Hitler was quite popular in Germany in the early years of his rule. He got sacks of fan mail and drew crowds wherever he went. Documentarian Leni Riefenstahl’s films of the Nuremberg Rallies were hugely successful.
In 1936, the Olympic Games were held in Berlin, and the Nazis used the occasion to showcase the “new Germany.”
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“Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla” from Das Rheingold
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In the vein of “great minds think alike” Stalin commissioned the great Soviet movie director Sergei Eisenstein to make a movie about the Russian Revolution for the 10th anniversary in November 1927. After he completed the movie but before it was released Trotsky was exiled from the USSR and became a non-person. Eisenstein was told to rewove Trotsky from the movie. He didn’t have a lot of time, they had finished filming and he was on deadline. The movie was cut from 168 minutes to a little more than 60. One copy of the original did turn up in Sweden in the 30s and it has been preserved. I saw it when I was a college student (as part of a course) in the 60s. I think I fell asleep during the show.
Just a general comment about these episodes on the rise of the Nazis and Fascists…these have been very, very good. When I was younger, I was very interested in these types of stories–what philosopher Hannah Arendt characterized as the banality of evil. But as I have gotten older, I have more and more trouble dealing with subject. I could never again read Sophie’s Choice or watch Schindler’s List (and frankly, considering our current situation in the US, I have buried my head in the sand since election night 2016). But I am forcing myself to listen to these episodes (a few at a time). Thank you for all your outstanding efforts.
–Spencer