Rosen für den Staatsanwalt

In 2014 "Im Labyrinth des Schweigens" (Giulio Ricciarelli) was released and in 2015 "Der Staat gegen Fritz Bauer" (Lars Kraume). Both films had the same theme. They were about ex nazi's building a new career in West Germany of the 50s under cover of a wall of silence.

Was the wall of silence in Germany complete? Was there no film director at that time who puts his finger on the sore spot? Yes there was, and his name was Wolfgang Staudte. His most successful period was 1945 - 1955 when he worked in East Germany. His films were also a personal redemption, because in the Second World War he has been an actor in Nazi propaganda films. In 1956 he moved to West Germany, where he made films and later cooperated in TV series such as "Der Kommissar" and "Tatort".

"Rosen fur den Staatsanwalt" is not from his most successful period and may not have the quality of his earlier movie "Die Mörder sind unter uns" (1946). It is nevertheless a courageous film, made in West Germany against the prevailing sentiment. On a certain point in the film Staudte not only criticizes the concealment of the Nazi past but also the way "das Wirtschaftswunder" works. A person learns about the Nazi activities of "der Staatsanwalt". In stead of making this public he tries to extort him with his information. It made me think of "Das mädchen Rosemarie" (1958, Rolf Thiele), a film I saw recently.

This film is a searing critique of West German society in the post-war wirtschaftwunder years. Despite the bright new consumer society of the 1950's the ghosts of the immediate Nazi past just won't go away. Lots of delicious subtleties to look out for: the policeman giving directions to the police station starts to say 'Adolf Hilter Platz' but just stops himself in time and the quotation from the Horst Wesel Lied in the soundtrack when the Prosecutor enters the court building. The comedy mainly stems from the Prosecutor's frantic attempts to suppress any evidence of his Nazi past. Roses for the Prosecuter must have trod on many toes at the time. Definitely worth watching today - like all good satire this is also a very funny film.

Some movies are able to capture the feel, look and presence of a particular time; Roses for the prosecutor is such a film. All elements come together, the performances of the actors, the cinematography, the script and direction all work in synch to produce a slice of post WWII West Germany.

The two male leads are fantastic, if only there were actors with their natural talent in today's Hollywood! The Prosecutor is played as a caricature of certain sections of German society who managed to re-invent themselves as 'democrats' after the Nazi defeat of 1945, while actually having been deeply involved with the National Socialist regime.

The young vagabond played by Walter Giller must be one of the most poignant and loving characterizations of hermits in any film I've ever seen. Some may consider him a loser, or an anti-hero perhaps, but in reality he is the only person true to himself in the picture. The slouch and haggard walk of the character will be imprinted in my mind forever.

But that is not all the film has to offer, all the minor characters are so aptly portrayed by all the cast, giving a most accurate portrayal of West German society after the war. Pay particular attention to the reactions of the shop-keeper, insurance broker and architect when they hear Rudi's harrowing tale, and their subsequent behaviour the following day. It's uncanny how accurate and contemporary the film still is in today's world.

And this deeply moving film manages to be funny while dealing with all these very serious themes. Just wonderful.