"Roswitha feels an enormous power within her." "Films have taught her that this power really exists." "Can you command an entire army?" "Yes, I can." "A front as well?" "Yes, I can, Fedya." "And all the armed forces of the republic?" "I'd have a lot to learn, but then I could." "And all the... armies of the world, too?" "Vasily Ivanovitch?" "No, not that." "I can't speak foreign languages." "All that sets men in motion must first pass through their minds, but the form it takes in those minds depends mainly on circumstances." "PART-TIME WORK OF A DOMESTIC SLAVE a film by Alexander Kluge" "detectives, clients, entrepreneurs, ministers, editors, union negotiators, works security staff..." "Roswitha Bronski, 29, married, 3 children." "This film depicts 6 months in the life of the Bronski family." "Inside it's warm, outside it's cold." "Today is children's day." "Sylvia, Roswitha's friend, has dropped by with her children." "Franz Bronski studied chemistry." "Now he's taking his second degree." "What's going on here?" "You know I have work to do!" "Look at this pigsty!" "First the noise in the street, and now the row at home." "It's driving me mad!" "And you've got visitors, too, I see." "So I'm just in the way." "Great!" "Her surgery's in another part of town." "To afford more children of her own, Roswitha carries out abortions." "Stay in bed for the next 3 days." "Take your temperature every day." "If you do get a temperature, or the bleeding hasn't stopped in 2 days, report here immediately." "Do I need your permission every time?" " Of course!" "I forbid you to spend time with that Sylvia, or take the kids to her place." "Where else, then?" " There's the rub!" "Getting rid of kids isn't as important as raising them." "I'm not getting rid of them, just have them cared for, when I'm with clients." "Your clients!" "I won't have that either!" ""I'm very sorry." "My address:" "Roswitha Bronski," "Achillesstrasse 6."" "I'd like to talk to you for a moment." "I'm busy right now." "Just a word or two." "Can't you see?" "My talk has to be ready by 11 tomorrow morning!" "What's more," "I have to read these books tonight." "Did the children get to bed alright?" "Go see for yourself." "They went to bed without a decent meal." "When I'm at work all day, the least you can do is buy some vegetables!" "What's this you've bought?" "Just look at it, it's like leather!" "Depends on which way you look at it." "There's no need to look." "You can tell." "Believe me, I'm very careful with what I buy." "Look at these shrivelled up rolls." "That's the stuff you buy." "Inedible!" "They're crap!" "I can't check every single roll for its artistic shape." "Yesterday I bought some red currants." "I got home, opened the bag:" "At the bottom they were all mouldy." "I just went back to the shop." "You know what the clerk said?" ""You didn't buy them here."" "I said:" ""I did, and you know very well."" ""In that case they're grade B." "Grade B or E, I don't care!" "I just want proper red currants!"" " That's not the problem." "It is!" "What am I to do?" " That's not the point." "Listen, it's not the point." "I threw them at her and said..." " Don't let yourself be deceived!" ""You can stick your red currants!" What else can I do?" "And the money?" "Did you get it back?" "Didn't think of that, did you?" "That's what I mean." "The main thing is not putting on a show, but not to let yourself be deceived." "That's what counts!" "1968." "Bronski begin his studies." "The discrepancy between his ambitions and job prospects affects his stomach." "His doctor can't help him, but he does get to know the assistant, Roswitha." "He marries her." "She's a good cook and she cures him." "Provided for by his wife, Bronski mustn't decide." "He's doing research at the university, but doesn't want a university career." "Nor a career in business, either." "His ideas would belong to the firm, and he wants to keep them for himself." "But unused ideas do not keep." "They go to waste." "Sailing boat and steam boat merrily keep afloat." "Caspar thinks it's grand to visit Yankee land." "But cannibals ready the pot." "They make it nice and hot." "Luckily a bird flies past and grabs him by his breeches fast, carries him home and then, the noblest of men return him to his family again." ""To the Chemical Society of the Common Market, Paris." "Reference:" "Application for the post of Director of Research, Germany."" "Bronski wants to get away from his family." "He's looking for a job abroad." "Roswitha keeps the family together." "24 hours after the treaty was published, Washington has no wish to tangle with North Vietnam or the two great Communist powers on the question of who got the most out of the talks held in Paris..." "What?" "You go to bed at 3 a.m., I have to be in by 11." "But we only have one room." "What with