Leni Riefenstahl

(German, 1902–2003)

Leni Riefenstahl was a German actress and director known for her Nazi propaganda films Triumph of the Will (1935) and Olympia (1938). The controversial nature of her relationship with Adolf Hitler cast a long shadow over the career. Despite this, Riefenstahl’s work remains a premier example of pioneering cinematography techniques, including tracking shots and slow motion. “Where is my guilt? I can regret. I can regret that I made the party film, Triumph of the Will, in 1934. But I cannot regret that I lived in that time,” she once explained. “No anti-Semitic word has ever crossed my lips. I was never anti-Semitic. I did not join the party.” Born Helene Bertha Amalie Riefenstahl on August 22, 1902 in Berlin, Germany, she pursued dancing as child, going on to perform interpretive dance around Germany as a young woman. A foot injury led Riefenstahl to end her dancing career and she began acting in mid-1920s. She famously starred in the successful G.W. Pabst film The White Hell of Piz Palü (1929). Transitioning from acting to directing, she was introduced to the Führer during the early 1930s. Smitten with the young filmmaker, Hitler offered her the rare opportunity to direct films for the Nazi party. After World War II, Reifenstahl was the subject of four denazification proceedings, which found her to be an active Nazi sympathizer, though innocent of any war crimes. During the latter half of her career, the artist spent much of her time in Africa, documenting the indigenous Nuba tribe in Sudan in a series of striking color photographs. She died at the age of 101 on September 8, 2002 in Pöckling, Germany.

Related Categories

Photography

Related Artists

Arnold Fanck

Leni Riefenstahl Artworks

Artworks for Sale &
Auction Results

Leni Riefenstahl (532 results)
Die Nuba, 1960–1969

Leni Riefenstahl

Die Nuba, 1960–1969

Sale Date: November 7, 2002

Auction Closed

Hochsprung, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Hochsprung, 1936–1936

Sale Date: November 2, 2002

Auction Closed

Siegehrung 10 000 M-Lauf der Männer,..., 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Siegehrung 10 000 M-Lauf der Männer,..., 1936–1936

Sale Date: November 2, 2002

Auction Closed

Glenn Morris, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Glenn Morris, 1936–1936

Sale Date: October 24, 2002

Auction Closed

Olympic Games, Berlin, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Olympic Games, Berlin, 1936–1936

Sale Date: October 22, 2002

Auction Closed

Reichsportfeld - Olympic Stadium, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Reichsportfeld - Olympic Stadium, 1936–1936

Sale Date: October 21, 2002

Auction Closed

Williams, USA, Gold im 400m Lauf, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Williams, USA, Gold im 400m Lauf, 1936–1936

Sale Date: October 18, 2002

Auction Closed

Oberleutnant Handrick beim geländeritt..., 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Oberleutnant Handrick beim geländeritt..., 1936–1936

Sale Date: June 6, 2002

Auction Closed

Karl Hein, Deutschland, Goldmedaille im , 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Karl Hein, Deutschland, Goldmedaille im , 1936–1936

Sale Date: June 6, 2002

Auction Closed

Ein kleines chinesisches Plakat, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Ein kleines chinesisches Plakat, 1936–1936

Sale Date: June 6, 2002

Auction Closed

Reifenspiel, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Reifenspiel, 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 27, 2002

Auction Closed

Olympic stadium, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Olympic stadium, 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 27, 2002

Auction Closed

Olympiade, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Olympiade, 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 10, 2002

Auction Closed

Dive from the 10-metres-tower, Berlin..., 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Dive from the 10-metres-tower, Berlin..., 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 9, 2002

Auction Closed

Strength (Discus thrower), Berlin..., 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Strength (Discus thrower), Berlin..., 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 9, 2002

Auction Closed

Study of Nuba tribesman

Leni Riefenstahl

Study of Nuba tribesman

Sale Date: May 9, 2002

Auction Closed

Das Olympische Feuer, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Das Olympische Feuer, 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 4, 2002

Auction Closed

Kampfritual der Nuba, 1960–1969

Leni Riefenstahl

Kampfritual der Nuba, 1960–1969

Sale Date: May 4, 2002

Auction Closed

Portrait Leni Riefenstahl, 1930–1939

Leni Riefenstahl

Portrait Leni Riefenstahl, 1930–1939

Sale Date: May 4, 2002

Auction Closed

Geschmücktes Nuba-Mädchen, 1960–1969

Leni Riefenstahl

Geschmücktes Nuba-Mädchen, 1960–1969

Sale Date: May 4, 2002

Auction Closed

110m Hürden-Endlauf, 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

110m Hürden-Endlauf, 1936–1936

Sale Date: May 3, 2002

Auction Closed

Die Franzosen

Leni Riefenstahl

Die Franzosen

Sale Date: May 3, 2002

Auction Closed

The flame from Greece (Berlin Olympic..., 1936–1936

Leni Riefenstahl

The flame from Greece (Berlin Olympic..., 1936–1936

Sale Date: April 18, 2002

Auction Closed

Steurmannn im Ruderboot, 1936

Leni Riefenstahl

Steurmannn im Ruderboot, 1936

Sale Date: April 16, 2002

Auction Closed

English (US)

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