Images Behind the Curtain: Hitler's Private Film Viewings

Abstract

Adolf Hitler has been thought to be an enthusiastic admirer of Hollywood films in both public and private circles. Close associates have claimed that he spent his leisure time viewing films every evening, most often watching American films. This research seeks to uncover and analyze his film choices with the help of recent discoveries in primary source material on the topic. The information discovered contributes to the discussion of Hitler’s private film preferences, as well as to the larger discussion of Nazi imagery, Hitler’s images and the problem of a self-made legacy of the Third Reich.