"THE CALLING" "The incidents and characters portrayed in this film are entirely fictional." "Still no wine yet." "No liquor, no Coca-Cola." "Not my kind of thing, working in different homes every day." "Do you know how long I've been working for my master?" "18 years!" "15 years today since we left Germany." "But what is there to celebrate being away from home that long?" "Well, it's been 15 years..." "Some people like it here." "Happy, yes." "But not blissfully." "Back then I was." "Under the Kaiser." "Those were the days!" "60 marks a month and every second Sunday off with Paule." "Hello, Mr. Lustig." " Hello, Emma." "How are you?" "Homer and I were just talking about the Kaiser." "Under him, life used to be good." "Under Wilhelm everhing well." "Right?" "And if one thinks back to King David, even we had a good life." "Yes, he does." "Everyone understands a little German." "People can't take me for a ride in English either." "I can't stand this "honey" business!" "Hello." "Could I have a sandwich, please?" " I'll make you one, Mr. President." "Helfert, did you know that Goethe played dominoes?" " No." "When did you last read Goethe?" " In 1938, at the Yangtze Kiang." "What were you doing there?" " Heading an escort gang." "I must have missed the fact that Goethe played dominoes." "If you had celebrated your 50th birthday in China, 'cause of the 1000-year Reich back home, you'd think of nothing but surviving, too." "You'd fear the joys of life had no future in yours." "That is the time to hope for a good late fall." "Perhaps you too will be able to do as Goethe did, who was 74 when he and Christine..." " Ulrike." "It was Ulrike von Levetzow." "Ulrike, Christine or Ottilie: she was 19!" "It gives you hope at the Yangtze Kiang." "The guests!" "But Wolf, we see each other every day and now you're ringing at me." "In German, to bark is "bellen"." "Quiet, Wolf!" "I don't give a damn about Goethe's Olympian composure." "It was an indispensable part of this larger-than-life personality." "At 74, he was still up for it, be it as an Olympian or..." "Helfert, I refuse to put up with this tone!" "Mauthner, did you know that Goethe..." " Can't you see you're disturbing me?" "What's the matter with Mauthner?" "Do you know the extortionate price of coffee on the German black market?" "In Goethe's "Faust" you can see an image of the Germans, their tragedy." "Faust begins as a man of science and then devotes himself to the devil." "And he plays dominoes with him?" "I'm talking about Faust, Helfert." " Spare me with your Faust." "He moves heaven and hell to seduce a girl, a girl at a well..." "To seduce a well at the linden tree..." "Do you think that's funny?" " Yes." "No." "To seduce a girl at Schubert's "Linden Tree"..." "I'd better go now." "What do you say now?" " It's a pity." "Why?" "Because they haven't asked me back." "I'm too old." "A young man's prerogative." "What are you going to do, Mauthner?" ""Tired the wayfarer returns" "Home for which his true love yearns..."" "Unfair, all this noise." "Just when I was about to get to my most important point, I am hoarse." "That's because of all your shouting." "It's pointless." "You've already decided." "I won't base it only on my own decision whether I follow this calling or not." "I think that's damn stupid." "Everyone should decide their personal matters by themselves." "That's what I said." "That's what I said." "Has the penny finally dropped?" "In you, doll." "Pretty, but stupid." "All I want to know is whether we're going or staying." "And so will you." " Has it been decided?" "He's still talking." "He thinks he's being rational." "But he is homesick." "That's why he's going." "Let me tell you:" "it may sound harsh, but the people over there are cannibals!" "Yes, they are!" "Don't you feel any hate, revulsion towards them?" "In my better moments, no." "I don't get it." "They all joined in or watched." "Tell me, Fränkl, since you're showing off so much, are you willing to risk your life for the innocent victims of persecution?" "There's plenty of opportunity to do so all over the world." "If not, then be quiet and don't expect it of others." "There's neither a race of criminals nor a race of heroes." "How should I know what I would've done, if I could've stayed over there?" "Do you remember Gutmann?" "Moritz Gutmann?" "He was always in such a good mood." "He still made me laugh when there was nothing to laugh about anymore." "I received a letter." "He too was..." "It's