Deutsches Hygiene-Museum

The only documentary ever made by DEFA on the topic of homosexuality was this public education film commissioned by the Hygiene Museum Dresden and produced in cooperation with East German gay and lesbian activists. In interviews, GDR lesbians and gay men talk openly about their first sexual experiences and coming out. Though the film tries to convey an official GDR acceptance of homosexuality, they also talk about social discrimination against openly gay individuals.

The film observes mentally handicapped children and young people and depicts learning and preparation for later activities and social life.

This educational film shows human reproduction as fertilization, growth and birth of the child with rules of conduct for the expectant mother. In a combination of live-action film, animated graphics and microfilmography/photography, “an everyday, ever-changing miracle” is accompanied until the birth.

“Kundi” was developed in the early 1960s by the German Hygiene Museum as a leading figure for the intensification of prevention work (especially health education) with children and young people. This short shows the importance of mouth hygiene.

The film sheds light on the topic of the high divorce rate among young people in the form of journalistic statements and scenes as well as analytically reflected statements and statements of experience by sociologist Dr. Ursula Hempel, divorced and single mother of two adolescent children, and her cousin, a puppeteer who is also divorced.

This educational film is aimed at 12 to 15-year-old boys and girls and depicts the attitudes and experiences of this age group in relation to their first sexual and partner experiences.

Contraception as a joint task of the couple and the avoidance of pregnancy during adolescence are the subject of the film based on interviews with young people and medical expert statements. Two doctors and a qualified medical practitioner provide information in a club for 15-year-old teenagers.

The film uses documentary-style scenes, interviews and animated schematic drawings to expose the problems of the menopause as a natural stage of a woman's life, which is predominantly experienced without symptoms, and names individual problems about which Dr. van de Kamp, head of the outpatient clinic in Werder, is interviewed.

Adopted from the CSSR, the surreal film deals with the increase in sexually transmitted diseases, especially among young people between the ages of 18 and 25, and presents the problem of sexually transmitted diseases.

Through very personal statements by the protagonists, the film provides an insight into the individual form of (romantic) relationships of young heterosexual adults (15 to 19 years old according to the commentary) and, at the end, focuses against the premature acceptance of sexual relationships. It reveals itself to be an interview film with couples who went on a tandem tour together for the film and were "spontaneously willing" to talk about their relationship.

The first part of the film explains human reproduction, the female and male organs and bodily functions. In the second part, the problem of the increase in sexually transmitted diseases in the context of free sexual contact is mentioned and symptoms are explained. In addition to real film scenes, the commentary film contains microscopic shots, cultural-historical depictions and animated drawings. The film was obviously intended to appeal to young men and adolescents in particular. Part of the Du und deine Gesundheit series.

A married couple looks for answers to their sexual problems. Leading GDR sexologist Dr. Siegfried Schnabl gives advice.

A young couple, whose first child was born with a disability, ask in front of the camera about ways to rule out a disability for the next pregnancy: whether medical care, ultrasound and medication could help. This outlines the typical client profile of family genetic counseling centers, which provide information about the risks of having a child with a neural tube defect, for example. A team of specialists from Leipzig, including a woman, is introduced who invites parents of newborn disabled children to have the disability clarified by family genetics. The diagnostic testing of a disabled infant will be shown. Middle-aged couples who wish to have children are also shown.

In this short educational animation film a gunslinger who cries at the funeral of his victims is arrested by the sheriff.He sneezes, the pathogens are spread and there is a chain reaction among the inhabitants of the town.

Intended for young people, the film uses real-life scenes to depict situations of alcohol consumption among predominantly male adolescents and uses animated graphics to provide information on consumption quantities, risk calculation and the physical effects of alcohol.

The film draws attention to the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, especially among adolescents and young adults, and identifies partner changes and alcohol as factors that promote the spread. As basic preventive information about the sexually transmitted diseases gonorrhea and syphilis, the film explains symptoms in men and women and possible consequences such as permanent infertility or agonizing infirmity.

Recordings of an orchestra rehearsal, in which the soundtrack suddenly disappears, introduce us to the world without sound when the ear fails to work.

Eduactional film about the sensual and erotic nature of skin.

The only AIDS prevention film made in East Germany forefronts discussions with young people and some erotic scenes, while downplaying homosexuality.

This short educational film focuses on canteen catering in larger industrial companies, presents a model company and appeals to other companies to remedy existing shortcomings and improve canteen catering for workers. The VEB Zahnradwerk Pritzwalk is presented as an exemplary company.