Classic Movies, for those who learn German!
- Damir Deljanin
- Dec 30, 2024
- 3 min read
If you want to master the German language quickly, watching movies can be one of the most effective and fun ways to listen to the language. Below I bring you four German classics that are not only fantastic films, but also a great way to learn German. In addition, these films touch on themes of dealing with the past, such as the legacy of the Nazi regime, the assimilation of guest workers, and life in Germany before World War I, which can help you better understand the complex social and historical processes in German culture and help you understand and Contemporary Problems in Germany!
The unusual story of director Fatih Akin gave birth to one of the best European films in recent years, which, in addition to a large number of international and national awards, won the Golden Lion at the Berlin festival and the prize of the international critics' jury. In addition to a number of other nominations, the film also won the European Film Award for Best Film and the Audience Award for Best Director.
The film is important because it shows the schism of traditional attitudes of the Turkish-German population in the modern society of contemporary Germany. A young Turkish woman eager for life desperately tries to
escapes from the strict confines of her family by entering into a fake marriage with a forty-year-old drunkard. The film is a recommendation for anyone who wants to live and work in Germany, because through it they will understand that times have changed and that Germany is now a fusion of different cultures, contrary to the customs of the old Germans.
When in 1992 Germany opened the secret archives of the Stasi (the secret police of East Germany) and that megalomaniacal storage of the eavesdropped data of East German citizens, for the first time an ordinary citizen could feel the glow of a small communist utopia. The film gives us an insight into the life of people in a lesser-known German framework and whether the loyalty of officers can withstand all the shame of the state apparatus in dangerous artists tapped by the state.
The film is very important for the understanding of contemporary German culture because it gives us an insight into a time that was not so long ago also in this region and it was awarded the Oscar for the best foreign film.
Die Welle (the Wave)
The film plays with the thought, what if totalitarianism returns or knocks on the door. To many Germans, this seems impossible, but a small experiment in a high school shows otherwise.
A history teacher, Rainer Wenger, is forced to teach a class on autocracy, despite being an anarchist and wanting to teach a class on anarchy. His students do not believe that a dictatorship could be established in modern Germany, but he shows through an experiment how easily the masses can be manipulated. The students put into their totalitarian roles expressed their views and understandings even outside of school, when the film actually starts to heat up.
Coping with the past and young people's thoughts on the Holocaust are dominant themes in the film, so anyone learning German should watch this film.
The masterpiece of Austrian director Michael Haneke, for which he won the Palme d'Or, introduces us to the world of Germany before the First World War and describes mysterious events in a fictitious village.
Eichwald.The film illustrates the depressed social and interpersonal climate of the time, which especially traumatized adolescents.
He critically observes strict Protestantism and wonders if such a way of life paved the way for National Socialism.
These films are not only important for understanding German history and culture, but also for improving your German. Don't forget, for extra help in learning German, you can join my lessons on the "German Everywhere" site!
Comments