Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/08/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Hi Nathan I dont think Riefenstahl was a supporter of the holocaust, nor was Knut Hamsun - Norway, nor Kaj Munk, Denmark and many, many other artists of writing, fine art and photography. A lot of people have been seduced by strong ideologys and I do think that Riefenstahl was as good as any good artist that portais something that the artist really believes in. I have several books on her pictures and in a way I respect her for standing by her actions. She was a true believer in what she worked with but I don think she was a Nazi after the war - she just stod by what she did during that time. My family was engaged in the resistance and my grandfather was forced from his job as an editor on the newspaper Berlingske Tidende by the Nazis because he, since the early 30ties, had critisized what was going on in Germany, so I am in no way into revising history or anything like it - I just think there are far worse crooks then Riefenstahl! but few, in her time, as brilliant at staging her imagery. On the other hand I do respect your oppinion on Riefenstahl as do I respect any persons choice not to forgive what went on during world war two as well as what went on in Russia. ruben ----- Original Message ----- From: "Nathan Wajsman" <nathan.wajsman@planet.nl> To: "Leica Users Group" <lug@leica-users.org> Sent: Monday, August 23, 2004 6:19 AM Subject: Re: [Leica] Leni Riefenstahl > Marc James Small wrote: > > > Are we to judge them as propagandists for the ideologies of the states in > > which they live or are we to judge them as technicians producing some of > > the finest cinematography ever made? We know little of Eisenstein's > > feelings but we do have a really good feel on Reifenstahl. > > > > To just look at the technical prowess of someone like Riefenstahl > without reference to her enthusiastic support for the Nazis is sterile. > She was not just someone who played along with the regime in order to > survive; she was a committed supporter. As such I reject her work > totally. I have no desire to have a book of her photographs on my shelf, > just as I have no need to have Mein Kampf there. > > Nathan > -- > Nathan Wajsman > Almere, The Netherlands > > General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com > Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com > > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information