DIE WELLE / THE WAGE / LA OLA

PROF.: Mara del Pilar Snchez Gmez

I. SYNOPSIS
German drama exploring the nature of __________. Rainer Wegner (Jrgen Vogel) is a High School teacher
who is less than enthusiastic when he finds himself forced to teaching the concept of ______________ as
part of the school's project week. His students, similarly uninspired, just hope to pass the week without any
stress - until Rainer has the idea to start an _____________ experiment within the class. To show what life
would be like under fascism, Rainer begins to introduce various __________ for his pupils to follow. However,
the experiment quickly grows out of control and develops into an exclusive cult - 'THE WAVE' - with its own
_________ and salute. Even the self-declared anarchist Rainer starts to like his new status as cult
_________.

Complete the gaps with the words belong:

Unorthodox, Fascism, Leader, Autocracy, Disciplines, Uniform

II. A TRUE STORY [B PAI CRITERIA] (3 points)

The film was inspired by true events that took place in 1967 in Palo Alto, California, where a history
teacher, Ron Jones, ran an experiment. What did it happen? Look for information at about this event.

III.ANARCHY AND AUTOCRACY

a.

What of these pictures do you associate with these two terms? [D PAI CRITERIA] (0,5 points)

b. As you have seen in the film, there is a conflict between these political movements. Look for
information about these movements and explain why these two groups are facing up to each
other [D PAI CRITERIA] (0,5 points)

c.

How does the film show this conflict between them? Explain, at least, two moments. Use this
still from the film as a tip. [D PAI CRITERIA] (0,5 points)

d. At the beginning of the film, Rainer was listening a song in his car. This song was written and
played by the RAMONES. It is called Rock and Roll High School (1974). What is this song
talking about? Why do you think Rainer was listening this song? [B PAI CRITERIA] (2 points)

V.AUTOCRACY OR FASCISM
a.

Whats the meaning of the word Autocracy? [D PAI CRITERIA] (0,5 points)

b. Point out, at least, six features of this form of government from the film. Words to fill the
gaps in exercise number 1 (synopsis) would be useful to complete this section [D PAI CRITERIA]
(0,5 points)

c.

The Wave is a German film. It is set up initially as a response to students questions about a
specific chapter of German History before and during the Second World War. Search
information about a period of time and explain why, according to the students, a new
dictatorship is not possible in current Germany [B PAI CRITERIA] (3 points)

VI. ABOUT THE CHARACTERS [D PAI CRITERIA]

1. RAINER:
Read Rainer Wengers last speech

Wenger: What are we supposed to do with the traitor? Bomber, you should say so, in the end it was you who
has brought him up here.

Bomber: Yes, of course, because you had told me to do so.

Wenger: Because I had told you?
And would you also kill him, if I told you to?
We could also hang or behead him.
Or perhaps we could torture him, so that he could admit to our rules.
This is what you do in a dictatorship after all.
Have you noticed what has happened here?
[] This was exactly it, fascism.
We all thought ourselves to be better.
Better than all the others. And the thing which is even worse: we have excluded everybody from our
community who didnt agree with us.
We have hurt them.
And I dont even want to know what else we would have been capable of.
I have to apologize to you.
We have gone too far.
I have gone too far.

a) Why does Rainer organize this last meeting? Why is it so important to him? [1 point]

b) Is Rainer to blame for the outcome of the story? [0,5 points]

b. TIM

Why was the Wave so important to him? [0,5 points]

Why does he burn his brand-name clothes in this moment of the film? [0,5 points]

d. SINAM

Why was the Wave so important to him? [0,5 points]

VII. CHALLENGING QUESTIONS [D PAI CRITERIA 2 points]

a.

The first picture is a still of Rainers speech; the second one is a photograph of Hitler during one of his
speeches too. There are obvious similarities between them. Whats the directors aim in setting up this
similarity?

b. In a moment of the film, one student insults other student called him red communist from the east.
In that context, this name is completely disrespectful; in fact, in Spanish version of the film, it is
translated as red-neck from the east. Look for information about Germany after Second World War
and Berlin Wall to explain why the term communist from the east is used as an insult.

VIII. ANALYZING THE MOTIF OF THE WAVE [D PAI CRITERIA] (0,5 Points)
a) Who comes up with the idea of the name The Wave? Why?