Hitler Spoof Proves a Hit in Germany

According to columnist Erik Kirschbaum of Daily Variety, the premiere of Mel Brooks's The Producers at Germany's Admiralspalast was met with laughs and some well timed gasps--a far cry from the angst-ridden mood plaguing many Germans as the days counted down to the stage show's debut May 17.

As the curtain rose, the crowd was led in cheers by Berlin Mayor Wowereit, who applauded the show from his seat high in the velvety box designed--ironically enough--for Hitler himself during his 12 year dictatorship.

The standing ovation smashed concerns that the show's subject matter--and its choice to render it as a musical versus a traditional drama would lead to the show's failure, just like an earlier premiere in Vienna, which opened to so-so reviews and eventually led to the show being cut short.

In a nation where the display of the swastika is banned except for theatrical purposes, the prospect of even joking about Hitler has raised hackles from not a few Germans, many of whom were born after WWII. But judging from the response the play has received, the mayor thinks much of the controversy is overblown.

"I really don't think anyone can be offended or hurt by this musical," Wowereit said in an interview not far from the bunker that served as Hitler's residence during his last days. "There was a lot of talk and some worries beforehand, but anyone who comes to see this or takes a closer look to see what it's all about understands it's just satire. It's just entertainment and it has nothing to do with glossing over the Nazis and glorifying their crimes. This is allowable and I think the people understand that."

Despite the raucous laughter in the complex, there were some gasps among the star-studded crowd, including one sequence where a pair of pigeons deliver the Nazi salute. By and large though, the audience enjoyed the story of two unscrupulous producers scheming to create a flop that would ultimately prove successful--to their chagrin.

Dani Levy, a director who has made many satirical films taking on the Nazis and Hitler--including a 2007 comedy starring comedian Helge Schneider as Hitler--sees the success of The Producers as a sign of progress.

"Every step like this that goes toward a more liberated or courageous dealing with the past is good," he said. "It hurts sometimes, even for me it hurts, seeing people laugh about something that's cruel. Sometimes I feel like it's crazy that you can laugh and feel a real shame. There's a kind of blocked laughter to it all.

Fellow director Andreas Dresen doesn't see it that way. "I don't think it's a question of whether one should be allowed to laugh about Hitler. I think you have to laugh about Hitler."