Satirical Short Films from the former East Germany

In East Germany they were simply called »Stacheltiere« (Prickly Beasts). A total of 275 of these short, satirical films were produced in Berlin between 1953 and 1964.
The Stacheltiere logo which appeared at the beginning of each film was easy to recognise. It told many East German cinema-goers that the following short film – often a work of art in itself - would try to address some of the many shortcomings of life in the Socialist paradise. The fact that some of the films also dealt with »class enemies« was of less interest to audiences.

Most of the producers, writers, dramatists and directors – close to the regime in the East – had different questions and matters to deal with. How hard could criticism of Socialist society be? By portraying some of the weaknesses of the East weren‘t they simply playing straight into the hands of the class enemies plotting and agitating on their very doorstep, weren’t they simply supplying them with arguments which could be used against them? Slightly less consideration was given to such matters when it was a question of taking on the »imperialist class enemies« next door. This was regarded as a clear-cut political task which should primarily serve an agitational function, even if this meant that artistic and aesthetic compromises had to be made.
In a paper produced at the DEFA Studios in 1953 and presented to both the party and the government, it was stated very clearly that minor shortcomings of the new and positive social order in East Germany could be addressed and resolved through humour whereas the harshest, most scathing satirical weapons in the film-maker‘s arsenal should be employed in the struggle against the country’s Imperalist enemies.

Despite the political-cultural bickering, this form of short film was something of a one-off for the former East Germany. The films allowed a spotlight to fall on instances of overbearing bureaucracy, human inadequacies and supply shortages afflicting the East‘s economy. Both well-known and lesser-known actors welcomed the opportunity to appear in such films – the relatively short production time enabled them to reach an audience and win its favours quickly (for example, Angelica Domröse, Erwin Geschonneck, Herbert Köfer, Manfred Krug, Gisela May, Rudolf Wessely). Young directors were also allowed to try their hand at making this kind of film – a number then went on to make their names as East German film directors (for example, Benno Besson, Frank Beyer, Kurt Maetzig, Günter Reisch, Horst Seemann, Herrmann Zschoche). Looking back, it is also interesting to note how many well-known authors contributed texts and screenplays (for example, Jurek Becker, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Günter Kunert, Hansgeorg Stengel, Eva and Erwin Strittmatter).

The German premiere of this wonderful retrospective provides an insight into the political situation in the former East Germany during this period.

Helmut Morsbach, Federal Archive, Berlin Film Archive.

PRICKLY BEASTS 1

PRICKLY BEASTS 2