Anna_Rosmus

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Anna Rosmus and Mickey Dorsey.Anna Rosmus, also known as Anja Rosmus-Wenninger, is a German author and researcher born in 1960 in Passau, Bavaria.



Contents [hide]

1 Early life in Germany

2 The Nasty Girl and major TV productions

3 Emigration to the United States

4 Publications

5 Honors

6 See also

7 External links

Early life in Germany[edit]As a 16-year old she started developing an interest in contemporary history, especially that of the Third Reich. The subject was barely mentioned at school. Challenged by her father, a principal, she participated in a nation-wide essay contest that addressed the history of her city during the prewar years. Whereas some prominent residents claimed that the community remained untouched by the war, and others were praising themselves for their alleged political resistance against the dictatorship, Rosmus' efforts were not welcomed by many inhabitants. Nevertheless, at age 20, she started digging into the past. Upon further questioning of some of Passau's elders, Rosmus came across a widespread silence and refusal to provide specific information.



After three years of perseverance and litigation, she was finally granted access to the city administration’s archives. What she found was baffling. Fabled local leaders had not only been compliant, but were active members of the Nazi Party long before the war. Several concentration -, forced labor- and prisoner-of-war concentration camps had been built in and around the city.



In the meantime, Rosmus had written her first book, Resistance and Persecution - The Case of Passau 1933-1939, which was published in 1983. Undeterred by threats, she now wrote Exodus - In the Shadow of Mercy, a book focusing on the plight of Passau's Jews during the twentieth century. Her work continued to cause unprecedented uproar as well as remarkable praise.



The Nasty Girl and major TV productions[edit]In 1985, Rosmus' work attracted director Michael Verhoeven's attention. In 1988, he directed Das schreckliche Mädchen (The Nasty Girl), in which Lena Stolze plays Sonja Wegmus, a fictionalized version of Rosmus. The movie received the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and it was nominated for the Academy’s Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1991.

In 1986, the German TV station ARD broadcast Felix Kuballa's WDR 45-min documentary Von deutscher Toleranz.

In 1988, the German TV station ARD showed Henning Stegmüller's 1987 Radio Bremen 90-min documentary Gegen den Strom about Anna Rosmus.

In 1990, the German TV station ZDF showed Michael Verhoeven's 1987 documentary Das Mädchen und die Stadt about Anna Rosmus.

1994/95, Felix Kuballa (WDR) produced the documentary Das Schreckliche Mädchen in Amerika. ARD featured 60-min and a 45-min versions.

Emigration to the United States[edit]In August 1994, after constant harassment and death threats from those in her own community, Rosmus and her daughters moved to the United States. They settled in the Washington, D.C. area. Since her youngest daughter's graduation from high school, Rosmus has lived near Chesapeake Bay in Maryland.



Her research resulted in numerous presentations, including



• Filling in the Void, The Last Phase of Survivor Literature, Ben Gurion University, Beersheva, Israel, 1996



• Pocking’s Buried Secrets, Teaching the Holocaust Conference in Augsburg, Germany, 1997



• Austrian-German Conspiracies at a Centuries-old Bishopric. A look back, 60 Years after the Conquest of Austria, 28th Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, Seattle, Washington, 1998



• The Passau Theater Scandal, German Studies Association Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, 1998



• European Response to Northern American Memorials, Teaching the Holocaust Conference, Ottawa, Canada, October 1998



• Franz Schrönghamer-Heimdal: The Honorable?, 29th Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, New York, New York, March 8, 1999;



• The Presence of the Absence, International Holocaust Conference for Eyewitnesses & Descendants, Vienna, Austria, 1999



• The Pre-Nazi Town that Chose a Jewish Sex Symbol: Gender, Anti-Semitism, and Politics in Passau, 1919-1929, German Studies Association Conference, Atlanta, Ga., 1999



• My Jewish Mission. One German Woman’s Search for the Truth, Nuremberg & beyond, Columbia, South Carolina, 1999



• The Future of Germany’s Past, Holocaust Conference, Millersville, Pennsylvania, 2000



• 1919-1929, The Sexual Revolution of the Twentieth Century, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, 2000



• The Truth about Passau, German Studies Association Conference, Houston, Texas, 2000



• The Nasty Girl and its Aftermath, Association of Holocaust Organizations’ Winter Seminar, USHMM, in Washington, D.C., 2001



• From Reality to Fiction, The European Studies Consortium, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, 2001



• Growing up where Hitler Lived. The Courage to Speak the Truth, at: Connecting Biography and Research: Personal Revelations of Female Academics who Deal with the Subject of Extreme Violence and Death, Annual Conference of Canadian Universities Laval University, Quebec City, Canada, Congress 2001



