![Sample our Humanities journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5939/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Humanities.jpg"})
Abstract
This article will argue that the popularization of the amateur genre ‘family film’ in guides, manuals and a leisure film festival became a paternalistic strategy to regulate individual moviemakers in state socialism. It reveals the benefits of historical research on guiding literature and guidelines at an amateur festival in East Germany. Analyzing promoted norms diachronically points to a changing understanding of leisure in socialism. Additionally, it reveals a complex media history that is not reduced to top-down orders. On the contrary, guides display constant negotiations between state regulation and individualism. Thus, this paper questions a perspective on private media production in the GDR that is often politicized by categories such as propaganda or subversion.
Disclosure Statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1 Collection Franke: ‘Usedom Kölpinsse’ (color), 1963–02:18 min.
2 https://www.centerforhomemovies.org/genres/. French film scholar Roger Odin defined home movies similar emphasizing social instead of aesthetic issues: ‘Un film de famille est un film réalisé par un membre d’une famille, à propos d’objets ou d’événements liés d’une façon ou d’une autre à l’histoire de cette famille, et à usage privilégié des membres de cette famille.’ See, Odin, “Rhétorique Du Film de Famille,” 345.
3 Zimmermann, Reel Families, 135.
4 Lindner, “Ein Land – Zwei Bilderwelten,” 192–3.
5 See, Löser, Strategien der Verweigerung, 12–14.
6 Betts, Within Walls, 226.
7 Bösch and Vowinckel, “Mediengeschichte.”
8 Shand, “The ‘Family Film’ as Amateur Production Genre,” 1–27. Instead, Schneider would argue, that even in unplanned home movies people perform e.g. gender rolls. See, Schneider, “Die Stars sind wir”, 13. Tepperman values organized US amateur film of the 1920s to 1960s as ‘vernacular art making’ and distinguishes it from family films because of its aesthetic qualities. See, Tepperman, Amateur Cinema, 2. Nicholson also emphasizes the aesthetic and cultural independence of amateur films compared to commercial film productions. In her investigation on British amateur film from the 1920s to 1970s, she uses a broader amateur film term that includes both private family films and club films. See, Nicholson, Amateur film, 5–12.
9 Unlike state newspapers such as Neues Deutschland (lit. New Germany) or official amateur film competitions such as Arbeiterfestspiele (lit. Workers’ Festival), guiding literature and leisure film festivals were less ideologically restricted. Guidelines are valuable sources for an entangled media history, as they were based on traditions from the 1920s and 1930s, interlinked with the socialist cultural revolution and adapted to changing transnational discussions on leisure. Thus, these subjects of research facilitate a perspective on media history that is concerned with state regulations but not anticipating censorship as it also reflects media practices. Kiss recently proposed the term ‘Bildsteuerung’ (image control), because there is hardly any evidence to prove a ‘Bildzensur’ (picture censorship). Kiss, Verhandelte Bilder, 509. Recently, Ralf Forster offered a new perspective on amateur film in East Germany, which was economically regulated by the state but in terms of content revealed subtle criticism on social grievance. Forster, Greif zur Kamera, 31. For the concept of entangled media history, see Cronqvist and Hilgert, “Entangled Media Histories,” 130–41.
10 This negative terminology of family imagery was already used in manuals for photographing amateurs from the early 20th century when using the term ‘Knipsen’ (snapping). See, e.g., Roepke, Privat-Vorstellung, 84–93. Starl, “Erinnern um zu vergessen,” 71–3. Starl, Knipser, 12–22. Zechner, “Wie man einen Film dreht. Anleitungen für Amateure,” 17–28.
11 For an historic overview of the Wilhelm Knapp-Verlag, see, Halwani, “Fotografie lesen,” 23–34.
12 Bundesarchiv (BArch), DR 1/16092, VEB Wilhelm Knapp Verlag, “Anschreiben des VEB Wilhelm Knapp Verlags an die HV Verlage und Buchhandel anlässlich der Firmierung des Verlages,” March 08, 1957.
13 BArch, DR 1/16093, Politbüro des ZK der SED, “Beratungsprotokoll anlässlich des Beschlusses des Politbüros des ZK der SED vom 06.08.1963,” August 29, 1963.
14 BArch, DC 9/9077, VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, “Antrag auf Lizenzierung einer Zeitschrift ‘Amateurfilm’ des VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig an das Presseamt beim Vorsitzenden des Ministerrates der DDR Abteilung Lizenzen,” September 04, 1964.
15 BArch, DR 1/16093, Politbüro des ZK der SED, “Beratungsprotokoll anlässlich des Beschlusses des Politbüros des ZK der SED vom 06.08.1963,” August 29, 1963.
16 FOTOKINO-magazin (January, 1965): 29.
17 BArch, DL 102/859, Institut für Marktforschung, “Die Entwicklung des Bedarfs an Konsumgütern der Warengruppe Foto-Kino-Fotochemie bis zum Jahr 1980,” December 30, 1974, 24.
18 Schweinitz, Familien- und Urlaubsfilm. Until 1981, this manual had two reissues with a run of 40.000 copies. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, approximately 100.000–120.000 home moviemakers existed in East Germany.
19 BArch, DR 1/16093, Ministerium für Kultur HV Verlage und Buchhandel, “Jahresbericht des VEB FOTOKINOVERLAG HALLE zum Planablauf 1961,” December 31, 1961.
