Crisis and Creation in the Mediatic Context. The Ambivalent German- Spanish Relations in the Film Production of the First Half of the Twentieth Century

Abstract

At times of political and social crisis the creation and consolidation of certain auto- and hetero-stereotypes are particularly fostered. This statement becomes conclusive when analyzing how the different political phases in Spain throughout history have decisively determined its image abroad. Romantic images created during the War of Independence (1808-1814) served as an instrument of propagandistic manipulation meant to promote the improvement of the political ally’s image during the first half of the twentieth century. This political artifice, which was meant to manifest an ideological resonance with the National Socialist worldview, was promoted in a particular way by the coproductions of the Hispanic and German film industry.