• Where Hitler Used to Live: Post-Holocaust Pocking and Passau, Fourth International Biennial Conference. Deterring and Preventing Genocide: Missed Opportunities, Contemporary Issues and Future Possibilities, Association of Genocide Scholars, at the University of Minnesota, 2001



• Rabbi Lazar Salzberg and the Passauer Neue Presse, German Studies Association Conference, Washington, D.C., October 5, 2001



• Murder of the Innocent, Annual meeting of the European History Section of the Southern Historical Association, New Orleans, 2001



• The Oswald Ring. Educators who Demand that Higher Education Must be Avoided, 32nd Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, Kean University in Newark, New Jersey, 2002



• Diplomacy and Terrorism: The German-Afghani Connection. Closing Luncheon Address, 32nd Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, Kean University in Newark, N.J., 2002



• Erich Mühsam and the “Godforsaken Border Town of Passau”. An Arrest that Reflected the Past as Much as it was Foreboding the Future, Jewish Culture - Western Civilization - and Beyond, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Va., 2002



• Rudolph Freiherr von Moreau: The Making of a Hero, 33rd Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, Philadelphia, Pa., 2003



• "Useless Consumers of Food", Sixth Holocaust Studies Conference, Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, 2003



• Supplementing the “Aryan” Race, Annual Conference of the Canadian Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences, Winnipeg, Canada, Congress 2004



• Choosing Murder to Reestablish a Glorious Past. From Atta to Arco: Hating Democracy, 34th Scholars’ Conference on the Churches and the Holocaust, Newark, N.J., 2005



• Back to the Home Front, Annual Congress of the Canadian Federation of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada, June 2, 2005



• Turning The Masses into Ethnic Warriors, Redefining The Political Nature of Borderline Identities, Concordia University, Montreal, Canada, CASCA Conference, May 12, 2006



• Family Matters: Rape and Incest in SA and SS: Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, York University, Toronto, Canada, June 3, 2006



• Nazi-Era Deployments of Bavarian Folk Tales, CASCA-AES Conference, University of Toronto, Canada, May 10, 2007



• Manifestations of National Identity in “The Nasty Girl”, Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada, 2007



• How to Avoid the Nuremberg Trials in Grand Style, 8th Holocaust Studies Conference, Middle Tennessee State University, Tenn., 2007



• Major General Ernst Nason Harmon: “Certain Jewish Shipments to Bavaria", Third International Multidisciplinary Conference, Imperial War Museum, London, England, January 9, 2009



• The “Angelic” Major General or: Cussing at the Prospect of Combat, Norfolk, Va., September 13, 2009



In 1994, Rosmus began to plan programs for a first tour with survivors and US Veterans of WWII in Germany and Austria. Since then, she has organized several reunions of veterans, survivors and locals in Europe.



Since 2009, Rosmus has been a member of the International Council of the Austrian Service Abroad.



Publications[edit]Widerstand und Verfolgung am Beispiel Passau 1933 - 1945 (Resistance and Persecution — The Case of Passau 1933-1939), published by Andreas Haller in Passau, Germany, 1983.

Leiden an Passau pp. 98–106 in: Lieben Sie Deutschland (Suffering from Passau in: Do You Love Germany),191 pages, published by Piper in Munich, Germany, 1985.

Erwiderung (Response), pp. 143–147 in: Beunruhigung in der Provinz. 10 Jahre Scharfrichterhaus (Disturbance in the Province. 10 Years Executioner’s House); edited by Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl, Andreas-Haller, Passau, Germany, 1987.

Exodus - Im Schatten der Gnade. Aspekte zur Geschichte der Juden im Raum Passau. (Exodus. In the Shadow of Mercy.Aspects of Jewish History in the Passau Region), a book focusing on the plight of Passau's Jews during the twentieth century; 270 pages, published by Dorfmeister in Tittling,Germany, 1988.

Zur braunen Chronik Passaus. Anmerkungen zur Zeit von 1919 bis 1933 (Brown-Shirted Passau Chronicles. Connotations about the Period from 1919 to 1933), pp. 6–10 in: Lichtung. Ostbayerisches Magazin in Viechtach, Germany, Nov/Dec 1989.

Robert Klein. A German Jew Looks back, 112 pages, published in Passau, Germany, 1991.

"Wintergrün - Verdrängte Morde" (Wintergreen - Suppressed Murders), 200 pages, Labhard, Konstanz, Germany, 1993.

Wider das Vergessen (Against Forgetting), pp 31–34 in: Bayerischer Wald, edited by Hubert Ettl; Viechtach, Germany, 1993.

