ARYAN WIVES, JEWISH HUSBANDS.Byline: Bob Strauss Film Critic `ROSENSTRASSE'' dramatizes another little-known incident of anti- Holocaust courage. Written and directed by German New Wave graduate Margarethe von Trotta (``Rosa Luxemburg''), the film illuminates the twilight existence - emphasis on the word existence - of Jewish/Aryan mixed families in World War II Berlin. And it does so in a very complicated and deliberate manner. The movie can't help but build a mighty emotional force over its two-plus hours. But von Trotta did not need to complicate her plot as much as she does, with contemporary Jews speaking German in New York City New York City: see New York, city. New York City City (pop., 2000: 8,008,278), southeastern New York, at the mouth of the Hudson River. The largest city in the U.S. , a baroque journey/flashback structure and even a slightly star-crossed modern romance. Once all that's been cut through and the piece's real story gets rolling, there's more than enough to hold our interest. One of those young American German-speakers, Hannah Weinstein Hannah Weinstein (b. Hannah Dorner, New York, June 23, 1911. d. New York, March 9, 1984) was an American journalist, publicist and left-wing political activist who moved to Britain and became a television producer. (Maria Schrader), travels to Berlin to unravel the mystery of her mother, Ruth (Jutta Lampe as an adult, Svea Lohde as a child). She locates the gentile woman, Lena Fischer (Doris Schade), who sheltered little Ruth from 1943 until she could be sent to relatives in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. . The daughter of an aristocratic family, Lena (Katja Reimann played the younger version) married her musical duet partner Fabian Fischer (Martin Feifel) against her parents' wishes. The Nuremberg Laws Nuremberg Laws stripped Jews of citizenship and civil rights (1935). [Ger. Hist.: Wigoder, 458] See : Anti-Semitism put an end to their performing careers. Like most spouses of German gentiles, however, Fabian was not sent to a concentration camp but put to work in a munitions mu·ni·tion n. War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural. tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions To supply with munitions. factory. Until, that is, the winter of '43, when most remaining Berlin Jews were herded into various detention centers, presumably pre·sum·a·ble adj. That can be presumed or taken for granted; reasonable as a supposition: presumable causes of the disaster. for deportation to Auschwitz. But at a former Jewish community center on the title street, relatives of the detainees congregated daily, increasing in numbers in numbered parts; as, a book published in numbers. See also: Number and noisy outrage as their mates' fates hung in the balance. It was there that Lena found Ruth, whose mother had been arrested. And it was there that one of the most stirring protests against the Nazi regime played out. Von Trotta is well-known for combining women's issues with other political concerns, which makes ``Rosenstrasse'' a natural for her. And even if her dramatic overlay is more intricate than it needs to be, in the end von Trotta gives ``Rosenstrasse'' both the emotional and historical respect it deserves. Bob Strauss, (818) 713-3670 bob.strauss(at)dailynews.com ROSENSTRASSE - Three stars (PG-13: violence, drug use, children in jeopardy) Starring: Katja Riemann Katja Hannchen Leni Riemann (born 1 November 1963 in Weyhe-Kirchweyhe, Germany) is a German actress. Born as the daughter of two teachers, she spent her childhood in Weyhe, near Bremen. After highschool she went to Hamburg to study music and theater. , Maria Schrader, Doris Schade, Svea Lohde, Martin Feifel. Director: Margarethe von Trotta. Running time: 2 hr. 16 min. Playing: Town Center 5, Encino; Playhouse 7, Pasadena; Playhouse 7, Pasadena; Royal, West L.A.; Art, Long Beach; South Coast 3, Santa Ana Santa Ana, city, El Salvador Santa Ana (sän'tä ä`nä), city (1993 pop. 129,873), W El Salvador. It is the second largest city in the country and the commercial and processing center for a sugarcane, coffee, and cattle region. . In a nutshell: Slow but absorbing story about the efforts of Aryan wives to save their Jewish spouses from Nazi death camps. In German with English subtitles. |
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