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Dr Furtwangler: Minister Rzeszy
Dr Furtwangler,
I want to apologize personally, for this power failure
I was so enjoying your performance.
in times like these ...
needs spritual nurihment
But welcome unexpected opportunity to talking to you
when you came platform tonight
I thought it was wrong,
looked tired,
Getaway from this bombing .... away from war,
should go abroad ... for a while,
yes
he looks tired
Even in this light
Watch them ... men, women and children
ha, ha, all love him
You see Steve,
Adolf Hitler touch something real deep, savage
barbaric,
and will not go away over night
Its got to be rooted out.
You know what I think?
I think they were all Nazis,
Let's face
their leaders, those bastards now on trial at Nuremberg,
could not have done alone.
Its these people
they gave all the help,that was needed
voluntarily.
That's him
Wilhelm Furtwangler.
so you've never heard of him,
No,
You know who Arturo Toscanini?
Clear,
It's as big as Toscanini, may be even bigger,
In this neck of the word, it's like Bob Hope and Betty Grable merged into one.
I've never heard of him.
You were in incharge Before the war,
claims consultant
Meticulous, determined, dog,
You said i was dog?
Well, they says here that when you went on a occation, stayed on it.
Now we can't take every Nazi in this country to trial.
although I would like to, impossibility,
So we gone through the big boys in the industry education, law, culture ...
as the bandleader,
Well, it's more than the band leader, Steve.
He is a great conductor
a gifted artist,
but we believe, that he sold himself to the devil,
your No:1 priority from this moment on is to connect him to the Nazi party,
Do not be impressed by him.
I want our people to understand, why we entered this war.
find Furtwangler guilty.
He represents everything to me rotten in Germany.
Stay , Steve, there some other stuff that I would like you to see. Background.
Oh, one thing that may be a problem,
Our occupation authorities in Wiesbaden,
have a duty to help these unhappy in his defense.
They keep repeating we must be just we must appear as being just.
Well, I only have one thing to say to these liberals in Wiesbaden:
fuck him
You answer no one but me that understood
Show him the film,
Yes sir,
That is the hand that drop the bombs on defenceless Rotterdam,
Brussels,
Belgrade,
That is the hand that destroyed cities, the villages and homes in Russia.
That is the hand that held his whip over the Polish, Yugoslavs, French and Norwegian slaves.
That is the hand that took away their food,
The sanitary conditions were so bad,that heavy equipment had to be brought in to feed the work of cleaning up.
This .... was Bergen Belsen.
Remember, man no colonisation.
In a German town, a pretty girl , is paying tribute to Hitler.
You pay tribute to the reign of blood, the ideology that brought death and destruction.
You never know who was a member of the Nazi party, do not be fooled don't be practical.
Cigarettes? "Chewing gum?
We gotta have heating fixed by tonight.
This is major Arnold ,
Sir, this is your secretary, Emmi Straube
Her file is on your desk, The administration sent, you decide.
You live here in Berlin?
Yes
You know shorthand and typing?
Yes
How long were you in that camp for?
Three months
It says here that because your father, What does it mean?
My father was one of the officers in the plot against Hitler.
They arrested the conspirators and their families.
And your mother too,
She suffered more as long as. she was in Ravensbruck
And your father was executed.
I'll call you Emmi, and you gotta call me Steve, OK?
I got a list of stuff I want you to get me,
If you need anything, let me know.
Major
Steve
There are messages for you
And Lt. David Wills called
And from Allied Command center office in Wiesbaden
I do not know who he is.
There have been 3 calls from Dr Furtwangler, wanting to know when you wish to see him.
I didn't speak to him personally ...
Can you get me any of that?
Oh yes, I have recordings of all his symphonies,
kept in safe during the bombing.
my favorite is the Seventh Symphony,
and mine is eleven.
But ... he only wrote 9 major
I'm kidding. Emmi.
What about a record player you have that, too?
No, that one was damaged.
What's in those files?
The names of the members of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra since 1934, along with interviews.
Major what am I to tell Dr. Furtwngler now?
You tell him nothing, Emmi.
he calls,again you say you know nothing.
We gotta keep him waiting
until i know this case
and talk to witnesses.
and God help me with Beethoven
Yes
Lieutenant Wills reporting to Major Arnold.
For chirist sakes, I hate that shit. cut it out
Sorry
I'm Steve. What is your name?
David, David Wills, I am your liaison officer with the Allied Command Cultural Affairs Committee of the .
It sounds like lot of fun.
So they sent the wolves to checkup on me,
Now recruiting children now?
I gess so, sir.
You call me sir again, I will make you listen to Beethoven,
Where are you from, David?
I was born here in Leipzig. i Escaped in 36. My parents sent me to my uncle in Philadelphia.
They way too far ... but they delayed .and. ..
Our family name was Weill, but it doesn't sounds well in English and my uncle changed it to Wills.
Oh, come in Emmi
This is your office too.
Emmi, this is Lt. David Wills
He's here to watch over us.
I gess you admire musicians.
Some
Do not. This is like a criminal investigation, David.
Musicians,mortitions doctors, lawyers, butchers, clerks, they are all the same.
We have a duty. A moral duty
It works.
Mr. Rudolf Werner.
Sit down Werner.
I want you to understand .... why are you here.
This is an investigation into Wilhelm Furtwangler, former Prussian Privy Councilor,
Been from public life under control council by the Order No. 24 .
and who is applied to come before the tribunal for the Artists of the denazification Commission .
I am interested what he was up to 1933 to the end of the war. Understood?
Yes
Rudolf Otto Werner. with section since 1936. What instrument did you plays?
Prictaboe
I be question you here. He says you was never be a member of Nazi party
Absolutely not.
