DEFA

Background

DEFA (Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft) was a East German film studio of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) throughout the country's existence.

1st Logo (1946)

Logo: On a granite background is the DEFA logo which is a two-toned white-and-black filmstrip, On the white side is "DE" in black, and on the black side is "FA" in white. below the filmstrip is the white text "DEUTSCHE FILM A.-G.", in a tall bold font with a drop shadow, and below that text is "ZEIGT" ("PRESENTS"), in a smaller font also with a drop shadow.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: Opening theme of the film.

Music/Sounds Variants: TBA.

Availability: Only seen on a German film.

Editor's Note: This is among the first East Germany film logo ever after the second World War.

2nd Logo (1961 - 1992?)

Logo: On a black background is the DEFA logo. Below the logo, we see the German text "STUDIO FÜR SPIELFILME" ("STUDIO FOR FEATURE FILMS").

Variants:

On its Totalvision films, we see the stacked white text "EIN FILM DER" (together with the DEFA logo making up "EIN FILM DER DEFA", meaning "A DEFA FILM"). Underneath the "STUDIO FÜR SPIELFILME" text is "TRÄGER DES ORDENS ›BANNER DER ARBEIT‹" ("RECIPIENT OF THE ORDER ›BANNER OF LABOR‹"). Below is "hergestelit in TOTALVISION auf ORWO COLOR" ("produced in TOTALVISION in ORWO COLOR") with "TOTALVISION" and "ORWO COLOR" being their own logos.

FX/SFX: None.

Music/Sounds: The opening theme of the film or silent.

Availability: Seen on its East German films, especially The Golden Yurt (an Mongol-German co-production) and Jacob the Liar.

Editor's Note: None.