Depictions of Daily Life in the East German Cinema, 1949–1989 the Joshua Feinstein Triumph of the Ordinary
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The Triumph of the Ordinary Depictions of Daily Life in the East German Cinema, 1949–1989 The joshua feinstein Triumph of the Ordinary The University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill & London ∫ 2002 The University of North Carolina Press All rights reserved Designed by Richard Hendel Set in Charter and Meta types by Keystone Typesetting, Inc. Manufactured in the United States of America This book was published with the assistance of the William Rand Kenan Jr. Fund of the University of North Carolina Press. The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of the Council on Library Resources. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Feinstein, Joshua. The triumph of the ordinary : depictions of daily life in the East German cinema, 1949–1989 / by Joshua Feinstein. p. cm. Based on the author’s thesis—Stanford. Filmography: p. Includes bibliographical references and index. isbn 0-8078-2717-7 (cloth: alk. paper) isbn 0-8078-5385-2 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Motion pictures—Germany (East)—History. I. Title. pn1993.5.g3 f37 2002 791.43%0943%1—dc21 2001059826 Excerpts from the screenplay to Die Legende von Paul und Paula by Ulrich Plenzdorf quoted by permission of Suhrkamp Verlag. ∫ Henscheverlag 1974; all rights reserved by Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main. cloth060504030254321 paper 06 05 04 03 02 54321 To my parents, Edith and Leonard contents Acknowledgments, ix Abbreviations, xiii Introduction: Back to the Future, 1 1. Conquering the Past and Constructing the Future: The DEFA Film Studio and the Contours of East German Cultural Policy, 1946–1956, 19 2. The Discovery of the Ordinary: Berlin—Ecke Schönhauser and the Twentieth Congress of the CPSU, 45 3. A Case of Love Confused?: Slatan Dudow’s Verwirrung der Liebe as a Meditation on Art and Industry, 78 4. Straddling the Wall: Socialist Realism Meets the Nouvelle Vague in Der geteilte Himmel, 110 5. The Eleventh Plenum and Das Kaninchen bin ich, 151 6. A Dream Deferred?: Spur der Steine and the Aftermath of the Eleventh Plenum, 176 7. The Triumph of the Ordinary: East German Alltag Films of the 1970s, 194 Conclusion, 228 Epilogue. Arrested Alltag?: East German Film from the Biermann Affair to DEFA’s Final Dissolution, 1976–1993, 235 Notes, 257 Selected Bibliography, 295 Selected Filmography, 307 Index, 313 A section of illustrations follows page 136. acknowledgments This project would not have been possible without the kindness and en- couragement of many people. In Berlin, I received invaluable assistance from Günter Agde, who not only devoted numerous hours explaining to me the world of East German filmmaking but also helped arrange con- tacts with artists. In addition, I am very grateful to Heinz Kersten, Erika Richter, and Ralf Schenk, each of whom took time out to discuss my research with me. Manfred Behn and Hans-Michael Bock of the Hamburg Cinegraph were very helpful to me, too, during the initial research stage of the project. Other experts on GDR culture and society who were also generous toward me include Gerd Dietrich, Günter Erbe, Michael Rohr- wasser and the late Hartmut Zimmermann. I also thank my friend Rick Le Vert for a number of leisurely but highly profitable discussions about GDR film. Interviewing filmmakers and former officials was the most fascinating part of my research. For their time, patience, and almost unfailing will- ingness to entertain difficult questions, I am very much indebted to Frank Beyer, Annekathrin Bürger and Rolf Römer, the late Heiner Carow, Gerd Golde, Christel and Roland Gräf, Egon Günther, the late Alfred Hirschmeier, Rudolf Jürschik, Peter Kahane, Gabriele Kotte, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Kurt Maetzig, Jochen Mückenberger, Helga Schütz, Konrad Schwalbe, Rainer Simon, Klaus Wischnewski, Günter Witt, Dieter Wolf, and Herrmann Zschoche. A number of generous grants facilitated research leading to the disser- tation on which this book is based. A Bundeskanzler scholarship from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation made my research in Berlin during the 1992–93 academic year possible. The National Endowment for the Humanities, the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, and the Institute for International Studies at Stanford assisted me during the write-up phase of the work. A Mellon award from the Stanford Center for European Studies enabled me to take an initial trip to Berlin during the summer of 1991. Additional research necessary to expand and revise the initial disserta- tion project was made possible by grants from the Alexander von Hum- boldt Foundation and the Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung in Pots- dam. My stay in Potsdam, while short, was among the