Films Directed by Leni Riefenstahl

Sieg des Glaubens (1933)

German Poster Art for the initial release

Full German title : Der Siteg Des Glaubens - Der Film Vom Reichsparteitag NSDAP

English title translation: Victory of Faith

Running time: sixty-four minutes, eleven seconds

Format: 35 mm; 1,756 meters

Premiere: December 1, 1933, UFA palace , Berlin

"I have to smile whenever I read in the press that this film was made with a 'colossal' technical expertise and that I prevented it from being screened after 1945. Another of the many legends."

Leni Riefenstahl, Sieve of Time

Excerpt from Sieg des Glaubens. Hitler, SA leader Ernst Rohm share a limo in the parade review

Generally considered as a misstep by Leni Riefenstahl, this film of the fifth Nazi party rally certainly has antecedents of the production that occurred a mere year later (Triumph des Willens). Despite the glimmer of genius in her resulting work and reviews of the day, which were mostly favorable, from the start Riefenstahl realized the film would never be what she wanted. In her Memoirs, she makes this clear as she states "I started to sort out [to edit] the film material without any joy, but tried to cut something usable."

The awkwardness of the film was due, Riefenstahl states because of very little preparation time and perhaps more importantly the existing rivalry between herself and the Arts and Propaganda Minister, Goebbels. She reports that her filmic efforts were repeatedly thwarted and blocked by Goebbels and other Party officials.

Perhaps more importantly than its artistic merit, Sieg des Glaubens has become a source of general historical controversy. Not only does it depict the uncomfortable joint leadership roles of Adolph Hitler and Ernst Rohm (SA leader) some believe that it's focus on Rohm and other key political elements are especially significant in their noticeable absence later in Triumph des Willens.

Riefenstahl (center with hands clasped) at premiere of Sieg des Glaubens

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