2 Minute oral address - outstanding moments or achievements in personal life

There is no doubt that Leni Riefenstahl was a very innovative and creative filmmaker who brought worldwide recognition to the German Film Industry. She has achieved this through underlying conflict between art and morality in her documentaries as well as their artistic values. Although Riefenstahl cannot be questioned on her expertise in making films, many of works reflect the ideology that Hitler and the Nazi party stood for. Riefenstahl's films promoted several aspects of Nazi propaganda, including the concept of the Aryan body and the Fuhrer cult seen in achievements such as Triumph of the Will and Olympia. In doing so, her films helped to cement the future of Nazism in Germany and make it acceptable to an international audience. This achievement for Riefenstahl is significant because it successfully portrays Hitler as a political and economic savior who appears to have the ability to return Germany to Glory.

Historians such as Susan Sontag and David Hinton agree that Riefenstahl's films helped strengthen Hitler's image and hold on power.

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Reichsluftschutzbund personnel march past near the...

Deutsch: Leni Riefenstahl (* 22. August 1902; † ...

At the time Triumph of the Will was made, Hitler's hold on power was not particularly strong. The film was a successful means of presenting German audiences with a unified Nazi Party, introducing the new leaders and easing the political uncertainty. Triumph of the Will also aimed to convince audiences outside Germany that Hitler's new regime promised peace and order and did not threaten war.

Another Achievement in Leni Riefenstahl's life is production of the film 'Olympia' from the 1936 Berlin Games. Olympia focuses on the glory of the human body, from the muscular physique of the athletics competitors. This is significant because it reflects some of the Nazi's idealization of the classical Greek body. It also presents Hitler as a paternalistic leader who watches over his loyal citizens and Aryan...