No, I was never a Nazi. I have no interest in politics. I am a musician
Eh, eh, slow down, Fraulein Straube has to take note of what he says
"Straube?
Any relation to Colonel Joachim Straube?
My father
It is a great honor to meet, his father was a great patriot.
Dr. Furtwngler is a great musician. he Actively opposed the Nazis.
and later on he helped many Jews to escape.
And how do you explain him been appointed as Prussian Privy Councilor?
It was Hermann Goering, i was told he just mate the maister his Privy Councilor no question asked.
Even if Dr. Furtwngler cared for him and Dr. Goebbels.
He also led to Hitler, didn't he?
Yes,thats true. But he refused to give Nazi salute.
In Hitler's presence , it was the brave act.
"brave?
To Celebrate the Hitler's birthday with some heroic piece by Wagner but without the Nazi salute?
Bravo
It was Beethoven's Ninth.
Do you really think that he was brave?
in he bowing to him and shook his hand?
No, no, no, i give you my word. I was never a Nazi party member. Never.
I was in the percussion section. I play the symphony.
Anyway, they've never allowed it.
My brother married a Jewish woman, rest in peace.
and Goebbels said that... please take this note carefully, is very important ... Miss ...
Straube.
"Straube? Are you By any chance related to Colonel Joachim Straube?
my father.
He was ..... he was a great hero.
Goebbels, yes, Josef Goebbels said:
There is not a single filthy Jew left in Germany on whose behalf Dr. Furtwangler has not intervened.
No, no, no one may be less Nazi Dr. Furtwangler
This was the same guy who conducted for Adolf on his birthday.
He was forced to do that. He refused to do the Nazi salute in front of Hitler.
He held the baton in his hand. You can not greet with baton in his hand.
What about the Nuremberg rally?
No, we played on the evening, before the rally
Oh! evening, before ... I see
Yes sir Dr. Furtwangler was absolutely clear:
About this politics and arts must be kept separate.
politics and art must be kept separate, I will remember.
....But let me see if you can help me with something I just don't understand.
I really like to know Why all you guys are so crazy about him?
What's his secret?
Well, it's hard to explain. I can only tell from my own experience.
Soon after i join the orchestra,
we were rehearsing the Beethoven's Third Symphony, the Eroica.
There are some very difficult passages for the timpani.
One particular crescendo
Through the break hours.
He was studying his part.
Without looking up, he said: "Just watch me."
And off course I did. I never stop watching him.
The moments came
and suddenly he turned to me
And eyes were locked.
There was something in his look .....
that simply demanded the crescendo.
I shall never forget that look. It was a moment ... magic
Have you ever seen the Adolf Hitler eyes of when he was making a speech?
I've seen them on films,
Yes
Is he looking at Furtwangler like that?
I do not know what you mean, Major.
When you got the crescendo
You think wholel orchestra,124 guys, Could be orchestrated?
I think it is possible
what do Russki wants?
Colonel Dymshitz asked especially to see you.
"" Deep - shit "?
What the hell are they doing?
They are trying to sort out some of works of art
The Nazis stolen from the occupied territories
Who really owns what?
That colonel Dymshitz on of our side.
art historian, head of the famous Leningrad museum of art .
He is an expert on German culture.
What? Henri, What he saying?
He is saying that picture are probably France property.
It is a Braque, with Picasso have been the pioneers of Cubism.
I Know Who is Georges Braque, i know Captain
We can produce correctness of this Braque
You said ... "correctness"?
Hello Major,i'm Colonel Dymshitz good to see you
It is a pleasure
So major....Tell me ... Have you interviewed Dr. Furtwangler?
Not yet
I had two meetings with him.
He is a great musician. may be the greatest conductor in the world.
His Brahms, Beethoven, Schubert, are un eaqual.
I'll come straight to the point. I've offered him a very attractive position.
Conductor of the Staatsoper Unter den Linden
He refused.
What i want from him,I want him badly.
And i want your help.
..just a moment. you should have discuss this with me first.
I will discuss with you now.
Major, I want you to drop your investigation,
save every body time and problems.
We can't drop the cases just like this.
I will give you another conductor in exchange, writer, musician or actor,What do you care.
But I like Furtwangler
He is my favorite conductor.
Mine and Hitler. He's our favorite conductor.
I hit my heels, saluted and bent at the same time
That's because you had a proper upbringing
Thats Right. I was raised properly. We are very German.
You don't speak before he spoken to.
Oh! and don't wave your hands about.
Respect your elders and your betters.
And no elbows on the table!
Eating is eating!
And talking is talking.
Well i think we better get on
Well so. This is going to be very formal tonight,
Lt. David Wills requests the pleasure Company of St. Emmi Straube
for dinner any night she wants.
David, I need to ask you something
Have you heard the rumor that the British found something called Hinkel archive?
Yes. so What is it?
The British occupied the building, where this guy ... Hinkel,
headed the Nazi ministry of culture,
It seems they .... have discovered their secret archives.
What does this mean?
I don't know. But the British are very exited.
The rumor is that Hinkel kept a file on every artist working with the Third Reich.
Well. Do you think that the British will share it with its allies?
Major Richard said he would call to tell us know.
It is appreciated
OK. Better question the next witness.
I bet you a bottle of French champagne
that he tells us batan's story inside 10 minutes.
five minutes
It's a bet.you are the witness Emmi.
Helmuth Alfred Rode, second violinist since 1935
Whats, that means second violinist?
It means that it wasn't good enough to be the first violinist.
good,
And according to your questionnaire, Helmuth, you never joined the Nazi party.
Me? Never. Never
.... I know everyone Nazis that never were never Nazis,
but in my case it is absolutley 100% true.
I am Catholic.
It would've been told you against my conscience.
Is it true you are going to interview Dr. Furtwangler today?
I'll ask the questions, Helmuth
Excuse me.
