As a new Germany in the 90’s was devolving, Alex Kerner’s life was moving backwards in the past GDR ideal socialism in the film Goodbye Lenin. Directed by Wolfgang Becker, raised in west Germany comes up with a interpretation of how a family lives in East Germany at the time of the countries unity, there is a destructiveness within the family. The work received international recognition including a British Film Academy (BAFTA) nomination for best film in a foreign language for its unique and twisted historical reflection. This works shows an idealistic socialism, where the reality of the present or even the effect of the past is twisted and idealized to show how East Germany may have its struggle to adapt to western German life. Historically as East and West Germans united, both moved to different parts of the country, capitalism and its ideals prevailed and normally in the cinematic work reflections on socialism are rooted in minority groups, genres or looking into villages, instead, the film set in East Berlin reflects on a family’s story and lack of relight of the past and its idealism. The movies takes its view from a manipulated historical point where fact and fiction, a “subjective” point of view as historian Rodger Hilman says, of Eastern occupation are combined and a internal sociological struggle in memory and family.
Opening in 1989, the film opens with a series of collage documents from Eastern Germany propaganda, immersing the viewer into the childhood of Alex Kerner. As Alex describes 1978, “World Class” as East German astronaut Sigmund Jähn delves into space showcasing the ideals of an international powerful force of Socialism. That same age Alex and his sister, Ariane Kerner were left with their mother Christiane as their father moved west without them, that day forward their mother “married our socialist fatherland” rooted in her ideal values around Marxism. Alex’s idealism towards the GDR fails eleven years later where at the 40thanniversary of the country, seems dated and a young of a young country. After those protest, the labor unions protest series of 1989 appears in the night begging for freedom of movement and press, Alex participates in these events. And gets arrested by the police simultaneously his mother on her way to meet Soviet executives (via invitation) see him getting arrested and collapses. She enters a comma for eight months as the strength of the GDR weekends and starts the procedure to unifying with the West. Using a news sequence eight months with political transformations of a new Germany appearing, his mother wakes up from her comma and does not remember a thing in terms of the protests but thinks as though she still lives in an unchanged GDR. The doctor advises Alex to not to tell her a thing regarding what has happened as it could put her into physical and mental danger.
Opening in 1989, the film opens with a series of collage documents from Eastern Germany propaganda, immersing the viewer into the childhood of Alex Kerner. As Alex describes 1978, “World Class” as East German astronaut Sigmund Jähn delves into space showcasing the ideals of an international powerful force of Socialism. That same age Alex and his sister, Ariane Kerner were left with their mother Christiane as their father moved west without them, that day forward their mother “married our socialist fatherland” rooted in her ideal values around Marxism. Alex’s idealism towards the GDR fails eleven years later where at the 40thanniversary of the country, seems dated and a young of a young country. After those protest, the labor unions protest series of 1989 appears in the night begging for freedom of movement and press, Alex participates in these events. And gets arrested by the police simultaneously his mother on her way to meet Soviet executives (via invitation) see him getting arrested and collapses. She enters a comma for eight months as the strength of the GDR weekends and starts the procedure to unifying with the West. Using a news sequence eight months with political transformations of a new Germany appearing, his mother wakes up from her comma and does not remember a thing in terms of the protests but thinks as though she still lives in an unchanged GDR. The doctor advises Alex to not to tell her a thing regarding what has happened as it could put her into physical and mental danger.
Themes
Real vs. Ideal History
This movie centered on East Germany, through the lens of a West German. It explores real history vs. fake history and ideal socialism vs. the reality of the international Soviet, as well as toying with the concept of making an ideal Soviet through the construction of a propaganda film. Though the country was unified and resources on these events were abundant, the movie combines and characterizes Alex and Christiane’s GDR as a fantasy and idealist. The realism only comes from the outside world which both try to avoid for various reasons from the start prior to her coma to the end. The movie uses western film techniques and more of western characterizations through the balance of humor and role of gender. Instead of gender, age is used as the divider and generations. There is far more experimentation in terms of the themes and topics explored from previous looking back at Eastern Block socialism where instead of suffering a continuation of the ideals are used.
Family & Youth
The film focuses on the mother-and-son and other familial relationships that reconnect at the drink of their dismantlement. The generation of rebellion against socialism is shown by the youth, while the older generation upholds the socialist values.
This movie centered on East Germany, through the lens of a West German. It explores real history vs. fake history and ideal socialism vs. the reality of the international Soviet, as well as toying with the concept of making an ideal Soviet through the construction of a propaganda film. Though the country was unified and resources on these events were abundant, the movie combines and characterizes Alex and Christiane’s GDR as a fantasy and idealist. The realism only comes from the outside world which both try to avoid for various reasons from the start prior to her coma to the end. The movie uses western film techniques and more of western characterizations through the balance of humor and role of gender. Instead of gender, age is used as the divider and generations. There is far more experimentation in terms of the themes and topics explored from previous looking back at Eastern Block socialism where instead of suffering a continuation of the ideals are used.
Family & Youth
The film focuses on the mother-and-son and other familial relationships that reconnect at the drink of their dismantlement. The generation of rebellion against socialism is shown by the youth, while the older generation upholds the socialist values.
Good Bye Lenin! can be purchased from Amazon.
|