Ohm Krüger
Encyclopedia
Ohm Krüger was a 1941 propaganda film
, produced in Nazi Germany, about Paul Kruger
in the Boer War
. It was the first film to be awarded the 'Film of the Nation' award. It was re-released in 1944.
(Emil Jannings
), speaking about his life to his nurse in a Geneva
hotel. The rest of the film is told in flashback
.
Cecil Rhodes (Ferdinand Marian
) has a great desire to acquire land in the region of the Boers for its gold deposits. He sends Dr Jameson (Karl Haubenreißer) there to provoke border disturbances, and secures support from Joseph Chamberlain
(Gustaf Gründgens
). When Chamberlain seeks the support of Queen Victoria (Hedwig Wangel), she initially refuses but changes her mind when informed of the gold in the region. She invites Paul Krüger to London, and believes she is tricking him into signing a treaty.
Krüger, being suspicious of the British has his own plans. Krüger signs the treaty which gives the British access to the gold, however, he imposes high taxes and establishes a monopoly over the sale of TNT which forces the British to buy explosives at high prices. Hence, ultimately, Krüger out-tricks the British with the signing of the treaty. This impresses some of the British as they find an equal in Krüger in matters of cunningness, which is supposed to be the defining characteristic of the British. Having been out-tricked Rhodes tries to buy Krüger's allegiance. Krüger, however, is incorruptible. After being rejected, Rhodes shows Krüger a long list of member's of the Boer council that work for the British. Krüger then becomes convinced that war is inevitable if the Boer are to keep their land. He declares war.
Initially, the Boers are in the ascendancy, leading England to appoint Lord Kitchener
(Franz Schafheitlin
) as Supreme Commander of the armed forces. Kitchener launches an attack on the civilian population, destroying their homes, using some as human shields and placing the women and children in concentration camps, in an attempt to damage the morale of the Boer Army.
Krüger's son Jan (Werner Hinz
), who has pro-British sentiments due to his Oxford education, visits a concentration camp to find his wife. He is caught and hanged, with his wife watching. When the women respond in anger, they are massacred.
The flashback concludes in the Geneva hotel room. A dying Krüger prophesies of the destruction of England by major world powers, which will make the world a better place to live in.
produced by the Nazis during the war, most of which focused on the theme of colonialism
to demonstrate through Britain's history the true nature of the British character. Some of these productions, such as Der Fuchs von Glenarvon (1940) and Mein Leben für Irland (1941), represented British relations with Ireland. Other works criticized its imperialism toward the Afrikaans-speaking Boers, of which Ohm Krüger was the most expensive and powerful. It used the Boer War to present the English as violent, exploitative, and an enemy to civilisation. In doing so, it was able to complement the anti-imperalist views of the press, satisfy the German public's interest in colonial issues, and build upon the anti-British hatred already in existence in Germany as a result of RAF bombing raids. It was one of a number of films intended to prepare Germany for a planned invasion of Britain. Its somewhat crude attack on Britain is typical of later films, such as Carl Peters
, after Hitler came to the conclusion that no separate peace with Britain was possible. It depicts the British as seeking gold, symbolic of barrenness and evil, in contrast to the Boers who raised crops and animals, reinforced by showing the British as prurient, and having the hero's son be brought to obey Kruger only after his wife has been raped.
Publicity material which accompanied the film particularly drew attention to the role of Winston Churchill
in the Boer War
, during which he served as a journalist
. Tobis also advised the press to emphasise 'what Churchill learnt in the Boer War':
The depiction of the concentration camps in the film was simultaneous with the Nazis' own camps.
Parallels were drawn between the Boer War
and the Second World War, and between Paul Krüger and Adolf Hitler
.
Several key British figures are demonised in the film, including Joseph Chamberlain
and the Prince of Wales
. Queen Victoria is presented as a drunkard and Winston Churchill
is portrayed as a concentration camp commandant, responsible for the killing of female inmates.
