Comparing Der Untertan To Goodbye Lenin

Throughout the various films we watched, from Der Untertan to Goodbye Lenin, the films ranged in time period as well, from pre-WWI to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Out of all of the presented eras in German history, I believe that the time frame of Goodbye Lenin would be the best choice to live for me. This period is one of great prosperity, monumental change, spreading ideas, growing freedom, and unity among the people. We saw many differences throughout the films as they portrayed various struggling moments in history as German citizens were consistently torn between how to prosper and what is morally right, whether that’s going against your word or staying in East Germany. In Der Untertan, we observed Diederich grow from a frightened
The film opens with a boy attempting to steal an apple from a market stand but is caught and ridiculed. Despite the more communist presence and the stereotypical idea of pure equality, the young boy is still forced to steal food to eat. Shortly afterwards, a riot breaks out and it takes a while for a police force of any kind to show up and put an end to the chaos. Throughout the film, there is a lack of police presence forcing the people into policing themselves and each other. Unfortunately, due to this lack of order and structure, becomes the demise of little Heini. Another part of Heini’s death is how society reacted very negatively, even deadly, to those with a different way of thinking as seen by how the town reacts to the presence of Heini returning. Also, tied to this is the frightening internal conflict between the political parties for dominance over the area. These are a few of the infrastructural difficulties that this era was facing which make it unsuitable for living in. I am not the only one who thought this either, Heini’s mother felt so out of control and scared that she gassed herself and attempted to kill Heini too. The time was so bad that a mother was willing to kill her only child and herself so that they would not have to live in fear any
It is in that moment, among many others, that we realize how strict and militarized the stasi were. They were like a police force but made the area more of a police state than a socialist one. The entire film is also the development and evolution of Berlin Wall which separated the city physically and mentally. This barrier caused many internal and external conflicts between the people of Germany throughout the years. Internal conflicts, as seen in Konrad, included the dilemma of wanting to leave and be with the one he loves but not wanting to put his family at risk back home. External conflicts arise when opposing political ideas are voiced as seen by Barbara and Harold’s constant descent for the Soviet control after Prague Spring. Prague Spring was the silencing of Alexander Dubcek’s government in 1968 that was also a show of power from the communist Soviet Union. The Berlin Wall was a large factor of the era and the film because it allowed the stasi to manipulate Konrad by withholding travel to his son so that they could further their party’s efforts. This is seen throughout the film in various ways, such as when Konrad’s visa was revoked after getting “ill” as a way to tell him that the party has control over him and he cannot do whatever he pleases just because things are already set. In the years that the wall was erect, the cultures of the two