the summer holiday, things we need to buy..." "Do I take the kids to Sylvia when I go to work, or leave them here?" "More than 10,000 people gathered to see the coffin pass by draped in the Star Spangled Banner, flanked by soldiers from all branches." "Insurance..." "I don't want to talk about it now." "You're interrupting." "Roswitha buys her husband a fishing tackle." "But there's no river or lake nearby, and he wouldn't have the time anyway." "Now Franz has to write reports, so he can buy his wife something, too:" "A gold watch." "Roswitha doesn't want to call a plumber to the scene of her criminal activity." "She buys a cheap metal imitation." "Roswitha has brought home a pile of books from the university library." "She wants to match Bronsky's learning." "15 pages in 3 weeks!" "That's all you've read?" "Instead of being able to tell Franz what the books are about, she has to listen to his summaries." ""Give me a foothold outside the family and I will move the world."" ""One would like to embrace all mankind, but one stops at the reassuring stage of the family."" ""All families in capitalist society were modelled on the bourgeois family type." "The type itself is extinct."" "Roswitha hands over complicated cases to competent doctors." "They pay her a commission." "Dr Genée is the ablest of them all." "But he looks down on her and doesn't pay the commission." "Dr Genêe, one moment!" " Not here." "You mustn't accost me in the street." "It's important. - 2 minutes." " About the commission you owe me..." "Of all the nerve!" "The women you send me are penniless!" "I can't waste my time on small fry." " I sent you a good client yesterday." "An exception." "A complicated case." "Roswitha takes her client to gynaecologist Dr Genée." "Dr. Med." "Ernst Genêe, gynaecologist" "Office hours by appointment only" "What's the idea, coming here?" " I have my reasons." "You owe me 6 months' commission." "That makes 6,800 marks." "I have a family to keep, but you couldn't care less!" "I've already told you I don't need the business I get from you." "It may be a matter of money to you." "But I insist on you paying me my due." "Right this minute!" "Here's your cheque." "I hope you do understand that this is the end of our association." "Mrs A. Willek, the city's number one abortionist, has blundered." "The client turns to Roswitha." "I made an appointment." "Mrs Willek operated on me and must have messed it up." "I know you two are enemies, but..." " When did the bleeding start?" "It never stopped." " Are you in pain?" " Yes, something awful." "Maybe Willek pierced through to the abdominal cavity." "An injection?" " No, she needs a doctor." "Is it that critical?" "If you don't get to the best doctor in the city, you'll be dead by tomorrow." "Hang on." "Straight into the surgery." "You did a nice bit of butchery there." " I took her straight to you!" "You should be reported for manslaughter." " She isn't dead." "You pushed your ladle right into her belly." "Now leave my surgery!" "You're still there?" "Get out." "Get out!" "To the police department" "I refuse to admit any professional blunder in treating this client." "It is the height of impudence when Mrs Bronski, as my rival, pinches my client and takes her to a doctor, putting me in a bad light." "That's why I'll denounce Mrs Bronski anonymously to the police." "I don't usually do things like that." "I'm a nice sort of person." "To Police Headquarters, Criminal Investigation Department, Vice Squad." "I want to report the Bronski family..." "Mrs Roswitha Bronski?" "May we have a word?" " I'm in a hurry." "What about?" "It's a very urgent matter." "There are two policewomen." "They don't know where my surgery is." "They're following up on a report." " Do they have a search warrant?" "They haven't mentioned one." " If we send them off they'll be back." "You go with them." "I'll get rid of the evidence." "I'll let them put me in a cell and keep mum." "What's going on?" " You're Mr Bronski?" "Criminal Investigation Department." "You're suspected of violating article 218." "Anything you say, may be used against you." " It must be some misunderstanding." "I won't say a word." " I'll get rid of everything." "As her husband is co-operative, Roswitha thinks she should be, too." "She visits Mrs A. Willek, who isn't at all pleased." "If you don't play along, I'll cause trouble every day." "And I can be quite imaginative." " Threats, eh?" "What'll you do?" "You'll see!" "You've got a sticky record." "I could smash your whole set-up." " I'll have my place guarded." "Not all the time, you can't." "Don't forget:" "My family's at stake." "I must protect my interest." "I'll stop at nothing." "What do you suggest?" "I'll pay you 4,000 marks compensation." "You withdraw the complaint, written in the same handwriting, covered with the