Friendship! The Free German Youth
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| Original title | Friendship! The Free German Youth |
| Country of production | Germany |
| original language | German |
| Publishing year | 2008 |
| length | 90 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director |
Lutz Hachmeister , Mathias von der Heide |
| script | Lutz Hachmeister, Mathias von der Heide |
| production | Lutz Hachmeister ( HMR Production ) |
| camera |
Hajo Schomerus , Wolfgang Lindig |
| cut | Guido Krajewski |
| occupation | |
| |
Friendship! The Free German Youth is the title of a documentary by Lutz Hachmeister and Mathias von der Heide about the history of the Free German Youth (FDJ), which was awarded the German Television Prize in 2009.
content
The institution of the "Free German Youth" shaped the society of the German Democratic Republic in a special way. On the one hand, joining could have a positive impact on one's own life and planned career, and on the other hand it could have a negative effect if one was not a member. The documentation tries to illuminate and present the entire spectrum of this institution impartially.
If you were striving for a political career, it was to a certain extent a duty to join the FDJ, so the Chancellor Angela Merkel is a former member of this association. Parades and flag roll calls were just as much a part of everyday life for the FDJ as collective sporting or musical events and trips abroad. The filmmakers also dedicate themselves to the unknown story of the “West FDJ”, which was banned in 1951 .
The documentation sheds light on the history of the association from its creation in the 1930s to the time of German reunification in 1989. As contemporary witnesses, former members describe their own experiences and experiences during their membership in the FDJ. Furthermore, film clips from the DEFA archive are included. The time of the Cold War is highlighted as well as the history of the FDJ youth college "Wilhelm Pieck" .
Reviews
“The documentary sheds light on the overall history of the GDR youth organization Freie Deutsche Jugend (FDJ,“ Blauhemden ”), one of the GDR's youth cadre schools, whose membership could hardly be withdrawn. Former FDJ members, later SED functionaries and current members of the Bundestag, provide information about their experiences; A combination of archive material and excerpts from DEFA films results in an informative overview that also mentions the West FDJ, which was banned in 1951. "
“A picture full of contradictions emerges from the many voices: here the scent of the wide world, there the must of everyday socialist life, here the utopia of a free youth, there the reality of the rigid cadre forge. In addition to the history of the FDJ, that of the GDR will inevitably also be negotiated. And because the directors resist West German arrogance and self-righteousness, 20 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall they also give those involved the opportunity to speak more openly, sometimes self-critically and, above all, without pressure to justify life in German real socialism. "
Awards
- 2009: German Television Award: Best Documentation.
Web links
- Friendship! The Free German Youth in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Friendship! The Free German Youth at filmportal.de
- Friendship! - The Free German Youth on hmr-produktion.de, the website of the production company
- Friendship! The Free German Youth on programm.ard.de (detailed presentation of the film)
- Friendship at any price on sueddeutsche.de (background information)
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b German Television Award 2009 for three NDR productions on ndr.de, accessed on May 23, 2013.
- ↑ a b c friendship! The Free German Youth on kino.de, accessed on May 23, 2013.
- ↑ friendship! The Free German Youth. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed May 23, 2013 .
- ↑ Friendship at all costs on sueddeutsche.de, accessed on May 23, 2013.