Nazi propaganda film about people with disabilities: interviews inside a hospital

Film | Digitized | Accession Number: 2001.359.1 | RG Number: RG-60.3281 | Film ID: 2502A

Overview

Description: Reel 8 of 8: "Gemeinschaftsraum der Männer" [Men's common room]. WS of men in room with wooden benches; some sit, some pacing, one crawls. One seems to be making speech. 00:46:08 One in restraints, arms held back, knocking shoulder against wall. 00:46:27 One in real restraints. Interviewer and microphone in view. Voice off-screen asking questions, seems mocking: "Wollst du nach heim?" (Audible, but hard to hear) "Hast du Kinder?" Answer: "6". 00:48:35 Another patient interviewee, speaks fast, no pauses. 00:49:17 He sings, motions with fingers on arm. "Bäcker... Amerika.." 00:50:07 Woman interviewed, curtain behind. Speaks of her Kopf, Zähne, erschutternd, Der Kopf auseinander (looks normal, soft voice). 00:51:14 Woman with big gray hair (Jewish?) speaks with eyes focused on interviewer. 00:51:53 Older woman, gray hair in knot. Talks to camera and interviewer. Hospital items in BG: cart, bottles, shelves.
Film Title: Dasein ohne Leben [Existence Without Life]
Duration: 00:09:19
Date: Production: 1941?
Locale: Germany
Credit: Accessed at United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, courtesy of Bundesarchiv Filmarchiv

Language: German
Genre/Form: Propaganda.
B&W / Color: Black & White
Image Quality: Good
Time Code: 00:44:32:00 to 00:53:51:00
Film Format: Master
Master 2502 Video: Betacam SP - PAL - large
Master 2502 Video: Betacam SP - PAL - large
Master 2502 Video: Betacam SP - PAL - large
Master 2502 Video: Betacam SP - PAL - large
Preservation
Preservation 2502A Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2502A Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2502A Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large
Preservation 2502A Video: Betacam SP - NTSC - large

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Conditions on Use: Material(s) in this collection may be protected by copyright and/or related rights. You do not require further permission from the Museum to use this material. The user is solely responsible for making a determination as to if and how the material may be used.

Keyword: HOSPITALS INTERVIEWS MEDICAL CARE MEDICAL PERSONNEL MENTALLY ILL PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES PROPAGANDA PROPAGANDA (NAZI) RACIAL SCIENCE WOMEN

Legal Status: Permanent Collection
Film Provenance: The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum purchased this from the Bundesarchiv in Berlin, Germany in January 2001 for possible use in the Museum's special exhibition "Deadly Medicine.".
Note: See Stories 3274 through 3281 on Film ID 2502A for entire film "Dasein ohne Leben."

See Michael Burleigh, "Death & Deliverance," pp.197-200. Says film was probably completed during 1941, "as it was shown, along with the raw material [Hermann] Schweninger had shot, grouped now along rough thematic lines, to a select audience on 10 May 1942." Reports that the film has vanished, but he discovered 8 "of the 23 rolls Schweninger shot for these films, complete with soundtracks,... in 1989-1990... in Potsdam."
Copied From: 35mm; b/w
Film Source: Bundesarchiv (Germany). Filmarchiv
File Number: Legacy Database File: 3225
Source Archive Number: 20555 (BSP 22134) R8
Special Collection: Steven Spielberg Film and Video Archive