20 Film für Alle first appeared in 1927. From 1956 until 1958, it had a number of 15.000 copies. See, BArch, DR 1/16091, Ministerium für Kultur, “Kontrollbericht zum 31.12.1957,” February 8, 1958. See, e.g., Dietrich, Kultur in der Übergangsgesellschaft 1945–1957, 516–23. Kühn, Die Kunst gehört dem Volke, 19–20.
21 Hotschewar, Der Schmalfilm-Amateur. Hotschewar, Das Schmalfilm-Lehrbuch. See, e.g., Dietrich, Kultur in der Übergangsgesellschaft 1945–1957, 516–23. Kühn, Die Kunst gehört dem Volke, 19–20. BArch, DR 1/16091, Kontrollbericht zum 31.12.1957, February 08, 1958.
22 Film für Alle (December, 1961): 367. Auf hohen Touren. Mitteilungsblatt des VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig und des VEB Fotokinoverlag Leipzig (January, 1968): unpag. A selection of guiding literature by Richard Groschopp, Filmentwurf und Filmgestaltung. Kleine Grammatik für Schmalfilmamateure (1948). ABC des Schmalfilmens (1958). Filmregie für Amateure (1968). Über Filmgestaltung. Ein Regiehandbuch für Filmamateure (1975).
23 Hotschewar, Der Schmalfilm-Amateur, 151–2. Hotschewar, Das Schmalfilm-Lehrbuch, 154–5.
24 Hotschewar, Der Schmalfilm-Amateur, 151. Hotschewar, Das Schmalfilm-Lehrbuch, 154.
25 Hotschewar, Das Schmalfilm-Lehrbuch, 8.
26 Forster, Greif zur Kamera, 101. Kühn, Die Kunst gehört dem Volke, 10. Mohrmann, “Zur Volkskunst und zum Laienschaffen in der DDR,” 131–5.
27 Dietrich, Kultur in der Bildungsgesellschaft 1957–1976, 851. Schiermeyer, Greif zur Kamera, Kumpel!, 2015, 15–17.
28 Film für Alle (April, 1960): 99.
29 Film für Alle (January, 1959): 3.
30 Film für Alle (November, 1961): 325.
31 Film für Alle (March, 1961): 90.
32 Dietrich, Kultur in der Bildungsgesellschaft 1957–1976, 895–7. Kühn, Die Kunst gehört dem Volke?, 364.
33 Dietrich, Kultur in der Bildungsgesellschaft 1957–1976, 1153–56. Petzoldt, “Freie Zeit – was nun?” 160–63.
34 Hempel, Filmideen – fix und fertig, 62. Until 1972, this manual had two reissues with a run of 15.000 copies. The idea of analyzing movement and time in standardized households was following the example of the ‘Frankfurter Kitchen’ by Margarete Schütte-Lihotzky.
35 Schweinitz, Familien- und Urlaubsfilm, 7–8.
36 Monse, Filmen macht Spass, 128. This manual had no reissue and a run of 20.000 copies.
37 Film für Alle (January-February, 1956): 15-16.
38 Film für Alle (January-February, 1957): 4.
39 FOTOKINO-magazin (July, 1966): 219. FOTOKINO-magazin (January, 1968): 23.
40 FOTOKINO-magazin (July, 1966): 219. FOTOKINO-magazin (January, 1968): 23.
41 An amateur film festival in Bitterfeld focused on ‘Socialist mankind and his work’. See, e.g. Neues Deutschland (March 22, 1975): 13. An amateur film festival in Neubrandenburg focused on ‘Mankind in a socialist agriculture’. See, e.g., Neues Deutschland (March 22, 1975): 13. FOTOKINO-magazin (February, 1975): 45. FOTOKINO-magazin (June, 1983): 162.
42 Interview with Andreas Kramer, regional cultural representative, recorded by the author, July 07, 2016.
43 Landesarchiv Thüringen –Staatsarchiv Meiningen (LATh – StA Meiningen), 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Auswertung der 2. Oberhofer Amateurfilmtage.” LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Aufruf zu den IV. Oberhofer Amateurfilmtagen vom 30.11. bis 2.12.1973.”
44 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Aufruf zu den IV. Oberhofer Amateurfilmtagen vom 30.11. bis 2.12.1973.”
45 FOTOKINO-magazin (October, 1974): 310.
46 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Aufruf der V. Oberhofer Amateurfilmtage.”
47 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Kristall-Splitter,” 1.
48 Dietrich, Kultur in der Konsumgesellschaft 1977–1990, 1647–52.
49 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Programm der V. Oberhofer Amateurfilmtage.”
50 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Anschreiben an das Ministerium für Kultur,” June 24, 1986.
51 FOTOKINO-magazin (May 1976): 133. Thüringische Landeszeitung (December 17, 1971): 5. Thüringische Landeszeitung (November 21, 1979): 5.
52 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Teilnahmemeldungen.” FOTOKINO-magazin (April/1990): 100.
53 Interview with Adam Zosse, employee, recorded by the author, September 28, 2016.
54 FOTOKINO-magazin (August, 1987): 248.
55 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), Teilnahmemeldung für das XI. OFFF “Wir in unserer Freizeit.”
56 See, Huinink and Wagner, “Partnerschaft, Ehe und Familie in der DDR,” 148.
57 LATh – StA Meiningen, 4-62-214 – Bezirkskabinett für Kulturarbeit, Nr. 51 (unpg.), “Antwortschreiben des FDGB Bundesvorstandes,” January 21, 1986.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Sebastian Thalheim
Sebastian Thalheim, Institut of Cultural Anthropology, WWU, Scharnhorst Str. 100, Munster 48149, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]