#Helene Bertha Amalie “Leni” Riefenstahl | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

blackswaneuroparedux · 3 years

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The weak are more likely to make the strong weak than the strong are likely to make the weak strong.

- Marlene Dietrich

Two beautiful and ambitious Berliners, born just eight months apart - Marie Magdalene Dietrich, on December 27, 1901; Bertha Helene Amalie Riefenstahl, on August 22, 1902 - both bound to shape the fantasies and touch the histories of their time.

Two girls growing up amid the fear and chaos of the Great War, two artists committed to impossible ideals of physical beauty, two women who became embodiments not only of the opposing sides of the next war but, for many, of opposing forces in the human soul.

They scarcely knew each other, although during the late twenties they were such close neighbours that Riefenstahl claimed she could see into Dietrich’s apartment windows.

It is unlikely that Dietrich would have looked back. There are a few photographs showing the two of them at the Berlin Press Ball in 1928: Dietrich, on the brink of the huge success of “The Blue Angel,” smiles and clowns with ease, a jaunty cigarette holder clamped between her lips, the broad planes of her face soaking up the camera’s light and affection; Riefenstahl, then a well-known film actress, too, stands by shy and awkward, self-consciously eclipsed.

Decades later, Riefenstahl recorded several anecdotes about Dietrich in her memoirs. Dietrich, in a sketchier memoir of her own, had nothing to say about Riefenstahl. Dietrich’s daughter, however, wrote of hearing a conversation in the mid-thirties about Jewish actors who had been thrown out of Germany. “Soon they won’t have any talent left for their big ‘cultural Reich,’ ” Dietrich said, “except, of course, that terrible Riefenstahl and Emil Jannings. They will stay, and those two ‘well-poisoners’ - the Nazis deserve!”

The two women never saw each other again after 1930, when Dietrich left Germany, nor did they write or speak or maintain more than a few acquaintances in common.

Riefenstahl did receive a phone call informing her that Dietrich had won the role that Riefenstahl coveted in “The Blue Angel,” and was so upset that she sent her dinner guest home without his promised goulash.

**Photo: Marlene Dietrich, Leni Riefenstahl, and Anna May Wong at the Pierre Ball in Berlin, 1928

#marlene dietrich #dietrich #quote #leni riefenstahl #german #actress #film #cinema #culture #photography #germany #history #icon #femme #beauty #european

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abombordo · 2 years

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Coleção Primavera-Verão - Capitulo 5

Você quer assistir as Olimpíadas de 1936??

Abra o Youtube.... tá lá ... pode assistir!!

São mais de 3 horas de filme, na verdade em 2 filmes sobre aqueles jogos.

É, hoje vou falar de quem eternizou as Olimpíadas de 36, e não só aquele evento, mas deixou registros importantes dessa década: a pequena atriz e grande diretora Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl.

Para entender todo o contexto, vou contar um pouco do aparecimento desta senhora que esteve atrás das câmeras, ao lado de Hitler e na frente de muita polêmica.

Ela nasceu em Berlim, em 1902, e era apaixonada pela dança. Com 20 anos conheceu um banqueiro romeno, judeu chamado Sokal, que se tornou seu amante e patrocinador. Leni viveu sua juventude naquele período de Ouro da Arte e Cultura europeia, como comentei em vários capítulos anteriores e usou seu indiscreto charme para manipular todos à sua volta para produzir suas ideias e bancar suas iniciativas. Sokal era tão apaixonado por ela que em 1923 chegou a alugar um teatro em Munique para ela dançar, em um espetáculo escrito por ela.

Nesse período, o povo alemão (também os italianos e os franceses) adorava filmes cujas histórias aconteciam nos Alpes. A montanha era a protagonista, era como o filme de faroeste para os americanos. Olha essa listinha de filmes alemães ambientados nas Montanhas: Die Geierwally (1921), Berg des Schicksals (1923), Der Kampf ums Matterhorn (1928), Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü (1929), SOS Eisberg (1933), Der Berg ruft (1938), entre outros.

