The Demo Site

The Double Headed Eagle: Hitler's Rise to Power 1918-1933


The Double Headed Eagle, a documentary about Hitler's rise to power in Germany, takes the unusual approach of using no narration, relying almost entirely on vintage newsreel footage (which is shown with English subtitles). The intent is to show how people at the time would have viewed the Nazis as they came to the world's attention, and some of this contemporaneous footage is remarkable. The turmoil following Germany's humiliation at the end of World War I is shown in clips illustrating economic devastation, and Hitler's speeches at early Nazi rallies display the bizarre hold he could have over a crowd. But letting the film footage speak for itself is not entirely successful. It should be noted that those unfamiliar with the history of the period may find the film puzzling at times. But if this documentary is not a good introduction to the history of the period, filmmaker Lutz Becker deserves praise for selecting material that is often quite arresting. As the production slowly unfolds, the rise of the Nazis from a curiosity on the fringe of German politics to the central power in the nation is ultimately demonstrated in a highly visual manner. --Robert J. McNamara