getting cold." "A lovely day." "The sun feels good." "And here comes Emma with the coffee." "Good morning, Emma." " Leave me alone." "I don't know how you can say things like that." "If I had stayed over there, then what?" "I'd be doing the cooking, washing, and cleaning." "Now you tell me, am I a cannibal?" "We're arriving tomorrow." "Are you staying in France?" "No." "Are you going to Switzerland?" "No." "Well, where then?" "Further." "Tracing Heine's footsteps." "Do you know Heine?" " Of course." ""In the dismal month of November it was," "The gloomy days grew shorter," "The wind was tugging the last leaves down" "As I left for the German border."" "You want to go to Germany?" "Speak German!" " As your assistants, we'd like to know what you're going to talk about in your lecture." " Plato." "And the topic is "Virtue is teachable"." "At the German border in just two days." "Me is scared..." " "I am", not "me is"." "First I'm going to visit Uncle Ewald." "He has two daughters." "The boy was killed in action." "What makes you so sure?" "Well, you didn't hear it from me, but behind my back he sent packages over there." "Because they were sent to a "Frauensperson"." "What's that?" "If you don't know that, you're a hopeless case." "You're not that stupid after all." "He also included warm ladies' underwear." "No idea." "He's like a sphinx if you mention it." "I still feel shaky from the rocking." "The way Paule lifted me out of the boat..." "I'll have to look up what that means:" "a boat trip with rocking on the lake at Tiergarten." "No." "There are only marble statues at Tiergarten." "Probably also destroyed..." "This is how slim I used to be." "Then he went off to war and we got separated, back in 1914." "I never heard from him again." "And now I dream of him." "It's because home is so near." "The things one remembers..." "My God, Europe." "Old Europe." "Me is looking forward..." " "I am"!" "I am looking forward to this week in Paris." "Aren't you?" "I've changed my mind, I'm not stopping over." "No, children." "No other language, no other streets, no matter how nice." "But we wanted to visit the Löwenthals." " Why don't you stay?" "Send my regards." "Your train's leaving in 10 minutes." "Maybe I should go with you." "It's too late to get a ticket." "Heavens, you don't have an apple to eat before bed." "He's already found himself a floozy!" "Watch my bag!" "I have to get to Berlin." "I'm sorry, Mary." "I'm too close to Germany to speak English." "Too excited." "Then let's both be silent, each in our own language." "Your apples, les pommes, s'il vous plaît." "I'm even speaking French now." "The train!" "Don't eat the apples unpeeled, Professor." "Stolen!" "Watch your luggage!" "They thieve like magpies over there." "Goodbye, Mary." " Goodbye." "Your pills are in the top left pocket of your toiletries bag!" "Stop shouting!" " I just mean well..." ""And as I came nearer German soil, I felt my heart beat quicker" "Within my breast, and I even think A tear began to trickle."" "Well, if it isn't Mauthner, then shoot me down." "Welcome to Germany!" "Emotion's no disgrace." "Don't pretend you're shy." "Tell me, how long has it been?" "In April it was exactly 16 years." "That's right." " No, it isn't." "It was 17 years." "All this time you've been in America, in God's own country." "And what about the women?" "Weren't you always one for the ladies?" "In this country, women now smoke Chesterfield, and we colonial simpletons in prime male potency are utterly impotent." "Yes, and what...?" " What I did before that?" "We from the "Inner Emigration" lived on the scraps of better days." "Now I've been waiting three long years to taste the fruits of democracy." "Resulting in an irreversible loss of teeth and horrendous loss of weight." "Yes, and how...?" " How I get by now?" "So as not to be at a complete loss," "I give private tuition to some mogul's offspring." "Sexually, she's years ahead." "I have access to the blackest of lives." "What humiliation for science." "I allow myself to be degraded at the "White Pheasant" every night where people drink black-market Burgundy till they're blue in the face." "But now..." "It's all going to be different." "I'm getting a professorship." "I forgot to ask you what you've been doing all these years." "Tell me at the "White Pheasant", Kantstrasse 178." "Give me a call, okay?" "I recognized him immediately." "Only last week we got a parcel from you." " Yes, and now you're here." "When