In Berlin, the production of the final season of “Babylon Berlin,” a series set during the Weimar Republic and the early rise of Adolf Hitler, has highlighted the complex legal and ethical challenges involved in depicting Nazi-era imagery in Germany. Due to strict laws outlawing the public display of Nazi symbols, filmmakers face significant restrictions when recreating this period on screen.

Since the end of World War II, Germany has banned Nazi insignia to prevent glorification of the Third Reich and to protect Holocaust survivors from trauma. While exceptions exist for artistic or educational purposes, filming scenes with swastikas and Nazi uniforms requires official police approval. Productions must also take measures to ensure that no unauthorized photos or footage of banned symbols reach the public. For “Babylon Berlin,” barriers shielded the set from onlookers, and Nazi regalia were concealed when cameras were not rolling. Propaganda songs such as the banned “Horst Wessel Lied” were mimed on set and inserted in postproduction.

Christiane Krone-Raab, director of the Berlin Brandenburg Film Commission, explained that permissions have become more cautious in recent years as smartphones and social media increase the risk of unauthorized dissemination. Many productions now utilize digital effects to add controversial symbols, avoiding potential legal issues.

Studio Babelsberg, near Berlin, has developed specialized infrastructure to support historical productions. The studio offers an enclosed street set where scenes requiring Nazi imagery can be filmed discreetly. It houses one of the world’s largest collections of Nazi-era props, including flags and portraits of Hitler, which are kept under strict control. Borrowers of these items must sign legal documents acknowledging their sensitive nature.

David Pieper, a production executive at Babelsberg, noted the seriousness with which German authorities enforce these rules. He cited the experience of Ava DuVernay’s 2023 film “Origin,” which recreated Nazi book burnings in central Berlin and drew police attention after social media posts showed extras in Nazi costumes. Babelsberg’s leadership has also engaged with political figures to facilitate permissions, as in the case of “Valkyrie” filming at a historically sensitive site in Berlin, which reportedly required intervention from former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office.

The contemporary rise of far-right extremism in Germany adds a challenging dimension to films about the Nazi era. Creator Tom Tykwer of “Babylon Berlin” expressed discomfort over parallels between the series’ portrayal of the late 1920s and recent developments, including a 15 percent increase in far-right extremists reported by German intelligence and electoral gains by the Alternative for Germany party in parts of the country. However, Tykwer stressed that such similarities were unintended; the show’s arc was created 13 years ago without anticipating today’s political climate. The series was always meant to conclude at the moment the Nazis seized power, rather than serve as a commentary on contemporary Germany.

Tykwer reflected on the fragility of current global circumstances, underscoring the sensitivity and responsibility involved in retelling one of the most fraught chapters of modern history.