Em 1924, Leni conheceu o diretor Arnold Fauck, que escreveu e dirigiu um filme para ela, chamado "Holy Mountain”, que seguia aqueles estereótipos: tipos atléticos que escalavam a montanha, cenas de folclore e romance. Mas ela não perdia tempo, e ia aprendendo todos os truques de luz na cena, ângulos e filtros usados para a câmera. Com esse conhecimento, pulou para atrás da câmera e de atriz se colocou na posição de direção, edição e montagem de filmes.

Em 1932 apresentou um novo projeto para seu amigo Sokal, chamado “Blue Light” ou “Das blaue Licht ", outro filme de montanha, na qual estrelava o papel da mocinha. Na cadeira de diretor estava Bela Balazs e na câmera, Carl Mayer, ambos judeus.

Este filme estreou nos cinemas meses antes das novíssimas leis raciais. Quando isso aconteceu, (Leis de Nuremberg entraram em vigor em Setembro de 1935), Leni não teve nenhum problema de consciência ou de ética, e mandou apagar os nomes do trio: produtor – diretor – câmera, nos créditos, colocando o seu nome nas três posições!

Mais ainda, ela leu Mein Kampf e ouviu os discursos do Führer que a deixaram impressionada, embasbacada, e tratou de se aproximar dele, o que não foi difícil porque Hitler já havia assistido e gostado de seus filmes. Ela recebeu o convite para ser a diretora dos próximos filmes do 3° Reich.

Não vou cansar vocês com a lista de filmes que ela fez, que formam um arquivo impressionante da propaganda nazista, mas para os mais curiosos sobre o tema, menciono aqui alguns: Der Sieg des Glaubens (1933), Triumph des Willens (1934), Tag der Freiheit - Unsere Wehrmacht (1935), Festliches Nürnberg (1937), Olympia (1936) .... e sobre este que quero comentar, afinal a gente veio aqui para falar disso, né? .

Na primeira parte, com o título “A Festa das Nações”, ela fala do corpo, o culto de origem grega do corpo perfeito, para depois apresentar cenas da abertura dos jogos, do percurso que a tocha olímpica fez, e as provas de atletismo. A segunda parte chama “A Festa da Beleza” e mostra a Vila Olímpica, os atletas e outras modalidades disputadas. Foram gravadas mais de 250 horas com técnicas inovadoras que iriam fazer história, como lentes teleobjetivas, câmera lenta, ângulos inéditos ou bem abaixo do objeto ou panorâmico e o travelling lateral, criado aqui e usado desde então. Completando o espetáculo vinha a edição, porque a ilha de edição era onde a Leni realmente criava seus “blockbusters”, narrava os acontecimentos num ritmo intenso, criando expectativas até chegar no resultado final. Ela criou um novo padrão de filmagem de esportes, usado até hoje.

Bom, depois teve a guerra e Leni acompanhou tudo. Chegou a desempenhar um curto papel de correspondente de guerra (parece que não aguentou ver tanta brutalidade) e nesse período produziu um filme ficcional chamado Tiefland. Era um filminho água-com-açúcar, ambientado na Espanha, para relaxar o pessoal. Mas como não era possível filmar na Espanha, ela ficou caçando pessoas para a figuração com fenótipo mediterrâneo para rodar ali na Alemanha mesmo. Teve a genial ideia de escolher uns ciganos como figurantes, mas onde encontrá-los?? Ahh, num campo de concentração! E encontrou farta oferta em um campo em Salzburg, de onde os internos eram despachados para o temido leste, ou seja, para Auschwitz. Sobreviventes desse episódio contaram que ela caminhava, escoltada por soldados da SS, selecionando aqueles que lhe interessavam, entre homens, mulheres e crianças que aguardavam essa vistoria em filas.

A guerra acabou e ela foi presa. Ficou 4 anos em um campo de concentração francês. Quando foi a julgamento, a acusação era exatamente ter usado prisioneiros nos sets de filmagem, ao que ela respondeu que não sabia exatamente o que estava acontecendo e que ela nunca fez mal a ninguém. O tribunal classificou-a apenas como "simpatizante" do nazismo e ela foi liberada, mas o inquérito continuou aberto.

Ela nunca mais conseguiu financiamento para produzir ou dirigir um filme, maculada com uma suástica invisível na testa, num ambiente povoado por produtores e diretores judeus, pensa em Hollywood!!!

