Selects – the streaming program of the Kinemathek

May marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, concluding years of unprecedented violence, terror, and the systematic murder of millions in the Holocaust. Germany, which was responsible for the war, also lay in ruins and its people were physically and emotionally scarred. The films in this selection reflect the tensions in Germany during the post-war period — the desire for a fresh start as well as the struggle to come to terms with the past. Immediately after the war, the first productions were made in the occupation zones. While these films primarily portray post-war reconstruction and everyday survival, later works increasingly deal with guilt, repression, and atrocities. They raise questions about the aftermath of the war from a range of perspectives, including those of perpetrators, survivors, and subsequent generations. These films serve as a reminder that the end of war not only marks a new beginning but also a lengthy struggle with the past. The issues they address are distressingly relevant today, as the world faces new and resurgent conflicts.