The Party and the Filmmakers: DEFA-­‐SED Interactions 1945 to 1971

Abstract

This dissertation covers the interrelationship between the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany (SED) and the filmmakers of the feature film studio at the German Film Corporation (DEFA) in the German Democratic Republic(GDR). The interactions between the two from 1945 to 1971reveal a great deal about the overarching cultural-­‐ ideological framework of the SED, and the ideologicaldevelopment of the GDR. As the sole ruling party of the GDR, the SED maintained a strong hold over the country,and developed an effective party-­‐state, in which the partymirrored all state offices and maintained strong ties to everyaspect of the state. This dissertation is chronologicallysplit between 5 chapters, each covering a separate five yearperiod of time from 1945 to 1971. These years bookendthe first era for the GDR, and go from its founding until thefirst head of the SED, and head of the GDR, Walter Ulbrichtwas removed from power in 1971. This period highlightsthe developmental era for the GDR, and its emergence asa stable political state. For DEFA this period covers itsfoundation through its most difficult moment in 1965, inwhich the leadership of the SED banned all 12 films produced by DEFA that year, and its years of renewedstability thereafter. The use of a specific political era todefine the chorological boundaries for this dissertationallows for a deeper comparative view, in which eachchapter covers the developments of film policy by the SED,then looks as how filmmakers at DEFA who were SED members interpreted the policy, and then covers an exemplar film from that specific period. When taken incombination the dissertation tells three distinct, but directlyrelated stories, that of the development of film policy bythe SED, the struggles of filmmakers to interpret and implement policy at their studio, and the shifts in filmmakingand ideology in film. For the time being this dissertationwill be embargoed, however it you would like to contactme about my research, or the contents of this dissertationyou can do so at stepp.jonathan@gmail.com