Thomas Mann im Fernsehen der DDR: Peter Vogels Verfilmung des Kleinen Herrn Friedemann

Peter Vogel’s film adaptation of Thomas Mann’s novella Der kleine Herr Friedemann, originally intended for the television of the German Democratic Republic, was planned right before and produced in parallel to German reunification. Based on the history of the film’s production, this article examines three main questions: Does the film strive to meet governmental standards or demands, or was it visibly produced with a GDR audience in mind? Conversely, does the film exhibit any subversive qualities? And, finally, does it in any way react to the process of reunification?