Did you know that he refused to give the Nazi salute when Hitler was present in the audience?
The problem was how could he avoid giving the salute , when Satan was actually sitting there.
I said, Dr. Furtwangler, Why not enter with the baton in his right hand?
Hitler was sitting in the front row
If you give the salute with the baton in your right hand it look like you're going to poke his eyes out.
He was .... he was really grateful to me for that,
After the concert, I ... stole the show.
as the memento of a great act of courage.
I still have it.
I should have brought to show you.
I hope i'm not going too fast for you miss ...
Straube
"Straube? Any relationship with colonel Joachim Straube?
My father
I'm deeply honor to be in your presence, Straube Sta.
Your father was a true patriot. A man of God.
" you have a question for Helmuth,David?
Yes
What was the orchestra's reaction when they asked you to play it on Hitler's birthday?
Oh, we didn't play for his birthday we played the evening before.
Its the 19th of April, not 20th
Do you know Hans Hinke?
Hans Hinkel?
That's what I ask
Do I know Hans Hinkel?
You seems to understand the question, How about the answer?
Hans Hinkel was in the Ministry of Culture,
How could I know such a man?
I heard the British have his file, records,files ...
Do you know what was in that file?
How could I know what is in that file?
OK. You can go on Helmuth. Get out.
Furtwangler
Major, Major, he is here ....
Close the door,Emmi sit down.
Let him keep waiting.
Emmi, give us some coffee, will you?
do not offer him coffee.
not even greet him.
Miss ...
How long will I have to wait?
OK. Emmi. go get him.
Dr. Furtwangler
I didn't hear anyone who invite you to sit down.
Sit there.
I want you to understand why you're here.
You are automatically banned from public life under Control Council Directive No 24.
We are here to look into your case
before you appear infront of the tribunal for Artists of denazification Commission .
Do you understand that?
I'm already been declared innocent by the Court of denazification of Austria
What they do in Austria, doesn't interest me one little bit ok.
I have questionnaire here,
Gustav Heinrich Ernst Martin Wilhelm Furtwangler
born in Berlin in January 1886.
Conductor.
and you say here you're never a member of Nazi party .
That's correct.
Could you tell us about being made a Prussian Privy Councilor?
How do that happened to a party member?
I received a telegram from Hermann Goering,
informing me that he had made me a Privy councilor
wasn't given the opportunity, or either accept or refuse.
And after the appalling events November 1938
violent attacks on Jews, stopped using that title.
what about the vice president of the chamber of Music,
You used that title, didn't you?
Then i suppose you had no choice to decide, then i suppose that Dr. Goebbels
just sent you a telegram saying "Dear Mr.Vice Presiden"
I do not think that Dr. Goebbels sent me a telegram.
I was simply told in a letter, I believe. Do not remember exactly.
Well,Goebbels and Goering covered his honors on you.
One makes you Privy Councilor,
the other is makes you vice president of the chamber of Music
You weren't even remember the party. How do you explainthat?
Well, there was a constant battle between Goering and Goebbels, to which of them control the German culture.
And i was simply a pawn.
Anyway, i resigned from the Music
and at the same time i resigned as musical director of Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in 1934.
Why was that Why did you resigned? "Dr. Furtwangler?
I wrote an open letter to newspapers, condemning what they were doing to the music.
making distinctions between Jews and non Jews.
For my part, the only dividing artists is between good and bad.
Eventually, Goebbels summoned me
And told me i could leave the country if i wanted to.
but under no condition whatever be I will not return.
I always believed that i have to fight from the inside, and from without.
I asked myself. What is the duty of an artist?
"Stay or to leave?
And then Goebbels demanded that i acknowledge Hitler as solely responsible for cultural policy.
Well,that was a fact seem pointless to deny.
Simply acknowledge the Hitler and the Minister of Culture appointed by him,
and were solely responsible for the cultural policy of the Reich
What I wanted to express, was that I personally had no responsibility what so ever for their cultural policy
I always have the views that art and politics should ...
should have nothing to do with each other.
Then Why did you conduct the one of the Nuremberg rallies?
I do not conducted at the rally ..... ... I conducted on the evening before the rally.
That sounds like the small print one of our insurance policies we will have.
And what about the April 19, 1942?
eve of Hitler's 53rd birthday, The big celebration.
You conducted for Hitler didn't you?
Was it keeping with your view that art and politics have nothing to do with each other?
That was the different matter ... I was tricked
How come?
Can i have a glass of water, please?
Please Miss
Straube
Thank you.
I was in Vienna rehearsing the last Symphony of Beethoven's Ninth
When Goebbels called us that had to conduct Hitler's birthday.
I always manage to avoid out of such invitations,
by pleding previous engagements, illness
Having my doctor's, said that i was not well so on and so on.
I was also fortunate at the Baldur von and Shirach,
who controlled Vienna
hated Dr.Goebbels , he would do anything who contradict him.
But this time, Goebbels got to my doctors before me,
they were frightened off,
von Schirach was threatened, and handed down.
So i had no choice but to conduct for Hitler.
Believe me,
I knew I had compromised,
I deeply regret. It seems like an agreement to me.
Sounds like you commited a deal.
I made no deal.
I don't believe that.
I keep hearing,you help the lots of Jews to escaped, How did you do that?
I do not remember in detail, there were so many ...
Did you called them you knew?
I may have, as I said, i simply do not remember.
let me help you.
You picked up this phone and made a call
"Hello Adolf Wilhelm speaking" ,
listen old friend, there is a Jew boy musician i like to help
You need a permit to get to Paris.
Or may be you called Goebbels or Goering?
You were so close,
You in the same shit house is like them,
May I ask a question?
Sure!
When will my case will be heard by tribunal?
Your guess is as good as mine.
