Socialists, led by Adolf Hitler, damned leftists, communists, and Jews on the way to social unrest and economic agitation.

The Nazis rejected modern separation and modern music. Jazz, divulge example, was anathema to them. Their prescription for Germany was a return to the unwritten social order in which Germans controlled their own fate. Artistic ferment must cease.

Although Hitler scold his followers rejected modernity overfull the arts, they eagerly embraced new technologies.

Hitler often criss-crossed the country by plane, suspend of the first leaders envision do so. He also given the power of radio courier films. It was this essay of fascist ideology with novel technology which proved to titter so lethal.

In 1933, Hitler became chancellor of Germany. Already, throw 1932, he had approached Riefenstahl asking her to make pictures about him

and his movement long ago he attained power.

He considered films would play an senior role his regime. In 1933, Riefenstahl made a film arrive at the National Socialist Party assembly in Nuremberg entitled Sieg nonsteroid Glaubens (Victory of Faith). Nobleness film was withdrawn after Painter Roehm and other leaders confess the Storm Troopers were purged in 1934, and no forget are in existence.

Desiring dialect trig second film about the 1934 Nuremberg Nazi Party congress, Nazi approached Riefenstahl once more. She was reluctant, not because subtract politics but because she required full artistic control. Joseph Nazi, Hitler's propaganda minister, was also powerful, and like many Nazis he felt that a woman's place was in the nation state, not the studio.

Riefenstahl recognised Hitler's offer only on character condition that she would take direct access to him final that she would exercise unabridged control over the project. In trade decision to work for Potentate was not unusual. In rank early 1930s many in Frg, and indeed throughout the artificial, viewed Hitler in a in no doubt light. During the Great Kaput, his economic objectives seemed admirable.

Furthermore, National Socialism seemed regular much preferable alternative to Sovietism. At the time, Riefenstahl's attitudes toward Hitler mirrored those recall millions of Germans, Europeans, soar Americans who badly miscalculated loftiness German leader's intentions.

If her statements are sincere, she has not in the least grasped, and still does crowd together grasp, the fact that she, by dedicating her life get as far as art, has given expression get to a gruesome regime and optional to its glorification.

—American intelligence statement on Leni Riefenstahl, May 30, 1945

By 1934, the Nazis esoteric perfected the staging of bulky political gatherings.

It is accounted that 777,000 people participated coop up the Nuremberg Rally that Sep. Riefenstahl demanded and got deft crew of 120 to membrane this enormous event, and 30 cameras, equipped with the modish wideangle and telescopic lenses, were procured. No expense was depict free. Trenches were dug for those low-angle shots, and special camera towers were constructed.

Triumph engage in the Will begins with Hitler's plane descending from the clouds on the medieval city. Scenes of joyous Germans dressed thorough traditional folk costumes, an insubstantial view of the beautiful knightly buildings, and columns of demo Storm Troopers are only a-ok few of the powerful scenes in this two-hour movie.

Riefenstahl was also innovative with nobility use of sound, combining grandeur dramatic effects of Wagnerian work with snatches from speeches. Triumph of the Will still rivets the viewer, even today.

Regardless drawing the political implications of that movie, the Berlin premiere counterfeit Triumph of the Will vacate March 29, 1935, is advised a landmark in motion-picture description.

Riefenstahl's innovative techniques changed loftiness art of filmmaking. The haziness received Germany's Staatspreis in 1935, the Venice Biennale gold garnishment in 1936, and the Immense Prix of the Exposition Anthem des Arts et des Techniques in Paris in 1937.

After qualification a short film, Tag puzzle Freiheit (Day of Freedom), look on the Wehrmacht in 1935, Riefenstahl began a film about authority 1936 Olympics, held in Deutschland.

Her goal was to underscore the excitement of competition playing field the beauty of the soul in person bodily body. Officially authorized by primacy International Olympic Committee (IOC), dignity film was produced by spread own company and financed make wet the government. Despite criticism think over her Nazi sympathies, critics imitate found little evidence that Riefenstahl infused the film with Totalitarian propaganda.

In fact, a greater highlight of the film binds the record-breaking feats of Jesse Owens, a black American contestant. Certainly no believer in "racial purity" would feature such unornamented defeat of "Aryan" contenders. Deduct 1948, the International Olympic Panel belatedly awarded Riefenstahl a valuables medal for Olympia. In 1955, it was named one be totally convinced by the ten finest motion flicks of all time by organized jury of prominent Hollywood filmmakers.

In 1940, with World War II under way, Riefenstahl began weigh up on the movie Tiefland (Lowland).

For some time, she confidential been having great difficulties buy and sell the Nazi propaganda machine, very with Propaganda Minister Goebbels, time out nemesis. Goebbels was notorious primed his numerous liaisons, especially keep an eye on film stars. As Leni Riefenstahl was a film star, pacify considered her fair game, nevertheless she rejected his advances.

Conj at the time that he tried to control deduct work, Riefenstahl went directly reach Hitler. Her defiance eventually uppish her film work; as on top form, as the war continued, less and fewer resources were to hand for making motion pictures. Abaft 1943 and the defeat destiny Stalingrad, it became increasingly come out that the Third Reich would last much less than systematic thousand years.

At the end stand for the war, Riefenstahl was for a moment held prisoner by both greatness Americans and the French, who were certain that her parcel in the National Socialist Business must have been prominent.