Der Massenmord am “fremdvölkischen” Nachwuchs und die Folgen (Mass Murder of the Foreign Rising Generation and its Consequences), pp. 11–14 in: lichtung. ostbayerisches magazin; Viechtach, Germany, Sept/Oct. 1993.

Was ich denke (What I Think),189 pages, published by Goldmann in Munich, Germany, 1995.

Pocking - Ende und Anfang. Jüdische Zeitzeugen über Befreier und Befreite (Pocking - End and Renewal. Jewish Witnesses on Liberators and the Liberated), 201 pages, published by Labhard in Konstanz, Germany, 1995.

Legacy of the 761st Tank Battalion, 100th Field Hospital, Baltimore, MD, February 11, 1996.

Wenn nicht ich, wer dann? (If Not Me, Then Who?), pp 82–86 in: Wenn nicht ich, wer? Wenn nicht jetzt, wann? (If Not Me, Who? If Not Now, When?), edited by Christlich-Jüdischer Koordinierungsrat Deutschland, Bad Nauheim, Germany, 1998.

A l’écran et avec une nomination aux Oscars" (On Screen, with an Oscar Nomination); in: "La Shoah: le témoignage impossible?(Shoah. The Impossible Testimony), published by Université de Bruxelles, Belgium, 1998.

"Filling in the Void", in: Gelber, M. (ed.) Belated or Timely Memoirs? The Last Phase of Survivor Literature from the Holocaust, Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, 1998.

"Out of Passau. Von einer, die auszog, die Heimat zu finden" (Out of Passau.. By One Who Moved Out to Find the Homeland), 286 pages, published by Herder in Freiburg, Basel, Vienna, 1999.

"Can we afford to stand by?" In: The Memory of the Holocaust in the 21st Century; CD-rom, Yad Vashem, Jerusalem, Israel, 1999.

Murder of the Innocent, pp. 83–102 in: Hearing the Voices: Teaching the Holocaust to Future generations; edited by Michael Hayse, Didier Pollefeyt, G. Jan Colijn and Marcia Sachs Littell. Merion Westfield Press International, Merion Station, PA, 1999.

From Reality to Fiction: Anna Rosmus as The “Nasty Girl”, pp 113–143 in: Religion and the Arts. A Journal from Boston College.Koninklijke Brill NV, The Netherlands; Leiden, Boston, Cologne, 2000.

"A Troublemaker in a Skirt", pp 270–288 in: Second Generation Voices, Syracuse University Press, 2001.

Pocking’s Buried Secrets, pp. 207–226 in: “Building History: Art, Memory, and Myth”; McGill European Studies, published by Peter Lang, New York, Bern, Berlin, Bruxelles, Frankfurt/M., Oxford, Vienna, 2001.

Murder of the Innocent. Foreign Slave Laborers and Forced Abortions in Bavaria, pp 139–158 in: Women in the Holocaust: Responses, Insights ans Perspectives. Published by Merion Westfield Press International, Merion Station, Pennsylvania, 2002.

The Challenge of Right-Wing Extremism for Democracy, pp. 103–107 in: How to Fight Right-Wing Extremism in Germany Today - The Role of Citizens, Civil Society, and the Government. Published by Friedrich Ebert Foundation in Washington DC, 2002.

Against the Stream: Growing Up Where Hitler Used to Live, 160 pages, published by University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 2002.

"Involuntary Abortions for Polish Forced Laborers", pp. 76–94 in: Experience and Expression: Women, the Nazis, and the Holocaust. Edited by Elizabeth R. Baer and Myrna Goldenberg, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 2003.

"The Struggle Continues: Hate Crime in Germany Today", pp. 221– 237 in: Confront! Resistance in Nazi Germany; ed. Jahn Michalczyk, Peter Lang, New York, 2004.

Out of Passau: Leaving a City Hitler Called Home, published by University of South Carolina Press, Columbia, SC, 2004.

Wintergreen: Suppressed Murders, published by University of South Carolina Press,Columbia, SC, 2004.

"In Search of the “Rosetta Stone”", Alma College, MI, April 1, 2009.

Valhalla Finale, 350 pp, a photo book about the end of WWII in Bavaria, Czechoslovakia, Upper Austria and the US Army in 1945, published by Dorfmeister in Tittling, Germany, 2009.

Ragnarök (http://www.pnp.de/ngen/PictureGallery/diashow1.php?name=rosmus-2010&titel=Ostbayern%20in%20der%20Nachkriegszeit'), a photo book about the end of WWII in Bavaria, Czechoslovakia, Upper Austria and the US Army, 464 pp, published by Dorfmeister in Tittling, Germany, 2010.

