Abstract
In 1941, the Polish-language Nowy Kurier Warszawski (New Warsaw Courier), which was controlled by the Germans, published an interview with director Jan Fethke (1903–1980), a Reichsdeutscher. Building on Fethke’s status among Polish filmmakers, the occupation authorities tried to establish him as a leader in the revival of the film industry, which was intended to affirm the progress of “normalization” of life within the General Government. On the orders of the occupying forces, Fethke entered into cooperation with the German film center FIP (Film- und Propagandamittel Vertriebsgesellschaft) that had been established in Warsaw to complete two films. After the liberation of Poland, Fethke was arrested on suspicion of collaboration with the Germans—in the end, the allegations were not upheld.
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Notes
- 1.
Express Poranny 1939, no. 256, p. 2.
- 2.
See Sword, K. (2002) Poland, pp. 695–699 in Dear, I. – Foot, M. R. D. (eds.). The Oxford Companion to World War II. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- 3.
Becker, W. (1973) Film und Herrschaft. Organisationsprinzipien und Organisationsstrukturen der nationalsozialistischen Filmpropaganda. Berlin: Verlag Volker Spiess, p. 213.
- 4.
Ibid., p. 214.
- 5.
The heads of the Auβestellen received these standard Auslandstonwochen (foreign weekly newsreels) every week and customized them by supplementing local shots. See Vande Winkel, R. (2004) Nazi Newsreels in Europe, 1939–1945: the many faces of Ufa’s foreign weekly newsreel (Auslandstonwoche ) versus German’s weekly newsreel (Deutsche Wochenschau). Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television 24 (1), p. 12.
- 6.
The other four movies were the musical Żołnierz królowej Madagaskaru (The Soldier of the Queen of Madagascar, 1940) directed by Jerzy Zarzycki, Wanda Jakubowska, and Karol Szołowski; Żona i nie żona (A Wife for them All, 1941) by Emil Chaberski; Ja tu rządzę (I Am the Boss Here , 1941) by Mieczysław Krawicz; and Testament profesora Wilczura (Professor Wilczur’s Last Will, 1942) by Leonard Buczkowski.
- 7.
Instytut Pamięci Narodowej (IPN, Institute of National Remembrance), GK (Akta Prokuratora Sądu Okręgowego w Warszawie 1947–1948) 453/1002.
- 8.
Ozimek, S. (1974) Film polski w wojennej potrzebie. Warszawa: PIW, p. 144.
- 9.
IPN GK, 453/1002.
- 10.
Kalicki, S. (1941) Dziś i jutro filmu krajowego, p. 6 in Nowy Kurier Warszawski, 39.
- 11.
Ozimek (1974), p. 146.
- 12.
Jutro 1941, no. 84, p. 3.
- 13.
Hera, J. (1997) Losy aktorów w GG, p. 327 in Pamiętnik Teatralny, 1–4 (181–184).
- 14.
Jutro 1941, no. 84, p. 3.
- 15.
IPN GK 453/1002.
- 16.
Ibid.
- 17.
Dziennik Ustaw 1946, no. 69, item 377, p. 865.
- 18.
When the Polish film industry was nationalized on 13 November 1945, the state company Film Polski (Polish Film) was established as the sole entity for producing, distributing, and exhibiting film in Poland. See Haltof, M. (2007), Historical Dictionary of Polish Cinema. Lanham – Toronto – Plymouth: Scarecrow Press, p. 24.
- 19.
Życie Warszawy 1947, no. 98, p. 4.
- 20.
Ibid.
- 21.
Ibid.
- 22.
IPN GK 453/1002.
- 23.
Życie Warszawy 1947, no. 317, p. 1.
- 24.
IPN GK 453/1002.
- 25.
Ibid.
- 26.
Ibid.
- 27.
Ibid.
- 28.
IPN GK 453/1002.
- 29.
IPN BU 1546/57, Fethke Jan Kazimierz, kwestionariusz paszportowy – Biuro Paszportów Zagranicznych.
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Trojanowski, K. (2021). Jan Fethke: The Artist’s Lot in the Shadow of the Swastika. In: Skopal, P., Vande Winkel, R. (eds) Film Professionals in Nazi-Occupied Europe. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-61634-2_9
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