At the end of World War II, Germany had to begin the process of economic reconstruction, but this wasn’t easy because all former enemies suddenly felt the need to bully the nation that had been such a nuisance to them. Starting with the Postdam Conference, the European nation was dissected into four territories before finally being split into The Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany).
As governments were flexing their muscles and new policies started getting implemented, the people living in the country ended up having both good and bad experiences. Over the years, the post-war tales of both ordinary Germans and influential citizens were told via books and TV shows but nowhere else have they been captured better than in movies.
10The Aftermath (2019)
The Aftermathis as much a movie about poor choices as it is about love, grief, and forgiveness. The Searchlight Pictures production is set in the territory that Britain was allocated after the Postdam Conference and specifically revolves around the unexpected challenges that Colonel Morgan faces after being tasked with rebuilding the ruined city of Hamburg. For some strange reason, the high-ranking British official and his wife decide to live in the requisitioned house of a widowed German architect, Stefan, while still keeping him there, As expected, consequences emerge.
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Though the story initially involves Morgan trying to curb the few insurgencies that still exist in Hamburg, it soon mutates into a romance drama, with the colonel’s wife going on to have an affair with Stefan. The lovers bond over the fact that they both lost children during the war and while it’s beautiful to see a British woman and a German forgive each other for their nation’s crimes, it’s also easy to pity Morgan for the betrayal he is subjected to. However, a couple of twists still emerge that tide the tide in his favor.
9Labyrinth of Lies (2019)
Labyrinth of Liesexamines the loopholes and conspiracies that sprouted from Denazification — a policy set up by the occupiers to ensure the swastika was outlawed and that all senior Nazi officials were prosecuted. It’s a justifiable agenda, but some individuals manage to avoid comeuppance by colluding with government officials. Young prosecutor Johann Radman thus makes it his mission to get justice when he realizes that a former concentration camp commander is now working freely as a teacher.
The numerous red herrings, moles, and corrupt schemes makeLabyrinth Of Liesvery similar to manyhighly rated movies about deep state conspiraciesbut it distinguishes itself by having a protagonist that is resilient, yet unlucky. None of his efforts pay off, and he even loses his target to vengeful Mossad agents but along the way, he learns important lessons, notably that there are many forms of justice and that some wars are too big for one man to fight alone.
8Sources of Life (2013)
Sources of Lifeis as bare knuckles as movies get, and that’s no surprise because it was directed by Oskar Roehler — better known as the “Bad Boy Of German Cinema.” Roehler has directed a fewWorld War II moviesthat take place at the height of the Nazi regime but in this particular project, he tells the story of Erich Freytag, who German veteran who returns home from Russia after the war and becomes disgruntled upon realizing just how much his country has changed.
Because of his Nazi affiliations and his tendency to curse unnecessarily, Erich is a difficult character to like but themes revolving around economic progression and female emancipation are brilliantly explored through him and his children. The war veteran becomes a successful businessman after setting up a factory to produce ceramic garden gnomes whereas his son, who is a writer, finds it hard to cope when his girlfriend becomes more successful than him in the same field. This is because he had the chauvinistic impression that a man ought to make more money than a woman.
7Never Look Away (2018)
Never Look Awayboasts of stunning scenery and unique camera shots — something the Academy of Motion Arts and Sciences recognized by granting it an Oscar nomination — but the movie intrigues by exploring love and art, with Denazification serving as a backdrop. All the setbacks that the young artist, Kurt, has to deal with throughout the proceedings are linked to the policies that are established after the war.
For example, Kurt is forced to move from East Germany to West Germany because the latter has schools and institutions that support art while the former doesn’t. He also falls in love with a woman named Elle only to discover that her father is a former Nazi doctor who spearheaded the controversial euthanasia program and happens to have escaped punishment. Kurt, therefore, has to figure out how to block the condescending elder’s efforts to sabotage his relationship.
6Hilde (2009)
Hildeis a strong recommendation for anyone looking forgreat biopics about actors. However, Hildegard Knef, wasn’t just the average movie star. She was also a singer and author, who even fought briefly in a World War II battle while dressed as a man. The Kai Wessel movie is thus a story of ambition and ruthless pragmatism as it revolves around a person that’s willing to do everything to ensure she succeeds. Knef goes from dating Ewald von Demandowsky (a studio head and member of the Nazi party) to moving to Hollywood but nothing works.
The actor’s Hollywood ambitions fail because Americans are reluctant to embrace a German movie star with ties to the Third Reich, but her big break comes when she returns home after the war and does a nude scene in a movie. As expected, there is plenty of controversy, with Knef herself being bemused by the hypocritical nature of people that were okay with supporting a dictatorial regime but are now acting holier-than-thou. Nonetheless, the bad publicity becomes good publicity, and the actor’s career flourishes.