Honors[edit]“Best German Writer”, for “Daten innerer und äußerer Freiheit aus Politik und Geschichte Europas” (Internal and External Freedoms taken from History and Politics in Europe) in the “Europäischer Aufsatz Wettbewerb” (European Essay Competition) in June 1980, Berlin/Paris.

In 1984 Anna Rosmus received the "Geschwister-Scholl-Preis", a literary prize by the association of Bavaria’s Publishers and the City of Munich, for she “has mustered the highly inconvenient courage to reject the ready-framed historical picture of her hometown.”

Death mask of Kurt Tucholsky for civil courage and political commitment May 7, 1987, Hindås, Sweden.

The “Holocaust Survivors & Friends in Pursuit of Justice” honored her in October 1992 with the Holocaust Memorial Award in Albany, N.Y.

Legislative Resolution honoring “the tireless, courageous and often life-threatening efforts... against the acts and effects of racism, bigotry and hatred, remembering the warnings of a tragic and blackened history...to educate future generations“ by the State of New York, in October 1992.

Elected Member of the International “PEN-Club,” in December 1993.

Honored by Temple Beth El in California on April 8, 1994, “in appreciation of the humanitarian efforts to educate the world about the history of the Holocaust.”

Scott Kennedy, Mayor of Santa Cruz, California, proclaimed Sunday, April 10, 1994 as “Anna Rosmus Day” in the City of Santa Cruz, CA.

She has received the Sarnat Prize from the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith for those who fight anti-Jewish bigotry, June 10, 1994, in New York City.

The American Society of Journalists and Authors awarded Rosmus its Conscience-in-Media Award, honoring “those who have demonstrated singular commitment to the highest principles of journalism at notable personal cost or sacrifice,” It was presented in a special program at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in September 1994

Tree-Dedication in front of “Temple Israel,” November 9, 1994, Albany, N.Y.

The Holocaust Memorial Center in West Bloomfield, Michigan, honored Rosmus “in recognition of having exposed the facts about the role of Passau, Germany, during World War II and forcing its residents finally to confront the truth.”

In 1996, the Heinz Galinski Prize, highest honor of the Jewish Community in Berlin, honored her “commitment characterized by understanding, tolerance and mutual respect; her espousal of peace and reconciliation; the sincere way she comes to grips with history and the past.” The jury’s justification says, among other things: “In spite of the greatest difficulties and opposition that you were forced to confront again and again, you have rendered a very significant contribution to memory and enlightenment. Only when we remember do we have a chance of doing battle against neo-Nazism.”

Listed in Marquis’ “Who’s Who of American Woman” (first time in the 1997/1998 edition).

On March 20, 1998, the D.C. Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the American Immigration Law Foundation honored her with the Immigrant Achievement Award as a “distinguished immigrant who through her extraordinary endeavors has made a substantial contribution to the United States of America and is a proud reflection of the values of this nation.”

“Myrtle Wreath Award,” by Hadassah, “in recognition of selfless and fearless pursuit of the truth about the Holocaust,” March 30, 1995, Washington D.C.

Elected honorary member of the 65th Infantry Division Association on September 8, 1995

On February 11, 1996, the 4214th USAR Hospital honored her “enlightening research centered around the involvement of African-Americans in Germany during WWII”.

Listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” (first time in the 1996 edition).

Listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in the World” (first time in the 1999 edition).

Elected honorary member of the 71st Infantry Division Association, 2005

Elected honorary member of the 11th Armored Division Association, 2008

Honorary PhD, University of South Carolina, 2000

Honorary PhD, Alma College, 2009

See also[edit]Austrian Holocaust Memorial Service

University of South Carolina

External links[edit]Biography (Sonoma.edu)

Jodi Solomon Speakers Bureau

Anna Rosmus at E.N. Thompos Forum on World Issues

Alma College Honors Anna Rosmus

"The Nasty Girl" (Washington Post, 1990)

Nasty Girl Still At Work (CBS News, 2000)

University of South Carolina Press: Anna Rosmus

65th & 71st Division, Germany and Austria Tour with Anna Rosmus, March 2006

Wrapping the Dead in Silence? (Women & The Holocaust)

A Dedication in Pocking and Shabbat in Passau (rememberwomen.org)

