Your Heading Goes Here

Title 1
Title 2
Title 3

SECTION 2
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4

SECTION 3
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5

SECTION 4
Title 1
Title 2
Title 3
Title 4
Title 5
Title 6

Recently Submitted CommentsUpdated January 2005 Good morning, I'm looking for the film Olympia (part I and parte II) of the Great Artist Leni Riefenstahl on DVD .We live in Milano, do you suggest where I can find these two DVD? If in Italian language would be better. Thank you in advance for your answer. I came across your website by chance whilst doing some research on Leni Riefenstahl which was inspired by a visit to an exhibition of her work at a London Gallery.For your information it appears that there is a company in England who sell on DVD the full uncut version of Victory of Faith on Region 0 format.I have ordered and received a copy myself and when one bears in mind the age of the original print I was more than satisfied with the movie. If other readers of your forum are interested it can be found at www.victoryoffaith.com Regards Steve

Hello,

Thought the website was very nice and enjoyed visiting it. I wondered if you may know one small piece of information that I can not seem to find anywhere. I am curious as to whether Leni Riefenstahl was Jewish or half Jewish or not? I was just curious and wondered if you know or knew of anyone that would know?

sincerely,

Carol

EDITORS NOTE: Response sent offline.

Greetings,

I am an anthropology student who is doing a semiotic analysis of "Triumph des Willens" for my final paper. I am amazed how flatly and ingeniously Riefenstahl lays out the usage of each film clip in the screenplay. I am wondering, however, if this screenplay for "Triumph des Willens" is the official screenplay written by Riefenstahl. I have been unable to locate this screenplay elsewhere so far, and would like to be certain of its validity for citation purposes.

Thank you,

Michael

EDITORS NOTE: Michael I enjoyed the offline interaction. Good luck with your paper and thanks for the nice feedback.

Hello,

Is it possible to by a or some posters of Riefenstahl's movies?

Best wishes,

Judith Schiks University of Tilburg

EDITORS NOTE: Original posters of films starring or directed by Leni Riefenstahl are extremely rare and when found, expensive. For those not needing anything more than a reproduction checking the online auction sites might be best.

Greetings,

I am a film director living in Los Angeles and I was emailed your link by a friend. I'd like to compliment you on your thorough and objective analysis of Riefenstahl's films and artistic integrity. We live in an era where independent, objective and rational thought is sacrificed for the sake of political correctness on both the left and right of the political spectrum.

In a country where free speech is a guaranteed right, there is so little tolerance for dissident viewpoints that our culture teeters on the edge of becoming the fascist state those who rail against all things Nazi so detest.

Your analysis of Griffith's films and the treatment of Blacks and Jews in America during the '30s is something conveniently forgotten by critics when damning Riefenstahl. I'd love to see the reaction you'd get if you did similar analyses of the artists commissioned through history by the Catholic Church, whose genocidal tendencies toward heretics and non-believers is similarly documented, yet also conveniently forgotten.

Keep up the good work.

Brian Jones

Los Angeles

EDITORS NOTE: Responded to offline. Thanks Brian for your kind comments !

I just wanted to say that I really like your website on Leni. It has been a bit of effort to find information about her and her work that is unbiased. I'm doing an essay on her and her works for a photography class I'm taking, and your web site (and her official website) has been a great source of information for me. Thank you very much! Morgan Sickles

EDITORS NOTE: Morgan, thank you !

Hello,

I need the film DAS BLAUE LICHT for a college research paper. Where can I get the VHS? For your help I would be very grateful.

Thanks, Christl Weide

EDITORS NOTE: Complete or original versions of the film are hard to come by. For an introductory tape you can check Amazon.com or the online auction sites for copies.

Hello, Patrick.

I visited your site "Das Blaue Licht" about my favorite actress and director; about great woman for all times, Leni Riefenstahl. [The] web site is small, but very informative and compact. Thanks for rare pictures with L.R. in "Leni OFF Camera"!

I knew that Leni died in Poeking in September, 8 of 2003 - it was very very bad news from all news for me...... Leni was a wonderful and beautiful woman of 20th century, she was very talented photograph and filmmaker.

I want to say some words about myself. I live in Russia, in big city Novosibirsk (west Siberia). I have three films directed by Leni ("Das Blaue Licht", "Olympia" (two parts) and "Triumph des Willens"), and two films with Leni-actress ("SOS Eisberg" and "Der Heilige Berg"). "Das Blaue Licht" and "SOS Eisberg" I bought in Germany. My favorite films with Leni - "Das Blaue Licht" and "SOS Eisberg".

Thank you very much for all information about Leni Riefenstahl!

Leni was in St. Petersburg two years ago - Russian people watched her legendary films - "Triumph des Willens" and "Olympia". Thanks Leni Riefenstahl for her visit to Russia!

Thanks again to you, Patrick!!

Best regards,

BelgFish, from Russia (Novosibirsk).

EDITORS NOTE: Responded to offline. Thanks for the kind comments !

