World War I in German silent feature films between 1919 and 1929
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The purpose of the study is to examine how World War I was represented in German silent feature films between 1919 and 1929 and to determine the role of war films in shaping the memory of the war in the Weimar Republic. The research methodology is based on the principles of historicism and systematicity, employing discourse analysis, visual analysis, historical-genetic, and historical-comparative methods. The scientific novelty lies in a comprehensive analysis of German silent feature films about World War I, including lesser-known artistic works from 1919–1923, and explores the interplay between cinema and German society in constructing the memory of the war during the Weimar Republic. Conclusions. After traumatic experiences on the front lines and in the rear, and the severe consequences of war – including personal and collective losses – society sought explanations for the suffering it had endured. One of the tools for expressing this experience became cinema. Controversial plots, such as the question of guilt in war, gave films political weight, while depictions of "heroes" and "enemies," "criminals" and "victims" highlighted either the necessity or the senselessness of war. The plot of the vast majority of films focused on depicting the actions of naval forces during the war, highlighting the heroism and bravery of sailors in well-known battles of World War I, with their stories often infused with mythical elements. These films offered a more vivid cinematic spectacle than those portraying the prolonged land warfare in the trenches. In contrast, anti-militarist films were significantly less popular, centering on a nameless hero and his bitter fate. However, all these films share a focus on the exclusively male experience of war, portraying it as an entirely male affair. The image of a woman in cinema was confined solely to the roles of a mother and a wife/fiancé, waiting for their loved ones to return from the front. Similarly, the everyday realities of war or life on the home front generally remained outside the attention of filmmakers.
Author: Vladyslava Koshelnik
Language: English
Topic: Cinema History and Criticism
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4412007127