East German Films Face Decay

The Defa film company of East Germany, founded in 1946, faces a crisis as its film collection deteriorates. Many of the roughly 700 feature films, 900 animated films, and 2000 documentaries remain undigitized. Studio leader Ralf Jesse and his team in Berlin are using a film-washing machine from the 1980s to carefully clean and scan old reels.

The films are susceptible to the “vinegar syndrome,” a chemical decomposition even with careful storage. Stefanie Eckert, head of the Defa Foundation, explains digitization costs several thousand euros per film. Since 2019, the foundation benefited from a state funding program, but that funding has recently been halved.

The foundation, along with other organizations, appeals to politicians for continued support. Without it, the program ends in 2028, and vital parts of German cinematic history could be lost to physical decay. About half of the Defa feature films are now digitized, but work continues to preserve the rest.