Ashes and Diamonds In Ashes and Diamonds, Wajda portrays Polands internal identity crisis following WW2 through

the tragic story of the resistance fighter, Maciek, who is also undergoing an identity crisis himself. Approach to the Catholic Church At the beginning of the film, Maciek and Andrzej mistakenly assassinate two innocent men, thinking they were local Communist leaders. When one man is shot in the back, the church doors open and he falls toward the altar. One of the murderers genuflects respectively and says Jesus and Mary. This contradiction shows how the Poles (traditionally very Catholic) abandoned the laws of the Church and killed freely for their country. A second scene takes place in ruins of a church, with the crucifix hanging upside down. This symbol is traditionally representative of the anti-Christ. It is particularly strong because Maciek finds the bodies of the two men he murdered laying in the church. The guard asks if his generation has lost all respect for the dead and the church. This shows how Macieks generation was consumed by violence, and how the Church was disintegrated during Nazi occupation. Identity Crisis This film returns us once again to the theme of identity crisis. Poland itself following WW2 was facing its own identity crisis. The Communists are trying to establish their post-war government, and the

Polish resistance, or Home Army, is trying to gain control for the previous Polish government. On the last day of WW2, Szczuka tells the factory workers that although the war is over, the fight for Poland has just begun. This division within Poland culminates in the scene where Maciek shoots Szczuka, who falls into an embrace. This embrace symbolizes a Poland united by borders, but torn apart from within. Immediately following Szczukas death, fireworks appear in the sky. These fireworks, presumably celebrating the end of the war, are juxtaposed with the internal battles facing Poland. For the Poles, the war continues within their borders. Within the bigger picture of a divided Poland, Maciek is undergoing his own search for identity. His past is full of fighting and killing, and his glasses are a constant reminder of his involvement in the Warsaw uprising (and he still drinks from his military canteen). Once he meets the barmaid, and sleeps with her, he falls in love. In the scene when they lay in bed, the camera switches between close-up shots of the two. This is significant because Maciek (the killer) is lying

with Krystyna (a symbol of a peaceful and relatively uncomplicated life). At this point, Maciek begins to question his identity, and begins yearning for a normal life. His love for the violets is a symbol of his softer, more human side, or his desire to settle into a passive life. This is contrasted with Andrzei, who only believes in his military duty (and throws the violet directly in the trash). Also, Krystyna is often shown in

bright light, depicting her as a beacon of tranquility and compassion. When we see Maciek next to the white horse, a symbol of purity and conquest, we think that he is about to have the strength to change himself for the better. He cannot, however, break his role as a soldier, and ultimately carries out his order to kill.

Portrayal of Both Sides There are two very similar scenes in which both Maciek and Andrzei, and later Szczuka and his friend reminisce on the past and the friends they have lost. I found it particularly strong when Maciek lit the shots of vodka on fire, as symbols of the good friends they lost while fighting the Nazis. He talks about how life was better back in the day when we knew what they wanted, and what they wanted of us. This quote reinforces his confusion of identity and purpose. When Szczuka later discusses his fallen comrades, it makes the viewer understand the similarities between the two warring groups. Both fight for what they believe in, and have lost personal friends in doing so. Final Scene In the final dance scene, the drunken Communist leaders are dancing around in a pompous slow dance in a hazy room. As they pass by the camera, everybody has a serious, fixed glance straight ahead. I

interpreted this as a look into the future, for better things to come. The Poem/Title The final lines of the poem written in the church:
Or will the ashes hold the glory of a starlike diamond The Morning Star of everlasting triumph.

These lines serve to show the uncertainty people had about the fate of Poland following WW2. In the fight for Poland, the country will either be reduced to shambles, or out of the ashes will rise a great, united country that shines like a diamond. Will the destruction give rise to something great? Question What was the meaning behind the ambitious character, Drewnowski? Such careerism was typical in films of the cinema of moral anxiety, right? And was his drunkenness and willingness to follow the old reporter a demonstration of how people were easily disillusioned about how far they could boost their careers, and the extent to which they would go to do so?