Sir,

At first I'd like to congratulate you for the work you've made about the life & the artwork of Leni Riefenstahl. It's a very interesting point of view & so clever analysis even if it stirs controversy as the personality of the artist. Its the reason why, as director of a young French photography festival in France which will celebrate its fifth edition in October 2004 around the anthem "involved photography" I'll be very proud & all the team who organize that event with me to present the artwork of Leni Riefenstahl. Especially "Olympia". Not just to feed the controversy, even if its unavoidable but most of all because we think its time for people to discover the pictures of this great artist, especially in France where it never had any exhibition of it.

So, if you know if that exhibition exists & who are the persons who have to contact, we 'll be glad to set up that project. In the same way It could be interesting to propose your own point of view to the public. So if you are O.K. & if you get some of those information's, please conctact me on that e-mail address.

Waiting for your answer.

Best regards

Patrick Ehme

France

EDITORS NOTE: Responded to offline. Thanks Patrick !

Sir,

Would you have any current information on whether Jodi Foster is still considering a film about Leni Riefenstahl?

Greg Barone
Las Vegas

EDITORS NOTE: Responded to offline. It was rumored, just before Mrs. Riefenstahl' death that Jodie Foster's film was going forward, but nothing official. Mrs. Riefenstahl's people advised me that they knew of no work being done on the controversial biopic either.

ME PARECE QUE LA VIDA DE ESTA ARTISTA ES UN LEGADO PARA TODO EL MUNDO, Su legado es extraordinario.

Hallo, kann ich bei Ihnen ein Rezensionsexemplar "Triumph des Willens" von Leni Riefenstahl ordern? Die Besprechung erscheint in der Zeitschrift "AHA - Magazin des Neuen Aeons" und auf powermetal.de Oder können Sie mir einen (am besten deutschen) Verleih nennen, bei dem ich den Film auf DVD ordern kann?

Wenn Sie vorab ein Ansichtsheft unseres Magazins wünschen, geben Sie bitte Ihre Postadresse an. Ich bin auch an einer längerfristigen Zusammenarbeit interessiert, mit Schwerpunkt auf Dokumentationen zu den Themen unserer Zeitschrift (bitte nicht wundern, die untenstehenden Schlagworte geben nur einen sehr vagen Ersteindruck) mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Knut Gierdahl,

Chefredakteur

EDITORS NOTE: Responded to offline.

Hello!

I have been fascinated by Leni for about ten years now. While I know we don't live forever, I was nevertheless saddened to hear of her death. Further, I was less saddened than angered by a brief article reprinted from Newsday Magazine which appeared in my local paper (northern California, USA). It was the usual cavalier dismissal of Ms. Riefenstahl's life and career, in what appeared to me to be a hastily-assembled second rate piece of journalism. I am crafting a rebuttal to the paper. In the event it is published I will let you know.

Many thanks-

Candy Tutt

EDITORS NOTE: thank you Candy for the interesting dialogue offline.

Hello!
I really enjoyed your website. I have always been a fan of Leni Riefenstahl, and her death makes your site more poignant. How glad I am for you that you actually got to meet her.

I have found a film for sale at Amazon.de that you do not have listed, SOS Eisberg. Do you know where the movie poster for Das Blaue Licht can be found for sale? The one with her beautiful face? If it is not too much trouble I would greatly appreciate a reply.

Again, thanks for your wonderful site! The world has lost a great lady.

Regards,
Chris Norrington

EDITORS NOTE: Agreed Cris. Thank you for your comments.

Mrs. Riefenstahl -

I HAVE LOVED YOUR WORK FOR YEARS, YOU ARE WITHOUT DOUBT A TRUE GENIUS, YOU HAVE FILLED YOUR LIFE WITH SO MUCH OF LIFE, THAT I MUST SAY "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", AND MANY MORE DEAR LADY.

BEST WISHES:

LEE R. MAEL

Dear Patrick,

Many thanks for your kind e-mail and the wonderful flowers to Mrs. Riefenstahl's birthday!

Unfortunately your hope, that everything becomes better after the birthday did not fulfil. Since Monday Mrs Riefenstahl is in hospital and even getting worse. Now we all hope, that the state of her health will improve soon, so that she will be able to return back home.

Wishing you all the best, we send you kind regards,

Ulrike

Leni Riefenstahl Produktion

Munich Germany

To Das Blaue Licht.net For information, content and comments 10 out of 10. For the black background minus 10

EDITORS NOTE: Leni likes it. Guess that is good enough for me :)

Sir,

It's horrible so many people to give pro's & con's about her life.

She is not a schoolgirl who needs marks, [comments],etc. She is just a director; a very good one.

And the most important [thing] is to let her speak-silently; by pictures or other forms, which she chooses to participate in the culture. or something even better: [she should] be teaching masterfully [to] young people like me in her art of shooting & directing.

I ask is if there any possibilities to study [under] her; would [she] like to educate young fellows; may you make the contact and help us?

Please answer me at e-mail ... or call me at ....

Thank you in advance

EDITORS NOTE: Response given offline.

