“The Sinner” and the Scandal That Shook Post-War Germany
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A German melodrama released 75 years ago ignited a cultural firestorm, becoming the nation’s biggest film scandal and a landmark case for artistic freedom. “The Sinner,” starring Hildegard Knef, premiered on January 18, 1951, in Frankfurt am Main, and immediately sparked outrage that resonates even today.
A Story of Suicide and Societal Taboos
The film unfolds as a melodrama, beginning with the suicide of a painter grappling with a brain tumor. The narrative then shifts to a series of flashbacks narrated by his lover, Martina. Even before its release, the script drew criticism from representatives of both the Catholic and Protestant churches within the Voluntary Self-Regulation of the Film Industry (FSK), the body responsible for age restrictions on films. Ultimately, “The Sinner” was released with an 18+ rating.
The controversy stemmed from the film’s frank portrayal of difficult themes. The protagonist’s consideration of “prostitution as a natural way out of her human and economic plight” and the depiction of suicide – particularly sensitive in the aftermath of the Nazi era’s forced “euthanasia” programs – proved deeply unsettling. A brief nude scene, considered tame by modern standards, further fueled the uproar.
“Decomposition of Moral Concepts” – A Cardinal’s Condemnation
The backlash wasn’t limited to film critics. Cologne Cardinal Joseph Frings, a prominent figure in post-war Germany, vehemently condemned the film. He didn’t just preach against it from the pulpit of Cologne Cathedral; he issued a pastoral letter read in churches throughout his diocese, urging “our Catholic men and women, especially our healthy Catholic youth, with justified indignation and Christian unanimity, [to] avoid the cinemas that misuse the name of art and put on a performance that amounts to a decomposition of the moral concepts of our Christian people.”
This condemnation triggered a wave of public protest, including the distribution of inflammatory leaflets, boycotts, and even stink bomb attacks on cinemas screening the film. Performances were temporarily banned in predominantly Catholic regions. However, in 1954, the Federal Administrative Court issued a groundbreaking ruling, declaring “The Sinner” a work of art whose exhibition could not be prohibited.
A Scandal That Elevated the Film’s Profile
According to the “Lexicon of International Film” in 1987, “the loud melodrama…became the biggest scandal in German film,” largely due to “protests from ecclesiastical and political circles.” The film’s notoriety, ironically, boosted its visibility, despite the involvement of director Willi Forst and screenwriter Gerhard Menzel, both of whom had enjoyed success during the Nazi era.
Whether the church learned from the experience or filmmakers adopted a more conciliatory approach, subsequent German films did not generate comparable levels of controversy. While publications like “Filmdienst” continued to offer critical assessments – sometimes issuing a “reject” verdict, as in the case of certain “Adam and Eve” adaptations – the intensity of the outrage surrounding “The Sinner” was never replicated.
Shifting Sensibilities and the Decline of Cinematic Scandal
Films like Ingmar Bergman’s “The Silence” (1963), which explored sexuality and religious themes, sparked debate but were met with a more nuanced response. Even internationally provocative films like William Friedkin’s “The Exorcist” (1973) and Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Temptation of Christ” (1988) generated more international controversy than domestic outrage among German Catholics.
Herbert Achternbusch’s 1982 satire, “The Ghost,” featuring Christ descending from the cross and walking through Munich, drew criticism from conservative newspapers and even a federal minister, but failed to capture the public’s imagination in the same way. Religious themes, and cinema itself, had lost much of their power to shock.
A High Point in German Film History
In this context, “The Sinner” stands as a unique moment. As film journalist Joe Hembus observed in 1980, it remains “the most interesting bad German film from a time when there were almost only bad German films.” The film’s enduring legacy is also tied to Hildegard Knef, whose 100th birthday was recently celebrated on December 28th. Her captivating presence shines through in “The Sinner,” particularly through her distinctive voice that dominates the film’s extensive voiceover narration.
