Germany Year Zero Themes

Germany Year Zero is a post war movie directed by Roberto Rossellini, filmed in Berlin (1948), which focuses on conveying the reality of Germany after the war through the life of a young boy. Closely Observed Trains, directed by Jiri Menzel (1966), is based on the novel written by Bohumil Hrabal and illustrates the coming of age of a young boy to a man. While both movies illustrate different aspects of life they also interlink in key aspects such as both boys succumbing to becoming men, one due to the events out with his control and the other through choice. This essay will analyze both avant-garde movies in regards to their innocence in relation to others, naiveté of both characters, value for life and responsibility.

In both movies there is a display of innocence in relation to the key characters. The German expressionist cinema in Germany Year Zero focuses on Edmund a young boy who has taken on the responsibility of looking after his family. It becomes apparent through the severity of destruction that Edmund innocence is stolen from him and as a result he is thrown into becoming an adult. The casting of the character identifies with the general labeling of a young carefree boy with Edmund representing the youth of this period. He is seen as being pure, fitting Nazi ideology of blonde hair and blue eyes. His teacher, father, sister, and brother all project an image onto Edmund as being innocent and untouched by what is occurring around him. Throughout the movie you see the effects that the war has on Edmund’s life.

The lighting on Edmund emphasizes the angelic persona. As the movie progresses the transposition of light becomes dark, which mimics his loss of innocence and childhood. However, this is also seen in regards to t...

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...place the bomb, this depiction of camaraderie, which is ironic as it was also an element of the Nazi Ideology.
Eva represents the many that had to take responsibility for their siblings and family’s after the war. The responsibility was placed on the children of the war to pick up the pieces and the mess left behind.

In conclusion the role of children in both these movies plays a large part in how the movies are depicted. Both boys have a lost innocence and naiveté about the world, and their perceptions of life and values are very similar. They represent the youth at that time and the situations that they found themselves in, by using children as the main characters both filmmakers were able to represents the struggle for the generations after the war, and the consistent pressure to live up to society’s demands and perceptions, whilst trying to cope with reality.