The Flensburg Files has a page devoted to literary and film works profiled and reviewed by the author, offering some recommendations for those wishing to read or watch something that either deals with German culture or something that you will not see in the book stores or in general theaters. These works are not only written by the greats, but also those that are up and coming, bound to become successful in the future. If you have a piece of literature you wish to recommend, please contact Jason D. Smith at the Files for your recommendations and reasons behind them. You can be certain that they will be added as well.
Also note, some works by the author are listed as well and marked with an *. Some of them marked with r 🙂 are higly recommended. Those marked with @ are from the now defunct Areavoices website in the United States. Those marked with (t) denotes tribute. Guest columns are marked with (g).
Some recommended works you should look into according to the Files’ literature and genre review include:
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2015 + Earlier works:
Look, Listen and Learn (TB 2010)
BORNHOLMER STRASSE by Christian Schwochow
THE LAST LETTER by Virginia Woolf
GHANDI’S LETTER TO ADOLF HITLER
IN HONOR OF DIANE by D. Wilmos Paul
MOVING ABROAD by A. Rafael Dos Santos (incl. Interview)
SENDUNG MIT DER MAUS: 8 MAY, 1945 as documented by Armin Maiwald (incl. film of cities in rubble)
THE GAME OF H-O-R-S-E (In honor of Männertag/ Father’s Day) *
A Beautiful Mind and a Tribute to John Nash *
Stalin’s Daughter by Rosemary Sullivan (Interview with Minnesota Public Radio)
The Twelve Dancing Princesses by The Grimm Brothers
America is not the greatest nation anymore (Film by the Newsroom)
CAN WE AUTO-CORRECT HUMANITY? (Dub poetry and rap music on this topic; includes gallery)
The Fisherman and his Wife by the Grimm Brothers
The Competitive Foursome by the music group Salut Salon
The Pursuit of the Truth by Jason D. Smith * r 🙂
Fack ju Göhte by Bora Dajetkin, et. al.
Skwerl by Karl Eccelson and Brian Fairbairn including an interview with Fiona Pepper
Home by Unknown (Photo by Corrina Schaffer)
Planet Germany by Eric T. Hansen (Commented by Ann-Marie Ackermann)
Engel zu Fuss by Jakob Schuh (Narrated by Henriette Heinze)
The Drive- A Tribute to my Grandmother by Jason D. Smith * r 🙂
The Fire Within by Sophie Scholl
Harvester’s Cross by Jason D. Smith * r 🙂
We Stand United in Peace- Photo and Commentary by Jason D. Smith
Beach of Solitude- Throwback article by Jason D. Smith * r 🙂
How to Bring Family Home for Christmas by EDEKA
I Wish by Jason Smith, based on a work written by his father 25 years ago. * r 🙂
Christmas from Heaven by Tom Brokaw
Thank You for Traveling with Deutsche Bahn by The Wiseguys
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2016:
The Laughing Heart by Charles Bukowski
The Right to be Heard by Patricia Enger
Speechless by Jason D. Smith * r 🙂
The Body Language and your Interaction. TED Talk by Amy Cuddy
Das Kalte Herz (Heart of Stone) by Wilhelm Hauff
To the Teacher with Many Thanks by Jason D. Smith
Never in a Million Years by Laura Branigan
For What It’s Worth by Buffalo Springfield
The Arctic by Ludovico Einauldi * r 🙂
Wir sind die Neuen (We are the New Neighbors) by Ralf Westhoff *r 🙂
Alternativ für Deutschland (AfD) by the band Jennifer Rostock
For Jacob by Jason D. Smith (written in memory of Jacob Wetterling) *r 🙂
The Beauty of What We’ll Never Know by Pico Iyer
Scrappers A TED Talk Lecture by Regina Hartley
A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg
A Christmas Memory by Truman Capote *r: 🙂
The Man Who Hated Christmas- Envelope Project by Nancy Gavin *r: 🙂
The Christmas I Remember Best by Eda LeShan *r: 🙂
Familie Heinz Becker- Alle Jahre Wieder
Dinner for One by Lauri Wiley *r: 🙂
Christmas with the Hoppenstedt Family by Loriot including his Biography/Tribute
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2017:
Last Note of Freedom by Meryl Streep and David Coverdale (two separate pieces covering one topic)
Warum der Esel Martin Heisst- Neues von Martin Luther by Uwe Steimle