Dear Fellow Leni Enthusiast,

Your News Wire is excellent and I have recommended my students to consult it. I would be grateful to be informed of any presently running or prospective Leni exhibitions in Europe, also any updates on the various biopics.

You may wish to look at [my Riefenstahl site] www.leniriefenstahl.mackirdy.com

Yours cinematically,

Dr Calien MacKirdy

EDITOR'S NOTE: Calien thank you for seeing DBL.net as befitting an academic reference for your students and for the compliments. As we have posted, there are two major Riefenstahl exhibits underway (in Berlin and Los Angeles). On the filmed versions of her life, there is no current news known to me.

First off I hold nothing but complete admiration for Leni and her work.

The view that is tiring to be portrayed of her as a Nazi is so ridiculous, such effrontery they speak. The Jewish controlled press. She didn't create Adolf Hitler or the Nazi party. She is the best filmmaker in history. She would be welcome in my house anytime.

Thank you very much for your time.

From Gary

Your web site on the life and career of Leni Riefenstahl is incredible and provides comprehensive information on this exceptionally talented and unfairly maligned woman.

I enjoyed it tremendously.

Mark Tadlock

Hello Patrick,

First of all thanks for setting up this great and very informative site! Much better than the other Riefenstahl-devoted sites on the net, especially for the up to date news section. I've been reading this regularly for a quite a while now.

Here's a bit of information I recently found on the site of www.areadvd.com:

The company Eurovideo will apparently now release two new DVD's (the Ray Müller 1997 documentary and her latest film) in August:

Leni Riefenstahl: Ihr Traum von Afrika (21.08.2003)

Impressionen unter Wasser (21.08.2003)

Just thought you might be interested in putting this great news on the news wire.

Best regards

Thomas Köhler

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks for the information and I have updated the DBL.net News Wire page accordingly. We look forward to this major addition to the Riefenstahl home release library.

Ok, so Leni's sites get sabotaged all the time. Thanks for maintaining such a nice web site. Johnny EDITOR'S NOTE: Guess I am out of the loop entirely, as I don't know of any web involved sabotage against LR's site or those of other web authors.

Dear Mrs. Riefenstahl,

I read your memories, I saw your photographs... Now I know that you are a legend and a never ending star...

You caught the essence of beauty.

Marco -

Rome

Querida Leni Riefenstahl:

Me permito la licencia de llamarla así porque a pesar de que no la conozco personalmente y del gran respeto que usted me inspira a la vez que admiración no podría dirigirme a usted de otra manera. Le escribo al igual que estoy segura que lo harán miles de personas porque leí su libro "Mis memorias" gracias a que mi madre después de haberlo leído ella me lo prestó .Las dos nos quedamos impresionadas ante la imagen de una mujer ,la suya,que en una época tan interesante e histórica como aquélla en la que se desarrolla su libro ,alcanzara cimas tan altas.Creo que son admirables absolutamente sus logros tanto en la danza como en el cine como en su vida misma ,pero lo que más me cautivó de su personalidad es su fuerza,y su afán de superación al igual que su bondad para con los demás tan injustamente desagradecida. Creo que usted es como el "Ave Fénix"que resurge de sus cenizas . Una vez dicho sólo una mínima parte de lo que tanto mi madre como yo pensamos,le agradecería si me pudiera facilitar información sobre los tratamientos que usted hacía regeneradores de celulas . Con todo nuestro cariño.

Carmen Herrero Franco

EDITOR'S NOTE: Again, we gladly accept the comments directed to Mrs. Riefenstahl, though we are not her official site.

Hello, how are you? I recently visited your web site and find it wonderful.

My name is Luis Islas-Aranda. I live in Mexico City and am 23 years old. I just finished my career on Graphic Design and I'm totally fascinated with Leni Riefenstahl's work, particularly "Tiefland" and her shots underwater.

I'm just thrilled.

Thanks a lot and I send warm greetings to you.

Luis

Dear Mr. Zarate,

I'm 20 years old and from Germany. I think that your pages are very informative and you did a great job.

While working voluntary on a project about the topic "Propaganda in the films (of the Third Reich) in National Socialism" for the school I also worked about the "Triumph of the Will" and the person "Leni Riefenstahl". During three years I collected many material about her, her films. At this point I have to say energetic, that I'm not a supporter of the national socialistic ideology and the crimes they committed during the Second World War. Although I watch with a critical view on her "career" in the National Socialism I'm still fascinated by nearly all the work she did.

While I worked on my project I had got access to the films of the archive of the Fedreal Republic of Germany in Berlin. It was very interesting, because they have the complete versions of Riefenstahl's "Victory of Faith". ("Sieg des Glaubens") and "Triumph of the Will" ("Triumph des Willens") I'm sure that you know that the copies at the National Archives (by the way: nearly all DVD and VHS-releases of this films all over the world are made from this copies, because the license fees of the German licenser (Transit-Film GmbH, Munich) is very expensive !) are not the complete versions of this films.

