Author: Susanna, interested in films, TV shows, TV drama and animations.
A family is a miniature country. From a family, it is not difficult for people to peep out the social conditions of a country, from economy to politics, to ideas. The Marriage of Maria Braun tells the story of Maria's various hardships in life. This is a film in the New German Cinema movement. One of the important features of this movement is the confrontation with Nazi Germany and post-war history, either directly or through the investigation of the current political and cultural climate (Corrigan & White, p374, 2012). If we analyze this film from a historical perspective, we can find that it is not only about a woman's tragic marriage, but also a film reflecting the social problems in post-war Germany. In the film, every period of Maria's life implies the key historical period of Germany. She married her husband during the war, took refuge with an American officer for survival after the war, became the mistress of a wealthy French merchant during the reconstruction of the economy, and committed suicide in despair after gaining a large fortune during the final boom. Through the tragedy of Maria's marriage to Hermann, the film implies that it is also reflecting on post-war Germany, a nation lost in the "economic miracle".
Firstly, through symbolism, the film implies that behind Maria lies the whole post-war Germany. Throughout the film, Maria is paranoid about her marriage to Hermann. Even though she constantly traded her body for the chance of survival, actively seduced American officer, Bill, and became the mistress of a wealthy French businessman, Owswald, she still insisted that all this was for the future of herself and Hermann and the future of the family. Maria was divided, her mind was deformed. On the one hand, she “sells” her body for material life, and struggles with fate, and also walks towards the destruction of human nature. On the other hand, she is a girl with a pure idea of marriage, but this kind of love is also in despair again and again. Maria's devotion to marriage symbolized German loyalty to the country after World War II. Anton Kaes (1989) points out that in the immediate aftermath of the second world war, the subject of Germany's Nazi past was silenced. On the contrary, this devotion to economic recovery is lacking in the reconstruction of the spiritual home. Bill and Owswald symbolized the material reconstruction of the Germans. The Americans symbolized the victorious side of the war. Maria's refuge in the American officer also symbolized the miserable life and the desire for survival of the Germans after the war. The French businessman symbolized economic recovery, Maria became the mistress of rich French businessmen symbolized Germany's reconstruction through the so-called "Marshall Plan" and achieved economic prosperity. However, these pursuits of material things always lack the reconstruction of spirit, that is, after the defeat of Germany, the rapidly lost national pride and the outbreak of national inferiority feeling need to be rebuilt. But silence about the second world war, and mere talk of national loyalty, will not make people really recover from the trauma of the war.
In addition, it also satirizes the spiritual emptiness of a nation through the changes of Maria and the contrast at the end -- a creature wearing obviously expensive clothes has lost its soul (Uecker, 2001). In order to save her husband and family, and lead a better life in the future, Maria became the mistress of Owswald. But as she gained money and status, she also lost her innocence, tenderness, and kindness, and became a violent, angry, selfish iron lady. After Maria bought a villa in her home, she was very indifferent to her family and colleagues and even lost her temper with them. Her words were no longer gentle or peaceful, but always full of anger. "You have changed so much, Maria" (Fassbinder, 1979) that was her mother's complaint. Maria's indifference implies the spiritual emptiness of the whole country and the cold atmosphere of the society. This is also the director's intention for the audience to reflect on the war. The source of the good and kind Maria's change lies in the cruel war and the lack of reflection after the war. No reflection means no rebuilding of the spiritual home, and the soul becomes more and more empty under capitalism and economic prosperity. Innocence and kindness are lost, and selfishness and indifference follow.
By revealing the past, present and future relationships between individuals and nations, the film is not limited to a simple statement of the past, but also serves as a warning to the present. Germany cannot forget the past, but as the past fades away in history, how to remember it becomes important (Reimer, 1981). At the end of the film, the strong contrast again emphasizes the importance of history. Hermann returns to meet Maria again. The wait was over, and everything seemed perfect. But when they do get together, they act like strangers. The phenomenon between Hermann who sits in a chair in silence, and Maria, who is busy, excited and upset, is more awkward with the warm commentary on the radio. When the testament was read, Maria finally learned of the deal between her husband and Oswald. That was the last straw. Alone, Maria hid in the bathroom and turned on the tap to wash herself as the deafening noise of the football match reflected her despair and pain. In the end, Maria committed suicide. Over the sound of explosions, the radio announcer shouted "Germany is world champion" (Fassbinder, 1979), in stark contrast to the real tragedy. Germany won the world championship, and Germany completed the "economic miracle", but people died in the despair of the soul. Maria, a material millionaire, has become a beggar in spirit. This is a warning to the audience, expressing the director's satire on the war and the lack of reflection after the war, and also encouraging the audience to remember the history and reflect on the history.
In short, combining the New German Cinema movement and viewing this film from a historical perspective, it is no longer just a female film, but a film reflecting on history, a film pursuing spiritual prosperity.
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Reference list:
Corrigan, T., & White, P. (2012). The film experience. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's.
Fassbinder, R. W. (Director). (1979). The marriage of Maria Braun. [Movie]. New Yorker Films
Kaes, A. (1989). From Hitler to Heimat: The Return of History as Film. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London: Harvard University Press.
Reimer, R. C. (1981). Memories from the Past. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 9(3), 138-143, DOI: 10.1080/01956051.1981.10661903
Uecker, M. (2001). A Fatal German Marriage: The National Subtext of Fassbinder’s Die Ehe der Maria Braun.German Life and Letters,54(1), 45–59. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-0483.00188