I need to work. I need to make my living. I live of the generosity of my friends.
Tough,Tough
Then why? why he's agrees another conductor
was actually was the member of party ,
Who used to play a Horts Wessels before his concerts,
Has already been cleared and is working again.
while I have to wait and wait and wait
I don't know, it was'nt my case.
Why did you escaped to Switzerland just before the war ended?
What?
Why did you escaped to Switzerland just before the war ended?
Thats because I learned that the Gestapo was about to arrest me.
Why would they going to arrest you?
I believe it was because of another letter I had written to Dr.Goebbels
lamenting the decline of musical standards, due to racial politics
You did not complain about the racial politics,
Just about the musical standards,
Is that Right?
So how did you learned that the Gestapo was out to get you?
During a forced hour long interval because of
of a power failure during a concert, here in Berlin,
Albert Speers, the minister of armaments, said to me:
"you look very tired, Furtwangler
You should go abroad for a while "
I knew exactly what he meant.
You should know a lot of people in high places,
It would be true, to say a think, i lot of people in high places knew me.
You were real close to all of them ,
To Adolf, to Hermann, to Joseph, to Baldur, and now Albert
So, lets hear the truth, let's come clean.
What was your party number?
If you keep insulting me, Major, you better do your home work.
Obviously, i have no idea,how impertinent and stupid your questions are.
David, you remember I told you that I have a question he would not be able to answer?
well, I'm going to ask him now
you ready for this, Wilhelm?
which is tough one,
Why did not you get out right at the start, when Hitler came to power in 1933?
Why didn't you leave Germany?
I have a list of names, people of your profession who got out in 1933
Bruno Walter, Otto Klemperer, Arnold Schoenberg, Max Reinhardt ...
They were Jews, they had to leave. they had reason to leave
I could not leave my country in a deepest misery
After all, I am German. I stayed in my own land.
is that my sin,in your eyes ?
You see David, can not answer the question.
I'm asking again, Wilhelm,
Don't give any more airy fairy intellectuals bull shit!
major Arnold's Office, Yes, he is.
Is the Major to Lt. Richard Wills
David Wills.here sir.
do you want me to tell him? OK
Major Richards wants word with you, sir.
Why can't you just ask for me?
what is it he've to ask for you?
Damn British so correct,
Steve Arnold ...
I've had enough of this, I leave.
Dr. Furtwangler! Dr. Furtwangler! please!
Do not. It is not advisable.
When i was a child, my father he took me to .... took me to one of your concerts
I remember you were conducted the Beethoven's Fifth Symphony.
I was deeply moved. and i have loved the music ever since.
Was grateful to you,
And i've admired you.
How could you ... How could you serve those criminals?
How many?
Jesus, that's dynamite,
Well now, aren't we all sociable?
I have got to handed to the British, David.
You know what those guys are?
Decent.
Tell me here Dr. Furtwangler,
You Know Hans Hinkel?
No, a miserable human being,
was in the Ministry of Culture, his job was to get of the Jews in the arts.
Yes,thats him thats the guy. You know what else that little creep did?
He kept the files, close to 250,000 files.
And you know what was in those files?
Certainly not,
but I knew I had informers everywhere.
Even in my orchestra, there was some one
Who?
it wasn't told. that just i knew.
How?
I was warned
Who warned you?
Goering, because Hinkel was working for Goebbels.
What did Goering said?
Told me to be careful, because one of the Goebbels men watching me.
I read a report of me everything i said, word for word.
O boy. You'll love for this,
Take your time with this,now
Those files contain the details of every working artist in this country.
Those files are going to tell us
who joined the party,
who informed
and whom he collaborated.
Your name, please.
David Wills
Over there
Fantastic!
The only condition is, we have to do the work here.
I want you to collect all the files of the boys in the band,
Maybe you should take a look at this,
Schubert
Dr. Furtwangler
Moving. "are you agree?
I am always excited to hear Shubert. "Do you agree?
The tempi were little too correct for my taste. but i expect just because of rain.
I understand, You have have difficulties with Americans
I want you to know I am your advocate, We can help.
What does he mean to "correctt"?
I do not know.
So what is this? the office party?
May i join you?
So what is you two been up to tonight?
Hey, Is not I owe you one bottle of French champagne?
You know David, you're a lucky guy.
I invited Emmi here but, but she turned me down.
you must have hidden depth David, ...
Come on,Emmi let's dance, I'll show you how to move.
Very sorry Major,but I promised her mother, we have to go.
You need not accompany me to the door.
But I promised your mother
Wills,
sleep well
Excuse Major.
I've found this on Helmuth Rode. you remember?
The second violinist?
He is Austrian, not German.
But its this is more important .... i think.
Lieutenant Wills, got a phone.
What is this? A railway station?
David Wills, Hello? Who?
Who in Wiesbaden?
Major,
Helmuth,
Guess what I am holding in my hand.
Do you like riddles?
Love them..I give up, what do you holding in your hand?
Its a Dr. Furtwangler's baton stick which i stole.
The one he kept in his right hand?
Yes,yes You remember ..
How could I forget?
Show me,
Show you?
Yes, show me.
I want to see you do it.
Imagine I am Adolf,
You are the master you have the baton in your right hand,
but you give me the salute just the same.
Not here, Major. There are people. if we see someone ... please ...
You will, Helmuth.
Do it correctly
You look great doing that.
And I see what you mean. I nearly took my eye out.
Exactly.
Do not worry, Helmuth, it will be our secret.
Mr, Mr, here, here, Mr,
Great catch kid
So did you want to see me.
Usually do not work on Sundays Major ...
All in the cause of humanity. Helmuth.
Or should I call you "One-zero-four-nine-three-three-one?
What?
one-zero-four-nine-three-three-one
Do you mind if I just call only one?
You know what I said you are, Helmuth?
