Mädchen in Uniform

A key film of the Weimar era and a landmark of early queer cinema, MÄDCHEN IN UNIFORM is an adaptation of the play ‘Yesterday and Today’ by German-Hungarian novelist Christa Winsloe whose own experiences in a strict Potsdam boarding school would inspire her to write the piece on which this 1931 film is based.

When Manuela von Meinhardis (Hertha Thiele), a half-orphan whose mother had died when she was young and whose father has no time for her because of his military career is enrolled in the strict Kaiserin Augusta all-girl boarding school she does her best to fit in. However, it soon becomes clear that the melancholically inclined and emotionally highly-strung girl has problems with the school’s rules: not content with the girls having to wear an unsightly uniform, the ultra-traditional and ultra-strict headmistress Fräulein Nordeck zur Nidden (Emilia Unda) – a sourpuss of a woman who dresses and behaves like a leftover from the 19th century – expects the pupils’ hair to be worn in a tight knot while personal possessions are taken away to be kept in a safe place. In fact absolute obedience and discipline is the order of the day and ‘Mother’ Nordeck succeeds to instil fear and unease into the girls. In contrast to Nordeck the girls have it easier with the school’s young governess Fräulein von Bernburg (Dorothea Wieck) whose modern and more liberal outlook is often at odds with those of the conservative headmistress. Von Bernberg displays sympathy, warmth and understanding so it’s no surprise that Manuela, despite her classmates making her feel welcome, develops a bit of a crush on Fräulein von Bernburg who also has a habit of giving the girls a goodnight kiss on the forehead but for some odd reason decides to kiss Manuela on the lips… imagine the outrage this must have caused in 1931.

While Fräulein von Bernburg did so with perfectly innocent intentions the kiss in question has an impact on Manuela that soon will result in unpleasant consequences… Meanwhile, the daily and stern routine at the boarding school continues with the girls trying to make the best of their unfortunate situation, occasionally attempts at ‘anarchy’ emerge with some girls trying to smuggle letters out of the institution (everything needs to be approved first by old battle-ax Nordeck zur Nidden) and other minor signs of disobedience. The working relationship between the headmistress and the governess becomes further strained when it transpires that Manuela seems to perform particularly poorly in von Bernburg’s class though her poor performance is not down to von Bernburg being a bad teacher but Manuela not able to concentrate thanks to her continued crush on the governess. Nonetheless von Bernberg finds herself reprimanded by her superior while her colleagues, including French teacher Mademoiselle Oeuillet, English teacher Miss Evans and bespectacled Fräulein von Kesten (Hedwig Schlichter) are caught in the crossfire. In order to keep her position, Fräulein von Bernberg agrees to have a word with Manuela in private but despite being fully aware of the pupil’s ‘unnatural’ feelings towards her she hands her instead one of her own undergarments because the girl’s own one is full of holes. Overcome with emotion Manuela begins to weep and confesses her love for the teacher who replies that she is in no position to give her special treatment for fear the other girls might become jealous.

To break up the miserable daily routine (fellow pupil Ilse complains in a letter that on Sunday there seems to be even less food then during weekdays) the girls suddenly find themselves busy rehearsing for a school play in honour of the headmistress’ birthday. The play is Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller and Manuela has been chosen for the lead role, however, Ilse is expelled from the play after her letter is discovered. The play is a success and Manuela, who really just wants to impress the adoring governess, gives a fine performance. After the play everyone is allowed to drink punch and soon the girls are tipsy – Manuela more so than the others and as we all know alcohol loosens the tongue… which is when she reveals her feelings for Fräulein von Bernberg and the fact that she even gave her one of her petticoats. Unfortunately the headmistress has entered the room, overhearing everything before Manuela collapses in a drunken stupor. Suffice to say the shocked headmistress intends on expelling the girl straight away to avoid further scandal though the expulsion needs to be postponed when she’s informed of the annual royal visit. In utter disgust the headmistress has another showdown with the governess who remarks coldly: “What you call sin I call the great spirit of love, which takes a thousand forms” before making it clear that she does not wish to remain in an institution in which the pupils are treated like prisoners. While this is going on Manuela has decided that life without her beloved governess isn’t worth living and attempts suicide by jumping to her death but is saved at the last minute by her worried classmates who kept searching for her…

This ending differs from Winsloe’s play in which the unfortunate girl succeeds with her attempted suicide. Watching the film nowadays one must wonder what all the fuss was about but back in 1931 this sympathetic portrayal of lesbian pedagogical affection was considered ground-breaking not only because of its controversial topic but because Mädchen in Uniform had an all-female cast (many of which were Jewish and some fell victim to the Nazi terror that would cast a dark cloud over Germany some years later). It goes without saying that the Nazis banned the film on grounds of being ‘decadent’ while it was almost banned in the prudish USA though other countries like Italy, Japan and Romania of all places not only embraced it but bestowed the film with awards. Hertha Thiele, Dorothea Wieck and Emilia Unda deliver compelling performances as the three main leads who couldn’t be more different and whose names (Manuela von Meinhardis, Fräulein von Bernburg and ‘Mother’ Fräulein von Nordeck zur Nidden) you won’t forget in a hurry!

MÄDCHEN IN UNIFORM (German with optional English subtitles) has just been released in HD on Blu-ray and DVD with the following Bonus Features:
Commentary by film historian Jenni Olson, the video essay ‘Women and Sexuality in Weimar Cinema’, The Kiss – The Women who Made a Movie Masterpiece (selected audio episodes), selected archive short films plus illustrated info booklet.