did you arrive?" " Yesterday." "I came directly to you." "Let me look at you." "You've hardly changed." "A little gray and a bit fuller..." " Please, won't you sit down?" "And I always wanted to make that cake you like so much for your return." "Until 1941, I still had almonds and raisins." "If you'd come back then..." "That wouldn't have been advisable for other reasons." "Why?" " But Malchen!" "Goodness, of course." "He's screaming again." "Excuse me." "Our grandchild..." "Grandpa..." "Before I forget, could you give me Lina's address, please?" "I don't have it." " You don't have it?" "How did you forward my packages, the ones for Lina?" "I didn't." "Lina was untraceable." "But where on earth can she be?" " I have no idea." "I looked for her for days." " Why didn't you write and tell me?" "Because I didn't want you to stop sending packages." "I see." " That's why I lied." "I see." "My daughter was pregnant." "Her condition was heart-breaking." "And I was racking my brains over Lina's silence." "I thought she didn't want any contact." "Do come in, please." " Yes, in a minute." "Must you do that now?" "I only earn what I get for my translations." "Are you coming?" "I don't know what to do anymore, it's driving me mad." "I must vacate my room, my husband is sick and they disconnected the gas." "It's not my fault." " The occupying forces are to blame." "Yes, and the cyclists." "They're sure to find a scapegoat." "Anyone but the culprit." "Ask the Missing Persons Tracing Service." "Excuse me, I'm looking for someone..." " Fill this out and come back tomorrow." "Thank you, but I'm just passing through." "Isn't there a way of speeding things up?" "Have you asked all your acquaintances?" " Not yet." "Do you have a phone?" " No." "I'll go and make a quick call." " All I ever hear is "quick"..." "OUT OF ORDER" "I'll forget about making that call." "Can I send a telegraph from here?" "In German?" "You'd better go to the post office." "It costs next to nothing there." "I'll get a bite to eat first." "A consommé..." " I'm afraid we shut at two." "Good evening." " Good evening." "No, thank you." "But a cup of coffee, yes." " Yes, but only black." "I always have it black." "But it has to be strong." "Well, come on then." "The bill, please." "Could you tell me the time, please?" " It's half past six." "Really?" "Is that clock right?" "It's already so dark outside." "Good evening." "You must've forgotten your book." " Yes." "So you came back." "May I join you, Lina?" " Certainly." "I've been looking for you for..." "Please stay!" "What's the matter?" " Nothing, farewell." "I'm sorry, I forgot to pay." "Don't get a fright, Lina." "I've been waiting here for quite some time." "You can't visit me now." "Goodness, did I get a fright!" "Where have you been?" "I walked a bit, the streetcar was so crowded." "I can't take you up to my room." "I don't live there alone." "Who are you sharing with?" "I don't wish to pry, but it would be easier to talk if I knew a bit more." "I'm sharing the room with Kessler's daughter." "Three other people live in the third room." "Come back tomorrow." "But some bar must still be open." " Only a few black-marketeer bars." "Have you been to one?" " No, just heard about them." "I know one, but that's where I'm meeting..." "What's his name again?" "Perhaps we're lucky and he isn't there." "Twelve years of opposition, and now disappointment." "At the reception for Hitler," "I stayed in the furthest corner of the Chancellery of the Reich." "If I had made a move back then, I would have been a made man." "Every night I hoped for his doom with almost religious concentration." "Night after night." "For years, and then I succeeded." "And now this Mauthner snatches God's reward from under his nose." "I wouldn't let it upset me." "Let Mauthner be happy with his professorship." "Working for a pittance?" "Why don't you just sell the porcelain?" "The black market feeds everyone." "Now I can go back to working as an assistant professor, and waiting." "Waiting for what?" " Yes, for what?" "If it came back again, I don't know what I would do this time." "I'll wait." "Two cognacs, please." " French?" " No, local." "They're speaking Spanish." "I can't get the porcelain out of my mind." "I'm not a merchant." "I come from an old Bremen family of scholars." "Why don't you propose to Mauthner he become a merchant?" "After all, his ancestors were..." "Oh, my colleague..." "Congratulations on your appointment." "See