 |
 |
 |
German Democratic Republic In 1974 it was finally possible to make the film "Jacob the Liar", based on a story by Jurek Becker. Becker had already used the material for a screenplay in 1965, but the DEFA rejected it. He then turned the story into his first novel, which was published by Aufbau-Verlag in 1969 and for which he was awarded literary prizes in East and West. By chance the hero, Jakob Heym, overhears a radio broadcast about the military successes of the Red Army against the Wehrmacht. He tells his friends in the ghetto about it in order to bolster their hopes. Since they want to hear how the fighting is progressing, he begins to invent more good news. In the end reality catches up with the ghetto. There is no happy end; the people are deported. |
 |
In this sense, the film is about the genocide, a topic that is treated here in an entirely new way, since for a change there is no mention of anti-Fascism, heroism or personal reformation. The film suited the plans of the GDR government at the time, because they could demonstrate their liberalism to foreign countries with such a film. It perhaps played a role that the GDR had joined the United Nations in the previous year and they were concerned about presenting themselves to the outside world in a positive way. The film was a huge international success, was awarded the National Prize of the GDR, was the first DEFA film to be presented at the Berlinale in West Berlin, and was nominated for an Oscar. The conclusion of the story is clearly indicated by showing that Jakob is producing soap bubbles – in other words, news that will simply burst like a soap bubble. Through his lies he makes it possible to survive, if only for a brief moment. In this way the will to survive of the ghetto dwellers is made manifest in the poster. |
  |
|