Mrs. Riefenstahl said, that the "Triumph of the Will" of the AFRG (Archive of the Federal Republic of Germany) in Berlin is the complete version of her film.

About the "Victory of Faith" she said that this isn't her film, because the original version is totally different, but she hasn't a private copy. But if you compare the restored version with the original "edit lists" (I didn't find this word in my dictionary) from 1933 (they're in the AFRG - and Mr. Voigt, who restored the film, confirmed me that) you can say, that it's the original version they restored. Therein maybe two or three short scenes are missing, but I think that this doesn't really matter. [In fact you really never know, which version is the "complete version" of a film, because every specialist says that he has the full version and in fact nobody has it!]

I hope that this mail is informative for you.

For your future I wish you many success for your job and work.

Yours sincerely,

Sascha from Germany

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks for your comments and information regarding the above films. As always, we are proud to have such well informed readers visit the site.

Absolutely the most intelligent site I have ever seen !!

As a film lover and one always eager to learn, I found your site absolutely brilliant, simply brilliant. I have recently discovered Ms. Riefenstahl's films and work and am completely blown away with your site.

I have gained sooo much information here that I am having a great time now hunting down so much to see and read. Thank you sooooo much ! This is what cyber space is supposed to be about and for, to learn.

What a remarkable human being, and what a fantastic tribute you have to an extraordinary artist, and dynamic human being.

Sincerely,

Christina Beamer

EDITOR'S NOTE: Thank you Christina. I think that Riefenstahl is extraordinary as well.

Dear Patrick,

I wanted you to know I'm grateful for the mention of my TIME.com Riefenstahl pieces on your handsome site...and we did put a link for DAS BLAUE LICHT in the second TIME.com story.

Thanks again for your kind words, on your cool site.

Best,

Richard Corliss TIME Magazine

EDITOR'S NOTE: re the TIME.com article of September 4, 2002 on Leni Riefenstahl by this eminent TIME Magazine journalist and film critic which referenced Das Blaue Licht.net

Many thanks Richard, you made my year !

Hello, I am a documentary filmmaker in Washington Dc-- Thank you for your website... Thank you, Tamra Testerman Editors Note: Many thanks Tamra and for the discussion off line as well.

Hello,
I found your amazing site today and I must give my highest compliments to such a thorough, exhaustive job! Well done!

I first saw The Wonderful, Horrible Life of Leni Riefenstahl over 6 years ago and found Riefenstahl, if nothing else, a fascinating enigmatic figure. I personally do not think that Riefenstahl can absolutely be labeled a Nazi or particularly
responsible for the Holocaust.

The tape copy (of Tiefland and Das Blaue Licht)I was able to obtain was rather rough, but I saw enough of Riefenstahl's directorial vision in this film to certainly further become convinced that she suffered neither from Nazi delusions nor some oppressive Aryan aesthetic. She was not only a brilliant film-maker, but one with an actual conscience, too.

I hope that in the not-too-distant future, more people can become admirers of her work and that Riefenstahl can achieve greater prominence in not only the cinematic, but also the more broad cultural canon where I think she clearly belongs.

Leni is apparently still going strong, too!

Happy centennial to Leni!