It also reflects German anger at the loss of all German colonies at the end of World War I, though less directly than Carl Peters
.
The film had very high production costs of over 5.5 million Reichmarks. At the time, Joseph Goebbels
had been encouraging film-makers to have lower production costs, but he made an exception for Ohm Krüger, declaring it to be reichswichtig (important for the State) due to its propagandistic and artistic value.
The Sicherheitsdienst
(SD; Nazi intelligence service) reported that the film exceeded expectations, with audiences particularly praising the 'unity of political conviction, artistic expression and acting performances'. The public were also reportedly impressed by the fact that a film of Ohm Krügers quality could be produced in wartime. The film was particularly popular with young audiences, according to both SD reports and film surveys.
Some, however, did question the authenticity of the film.
Internationally, the film was officially released in only eight independent states (including Italy), all of which were closely linked to Nazi Germany, and in France (first in the occupied zone, later also in Vichy France).
, at which the Italian Minister for Popular Culture, Alessandro Pavolini
, praised particularly the film's propaganda value and the role of Emil Jannings.
Within Germany, the film was the first to be given the honourary distinction 'Film of the Nation' (Film der Nation) by the Reich Propaganda Ministry Censorship Office. Only three other films received this rating, namely Heimkehr
(1941), The Great King
(1942) and Die Entlassung
(1942). Joseph Goebbels also presented Emil Jannings with the 'Ring of Honour of the German Cinema'.
. On 31 January 1945, the film was banned, for fear that the morale of German audiences would be harmed by images of Boer refugees of whose houses had been destroyed - 'images that by the time replicated the harsh realities of everyday life in Germany'.
Propaganda film
The term propaganda can be defined as the ability to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures.” However, in the 20th century, a “new” propaganda emerged, which revolved around political organizations and their need to communicate messages that...
, produced in Nazi Germany, about Paul Kruger
Paul Kruger
Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger , better known as Paul Kruger and affectionately known as Uncle Paul was State President of the South African Republic...
in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
. It was the first film to be awarded the 'Film of the Nation' award. It was re-released in 1944.
Plot
The film opens with a dying Paul KrügerPaul Kruger
Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger , better known as Paul Kruger and affectionately known as Uncle Paul was State President of the South African Republic...
(Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings
Emil Jannings was a German actor. He was not only the first actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor, but also the first person to be presented an Oscar...
), speaking about his life to his nurse in a Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
hotel. The rest of the film is told in flashback
Flashback (narrative)
Flashback is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. Flashbacks are often used to recount events that happened before the story’s primary sequence of events or to fill in crucial backstory...
.
Cecil Rhodes (Ferdinand Marian
Ferdinand Marian
Ferdinand Marian was an Austrian theatre and film actor, best known for playing the leading character of Joseph Süß Oppenheimer in the Nazi propaganda film Jud Süß.-Life and career:...
) has a great desire to acquire land in the region of the Boers for its gold deposits. He sends Dr Jameson (Karl Haubenreißer) there to provoke border disturbances, and secures support from Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
(Gustaf Gründgens
Gustaf Gründgens
Gustaf Gründgens , born Gustav Heinrich Arnold Gründgens, was one of Germany's most famous and influential actors of the 20th century, intendant and artistic director of theatres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg...
). When Chamberlain seeks the support of Queen Victoria (Hedwig Wangel), she initially refuses but changes her mind when informed of the gold in the region. She invites Paul Krüger to London, and believes she is tricking him into signing a treaty.
Krüger, being suspicious of the British has his own plans. Krüger signs the treaty which gives the British access to the gold, however, he imposes high taxes and establishes a monopoly over the sale of TNT which forces the British to buy explosives at high prices. Hence, ultimately, Krüger out-tricks the British with the signing of the treaty. This impresses some of the British as they find an equal in Krüger in matters of cunningness, which is supposed to be the defining characteristic of the British. Having been out-tricked Rhodes tries to buy Krüger's allegiance. Krüger, however, is incorruptible. After being rejected, Rhodes shows Krüger a long list of member's of the Boer council that work for the British. Krüger then becomes convinced that war is inevitable if the Boer are to keep their land. He declares war.
