The family’s story develops in the seaport of Danzig, historically an important town. Danzig was seen as significant territory for the Nazi’s to gain because after the signing of the Peace Treaty in 1919 power over Danzig was lost and returned to Poland. Gaining Danzig back was seen as crucial because of its location in the “corridor” between East Prussia and Germany. The film also shows a pinnacle moment in history where Germany invaded Danzig and regained power. In the film this event is played out in the polish post office where Oskar and his uncle Jan are. This invasion was seen by the allies as a direct threat because Germany had signed a pact agrreing not to invade Poland. As a result this event is seen to be the start of World War II.
The town’s confused identity over whether it is Polish or German is also the confusion felt by Oskar. Throughout the film Oskar battles with the knowledge his father could either be Alfred Matzerath, a lower middle class Nazi supporter or Jan Bronski, a Polish sympathiser. The fact that Jan is Polish and Alfred, German echoes the conflict between the Danzig’s German Protestant majority and the Kashubian and Polish Catholic Minority.
Oskar starts his story by going back to how his grandparents first meet; he feels it is important to explain where he came from in order to understand where he ends up. His grandparent’s story begins in the late 19th Century in a field, his grandmother Anna had to hide his grandfather in her skirt from the police because they were after him on suspicion of arson. The film then moves on to explore the relationships of Oskars mother Agnes with her husband Alfred Matzerath and her cousin Jan Bronski. Both of these men are prevalent throughout her life. Oskar later witnesses his mother having sex with “uncle Jan” this only reaffirms his belief that adults are immoral. The moment in the film where Oskar decides he doesn’t want to grow up is on his third birthday. He receives tin drum from his mother in 1927 and after over hearing the adults arguing about the German economy and problems in society as result of inflation he throws himself down the cellar stair to stop himself growing any older, Oskar succeeds.
Oskar remaining a child throughout the film means the audience get an honest, unbiased child like view of the world. His refusal to grow and his incessant banning on the drum are forms of protests, symbolising the corruption in Germany and the suspension of liberal freedoms under the Nazi rule. Oskar also develops the ability to shatter glass worth his high pitched scream, the date in which he finds out he has this power is symbolic as it is on his 6th birthday in 1933 when Hitler becomes chancellor. Yet again this is another form of protest the Nazis
Historically this film is important for historians because major turning points in Oskar’s life reflect major events in history. The value to historians will always be limited with any mainstream films because primarily the main aim is to entertain a wide audience not to educate historically. Historians can however gain a lot from The Tin Drum due to the fact throughout the story historical references occur. The films also visualises historically events, rallies, Nazi Youth in a way no other film prior had done.
There are many key events within The Tin Drum which relate to historical events. In the Matzerath home there is a moment when Alfred removes a picture of Beethoven and replaces it with Hitler next to his new radio. Images like this in the film show how the public perceived Hitler as godlike and how politics was replacing culture and intellect. However at the end of the film when Hitler is defeated Alfred crumples up the picture of Hitler and Beethoven is put back on the walls showing how everyday people reacted towards Hitler during his rise and fall from power. The radio was also used at the time as a form of propaganda as censorship meant radio stations widely broadcasted Hitler’s speeches. What I found to be the most vivid scene was when Oskar managed to disrupt a Nazi rally by playing his drum under the bandstand. He’s disruption resulted in confusion and the breakdown of order. Instead of marching people began dancing the waltz. What this scene demonstrated was that the public support Hitler it was only skin deep and one person (Oskar) had the power to change the order of things.
There are two key figures in Oskar’s life, Bebra a dwarf performer and Markus, a Jewish toy shop owner. Bebra is a mentor to Oskar and the important warning his gives is, “The others are coming, they will preach our destruction...they will preach the downfall of our kind.” For historians this is valuable as what Bebra is predicting is that Nazi killing of handicapped people and those they see as inferior. Markus was the only Jew in the film, although a kind and honest man he was seen as inferior. The persecution of the Jews was shown when he was removed from Oskar’s mother’s funeral and later we see him commit suicide because of Kristallnacht in 1933, when the Nazi burned down and destroyed Jewish stores and synagogues. The film witnesses the growth of Oskar mentally along with society and how the war change society. After the war ended German society changed from being positive and hopefully to feeling lost and disillusioned. On of the final scenes Oskar decides at Alfred funeral it is time to start growing again. This is symbolic as it is a turning point in German history when they growth from a dictatorship to a democracy.
When Tin Drum was release in 1980 although it won and Academy Award for best foreign film and gain critically acclaimed the film also faced much criticism. The most recent scandal came in 1998 when a lawsuit was filed trying to ban the film in Oklahoma due to its supposed child pornography. The case was later thrown out of court due to the fact banning it would infringe human rights. The films main criticism are its perverse if not grotesque portrayal of sex and corruption, however I would argue that these images are so powerfully and disturbing in order to authentically represent society at the time. What Volker Schlondorff does brilliantly in the film is captures the everyday reality of living within the Third Reich. He certainly succeeds in achieving Grass’s main aim of exploring Nazi society “from below” and for the first time the public are able to see the reality of the role society played in supporting the Nazi Regime and the responsibility they should take for the rule they played in the persecution of the Jews. Overall The Tin Drum is a film worthy of all the praise it received. It’s a 20th century master piece and its clever symbolism and historical content make it essential viewing for everyone, from scholars to the general public.
Bibliography
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A Insorf, Indelible Shadows Film and Holocaust (Cambridge University Press 2002)
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G Grass, Die Blechrommel (Vintage, Random House 1959)
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E Wiskemann, Europe of Dictators 1919-1945 (The Phillip Park Press Manchester 1966)
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M Palencia Roth, Review of Gunter Grass by Keith Miles (German Issue, vol.92, no. 3 April 1997)
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G Weinberg, The Free City, Danzig and German Foreign Policy 1919-1934 (American Historical Review, vol. 75 no. 1 Oct 1969)
Websites
Website containing personal review of the film
Website containing personal review of the novel
Website containing original newspaper article by David Walsh
1998 about the law suit in Oklahoma
E. Wiskemann, Europe of the Dictators 1919-1945, (The Phillips Park Press, Manchester, 1966) p152
A Insorf, Indelible Shadow, Film and Holocaust (Cambridge University press 2002) p165
