Germany in the inter-war period was a fascinating period of socio-sexual expression between two periods of intense state repression. Between the First and Second World Wars, an interim state arose to govern Germany, the Weimar Republic. No longer under the thumb of the Kaiser’s empire, people who until just months before were peasants explored the varied freedoms granted by constitutional democracy. Never before had the German people had such freedoms of expression.
This freedom created an explosion of art and birthed famed painters, architects, writers, photographers, singers, musicians, and scientists who are still talked about to this day. Mark Nadler, pianist, songwriter, and cabaret performer, walks us through some of the important history, people, and artistic works of the Weimar Republic in conjunction with his recently released musical I’m a Stranger Here Myself. The musical is part comedy, part familial memoir, and is based on Nadler’s own family escaping the Republic after the rise of Adolf Hitler in the 30s.
This documentary acts much like a recording of a lecture. While the pacing of this documentary is a bit dry and its production is amateurish, Musik from the Weimar and Beyond does an outstanding job of relaying an excellent breakdown of the socio-political events between the end of WWI and Hitler’s final rise to authoritarian power. Nadler himself is not a historian, but his family history and an obvious interest in the Weimar’s social freedom make up for his lack of scholarly expertise. His most effective discussion centers around the cabaret scene in 1920 and 1930s Germany. Anyone studying Jewish history, queer history, or German history will find outstanding value in this short documentary. Nadler is an effective communicator and hits many points instructors of this period in history will find valuable. Highly recommended.
What type of instructor could use this documentary?
Musik from the Weimar and Beyond would be most useful to instructors of art, music, queer studies, and history.
What type of film series would benefit from this documentary?
Any series exploring the social freedoms of the Weimar Republic should include this short documentary.