-Will Noel

I am a college student and young fan of Ms. Riefenstahl's work. I greatly appreciate your website, and applaud your efforts at portraying her justly. Once again, you have put together an admirable website. Sincerely, Jason Klinghoffer Dear, Ms Riefenstahl, I am absolutely desperate to obtain a VHS copy of your marvelous film Das Blaue Licht. Could you please advise me where I can obtain one. The price is no object. Many thanks , John Martin Editor's Note: This film desperately deserves a proper transfer on to a digital format. However, thus far none exists. Even in Germany the DVD catalogue does not contain it. Nor the film "Olympia" for that matter. For now, we are stuck with the murky transfers of bootleg VHS tapes. Hi There ! My name is Johnny Persson from Sweden and I am a Leni Riefenstahl fan. I wanna ask you if you know where I can buy a VHS- copy of the Documentary- Sieg des Glaubens- 1933. I have been looking for this nuggets for a very long time. Kind Reg. Johnny Editor's Note: This is an impossible title to locate. There is a company from the U.K. that is currently on Ebay with the Sieg des Glaubens "soundtrack" CD. But there are only a few known copies of the film and they are locked away in museums, only to be seen with pre approval from the curators (D.C., Berlin, Munich). Hi Patrick. I have been reading the various articles in newspaper and magazines since August 22nd and have found your "newswire" section on your website a very helpful source. I managed to track down a copy of the German Vogue magazine and was very pleased with the photos that were displayed. I was wondering if you saw the review article in the Toronto Globe and Mail. It was a two-page article and appeared on August 22nd. The author acknowledges Riefenstahl's outstanding contributions to the film world; however, there is some information in the article that does not entirely correspond with my understanding of her work. Rob Ormsby Editor's Note: Rob, much of what came out on and around the birth date of Riefenstahl "does not entirely correspond" to my understanding either. Look for a special page on my site soon that will review the Centenary as followed in the press. In the interim, thanks for the comments! Hey, I live in North Carolina in the U.S. and am eager to see Ms. Riefenstahl's new underwater dvd. It's not listed anywhere for sale but all the info says it should be out now. Do you know release dates, etc.? Also, I know her birthday just passed, but is there anything happening on US public television or other media relating to her centennial I should know about? You reported that Arte TV also showed Das Blaue Licht itself. Does this mean there might be a restored version available anytime soon? And while I'm peppering you with questions, is there anyone even trying to restore and digitally master "Olympia"? The VHS [copy] I have is terrible. Thanks, Mark Durose, North Carolina USA Editor's Note: "Hey" to you Mark ! Thanks for all the great questions... No, I have heard nothing from Riefenstahl Produktion regarding any imminent retail release of her new Underwater film. I do know that Riefenstahl has preferred the look of the film in a digital "televised" format over theatrical, so I think they will want people to see on a TV, not in some art house move theater. As to your second question, I don't know of any special event on TV or "other media" regarding her 100th birthday. I did attempt to obtain a response (for months) from the Hollywood branch of the Goethe Institute (an imminent film and cultural center for Germany across the world) who made no mention of the event. This was interesting in that the Goethe in Germany and Italy had major retrospectives on Riefenstahl, but the film capital of the world chose to ignore it. I know of no restoration in progress for "Das blaue Licht" (unfortunately). And to your last question, there is a DVD of "Olympia" but it is in the Euro format (PAL) and not playable on USA DVD players... [NOTE: Impressionen Unser Wasser is now set for European release in August 2003. See our News Wire page for updates on where to buy] Sehr verehrte gnädige Frau! Zu Ihrem 100. Geburtstag übermittle ich Ihnen meine wirklich aufrichtigen Glückwünsche.Mit den besten Wünschen für viele aktive Jahre in bester Gesundheit beende ich meinen Brief und verbleibe, sehr verehrte gnädige Frau, Ihr, Hans-Juergen Sauerbrey, Nürnberg Germany Bravo pour la qualité de votre site, un très bel hommage pour les cent ans de Leni ! ERST Dear Sir, This is a very nice website. It could be even better, if You could correct a little mistake: Under the German Flag stands: "bald kommen". This is grammatically wrong. Maybe You could change it into "In Kuerze verfuegbar" ? Thank You! -- Ralf Thomaier Editor's Note: Thanks to you and all the people who visit from Germany ! We are in fact working on getting the primary pages/text translated very soon ! [Note: We continue to accumulate new pages in German. As we have enough to publish the dual site we will. August 2003] Dear Patrick Zarate, Indeed we own the rights of the old German film program series "Illustrierter Film-Kurier" and "Illustrierte Filmbuehne".As your homepage is of informational, non-commercial character, we give you the permission to show the regarding objects.We are wishing you much success and many visitors to your nice homepage. Sincerely, Christian Unucka Editor's Note: Many thanks to the fine people who own the amazing legacy of Film Kurrier ! Bon anniversaire Madame. Philippe SOUBIROUS VERSAILLES, FRANCE Let me tell you your site is very well done; I am a librarian, I can tell. I only knew Leni from her photographic book on the Nuba, but now I know she was really great. I will try to get "Olympia" for my sport library. Thank you so much, Manuela Camerino University Institute of Motor Science - Library Roma - Italia Have just read about Ms. Riefenstahl and she is one extraordinary lady. I enjoyed your website and your scholarly style. Rita Beth Lassiter Riverview, Florida Congratulations for your wonderful website. Juan Francisco Alcaide, Spain I love your site. I discovered Leni Riefenstahl's work as a