Weimar Cinema

Germany probably had the most active European movie industry in the late teens and early 20s with over 200 films per year.

The founders of the US industry were entrepreneurs. The founders of the German industry came from the theatre.

Many of them were associated with Max Reinhardt. Reinhardt was probably the most important German language theater director and acting teacher of his era (the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Vienna is still going). Reinhardt emigrated to America in 1938 (after the Nazi takeover of Austria) and had enormous impact on movies and stage here.

Many of those involved with the German film industry were veterans of WW I. Their war experiences led them toward pacifism and socialism. Some where associated with radical leftist organizations.

The German industry was critical for the development of Hollywood since by the mid 1930s, almost all of its key members had been forced to emigrate. Most came to the US.