same fingerprints." "Very well." "Shall we write the letter together?" "Read him his rights." " Mr Bronski, as the accused you have certain rights:" ""Before questioning I was informed of the accusations made against me, and instructed of my lawful right to refuse to answer to these accusations and to consult a lawyer of my choice at any time." Do you wish to testify?" "No." "It must be here." "They don't hold very well." "It's best to stick it across the lock." "I'll get the next one." "Does it hold?" "Good." "Put this one a little higher up, okay?" "Yes, thereabouts." "That's fine." "Okay." "Right, that's that." "What's that?" "Bloody hell, the police!" ""Any unauthorised person tampering with these seals will be prosecuted."" "Damn." "Let me think." "Hello, Mrs Bronski." "Here he is." "How do I get the dog to come with me?" "He has to open a door." " Is it locked?" "It's closed off." "With paper." "Just call him." "He's well-trained." "So how do I get him to come with me?" " Just say "heel"!" "With conviction." "When you get to the door, you say "Hop"!" "And he'll open it." "Heel!" "Jump!" "Hop!" "Yes!" "Roswitha and Sylvia get rid of the abortion instruments and put vet's instruments in their place." "They look like abortion instruments." " They're a vet's, though." "Where'd you get them?" "Mrs Weichsel, a client, gave them to me." "WELCOME HOME" "Bronski is released for lack of proof." "Was that really necessary?" " What?" " The sign on the door and this Sunday best?" " I wanted it to be nice." "Little do you know me." "Everything turned out alright." " Nothing turned out alright!" "I'm well aware the family lives on your abortions." "But I was always against it." "So, was he glad things turned out fine?" "On the contrary!" "He said, what we did was criminal." "Why?" " He didn't go into details." "He just preached one of his sermons." "Now Bronski has to provide for his family." "He takes a job with Beauchamp  Co." "You can see by his face how long it took him to be promoted to Head of Department." "I don't want that for me." "Bullied and provided for by her husband, Roswitha comes to a decision:" "1." "No more abortions." "2." "I will no longer put all my energy into the family." "3." "I will become engaged in social work and politics." "Wonderful how they march!" "Colour:" "Purple." "Khrushchev's first name:" "Nikita." "Bone in the forearm:" "Ulna..." "Bronski's taking a rest." "He's on late shift." "I've written down some questions." "Please go to the National Library and have the answers by 4 o'clock." "Sylvia and I are giving a talk at the Centre for Further Education tonight." "The questions:" "1." "Need smog and air pollution be symptoms of change in society?" "2." "What is "change in society"?" "3." "How do children react to smog and air pollution?" "And then there are some individual questions." "I could answer those for you now, but I have to go to work." "As for the rest:" "To answer those you'd need a team to do a year's works." "You're not the kind of guy to help me." "The Hessian government on a bus tour of the city:" ""Study of the social situation." Roswitha, also interested in the social situation, has joined them." "First of all we shall visit Frankfurt's West End, more specifically West End Strasse 60, to look at a house occupied by foreign workers and their families." "All we did was ask a few of the families for their permission to visit their flat." "We have among us..." "a Turkish friend, who will interpret for us." "I would ask of him to stay with the Prime Minister, so he can interpret any questions." "Are there any subletters among them?" "I hope you will understand that we won't be getting... a grandstand welcome, which is probably for the best." "We thought we wouldn't get an objective impression if the people knew we were coming to look at their home." "That's why we decided where to go at the very last moment." "In this way only a few of the families know they can expect company, enabling us to have a look at some of the flats and the rest of the building." "It will all be a bit improvised, so you'll get an authentic impression." "We have deliberately avoided showing you extreme cases because then politicians would've rightly objected." "You will have heard of the rather unusual solution we found in one case, which is building a day care centre in the middle of a street that was hardly used any more." "This is one such day care centre..." "We have two sections." "Are you having fun here?" "There are 25 children in the group." "It's within the guidelines." "But the building itself is a little bigger and could take more children." "We now come to Sossenheim." "That's one of our suburbs." "This time it's a normal case, or even better than normal." "So who are the owners?" "I mean, is there a certain group that's bought up