Terra Film was a

Berlin Berlin ( , ) is the capital and largest city of Germany by both area and population. Its 3.7 million inhabitants make it the European Union's most populous city, according to population within city limits. One of Germany's sixteen constitue ...

-based

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

production company A production company, production house, production studio, or a production team is a studio that creates works in the fields of performing arts, new media art, film, television, radio, comics, interactive arts, video games, websites, music, and ...

. Founded in 1919, it became one of

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

's largest film production companies in the 1930s under the

Nazi regime Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

Corporate history

The company was founded at end of 1919, initially as a

limited liability company A limited liability company (LLC for short) is the US-specific form of a private limited company. It is a business structure that can combine the pass-through taxation of a partnership or sole proprietorship with the limited liability of a ...

and converted into a

corporation A corporation is an organization—usually a group of people or a company—authorized by the state to act as a single entity (a legal entity recognized by private and public law "born out of statute"; a legal person in legal context) and r ...

in October 1920. On 19 July 1922, it acquired the

Marienfelde Studios The Terra Studios or Marienfelde Studios were film studios located in the Berlin suburb of Marienfelde. The studios were originally a glasshouse constructed in 1913 by the early company Eiko Film, controlled by the producer Franz Vogel who h ...

Eiko Film Eiko Film was a German film production company of the silent era. It was established in 1912 by the producer Franz Vogel Franz Vogel (1883–1956) was a German film producer.Bock & Bergfelder p.274 In 1912 he established Eiko Film which enjoyed ...

in the

Marienfelde Marienfelde () is a locality in southwest Berlin, Germany, part of the Tempelhof-Schöneberg borough. The former village, incorporated according to the Greater Berlin Act of 1920, today is a mixed industrial and residential area. Geography The Ma ...

suburb of

. In 1930, the

Swiss Swiss may refer to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina *Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses *Swiss-system tournament, in various games and sports *Swiss Internation ...

Scotoni family, headed by

Eugen Scotoni Eugen Scotoni (1873–1961) was an influential Austrian-born Swiss businessman from the construction, real estate and film industries. He built the first Swiss skyscraper in Lausanne in the 1930s. In the early 1930s, he acquired control of the lar ...

, acquired Terra for 1.2 million

Reichsmark The (; sign: ℛℳ; abbreviation: RM) was the currency of Germany from 1924 until 20 June 1948 in West Germany, where it was replaced with the , and until 23 June 1948 in East Germany, where it was replaced by the East German mark. The Reich ...

s. The Marienfelde Studios were then equipped for

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...

using the Tobis-Klangfilm system. Many of the forty films from the era of Ralph Scotoni were influenced by Nazi ideas, transfer was also on Swiss materials and locations (''William Tell'', 1934; ''The Knight of Pontresina'', 1934; ''Hermione and the Seven Law'', 1935). However, since the films lost money, the family sold its stake in Terra Scotoni film in 1935. In the wake of the nationalization of the film industry in July 1937, Terra-Film Art Ltd. changed its name and was now majority owned by the state-owned Cautio Treuhand GmbH. Terra now produced in the

Tempelhof Tempelhof () is a locality of Berlin within the borough of Tempelhof-Schöneberg. It is the location of the former Tempelhof Airport, one of the earliest commercial airports in the world. The former airport and surroundings are now a park called ...

studios of UFA Film Art GmbH.UFA-Templehof (in German)
''Berlin film studios. A small encyclopedia'' (source title translated from German via Google). In 1942, Terra was absorbed into

Ufa Ufa ( ba, Өфө , Öfö; russian: Уфа́, r=Ufá, p=ʊˈfa) is the largest city and capital of Bashkortostan, Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Belaya and Ufa rivers, in the centre-north of Bashkortostan, on hills forming the ...

and retained only formal independence. From the early 1960s to the 1980s, in

West Berlin West Berlin (german: Berlin (West) or , ) was a political enclave which comprised the western part of Berlin during the years of the Cold War. Although West Berlin was de jure not part of West Germany, lacked any sovereignty, and was under mi ...

, Terra-Film GmbH produced or co-produced more than 100 films.

Films

Terra's first film was ''The Marriage of Figaro'' (1920, directed by

Max Mack Max Mack (1884–1973) was a German screenwriter, film producer and director during the silent era. He is particularly known for his 1913 film ''The Other''. He directed, and co-starred in, an early film adaptation of ''Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde'' in ...

. It was followed by films such as ''Christian Wahnschaffe'' (

Urban Gad Peter Urban Bruun Gad (12 February 1879 – 26 December 1947) was a Danish film director, stage actor, screenwriter, and author. He directed 40 films between 1910 and 1927. His wife Asta Nielsen starred in 30 of his films, also in his début the ...