you." " See you." "At the place of our collaboration." "Good morning." " Good morning." "I just got up." "It's really nice of you to come." "I couldn't sleep a wink." " You couldn't either?" "I was just about to visit you." " I didn't want us to part like that." "Why "part"?" "Take a seat, if you can find one." "Why "part"?" "I'm sure to come to Berlin from time to time." "Let me know before you come." " Oh, you don't want me to surprise you." "If I can get tickets for a cultural event we'll have to listen instead of arguing." "We've managed before." "If you should hear anything about the boy, please let me know." " Yes, yes." "Oh and I wanted to give you a package." "I had it here, God knows where..." "I also sent you packages from America that never reached you for some inexplicable reason." "Didn't you want to come back tomorrow?" "Me?" "It was you." "May I introduce you?" "Mary Collins, my student and assistant." "My ex-wife." "Pleased to meet you, Emma." "Shall we sit down, then?" "Where are Elliot and Spencer?" "Funny, in Germany I can only think in English." "There's another one." "Did the Parisians like your hat?" " They certainly looked." "The Löwenthals send their regards." "I was worried about letting you go on your own." "Who washed your shirts?" "I'll go and get you some apples." " Good luck." "You can talk." "You should have seen her when Mr. Löwenthal said he'd be scared of going to Germany." "Maybe you should get yourself a steel jacket." "Emma, you're just being silly." "It's getting worse every day." "It's not funny." "I'm going to unpack." "There was a package for you..." "If only I could remember..." "I came in from here and..." "Just a matter of concentration." "Here it is." " Thank you." "I have to go now." "Yes, and my new address is..." "I've forgotten." "I'll send it to you." "Was there something you wanted to say?" " No." "I have to work on my lecture." "Where did I put it?" "I had it just a minute ago..." "Hardly had any time for anything with all the excitement lately..." "Do you want to...?" "Would you care to...?" "Silly, German is so much more formal than English." "It's so estranging." "This isn't it." "Not fallen in love with any of these Germans?" "I need a rest." "Can I buy you a drink?" "Two schnapps, please, for my Fräulein and myself." "And now, three years after the capitulation..." "Let them hear, it won't do them any harm." "Let me put it this way, I am delighting." "Stop laughing like that!" "You try learning a foreign language!" "I meant, I am delighted." "There's a bottle of brandy I..." "It's an irregular verb..." "I brrr..." "Bringed." " Brang." " Brought." " Anyway, fill 'em up!" "You should have introduced practical Christianity." "One of you four Allies." "After this divine judgment, we waited for you like for the Savior." "And nothing happened, nothing." "Now we're back to where we started." "Christ?" "Is that how you pronounce it?" "They stop at nothing." "Helmut, it must be interesting for you as a theologian the way they pronounce "Christ"." "Come on, speak German!" "I said, I'm leaving Berlin and going to the west." "Me too, to Frankfurt." " I'm going to Stuttgart or Heidelberg." "They say the rations are rising there." " I'm going to Göttingen." "I'm staying!" "You're going to Göttingen?" "You'll have Mauthner in Philosophy." "The refugee from America." " No." "I wouldn't mind anyway, I was never part of all that." "Bebel said: "Anti-Semitism is the socialism of fools." I'm staying!" "Applied Christianity is overdue." "Nobody knows where it'll appear." "Under Mauthner, you'll have lots of Spinoza." "Spinzoa said something that's very... applicable today." "Translate that!" " Yes, translate it!" "He's right." "You look so pale." "You're right, she's American." " And Mauthner's assistant." "She came here because of him." " No!" "Fechner told me." " Fechner?" "He's never been considered trustworthy." " But he is now, along with many others." "Fechner told me to enroll here." "He needs me here." "I'm sorry, I fell for you." " I'm not!" "May I introduce myself:" "Klaus Blanke." "Make yourself comfortable." "Excuse me." "The age difference alone..." " Year of birth doesn't matter." "But being with someone like him tarnishes a girl forever." "And we can't say a thing." "I'm so pleased to see you here." " I'm here to meet a young friend and not, as you may think, to add insult to injury." "I'm sorry..." "In view of this train bringing unrest, trouble and