Pädagogisches Seminar | AVMZStudy Group | „Lindenstraße“ Universität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working Group Results from the First Phase „MEDIA ANALYSIS“ presented

Pädagogisches Seminar | AVMZ Study Group | „Lindenstraße“

Universität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working GroupUniversität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working GroupUniversität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working GroupUniversität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working Group

Results from the First Phase„MEDIA ANALYSIS“

presented at

MEDIA FORUMBarcelona, 2004-05-16/17



LINDENSTRASSEEast Germans - West Germans

after the Fall of the German Democratic Republic (GDR)

Presentation of xenophobia in the

german soap opera „Lindenstraße“



Overview

(1.) Main facts of the series „Lindenstraße“

(2.) Historical background

(3.) Analytic aspects



Kurzcharakteristik des Ganzen

Dates: First broadcast 1984 | TV-Station: ARD/WDR (Cologne) | Length: 30 min. | Time: Sunday, 18.40-19.10h

Lindenstraße

„Die Lindenstraße“ is a long running German TV series (weekly soap) which started in 1985. This year the 1000th sequel shall be broadcast. It has turned out to be the first and one of the most popular German TV series right from the start.

The series is considered to be up to date and socially critical.



The every-day life of the inhabitants of the „Lindenstraße“ is shown in the series. Their behaviour is supposed to be representative of German life and shows their typical problems.

One of the main protagonists is Else Kling.

Contents of the series:



Historical backgroundFollowing the Second World War Germany was divided into two parts. The western part, the BRD, was democratic, while the eastern part, the GDR, was placed under a communist regime. A wall was built in Berlin.

Due to the restriction of personal freedom in all matters, a general dissatisfaction spread all over the GDR. Adding to that an increasing amount of houses rotted, without being taken care of.

In November 1989 the communist regime resigned and the wall was teared down.



Charakteristik des Ausschnitts

Kurzcharakteristik des Ganzen

Half a year after the fall of the wall between East and West Germany: a young woman from East Germany (Claudia Ranzow), who in August 1989 had fled through Austria, has opened a flower shop in the „Lindenstraße“.

LindenstraßeFrühlingserwachen (Folge 229)Dates: First broadcast 22.04.1990 | TV-Station: ARD/WDR | Length: 30 min. | Time: Su, 18.40-19.10h



Antexten des Clips

Lindenstraße:Blumenladen

Else Kling enters the flowershop of Claudia Ranzow. It is apparent that both women speak a strong dialect. Else Kling herself speaks with a hard bavarian accent, Claudia with a saxonian accent.

Introduction to the sequence

Clip



VorgehensweiseEvery single shot of the sequence is analysed under the following

aspects of cinematic criteria:

- field size- camera angle / point of view- camera movement- light / color- object movement- montage- sound /music- text / commentary / dialogue

- Analysis of cinematic aspects is especially suited to reveal hidden content

Description of the cinematic approach



Fragestellungen | Analyse-Aspekte

Question 1

Which typical behaviours of xenophobia is demonstrated through the caracter of Else Kling?

Analytical aspects

Question 2

Does the sequence describe aspects of reality of the relationship between East and West Germans?

Do there exist people who really act like Else Kling?

Analytical Aspects

Which cinematic and dramatical devices are used?

Ggf. erneute Vorführung des Clips



Analytical AspectsTypical behaviour of xenophobia (fear of strangers)

- Because of the saxonian accent, Else Kling identifies Claidia Ranzow as a „foreigner“

- Else Kling uses the negativ term „Ostzone“ instead of the official term „East Germany“

- She tries to instruct Claudia

- She tells Claudia that her behaviour is unacceptable, and that she has no patience

- Else tells Claudia that she has seen all the facts on television about East German people and pretends to know what they are like.

- Else tells Claudia that she’s a parasite (sponger) („How on earth did you start up your shop?!“)

- Else is envious

- Else makes it clear that she belongs to the group of „real Germans“ („Goldener West“ “The golden west“) and lets Claudia know that she doesn’t belong to that superior group



Aspects of the real behaviour between the West and East Germans – Are there really people that behave like Else Kling?

- Yes, as soon as the wall fell but to this day many people still judge the East Germans

- Because of the money the West Germans pay to the East Germans after the fall of the wall, the word „parasite“ was used

- The East German accent is very often at the center of West German jokes

What does the production use to get across these ideas?

- Performance: Changing the mimic of Else Kling in the beginning: friendly; as soon as she realises that Claudia has an East German accent: a screwed-up face; by giving her a lecture: mean facial expression; when she talks of the „golden west“ she laughs with proudness

- Dialogue: short Claudia is speachless in comparison to Else, her monologue is longThe Priest: stands quiet in the background and is not really involved

- Camera angle: Claudia is shot from overhead, Else Kling from below

- Lighting: Claudia is placed under warm light, Else under cold light

Analytical Aspects



THANK YOU!!

Study Group

„Men in Black“

Documents

Pädagogisches Seminar | AVMZStudy Group | „Lindenstraße“ Universität zu Köln | eCLIPse Working Group Results from the First Phase „MEDIA ANALYSIS“ presented