The Grand Budapest Hotel

HIDDEN MEANINGS AND METAPHORS.

The name “Budapest” makes people think that the story takes place in Hungary. Although the Hungarian hotel industry is very well developed, 1m forints (currency at the time) are enough to rent the whole hotel. But the content of the film seems to have nothing to do with Hungary. The film was shot in Germany, and the metaphor of the original book is wanting to represent Austria between 1918 to 1938.

Austria, also named Little Paris, is the heart of europe’s culture and art. The cradle of European spirit and thought. Also, it is the place where Hitler’s “Kristallnacht” (night of broken glass), which was a antisemitic violence programme carried out by the Nazi’s. The scene of the story is the blueprint of the novelist Zweig himself.

From historical aspect, everyone knows that the Austro-Hungray Empire did not disintegrate before 1918 and was composed of Hungary, Austria, The Czech Republic, Slovakia and other countries and regions.

The uniform with stand-up collar worn by Edward Norton on the train for the first time was grey, which was different from the German field grey or black uniform, but the holster, strap, chest band and shoulder badge were Prussian, the rifle used by the guards was Mauser 98k, and the barrel hat were Prussian. The collar is just a cover up. They still represents the old Austro-Hungarian Empire or the Austrian Republic.

Emperor of Austria- Karl I and senior officer

Mause 98k

There’s a portrait with an exaggerated beard and an eagle-shaped collar hanging in the upper left corner of this picture. The Habsburg family’s heraldry is a black double-headed eagle. From this distance we can’t tell whether it’s double-headed or single-headed, but from the beard, we know it was compared with some important historical figures of the Austro-Hungarian Empire below.

Franz Joseph I of Austria

Archduke Franz Ferdinand

In contrast, the solndierswho got on the carriage and inspected when the war broke out to block the border were all German SS equipment. Double-button hats, badges with II. In reality, II should be embroidered on the badges of junior officers of the German Nation Defence Force.

After occupying the hotel, only Nazis have the habit go hanging huge flags with symbols. The flags and armbands in the movie are ZZ patterns, and the Nazi’s are SS, or squids. According to Hitler’s own explanation, SS and s are double lighting, so we can assume ZZ being a more direct metaphor for it? Transferring Vienna Hotel to the Bechtes Garden Hotel (which the Germans really did occupied in history) to Budapest Hotel is to cover up. Masking the ugly truth of history.