intellectually most fruitful phases of my work. I am particularly indebted to Simone Barck, Thomas Heimann, Siegfried Lokatis, and Martin Sabrow for their interest in my project as well as their many insightful suggestions. During this stage of the work, I also benefited greatly from discussions I had with Oskana Bulgakowa, Ina Merkel, and Dietrich Mühlberg. Throughout my research, I enjoyed the use of well-run and efficient archives. Among these was the Stiftung Archiv der Parteien und Mas- senorganisationen der ehemaligen DDR im Bundesarchiv, where Herr Lange’s dry wit helped my work go faster. At the Bundesarchiv Filmarchiv, I appreciated the patience of my projectionists, Herr Berger and Frau Teschner, who uncomplainingly sat through some seemingly endless films with me. I am also grateful to Herr Müller and his staff at the Bundes- archiv Potsdam, now located in Berlin-Lichterfelde, who made it possible for me to use unprocessed collections. Herr Thau of the Institut für The- aterwissenschaft at the Freie Universität Berlin kindly allowed me access to his department’s extensive video collection. In addition, the library staff at the Konrad Wolf Film School in Babelsberg showed great kindness to me during the many hours I spent using their very fine collection. Finally, I am very thankful to Frau Seidler at the now long defunct DEFA Betriebsarchiv, who went out of her way to assist me during a period of difficult transition for her staff. During my studies at Stanford, I benefited from a superb dissertation committee. My adviser, James Sheehan, always made time from his busy schedule to read my chapters quickly and kept me on track with his wise suggestions. Mary Louise Roberts flattered me with her enthusiasm and her insightful comments. Russell Berman helped me negotiate difficult interdisciplinary issues inherent in my work. Norman Naimark and Paul Robinson were also generous in their assistance even though they were not official readers. I further wish to thank Keith Baker and Hans-Ulrich Gumbrecht for their interest in a topic that lies far from their own areas of expertise. My research also owes much to Henry Lowood, erstwhile cura- tor of Stanford’s German-language collections, and Sonia Moss, surely one of the world’s most diligent interlibrary loan specialists. At other institutions, I am particularly grateful to Barton Byg, director of the DEFA Research Center and Library at the University of Massachu- setts at Amherst, who has been consistently generous with both substan- tive advice and logistical help throughout the project. Eric Rentschler of Harvard and Anton Kaes at the University of California at Berkeley have also been of considerable assistance. Marc Silberberg of the University of Wisconsin at Madison and his student Stephan Sodovieri were similarly very kind in sharing with me their insights on the East German cinema. Finally, James Melton, Judith Miller, Mathew Payne, and Douglas Unfug all aided in making a year I spent as a visiting faculty member in the History Department at Emory University a very enjoyable and intellec- tually profitable experience. At the University of North Carolina Press, I am fortunate to have had Lewis Bateman and Charles Grench as editors on my side in steering the project toward publication. I am also appreciative of Paul Betz and Ron Maner for their diligence in preparing the final manuscript. Two anony- mous referees through thoughtful and insightful criticism also helped me achieve a more focused and efficient narrative. Among my friends in Germany, I wish to thank Robert Boldt, Martin Oestreich-Gooch, and Tanja Lenuweit, all of whom have helped me out in innumerable ways over the years. I also owe much to the friends with whom I completed my graduate studies at Stanford, including Amir Alex- ander and Jutta Sperling. Finally, there is my wife and fellow historian, Patricia Mazón, who has supported me in this endeavor with the patience and love of one who truly knows. Buffalo, New York November 2001 abbreviations APO Arbeitspolitische Organisation (vocational-political organization or cell within a BPO) BPO Betriebspolitische Organisation (factory political organization or SED group within each large factory) CDU Christliche Demokratische Union (Christian Democratic Union) CPSU Communist Party of the Soviet Union DEFA Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft (German Film Corporation) DFF Deutscher Fernsehfunk ([East] German Television Service) DVV Deutsche Verwaltung für Volksaufklärung (German Central Administration for People’s Education) FDGB Freie Deutsche Gewerkschaftsbund (Free German Union Alliance) FDJ Freie Deutsche Jugend (Free German Youth) FRG Federal Republic of Germany GDR German Democratic Republic HV Film Hauptverwaltung Film (Central Film Administration) KAG Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe (artistic work group) KPD Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands (German