'The Dilemma of German Actors since 1945' (2025 Zeitgeist Article) with Historian, Author and Journalist Katja Hoyer and co-host Sarah

Katja Hoyer, German-British Historian, Author and Journalist joins Sean and Sarah to discuss the dilemma facing German actors since 1945: whether to take Nazi roles or not.

They examine 'memory politics' of the Second World War, the stereotypical Nazi portrayal seen in Hollywood over the years such as Wolf Kahler, through to modern German actors like Sandra Hüller, Daniel Brühl, Franka Potente, among others.

From Star Wars, Commando Comics to Coronation Street, this episode truly examines a rarely-discussed issue in films with the trademark humour that you've come to expect from Sean and Sarah, whilst maintaining a respectful tone given the historical context.

Question Raised:

-How quickly did this issue rear it's head in post-war Germany?

-Could a German family join Coronation Street?

-How many films/television series does Sean mention?

-When did the stereotypical Nazi villain begin?

-What was the reaction to The Untergang [Downfall] in Germany?

-Do all film villains have to be either German or well-spoken English characters?

-Will German topics other than the Nazis ever be of interest to the international film scene?

Books:

-Der Brand [The Fire] by Jörg Friedrich, published in 2002.

The Song that Sean was trying to think of for 'Deutschland 83':

-"Major Tom (Coming Home)" by Peter Schilling.

Our Guest:

https://www.katjahoyer.uk/

Read The Article Here:

https://www.katjahoyer.uk/p/the-nazi-dilemma-facing-german-actors

Chapters:

0:05 Welcome to Review It Yourself

0:46 Introducing Katja Hoyer

2:29 The Inspiration Behind the Article

5:08 German Actors and Nazi Stereotypes

6:58 Portrayals in Film

10:44 The Impact of Historical Memory

11:10 The Modern German Actor

16:18 The Balance of Typecasting

17:57 The Complexity of Nazi Depictions

20:34 Female Actors and Their Roles

23:17 The Challenges of Representation

33:22 The Role of Nationality in Acting

36:46 The Future of German Cinema

41:01 Shifting Perspectives in Film

57:23 Cultural Stereotypes in Modern Media

1:00:48 Upcoming Projects of Katja Hoyer

Thanks for Listening!

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