Le Jeune Hitlérien Quex

I saw this film in a university class about German cinema. I must say that as a student with a dual major in history and German this is a very interesting film. I believe that, as propaganda, it is outdated... no one in the western world would look at this film and say, "I think I'm going to go to war now" as a historical document or an example of propaganda of the time... it is wonderful! I would love a copy of this film, though i know i cannot find it anywhere. I would tell anyone who has the opportunity to see this film to do it ... but bear in mind that it is propaganda...and as such is naturally exaggerated to prove a point... Historians of the world... enjoy!

It's always refered to as a propaganda movie, and yes, technically it is. But the word propaganda didn't always have this automatic, negative connotation which it has today. Propaganda can educate, inspire, inform - or mislead. This film depicts the chaotic situation in Berlin during the interwar period pretty accurately. The division between patriotic and "international" leaning Germans, the communist agitators exploiting the miserable conditions of the working class to recruit new members, the red violence towards their nationalist adversaries. It's not a totally gloomy movie though and neither is it preachy in its politics. It's rather wholesome and nice to watch. And if you compare this film with the stuff that gets pumped out today, every contemporary movie should be called propaganda and certainly not in any positive sense.

I've just seen the film in a special showing at Tate Modern (London's modern-art gallery). The print was evidently made for educational purposes, in the 1950s one guesses, with explanatory intertitles written by a film academic in English. (These are actually quite amusing with their po-faced analysis, with some very silly diagrams, but do interrupt the action clumsily. However, the print has no English subtitles, so the crackly soundtrack with thick Berlin accents is tough to follow for non-German natives.) What struck this viewer was, briefly:

1. Utter bewilderment at its propaganda value; the Communists seem to modern eyes to have far the best deal, with beer, food and sex high on their agenda, yet the young Heini - and presumably the 12-year-olds in the audience - are won over totally by the promise of shiny shoes, cups of tea, boy scout uniforms, cold morning dips and strident community singing. Beats me. 2. No comedy or light relief in any way: no town drunk, sly spiv, amusing slapstick with planks, etc. Was 1930s Berlin really that humourless? 3. What a rabble the Nazi youth seemed - gawky and indisciplined, far from the ruthlessly efficient robots of our imagination. 4. The only two decent actors in the whole thing are the two Commie blokes. Heini's dad turns in a convincing performance as the drunken old bully who personifies the Red Menace. 5. Getting short trousers to fit evidently beyond scope of even the well-organised Hitlerjugend. Every pair two sizes too small. 6. Chilling role played by gas. As a film "it's pants", as modern 12-year-olds might say (possibly echoing point 5). But as a grim piece of political history it is indeed quiet fascinating - and mystifying, as well as enlightening.

Quex was by far an excellent film with a lot of history off camera as well. I enjoyed the film , good subtle propaganda. Right it could have been about Scouting if a USA or Disney film. I want to start by clarifying that for years I researched the Ohlsen biography through many document centers. I found out the stories about Ohlsen and a gay romance with Vom Schirach were originated in BBC broadcasts that went into Germany and as a rule spread nasty ( for the time) stories about German celebrities to demoralize the enemy. Saying the " quexing" slang for gay sex was also BBC. I found out WHO wrote the broadcasts. He died in Berlin in 1969 of alcoholism. I try and try to get Wikipedia to print my findings but they keep erasing it and keeping the sex nonsense. Von Schirach s transfer to Vienna was a reward for a service. The BBC put icing on the cake saying it was a sex scandal. Ohlsen never clarified anything. I don't know his sexual preference and in out times it s no big deal- who cares? But the Von Schirach and Ohlsen take was very effective propaganda. It s still all over the internet today. Sadly Ohlsen s not here to speak. He was anti- Nazi. Another fact: Ohlsen was of Danish ancestry( bears a resemblance to teenage Jamie Lee Curtis who IS half Scandinavian) And Herbett Norkus the real martyr in real life was Lithuanian background. And right now might be buried in a public park unknown to hikers and picnickers. I did my homework. Lol. Quex IS a good film at face value.

This is an excellent movie. Although its propagandistic intentions are obvious, it can be enjoyed. After all, its not about the NSDAP ideology, it's mostly about bravery and self-sacrifice. Replace Hitlerjugend with American Boy Scouts and most people would agree, what a good and moral film it is.

Rob from England pointed out, that from today's point of view, the Communists in the film with their "beer, food and sex" would seem far more better deal today. Probably so. But that only shows, how the world has declined since the cultural revolution of the late 60-s. Values like moral purity, patriotism and courage must be held high by all. They are the essence of survival for any nation, whatever ideology they may have.

I also think German government should have considerably more trust in their citizens and should lift the ban off of films like this, so they could become available on DVD, and not only in P2P networks, as it is today.