Ernst Udet flying sequences

[Guest Gary Davidson]

Found this on the Aerodrome website. Some downloads available showing Ernst Udet flying sequences from a few of Leni Riefenstahl's movies.

http://www.riefenstahl.org/downloads/video...k.html#sos_leni

[Adrian Roberts]

Gary

Fascinating - any idea what the aircraft are? Probably a model in the iceberg sequence, but Udet's biplane looks real enough. Were the films shot in Germany or in Hollywood - the latter then we need to think American types rather than German

Adrian

[Guest Gary Davidson]

Adrian --

You can really see Udet’s amazing skill as a flier in these early films. This footage was shot in German or in close by Scandinavian countries in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. I don’t think many special effects were used. The German film industry was almost as advanced as Hollywood at the time. All the stunts were done “in camera.” I can’t identify the airplane.

The director of these films, Leni Riefenstahl, is probably as well known than Udet himself. She started as actress and dancer, but quickly moved to directing, and her innate skill in that area is apparent even in these old clips. Unfortunately, Ms. Riefenstahl aligned herself with Adolph Hitler creating several cinematic masterpieces (and propaganda) that helped galvanize Germany under the Nazi ideal. This political choice branded her as a genius propagandist rather than visionary filmmaker.

Gary

[Adrian Roberts]

Gary

She died only very recently, in her nineties. She led an adventurous life until not long before that, making wildlife and anthropological films in Africa, assisted by a much younger husband. Goebbels had been a lover of hers at one time and there is speculation as to whether Hitler was too.

Clearly one of life's great characters, despite being on the "Wrong Side"

Udet had an adventurous love life as well (there is a story that he was almost killed when a jilted lover stabbed him with her hatpin), so you wonder if he got it off with Leni. But I suspect he took life less seriously than her, and was certainly less comfortable than the Nazis.

Adrian