Feb 18, 2020
The Berlinale Commissions Historical Expertise on Alfred Bauer and Awards a Special Prize for its 70th Anniversary

In response to the recently published sources on the role of Alfred Bauer, the first director of the Berlin International Film Festival, in National Socialist film politics, the Berlinale has suspended the Silver Bear - Alfred Bauer Prize with immediate effect. Current newspaper reports suggest that Alfred Bauer had played a previously unknown role in the Nazi film bureaucracy. Therefore, the Berlinale management has also decided to obtain external expertise on the history of the festival in the context of Alfred Bauer’s function during the Nazi era.

In this respect, the management of the Berlinale has conducted talks with various research institutions and has now commissioned the “Institute for Contemporary History” (IfZ). The IfZ was founded in 1949 to academically research the National Socialist dictatorship: https://www.ifz-muenchen.de/das-institut/

“We are convinced that an external and independent group of historians should investigate Alfred Bauer’s position in the Nazi regime. Moreover, we also agree on this with the Deutsche Kinemathek, which supports this approach. Accordingly, we are pleased that the IfZ can now initiate the necessary research work,” says Berlinale Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek.

The results of the IfZ assessment are expected in this coming summer.

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the festival, the Berlinale 2020 will award a special prize: The Silver Bear - 70th Berlinale. It will similarly be awarded by the International Jury.

Press Office
February 18, 2020