The Nasty Girl

The Nasty Girl

Year: 1990

Runtime: 92 mins

Language: German

Director: Michael Verhoeven

ComedyDramaPolitics and human rightsRiveting political and presidential dramaPolitical drama patriotism and war

When a young woman investigates her town’s Nazi past, the community turns against her.

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Timeline & Setting – The Nasty Girl (1990)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Nasty Girl (1990). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Postwar era (1950s–1960s)

The narrative unfolds in the years following World War II, a time of reckoning and reconstruction. It moves through the early decades of memory-work, when access to archives and testimony becomes crucial. The era is defined by tension between confronting the past and maintaining social order.

Location

Germany, a German town

Set in a small German town, the film uses its streets, schools, and archives to explore how ordinary life persisted after the Nazi era. The town is depicted as outwardly harmonious, yet haunted by a past many would prefer to forget. Public spaces like schools and municipal buildings become stages for Sonja's investigation into collective memory.

🇩🇪 German setting 🏛️ Town life 🕰️ Postwar memory

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:32

Main Characters – The Nasty Girl (1990)

Meet the key characters of The Nasty Girl (1990), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sonja (Lena Stolze)

Bright and stubborn, Sonja is driven by curiosity and a strong sense of justice. She risks social ostracism and personal danger to uncover the truth about her town's Nazi past.

🎯 Determined 🧠 Curious 💪 Persistent

Martin Wegmus (Robert Giggenbach)

A physics teacher who becomes Sonja's ally and briefly her love interest; He supports her research while navigating his own career. He promises to return for her, bridging personal and intellectual commitments.

🧪 Educator 💡 Supportive ❤️ Complex

Archivist (Rudolf Schündler)

An institutional figure who embodies the obstacles of bureaucratic memory; his role highlights the gatekeeping that can shield or reveal historical records.

🏛️ Bureaucracy 📚 Archivist 🔒 Gatekeeping

Sonja's Mother (Monika Baumgartner)

A protective parent who supports her daughter's quest while contending with fear and social pressure from the community.

👩‍👧‍👦 Mother 🛡️ Protective

Sonja's Grandmother (Elisabeth Bertram)

An elder whose memories and tradition shape Sonja's understanding of duty and the weight of history.

👵 Grandmother 🧭 Memory

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:32

Major Themes – The Nasty Girl (1990)

Explore the central themes of The Nasty Girl (1990), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕯️ Memory and Truth

The film centers on how memory can distort or reveal the truth about a community's Nazi past. Sonja fights to document the town's complicity, despite pressure to forget. The narrative shows that acknowledging painful history is essential for moral accountability.

🗝️ Courage and Persistence

Sonja's unwavering determination under threat demonstrates the personal cost of speaking truth to power. Friends and foes test her resolve, yet she continues to gather records and testimonies. Her endurance embodies the struggle of individuals who challenge collective memory.

⚖️ Justice and Archives

Access to archives becomes a battleground between truth and censorship. The film depicts legal battles and clever methods to obtain documents, highlighting how institutions shape historical record. It suggests that justice requires patience, courage, and public scrutiny.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:32

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The Nasty Girl Summary

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The Nasty Girl Summary

The Nasty Girl Timeline

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The Nasty Girl Timeline

More About The Nasty Girl

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