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Magical nostalgia: Experience 80 years of DEFA film art in the fairytale forest!
The Senftenberg Museum is celebrating DEFA film history with a special exhibition on fairy tale films from October 18, 2025 to February 22, 2026.
Magical nostalgia: Experience 80 years of DEFA film art in the fairytale forest!
On October 18, 2025, a special exhibition will open in the Senftenberg Castle and Fortress Museum that will bring the fascinating world of DEFA fairy tale films to life. Under the title “The Little Muck”, the event celebrates DEFA’s 80th anniversary and presents an exquisite collection of lovingly designed fairytale film props, costumes and furniture from classics such as “Snow White and Rose Red” and “The Little Muck”. The museum invites visitors to walk through a fairytale forest and experience the exciting film history of DEFA up close.
DEFA, which appeared on the scene after the Second World War as the first licensed film studio, began producing fairy tale films in the 1950s. These had a special significance from the beginning as they offered access to popular stories that were controversial in the post-war period. The first fairy tale films such as “The Cold Heart”, which was directed by Paul Verhoeven in 1950, were a great success. This color film in Agfacolor caused a sensation with over 9.7 million viewers. In 1953, “The Story of Little Muck”, directed by Wolfgang Staudte, even managed to reach 12.9 million viewers - a record that is still impressive today. These successes are part of the living DEFA history Wikipedia prepared in detail.
Immerse yourself in the fairytale world
The upcoming exhibition not only brings well-known fairy tales to the fore, but also lesser-known works and their stories. Visitors can look forward to experiencing science fiction films as well as watching banned DEFA films. The project was enriched by the valuable support of the German Institute for Animated Film, the Potsdam Film Museum and the Babelsberg Costume Fund.
The DEFA fairy tale films are still an integral part of German film culture today and are very popular with young and old. In addition to the classic Grimm fairy tales, “Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella” (1973) by Václav Vorlíček also made the rounds and achieved cult status. DEFA's works are also made available on the Progress Film archive platform and can be licensed, which makes the nostalgic heart beat faster.
A look at DEFA history
DEFA had an impressive filmography, producing numerous fairy tale films between 1950 and 1989. The most impressive works can be summarized in a list:
| Year | title | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | The cold heart | Paul Verhoeven |
| 1953 | The story of little Muck | Wolfgang Staudte |
| 1956 | The brave little tailor | Helmut Spiess |
| 1973 | Three hazelnuts for Cinderella | Václav Vorlíček |
| 1989 | Damn misfortune! | Hannelore Unterberg |
The exhibition at Senftenberg Castle will therefore not only be a look back at the illustrious period of DEFA film production, but also a homage to the rich storytelling tradition of German fairy tales. A good example of how film history can be kept alive and new generations can be inspired. And who knows, perhaps one or two spectators will be taken on a journey by the magic of DEFA when they visit the fairytale forest.