disaster," "I would once more like to emphasize the dangerous atmosphere that prevails among the majority of the students." "Why don't you just give up?" "I told you, I had no political reasons for appointing Mauthner." "What was it then?" " My firm belief that better is the enemy of good." "Witt..." " Mauthner..." "Neither of us has become any younger." " Welcome!" "I'm Mary, the Professor's assistant." "We already met in Berlin." "You look a bit worn out, Professor." "Yes, a Pullman is unattainable for us for the time being." "California has its advantages, undoubtedly." "We're sure to bump into each other!" "Goodbye." "Thinking was prohibited for so long and now it is a duty." "What's it going to be like in the winter?" "It was paradise, our California." "On January 12th, 1933," "I spoke here about Plato's concept of the teachability of virtue." "Sit down!" " Quiet!" "Speak German!" "Why are they leaving?" " Out of protest." "They're against it." "To study philosophy, to learn virtue from Professor Mauthner." "I leave when I want to." "But tell me, did you learn your virtue from him too?" "What was going on?" "Why didn't anyone do anything?" " No idea." "Not even the slightest murmur of disapproval." "What was the matter?" "Well, there was silent protest." " Silent?" "We'd agreed on a loud protest!" "You can't hear silence." " Stop shouting!" "I'm not shouting, just understandably upset." "If nobody does as agreed..." "I had particularly counted on you." "Kurt didn't say anything either." " What am I meant to think?" "Have you fallen under his spell?" " Nonsense!" " Or..." "Are you impressed?" " I was stunned." "From your description, I had expected someone completely different." " Hey, how did you get to sit next to the American girl?" "A coincidence." " Like hell..." "Well, that explains a few things." "Now I understand the lady's intentions." "An intellectual lady of the night?" "I'd better be going." " To follow her?" "Yes, I'm going to marry her and become a pacifist." "Not as grotesque as you wish me to believe." "That man is dangerous." "Let's have lunch together." "When I wrote to you," "I had hoped for a much warmer welcome on the part of the students." "Yet I don't regret having asked you." " Anyway, the first battle has been won." "I must admit that before your lecture we were very anxious." "We knew disruptions were planned, but we thought it best not to worry you." "We hoped, and we were right, that you'd keep them in check." "It was a joy to listen to you." "The old intensity." "We couldn't fail to notice the ardent agreement of the remaining few." "We believe there's a lot to be gained from your contact with the students." "This is why we've organized a reception this evening." "Can't we postpone that for a week?" "The Professor is very tired." "Certainly." "So, what's up?" "Are we going to Mauthner's reception or not?" "Fechner said we can all decide individually." "Are you going?" "I don't know." "Why not?" "It doesn't matter anyway." "There'll be so many people that we'll look just like all the others:" "undernourished and yellow, in shreds of uniform..." "Just like the socialists." "A hungry Nazi still has a different demeanor than a hungry democrat." "I can tell each one of them apart." "Even in their rags, even naked." "I can tell you if they belong to the SPD, CDU, SED or the correct party." "Nonsense." "You're depressed." "But it'll pass." "I know you." "But don't talk to anyone else like this." ""Talk to no one." I wish I had someone to talk to." "So, let's go." "I have to change my shirt first." " Why not turn the collar?" "How many sides do you think it has?" "I haven't even unpacked yet." "Who's that?" " Mother." "I left Berlin without telling her." "She doesn't even know where I am." "I don't feel like going to that reception tonight." "You'll have to." "And let me say one thing, Professor:" "it's not nice here." "I warned you." "We can't let Fränkl end up being right." "Have you heard from your Paule?" " Yes..." "The dark gray suit?" " I can get it myself." "Anyway, there's plenty of time." "Mary has become a rare guest." "What have you heard about Paule?" " Well, this and that..." "Which tie shall I get you?" " Something disconcerting?" "He was a party member." "He probably had no other choice." "He did a few "extra chores"." " He did what?" "Isn't Mary coming to pick you up?" " I don't know." "You'd better watch out she doesn't fall into the wrong hands." "It's time for me to get