Germania (1914) Synopsis & Summary

Filmed in Italy, this five-reel adaptation of the popular quasi-opera Germania was released in the U.S. by the Celebrated Players Company. Set during the Napoleonic wars of 1812, the film re-creates the valiant defense mounted by the German army against the forces of the Little Corporal. Played against the actual historical events is the fictional story of young Jebbel (Paolino Geril), who is forced to betray his country to save his mother from starvation. Many of the film's "highlights," including the brutal rape of the heroine (Diana D'Amore), were regarded as too explicitly gruesome for American consumption. Germania was released at a time when pro-German, anti-French sentiments were still high in the U.S. -- a state of affairs that would flip-flop spectacularly after the 1915 sinking of the Lusitania. - Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide