German film world rocked as 14 celebrities lose awards over Nazi links
Political sentiment in Germany (Illustrative photo: Getty Images)
The German Film Association has revoked honorary medals from 14 prominent figures due to their Nazi past, according to the German edition Spiegel.
Among those affected are the well-known propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, actor Heinz Rühmann, former Berlin Film Festival director Alfred Bauer, director August Arnold, film star Olga Tschechowa, and filmmaker Ludwig Waldleitner. The German Film Association has revoked honorary medals from 14 prominent figures due to their Nazi past, according to the German publication Spiegel.
All were classified by the Munich Institute of Contemporary History (IfZ) as tainted by a Nazi past or Nazi-compatible.
An exception was made for Hilmar Hoffmann, who, after 1945, actively advocated for a critical analysis of the Nazi past and promoted artistic counterpoints to the legacy of Nazi cinema. The SPIO Executive Board assessed his work as evidence that people can change and gave him a more nuanced evaluation.
SPIO commissioned the study of its historical past ahead of its 100th anniversary, partly in response to the rise of far-right extremist sentiments in contemporary German society. Association president Peter Schauerte emphasized that the investigation would allow for objective conclusions and appropriate measures regarding the organization’s problematic history.
By the way, in the future, SPIO plans to retire its current honorary medal and introduce a new award that will not only recognize outstanding achievements in film but also social and political commitment to democracy and the rule of law.
The SPIO association unites 14 professional organizations and represents over 1,400 companies in the German film industry, aiming to enhance its quality, diversity, and international recognition.
Meanwhile, the auction house Felzmann in Neuss, near Düsseldorf, had planned to hold a sale on November 18 titled System of Terror. Vol. II, featuring dozens of documents and personal items belonging to victims of Nazi persecution.
As a reminder, International Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed on January 27. On this day in 1945, prisoners at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Oświęcim, Poland, were liberated.