everything and is now selling..." " It's a large group." "Several groups, all affiliated." "The same names crop up among all of them." "Normally the housing regulation would apply to these buildings, which stipulates certain minimum requirements for the flats, but if we were to follow them, by next week we'd have thousands of homeless people we couldn't house." ""Scattered light and murky air hinder astronomy." Murky light is smog!" ""In Sydney it's too hot to work, factories close."" ""Workers burn their hands on the machines."" "But machines aren't only dangerous in Sydney, or on hot days." "Wait, I've got something on that in my sheet here." "Here's a small article that says 3 children die in accidents every day." "That's 1,095 a year." "In 5 years that's 5,475!" "That's a whole village of dead children." "That should be a headline on the front page!" "Roswitha and Sylvia go to a paper's editorial office." "They want to discuss their concerns." "So where exactly is all of this happening?" "At Beauchamp  Co." " Here. - "Boucham"?" "How do you spell that?" "This Boucham?" "B-O-U?" " It doesn't matter where exactly, what counts is..." "No!" "We need a name, folks!" " Beauchamp  Co." "B-A-U-C-H-A-M-P." "B-O-U?" " Bauchamp." "B-A-U-C-H-A-M-P." "Beauchamp?" "Something else entirely." "So what's going on at Beauchamp  Co?" "The worker's wives have set up a kitchen in the canteen there where they don't serve the usual sausages and coffee." "At night." " But instead..." " Wait." "What do you mean, "at night"?" "The night shift is usually served sausages and coffee!" " Fine." "Sausages and coffee..." "As a result the workers get ulcers." "Some of their wives got together and set up a kitchen within the canteen's kitchen." "A kitchen in the canteen..." "To end their unbalanced diet, so they can have spaghetti once in a while." "There are foreign workers, too." "German workers like their knuckle of pork!" "That's only understandable, isn't it?" " What a laugh!" "So, you mean..." " To you it's all a laugh!" "Well listen, you're not honestly saying that spaghetti causes ulcers in German workers and knuckle of pork is good for them?" "We're not saying it'd prevent ulcers." "We're saying that an unbalanced diet of coffee and sausages causes ulcers." "But the point is that the health board banned this initiative." "That's why we're here." " I see..." " Why?" "They thought the hygienic conditions weren't satisfactory." "So what are the conditions like?" "What conditions?" " There are rules of hygiene." "Fact is..." " Our next point is this:" "Every day children die in accidents." "You read it in the papers." "Yesterday I read 3 children die in road accidents in Germany every day!" "I think it's even more." " More than 5,000 in 5 years..." "Well, even worse." "Most traffic accidents..." " This program won't change a thing!" "Just a moment..." " I'd like to know if your child was run over, what prevention initiative you'd start!" "The front page is reserved for politics or in certain cases important murders and so on, but..." " Just a moment, I'll get back to you." "A "story", as you put it, like this has no effect when it's on page 5." "It should be on the front page." "It's more important to your readers..." "A demand for the front page won't work." "We've got our concept." "The front page brings day-to-day politics, just like the 2nd and 4th." "This is day-to-day politics!" "Whose interests do you represent?" "Is Goppel's postponed resignation more important than 5,000 dead children?" "That's important to us, too, but the front page is reserved for hot items." "This is a hot item!" "No, it's a general item." "We can't put it on the front page." "We can do a feature on it on page 3 or the local page, but not on the front page." " Write about a story-Ioving editor who can no longer write facts or react like a human being." "It's a sad life!" "What did she want?" "Are you crazy?" "Andro!" "Get away!" "And it's not funny at all!" "That's so dangerous." "One more such thing and I'll flip my lid." "Get away!" "Having no better access to reality," "Roswitha and Sylvia learn a Brecht song by heart." "In Potsdam under the oak trees" "A procession passes in broad daylight" "A drum up front, a flag at the back" "In the middle a coffin is borne" "In Potsdam under the oak trees" "In the dust of a hundred years  So they went through Potsdam" "With the man from..." "la-la-dam!" "Until the police came" "And beat them to a jam!" "Have you got the piece of paper we wrote our projects on?" "The memory's slipping..." " I found one paper in the laundry basket, but the other had the discussion results on it." "That's important." "We must find it." " We know when you'll take the kids, when I'll have them and who has an appointment when and where." "But all the other more and less important