February and March of 1943

I thought one of the most interesting portions of the chronology in Rentschler's appendix occurs in 1943. The points of interest for me begin with “Surrender of the Sixth Army under General von Paulus at Stalingrad.” This occurs at the beginning of February. Clearly, when this information reaches the public, they will feel disheartened and probably panic. This is why the speech by Goebbels on February 18th is not surprising. He “calls for total war.” Obviously he is trying to bolster the hope of the people and call them to action. These events are jarring shocks of the realities of war. They exude defeat and sacrifice. That is why the film released two weeks later, Münchhausen, is so interesting to me. This film does not focus on defeat or sacrifice at all; in fact, it does the opposite. Its themes centralize around self-indulgence and personal gratification. The film is contrary to the adamant demands made by Goebbels and, in fact, by the situation around them. Furthermore, a report just one day after the release of the film confirms that “newsreels have been unable to regain their former popularity” This seems to show that people are not interested in the war. They are not interested in being called to total war. They want to engage in escapism and be relieved from the constant reminders of the war that encompasses their lives. This is why Münchhausen gained popularity while newsreels declined.