leni riefenstahl was she a artist or a propagandist ?

Question

i have been studying so many references to her i just cant make up my mind, any suggestions ?

Answer 1

An artist. Her work, even though it was used for evil purpose, is usually considered to be excellent- something only an artist could achieve.

Answer 2

LENI RIEFENSTAHL was born in Berlin in 1902. She studied painting and started her artistic career as a dancer. She became already so famous after her first dance hat Max Reinhardt engaged her for the »Deutsches Theater An injury of the knee put an end to her sensational career. After that, she became famous as an actress, a film director, a film producer and a film reporter. She became world-renowned as an actress in the films »Der heilige Her greatest success she made with the documentary film »Triumph des Willens« named after the Reich Party Congress 1934 in Nuremberg which got the highest awards: The gold medal in Venice in 1935 and the gold medal at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1937. However, at the end of the war this film destroyed Leni Riefenstahl's career, for now it had no longer been recognized as a piece of art but been condemned as a National Socialist propaganda film. Her world-famous film about the Olympic games made the same experience. That film included two parts, part I »Fest der Völker« and part 2 »Fest der Schönheit« , and did also get the highest awards: the gold medal in Paris in 1937, the first price in Venice as the world's best film in 1938, the Olympic Award by the IOC in 1939, and in 1956 it had been classified as one of the world's best ten films.As a photographer, too she soon gained the world's elite after the war. Photo reportages about her stay with the Nuba were first published in the magazines »Stern«, »The Sunday Times Magazine«, »Paris Match«, »L'Europeo«, »Newsweek« and »The Sun«. Mainly her illustrated books »The Nuba« and »The Nuba of Kau« earned her further honours and awards.

Answer 3

I think she was a historian and propagandist. She wanted to record, for history, Hitler and the Third Reich. She was used by Goebbels for propagandist purposes.
She was a good photographer and film maker for the day,but I don't care for her, she was also a firm believer in Hitler and an ardent NAZI.

EDIT
I read her biography, after the war she spent 3 years under Allied arrest but was eventually cleared of being a Nazi collaborator. I take back the ardent Nazi statement and now consider her a good photographer and film artist.

Answer 4

she claimed before her death that she was an artist though much modern revisionism of her work and the message she conveyed; plus her relationship with the nazi heirachy does mean that today she can arguably be viewed as a political artist - fudged answer maybe but i don't think either of the options actually could sum up the talent, actions and motivations of Leni - just as she was unable to accept her role in the nazi movement towards the end of her life

Answer 5

To me she is both an artist and a propagandist. Her art was used to further Nazi propaganda. Now as to whether she had any other option is somewhat debatable. I doubt anyone could have refused Goebbels and remained free. Ina perfect world she would not have glorified the Nazi regime through her art but she survived and continued to create.

Answer 6

an artist i.e good filmmaker & editor -- the ambiguity here: the subject-matter didn't give much leeway, she couldn't be critical of Nazi regime even if she wanted to, she was right in the middle of it: she was maybe impartial, & the Rallies she portrayed not much different than Epics in general -- strength in numbers, Mass hypnosis etc.
(edit)
sparks~'s answer, biography, omits something: she died at age of 101 -- maybe irrelevant in present topic, but interesting anyway

Answer 7

A truly gifted artist who, unfortunately, was devoted to a man of evil.
Her artistic gift was, unfortunately, abused by the Nazis to great effect. "Triumph of the Will" is, perhaps, one of the most remarkable motion pictures ever made. Pure propoganda.

Answer 8

personal opinion she was an artist who was mainly famous for her propaganda film " Triumph of the Will. " However, She did other film which were as well done but had a different agenda.

Answer 9

Who says she has to be one or the other? There's no reason she can't be both!

Answer 10

She was both.

She wanted to make beautiful-looking films, and if propaganda crept in, well........