Leni Riefenstahl

Detail from a 1930s postcard honoring Riefenstahl for the propaganda film Olympia

Helene Bertha Amalie "Leni" Riefenstahl (German: [ˈʁiːfənʃtaːl]; 22 August 1902 – 8 September 2003) was a German film director, producer, screenwriter, editor, photographer, actress, dancer, and ostensible propagandist for the Nazis.

Born in 1902 Leni Riefenstahl grew up in Germany with her brother Heinz (1905–1944), who was killed on the Eastern Front in World War II. A talented swimmer and artist, she also became interested in dancing during her childhood, taking dancing lessons and performing across Europe.

After seeing a promotional poster for the 1924 film Der Berg des Schicksals ("The Mountain of Destiny"), Riefenstahl was inspired to move into acting. Between 1925 and 1929, she starred in five successful motion pictures. In 1932, Riefenstahl decided to try directing with her own film called Das Blaue Licht ("The Blue Light"). In the 1930s, she directed Triumph des Willens ("Triumph of the Will") and Olympia, resulting in worldwide attention and acclaim. Both movies are widely considered two of the most effective, and technically innovative, propaganda films ever made. Her involvement in Triumph des Willens, however, significantly damaged her career and reputation after the war. The exact nature of her relationship with Nazi Party leader Adolf Hitler remains a matter of debate, although a friendship is claimed to have existed. After the war, Riefenstahl was arrested, but classified as being a "fellow traveler" or "Nazi Sympathiser" only and was not associated with war crimes. Throughout her life, she denied having known about the Holocaust, and won nearly 50 libel cases. Besides directing, Riefenstahl released an autobiography and wrote several books on the Nuba people.

Leni Riefenstahl provides examples of the following tropes:

Adolf Hitler: Mentioned she regretted ever meeting him, as it led to her Never Live It Down moment.
Never Live It Down: Despite her constant denials of sympathy or knowledge of the barbarities committed by Nazi Germany, she herself lamented she would only be remembered for having made a propaganda film for Adolf Hitler.

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