I say you're a piece of shit!
That bastard!
Who is the bastard Helmuth "Hinkel?
Why? he promise to remove your file?
What about before that?
What would you remember of in Austria?
- Was a member of .... - speak up
I was a member of the Communist Party was a communist.
That's what Hinkel had over me. He knew everything.
He blackmailed. and forced me to cooperate.
I see,major cooperate. And now are you communist again?
You do not know what its like to wake up every single morning of your life terrified,you do not know that ...
I would never in my wildest dreams, ever become a second violinist in the Berlin Philharmonic,
when they got rid of the Jews .....
In the orchestra, he gave people like me a chance.
Helmuth, you ever heard of a plea bargaining?
Speaking of power, I have the power to give work
make your life easier,
your past won't be mentioned.
I can give a job tomorrow, but I have to get something in return.
See, Helmuth? Thats plea bargaining.
I can give you freedom of movement, freedom to work, freedom, Helmuth
But I need something in return.
Major, we are discussing a man of genius,
Fuck that, Helmuth. You Want to discuss symbols here?
This guy was a fuck man.
He was the piper, but he played their tunes, you get my philosophical meaning?
not after to small fish. I'm after Moby Dick
Come on Helmuth, hard facts
Well..the only thing i know, is he is an anti-Semitic
Off course, you too. As everyone in this damn country.
I remembered something else ...
Yes?
Furtwangler sent Hitler a telegram for his birthday.
He did?
One of your people told me
"One of my people?
Yes An corporal U.S army , a Jew.
He said he had seen the telegram in the chancellery.
Son of a gun. We will find the corporal, we will find the telegram,
I need documentry proof, Do you know of anything like that?
No. But that's why we hate him,
We admired him as a conductor,
but we all hated him because he didn't have to join the party, and yet he had better life than any of us.
He didn't have to go and deliver a report after every trip abroad,
He got everything from them, everything.
He was dirtier than any of us, party members.
There is a rumor, i don't know if its true, or not.
But ask him about von der Null,
Never heard of him. Who is he?
Edwin von der Null. A music critic.
He gave Furtwangler a terrible reviews , and praised Herbert von Karajan.
Who is he?
Also a conductor. Very Very bright. Young.
Von der Null was called the Miracle von Karajan.
And Furtwangler was outraged and they said he had von der Null enlisted in the Army,
The same happened to another critic.
True or not, sounds like a bad idea. Critics give you bad reviews,
You send them to the Russian front.
But if you really want to get to Furtwangler, ask him about Herbert von Karajan.
The miracle kid.
Yes, yes..you notice that he can not even bring himself to pronounce his name
he refers to him as "K"
and ask him about his private life.
His private life?
Yes,
it's all in here, their women.
And who gave you the assignment to investigate his private life?
"Hikel?
What do you standing all this?
On What?
On Furtwangler
I don't know.
you represent the USA now .
We have a moral duty to be fair,
We have to be seem to be fair.
The Major Arnold also believes that he has a moral duty.
Our duty is to help Furtwangler in his defense.
That is why I want you to look at this ...
Part of the transcripts been trial in Nuremberg,
we can not get translated fast enough
But I guess you understand German. Right?
Its the evidence of a type called Dahlerus,
It's Swedish. Friends of Hermann Goering
I want you to study it and I want to use it.
We will find some more stuff to supply you with it.
We have other suggestions.
We need to build up a case for his defense.
Based not on feelings, not on prejudices but on facts.
Lieutenant Wills
Schlee timbales, Romer cello, and Schmidt viola . they're willing to help.
We have ordered coffee, I hope you ...
off course
The whole orchestra will be on your side. He was always ready to help.
We need names
if possible with addresses , because Its urgent.
names of musicians saved by Dr. Furtwangler,
people he helped to escape abroad.
Lets go some where a less public,
I was in Vienna
I had an Austrian driver,
He spent time in the camps
We were looking at these Viennese
clearing up these bombs debris ,
Scaviging for rotten food, leftovers, anything,
I said to think a million of these people came out to welcome Adolf on the day he entered the city.
A million of them,now look at them.
and Max said, "Oh...no" not these people, Major.
These people were all at homes hiding Jews in their attics.
you get the point, Colonel?
The point is that all are full of shit!
Furtwangler is in a different category.
we're dealing with degenerates here.
Degenerates "?
He regrets why he choose to get out of here when he had the chance,
I asked to him he could not answered.
Why did he go in direct in America like that Toscanini ?
Perhaps, we should have to leave him we must try to preserve something important,
things like an orchestra, a school, in your country.
Maybe he is his old mother he can not be left her alone,
maybe his brothers, sisters ...
Colonel, had no sisters or brothers, only a lot of love affairs.
Anyway, Major,
Why,Why he should leave his country, his mother dying,his family,his history
his past, his future, just because now only Suddenly, there is a dictatorship? Why?
Number one ... before that turn rotten,
What if they surround the space with barbed wire? Colonel?
Do not talk about things you know nothing about He was under a dictatorship.
Art and politics, I've heard that.
Art belongs to the party.
If you want to be a conductor, you have to have an orchestra.
And you can only get the an orchestra if you have only contacts with power.
All the World you need a right contacts and you have to make compromises.
This is what I am saying, he must have high contacts
There are good party members who help
and there're dirty party members, who inform you.
Of course they gave him privileges.
And suddenly, Steve, suddenly you notice that they will like you.,
They are only humans suddenly you're a actor in the best museum in the world ..
for example ...
What museum?
I'm sorry, museum? Not. .. I said orchestra I'm sorry, believe me Steve
Help me steve,You say you asked him for, someone from high up.
I too get orders from high up.
very high,
We want Furtwangler
I will give in return the whole orchestra, 4, 5 conductors
I need him, Steve.
