Volker Schlöndorff's 'Visitation' is a captivating cinematic journey through the tumultuous landscape of German history, masterfully weaving together personal narratives with broader political forces. This film, adapted from Jenny Erpenbeck's novel 'Heimsuchung', takes us on a tour of two summer houses, one built by a Nazi architect and the other by a Jewish cloth manufacturer, and the families that inhabit them. The story unfolds over a century, mirroring the rise and fall of the Third Reich and the German Democratic Republic, all within the confines of these two buildings and the land they occupy.
What makes 'Visitation' particularly intriguing is its ability to capture the impact of political events on individual lives without resorting to heavy-handed symbolism. The film's narrative structure, with its near-Aristotelian unity of space and time, allows Schlöndorff to explore the complexities of history through the lens of personal stories. The setting, Albert Einstein's summer home in Caputh, adds an extra layer of intrigue, as the house becomes a microcosm of the larger political and social changes occurring in Germany.
One of the film's strengths is its nuanced portrayal of the characters. The Nazi architect, for instance, is not a one-dimensional villain but a complex figure with his own motivations and insecurities. His legal maneuverings to protect his property, while morally questionable, are presented with a sense of realism and empathy. Similarly, the Jewish cloth manufacturer and his family are not portrayed as victims but as resilient individuals who navigate the challenges of their time with dignity and strength.
The film's handling of the Holocaust is particularly poignant. Instead of sentimentalizing the tragedy, Schlöndorff presents it as a series of echoes and ghostly reminders, such as the letters sent by Doris Kaplan to her grandparents, who are never heard from again. This approach, while respectful, is also thought-provoking, as it forces the audience to confront the reality of the Holocaust without resorting to cheap emotional manipulation.
The film's final section, set in the GDR, is a bit more boring than the previous sections, but it serves as a fitting conclusion to the story. The house, once a symbol of power and privilege, slips through the hands of the manufacturer's family as the wall comes down, leaving behind a sense of emptiness and loss. The ending, while downbeat, is also apt, as it reflects the crumbling of the GDR and the broader political landscape of Germany.
In my opinion, 'Visitation' is a worthy addition to Schlöndorff's body of work. It is a film that captures the complexities of German history and the impact of political forces on individual lives without ever feeling preachy or emblematic. The film's refined cinematic and literary taste, evident in its elegant craftsmanship and serious tone, makes it a must-watch for anyone interested in the intersection of history and personal narrative.