sophomore in college, when a film studies professor showed us both "Triumph of the Will" and "Olympia." Beverly Miller, Lansing, MI Hola Leni, Me llamo Carina Escolà y te escribo desde Barcelona.Esta mañana leyendo el periódico me he enterado que mañana es tu cumpleaños y deseo unirme a todas las personas que te quieren con mi felicitación. Lo quiero hacer en catalán, mi lengua y cultura.MOLTES FELICITATS LENI: DONA DE GRAN INTEL.LIGENCIA, SENSIBILITAT I CORATGE. Hace años lei tu biografia y la fuerza que transmites ha quedado en mi memoria. Creo que eres una mujer extraordinaria, que se ha construido a si misma, con una constancia y tenacidad increibles.Que sigas tu camino abriendo puertas con el corazón y la mente. Hasta siempre. Una forta abraçada. Carina, Barcelona Spain Editor's Note: We try to forward mail that is obviously intended for Leni Riefenstahl. Dear Mr Zarate, I've just found your great Riefenstahl site and I want to thank you very much although I don't think that Leni Riefenstahl didn't know anything about the Nazi crimes. As a friend of Nazi leaders like my grandfather Julius Streicher she couldn't have been as unsuspecting as she says. This is all I want to say while the overflowing waters of the Elbe river are reaching North Germany where I live. Leni Riefenstahl (in spite for her political blindness) had and still has an eye for the beauty of this planet, and that should be recognized by the time of her 100th birthday. Yes, she sought love, and I hope she will find it because she deserves it more than most of the people who try to put her down. I will never forget the German TV show twenty-five years ago when five people or more (all men) attacked her because of her Nazi connections, but couldn't appreciate her merits. It was embarrassing... Hella Streicher - Bremen, Germany Author of the still unpublished anti-fascist novel Hoehere Welten Editor's Note: Thanks Hella. Of course we had many discussions late at night on the email and I include just a snippet here. I believe that any discussion on Riefenstahl is worthwhile, as long as it is as well written as the correspondence I had from you. Thanks for the stimulating conversation ! Hi I'm a Leni fan and I would like to say her ' happy birthday'. Do u have a way to pass her my message or, better, an address where I could send her a greeting card ?. Many thanks in advance and congratulations for your beautiful site. This is exactly what I expected to find when I started to search the web for info about Leni. Best regards, Laurent, GENEVE, SWITZERLAND Editor's Note: I attempt to respond to many such inquiries and send everyone the "fan" mail postal address in Poecking Germany for those that wish to write Mrs. Riefenstahl. Leni ! Gratulerien mit 100 jahre! Reider Roth Sirs, My family and I really enjoyed looking over the photos about Leni. We were especially enthralled by the commentary. Thank you for the excellent work. Sincerely, Reinhard Klein Dear Mr. Zarate, Many thanks for your site and the good information on Leni Riefenstahl. Her art and her work are an ongoing inspiration... Greetings...... Reinhard Schnitzer, Goldbach Kamen Hello Patrick. I recently went to the web site and noted the reference to the article of August 10, 2002 from the Times on line. I agree wholeheartedly with the comments on your web site. The article on the Times Web site is indeed "marred with the usual litany of oft cited innuendo with the 3rd Reich", as you say. What I find truly amazing is that authors such as MacIntyre do not hesitate to compare Mrs. Riefenstahl to Albert Speer, referring - in a positive light - to Speer's supposed "apology" for his role in the Nazi regime. However, most informed readers on the topic of Speer realize that while he distanced himself from the rest of the defendants at Nuremberg, this is now seen as a tactic in order to avoid a certain death penalty. In fact, more recent books (particularly by Gitta Sereny) indicate that Speer knew much more than he admitted about the war crimes than his testimony would have indicated at Nuremberg. Speer himself stated that had Sereny been present at Nuremberg he would have surely faced the gallows. Mr MacIntyre is lucky that Mrs. Riefenstahl doesn't sue him for implying that she is worse than a convicted criminal from Nuremberg. Maybe someone should remind him how many times she was cleared of all wrongdoing and how many times she has had to go to court to dispel all kinds of lies etc. I also find the comment by MacIntyre that "all art is political" to be questionable. Even if that were a true comment, then how does he explain that some of Mrs. Riefenstahl's favorite artists were identified by the NDSAP as "degenerate art"? No doubt, the critics will find some connection with underwater creatures and the NDSAP. I can't wait to see what they will dream up after August 20. Best wishes, Robin Ormsby Editor's Note: Thanks for your comments and perspective Robin. Hello, Thank you for contributing to Leni Riefenstahl's memoirs with your website. I was wondering about any special project around her centennial: publications, retrospectives, special issues... Have you heard about something special? Thank you... Vianney Delourme, France GREAT WEB SITE ! Jeff Young Astoria, NY Congratulations for your very nice and interesting website about Leni Riefenstahl's work. I'm writing an article about her for a Spanish cinema website... Thank you. Antonio Lopez, Vigo, Spain Hi, I am a History Teacher in Bathurst, Australia and my Senior History class is doing a study of Leni for the Final Exams. The students would like to send Leni a Birthday card. Could you supply us with an address? Thanks. Regards, Olga McKinnon, Bathurst, Australia Editor's Note: This is interesting to me. I have heard from at least three teachers in Australia that teach Leni Riefenstahl in school. If someone who works in that country and has a formatted curriculum on Riefenstahl can email me a copy, that would be great. Love to see it ! And by the way, Australia in my book is way ahead of its time !! Dear Sir or Madam: My mother grew up in Germany during Hitler era. She is a tremendous admirer