, 1920–21), ''Bigamy'' (

Jaap Speyer Jaap Speyer (1891–1952) was a Dutch film director. He was married to the German actress Mia Pankau. Selected filmography * ''Hedda's Revenge'' (1919) * ''Entblätterte Blüten'' (1920) * ''Colombine (film), Colombine'' (1920) * ''Die rote Nach ...

, 1927) and ''Queen Luise'' (

Karl Grune Karl Grune (22 January 1890 – 2 October 1962) was an Austrian film director and writer who made many silent films in the 1920s. Grune was born into a Jewish familySiegbert Salomon Prawer, ''Between Two Worlds: The Jewish Presence in German ...

, 1927/28). Terra's most active period came after the switch to the talkies and under

Nazism Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...

. Between 1933 and 1944, Terra released 120 feature films, including propaganda films such as ''

The Riders of German East Africa '' The Riders of German East Africa'' (German: ''Die Reiter von Deutsch-Ostafrika'') is a 1934 German war film directed by Herbert Selpin and starring Sepp Rist, Ilse Stobrawa and Rudolf Klicks. It was shot at the Terra Studios in Berlin and on l ...

'' (1934), ''

Hermine and the Seven Upright Men ''Hermine and the Seven Upright Men'' (german: Hermine und die sieben Aufrechten) is a 1935 German drama film based on the novella by Gottfried Keller. Cast * Heinrich George - Zimmermeister Frymann * Karin Hardt - Hermine, seine Tochter * Pa ...

'' (1935), ''

Comrades at Sea ''Comrades at Sea'' (german: Kameraden auf See) is a 1938 German war film directed by Heinz Paul and starring Theodor Loos, Ingeborg Hertel and Julius Brandt. The film is set during the Spanish Civil War, which it portrays as a Communist uprising ...

'' (1938), ''

Jud Süß (, "Süss the Jew") is a 1940 Nazi German historical drama and propaganda film produced by Terra Film at the behest of Joseph Goebbels. It is considered one of the most antisemitic films of all time. The film was directed by Veit Harlan, who ...

'' (1940), and ''

Front Theatre ''Front Theatre'' (German: ''Fronttheater'') is a 1942 German drama film directed by Arthur Maria Rabenalt and starring Heli Finkenzeller, René Deltgen and Lothar Firmans. It was made at the Babelsberg Studios in Berlin and the Cinetone Studio ...

'' (1942), but also a successful entertainment films like ''

Circus Renz Circus Renz was a German circus company. It was established in 1842 in Berlin by Ernst Jakob Renz (1815–1892) as ''Circus Olympic'' and existed until 1897. The company had several stationary buildings in Berlin, Hamburg, Bremen, Breslau and Vi ...

'' (1943) and ''

Die Feuerzangenbowle ''Die Feuerzangenbowle'' (''The Fire Tongs Bowl'', ''The Punch Bowl'') is a German novel, later adapted into several films, which tells the story of a famous writer going undercover as a pupil at a small town gymnasium after his friends tell him ...

'' (1944).

Directors and producers

Terra's directors were

Boleslaw Barlog Boleslaw Stanislaus Barlog (28 March 1906 – 17 March 1999) was a German stage, film, and opera director primarily known for his work in reviving the theatrical life of Berlin after World War II. From 1951 until 1972 he served as the Intendant of ...

Géza von Bolváry Géza von Bolváry (born Géza Gyula Mária Bolváry Zahn, german: Géza Maria von Bolváry-Zahn; 26 December 1897 – 10 August 1961) was a Hungarians, Hungarian actor, screenwriter, and film director, who worked principally in Germany and Aust ...

Peter Paul Brauer Peter Paul Brauer (16 May 1899, in Elberfeld – 28 April 1959, in Berlin) was a German film producer and film director. In 1928, he became involved in film production in the Netherlands. That same year he returned to Germany and, over several ye ...

Erich Engels Erich Engels (23 May 1889 – 25 April 1971) was a German screenwriter, film producer, producer and film director. He should not be confused with another contemporary German director Erich Engel.Bock & Bergfelder p.112 Selected filmography * ''De ...

Kurt Hoffmann Kurt Hoffmann (12 November 1910 – 25 June 2001) was a German film director, the son of Carl Hoffmann. He directed 48 films between 1938 and 1971. He ran a production company Independent Film along with Heinz Angermeyer. His 1958 film ''W ...

Helmut Käutner Helmut Käutner (25 March 1908 – 20 April 1980) was a German film director active mainly in the 1940s and 1950s. He entered the film industry at the end of the Weimar Republic and released his first films as a director in Nazi Germany. Käu ...

Wolfgang Liebeneiner Wolfgang Georg Louis Liebeneiner (6 October 1905 – 28 November 1987) was a German actor, film director and theatre director. Beginnings He was born in Lubawka, Liebau in Prussian Silesia. In 1928, he was taught by Otto Falckenberg, the directo ...