Aí virou fotógrafa e foi para África documentar o povo Nuba do Sudão. Aos 80 anos decidiu iniciar uma carreira de fotógrafa subaquática e fez ainda um documentário chamado “Impressionen unter Wasser” (Impressões Subaquáticas).

Quando completou 100 anos, em 2002, as autoridades alemãs decidiram arquivar aquele inquérito e inocentá-la definitivamente, baseados na afirmação de que todos os ciganos que participaram de seu filme haviam sobrevivido à Guerra.

Ela morreu em setembro de 2003, com 101 anos, em sua casa, na Alemanha. Diz seu obituário que foi a última personalidade famosa do período nazista alemão a morrer.

E aqui desligo o canal das Olimpíadas de 36, mas não da Década de 30, nem da propaganda nazista, que voltará em breve .... aguarde, comente, me escreva, interaja comigo.... bite ....

Beijosss

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paulriedelposts · 4 years

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Third Reich artists: Leni Riefenstahl

The Third Reich artists, like Leni Riefenstahl, played an important role in spreading Nazi propaganda. All artistic branches were culturally valuable. Some of them flourished during Hitler's regime, and one of them was Leni Riefenstahl.

Who was Leni Riefenstahl?

Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl was a German dancer, actress, film director, photographer, and writer. In the early days of her career, during the Weimar period (from 1919 till 1933), she was one of the few female film directors. She directed in 1932 her own film The Blue Light (Das Blaue Licht). In the 1930s, she directed her first propaganda films: Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens) and Olympia. These two films were technically innovative and some of the most effective propaganda films during the period. They brought her worldwide acclaim and attention. Even years later George Lucas used some of her monumental techniques. However, most of her works, especially the film Triumph of the Will, negatively affected her reputation after the war. Being involved with the Nazis greatly damaged her career; she was also a friend with Hitler as well. Hitler and Riefenstahl also collaborated on a few Nazi movies. Some people claimed that her visions played a key role in the Holocaust. The police arrested her after the war and released soon after because they classified her as a Nazi sympathizer. They hadn't had enough proof to accuse her of being associated with any war crimes. She strongly denied that she had known something about the Holocaust. Aside from directing, Riefenstahl also pursued a photography and writing career. Later in her life, she wrote a few books about the Nuba people, as well as her autobiography.

Childhood

Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl was born in Berlin on August 22, 1902. Since her early childhood, she loved art and started to write poetry and paint. She was interested in swimming and gymnastics so she decided to join school clubs. Aside from her interests in arts and gymnastics, Riefenstahl's love for ballet and dancing seemed to be the greatest. It took her to the Grimm-Reiter Dance School in Berlin, the place where she achieved brilliant results. Riefenstahl became one of the best students at the school.

Early years

After having attended some dancing academies, Riefenstahl became famous for her unique dancing skills. As a dancer, she got a chance to travel all around Europe. Her dancing career did not last long, unfortunately. After a few foot injuries, she had knee surgery which hugely affected her dancing career. In 1924, while on her way for a regular check-up, she saw a poster for a film. The film was The Mountain of Destiny (Der Berg des Schicksals), which inspired her to pursue a film-making career. She spent lots of time in cinemas, watching movies and attending film shows. After she met Arnold Fanck, the man who directed Der Berg des Schicksals, she started her acting career. He featured her in one of his films after witnessing her acting skills and learning that she admired his work.

Leni Riefenstahls acting career

Arnold Fanck gave her a role in his 1926 film, The Holy Mountain (Der Heilige Berg). Riefenstahl took roles in several other films and learned editing techniques and acting from Fanck. It was one of Fanck's films that brought her fame in many other countries. The movie was The White Hell of Piz Palü (Die weiße Hölle vom Piz Palü) in 1929. A few years later, in 1932, Riefenstahl produced and directed her own film, The Blue Light (Das Blaue Licht). Béla Balázs and Carl Mayer were her co-writers. Even though not well-received, the film won the Silver Medal at the Venice Film Festival. Riefenstahl blamed critics, mostly Jewish ones, for their criticism. The film saw its second release in 1938 when Sokal and Balázs, both Jewish, didn't get their credits. Many believe that this happened at Riefenstahl's behest. In the Blue Light, Riefenstahl plays the role of an innocent peasant girl. The villagers hate the girl, believing she's diabolic and they cast her out. She gets protection from a glowing mountain grotto. Leni Riefenstahl once stated that she had received many invitations to move to Hollywood and make films there, which she refused. In 1933 though, she appeared in other Arnold Fanck's films, which were German- USA co-productions. She filmed S.O.S Iceberg, the only English language role film she ever had. She wanted to live and work in Germany. Upon seeing the movie the Blue Light, Hitler became interested in her. He was convinced she portrayed the perfect German woman and wanted to meet her instantly.

