Socio-economic aspects of the monopolization of UFA Cinema Concern (1933-1945)

The monopolization of UFA Cinema Concern by the Nazi authorities responded to new trends of "propaganda era". Using social and economic leverage the Nazis managed filmmaking to subdue the political goals. The study of the social and-economic component of the German film industry of 1930-1940s allows us to follow the trend of nation-wide political, socio-economic and cultural state of the Third Reich. Exploring the problem the author drew attention to the fact that in Russian and foreign historiography there are no detailed studies on the UFA Cinema concern, except for the German historian K. Kraymayera. In other scientific works a fragmented issues of political and general cultural activities of the German UFA Cinema Concern are shown: Tegel S., Welch D., Winkel R.V., Welch D., Teplitz, E., Sadoul J., Krakauer Z., Vasilchenko A.V., Kormilitsyna E.G. This study is based on the normative and legal documents published in Nazi Germany and the memories of movie actresses (O. Chehova, L. Baarova). The aim of the study is to review the policy of Nazi functionaries in the monopolization of UFA Cinema Concern in the period from 1933 to 1945. To achieve the goal the author had resolved a number of problems: 1. Give a brief description of the social and -political conditions of the foundation of UFA Cinema Concern; 2. Note the legal framework developed by the Ministry of Propaganda and Public Education to monopolize the film industry of the Third Reich; 3. Consider the political and economic mechanisms of functioning of the Nazi film industry. 4. Mark the social and economic indicators of UFA Cinema Concern. Analysis of legal and regulatory documents allowed the author not only to identify the functions of state authorities controlling the film industry, but also to consider in more detail the basic law of the film industry, as amended, 1934-1943. Particular attention is paid to control, censorship and "personnel exhaustion" of UFA Cinema Concern as a result of mass Aryanization of film industry. Marking the stages of monopolization of UFA Cinema Concern, the author sought to show a gradual and consistent nationalization of the film industry. The author also notes the widely recognized importance of UFA Cinema Concern in 1930-1940 which gave the cinema world the talented directors, actors, scriptwriters and cameramen. Generally, the German film industry of the Third Reich had become a shining example of cooperation of major manufacturers, the Nazi regime and filmmakers. This had resulted in rather low quality of the film production. Every year there were produced about 120 films, of which only 20-25 should be ranked as a valuable cinematographic.

Keywords

Authors

References