Abstract
This essay examines adaptations of the Grimms' fairy tales by the East German Film Studio, die Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft (DEFA). After a brief discussion of the condemnation and rehabilitation of fairy tales in the Soviet Union and GDR (German Democratic Republic), it analyzes selected fairy-tale film adaptations against their political, ideological, and cultural-historical background. This investigation shows that the conception of the films, as well as their reception, responded quickly to vacillating liberal and repressive trends and thus functioned as a barometer of cultural politics in the GDR. As children's films, these adaptations illustrate an interesting synthesis of art and politics, as well as pedagogy and entertainment.
Recommended Citation
Shen, Qinna. "Barometers of GDR Cultural Politics: Contextualizing the DEFA Grimm Adaptations." Marvels & Tales 25.1 (2011). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol25/iss1/5>.