The_Nasty_Girl/ Anja Rosmus of Passau

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/The_Nasty_Girl/60011271?trkid=8133737
THE COMMENTS IN CAPS ARE MINE  EDW L Y
WE INVITE DISTRACTIONS AND AMBIGUITY TO MEANDER OUT OF FACING THE TRUTH WITH OUR LIES AND SELF INDUCED DIGRESSIONS SMUG AND CONTENTED BELIEVING OUR SELF PERPETUATING DELUSIONS
Aruzenjin 1 27 2012 Why bringing that up. It didn¿t happen. Or it did and nothing can be done. It happened too long ago. That is at times the mentality of those who condemns that nasty girl. They can't accept that people like themselves did what they did, that certain special moment after a war w...read moreas a crucial time when the very fabric of their culture was at stake, and they let that great opportunity pass, fearfully, distracting themselves in so many other media-invented meanders. But now they are going to be at the mercy of a girl, and a film director with courage, wit and humor that will pin them down and will see them squirming and trying to justify the attacks of oblivion that paralyzed a lot of things in them. Maybe one day, when a nasty girl appears in our own communities and starts asking questions, we may remember the girl from this film and invite her home and tell her about the nightmares and show her the souvenirs of the wars some of us witnessed and some others fought and some others lived through, or profited from, just like the sympathizers, collaborators, friends, relatives and neighbors did in Germany, unquestioning. Remember what we did during our own wars. War criminals go back home and live normal lives, just like the now very old Nazi collaborators did and still do in Germany and elsewhere. We enjoyed, smug and contented, every time some Israeli agents pinned down a Nazi war criminal... How happy would we get if some, let¿s say, Vietnamese agent does the same in one of our towns? Nobody holds the center. Beware of the nasty girl. That is the message in this film.


The style is very interesting. The topic is serious: a young woman unearthing information about Nazi collaboration, and the town’s efforts to thwart her, including violence. Yet the manner is light-hearted, almost comical at times. The contrast is striking. The story of her tenacity is impressiv...read moree, and there are some brave characters. The former collaborators are also resilient, but they ultimately have no choice but to give way. This is a story larger than just Germany, but really about groups who close ranks to avoid public humiliation and embarrassment for past weaknesses. The only fault in the film is the ending. Probably meant as a surprise but it just came off leaving us to scratch our heads

Absolutely phenomenal. Makes me wonder about my own home country. Love God and love his people. But the more I know the less I trust those I used to trust. Sometimes I wish it would be not so. Two years ago I went to Dachau. There I overheard a tour guide. He said, "As long as the old leadership ran...read more the administration the concentration camp did not receive much attention from the community. But the resigning or dying out of our town's leaders with Nazi past, Dachau is starting to confront the horrors of the Holocaust." This is my paraphrasing. Watch the movie. Get over the strange art of cinematography and just listen to what it has to say. Anna Rosmus who is portrayed by the fictitious character of Sonja Rosenbaum has a ton of courage in the face of extreme opposition.


Before I review Nasty Girl I would like to recommend "Sophie Scholl: The Final Days" also in streaming and nominated for several awards. It is about a group of students at the University in Munich, Bavaria round the time of the German losses at Stalingrad. The movie is a true story, in German,...read more and covers the underground resistance to the war through the distribution of pamphlets.The group is called the White Rose. It is an astonishing story about privileged German students allowed to attend the University, even young men are allowed. Nasty Girl is an astonishing movie, as well. Lena Stolze carries the movie. It does in fact start out as a comedy, laugh out loud funny, even. It is about a precocious girl, who wins an essay contest years after WWII and later enters a second essay, which is about what her village did during the Nazi war years.This is about when the movie becomes quite serious with older folk hiding heinous war misdeeds, non-cooperation of authorities, and even violent threats against Sonya, the young girl, later the young married woman. It is unlike any movie I have ever seen, really amazing. By the way, Lena Stolze also played Sophie Scholl in another German movie about the White Rose, which not in streaming. That movie also won a Bafta award for Stolze.



ACTOR’S REVIEW. This is an engrossing, frightening, bewildering and at times brilliant film that defies simple description. It is not, as the box shot claims, “a provocative comedy” full of surprises. (The photo doesn’t even look like the protagonist). The style is surrealistic and, I suspect, influ...read moreenced by Fassbinder, though as a whole it is much more cohesive and coherent than his work. To some extent, it foreshadows “Amélie” and “Run Lola, Run”, though it lacks the romanticism of the former and the raw energy of the latter. Having characters speak directly to the audience, with microphones sometimes visible in the shot, gives the narration an immediacy that I found effective.The unrealistic use of color and background images, including living room scenes that appear to have been staged on moving, a flatbed railway car are often arresting and spellbinding. But all these unnaturalistice choices didn't seem to add much to the plot or the development of the characters. Still, the story is compelling enough that I think it would have held my interest regardless of how it was told. It only fell apart at the very end, which seemed unmotivated, perplexing and unconnected to the rest of the picture. It's worth a look, especially if you are interested in films as art.