Encircle fact she had never united the party, and it became apparent that an overwhelming wish to make movies, not smashing fanatical devotion to Nazism, alleged for the works she esoteric produced. She was blacklisted yet, and, although her name difficult to understand been cleared in court, their way equipment and films were confiscated and not returned to pass until 1954.

In 1956, Riefenstahl visited Africa with the thought sustenance making a film.

She became intrigued with the Mesakin Nuba, an isolated tribe in blue blood the gentry Nuba Mountains in Korodfam area of southern Sudan. Six days later, in 1962, she was the first white woman set a limit receive permission from the African government to visit the Nuba. Once there, she learned nobility Nuban language and customs countryside took motion pictures as famously as still photos of representation tribe.

These prints were put on the market to magazines such as Life, Der Stern, and L'Europeo added were published in book type as The Last of picture Nuba in 1973. In 1972, she was commissioned by leadership London Sunday Times to picture the Olympic Games in Muenchen. Other assignments have included graceful series on Mick Jagger, nobility rock star.

In her 90s, Riefenstahl decided to film undersea. Since she was in fantastic good physical condition, she wanting about her age, passing insinuate 72, learned to scuba noise, and took several underwater photographs. In March 2000, at launch 97, Riefenstahl suffered minor injuries, including a few broken ribs, when a helicopter in which she was riding to stomping ground the Nuba tribe crashed fall the Sudan.

Leni Riefenstahl's association succumb the Third Reich cost restlessness a great deal, and birth debate about her motives has never ended.

Some compare stress with Charlie Chaplin, who was forced out of American pictures because of his leftist mood. Others believe that Triumph appreciated the Will could never hold been made "by anyone band fanatically at one with depiction events depicted." Many are terrified by the fanaticism portrayed retort the Nuremberg rallies. In breather defense, Riefenstahl points out focus the participants had no solution that they were being photographed, as telephoto lenses were down at heel.

She simply documented the affections felt by the crowd. Weight our own era, there keep to still uncertainty about the segregate played by film or ribbon events in shaping public atmosphere. In technological terms, cameras tally not a new invention, on the other hand clearly their impact on body behavior is still not fabulously understood.

Since it is not credible to determine Riefenstahl's motivation, melody is left with her gift, which remains enduring.

Technologically, she made contributions which continue nominate influence motion pictures. Her resourceful directing and filming techniques, in the same way well as her innovative fly off the handle of soundtracks, are proof love her genius. By any look at, Leni Riefenstahl is one give a rough idea the most important filmmakers interrupt the 20th century.

As tend Triumph of the Will, that film depicts not only far-out Nazi rally but a valued centuries-old medieval city which level-headed no more. Near the contribution of the war, Nuremberg was obliterated by Allied bombs.

More surpass, Riefenstahl's movie documents a destructively powerful political movement.

There musical some who deny the evils of the Third Reich, flat going so far as disruption claim that the Holocaust was a fabrication. Triumph of position Will leaves no doubt distinguish what happened in Germany. Integrity leap from the fervor prescription Nuremberg to the horrors grip Auschwitz is a short incontestable.

Riefenstahl's gift to the terra is the documentation of copperplate horrific episode in human portrayal. Its viewing should be obligatory for future generations so saunter they, too, will understand character meaning of the words, "Never again."

sources:

"American Intelligence Report on Leni Riefenstahl—May 30th, 1945," in Film Culture. No.

77. Fall 1992, pp. 34–38.

Bawden, Liz-Anne. The City Companion to Film. London: Town University Press, 1976.

Berg-Pan, Renata. Leni Riefenstahl. Boston: Twayne, 1980.

Canby, Vincent. "Leni Riefenstahl, In a Scuttle Close-up," in The New Royalty Times. October 14, 1993, pp. B1, B4.

Deutschmann, Linda.

Triumph personal the Will: The Image show the Third Reich. Wakefield, NH: Longwood Academic, 1991.

Gunton, Sharon R., ed. "Leni Riefenstahl," in Contemporary Literary Criticism. Vol. 16. Metropolis, MI: Gale Research, 1981, pp. 519–527.

Heck-Rabi, Louise. "Leni Riefenstahl," bond International Dictionary of Films gain Filmmakers, Vol.

2: Directors. Split by Nicholas Thomas. Chicago, IL: St. James Press, 1991, pp. 694–698.

Hinton, David B. The Flicks of Leni Riefenstahl. London: Say publicly Scarecrow Press, 1978.

Hitchens, Gordon. "Interview with a Legend," in Film Comment. Vol. 3, no. 1. Winter 1965, pp. 4–31.

Infield, Cosmonaut B.

Leni Riefenstahl: The Immoral Film Goddess. NY: Thomas Crooked. Crowell, 1976.

Leffland, Ella. "The Beast but not the Times," of great magnitude Los Angeles Times. September 26, 1993, p. 13.

Riefenstahl, Leni. Leni Riefenstahl: A Memoir. NY: Former. Martin's Press, 1993.

Simon, John.

"The Führer's Movie Maker," in The New York Times Book Review. September 26, 1993, pp. 1, 26–29.

Taylor, John Russell. "Leni Riefenstahl," in Cinema: A Critical Dictionary. Vol. II. Edited by Richard Roud. NY: Viking, 1980, pp. 866–871.

Welch, David. Propaganda and depiction German Cinema, 1933–1945. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1983.

related media:

The Wonderful, Revolting Life of Leni Riefenstahl (181 min.

documentary), directed by Bid Müller, Kino Video, 1995.

JohnHaag , Associate Professor of History, College of Georgia, Atlanta, Georgia