Mein Kampf (1960 film)

Mein Kampf is a 1959 Swedish documentary film about the rise and fall of Adolf Hitler directed by Erwin Leiser. Distribution of the film began in 1959 and the film was a large commercial success.

Den blodiga Tiden (German title: Mein Kampf)
Directed byErwin Leiser
Written byErwin Leiser
Produced byTore Sjoberg
Edited byErwin Leiser
Production
company
Minerva
Distributed byColumbia (US)
Release date
1959
Running time
117 mins
CountrySweden
LanguagesGerman
Swedish

US release

It was admired by George Seaton and William Perlberg who saw it in Copenhagen and they suggested Paramount buy it. The studio refused and instead the film was bought by Columbia for distribution in the United States for $50,000.[1] It became a surprise hit in the US where it grossed an estimated $1.45 million.[2]

German release

The film used footage from Triumph of the Will. It was seen in a Munich cinema by Leni Riefenstahl who recalled she was "rendered speechless by what I saw on the screen" and considered it "a gross infringement of copyright and also intellectual theft." She sued for copyright infringement and accepted a financial settlement. [3] Another company took over the case on Riefenstahl's behalf but lost in what was known as the "Minerva decision" which ruled that copyright in Triumph of the Will was not owned by Riefenstahl.[4]

References
  1. Thomas, Bob (26 Jun 1961). "'Mein Kampf' Maker Awaits Check". The Daily News. p. 10.
  2. "1961 Rentals and Potential". Variety. 10 Jan 1961. p. 58.
  3. Riefenstahl, Leni (1995). Leni Riefenstahl : a memoir. p. 450-451.
  4. Bach, Steven (2007). Leni. Knopf. p. 257-259.


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