things are on that paper." "Beauchamp  Co will be closed down." "It will be relocated to Portugal." "The works of Beauchamp  Co in which my husband works is to be closed down." "You know the works." "You've worked there." "What are the possibilities to prevent the closure?" "I know from experience that the legal route, most members of the works council want to take, will not be successful." "Roswitha and Sylvia talk to 2 union negotiators, who work at Beauchamp." "...Maybe it'll result in a redundancy scheme, offered as a sop, some small severance pay, but the jobs are lost." "We will try to enter the works." "I admire your zest, but I must point out the following:" "As I said before, it is likely that the management will recognise your goals, if you continue with this much persistence." "First of all we need some contacts." "When we've had talks with the contacts and have gathered all the information, then we start distributing pamphlets." "In the past I have treated some of the workers' wives." "We'll look these women up." "Why does is take so long to mobilise the workers?" "It's crystal clear:" "The jobs go to Portugal, the unemployed stay here." "Anyone can see that!" "So I enter the works, and have discussions in small groups." "Suddenly the machines stop and it gets very, very quiet." "Then all the workers march together to the management's office!" "That's that!" "They know exactly where they're going." "As soon as it starts they know:" "The management is the enemy, we're marching to the management's office." "No one has to tell them where to go." "They march straight to the management's office." "That's exactly what we want:" "Have them march to the management's office." "Imagine this worker at the management's office:" "For the very first time he senses the power of solidarity." "Then one of the managers arrives, thinking the masses will give way." "Instead they stay put." "His car's wedged in." "They lift the car and drop it with him inside." "Congress of Young Businessmen in Bad Harzburg, attended by works security staff." "I'm only interested in the big picture, not the details." "Do like me, take the bird's view, as if you're looking from a plane." "You don't see the details, only the big picture." "When will you ever learn?" "Workers from Portugal coming to us, or us moving the works there, it's the same thing." "I suggest we play a management game this afternoon." "Ferdinand Schliephake." "I'm security officer at a large works." "Gentlemen, what you want from me is not a secure factory." "This I could guarantee by clearing the factory according to my security measures." "A works is secure on a holiday, when there are no workers present." "What we are discussing here, and what is my job, is security inside the works, and that means reliable people who produce, not the security of an empty building." "How do we get reliable people?" "That's what we should talk about." "That is your job!" "I can only guarantee security for the works," "I can only create a secure environment in which reliable people can produce." "But I cannot supply or pre-condition reliable people." "Thinking is securing." "And I have to achieve that in this office." "On my right:" "The toilets." "On my left:" "The lift." "Beneath me:" "The tram." "How can I be sensitive here?" "How can I develop my imagination here?" "We in works security are "Philosophers of Security"." "With watchful eyes we walk by night to check if the safety by means of walls, some covered in broken glass, wire-netting fences and other measures aren't breached by outsiders." "7 generations of industrial lawyers created a literature on the subject." "Mouse-proof!" "There are plenty of places in which the public can move:" "Streets, squares, department stores, public toilets, parks..." "Plenty of places where outsiders can go for a stroll." "Bronski." "I came to you because you're in the works council." "I've heard they're closing the works." "Heinz Mückert sent me." "We can talk confidentially here." "Your information is correct." "The works council has discussed it at length." "Do you think there's still a chance to stop the closure?" "There's only one possibility." "If the workforce finds hard proof that the management has been lying, there'll be a revolt." "So if we find proof?" " The workers will stand up." "We'll meet here the day after tomorrow at the same time." "Roswitha is looking for evidence at the Beauchamp  Co works." "She can't find the office in which the evidence is." "What are you doing here?" "Do you have a permit to spy around here?" "I don't need your permission!" "Let go or I'll scream and you'll be charged with harassment." "For the next shot I'll be aiming at your knees, but you never know." "You're not allowed a gun." " That's my business." "There's someone else!" " Where?" "Stop!" "Roswitha