St Andrew's Cathedral School Library

Leni Riefenstahl

Leni Riefenstahl

Pathfinder for HSC Modern History students

Click on the hyperlinks to take you to the relevant sources

Search suggestions are given for each tool and source but other keywords may also be appropriate

The purpose of this pathfinder is to assist HSC students studying Leni Riefenstahl as part of their Modern History commitments.  It is designed to provide some search strategies and examples of their applications to a variety of sources locatable within the school library and outside it.  The search suggestions and examples are by no means exhaustive and are designed to help students get started or continue their research into this personality.

Leni Riefenstahl has been referred to as both a propagandist and a pioneer.  This pathfinder should help students find resources that will address her background, her rise to prominence, significance and help students locate resources that will help in their evaluations of her contributions to society.

*  It is a good idea to make use of print and online dictionaries to clarify and find meanings of basic terms.  Other keywords you can use to locate information can come from brainstorming synonyms and a print or online thesaurus can help you.

(See the library Webpage Online reference desk for further reference resources)  *

Databases available through the library website

Thomson Gale History:

(refer to password sheets in the library for access details)

• Specialised history database.  Results will range from reference materials, periodicals, primary sources and maps and multimedia.  Results are full-text.

• Example result (from basic search - Periodicals):

Title: Profile: Nazi propaganda films produced and directed by German filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl (1:00-2:00 PM) (Broadcast transcript)

Source: Weekend Edition Sunday Apr 28, 2002

Notes: Leni and her biographer Reiner Rother talk to NPR Berlin's Guy Raz about her up-coming films and her previous films. This article gives an insight into how Leni wants to be remembered and could prove useful in addressing the significance and evaluation aspect of the syllabus.

Grolier Online:

(refer to password sheets in the library for access details)

• Includes links to Encyclopaedia articles, websites and magazine articles.  Has 6 different encyclopaedias that it will draw results from and any one can be searched on its own.  Results are full-text.

• Example result (from basic search - Magazine articles):

Title: Music in Nazi film: How different is Triumph of the will?

Source: Studies in European cinema, vol. 3, no. 1, pp. 37-53.

Notes: Article discusses the use of music by Leni in her film Triumph of the Will and how it embodied the Nazi state, its ideals and policies.  The author compares the use of music by Riefenstahl to other films of the period, both Nazi and non-Nazi.  This article could be useful for addressing the significance and evaluation aspects of the syllabus.

ProQuest:

(refer to password sheets in the library for access details)

• Can limit or expand search to include journal articles, newspaper articles, book reviews, maps, pictures, audio/video and transcripts and search can be limited to scholarly results.  Results are full-text.

• Example result (from search by topic example above):

Title:  "Wherever you may run, you cannot escape him": Leni Riefenstahl's self-reflection and romantic transcendence of Nazism in Tiefland: [Part 1 of 3]

Source: Contemporary Women's Issues Database

Notes: Examines the making of Tiefland, its change in focus and direction comparable with Riefenstahl's previous films as well as addressing the personal conflicts Riefenstahl was dealing with at the time of its shooting. (Parts 2 and 3 are also available).  This article could prove useful in addressing the significance and evaluation aspect of the syllabus.

Books in the library

Library online catalogue:

• Results:

Title: Olympia : Documentation for the Olympia film

Call number: 778.5 RIE

Notes: Shows images from the movie so it is predominantly pictorial.  The preface is written by Leni Riefenstahl and presents her reasons for the books publication.  This book could prove useful for addressing the significance and evaluation aspect of the syllabus.

Title: Leni Riefenstahl : five lives

Call number: 943 RIE

Notes: This book details the five lives of Leni, from dancer and actress to director, photographer and finally diver.  The book is predominantly images but does include an extensive filmography of her works and works in which she appeared as well as a lengthy and detailed biography.  This book could prove useful in addressing the background and rise to prominence aspects of the syllabus.

Title: Individuals in modern history : Leni Riefenstahl and Albert Speer

Call number: 943.086 FRA

Notes: Includes an in-depth study of Leni set against the events of Germany between1918 and 1945 and could prove useful at addressing all aspects of the syllabus.

Vertical files in the library

• These are a variety of articles from different sources and can be photocopied

Library online catalogue:

• Example result:

 Title: “Triumph of the will”

Call number: VF1473

Notes: This detailed discussion of Leni Riefenstahl's film "Triumph of the will" analyses the style of the film with specific reference to its direction and portrayal of Hitler. Riefenstahl's direction, camerawork and editing is also discussed. From: A portrait of Leni Riefenstahl, 1996, pp. 138-157.  This article could prove useful in addressing the significance and evaluation aspects of the syllabus.

Further resources in the library

Miscellaneous:

• Located in the HSC collection (uncatalogued) are two folders for use by students.  These folders contain numerous articles from a variety of sources that can be photocopied but not borrowed.  These articles could prove useful in addressing all aspects of the syllabus.

Study guides and textbooks in the HSC collection:

• Example of textbook:

Title: Republic to Reich

Call number: 909.82 

Notes: Has an entire chapter devoted to Leni, which includes a biography, timeline, list of keywords and term definitions, document studies and discussions that would address all aspects of the syllabus.  Includes an excellent case study that springboards further enquiries and discussions.  Also includes HSC style questions to practice.

Websites

• Other sites will be available but be sure to verify all information found with other reputable sources (like the published works listed above) and be sure to check for authority and that sources / references used by the author are given.

Biographical

The German-Hollywood connection : Leni Riefenstahl:

This site includes a comprehensive biography, a listing of her movies, as well as purchasing links for some of her titles (links to Amazon.com) and a list of further links.  (This site has been reviewed by Librarian’s Internet Index).  This site could be useful for addressing the background and rise to prominence aspects of the syllabus.

Artist

Leni Riefenstahl’s official site:

Site is mainly pictorial.  Includes a biography (mainly photographic), a chronological list of her movies with production details and date of first performance and a sampling of her photography, including the Nuba. Site by Leni Riefenstahl-Produktions.  This site could be useful for addressing the background aspects of the syllabus.

Leni’s rising star:

Includes a biography, comprehensive notes on Leni’s films, a discussion list, list of resources about Leni as well as suggestions for obtaining her films and current examples of Leni in the news.  Includes an extensive list of further links including fan sites, biographies, photo galleries, downloadable audios and videos and critiques and reviews.  Credits and references given for the content and the web author is also contactable.  This site could be useful for addressing the background and rise to prominence aspects of the syllabus.

Female pioneer

The blue light : the art of Leni Riefenstahl:

This site is created by a fan / film student and although messy and inconsistent in its presentation it includes a good biography that is broken into the various aspects of Leni’s life and an array of links to other websites.  It also includes an editorial titled Thoughts on the life and work of Leni Riefenstahl by Patrick Zarate (the site's author) and the web author’s credentials are listed and he is contactable.  Also listed are the various references used to produce the site.  This site could be useful for addressing the significance and evaluation aspects of the syllabus.

Female propagandist

Fascinating Fascism:

This site is in fact a review for Leni's latest work titled The last of the Nuba but discusses other Leni works including Triumph of the Will, The Blue Light and Olympia which spring from the dust jacket of Leni's Nuba book.  Susan Sontag discusses the influence Leni's work had on the image of Nazi Germany and how her work was indeed propagandist. She illustrates this by saying that propaganda comes in many formats and art can be one of them.  Includes a link to Day of Freedom on YouTube, a work Susan says is an excellent example of her point and a work that Leni refuses to acknowledge in her filmography or discuss in interviews.  This site could prove useful in addressing the significance and evaluation aspects of the syllabus.

Link to the school's bibliographic proforma

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