I can not.
Let Furtwangler go, please.
I have a duty.
Duty. I'm sorry duty
duty Fucking duty!
Trouble you Americans want everybody look like you!
We liberated Berlin Major Steve. Not you.
Its also our duty to bring the best of German culture.
I'll get that fucking band leader,no deal, no fucking deal.
Then you're going to kill me!
You will see ruins, you'll see flowers,
you'll see some mighty pretty scenery,
do not be fooled,
It's in an enemy country
The Nazi party may be gone,
Nazi thinking, the Nazi treatment, Nazi tricks remain.
Somewhere in Germany, there are 2 million ex-Nazi officers.
Out of power, but still in there thinking about the next time ....
Remember, that only yesterday, every business, every profession,
was part of Hitler system.
Practically every German, was part of the Nazi network.
They believe they were born to be masters.
Don't argue with them,
You're not been sent into Germany as educators.
You are soldiers on guard.
You will observe their local laws,
respect their customs, religion,
and you were respect their property rights.
You will not be friendly,
You will be alert and suspicious.
Yesterday I read that Furtwangler was asked to lead NY Philharmonic at 36.
Toscanini suggested.
Had he accepted, he would have become the most celebrated conductor in America.
When he made his decision he couldn't have known everything.
Especially not the way people like you do.
Returned from exile and feel that you have the right to pass judgement.
Because you're blameless, you think you know best
Who is a sinner and Who deserves forgiveness.
But you have no idea how people lived here.
When he met hitler on his birthday he shook hands with him, Are you pleased?
I don't know. But and i already know that he had saved lives.
have you got seventh symphony, do you know where to adage begins ?
Off course,
Put on ready to play and i'll tell when to play.
It's nine o'clock perciecly. I do not intend to kept waiting again.
Do not talk to me like i was your second violinist!
Go back in the waiting room.
Miss Straube will come and get you when I will ready to see you.
Jesus,God, Who the hell does he think he is?
Who the hell does he think he is?
Would like to have a glass of water " "Mr. Professor?
What is this man doing here?
Dr. Furtwangler! Come in, sit down,
No, no, in this is more comfortable.
If it is too hot, open your tie.
I wish to say something,
Go ahead, be my guest,
When i last saw you, I was un prepared,
Did not know what to expect.
But In past weeks,I've been thinking more carefully and make some notes.
You have to understand who I am and what am I,
I am a musician and I believe in music I am an artist and I believe in art.
Art in general and music in particular,
has for me, mystical powers, which nurture my spiritual needs.
I must confess,however to being extremely naive,
Insisted for many years of the absolute separation of art and politics.
My entire life was devoted to music,
because, this is very important,
because I thought I could, through music,
do something practical.
And what is that?
To maintain liberty, humanity and justice.
Jesus, thats a thing a beauty, I swear to God, a real thing a beauty!
I am going to try to remember that,
Liberty, humanity and justice. Beautiful!
But you used the word "naive"
Are you now saying that you think you was wrong?
Art and politics can be saperated?
I believe art and politics should be separated.
But that they were not kept separate, I learned at my cost.
And when did you first learned that? "When you sent the telegram?
Was that the surrender signal? the waveing of the white flag?
What telegram?
"Happy birthday, dear Adolf, love, Wilhelm" or words to that effect,
That sounds to me like you dropping on your knees and saying: OK Adolf , you win. You're the number one man. i was your party.
I have no idea what you talking about.
The birthday greetings you sent to your old friend, Adolf Hitler.
Never sent him any birthday greeting or any other kind of greetings,
Think carefully, Wilhelm ...
May be not in your name, but as Privy Councilor or as Vice President.
I don't have to think carefully, this is absolutely ridiculous!
Yes, David?
Why not show the Dr. Furtwangler the evidence?
can refresh his memory,
You won't find it, because no such telegram exists.
Well, I tried, I admit I tried .
I thought I just might trap you , Wilhelm.
but David here was too quick for me.
A smart move, David, very smart.
No, I don't have a telegram,
but i know it exists!
And I want you to know, Wilhelm,
We got to keep looking for, because I believe you sent it.
But, you're wrong.
Art and Politics, and, Art and Politics lets take a look at that,
You and the Berlin Philharmonic traveled by the Third Reich
played in countries that the Nazis had conquered,
Are you saying that conducting in occupied territories 1939,
On wasn't the commercial for Adolf and all he stood for?
We never, never officially represented the regime when we play abroad.
We always perform as a private group,
I already told you that, i was a freelance conductor,
You know something You should have written our insurance policies,
For us because you got more exclusion clauses, that than double compensation,
What do you imagine people thought?
The Berlin Philharmonic, controlled by Dr. Goebbels and the propaganda ministery,
But Wilhelm is free lance.
so, art and politics are now entirely separate?
Is that what you believe ordinary people thought?
I have no idea what ordinary people thought.
No!
No, because I had only one intention.
My only intention whatever i did was to show that music means more than politics.
Tell me about von der Null.
"Von der Null?
Yes, von der Null.
"Von der Null?
How long this going to go on, Wilhelm?
I say von der Null, you say von der Null, I say von der Null, you say von der Null,
We can not continue like this all day.
You know who von der Null, don't you?
Edwin von der Null, music critic
Yes, I know who he is.
It is true that because you gave bad reviews,
and praised this young guy von Karajan
called him a bloody miracle said he was better conductor than you
then had to von der Null drafted into the army,
and no one else knew him since.
It is a outragious lie!
You sure you not called one of his close friends and said:
God in heaven, Did you see that guy von der Null wrote about me?
The greatest conductor on earth.
I want him out of my way.
He had the nerve to accuse me
I'm not playing enough modern music.
Send him to Stalingrad.
Is that what you did?
You dont like criticism, do you "Wilhelm?
