We begin our journey into the filmography of Ernst Lubitsch with a bit of scene-setting, as Simon Fraser University assistant professor Lauren Rossi joins us to discuss the history of Weimar Germany. Our discussion is wide-ranging, beginning with the Napoleonic era and ending with the downfall of the Weimar republic; in focusing on this period, we aim to provide context as to the political and social forces that shaped Ernst Lubitsch’s worldview and artistic practice.
Next Week:
FILM FORMALLY co-host Will Ross joins us on December 13th to discuss WHEN I WAS DEAD aka WHERE IS MY TREASURE, Lubitsch’s oldest surviving directorial work. For details on where to find this film, check out our resources page.
 
WORKS CITED:
WEIMAR GERMANY : PROMISE AND TRAGEDY by Chris Weitz
THE COMING OF THE THIRD REICH by Richard J. Evans
WHAT I SAW by Joseph Roth
I SHALL BEAR WITNESS: THE DIARIES OF VIKTOR KLEMPERER by Viktor Klemperer
MOMA’s Exhibition Catalog for German Expressionism: THE GRAPHIC IMPULSE