Metropolis vs. hitler

            Hitler's ideas of society are reflected in Fritz Lang's 1926 film, "Metropolis". " "Metropolis" is filled with dark themes and ideas leading from oppression to ideas of creating a perfect society. Although it is a pre-Hitler and pre-WW2 the comparisons are amazing. Lang's use of the theme of futurism, the method in which Freder's father rules Metropolis, and the idea of the elite working above the lower class all coincide with Hitler's beliefs. Any one of those are possible reasons as to why Hitler would have wanted Lang to create films for the Third Reich.
             Futurism, the movement in which there was a great interest in technology and speed, is also a major theme in the film. The film dealt with the belief that technology would finally lead to a new revolutionary human being and an ideal society. The creation of the robot Maria is similar to Hitler's idea of the Aryan race. In the film, Rotwang, a mad scientist, is asked by Freder" s father, the owner of the company to find a solution to control the death rate of the workers. Rotwang's solution is to create a robot that has impeccable work habits and will not die on the job. He models the robot after Maria, an influential worker at the factory. The futurism movement most definitely fascinated Hitler and was incorporated in his political goals. It paralleled his idea of creating the perfect Aryan race and ridding the world of all who were weak, or whom he believed to be weak, very much like Freder's father.
             The similarity between the character of Freder's father and Hitler are apparent. This may be another reason why Lang appealed to Hitler. Freder's father is referred to as the master of Metropolis. He dominates all and, aforementioned, feels the need to create an idyllic working society. The Hitler allusion is particularly noticeable in the scenes with the underground factory, which, undoubtedly, resembles concentration camps. The workers are treated like livestock and herded off to work.