I'll mention that the English title and movie cover suggest something sexual. If they had chosen a different picture that fits the plot of the film better this confusion would have been avoided since nasty just means bad. Glad it wasn't called naughty. Anyways, this was a unique film in many ways. L...read moreike when the family is getting threats on their answering machine and their home and life is being paraded through the town streets. These people in the background, their friends, neighbors and co-workers don't confront them this harshly face to face but anonymously are rude, cruel and threatening via message machine recordings. I loved this story of a maturing young bright girl discovering the dark secret of her town that everyone just wants to pretend didn't happen.It becomes a project of her's over about a decade of her life as she matures, finishes her education, marries and starts a family. Along the way she's stonewalled and lied to; though she's trusting of the people she's know all her life and she's determined to find the truth, She discovers that esteemed members were the collaborators and the ones currently portrayed as collaborators were in fact anti-Reich during Nazi rule. She's called nasty girl because of her persistent dredging of the past. Reminds me of Kafka, trying to fight the system with the system. Currently this is hard to find in region 1 DVD but you can find an old VHS or a region 2 DVD online though that print isn't very good.040611


Directed by Michael Verhoeven (who also made "The White Rose", about a student resistance group under the Nazi regime), "The Nasty Girl" is the story of Sonja, who ignites a storm of outrage and reprisal by entering an account of her own town during the Hitler years in a national essay contest. Thi...read mores isn't just a question of stirring up unpleasant memories: plenty of people are still alive who were never held to account for their deeds under the Third Reich, and bands of young skinheads are already forming who're sorry to have missed it. In the wake of such events the burden of memory is enormous, and can't even begin to be processed when silence is imposed afterwards in the name of civility and progress. The film has a sense of humor, and at times seems comic due to the absurdity of situations Sonja finds herself in -- but as she discovers, the real issues are deadly serious. How much sense her ongoing determination makes is for the viewer to decide.

























POLITICAL DICHOTOMIES AND CONTINUOUS VERBAL STRIFE UNDERSCORE THE NEED TO HEAR FABLES  OF OUR PERSONAL INVENTIONS OVER TRUTH
Ah the director Michael Verhoeven was up to his old tricks again. If you like this movie you may also be interested in The Unknown Soldier. German director Michael Verhoeven has been honored on both sides of the Atlantic for his unflinching portrayals of Germany's Nazi-era and wartime past. He sa...read moreys he prefers to make comedies and he somehow is able to bring some comic relief to The Nasty Girl. In this film you really get a sense for his deep understanding of the current politically opposed forces or the dichotomy that is modern Germany.




WE CANNOT HANDLE THE TRUTH
BS .. "The TRUTH will set you free" Like the folks in the flic, Most of can't handle the Truth and deny it ...our delusions, constructions, myths, legends...stuff we need to believe in and be comfortable with ourselves, our family, our history and country and religion become what they NEED TO BE f...read moreor most. We deny scientific facts we do not like, factual history we do not like, reality we do not like. And because of only this we are becoming a stupid insipid country.

WE ARE NEVER GIVEN THE TRUTH  ESPOECIALLY OF TGHE HOLOCAUST PERIOD NOR DO WE WISH TO HEAR IT  "WE HAVE TRAMPLED TRUTH WITH POLITICAL CORRECTNESS"

"School children at that time were not given the (true story) of (the war)" Children have never been "given" the "true" story of history in any country at any time. The USA is not an exception. Our school books are more concerned with being Politically Correct than with being true, which has been mu...read morech the case in most countries with schools in the last century. The only time a bit of truth is held on to at all, for any time, is when some one like this character, or groups of brave persons like this character, get together and fight for the truth; whether it is the truth of their own people or some one's else's. Look at the civil rights movement, look at what little is told even today in public schools about what was done and what really happened. To me the message is to each of us to dig deeper, to look harder, and to not buy what we are sold at face value. A beautiful story that seems not to waste so much money on sets and props, but focuses more on the story itself



Although there is comedy in this movie, and the actress seemly does a good job, in real life this movie does not do her justice. If, you read up on Anna Rosmus you will find that in the end, her life in danger, she and her children moved to the United States. The ending of this movie stinks, and the overall picture it paints, is one of a slight comedy, sprinkled with enough truth to keep it interesting. One shot of nudity at the end was far too late to save it. Read the Book, it¿s better. I gave it a 3, and that was generous.