You surely did not like them saying there was a another conductor better than you
Are you saying that the name of von der Null never mentioned in your talks with Goebbels?
Oh.once he said he had read what this man had wrote about me.
What did he Said?
He said on my name, his job is to criticize your job is to conduct.
What happened to Von der Nul?
I've no idea.
You really have no idea?
I'll tell you what happened. he died .... in Stalingrad.
I'm Sorry.
Now,that young conductor Whats his name ?
the miracle kid, you know who I mean,
Von Karajan!
But you called him something else.
Come on, what did you call Von Karajan?
Say it!
I'ii say it than..
"Little K" is that right?
You couldn't even bear to say his name ...
Please stop playing these games with me.
I use to bring up the name of ....
I use to bring up the name of... another conductor,is beyond my understanding!
I'll tell you why.
You remember we talked about you played for Hitler's birthday?
And you told me that Goebbels your doctors first,
That you were tricked?
Yes, that's what happened.
I have a different story to tell.
I think you was tricked.
Not in the way you describe.
I believe something else happened.
I have seen the Hinkel file.
I have seen the records of telephone calls,
and putting it all together, thats what i think was happened,
I think Goebbels said: Wilhelm, if you won't conduct for Adolf,
we will get the mircle kid,
The guy that critic von der Null, thinks that he is better conductor in the world,
He is not just willing to conduct for Adolf,
He offered to sing Happy Birthday, as a solo.
Come on, admit it. K worried you. didn't he?
He always worried you.
In 1942 he is 34 years old you already 56.
Goebbels and Goering keep saying, if you won't do it, little K will.
Art and politics
and airy, fairy bull shit,
About liberty, humanity and justice,
Just because I do not care how great you are.
It is the oldest story in the book,
The aging Romeo jealous of the young buck,
The real reason you didn't leave the country
when you knew you should have,
was that you were frightened.
you were frightened that once you outside the country,
you replaced by the miracle boy,
the party boy twice, over
Flashy talented, littlel K.
This is absolute nonsense.
Well, just begin to develop my theme,
Is not what you call in classical music? "Developing theme?
OK, well it so they played your insecurity.
Its human understandable.
But there's a guy who does not like the little K, as much as he likes you.
yeah The, number one man, your old friend Adolf.
He thinks you are the greatest,
and when he says, I want Wilhelm for my birthday boy,
they better go out and get Wilhelm.
So, Josef calls and threatens you the little K
and you said that, hell with the ninth in Vienna
I'll give it to Adolf as a birthday present in Berlin.
That's the trick they played.
They got you by the balls and he squeezed.
Hard
Why did you stay?
Why did you played for them?
Why was you carry the flag of their regime?
Jealousy?
Ofcourse there was a plot against me,
a campaign, even abroad.
See, Wilhelm, i am talking about ordinary every day reasons.
Which is why i want to discuss your private life.
How many illegitimate children?
But Further, I see where it leads this inquiry.
David, where are you counsil the defense lawyer?
Did you hear the question?
I have illegitimate children.
What?
I said I have a illegitimate children,
I do not know how many.
you like women? don't you?
Is'nt it true that before every concert you got a woman in your dressing room,
and gave the old conductor's baton?
this is deeply offensive and disgusting!
- You - i told you its totally irrelevant!
Not so councellor,
that secretary of yours, she was a just a secretary,
She brought women for you, didn't she?
As many as often as you want.
stop, please please stop,this now no i am not going to stop.
Hitler himself offered you a beautiful house, and a personal bomb shelters.
I absolutely refused the house and the bomb shelter
But you see where I am getting at?
You got a beautiful house and very well paid,
What you gotta do? Stay or leave?
One voice comes back at me,
stay!
Major, thats not a good argument,
If that the Furtwangler indeed did enjoyed all these privileges ....
he joined them for who he is and what he is,
That's true of any leading artist in any country in the world
But it still doesn't makes any sense.
They still got to get up and piss
in the middle of the night, don't they?
they give so vindictive and cruel!
Just like you and me.
Well, just like me,
Can't they?
OK Wilhelm , go home now.
Go home and think about these past 12 years.
I do not understand what you mean
No, that's their problem, Wilhelm,
You understand nothing!
I will call you. Go.
Major
What?
Your manner ...
My manner?
Why don't you go down stairs, get a cup of coffee and calm down.
- Now, sir !..... ......
Whats the matter Emmi?
Whats going on with you?
What is wrong?
I'm sorry ...
but I've to leave.
I'll Find another work.
You have to get someone else,
What is this, Emmi?
I can not do this. It's not right.
Whats not right?
I have been questioned by the Gestapo just like that,
Just like you questioned him.
Emmi, stop,
I want to show something.
Let me show you something
Then if you want to leave, you can leave, please, please
Here his friends, they did this. And he gave them birthday concerts.
But he had no idea,
A lot of people had no idea,
I only realized what was really going on, when I got arrested.
If he had no idea, Why the Jews needed to be saved?
This is my question, to all Germans,
Why did the Jews need saving in this country? Why?
People had no idea.
Can I ask a favor, Major?
Yes
When you question him again, could you treat him with more respect?
With more what?
More what?
Major he may just be the greatest conductor of this century
and that man deserves respect,
David, i don't understand a thing about you.
You're Jewish. Are you a Jew?
Yes, I'm Jew.
But I like to think first I'm a human being.
A human being, oh, good, i am releaved.
I thought you were going to say you are a music lover .
This man, this great artist,
Has made anti-Semitic remarks i can't really believe.
I got letters ...
Major, show me somebody who has not made anti-Semitic remarks.
To show you the gates of paradise.
What is it with you, ? Where are your feelings David?
Where is your hatred? your disgust?
Use your fucking outraged, David?