of Leni Riefenstahl as a filmmaker and a woman of courage. She would like to send her a birthday card. I understand that Ms. Riefenstahl lives in Starnberger See, have you a mailing address for her? Thank you for your kind assistance. Annemarie Osborne Editor's Note: Annemarie, thanks for the many interesting comments. I enjoyed the conversation. Patrick Greetings: Thank you for your website. I am a big fan of Leni's. It's hard to believe she will be 100 next month! What an amazing life. Best wishes, William Rieger- Bremerton, Washington I am sorry to say that your representations of Leni Riefenstahl poster art are in error, what you have presented are examples of the souvenir film brochures for the films Sieg des Glaubens and Triumph des Willens. Furthermore you may be interested in knowing that the rights to the images of the Film Kurier's you have displayed are owned by _______ of Germany. Editor's Note - any corrections necessary have been made. Thanks. Congratulations for your great website. Very useful. In August, she'll be 100. I'd like to send her a present from Switzerland. A question among hundreds: do you know if her first movie (der Heilige Berg) is available on VHS or DVD ? EDITOR'S NOTE: Mrs. Riefenstahl's own site does contain an address you can use. There is no legitimate VHS or DVD copy of Heilige Berg. [Note: KINO is releasing this film August 2003] Hi. My name is Rob Ormsby and I live in Toronto, Canada. I have always been interested in German films and Art. In the past, I was most interested in the work of directors such as Fassbinder, Schloendorf and Margaretta von Trotta and other "modern" German film directors. However, I recently saw the documentary "The wonderful horrible life of Leni Riefenstahl" and have become more and more fascinated with Ms Riefenstahl and her incredible work and life story. Several of my friends work in the film industry (one is an Art Director and another as a Wardrobe Designer) and we have all been reading everything we can get our hands on about her - and of course, watching all her films that are available in this country. In the documentary, the commentator mentions that Ms Riefenstahl "still receives fan mail". Is there an address you know of where one can send fan mail to her? I think your site is wonderful and provides a lot of information. It's great to see people giving the recognition to such an incredible artist as Leni Riefenstahl. I just finished reading a book "The Films of Leni Riefenstahl" by David Hinton (3rd edition) and he points out that she has not received a cent of royalties for her work on Triumph of the Will (which, as we know, ruined her career after the war even though it won just about every award before the war), yet that film is probably the most "pirated" film in history! What an incredible experience it must have been for you to actually meet Ms Riefenstahl in person! Let's hope that she remains healthy and well for her 100th birthday. Sincerely, Rob Ormsby Toronto, Canada Dear Mr. Zarate! At first, congratulations for your growing Leni Riefenstahl-Homepage. It is a valuable progress in delivering information about Leni Riefenstahl and her work in the net. There are so far not a lot homepages dedicated to Leni Riefenstahl. Our own homepage www.leni-riefenstahl.com ( first www.leni-riefenstahl.de.vu ) started in October 2000 and we are not sure, if you are aware of the existence of this homepage, because ranking in search engines still needs advance. Unfortunately, so far we publish the homepage only in German language. As soon as Your homepage was published, we added a link to Your homepage in our link-section. We think there is no competition between the two homepages, but mutual complementation in reflecting Leni Riefenstahl’s life and art. With the best wishes to You and further development of Your Riefenstahl-Homepage, Helmut Schmidt & Simone Neu Editor's Note - Helmut and Simone, many thanks and good luck ! Dear Sir, With great interest I got acquainted with your website on Leni Riefenstahl ‘ Das Blaue Licht’. It is not only informative and amazingly complete but also has numerous quality photos’ I enjoyed browsing through. Moreover it has been my pleasure because in view of Mrs. Riefenstahls’ 100^th birthday the coming 22^nd off August, we have been researching the possibility of organizing a symposium on “Art and the Media”. It is our believe that the first career half of Mrs. Riefenstahl as a director, specially surrounding her much awarded “Olympia”, could be held up as an exemplary case on how difficult it is to understand the complexity of that relationship. Especially in our modern-day world Art, specifically in Film, and the Media are again in a tight embrace. And we all undergo daily the intensity and impact the media have in society. It is like the “Beauty and the Beast” in a metaphysical staging and without a doubt the most common yet multifaceted controversy we meet in many an occasion. For the Forum we would like to bring together a group of people that could, from their respective points off view, unravel some of these complex interactions, shed their light on it’s powers and do so in the context of “Olympia”. You will understand that our intentions depend heavily on the participation of Leni Riefenstahl Production. Therefore our research and preparation will in this case be of vital importance and all concerning help or other information could be decisive. The forum will be held in a new centre for modern art in Amsterdam and, if possible at the same time in the Museum for the Cinema in Brussels. Its topic fits within a sequel of similar, all Art related, discussions organized in the Amsterdam venue. It is our intention to digitally record these meetings as part of a documentary. In this we will try to capture part of Arts profoundness and the importance of dialogue. The correlation between image and word. To do so correctly we will need to obtain the right to use Mrs. Riefenstahls’ imagery; photos’, film clips or other documentation. As I stated earlier the whole project is still in its research stage but in view of the short preproduction phase you will comprehend