Initially, the Boers are in the ascendancy, leading England to appoint Lord Kitchener
Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener
Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCMG, GCIE, ADC, PC , was an Irish-born British Field Marshal and proconsul who won fame for his imperial campaigns and later played a central role in the early part of the First World War, although he died halfway...
(Franz Schafheitlin
Franz Schafheitlin
Franz Schafheitlin was a German film actor. He appeared in over 160 films between 1927 and 1974.He was born in Berlin, Germany and died in Bavaria, Germany.-Selected filmography:* The Sorceror...
) as Supreme Commander of the armed forces. Kitchener launches an attack on the civilian population, destroying their homes, using some as human shields and placing the women and children in concentration camps, in an attempt to damage the morale of the Boer Army.
Krüger's son Jan (Werner Hinz
Werner Hinz
Werner Hinz was a German film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1935 and 1984.-Selected filmography:* Die Buntkarierten * No Greater Love * The Last Witness...
), who has pro-British sentiments due to his Oxford education, visits a concentration camp to find his wife. He is caught and hanged, with his wife watching. When the women respond in anger, they are massacred.
The flashback concludes in the Geneva hotel room. A dying Krüger prophesies of the destruction of England by major world powers, which will make the world a better place to live in.
Propaganda message
Ohm Krüger was one of a number of anti-British propaganda feature filmsPropaganda film
The term propaganda can be defined as the ability to produce and spread fertile messages that, once sown, will germinate in large human cultures.” However, in the 20th century, a “new” propaganda emerged, which revolved around political organizations and their need to communicate messages that...
produced by the Nazis during the war, most of which focused on the theme of colonialism
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
to demonstrate through Britain's history the true nature of the British character. Some of these productions, such as Der Fuchs von Glenarvon (1940) and Mein Leben für Irland (1941), represented British relations with Ireland. Other works criticized its imperialism toward the Afrikaans-speaking Boers, of which Ohm Krüger was the most expensive and powerful. It used the Boer War to present the English as violent, exploitative, and an enemy to civilisation. In doing so, it was able to complement the anti-imperalist views of the press, satisfy the German public's interest in colonial issues, and build upon the anti-British hatred already in existence in Germany as a result of RAF bombing raids. It was one of a number of films intended to prepare Germany for a planned invasion of Britain. Its somewhat crude attack on Britain is typical of later films, such as Carl Peters
Carl Peters (film)
Carl Peters is a 1941 German anti-British propaganda film, directed by Herbert Selpin and starring Hans Albers.It depicts Karl Peters, one of the founders of German East Africa....
, after Hitler came to the conclusion that no separate peace with Britain was possible. It depicts the British as seeking gold, symbolic of barrenness and evil, in contrast to the Boers who raised crops and animals, reinforced by showing the British as prurient, and having the hero's son be brought to obey Kruger only after his wife has been raped.
Publicity material which accompanied the film particularly drew attention to the role of Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, during which he served as a journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
. Tobis also advised the press to emphasise 'what Churchill learnt in the Boer War':
'The same Churchill who in South Africa saw his ideas about exterminating the Boers followed throughout, as the English rulers, voicing polished humanitarian slogans, while driven by mere greed, unleashed the most contemptible actions on a people under attack. [T]he same Churchill is now Albion's prime minister.
The depiction of the concentration camps in the film was simultaneous with the Nazis' own camps.
Parallels were drawn between the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
and the Second World War, and between Paul Krüger and Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler
Adolf Hitler was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the National Socialist German Workers Party , commonly referred to as the Nazi Party). He was Chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945, and head of state from 1934 to 1945...
.
Several key British figures are demonised in the film, including Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain
Joseph Chamberlain was an influential British politician and statesman. Unlike most major politicians of the time, he was a self-made businessman and had not attended Oxford or Cambridge University....
and the Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales
Prince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
. Queen Victoria is presented as a drunkard and Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
is portrayed as a concentration camp commandant, responsible for the killing of female inmates.
