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My Life for Ireland
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Wikipedia article
'My Life for Ireland' is a Nazi propaganda movie from 1941 directed by Max W. Kimmich, telling a story of an Irish nationalist family and their involvement in the Irish struggle of independence over two generations. The movie was produced for Nazi-occupied Europe with the intent of challenging pro-British allegiances; yet in some cases it had the unintended effect of making audiences identify the Irish struggle with their own resistance against the Nazis.
The film's sets were designed by the art directors Wilhelm Depenau and Otto Erdmann.
Plot
The film covers the story of two generations of an Irish nationalist family; starting with Michael O'Brien (Werner Hinz) and following with his son, also Michael (Will Quadflieg), eighteen years later in 1921.
The film commences in Dublin in 1903. A squad of police officers break into a thatched hovel and evict the family, throwing a young child to the floor. However they are ambushed by a group of Irish nationalists and a long fire fight ensues. Michael O'Brien is captured and is sentenced to death. While he is in prison, his pregnant fiance Maeve visits him and they are secretly married. Afterwards, Michael hands his wife a silver cross that will always be worn by the best Irish freedom fighter. On the cross, the words 'My life for Ireland' are engraved.
Eighteen years later, in 1921, his son Michael Jr. is expecting to pass his school leaving exams. As the son of an infamous Irish nationalist, he has been educated at St Edwards College, a school run by British teachers. In this way the British government attempt to re-educate Irish pupils into "worthy" British citizens.
Cast
*Anna Dammann, Maeve Fleming
*Ren Deltgen, Robert Devoy
*Paul Wegener, Sir George Beverley
*Werner Hinz, Michael O'Brien Senior
*Will Quadflieg, Michael O'Brien Junior
*Heinz Ohlsen, Patrick O'Connor
*Eugen Klpfer, Duffy
*Hans Bergmann, captain of the 'Black and Tans'
*Claus Clausen, Patrick Pollock
*Will Dohm, Barrington (teacher)
*Karl John, Raymond Davitt
*Hans Quest, Henry Beverley
*Wilhelm Borchert, Thomas O'Neill
*Jack Trevor as the president of the martial court
*Charles John, Raymond Davitt
Propaganda
This film contributed to the era of anti-British films made by Nazi Germany.Cinzia Romani, 'Tainted Goddesses: Female Film Stars of the Third Reich' p. 69 In this film, as in 'Der Fuchs von Glenarvon', the British are depicted as brutal and unscrupulous but no match for the "earthy" Irish race.Erwin Leiser, 'Nazi Cinema', p. 97 A British officer, for instance, abandons an Irish sergeant on the battlefield, taking the last water bottle with him, and is later shown winning a VC.Erwin Leiser, 'Nazi Cinema', pp. 97-8 It lacks, however, the cruder propaganda of later films, such as 'Carl Peters' and 'Ohm Krger', when Hitler had given up hope of making peace with Great Britain.Erwin Leiser, 'Nazi Cinema', p. 98 The anti-British atmosphere of 'Der Fuchs von Glenarvon', for example, can be judged from its opening sequence, which depicts a meeting of Irish revolutionaries:Welch, David (2001). 'Propaganda and the German cinema, 1933-1945'. Tauris, p. 228.
ASSEMBLY: We must build new roads
LEADER: With what shall we build new roads?
ASSEMBLY: With the bones of our enemy!
LEADER: And who is our enemy?
ASSEMBLY: England!
Some German viewers in ethnically mixed areas expressed fears that it would stimulate Poles to rebellion.Richard Grunberger, 'The 12-Year Reich', p. 385, The film, however, enjoyed a positive response from many audiences.Fox, Jo (2007). 'Film propaganda in Britain and Nazi Germany: World War II cinema'. Berg Publishers, p. 171.
References
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