changed." "Really?" "I don't want to hear any more about the Professor." "I only get half of what you're saying, but if you want to, then go." "I won't stop you." "I don't care." "Then go!" "Go!" "And take the Professor with you." "We didn't ask you to come." "Why aren't you going?" "But why?" "Why are you crying?" "Don't." "Come here." "Don't go, okay?" "Stay with me, we won't go in there." "We'll stay together." "No, I won't let you." "There's Professor Mauthner." "Maybe you, Mrs. Professor, can shed light onto this mysterious relationship." "I'm not one to only reminisce about my veiled impulses of the past, but one who still has to hide his private activities from the world many a time." "So it must stem from my immoderate, masculine way of thinking that..." "Now I've lost my train of thought, perhaps due to the delicate nature of what I am trying to formulate, which is proving to be most difficult right now." "Waiter, another beer!" "I am, so to speak, quite familial with veiled impulses..." "Another schnapps, Summerstiff." "Don't laugh, that's his name." "My dear late Summerstiff, it's very autumnal, the leaves are falling from the trees, the marrow in the old trunk has dried up." "But it was nice, you remember?" "Back then you should've bought dollars!" "Be it with disdain and reluctance, yet I can put myself in Mauthner's position." "I condemn but understand his immoral and tasteless passion for this girl." "It's not the age difference that I find so infuriating and truly shocking..." "Summerstiff, where's that schnapps?" "Finally." "You've aged quite a bit, Summerstiff, since I saw you last." "As you can see, it's not often that the many excursions of my thoughts cannot be roped back onto the same train." "But now, with my never faltering inner compass, on the vortex of the simultaneous battles of my crossing trains of thought" "I am an old simultaneous player on all the chess boards of human life, like Lasker, the world champion." "Also a Jew." "Isn't it pleasant here?" " Yes..." "The amount of coaxing I had to do." "She didn't want to come." "It was really encouraging." "We who stayed here -don't ask how - we have a better gauge of what goes on." "We don't overrate anything." " What don't you overrate?" "You have no idea of the effort and danger that was involved in saving us." "At least ten people helped to hide me, gave me money and food..." "And if you multiply that..." "To these people's health." " With pleasure." "If, in the days of Hitler, my protest..." "Which was hardly visible to the naked eye but which brought me a lot of complaints..." "For the same amount of money, the same protest could have been targeted at these people's complete and not just partial extermination." "You needn't propagate such things since you were so courageously silent back then." "If you insist on bluntness..." "Now you're the humane beneficiary of our brutality." "One has to make up for what was neglected back then." "The things I have to put up with!" "You want to make a good job of it?" "I've listened to your criminal nonsense long enough." "Nobody asked you, snotty brat!" "The voice of opposition..." " Hardly mutated..." "All on its own..." " There are many of us." "But they were deliberately not invited." " Then leave!" "Or I'll give you a hiding." "I'm not scared of you." "But of the crime you're cooking up again." "Looks like you need another scapegoat." " Who are the guilty ones?" "Those who wanted and paid for this war." "Hasn't the word got round yet?" "Vilify the war?" "That's un-German!" "So you think you're German?" "We will make sure that being German is no longer associated with your kind." "You've tainted the term "German"!" "Shut up!" "And we are determined to get rid of this dirt." "You're right, not another word, not to you!" "Did you hear what he said?" "Let him have it!" "What?" "You can't be..." "What did you say?" "Unbelievable!" "Please come!" "Help us!" "What's the matter?" "It's going to be the same as before!" " No, I promise, it won't." "In front of foreigners...!" "Aren't you ashamed of using your fists to defend what this man said?" "Go and take the old man with you!" " How dare you speak to me!" "Nobody's taking me home, I'm not afraid of a few rascals." "Don't interfere, I can't guarantee your safety." "Get out, or else...!" "I won't!" "Get out or I'll..." " Or what?" "I never want to see you again!" "Leave!" "They are cannibals." "Here, put this on." "It's cold." "Tomorrow we'll