Animation of the Third Reich

Until 1935, animated videos were created mainly for advertising, in particular for candy or cigarettes ^[1] . As planned by the Nazis themselves in the country it was planned to create a powerful animation industry, which would become larger and better than the American, but the idea remained illusory. New artists and specialists were involved in the development, and they took Disney cartoons as the basis for their development ^[2] . It was also decided to create a national hero of animation, the analogue of which in America was Mickey Mouse or Felix the Cat ^[1] . In 1934, the largest UFA film studio (Universum Film Aktiengesellschaft) commissioned Otto Waffenschmidt to create a hero; the artist took the old German fairy-tale forest elf named Tilo Voss as a basis ^[1] . The main animation studio was supposed to be arranged in Bavaria and the staff even started developing new cinema tapes, but after the end of the war all the works were forcibly stopped ^[1] .

If the propaganda war cartoons of the USA and the USSR are currently freely available in the media and the Internet, then information about German cartoons from the time of Nazi Germany is difficult to find. Despite this, some of them are still available on the Internet, and although not all of them are propaganda, in most countries cartoons fall under the articles of the criminal codes on racism, anti-Semitism, inciting ethnic hatred. ^[3] Cartoons were created by the classical method. On each frame created a picture - pantomime. Almost all cartoons were created already colored. The main difference in style was absolutely round, big eyes, while in American cartoons they were elongated.

Nimbus libéré

Nimbus libéré (Russian “Nimbus Liberated”) is a short propaganda , anti-British, anti-American , anti-Semitic cartoon released by Nazi Germany for showing in occupied France in 1944. Author and director of the cartoon are unknown.

The action takes place on the territory of occupied France. The British Jewish announcer, starting with the phrase “Frenchman speaks with Frenchman”, prophesies the liberation of France, residents listen to the announcer with enthusiasm and discuss plans for the future. Then the American planes fly in, and the pilots - famous Disney and American characters, such as Mickey Mouse , Donald Duck , Goofy , Felix the Cat and the Seaman Popeye . The Jewish announcer gives a command to bomb the city, everyone’s favorite characters compare the town to the ground, and at the end of the surviving radio the announcer says that London is a friend of France, and publishes a villainous laugh. The angel of death sits on the ruins ^[3] .

The Hare and Luftwaffe Cartoon

Der Storenfried ("The Pest") - director and author - Hans Hett, cartoon filmed in Bavaria . On the Internet, this cartoon can be seen as a fragment from a documentary German film about animation.

The main character is a lazy hare that bothers everyone. His mother drives him out of the house, and he goes to study in the army. The cartoon gives a brief overview of the Luftwaffe . Each pilot is a wasp that uses its sting as a bomber, dragonflies are diving Ju-87s . Together, the army of wasps triumphs over the pest - an evil fox and he runs away. The hare family is saved and rejoices ^[3] .

Coral Sea Wedding

Hochzeit im Korallenmeer ("Wedding in the Coral Sea") - an anti-Soviet color cartoon, filmed in 1944 . It was shot by director Horst von Möllendorf in the occupied Prague on Prague-Film (former studio Barandov). The plot of the cartoon tells the story of the life of two lovers of fish. But an evil one-eyed octopus, whose image and behavior repeats stereotypical ideas about the Cossacks ( papakha , red trousers , boots), steals the fish - the bride of the protagonist (also fish). All fish and other sea creatures unite against the octopus to free it, and eventually win. Under the image of the fish meant the world occupied by the Bolsheviks, which Germany is called upon to liberate. Most of the cartoon is occupied by quite “peaceful” scenes of fun marine creatures.

Hans Fischerkoesen was the most famous studio in Germany, which created a series of quality cartoons. All cartoons without propaganda and created on the basis of famous German fairy tales, the main characters are animals, cartoons are all colored. The studio was personally interested in Goebbels as a good opportunity to create high-quality propaganda cartoons. However, the head of the studio, Hans Fischerkoesen, was a staunch anti-fascist and categorically refused such cooperation ^[1] .

Tattered Melodie

Tattered Melodie (“Tattered Melody”) - 1942, by Hornst von Möllendorf. The action takes place in the flower meadows. A bee accidentally finds a forgotten gramophone with a record and begins to twist the sting on it, creating the music recorded on the record. All insects flock to the gramophone and start dancing to the music. Drawing a cartoon is different in that it creates in some moments the effect of 3D graphics.

Der Schneemann

Der Schneemann (The Snowman) - 1944, directed by Hans Fischerkosen, author Hornst von Möllendorf.

The main character is a snowman who dreams of seeing the summer. To do this, by the beginning of spring, he climbs into the fridge and hibernates for several months. When summer comes, a happy snowman gets out of the refrigerator and runs through the fields, in a burst of joy under the blazing sun, he melts, and this is the end of the story.

Das Dumme Gänzlein

Das Dumme Gänzlein ("Stupid Goose") - 1945, directed by Hans Fischerkosen. This film is a kind of propaganda against "styling".

The story begins with a goose with her children, who are brought from the city to the farm. There, Mother teaches her children life, but one little goose-girl is lazy and does nonsense things. When she grew up, she decided to become the most fashionable and vulgar. Angry fox wanted to steal someone from the farm, and his choice fell on the young goose. He dressed up as a gentleman and invited the goose to his lair, she agreed, and when she arrived, she saw that the fox was keeping the other birds shut up. Gusiha runs away in a panic, and the fox begins to chase. At that time, the birds and the beasts ran to the rescue and took with them a rifle. The animals drive the fox away, and the young goose returns home and after that begins to obey his mother and behave properly.

Cigarette Advertising

Das blaue Wunder (The Blue Miracle ) - 1935 director Hans Fischerkoesen. A cigarette comes out of the pack and begins to travel around the fantasy world. This is an advertisement for Muratti Drivat cigarettes.

Schall und Rauch ( Smoke and Mirror ) - 1935 director Hans Fischerkoesen. A man sits on a chair, and the smoke from his cigarette takes on the appearance of dancing ballerinas. Advertising cigarette Arision .

Zwei Minuten von Bedeutung

Zwei Minuten von Bedeutung ( Two minutes value ) - information is not available or not saved.

Armer Hansi

Armer Hansi ( Poor Hansi ) - 1943. The music for the cartoon was written by Oscar Sala. The plot tells about a little bird that broke free from its cage and found its love.

• Animation (art)
• Cinema of the Third Reich

• Hans Fisherkozen (eng)
• List of propaganda cartoons (Russian)
• deutsches-filminstitut.de (it)
• Nimbus liebre (eng)
• German cartoons 3 Reich (Russian)