By turns this film is moving and emotional, very very funny, serious and avant garde. Excellent directing by Michael Verhoeven keeps the viewer a bit off balance throughout the film - literally you have no idea what to expect. Ultimately though the film is a tribute to all those around the world who...read more at times have stood up for truth and faced whatever hits them from small minded and dangerous bullies.Can't say enough about the outstanding acting by Lena Stolze - a fantastic performance. Someone else pointed out that the english translation of the title is unfortunate; it might lead some to think of this as a film about a sexually permissive young woman - not at all. Congrats to all involved in making this gem of a film - I regret it took me so long to find out about it and watch it. This is Btranquilo.




"Das Schrecklische Maedchen" concerns contemporary Germany's reexaming the Nazi era, and the reactionary, far right wing political and social motivations that attempt to silence and prohibit this at all costs. Sonja pays a horrible price for her unrelenting quest for the truth about the elders of h...read moreer hometown. How this meek, taciturn "good Catholic Girl" turns into a "nasty Girl" is a reverse mirror for how the HORRIBLE NAZI COUNTRY tries to turn into an innocent Barvarian girl. As Sonja uncovers the truth of her town's and neighbors' Nazi past, the elder generation turns on her, and all those former teachers, priests, and family friends who so honored her as a high school student, suddenly become enemies. What makes this film endurable, is the dark humor, tempering the irony and social commentary with lots of lighthearted humor. Most modern German films about their Nazi past, will tend to overdramatize the tragedy of the victums . But not here. The real victum of the nazi era, which this films maintains, is TRUTH. Another victum, is the generation that came up in the 70s and 80s, who had the racism and conservativism of their parents and grandparents, transmuted into neo-nazi skinheads. All this could end up making for a heavy, depressing film, except in the hands of the director, who is about to use elements of live, surreal and avant guard theater, with a sort of autobiographical narration, to lighten the mood. Again, making the film seem less than real, only heightens the realism of the emotional pain Sonja finds, as she relentlessly persues the question of WHO are the real heros and villians, of the nazi era. It also challenges the viewer, and society, to DEMAND a reevaluation of any country's history while its STILL being written, so lies, propaganda and deliberate distortion doesnt hide the truth for all future generations.

Maddog's Review: I don't like movies where the actor stands in front of the camera and talks about herself and the movie. It's ok for documentaries. But for a movie, it's too self conscious. While her upbringing and background are relevant, there is far too much of this and it's all self consciously...read more cute. I am fascinated by accounts in which ordinary people participate in or just condone atrocities. I feel they reveal something important about our true nature that we would rather not face. I have a personal stake in this story, nearly all my family went into the camps and none came out. But had I been a young Aryan German at the time that Hitler came to power, I can't say with any confidence that I would have done much differently from all the other young men. I may even have been enthusiastic enough to join the SS. The Germans are us - ordinary, decent, law abiding people. In the 19th century they were the jewel in the crown of Western Civilization. That being said, this film is a disappointment. It shows the determination of the young woman to fight for her right to learn and publish the truth but it's very thin on substance. There is very little real detail about what happened in that small town nor do we really ever come to understand any of the people in depth. There are only three characters types in this movie, monsters, weaklings and heros. But how does an ordinary man become a monster? Is it possible for him to remake himself as a human being after having been a monster and if so, how? Questions like this are never taken up. Sadly such atrocities are commonplace. It happened all over Germany ,all over Eastern Europe under Soviet rule, in Yugoslavia quite recently and over much the world today. How about we get over the shock value and take a good look at how we become monsters?


A movie that I missed in the theaters when it came out. I've been meaning to watch it for years, but finding videos used to be more of a chore, and there were other things to do.This is a somewhat fictionalized version of the actual story of Anna Rosmus. Anna becomes Sonja Wegmus, and her real t...read moreown of Passau in Bavaria becomes the fictional one of Pfilzing. The resentment which the real Anna Rosmus generated in her home town continued to fester after this film was made, and she came to the US with her daughters a few years later, feeling that she was no longer safe in her home.The fictionalized presentation of the story permits the introduction of some surreal elements, and creative cinematography. It's not always clear which characters are based on real people, which are composites, and which are completely fictional. The events seem to follow the general outline of the real story, but again, more research would be needed to see what actually happened. I'll add at this point that I watched this on streaming, so I don't know what might be on the DVD features.There is a lot of insight here into human nature. Even before we get to the shameful Nazi secrets part, we see many vignettes about the little hypocrisies of everyday life, the little compromises and dishonesties that are found in every land. The people of Pfilzing are not, for the most part, actually bad, although there is a thuggish element that becomes more threatening as the story progresses. Most of them just don't want to be bothered; they don't like it when they are forced to confront unpleasant facts about themselves and their past. That's a very human reaction to guilt, and not one that is restricted to Germany. Ultimately, though, people like Sonja/Anna, who are determined to dig for truth, do us all a favor, even if they are not honored in their own lands or their own generation.