Directing propaganda movies

Before she got a chance to meet Hitler in person, she heard him speak at a rally in 1932. His talent for giving public speeches fascinated her. Riefenstahl captivated Hitler as well as she fitted his ideal od Aryan woman. After they met, she got an offer to direct The Victory of Faith (Der Sieg des Glaubens). This was a propaganda film about the fifth Nuremberg Rally in 1933. Triumph of the Will The second propaganda film she got a chance to direct was Triumph of the Will (Triumph des Willens). This was another film about the party rally in Nuremberg in 1934. Many believe this is one of the greatest propaganda films in history. The motion picture of the film was an innovative and epic work of propaganda film-making. Riefenstahl became internationally popular and recognized. According to Riefenstahl, she agreed to film Triumph as the last one for the party. Lowlands Riefenstahl then continued to direct a film based on Eugen d'Albert's opera, Lowlands (Tiefland). She received the production funding and shot the film between 1940 and 1944. It was a black and white film, considered to be the third most expensive films of the Third Reich. For this film, Riefenstahl employed Romani from internment camps for extras. Unfortunately, the way people treated them on set was inhumane. After shooting the film, those Romani ended up in Auschwitz. In one of her interviews, she denied any attempt to create Nazi propaganda. She told to be appalled that Nazis used Triumph of the Will for such purposes. Olympia in 1935, Hitler invited her again to film the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. She accepted, believing the International Olympic Committee commissioned the film funding. The truth was that The Third Reich secretly funded the film. This film was Olympia, an immensely successful film for its aesthetic and technical achievements. Riefenstahl was one of the first filmmakers who used tracking shots while filming a documentary. To follow the movements of athletes, she placed a camera on rails. She also took slow-motion shots, panoramic aerial shots, underwater diving shots, high and low shooting angles. These shots were pretty unheard of at the time. Her work on this film influenced modern sports photography.

Leni Riefenstahl visiting the USA

Riefenstahl visited the USA to secure the commercial release of the movie Olympia. At the time, Hitler was one of the greatest men and she defended him fiercely. Little did she know then about the brutality he had been preparing. While she was in New York City, Kristallnacht took place in Germany. Again she defended Hitler and his actions. She carried out her mission in the USA. Olympia played at the Chicago Engineers Club and it received great appraisals. She met with many great names in America: Walt Disney, Louis B. Mayer, Henry Ford, and others. She had a chance to live and work in Hollywood, but she preferred to stay in Germany.

World War II

The Nazi's violence during WWII shook her confidence in the party. Following German troops for film-making, she saw the execution of Polish civilians. The very same day she witnessed such violence, she left the set to meet Hitler. She made an appeal against such actions. However, she did not object to filming the triumph parade in Warsaw a few weeks later.

After the war

After the war, Riefenstahl tried to separate herself from the Third Reich regime. She stated how she only created work and it happened that the Nazis commissioned it. For her, it didn't mean she worked for them and their purposes. She was never a member of the party, but only their sympathizer during their early years. This association with the Nazis made it difficult for her to regain position in cinematic communities in Europe, especially Germany. Riefenstahl chose still photography. In the 1970s published an illustrated volume on the Nuba people, the primitive tribe of Sudan. Later in her life, she became interested in underwater cinematography. Years that followed after the end of the war were isolation years. She lived in Munich, where she died of cancer on September 8th, 2003, at the age of 101. Her burial site is in Munich at Munich Waldfriedhof. People will probably remember her more as Hitler’s favorite film director, and not a great artist. And she was one indeed, the first female film director with international acclaim. Not well known for her work, she does deserve more attention. Just like many other artists during the Third Reich, she was manipulated and used to advertise its propaganda. They weren’t all aware of how it would end. They did what they did best, create work that would live long after they’re all gone. The work that tells the story of their time.

