 Münzenberg recognized the potential for cinematic propaganda, and therefore the WIR imported Soviet films as well as producing their own films.In 1922 Münzenberg founded "Aufbau Industrie und Handels AG" to distribute Soviet films.Hermann Basler led the office for film distribution, which in March 1923 with "Polikuschka" (director Alexander Sanin, 1922), production of Mezhrabpom-Rus for the first time brought a Soviet film into German cinemas.