It also reflects German anger at the loss of all German colonies at the end of World War I, though less directly than Carl Peters
Carl Peters (film)
Carl Peters is a 1941 German anti-British propaganda film, directed by Herbert Selpin and starring Hans Albers.It depicts Karl Peters, one of the founders of German East Africa....
.
Production
The first outline for Ohm Krüger was begun in September 1940 by Hans Steinhoff and Harald Bratt.The film had very high production costs of over 5.5 million Reichmarks. At the time, Joseph Goebbels
Joseph Goebbels
Paul Joseph Goebbels was a German politician and Reich Minister of Propaganda in Nazi Germany from 1933 to 1945. As one of Adolf Hitler's closest associates and most devout followers, he was known for his zealous oratory and anti-Semitism...
had been encouraging film-makers to have lower production costs, but he made an exception for Ohm Krüger, declaring it to be reichswichtig (important for the State) due to its propagandistic and artistic value.
Publicity and press coverage
Directives were issued to the press by the RMVP about how to cover the film. They were instructed to draw attention to the significance of the film, but to emphasise its aesthetic rather than its political content.Audience response
The film had its première on 4 April 1941, two days after being passed by the Censor. It was well-received, attracting a quarter of a million viewers in four days upon its initial release, largely as a result of the high expectations generated by the propaganda press campaign, with word-of-mouth recommendations also being important in the film's popularity.The Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst
Sicherheitsdienst , full title Sicherheitsdienst des Reichsführers-SS, or SD, was the intelligence agency of the SS and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany. The organization was the first Nazi Party intelligence organization to be established and was often considered a "sister organization" with the...
(SD; Nazi intelligence service) reported that the film exceeded expectations, with audiences particularly praising the 'unity of political conviction, artistic expression and acting performances'. The public were also reportedly impressed by the fact that a film of Ohm Krügers quality could be produced in wartime. The film was particularly popular with young audiences, according to both SD reports and film surveys.
Some, however, did question the authenticity of the film.
Internationally, the film was officially released in only eight independent states (including Italy), all of which were closely linked to Nazi Germany, and in France (first in the occupied zone, later also in Vichy France).
Awards and honours
Ohm Krüger won the Mussolini Cup for best foreign film at the 1941 Venice Film FestivalVenice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, at which the Italian Minister for Popular Culture, Alessandro Pavolini
Alessandro Pavolini
Alessandro Pavolini was an Italian politician, journalist, and essayist, notable for his involvement in the Fascist government during World War II and also for his cruelty against the opponents of fascism....
, praised particularly the film's propaganda value and the role of Emil Jannings.
Within Germany, the film was the first to be given the honourary distinction 'Film of the Nation' (Film der Nation) by the Reich Propaganda Ministry Censorship Office. Only three other films received this rating, namely Heimkehr
Heimkehr
Heimkehr is a 1941 German anti-Polish propaganda film directed by Gustav Ucicky.It received the rare honor "Film of the Nation," bestowed on films considered to have made an outstanding contribution to the national cause...
(1941), The Great King
The Great King
The Great King is a 1942 German drama film directed by Veit Harlan and starring Otto Gebühr. It depicts the life of Frederick the Great, who ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786...
(1942) and Die Entlassung
Die Entlassung
Die Entlassung is a 1942 German film directed by Wolfgang Liebeneiner about the dismissal of Otto von Bismarck...
(1942). Joseph Goebbels also presented Emil Jannings with the 'Ring of Honour of the German Cinema'.
Re-release
The success of the film led Goebbels to re-release it in October 1944, as inspiration for the VolkssturmVolkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
. On 31 January 1945, the film was banned, for fear that the morale of German audiences would be harmed by images of Boer refugees of whose houses had been destroyed - 'images that by the time replicated the harsh realities of everyday life in Germany'.
External links
- Ohm Krüger at the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...