More about Leni Riefenstahl?

If you are interested in booking my Third Reich tour, be sure you’ll get a chance to come near to the manipulation of folk and artists in those dark years. There are plenty of sites that exhibit the great works of art, the Third Reich art. There are places that witness the mistakes of our past. Visiting concentration camps, in my opinion, honors the Nazis and their propaganda. What we can do is to see works of art as they tell more about the whole society. These works tell about mistakes, good deeds, and they can help us learn. We don’t need more discrimination, more hatred. What we seek is love and peace for everyone, no matter their race, sexuality, or religion.

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osobypostacieludzie · 7 years

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Leni Riefenstahl ( Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl ) - niemiecka reżyserka filmowa znana z nowatorskiej estetyki. Jej osoba i twórczość budziła często kontrowersje z powodu filmów propagandowych, jakie nakręciła w okresie hitleryzmu. Urodzona w Berlinie, w Niemczech, Riefenstahl rozpoczęła karierę jako tancerka – w wywiadzie udzielonym w 2002 wspominała, że taniec dawał jej poczucie prawdziwego szczęścia. Gdy kontuzja zmusiła ją do porzucenia tańca, Riefenstahl zainteresowała się kinem. Zachwycona możliwościami tego środka przekazu skontaktowała się z miejscowym reżyserem, Arnoldem Fanckiem, domagając się roli w jego następnym filmie. Uległ on jej naleganiom i Riefenstahl zagrała w kilku tzw. „filmach górskich” wytwórni Universum Film AG, takich jak Święta góra (Der heilige Berg) czy Burza nad Mont Blanc (Stürme über dem Mont Blanc). Od początku zainteresowana była filmami fabularnymi. Gdy nadarzyła się jej sposobność reżyserowania filmu, skorzystała z niej, tworząc obraz Błękitne światło (Das blaue Licht). W 1932 usłyszała na wiecu przemowę Adolfa Hitlera i – zafascynowana jego zdolnościami oratorskimi – zaoferowała mu swoje usługi jako reżyser. W 1933 wyreżyserowała Zwycięstwo wiary – krótki film o spotkaniu partii narodowosocjalistycznej. Wówczas Hitler poprosił ją o sfilmowanie zjazdu partyjnego w Norymberdze w 1934. Początkowo odmówiła, sugerując, aby Hitler wybrał do tego zadania Waltera Ruttmanna. Później jednak zgodziła się, i nakręciła Triumph des Willens (pol. Triumf woli), film dokumentalny gloryfikujący ruch narodowosocjalistyczny, powszechnie uważany za jeden z najlepszych filmów propagandowych w historii, mimo iż sama Riefenstahl twierdziła, że film ten miał pełnić rolę wyłącznie dokumentalną. W tym czasie za pośrednictwem Alberta Speera poznała operatora filmowego Waltera Frentza, który robił zdjęcia do jej późniejszych obrazów i z którym przyjaźniła się do swojej śmierci. W 1936 Riefenstahl zakwalifikowała się do olimpijskiej reprezentacji Niemiec w narciarstwie, lecz zamiast tego wybrała filmowanie. Tak powstała kronika berlińskiej olimpiady (Olympiada), film głośny z powodu nowatorskich osiągnięć technicznych i estetycznych, takich jak podkreślające kontrast oświetlenie (w tym zdjęciach pod światło), duża dbałość o wysoką jakość techniczną zdjęć, czy też dynamiczny, często asynchroniczny montaż sceny. We wrześniu 1939 wraz ze swoją ekipą filmową zjawiła się na krótko w Polsce. W mundurze Wehrmachtu, uzbrojona w pistolet i krótki bagnet przy pasie z wojskową ekipą kręciła dziennik kampanii wojskowej w Polsce. W niemieckim archiwum federalnym Bundesarchiv zachowały się zdjęcia z tej kampanii. M.in. filmowała paradę zwycięstwa w Warszawie, przebywała wraz z Adolfem Hitlerem w sopockim Grand Hotelu. 