Leni Riefenstahl: Life, Legacy, and the Unsettling Revelations of a New Documentary

Introduction

Leni Riefenstahl (1902–2003) remains one of the most polarizing figures in cinematic history. Celebrated for her groundbreaking technical innovations and reviled for her collaboration with the Nazi regime, her life embodies the fraught intersection of art and propaganda. Recent years have seen renewed scrutiny of her legacy, particularly through Andres Veiel’s 2024 documentary Riefenstahl, which delves into her private archives to challenge her decades-long narrative of apolitical artistry. This essay explores Riefenstahl’s life, her controversial oeuvre, and the critical reception of Veiel’s film, which reignites debates about her complicity in Nazi atrocities.

Early Life and Ascent to Filmmaking

Born Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl in Berlin on August 22, 1902, she defied her father’s wishes for a conventional career, pursuing dance and acting instead. Her early years were marked by a harsh Prussian upbringing, which Veiel’s documentary later links to her fascination with strength and purity. After a knee injury ended her dance career, she transitioned to acting in Bergfilme (mountain films), a genre emphasizing nature’s sublime power. Her role in Arnold Fanck’s The Holy Mountain (1926) cemented her reputation as a daring performer, often performing perilous stunts herself.

In 1932, she wrote, directed, and starred in Das Blaue Licht (The Blue Light), a mystical tale that caught Adolf Hitler’s attention. He reportedly told her, “Once we come to power, you must make my films”. This marked the beginning of her entanglement with the Nazi regime.

Nazi Propaganda and Cinematic Innovation

Riefenstahl’s collaboration with the Nazis produced two seminal works: Triumph des Willens (Triumph of the Will, 1935) and Olympia (1938). Commissioned by Hitler, Triumph of the Will documented the 1934 Nuremberg Rally, employing avant-garde techniques—dramatic low-angle shots, sweeping crowd sequences, and synchronized sound—to mythologize the Third Reich. The film’s aesthetic grandeur, described by Susan Sontag as “fascinating fascism,” blurred the line between art and ideology.

Olympia, a two-part chronicle of the 1936 Berlin Olympics, further showcased her technical brilliance. By juxtaposing athletes’ physiques with classical Greek imagery, she reinforced Nazi ideals of Aryan superiority, even while highlighting Jesse Owens’ victories. Joseph Goebbels, initially resentful of her independence, later conceded to her vision.

Post-War Denials and Rehabilitation Efforts

After World War II, Riefenstahl faced four denazification trials, emerging legally cleared but culturally ostracized. She consistently denied knowledge of the Holocaust, framing herself as an apolitical artist “mesmerized” by Hitler’s charisma. Her postwar projects—photographing Sudan’s Nuba tribes and coral reefs—were marketed as apolitical, though critics argue they perpetuated her fetishization of “pure” forms.

Her 1987 memoir, The Sieve of Time, and Ray Müller’s 1993 documentary The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl further cemented her defensive narrative, portraying her as a victim of historical circumstance. Yet doubts persisted, particularly regarding her use of Romani prisoners as extras in Tiefland (1954), many of whom were later murdered in Auschwitz.

Andres Veiel’s Riefenstahl (2024): Unearthing the Archive

Veiel’s documentary, drawing on 700 boxes of Riefenstahl’s personal archives, challenges her curated legacy. Key revelations include:

• Political Affiliations: A 1934 interview with the Daily Express revealed her admiration for Mein Kampf, stating it made her a “confirmed National Socialist”. Private letters also showed her support for the neo-Nazi NPD party postwar.
• Wartime Complicity: Footage and letters from the 1939 Końskie massacre in Poland suggest her directorial demands (“remove the Jews”) inadvertently triggered the shooting of 22 Jewish laborers.
• Image Manipulation: The film contrasts her public denials with private recordings nostalgic for Nazi “decency”. Veiel highlights her meticulous editing of memoirs to omit childhood abuse and wartime culpability.

Critical Reception of the Documentary

Unprecedented Access, Ambiguous Conclusions

Critics praise Veiel’s use of archival material—diaries, phone recordings, and unseen footage—to dissect Riefenstahl’s “performance” of innocence. However, Variety notes the film relies on “insinuation as much as evidence,” leaving viewers to grapple with ethical ambiguities.

Psychological Complexity

By juxtaposing Riefenstahl’s flirtatious charm and calculated rage in interviews, the documentary paints her as a “prototype of fascism”—a product of Prussian rigidity and artistic narcissism. The Guardian emphasizes her “divided idea of mankind,” celebrating strength while erasing vulnerability.

Legacy of Fascist Aesthetics

The film warns against divorcing Riefenstahl’s artistry from its political context, drawing parallels to modern authoritarian imagery, from Trump’s rallies to Russian military parades. Filmhounds lauds this as a “timely” examination of propaganda’s enduring allure.

Ethical Debates

While some reviewers condemn her as a “nasty Nazi” (e.g., Rough Draft Atlanta), others, like Variety, caution against conflating aesthetic brilliance with moral guilt. The documentary’s refusal to offer easy answers sparks reflection on collective responsibility.

Conclusion: Art, Complicity, and Historical Memory

Riefenstahl’s life forces us to confront uncomfortable questions: Can art transcend its political instrumentality? Does genius absolve moral failing? Veiel’s documentary reframes these debates, revealing a woman who weaponized her talent to serve tyranny while meticulously erasing her tracks. As fascist aesthetics resurface globally, her story remains a cautionary tale—one that challenges us to see beyond the seduction of images and interrogate the myths they perpetuate.

References

For further reading, consult the cited sources, including Britannica, The Guardian, Wikipedia, IMDb, Variety, PBS, Filmhounds, History Today, and Rough Draft Atlanta.