This Day in History: 1920-08-22

Leni Riefenstahl controversial film director and producer is born on this day in 1902. She is best known for glorifying the Nazi party in the 1930s, especially by directing the film “Triumph of the Will.”  She was arraigned at the 1945 – 47 war crimes trial at Nuremberg, but claimed that she was politically naive. She was detained for almost four years for “de-Nazification.” She was found to be a Nazi “sympathizer,” and was released from detention in disgrace and worked in part as a photographer until her death in 2003.   Like others who served the Nazis, her excuse that she was just following orders was not accepted, and the ethics question has not been answered in her favor. Riefenstahl’s life and career shows how very much further the impact and responsibility of filmmakers, artists and writers extends beyond the camera lens.