Andrzej Klamt:
Die geteilte Klasse (“The divided class”)
The filmmaker goes in search of his former classmates who started school with him in 1971 at School No. 5 in the Upper Silesian city of Bytom. Before the World War II, the city was named Beuthen. After the war, most of the German population either fled westward or was driven out. But many also stayed there and signed a declaration of loyalty to the Polish state and became known as “Polish for 20 zloty” – the price of the form. Although many of his classmates had German last names, in the 1970s the question of nationality was deliberately ignored. Little by little, classmates of his simply “disappeared” from one day to the next, and rumor had it that they had gone to Germany. In the end, half the class was gone. The paths of life of his former classmates on both sides are a reflection of the suspenseful and often convoluted last forty years of Central European history and create an exciting mosaic of attitudes, feelings, and viewpoints.
About the Author’s Research:
Mr. Klamt traveled to Upper Silesia in Poland twice during late summer and autumn of 2008 to find his scattered former classmates. Other classmates he visited in Germany; they had for the most part found new homes in the Ruhr region. “In addition to the grunt work I was facing, conducting my research also required me to have a flair for detective work as well.” Because of what they experienced during their time together at school, they have a particular familiarity that at times resulted in very personal interviews and that also touched on uncomfortable questions.
About the Filmmaker:
Andrzej Klamt was born in Poland in 1964, where he spent his childhood before finally emigrating to the Federal Republic of Germany when he was 15 years old. While studying film and Slavic studies at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main from 1985 to 1990, he became a member of the film group “halbtotal.” He spent his last year of university in the USSR. Today Mr. Klamt lives in Wiesbaden and works as a freelance writer, director, and producer.
Die geteilte Klasse / Podzielona Klasa
Written and directed by: Andrzej Klamt
Camera: Tomasz Michałowski
Editing: Justin Peach
Music: Stoppok
D/PL 2011, 79 min.
Production: halbtotal.film.de and The Film.pl
The filmmaker goes in search of his former classmates who started school with him in 1971 at School No. 5 in the Upper Silesian city of Bytom. Before the World War II, the city was named Beuthen. After the war, most of the German population either fled westward or was driven out. But many also stayed there and signed a declaration of loyalty to the Polish state and became known as “Polish for 20 zloty” – the price of the form. Although many of his classmates had German last names, in the 1970s the question of nationality was deliberately ignored. Little by little, classmates of his simply “disappeared” from one day to the next, and rumor had it that they had gone to Germany. In the end, half the class was gone. The paths of life of his former classmates on both sides are a reflection of the suspenseful and often convoluted last forty years of Central European history and create an exciting mosaic of attitudes, feelings, and viewpoints.
About the Author’s Research:
Mr. Klamt traveled to Upper Silesia in Poland twice during late summer and autumn of 2008 to find his scattered former classmates. Other classmates he visited in Germany; they had for the most part found new homes in the Ruhr region. “In addition to the grunt work I was facing, conducting my research also required me to have a flair for detective work as well.” Because of what they experienced during their time together at school, they have a particular familiarity that at times resulted in very personal interviews and that also touched on uncomfortable questions.
About the Filmmaker:
Andrzej Klamt was born in Poland in 1964, where he spent his childhood before finally emigrating to the Federal Republic of Germany when he was 15 years old. While studying film and Slavic studies at Goethe University in Frankfurt am Main from 1985 to 1990, he became a member of the film group “halbtotal.” He spent his last year of university in the USSR. Today Mr. Klamt lives in Wiesbaden and works as a freelance writer, director, and producer.
Die geteilte Klasse / Podzielona Klasa
Written and directed by: Andrzej Klamt
Camera: Tomasz Michałowski
Editing: Justin Peach
Music: Stoppok
D/PL 2011, 79 min.
Production: halbtotal.film.de and The Film.pl
Picture Gallery
Fotos: Klamt
Andrzej Klamt
Foto: Grzegorz Celejewski/Agencia Gazeta
ABKHAZIA - A Country in Limbo
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Caucasus fell victim to the whims of various geopolitical interests. In this context, the activities of the United States are particularly noteworthy. And the tiny Republic of Abkhazia, not recognized by any other countries, also played a pivotal role. During the Soviet era, Abkhazia was a part of Georgia - and, due to its beautiful geography, was considered the country’s vacation paradise. But in the early 1990s, Abkhazia seceded from Georgia, and this act resulted in a war that saw significant casualties on both sides. Almost 250,000 ethnic Georgians, comprising half of Abkhazia’s population, either fled or were driven out.
A Russian peacekeeping force and a UN Observer Mission, together totaling 2,000 men, have been overseeing the fragile ceasefire since 1994. Russian politicians have exploited the Abkhazian-Georgian conflict, however, and hope to use Abkhazia to tie Georgia to Russia or to destabilize the country, which is striving to become a part of NATO. For the first time in such detail this documentary introduces German viewers to a country barely known in Europe. The film shows Abkhazia’s captivatingly beautiful, subtropical landscapes, visits those still living a traditional Caucasian life in mountain villages, yet also gives an account of the country’s complex political situation.
30 minutes, Germany, 2008
Screenplay/Directed by: Andrzej Klamt
Camera: Maciej Zemojcin
Film editing: Armin Riegel, Arnold Gralinski
Music: Alex Sonntag
Produced by halbtotal film with support provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.
After the disintegration of the Soviet Union, the Caucasus fell victim to the whims of various geopolitical interests. In this context, the activities of the United States are particularly noteworthy. And the tiny Republic of Abkhazia, not recognized by any other countries, also played a pivotal role. During the Soviet era, Abkhazia was a part of Georgia - and, due to its beautiful geography, was considered the country’s vacation paradise. But in the early 1990s, Abkhazia seceded from Georgia, and this act resulted in a war that saw significant casualties on both sides. Almost 250,000 ethnic Georgians, comprising half of Abkhazia’s population, either fled or were driven out.
A Russian peacekeeping force and a UN Observer Mission, together totaling 2,000 men, have been overseeing the fragile ceasefire since 1994. Russian politicians have exploited the Abkhazian-Georgian conflict, however, and hope to use Abkhazia to tie Georgia to Russia or to destabilize the country, which is striving to become a part of NATO. For the first time in such detail this documentary introduces German viewers to a country barely known in Europe. The film shows Abkhazia’s captivatingly beautiful, subtropical landscapes, visits those still living a traditional Caucasian life in mountain villages, yet also gives an account of the country’s complex political situation.
30 minutes, Germany, 2008
Screenplay/Directed by: Andrzej Klamt
Camera: Maciej Zemojcin
Film editing: Armin Riegel, Arnold Gralinski
Music: Alex Sonntag
Produced by halbtotal film with support provided by the Robert Bosch Stiftung.