, Roger von Norman, Rudolf van der Noss,

Heinz Paul Heinz Paul (13 August 1893 – 14 March 1983) was a German screenwriter, film producer and film director, director. He was married to the actress Hella Moja. Selected filmography Director * ''The Street of Forgetting'' (1923) * ''The Dice Game of ...

Arthur Maria Rabenalt Arthur Maria Rabenalt (25 June 1905 – 26 February 1993) was an Austrian film director, writer, and author. He directed more than 90 films between 1934 and 1978. His 1958 film ''That Won't Keep a Sailor Down'' was entered into the 1st Moscow I ...

Günther Rittau Günther Rittau (born 7 August 1893 in Königshütte (Silesia); died 6 August 1971 in Munich) was a German cinematographer and film director. After study of science in Berlin, Rittau started his career in 1919 at the documentary-film department ...

Heinz Rühmann Heinrich Wilhelm "Heinz" Rühmann (; 7 March 1902 – 3 October 1994) was a German film actor who appeared in over 100 films between 1926 and 1993. He is one of the most famous and popular German actors of the 20th century, and is considered a Ge ...

Herbert Selpin Herbert Selpin (29 May 1904 – 1 August 1942) was a German film director and screenwriter of light entertainment during the 1930s and 1940s. He is best known for his final film, the partly suppressed ''Titanic (1943 film), Titanic'', during the ...

Hans Steinhoff Hans Steinhoff (10 March 1882 – 20 April 1945) was a German film director, best known for the propaganda films he made in the Nazi era. Life and career Steinhoff started his career as a stage actor in the 1900s and later worked as a stag ...

and

Helmut Weiss Helmut Weiss (January 25, 1907 – January 13, 1969) was a German actor, screenwriter, and film director. He was notable for directing '' Tell the Truth'' the first film produced in what was to become the future West Germany after the Second World ...

. A number of producers at Terra had their own production units; these included

Helmut Beck Helmut is a German name. Variants include Hellmut, Helmuth, and Hellmuth. From old German, the first element deriving from either ''heil'' ("healthy") or ''hiltja'' ("battle"), and the second from ''muot'' ("spirit, mind, mood"). Helmut may ref ...

(''Mosel trip with Monika''),

Gustaf Gründgens Gustaf Gründgens (; 22 December 1899 – 7 October 1963), born Gustav Heinrich Arnold Gründgens, was one of Germany's most famous and influential actors of the 20th century, and artistic director of theatres in Berlin, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg ...

('' Friedemann Bach''),

Edward Kubat Edward is an English language, English given name. It is derived from the Old English, Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements ''wikt:ead#Old English, ēad'' "wealth, fortune; prosperous" and ''wikt:weard#Old English, weard'' "gua ...

(''

Doctor Crippen Hawley Harvey Crippen (September 11, 1862 – November 23, 1910), usually known as Dr. Crippen, was an American homeopath, ear and eye specialist and medicine dispenser. He was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London for the murder of his wife Co ...

'', ''The golden spider''), Otto Lehmann (''

'', ''Front Theatre''),

(''The Florentine hat'', ''

Quax the Crash Pilot ''Quax the Crash Pilot'' (german: Quax, der Bruchpilot) is a 1941 German comedy film directed by Kurt Hoffmann and starring Heinz Rühmann, Karin Himboldt and Lothar Firmans. It is also sometimes translated as ''Quax the Test Pilot''.Chapman p. 19 ...

'', ''

Quax in Africa ''Quax in Africa'' (german: Quax in Afrika) is a German comedy adventure film produced from 1943–1944 and released in 1947, directed by Helmut Weiss and starring Heinz Rühmann, Hertha Feiler, and Lothar Firmans. It is a sequel to the 1941 fi ...

'', ''

''), Viktor von Struve (''Opera Ball'', ''Roses in Tyrol'', ''

Andreas Schlüter Andreas Schlüter (1659 – c. June 1714) was a German baroque sculptor and architect, active in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, and the Russian Tsardom. Biography Andreas Schlüter was bor ...

'', ''The Bat''), EC Techow (''Rembrandt''),

Hans Tost Hans Tost (1907–1958) was a German film producer and occasional actor.Nicolella p.98 He headed his own production unit at Terra Film during the Nazi era. He was the younger brother of Walter Tost, also a film producer. Selected filmography Actor ...

(''What, you know still don't know Korff?'', ''we make music'', ''Great Freedom No. 7'') and Walter Tost (''In the name of the people'', ''Blood Brothers'', ''Circus Renz'').

Sources

* *Hervé Dumont. history of Swiss film. Lausanne 1987

References

{{Authority control Film production companies of Germany Mass media companies established in 1919 Weimar culture State-owned film companies Germany articles needing attention Mass media in Berlin German companies established in 1919