Leni Riefenstahl was born #OnThisDay 1902. With just 2 films, she stamped on history the iconography of Nazi Germany https://t.co/6MMeLGOHKc pic.twitter.com/VbDNdiiQpI
— The Economist (@EconCulture) August 22, 2017
The Economist — perhaps the dean of Davos Man magazine fare — launched a curious tweet Tuesday honoring the birthday of Leni Riefenstahl. The infamous Nazi filmmaker directed the hagiographic Hitler flick Triumph of the Will, which you may have watched in college. The film and Riefenstahl’s later work played an integral role in cementing Hitler’s bonafides in Germany as he rose to power.
The tweet was part of the magazine’s #OnThisDay series.
Now in fairness to Riefenstahl, she did have a prestigious (non-Nazi) career after the war and even earned a shout out at the Academy Awards when she passed at the age of 101. Still, it seems The Economist liked Riefenstahl so much they tweeted about her birthday last year too.
Leni Riefenstahl—the director of “Triumph of Will”—was born #OnThisDay 1902 https://t.co/eySty4kR42 pic.twitter.com/WSUrQcKKHS
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 22, 2016
A quick look at The Economist’s #OnThisDay Twitter series reveals that they usually honor more banal types including Ernest Hemingway, Bill Clinton and Robin Williams.
In June, they also dedicated a tweet to this little lady — who may have taken some exception to the Riefenstahl love.
Anne Frank was born #OnThisDay 1929. The diary of her life in hiding has been translated into more than 70 languages pic.twitter.com/JYhGAFa4Jv
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) June 12, 2017
The always witty Avi Mayer offered his own take on who The Economist might honor next which hit the nail on the head.
Coming soon to @TheEconomist:
“Speer: Best Architect of the Modern Era?”
“Ribbentrop: Exemplary Statesman?”
“Eichmann: Model Bureaucrat?” pic.twitter.com/vr9jwfLYSR— Avi Mayer (@AviMayer) August 24, 2017
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