Berlin’ Movies in Post-Wende Berlin and Germany

Historian David Large concludes his narrative study of modern Berlin by questioning how Germans can come to term with their new national identity. He suggests that the renewed political and social emphasis on Berlin may be key: “It might just be that Berlin, the city where the Germans have experienced the peaks and depths of their national experience, can help to show the way” (Large 647). One of the ways to see how Berlin and the German identity are interlocked is in the cinema, due to its influence on collective consciousness. Furthermore, films can also serve as a valid and timely medium for social and historical analysis. With this in mind, I have chosen four Berlin films: In weiter Ferne, so nah!, Lola rennt, Das Leben ist eine Baustelle, and Good bye, Lenin!, in order to analyze social, political, and economical aspects of life in Berlin after the fall of the Wall. In the first chapter, I give a brief historical overview of Berlin movies. After this introductory chapter I discuss how each film portrays the history and economy of reunited Berlin and how these images and emerging themes serve as vehicles for social and political commentary—especially on the topic of recent history and reunification. I then summarize how Wenders, Tykwer, and Becker chose to address the issue of Berlin’s and ultimately Germany’s tumultuous past and present and possibly, its future.