pack and go home." "You're right, go home." "I wish I could come with you." ""The reception for Professor Mauthner ended unexpectedly when a vilifying comment by Mr. Fechner against Mr. Mauthner's people led to a fight." "Mr. Fechner will have to answer for his excessively crude remark." "Disciplinar action will be taken against those students who were particularly active in the Mauthner-hostile excesses."" "We, as the executive committee, are enabled by the students' majority to take action." " The rector demands we wait for the enquiry." "But they didn't wait to suspend Fechner." "We're determined to neither give in nor wait, but to take action." "As soon as you mumble "Heil!" in your sleep, the foreign press will wake you." "If people could hear us, they'd think we want to invade England and France." "Or even Russia or America." "Whereas in fact it's about getting rid of a single Jew." "Just one Jew." "But what a Jew!" "He stands for many of them." " Nonsense, it's just one." "You can't start with a pogrom again." "We'll have to work our way up first." "What low behavior!" "It's shabby." "What's shabby?" " Getting rid of one individual." "Count me out." "See you later." "I'm worried about him." "Manically depressed." " Or a trap." "Maybe because Mauthner's sick." " Mauthner's sick?" "It's in the papers." "I phoned his house." "He's not seeing any visitors." "Typical that he should have a phone!" "The phone was already there." " No, it wasn't." "It was, believe me." "Who brought up the phone anyway?" " Me!" "And if you don't like it..." "I don't." "One of us is melancholic and you talk about phones." "It would be idiotic to ignore the propaganda value of the phone." "Stop it!" "Since no one else has a telephone, it would be ideal for propaganda." " It wouldn't!" "Would too!" "Goebbels would've turned it into a whole network of phones that the wise men of Zion set up across the globe." "Goebbels is dead." " How observant!" "May I say something for a change?" "The question is this:" "is he seriously ill?" "Shall we act as if he's seriously ill?" "What if he's just faking?" "Maybe he just thinks he's ill, "seeking refuge in illness"." "Freud." "Another one." "You can't escape them." "Are you denying...?" " Make up your mind!" "What could Mauthner expect from feigning to be ill?" "That he's spared?" "Experience has shown otherwise." "If he's seriously ill, we shouldn't wait." "He should be given an ultimatum right away." "That could bring about a radical solution." "The final solution." "We'll increase the pressure by threatening to go on strike." "Excellent." "There's just one flaw." " What?" "He would never receive such a letter." "No of us has access to his house." "Walter could go." " Why?" "Because of the American woman." "I see." "I don't think..." "You mustn't tell her what you're doing there." "Let's think..." "We should give it a try." "You could do our cause a good turn." "Who is it?" "No, I won't." "Please open the door." "But only because I don't want you to create a scene!" "What nonsense to lock me out." "It's not about us, but..." "What's going on?" "Are you leaving?" "To America?" "What?" "What must you do?" " I have to wait here." "You would've left without telling me?" "You can't do that!" "Why must you go?" "Okay, then go!" "Have a good trip." "Let me just correct one point:" "if you weren't so attached to him I'd never have started fighting." "I was sitting somewhere else." "Don't you remember?" "How was I to have heard what Fechner said?" "That's why I came:" "I want to talk to Mauthner." "It'll help me too, if that makes any difference to you." "When did she want to let you know?" " A while ago." "Maybe she let you down" " You never know." "See?" "Come in." "Oh, it's you." "What brings you here?" " I'm interested in the events." "I thought you were bailing out." " Why?" "Because of the way I went on?" " What gives you that idea?" "No defeatism, okay?" "Things have gone wrong once due to the narrow-minded provincialism and the lack of education among those in power." "But now it will turn global." "You see?" "Your girl hasn't let you down." "Come in." "Mother?" "Am I interrupting?" "I can come back later..." " Hello, Mother." "Won't you sit down?" "What brings you here?" "How did you know I was here?" " From the papers." "See?" "In Berlin, even the papers..." "May I introduce you?" "Mr. Fechner, Kurt Westermann, Horst Bertram." "Haven't I seen you somewhere before?" "Or am I