[8][3] The foundation was founded in 1966 by the Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirtschaft[9] out of fear that classic German cinema's original stock, and the rights to these films, would be sold off internationally.

As an archive and rights holder[citation needed] the Murnau Foundation curates a significant part of Germany’s movie heritage.

Its most important endowment is the unique, cohesive movie stock, which comprises copies and material as well as rights from the former production companies UFA, Decla, Universum-Film, Bavaria, Terra, Tobis and Berlin-Film.

[10] Titles include well-known films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920), Metropolis (1927),[3] The Blue Angel (1930), The Three from the Filling Station (1930), Münchhausen (1943) and Große Freiheit Nr.

Additionally, the nature of the reserved film screenings has been criticized, since the only option is to view them with accompanying expert supervision, commentary, and discussion.