5Inside Out (1975)
Among the manybrilliant movies from the ‘70sis the action thriller,Inside Out, which keeps audiences glued through a wild plot and a strong performance from Telly Savalas (better known as the overarching villain Blofeld, in the early Bond films). 30 years after the war ended, a former German POW commander tracks convinces a conman to help him infiltrate a prison in Berlin in order to smuggle a Third Reich official out and make him show them where Nazi gold was hidden. What makes it even better is the plan by the duo to drug the man and make him believe he is back in World War II. To achieve that, they get a Hitler impersonator.
The caper flick does well by channeling attention to the often-ignored topic of what happened to all the wealth that Hitler’s men had accumulated. Despite being a fictitious adventure that requires the suspension of belief, it heavily draws inspiration from actual happenings. While audiences might find it hard to believe that an entire prison can be reserved for one inmate, it happened in the real world, where Hitler’s henchman Rudolf Hess, was Spandau prison’s only inmate before it was shut down.
4The People vs. Fritz Bauer (2015)
The People vs. Fritz Bauerhas a whooping six German Film Awards wins to boast of, and it chronicles the hunt for Holocaust architect Adolf Eichmann by the German-Jewish prosecutor, Fritz Bauer. The movie remains fast-paced throughout its running time and that’s thanks to Bauer’s decision to seek Mossad’s help in extracting the Nazi official after learning that he is living blissfully under an assumed identity in Argentina. As for the meticulous nature of the investigation, the credit goes to director Lars Kraume who is mostly known for the police procedural,Tatort.
Besides being a captivating story about a quest for justice,The People vs. Fritz Bauerdissects both institutional and personal quagmires in a satisfactory manner. The only reason Bauer seeks Mossad’s help is because of bureaucratic obstacles in his own department. Some of his colleagues see him as a threat rather than an asset. Additionally, one of Bauer’s associates gets blackmailed for being gay, a development that shows just how hard life was for members of the LGBTQ community before the world became more progressive
3The Marriage of Maria Braun (1978)
InThe Marriage of Maria Braunn, two love triangles pop up because of the British occupation of Germany after the war and the lack of communication regarding the fate of those who fought in the war. Before heading off to war, German soldier, Harmann Braun, marries Maria. When he doesn’t return, she assumes he is dead and starts working as an escort at an Allied bar, where she falls in love with a British soldier named Bill. However, Hermann soon comes back home, a development that results in fisticuffs between the two men. During the commotion, Maria accidentally strikes and kills Bill, but Hermann decides to take the fall for her and goes to prison.
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The pattern seen here is similar to the ones found in director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s many other movies, where love, money, and impulsiveness drive the characters to violence and self-destruction. Even with Hermann in prison, Maria keeps thirsting for opulence. After all, the war brought her enough suffering. Well, an even bigger love triangle pops up when newly released Hermann makes a deal with a tycoon that has been dating her in his absence, allowing him to continue seeing her so long as he includes him in his will.
2Bye Bye Germany (2017)
Like every other tale about post-war Germany,Bye Bye Germanytouches on many sensitive topics but hilarious schemes and incredible one-liners prevent it from being a sad viewing experience. At the center of the proceedings are Jewish friends who choose to bear the struggles of re-assimilation by choosing to remain in Frankfurt after the war and becoming entrepreneurs rather than moving as far away as possible from their own Holocaust ghosts. Along the way, romance and espionage subplots get inserted. These, together with the weird business practices of the five friends greatly boost the film’s entertainment value.
Their mission is to sell French linens and in order to ensure they get the most profits, they employ many colorful strategies, notably seducing housewives, offering fake discounts, and lying that they have received orders from people who are actually dead. Events mostly remain faithful to those in German-Swiss novelist Michel Bergmann’s books, from which the story is adapted, and such a production decision makes the machinations a lot more believable. But just as things are going well, events take a surprising turn.
1Great Freedom (2021)
The end of the war was a triumphant moment for many people, but certain groups continued to suffer because of the laws established by the Third Reich. For example, Paragraph 175 — a penal code that sanctioned the prosecution and sentencing of all gay men — continued being in effect until the ‘60s. And it wasn’t until 1994 that it was fully abolished.Great Freedomthus chronicles the life of Hans Hoffmann who repeatedly gets imprisoned because of his sexuality.
Overall, Hans’ defiance is what makesGreat Freedoman unforgettable film. Even while he is incarcerated, he never gives up n being who he truly is. One memorable scene involves him sending a coded love message to a fellow inmate using pinpricks on the pages of a bible. The person that agrees to deliver the message asks for a sexual favor first but he and Han end up falling in love, hence complicating matters even further.