mistaken?" "Anyway, welcome!" "Mother, how shall I put it..." "We're in an urgent meeting." " Let's go to my room." "We don't want to bother your mother." " Good, then make yourself comfortable." "Mr. Heck, a lady called." "She's expecting you at six." " Thank you." "Walter, I need to talk to you." " We'll wait in Fechner's room." "Does that have to be now, Mother?" " No, but just one thing:" "if you don't avoid one of those you abhor, but choose to hunt him down, I get scared." "I'm talking about Mauthner." "You're here because of him and without telling me." "What's this all about?" " You traveled here to ask me that?" "It's not just that." "I need to talk to you." "But properly..." "I left without saying goodbye to avoid such a discussion." "I've dreaded this moment for years." "I'm such an awfully indecisive coward." "I always hoped you'd finally realize, but if you mix with these brutalized characters..." "Very well, Mother." "I'll meet you at five o'clock." " Promise?" " Trust me." "Goodbye." "This'll help you." "You haven't forgotten, have you?" "That young student is coming at six." "I feel much better today." "Please let the student in, Emma." "Don't go throwing him out, too." "I'll come back later." "Then we can leave soon." "The travel office told me." "A wonderful ship, the "America"." "People back there miss you so much." "The university hasn't been doing very well since you left." "Don't laugh!" "Just wait till you lecture over there." "They'll line up." "Not like here." "If you stay, I will go." "If you don't believe me, ask those two." "But first you have to get better." "Why?" "When you're better, they'll tell you what I am trying to tell you now." "I brought you some flowers." " Very nice." "Did they send for you?" " No, they didn't." "I read about it in the papers." "I didn't know you were ill." "High blood pressure." "My slandered blood is rising and rebelling." "The blood of our young men finds different outlets." "It's seething and raging, fighting and flowing." "Mine is bursting my old veins." "Can't you stay here?" "The night nurse has such a hostile look." "Couldn't you...?" " Yes, sure." "The doctor will explain everhing to me." " Sure." "All I need is a bit of warmth, no hatred," "and such eyes." "Have they always been like that?" "You're staying?" " Yes, sure..." "It's just that at five, I have to..." " What must you do at five?" "You come to a foreign city and already have a date?" "What is it?" "It's just for an hour." " "Just for an hour..."!" "For once in my life I want something from you." "But you must leave for an hour at five." "Cancel it." " I have to go, it's important." "And if I ask you not to go?" "Very well, I'll stay." "And when I've fallen asleep, you'll go anyway." " No." "Sleep." "Let him have his own way." "He mustn't upset himself." "Are you there?" "Yes, go back to sleep." "If I had anything to say round here, I wouldn't let you in." "But no one listens to me." "Come along." "Professor, I came here to..." "I'm here to apologize." "I hope you get well soon and that you'll stay here with us." "Thank you, Walter." "Did you hear?" "He didn't hear you." "He's asleep." "What are you doing here, Mother?" "Did someone just call you "Mother"?" " Yes." "Can you hear me?" "Speak!" "What does he mean?" " Not now." "What's keeping the doctor?" "Who are you talking to?" "I'm cold." ""In the dismal month of November it was..."" "Where is the boy?" "I wish I could see him." "I can't." "Because we were apart for 20 years." ""As soon as I try to visualize him as a prisoner," "I see that baby face in uniform."" ""And years in one short moment are enshrin'd;" "But, oh, the harsh farewell is hid behind!"" "Who was that written by?" " By Goethe, the "Marienbad Elegy"!" "Welcome to California!" "And here comes Emma with the coffee." "Good morning, Emma." "Where's Mary?" "She found happiness over there." "Happiness?" "Over there?" "That exists?" "Yes, Fränkl, it exists." "But very little." "Much too little, that's the problem." ""It is morning, even if a dismal morning." "But it can grow into day."" "Why did you leave?" " Did I?" "Yes." "Wasn't there a problem with Fechner?" "Yes, now let me see..." "I can't remember." ""There's neither a race of criminals nor a race of heroes."" "You're sick, Mauthner." " You need rest." "The sun feels good." " You'll get better here." "No, I can't stay." " Where are you going?" "Home." "I'm going to join them." "Subtitles:" "Carol Stichel, Andrea Kirchhartz"