Fascism is a topic that Germans do not like to talk about. Not only because they are ashamed. But also for the reason that many of them turned a blind eye to what was happening or took an active part in the extermination of innocent people. Even less like to remember the people of Germany about such a thing as "NAPOLA" (NaPolA). This name was given to special schools for gifted Aryan youths, who in the future were to manage the great empire of the Third Reich. Despite the fall of Hitler’s regime, many NAPOLA graduates were able to occupy high government posts in defeated Germany.
In 2004, the famous German director Dennis Hansel shot a film about the friendship of two NaPolA students under the name "Death Academy". The actors who played the main roles in the project were quite young, which did not stop them from creating sincere characters on the screen who risked to rebel against the totalitarian system.
Motion picture "Death Academy"
Before working on this tape, Dennis Hansel became famous as a director of horror films and base youth comedies. Few people expected him to be able to make such a deep and soulful movie as The Death Academy. This project allowed Dennis to gain international recognition.
Funny story with the name of the picture. In the original, the tape is referred to as NaPolA: Elite für den Führer ("NAPOLA: Elite of the Fuhrer"), but the English version is called Before the Fall. In the Russian box office, the movie is called "The Academy of Death."
The plot and issues of the tape
Friedrich Weimer, the son of an ordinary German worker, recently graduated from high school and has not yet decided what to do now. The father wants him to get a job at his factory, but the boxing talent of a young man is noticed by a teacher from NAPOLA and invites him to study.
Forging the signature of his father, who opposes his son’s admission to this institution, Frederick falls into the “forge” of the Nazi elite. Despite the fact that other students are sons of politicians, military or rich, Weimer manages to get a good job, and thanks to victories in the ring, he becomes the pride of the academy.
In parallel with this, the young man makes friendship with Albrecht Stein, the offspring of a well-known official. Frederick's new friend turns out to be a pretty sensitive boy. He defies propaganda and is rather critical of the orders in "NAPOLA".
After the suicide of Siegfried Gladen poisoned by teachers and students, as well as the “hunt” for Soviet prisoners of war, Albrecht writes a frank essay in which he criticized the ideas that were instilled into them. For this, his father is going to pick him up from school and send him to the front. A few days before this, a guy drowns in a swimming lesson.
The suicide of his best friend deeply touches Friedrich - he deliberately loses the competition and seeks expulsion from the academy.
All the problems that the director of the movie "Death Academy", actors and screenwriters tried to clarify in the tape, were relevant not only then, but today. To better convey his ideas to the audience, Dennis Hansel often uses oppositions.
So, the friends Frederick and Albrecht are absolute opposites. First: poor, but strong and courageous. The second boy is the exact opposite of his friend - sincere, weak and intelligent.
The picture also contrasts two suicides. Due to enuresis, which Siegfried is simply physically unable to cope with, he is humiliated not only by his peers, but also by his teachers. Ultimately, the guy throws himself on a grenade to save his comrades' life and end his torment. There is cowardice and nobility in this act. Posthumous praise of Siegfried's suicide looks very false and cynical, because everyone knows why this happened.
The behavior of a physical education teacher at the sight of a grenade looks indicative. After all, in fact, he was responsible for the students and had to close a grenade with himself, as Gladen did. However, the brave man escapes, leaving the students to their fate. It is indicative that he is not punished.
He continues to teach, glossy with complacency, without even feeling guilty about the death of the child. Therefore, when Frederick beats him in the classroom, the students watch with undisguised pleasure.
Albrecht's suicide against the background of Siegfried's act looks more than cowardice. After all, Gladin would not hesitate to swap places with the bold, smart and respected offspring of Gauleiter Heinrich Stein. However, this action can be viewed from a different angle: the young man finds the strength to protest against the inhuman system of which he has become a part. And although the guy could have done more if he had stayed alive, he simply could not find the strength in himself for this. The reaction of the academy and relatives to Albrecht’s act is sad but predictable: they not only ignore what happened, but also try to blame it on Frederick’s influence.
Max Rimelt as Friedrich Weimer
The main characters in the film were played by young German actors. The Death Academy was one of Max Rimelt's first serious works.
He made his debut at the age of thirteen in the television picture "Family for Kisses." He met Dennis Hansel while working on the youth comedy Girls on Top, in which he played a major role. After this, several passing paintings followed, as well as participation in the sequel "Girls on Top".
In 2004, Hansel invited a talented guy with the appearance of a true Aryan to play in the Academy of Death. Rimelt managed to screen the evolution of his hero.
This role brought Max the main prize at the Czech Karlovy Vary Film Festival.
After the "Academy of Death", Rimelt became popular in the profession. Dennis Hansel quite often invited Max to act in his projects. Among their most famous collaborative paintings are Experiment 2: The Wave, Taste of the Night, and The Fourth Power.
Tom Schilling - Albrecht Stein
The partner on the set of Rimelt was 2 years senior Tom Schilling.
Starting his career as a teenager, this actor earned the Bayerischer Filmpreis German Film Festival award in 2000 for his role as Janos Schwartz in Crazy. Perhaps this achievement contributed to the fact that Tom was invited to star in the movie "Death Academy."
Actors - many of this project - had not previously worked with Hansel. Shilling was no exception. However, he quickly mastered and played well. His huge blue eyes, looking with horror at the surrounding reality, became one of the highlights in the film.
After NaPolA - Elite für den Führer, Tom Schilling starred a lot, but he no longer worked with Hansel and Rimelt. The actor more than once had a chance to act in films about the period of fascism (“Our Fathers, Our Mothers” and “The French Suite”), also Tom played the young Führer in “My Struggle”.
Actors of the movie Death Academy: Martin Geres as Ziggy Gladen
It is also worth noting the work of Martin Geres. He played a cadet with enuresis in the Academy of Death film. The actors of the project participated in various dialogs, but the character of Geres was silent almost all the time.
The actor conveyed all the tragedy of a sick guy who does not fit into the ideal world of “NAPOLA” only with the help of his eyes, and he succeeded splendidly.
After the success of the "Death Academy", the young man began to act in short films a lot, and after that he retrained for the producer. Today it is quite in demand in this area.
The Death Academy: Actors and Roles Secondary
In addition to the above young artists, other aspiring actors starred in the project. Among them - Jonas Jägermeir, Leon A. Kersten, Thomas Drechsel, as well as Florian Stetter, who played the blackmailer Justus in the film "Academy of Death."
The actors and the roles they performed were widely recognized not only in Germany but throughout the world. However, not only young artists were criticized, but also experienced adult performers: Justus von Donagni (Albrecht's father), Joachim Bissmayer (NAPOLA director) and David Shtrisov (Heinrich Vogler).
It is worth noting that Dennis Hansel himself starred in a cameo role. He played the coach of the boxing club in which Friedrich was involved.
The motion picture "Death Academy" is not typical for German cinema. In it, the director tried to show the world that behind the mask of external well-being and unanimity in Hitler’s Germany, in fact, more than one tragedy was hidden. As in the USSR in 1920-1930, and in the country of the Führer, dissidents were destroyed, children were set up against their parents, and fathers and mothers - against their children. And although it has been many years since the fascist evil has been defeated, new things can always arise, so people should always be on the alert.