ROSENSTRASSE

Germany, 2003, 136 minutes, Colour.
Katja Riemann, Maria Schrader, Jurgen Vogel, Martin Feifel.
Directed by Margarethe von Trotta.

Rosenstrasse is a film about the Holocaust. However, instead of giving a broad scope about events in Germany during the 1940s, it focuses attention on a few characters and a special event: the rounding up of Jewish men and women and keeping them for a week in a former social office in Rosenstrasse, with the vigil outside of the wives and relatives of those interned.

The film also works well with an opening in New York at the beginning of the 21st century, a woman mourning her husband and becoming very strict Orthodox in her practice, her children not understanding. When the daughter is given an indication by an unknown cousin, she goes to Berlin to seek out a woman he knew her mother. The film then focuses on this woman, an aristocrat married to a Jewish man, her being disowned by her family, her husband being interned, her work to get him free. She also encounters a young Jewish orphan whose mother is inside but who does not come out, taking the girl into her own home and caring for her.

The film recreates the period well, especially the events on Rosenstrasse. However, it gives glimpses of life in the ordinary offices, in the high command, with the aristocrats and their comfortable way of life, of the high social life of members of the ministry and their entourage as well as the poverty and deprivation. The film also creates an interesting contrast with Berlin in the early 2000s as well as New York.

The performances are excellent, especially Katja Reimann as the woman who married the Jewish husband. The supporting cast is excellent and the film is both emotional and thought-provoking.

1. The emotional impact of the film? Intellectual impact? The use of classic film styles? Sixty years after the events?

2. The significance of the treatment of past and present, their interconnection? Of the Holocaust and Nazism? Memories? For Germans, for Jewish people, the succeeding generations as the events recede?

3. The structure of the film: the New York opening, the memories of Ruth, going back to Lena? The build-up of the 1940s episodes with the audience knowing what had happened before Hannah discovered it? The older Lena and her explaining things, their being visualised? The discovery about what finally happened? The quality of the intercutting, the build-up to the resolution?

4. Modern New York, the buildings, lifestyle? Berlin and its changes, the 21st century, buildings and streets, apartments? Rosenstrasse and the enormous changes?

5. Berlin 1943, Rosenstrasse itself? The offices for the Nazis, the social world of the Nazis, wealth and luxury? The flashback to the 30s, music, the possibility of a happy world? The home of the rich family, the contrast with the poor home for Lena? The vigil, the ordinary offices with the typists? The re-creation of the visual aspects of the period, its atmosphere and moods?

6. The title, the focus on the single week of February 1943?
7. Ruth as the centre of the story, Lena as the focus? The relationship between the two, Lena and her generosity, Ruth and her dependence? The break between the two, half a century of no contact? Grief on both parts?

8. The opening with Ruth, the death of her husband, grieving, going back to strict Orthodox practices? Hannah's angry reaction, especially about the exclusion of Luis from the ceremonies? Ruth's son and his criticisms? Ruth, the friends coming, the vigil, her rudeness? The ceremonies, Rachel's arrival, her asking Ruth to forgive? Rachel giving the clue, the story of her mother, the jealousy of the two girls, coming to America? Ruth being unforgiving? Hannah listening to Rachel's story, the photo?

9. Hannah and her decision to go to Berlin, the comparative ease with which she found Lena, visiting Lena's apartment, taping her? The nine-year-old Lena, going back over her life, her talk, hospitality, her saying the floodgates of memories opened, the 30s when she was young, accompanying Fabian on the piano, with Arthur, the joy and the prospects of touring, music? Her decision to marry, phoning Fabian? The transition to the 40s, the vigil at Rosenstrasse, her visiting the officials, her not being able to do anything, the insults to her by the officials for marrying a Jew? The social and her dressing up, the night with the minister for Fabian's sake? Her reflection on it 60 years afterwards? The photos in her room, Fabian's survival? The photos of Ruth, her grief?

10. Lena in herself, her aristocratic father, her kindly mother, his disowning her? Her going to his house to plead the cause and his turning his back on her? Her relationship with Arthur, his dizzy life, cocaine, with Lizzie? His being in the battle of Stalingrad, losing his leg, her imploring his help, his going to his friends and their turning their back on him, arranging the social, bringing food to Rosenstrasse? The happy marriage, Fabian taken away?

11. Fabian, working in the factory, suddenly arrested, the young girl and trying to encourage her, the tickets? Going to the room, the passing of the days, the discussion with the old man, playing chess, unable to send messages to the family? The officials and their brutality, wanting silence?

12. The men and the uncertainty of what was happening? The women, Ruth's mother being taken inside? The sick man, the men trying to look out the windows, the kindly guard in the street outside? His giving news to the women that their relatives were inside?

13. The scenes of the vigil, the growing number of women, their discussions, their loved ones, their anxiety? Ruth and her presence? The scenes of her searching for her mother, her befriending Lena, Lena's compassion? Taking Ruth home, giving her a life? The soldiers on guard, the terrorising of the women by the jeeps going past and returning, holding the women at gunpoint? The men at the window? Their finally being let out, the drama of the men meeting their loved ones? Ruth waiting for her mother and her not coming? Going home with Fabian and Lena?

14. The aftermath of the episodes, of the war, Lena and Fabian and their life in Berlin? Ruth, her aunt claiming her, her antagonism towards her cousin? Their going to America? Her cutting all links? The revelation from Lena about Ruth's father, that he was not a Jew, that he abandoned his wife? Ruth not knowing this? Yet her bitterness and the expectation that non-Jewish husbands would abandon their wives? And her demanding Luis to leave because she feared that for Hannah?

15. The contrast with the social life of the wealthy in Berlin, the minister and his lascivious looks, the women, Lizzie singing the song, the background of the films of the time, Lena dressing, playing the piano, allowing herself to be used for her husband's sake? The contrast with life in her father's house, the effect of the war, Arthur coming back from Stalingrad without a leg?

16. Hannah and the effect of interviews with Lena, her bitterness towards Luis on the phone, her apologies, her return? Ruth and her change of heart, understanding her past, the film ending with the celebration of a wedding, Jewish and non-Jewish, the possibility of new life in the 21st century?