A gem of a movie! It depicts very accurately the culture of " not asking questions". It is a good reminder of how even today when being open to their history is the "official" attitude - the reality is that on a specific, personal level questions about family members are still not welcome and histor...read morey continues to be reinvented, conveniently forgotten and fingers pointed elsewhere.



Although I stumbled across this story by accident, I found myself wondering exactly what liberties the writers took with the story. Seeking information, I Googled the woman¿s name, and found much information concerning her. For a better understanding of this story, I strongly suggest first reading a...read morebout the woman and her struggles before watching the movie, it helps in gaining a basic understanding of the movie. It should be noted here, that the past is buried as long as no one takes a shovel and starts digging for the truth. Herein lies the story, for your sins will find you out.






The film is based on the actual experiences of Anja Rosmus of Passau. The film's apparent purpose is to portray the awful treatment that Rosmus received for trying to make her hometown face up to its behavior during the Third Reich. However, the photographic style and the screenplay's method of te...read morelling the story incorporates totally inappropriate comedy. This lessens the film considerably and turns the story of Anja Rosmus into a burlesque.


This film was one of the most pleasant cinematic surprises in quite awhile for me. Although not new, it had a freshness about it that made it seem as though it had just been done. I'm a bit surprised that it is called a comedy. It certainly has humor and even comedic structure, but I would call i...read moret satire, as it just doesn't turn out comedically. I found the casting and direction excellent, and fell in love with lead actress Lena Stolze. I'll have to think about the final minute of the film -- I would be interested in the director's thoughts on that

There is nothing funny about murder, nor those who took a blind eye to the horror that was occurring all over Germany. Everyone points their fingers at others. However, anyone that has ever lived in a small town knows that nothing can be hidden. I am not familiar with Lena Stolze, but I think that s...read morehe would be offended by this rendition of her attempt to learn the truth.


Every country has it's justice seekers and rightfully so in The Nasty Girl. I found myself cheering her on to expose the evidence she's gathering to reveal the truth. It was refreshing to see a German film exhibiting humor with her glances directly at the camera and her narrarating herself at vari...read moreous points and the brother with the various girlfriends....hilarious! I did think the story could have been cut in length some and the ending was weirdly funny considering how she'd basically fought her entire life and what was she going to do with the rest of her life, now?!?! No wonder she flipped out!!!!



FILM GRRRL REVIEW: Actually quite funny in its offbeat way, "Nasty" is a mostly pointed send-up of over-organized German culture (You're free to see it our way), denial (War, what war?) and officious bureaucracy (We have procedures. Follow them). Highly stylized, with a fun period feel, Film Grrrl e...read moresp. enjoyed the pluck of our lead actress (Miss Stolze -- yummy) in overcoming the traps tossed in her way, and her quirky sense of optimism. The plot wobbles now and again, drags a bit, and the ending is rushed, but "Nasty" has a fresher vibe than most satires Film Grrrl screens, and does not take itself too seriously. That is something.







3 out of 4 members

This is an excellent film. Evil runs rampant in the annals of human history. Only God knows the absolute truth. This film is but a small microcosm of the secrets and coverups that were buried after WW II. And for that matter, there are so many lies and coverups going on in Washington today that will...read more never be known. On planet earth, the never ending struggle between good and evil will always exist. Once again Netflix has gone over the top putting this film in their library. I really enjoyed viewing this film.


In early 2013, researchers at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum? revealed they have cataloged some 42,500 Nazi ghettos and camps throughout Europe . . . "the numbers are unbelievable.? "The Nasty Girl (Das Schreckliche M�dchen" a satirical film from 1990 that will help you understand how ...read moresuch knowledge was hidden for so long.



“A DELIGHTFUL COMEDY”?? I wouldn’t characterize this film as a comedy. I would call it a drama with a story told in a surprisingly light manner. The subject of how the people of Germany enabled the rise of the Third Reich is a topic that needs to be dealt with on many fronts and in many ways. Th...read moree story is interesting and the lead actress, Lena Stolze, is very engaging and she pulls you in. Often she will talk directly to us in the audience. It made me realize that every little town in Germany must have a host of secrets that they would like to keep buried.


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I enjoyed the movie...until the last, what, 3 minutes? what the heck? did the writer quit? run out of film? suffer brain damage? i think i did anyway...all i ended up thinking is maybe she was kind of obsessed and in the end paranoid and appears to have lost contact with reality?...and i doubt that'...read mores the real life ending...but what else are you supposed to get from such a weird, rather stupid ending?