Lost in a World Like Me by Steven Cutts and Moby
Jack and Diane by John Mellencamp
Sojourns and Sayings of Martin Luther by Heinz Stade and Susan Kubitz
The Boy and His Puppy (unknown author)
What Teachers Make by Taylor Mali
The Benefits of Failure by J.K. Rowling
Don’t Try This at Home by Paul Reizin
Summer 1995 by Evelyn Dykhouse Halverson
Vadder, Kutter, Sohn by Axel Prahl and Jonas Nay (film by ARD)
America is a Gun by Brian Bilston
So Close by Daryl Hall and John Oates
History of the Teddy Bear by John Moolam
The Flying Robert by Heinrich Hoffmann
Lord Octopus by Stella Mead
Schweddy Balls by Saturday Night Live
Really, Really Big Questions about Faith by Julian Baggini
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The Power of the Apple Series
Mr. Peabody’s Apples by Madonna
Martin Luther and the Apple Tree
After Apple-Picking by Robert Frost
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2018:
Enough is Enough by Steve Bennert
The Power of Introverts by Susan Cain
Time to Talk About It- Slam Poetry
The United States of Africa by Jason D. Smith
Living in a World They Never Made by Janet Jackson
Osterhase im Wald: A Collection of Easter Folklore
The Last Get-Together at a Cottage on the Beach by Jason D. Smith
You’re the Best Thing About Me, by U2
Let America be America Again by Langston Hughes
Man in the Mirror by Michael Jackson
Does the American Dream Exist? An essay by Jason D. Smith
Kiss My A** by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The True Definition of a Liberal, by unknown writer *r 🙂
Welcome to 2018 by Unknown Author
The Rocky Principle by Jason D. Smith
I Heard Your Voice in the Wind Today- Unknown Author
Santa Goes Shopping- Kaufland Christmas Commercial
Christmas Needs Not Much- Just Love. A Penny Christmas Commercial
The New Colossus by Emma Lazarus
When Great Trees Fall by Maya Angelou
Silent Night by Joseph Mohr and Frances Joseph Xaver
Der Große Schnee (The Big Snow)- Husum News based on the story of the Blizzard of 1978/79
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2019:
The Little Match Girl by Hans Christian Andersen * r 🙂
The Last Ride by Unknown Author *r 🙂
Opinion Rhapsody by Bri Logic- A Parody of the Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen
TED Talk: Poverty- Nothing to do with Intelligence but Lack of Cash by Rutger Bregman
The Daffodil Principle by J.A. Edwards
The Crocus by Harriet Beecher Stowe
To a Snowdrop by Peggy Crossley
Ted Talk: The Disarming to Act Now on Climate Change by Greta Thunberg *r 🙂
One of Us by Jacinda Adern (t) *r 🙂
The America I Grew Up In- a comedy by Jeff Allen *r 🙂
Transition by Ana Beatriz Ribeiro
The Poem of not Getting Old by Susan Reynolds
Notre Dame by Kerrie O’brien (t)
The Characteristics of a Great Teacher by Jason D. Smith (t) *r 🙂
The Story of Bauhaus by Francis Ambler (g)
The Beggar’s Greatest Wish by Alyce Bergey
The Creative Use of UP (language)
It’s Time We Stop Bashing and Complaining and Tackle the Real Issues by Jason D. Smith
Das Haus am See (The House on the Lake) by Peter Fox
I Am A Teacher by Unknown Author (t) *r 🙂
The 26 Letters that spell Peace by unknown author *r 🙂
How to be a German by Adam Fletcher *r 🙂
Books on The Streets of Baghdad
A Garfield Thanksgiving by Jim Davis includes a quiz on Thanksgiving
The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein
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Genre 1989:
Chippin Away by Crosby, Stills and Nash
Wind of Change by the Scorpions
Heroes by David Bowie (1978)- Remade by the Wallflowers (1998)
The Magic Lantern by Timothy Garton Ash
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Christmas 2019:
Advent of Kindness (Christmas Calendar created by Unknown)
Reconnection after Many Years: The E.T. Story by Universal Pictures and Xfinity *r 🙂
Christmas Lights by Keith Darnay
Home Alone: 30 Years Later by Google
Christmas in Germany: A Painting by Hans Baluschek
The Green Book- Film (includes classroom activities) *r 🙂
The Twelve Days of Christmas (song with many versions)
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2020:
Tribute to Kobe Bryant- Poem by Jason D. Smith
Surely, You’re Joking, Mr. Feyman
Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut- Based on the Bombings of Dresden
Wines of Germany by Anne Kriebiehl
Art Forms in Nature- a series by Karl Blossfeld
Our Home, Our World by Jason D. Smith
Don’t Cry Out Loud by Melissa Manchester
The Pursuit of Kindness by unknown author * r 🙂
As I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud by William Woodsworth
A Natural Substitute by Patricia Enger
Prepare for the Ultimate Gaslighting by Julio Vincent Gambuto
Vote Him Away (song) by Roy Zimmermann * r 🙂
Spoonful of Clorox by Randy Rainbow* r 🙂
The Refusal to Concede: TED Talk by Van Jones *r 🙂
Public Education and the Assault on American Democracy by Derek Black (g)
Rules of Civility by Amor Towles (g)
Quotes by Ruth Bader Ginsburg (g)
Lovely Day by Bill Withers, SOUL Asylum and LunchMoney Lewis
The Last Throw by Jason D. Smith
Welcome to Winona by Winona Ryder
The Great Divide by Travis Bahmer
Special Christmas Story of Herr Schmidt (Edeka)
Wish and Dedication (Coca Cola)
Jolly Old St. Nicholas by Emily Huntington Miller
Saint Nicholas from the Diary of Anne Frank
The John Rutter Christmas Album
Minneapolis 2020- A Rtibute by Yam Haus and Jay Byrd Christensen *r 🙂
Imagine if Everyone would do This (Penny Supermarket)
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Auschwitz 75th Anniversary:
A Number or A Man? by Wendy Skorupski
Life Became Him by Paul Vincent Cannon
The Child of Auschwitz by Lily Graham
The Tattoist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
Telling About Auschwitz Before It’s Too Late by Sari Bottom
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2021:
2021: The Year of Adaptation by Jason D. Smith
Democracy Wins over Insurrection by Arnold Schwarzenegger (f)
The Last of Summer by Kate O’brien (g)
The Lost Berlin Tapes by Ella Fitzgerald (g)
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2022:
Attitude in Life by Charles Swindoll
Finding Yourself by Emily McDowell
A Desert Rose by Cheryl Batavia
The Last of the Saddletramps by Emily Burnham
Dead Ringer for Love by Meat Loaf and Cher (Tribute to Meat Loaf)
Need for People not Experts by David Orr
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry (Tribute to Sidney Portier)
It Takes Two by Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston- Newer version by Rob Stewart and Tina Turner
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War and Peace/ Ukrainian Literature
Swallowtail by Svetlana Lavochkina
Cantankerous Hen by Svetlana Lavochkina
The Eastern Winds by willowdot21
War and Peace- The Pool of Thoughts
Senseless or Relentless- an Oseh Shalom Poem
We’ll all go together when we go by Tom Lehrer
Half a Liter Down by Dave Shofner
War is Never a Solution by Timo Schmitz
Give Peace a Chance by John Lennon
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And by Billy Joel:
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Queen Elizabeth II
My Letter to Queen Elizabeth II (g)
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Christmas 2022: To see the entire series, click here.
Wake Awake for the Night is Flying by F. Melius Christiansen
A Mother’s Wish by Olivia Newton-John *r 🙂
Merry Christmas by Elton John and Ed Sheeran
A Christmas Love Story- Just Imagine
The Three Kings by Laurence Houseman and Healey Willan
Carol of the Bells by Mykola Leontovych and Peter J. Wilhousky
Mother’s Christmas Cookies Story by Jason D. Smith. *r 🙂
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2023:
Picnic on the Old Iron Bridge by Jason D. Smith (from The Bridgehunter’s Chronicles)
A Loss of Decency by Jill Dennison and Robert Reich (g)
The System by Robert Reich (g)
Keep Being Yourself by Rachel Martin
Be the Change by Audrey Loves Poetry
Ring of Steel: Austria and Germany in WWI by Alexander Watson (g)
Stay Away from Negative People by Albert Einstein
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MORE TO COME! COME BACK SOON AND YOU’LL SEE A LONGER LIST! 🙂
THE FLENSBURG FILES 
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