12 września 1939 była obecna w mieście Końskie (obecnie woj. świętokrzyskie) podczas egzekucji 22 osób dokonywanej w odwecie za napaść na niemieckich żołnierzy. Zachowało się też zdjęcie przedstawiające zrozpaczoną twarz Riefenstahl. Wbrew niektórym źródłom, jakoby po tym wydarzeniu przerwała realizację i powróciła do Niemiec, zachowały się jej zdjęcia jak z trybuny filmuje paradę wojsk niemieckich w Warszawie przed Hitlerem i realizowany przez nią film został ukończony. Po zajęciu Francji przez III Rzeszę Leni Riefenstahl wysłała entuzjastyczny telegram do Hitlera, który zachował się i został przypomniany przez Die Neue Rechte. Riefenstahl twierdziła potem, że każdy mógł wysłać telegram do Hitlera i cieszyła się tylko z zakończonej wojny z Francją. Ze względu na częstotliwość kontaktów z Hitlerem i wsparcie finansowe, które z jego polecenia stale otrzymywało jej studio filmowe, była uważana w niektórych kręgach za bliską mu osobę (co podnosili także zwycięscy alianci). Po II wojnie światowej Riefenstahl spędziła cztery lata we francuskim areszcie. Oskarżano ją o wykorzystywanie więźniów obozu koncentracyjnego do filmu Niziny, ale zarzutów tych nie udowodniono przed sądem. W końcu, nie mogąc udowodnić żadnych karalnych form wspierania nazistów, sąd określił ją mianem „sympatyzującej” z nazistami. W późniejszych wywiadach Riefenstahl utrzymywała, że – choć zafascynowana nazistami – była politycznie naiwna i nie wiedziała o popełnianych okrucieństwach. Postawa ta przez wielu jej przeciwników określana była jako niedorzeczna. Riefenstahl usiłowała kręcić inne filmy po wojnie (m.in. Czerwone diabły), lecz każda jej próba spotykała się z oporem, protestami i ostrą krytyką – dlatego też nie udawało jej się zebrać funduszy na sfinansowanie swoich filmów. Nieliczne filmy, które potem stworzyła, były krótkie i finansowane przez nią samą. Niepowodzenia przy realizacji filmów zwróciły jej zainteresowanie w kierunku fotografii. Zainteresowała się mieszkańcami Gór Nuba w Sudanie i w 1974 oraz 1976 opublikowała poświęcone im albumy fotograficzne. W późnych latach 70. Riefenstahl skłamała na temat swojego wieku, aby zdobyć uprawnienia płetwonurka i rozpocząć karierę w fotografii podwodnej. W 2000 przeżyła katastrofę helikoptera w Sudanie. W swoje setne urodziny, 22 sierpnia 2002, wydała film zatytułowany Impressionen unter Wasser, przedstawiający życie w oceanach. W październiku 2002, gdy Riefenstahl miała już 100 lat, niemieckie władze zdecydowały się umorzyć sprawę rzekomego wykorzystywania więźniów obozu koncentracyjnego w jej filmie Tiefland (Niziny) - wcześniej te same zarzuty podnosili Francuzi. Riefenstahl długo utrzymywała, że Cyganie występujący w filmie przeżyli wojnę, ale grupa Cyganów oznajmiła, że Riefenstahl wykorzystała ich do filmu i posłała ich z powrotem do obozu, gdy przestała ich potrzebować. Jako powód umorzenia sprawy władze niemieckie podały zaawansowany wiek Riefenstahl. Mimo jej kontrowersyjnych filmów propagandowych Riefenstahl zdobyła uznanie w historii filmu jako twórczyni nowej estetyki filmowej, zwłaszcza w sposobie filmowania ludzkiego ciała i choć propaganda jej wczesnych filmów budzi niechęć wielu ludzi, to ich estetyka każe twórcom filmowym określać je mianem wybitnych. Leni Riefenstahl zmarła podczas snu 8 września 2003, w swoim domu w Pöcking (Górna Bawaria) dożywając 101 lat. Została pochowana na Cmentarzu Leśnym w Monachium.

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