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Triumph of the Will (1935, Germ.)
(aka Triumph Des Willens)
In Leni Riefenstahl's influential yet infamous propagandistic
documentary film that glorified Hitler and his regime over a four
day period in Nuremberg, Germany in 1934:
- the remarkable ethereal and visual imagery of the
god-like descent of Hitler's plane from the clouds as he arrived
over the city of Nuremberg (with the sight of the plane's dark
shadow moving over buildings and the landscape, and the long lines
of marching men below appearing ant-like) - and then his Messiah-like,
savior-figure emergence from the airplane with a demure smile
- Hitler's triumphant motorcade review of the cheering,
adoring and worshipping throngs of celebrity-followers, many of whom
(almost in mass hysteria) raised their arms with the 'Heil Fuhrer'
Hitler salute to honor their idolized, omnipotent leader
- the next morning's emphasis on German youth activities
in a camp where the boys were shaving, washing, wrestling, etc.
- Hitler's stirring and inspiring address during a daytime
Youth Rally concentrating on Germany's youth, regarding them as the
country's future (as the camera circled around him), and in militaristic
terms describing how they must sacrifice themselves: "My German
youth. After a year, I can greet you here again. You are here today
in this place a cross section of what is around us in the whole of
Germany. And we know that you German boys and girls are taking on
everything we hope for from Germany. We want to be one people. And
you, my youth, are to be this people. We want to see no more class
divisions. You must not let this grow up amongst you. We want to
see one Reich one day. And you must train for it. We want our people
to be obedient. And you must practice obedience. We want our people
to love peace, but also to be brave. And you must be peace-loving...And
so you must be peace-loving and courageous at the same time. We want
our people to remain strong. It will be hard and you must steel yourselves
for it in your youth. You must learn to suffer privation without
crumbling once. And whatever we create today, whatever we do, we
will die, but Germany will live on in you. And when there is nothing
left of us, then you must hold in your fists the flags that we hoisted
out of nothing. And I know this cannot be otherwise. Because you
are the flesh of our flesh, and the blood of our blood. And in your
young heads burns the same spirit that rules us. You cannot be other
than united with us. And when the great columns of our movement march
triumphantly through Germany today, I know you will join the columns.
And we know - before us Germany lies, in us Germany burns, and behind
us Germany follows."
- the impressive sequence of Hitler flanked by Heinrich
Himmler and Viktor Lutze as they walked through military throngs
of thousands of at-attention Storm Troopers and SS troops, on their
way to lay a wreath at a WWI memorial site
- the spectacular and massive night rally of low-ranking
political party officials, where Hitler delivered another long and
climactic outdoors speech in which he declared that the Party and
State were one, rousing the crowd to cheer, applaud, and show enthusiasm: "...We
cannot be disloyal to what has given us sense and purpose. Nothing
will come from nothing if it is not grounded on a greater order.
This order was not given to us by an earthly superior. It was given
to us by God who created our people. This is our vow tonight. Every
hour, every day, think only of Germany, the people, the Reich, the
German nation and the German people. Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!"
- the closing indoor ceremony and Hitler's spirited
speech at a podium to the 1934 Nazi Party Congress' rally/convention
held for his political party, with his final rousing words, expressing
how the Nationalist Socialist party (and his leadership) would dominate: "...the
idea and the movement are the expression of our people and a symbol
of the eternal. Long live the National Socialist movement! Long live
Germany!"; Hess followed with a few final exclamations:
"The Party is Hitler! But Hitler is Germany as Germany is Hitler!
Hitler, Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil! Sieg Heil!" and the assembly sang Horst
Wesel Lied as the film was about to end
- the final image of a swastika banner fluttering -
super-imposed on a silhouetted column of marching soldiers moving
forward
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Swastika Banner Fluttering
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Column of Marching Soldiers
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Hitler's Arrival by Plane and Heroic Entrance
The Exalted Leader Hitler
Marching Through StormTroopers
Hitler's Night-time Address to the Masses
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