Think of your parents, and then think of him conducting "Happy Birthday dear Adolf"
I mean, christ sake, Which side you are on?
Grow up, just grow, the fuck up!
I want you to come back to the office.
May I come in?
If you're there you can influence what happens,
What work can you do by leaving?
If you go,you giving up and how can you help Furtwangler.?
Do not think about leaving.
Stay.
Everybody says what a great benefactor you worked to the Jews,
But .. I have things here You said and wrote.
listen to this,
".. the Jew composer Schonberg
is admired by the jewish international. "
What about this.
"... to Jewish musicians
lack a genuine affinity with our music .. "
"... Jewish musicians are good businessmen,
with few scrupulous,
like no roots .. "
Deny you said these things?
those attitudes .... do not exist in me.
I believe that,but just answer the questions, don't give me explanations.
Speaking to party members,
I used the language, off course i did.
But its not me ...
And who was he?
Who was speaking?
Major, sorry to interrupt, but may we've.
to balance those things against his assistance to his Jewish colleagues,
This is a transcript from the proceedings at Nuremberg trial,
A Swedish businessman, Birger Dahlerus,
testified in a cross-examination,
that he had several meetings with Hermann Goering.
I first saw Goering Dahlerus testified ,
in a stormy interview with Dr.Furtwangler
the famous conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic,
was band in seeking permission to keep his Jewish concert master .
Emmi, take one of these, anyone, and read it aloud, please.
"Please remember that the Dr Furtwangler, risked his life
to help anyone who asked him.
personally testify to having seen literally hundreds of people,
lined up outside his dressing room after the concerts.
to ask for his help.
He never turned anyone away. After heard me playing,
I am a violinist,
He gave me money because I was unable to feed, myself or my family,
And when he helped me to escape to Sweden.
He helped countless people in similiar ways. "
And this is just one of those letters, Major, I have lots of other.
How many times do I got to tell you I was in insurance ?
If you can't smell a fake policy when I put it under my nose?
Sure he helped the Jews, but that was his insurance
His cover.
Because all the while he was master of all he svade.
See, Wilhelm, i think you was their boy, their creature.
you was like advertiser a slogan for them,
this is what we produce, the greatest conductor in the world,
And you went along with it.
The truth of the matter is, Wilhelm, you need not be a member of party ,
I made a mistake when I asked you for your party number .
I should've asked you for your non party's number.
Just like some other well known artists.
Emmi, put the record on,
You know what that is?
Of course I know what it is.
OK,so what is it?
Bruckner's seventh ... The adage
Who is the conductor?
I'M
Do you know the last time that was played on the radio?
How will I know?
I tell you then The last time this music was played on the radio,
was after they announced your friend Hitler had shot himself.
Listen to it.
"Did They picked little K's recording ?
Did they picked some other conductor?
No, they picked you why?
Because you represented them so beautifully
When the devil died ,
they wanted his band leader to conduct his funeral march.
You meant everything to them.
I've always tried to analyze myself carefully and closely.
staying here, I believed i walked a tightrope between exile and the galleys.
It seem to me blaming me not for not having allowing myself to be hang.
I did not directly oppose the party, because I told myself that it was not my job
If i taken any active part in politics, I could'nt remain here
but as a musician, i am more than a citizen,
I am a citizen of this country, in the eternal sense of which ...
genius of great music testifies.
I know that a single performance to a great masterpiece
this is a stronger and more vital occasion of the spirit of Buchenwald and Auschwitz,
than words ...
Have you ever smelled burning flesh?
I smelled it from 4 miles away 4 miles away,I smelled it
Have you ever seen the gas chambers?
The crematoria?
Have you seen the piles of rotting bodies?
you I talked to me about culture, art and music?
you putting them in the balance, Wilhelm?
you saying the culture, art and music against the millions put to death by your cowards?
They had orchestras in their camps.
They Played Beethoven and Wagner.
The hangman playing chamber music at home with their families.
I do not understand the Germans relationship with the music.
Why do you need music?
You friends you could call to save a few Jews,
when millions were being annihilated.
Yes, i blame you for not getting hanged,
I blame you for cowardice,
You strutted strutted ... you fucking piece of shit!
Keep in a shit house.
I talk to me about walking a tightrope between exile and the galleys,
and I say to you no Lies!
I love my country, I believe in music, What was I to do?
Look around you. see your country you served.
look at people who have real courage,
Who took risks who risked their lives.
Like Emmi's father.
Emmi, take your fingers out of your ears!
I'm talking about his father.
My father only joined the plot, when he realized ...
that we could not win the war.
What kind of world you want, Major?
What kind of world you going build?
Do you honestly believe that the only reality ... is the material world?
so you would be left with nothing nothing but flatulence
filthiest ... that invade the nights.
How was i to understand ....? How would I know they were capable of?
No one knew;
I do not want to stay in this country.
Yes, I should have left in 1934
would have been better if I had left ....
Get him out of here.
Thank you Miss ... you're nice kind.
sons of bitches.
Major Arnold, get me General Wallace,
General? About Furtwangler,
I do not know if we have a case against Dr. Furtwangler to serve, but surely we can to pass a difficult time.
Eh, low volume, will you? Can not you see I'm on the phone?
Never mind, we got a journalist that will do what we say ...
Turn off that!
We handed Wilhelm Furtwangler over to the civil authorities,
And he was charged with serving the Nazi regime,
with uttering anti-Semitic comments,
performing at an officials Nazi party function ,
and being a Prussian Privy Councilor.
Dr. Furtwangler was acquitted.
I didn't nail him, but i sure we do.
And i know I did the right thing.
Furtwangler resumed his career,
but he was never allowed to conduct in USA.
He died in 1954
The little K succeeded him as head of the Berlin Philharmonic
Subtitle by Arif chandio