In Fritz Lang’s 1927 film Metropolis, the robot created to resemble Maria is commonly called the Maschinenmensch.
The Maschinenmensch is a metal humanoid designed by the inventor Rotwang. In the story, Rotwang transforms the robot into a physical imitation of Maria, the workers’ spiritual guide. The false Maria then incites disorder among the workers and helps drive the film’s central conflict between the wealthy city above and the laborers below.
“Maschinenmensch” is German for “machine-human” or “machine person.” The film’s intertitles and translations use related descriptions, so the character is sometimes called the robot Maria or the machine-man in English-language references. Those are descriptive labels rather than the most widely recognized name.
Metropolis premiered in Berlin in 1927 and became one of the most influential science-fiction films ever made. Its visual design influenced later depictions of humanoid robots, including the iconic golden robot in Star Wars: Episode IV—A New Hope.