goes to see the head secretary of Beauchamp  Co." "Mrs Niels, you came to my surgery two years ago, remember?" "Of course." " I got this permit at the gate, could you sign it for me?" "There you are." "Anything else I can do?" " Today I need your help." " What with?" "The works will be relocated to Portugal." "Everybody knows it." "But we need proof of what we all know." "Therefore I want you to find all the correspondence concerning the closure and hand it over." "What a sweet thought." "You know perfectly well the management denies any intention of closure." "Who's being naive now?" "You don't honestly believe them?" "What I believe is my business." "I have a position of trust here." "I can't do what you ask." " You have to." "I helped you too, once." "That's different." " How so?" " We can't discuss it here." " We can!" "Come to my place tonight." " I'll be there at 8:30." "And bring the papers." "Save your breath." "I've considered exactly how far I will go." "Why bring the papers, if you won't give them to me?" "Roswitha travels to Portugal." "There she must be able to find building plans for Beauchamp  Co." "That would be proof." "In a city in the heart of France" "Roswitha is seized with a desire to drive home." "She believes her husband and children can't cope without her." "Then she decides to drive on." "Roswitha sees the building site for Beauchamp  Co with her own eyes." "With this evidence she drives home." "Listen, I got you several pamphlets concerning works closures, so we can see how they're done." "This one for instance..." "No, that's no good." "It's a 6-page novel!" "But this one's only one page." "Too long." "It must be like this:" "Short, clear and possibly with a picture." "To AII!" "The management... plans to relocate..." "Portugal..." "Many have fallen in Leuna" "Yes, the blood of the workers flowed in Leuna" "Da haben zwei Rotgardisten" "Einander die Treue geschworen..." "Da kam ein feindliche Kugel" "Die durchbohrte dem einen das Herz" "Für den Eltern, da war es ein Kummer" "Für die Schupo, da war es ein Scherz... lhr Herren, wir schwren euch Rache" "Für vergossenes Arbeiterblut" "Es kommen die Zeiten der Rache" "Dann bezahlt ihr's mit eigenem Blut..." "Here are your pamphlets, I quit!" "Stephan's ill." "The kids never see me." "My main problem now is looking after my family." "Our relationship has hit rock bottom." "I can't let that happen." "This relationship is my priority and the basis for my political commitment." "For me it's necessary to tackle the next most important problem." "The problems farthest removed are the problems most easily solved." "I do understand, but we have to realise, that if we quit now, the management will be rubbing their hands." " I don't give a toss!" "I've just tried to explain my reasons!" "We have to be angry at them!" ""The workers and public opinion, not Roswitha and Sylvia, force the management to withdraw the closure."" "Do you know this pamphlet, Mr Bronski?" " Yes." " Have you read it?" " Yes." "Is this Mrs Bronski your wife?" " Yes." "What do you have to say to that?" "What does management say to it?" " I ask the questions around here!" "Did you help make this pamphlet?" " No." "I have nothing to do with it." "This highly slanderous pamphlet is incredibly damaging to business!" "We never planned a closure, as I told the press." " I'm convinced of that." "Is your wife a communist?" " No, definitely not." "So how do you explain this?" " I'm at a loss." "My latest experiments here..." "That's no explanation!" "What your wife is doing is unlawful." "It's socialism!" "It's just one of those fads of her." " Excuse me, Mr Bronski!" "Listen, what have you been doing?" "You were never interested in what I do." "You can't keep such a thing from me!" " I can't bother you with everything." "It's got me fired, that's what." "On the spot!" "All your doing!" "I didn't want that to happen." "Who'd have thought they'd react like that?" "All I did was pass on ordinary, new information to the work force." "They were going to sack the entire work force." "I had to do something." "You should have thought of that before." "Now I'm paying the price!" "In case of closure you'd have lost the job, too." " There won't be a closure!" "There's always a price to pay." "Finding a place in the sun?" "Not easy." "Once you've found it, the sun has set." "Near some factory" "Roswitha has found a new task:" "Selling sausages wrapped in pamphlets." "What's this?" "We know this sausage lady!" "It's Mrs Bronski." "We've thrown her out of the works several times." "We think these sausages disturb the peace at the works." "Sausages in themselves are harmless." "But there's more to it than that." "There must be something to it." "But what?" "Subtitles Ad van der Loop" "Film und Video Untertitelung Gerhard Lehmann AG"