our eagerness for information. Therefore we hoped you would be willing to advise us on how best go about it. Respectfully, Michel van der Poel Producer Editors Note - The request was forwarded to Leni Riefenstahl Produktion. Hi, We have been Fans of Leni Riefenstahl for years, we live in Australia, What we would like to know is if it is possible to Send Frau Riefenstahl some flowers for her 100th Birthday in August. If not please give her a kiss and a hug from Paul and Heather from Melbourne...cheers !! Dear Mr Zarate, Congratulations on your web site. I am preparing an extensive report about Mrs. Riefenstahl' oeuvre and I am hoping you might be able to advise me where I can find the necessary pictures to accompany the article. I have published many articles about the history of film making and my article in the Boston Globe Sunday magazine about Walt Disney and Salvador Dali's planned cartoon was very well received. Mrs. Jahn in Germany informed me that Mrs. Riefenstahl is not well. Sincerely, Christopher Jones Dear Mr. Zarate, We recently read about your encounter with Leni Riefenstahl in Munich, Germany. We are American students doing an extensive research project on the life and career of Leni Riefenstahl. We have been working diligently since December of 2001 to further uncover the truth about Riefenstahl's career. H. Lerch and H. Davidson Dear Mr. Zarate, Your Blue Light website is very impressive! Thank you also for listing my article about Tiefland. You might be interested to know, also perhaps to add to your list, my newest article in which I explore the many similarities between James Cameron's Titanic film and several Riefenstahl Bergfilms--especially Tiefland: Robert von Dassanowsky , "A Mountain of a Ship: Locating the Bergfilm in James Cameron's Titanic." In Cinema Journal 40/4, Summer 2001. By the way, I do think your excellent site has helped paved the way for looking at Riefenstahl as an artist... Best wishes, Robert von Dassanowsky EDITOR'S NOTE: Thank you Robert. We appreciate your perspective so eloquently stated and referenced in both of the articles involving Leni Riefenstahl and the Berg film genre. Look for new reference points in this website regarding these very intelligent statements on the art of Leni Riefenstahl Hello, I'm finishing a doctor arbeit about the reception of Leni Riefenstahl and her movies in France. I've tried many times to contact Leni Riefenstahl because I'd like to ask her some questions about her relationships with France, precisely in the 30's. Your web site is very interesting and I congratulate you for this. Thank you Jérôme Bimbenet, Université de Paris VIII hi! :-) I have forgot your name, sorry, but I must write you, cause your Riefenstahl site is the best!!! worldwide!!!- When I find more time, I like to put your site in my link-list. Is it ok for you ? My little site is not ready, I work on it ! :-) Best wishes from Berlin, Lars Howdy, My great uncle was Mathias Wieman, who co-starred with Frau Riefenstahl in "Das Blaue Licht" in 1932. My great uncle's 100th birthday anniversary is coming up on June 23, 2002, so I sent a letter to Frau Riefenstahl asking her is she remembers her co-star. Her personal assistant replied on her behalf that she did indeed remember Mathias after so many years and that he was a very nice man. Frau Riefenstahl then signed a picture for me with the German translating as "Thanks for your letter. Warm regards." You can view the picture, letter, and a screen capture of Mathias and Leni from "Das Blaue Licht." As for my family, my grandfather worked as an engineer in Germany during the war and came to Canada after the war with his family, my father and my aunts and uncles. Mathias Wieman and his wife, my great aunt Erika Meingast - herself a stage actress, also remained in Germany during the Nazi period, but moved to Zurich, Switzerland, afterwards. They were childless. I have often thought about why they remained in Nazi Germany and have come to realize that they were not politicians who could understand where Hitler was taking the country. They were specialists in their own fields of study, like Frau Riefenstahl, who should have known better, but didn't. What can you do? I know that, for myself, I will always do whatever I can against racism and intolerance. Anyway, thanks, and you have a good site! Regards, Randy M. EDITOR'S NOTE: Thanks Randy for sharing your family's history and its connection to one of Leni Riefenstahl's greatest films. A great story ! Dear Mr. Zarate, I am fortunate to be able to contact you. I have just discovered your phenomenal tribute to Leni Riefenstahl - Das Blaue Licht. What an extraordinary website ! My name is Brad, I am a 32 year old school teacher in Minneapolis, and I am currently working my way through Ms. Riefenstahl's autobiography. I find her life to be intriguing, as do you. I marvel at this woman's durability and longevity. Hers was a not so easy life, and her commitment to persevere is what I admire about her. She can serve as a role model to all. She knows that age cannot and should not limit you. I could go on and on... Thank you so very much for your website - Good luck with your future endeavors. With Sincere Thanks, Brad EDITOR'S NOTE: Thank you Brad ! Dear "Blue Light", Would you please be so kind as to recognize that the following films were directed by Arnold Fanck: Der große Sprung, Der heilige Berg, Die weisse Hölle vom Piz Palu (together with G.W. Pabst), SOS Eisberg,Stürme über dem Montblanc, Der weisse Rausch. Leni Riefenstahl was an actress in these films. I ask you to correct your website so far. Best wishes Matthias Fanck EDITOR'S NOTE: Arnold Fanck is appropriately credited on the site's pages which are about the films you mention. This is replicated on our Filmography page as well. Thank you for your input and we encourage everyone to note Arnold Fanck's contribution to the legacy of Leni Riefenstahl CONTACT Please Contact Me With Your Comments at

dasblauelicht@hotmail.com

Submitted Email Comments Will Be Posted Here Some Comments or Notes May Be Edited at Our Discretion (c) dasblauelicht.net

<<<RETURN TO MAIN INDEX <<<