Original subtitles

THE NEW ERA

AFTER THE WAR

Stop! Inside! Write a telegram to the Grand Duke of Saxony!

But we'll be killed! - That's an order: send the telegram!

You want to become the director of an art school?

That's your urgent message?

Mr Gropius, a car just drove up.

I think it's Stine Branderup for the interview with "Vanity Fair".

"Vanity Fair".

Hello Mrs Branderup

Hello Martin.

- May I take your coat? - No, that's fine.

Mr. Gropius is waiting in the living room.

- Thank you. - It's this way.

Walter

Stine, my dear!

Thank you so much for seeing me.

I always have time for you.

Even if I would not write for Vanity Fair?

Actually, I was wondering why you want an interview?

You only write about people, not about architecture.

Well, I want an interview with the most influential architect of his generation.

Water?

Something stronger would be fine.

Bourbon, Scotch?

Bourbon. On the rocks, please.

Did you just buy my book or did you read it?

Cheers.

- Thanks. You don't mind, do you? - No, not at all.

Ready?

Oh yeah. Always.

This summer, you presented one of the most important

buildings of your long and successful career.

The 807 feet high head office of Pan American World Airways in New York.

You’re one of the most influential architects of the 20th century.

A founder of modernism....

Yeah...

You became world famous as the first director of the legendary Bauhaus school

that you invented and opened in 1919 in Weimar, Germany,

along with numerous influential artists of the European avant-garde.

That's true

So...

How do you live with the lie that men and women were treated equal at the Bauhaus?

I like your style, Stine.

Straight forward. You're opening interviews like a man.

So tell me, did you suppress women at the Bauhaus?

No, certainly not.

I put equality into the foundation of that school. Why do you accuse me, Stine?

Well, I just had a very interesting conversation with the daughter of Dörte Helm.

You do remember Dörte Helm, right?

Yeah, I remember Dörte very clearly.

I just wonder what the daughter remembers. She was five years old when her mother died.

I see...

well, then why don't you tell me about her.

Dörte came from a wealthy bourgeois family.

She was half-Jewish,

daughter of a professor for classic languages in Rostock.

Dörte had already enjoyed three years of education as an artist

and was about to finish her studies in Weimar.

Excuse me, is that seat free?

Of course.

Thank you.

Hot.

Are you going to Weimar?

Yes, I want to study at the Bauhaus.

And you?

I'm already studying at the State Academy of Art.

I graduate in six months.

Have you heard anything about the new era there?

Gropius has revolutionary plans.

Which don't interest us.

I clearly remember the first time I saw Dörte Helm.

It was a beautiful, sunny day and...

she was... chasing something.

By the way, everybody remembers the Bauhaus in black and white

but color was very important to us.

You were with the Red Cross?

Yes.

Which section of the front? - Isonzo, Slovenia.

Then the Western Front.

Thank you, Mr Helm.

See you later.

Wait.

I'll show Miss Stölzl the way.

We'll meet in the main lecture hall? - Fine.

Excuse me.

Dörte, Dörte.

Dörte!

Your boyfriend? - A friend.

Dörte.

I missed you so much during the summer holidays.

Good day. Johannes Ilmari Auerbach.

Gunta Stölzl.

And this is Marcel...

What's your name again? - Marcel Breuer.

From Pècs, Hungary.

I'm showing her where to enrol.

The Red Cross is at the station.

Don't be so impolite, Hansi.

Don't call me that!

I'm not finished with you, Auerbach.

Bastard.

Excuse me.

He hates me because I'm a communist.

And he hates you Jews, too.

I'm not a Jew.

My mother is Jewish, too.

I'm not a Jew.

Gunta.

Which way? - That way.

See you...

Are there any vacancies in the Preller Building?

Yes, there are.

You'll need to fill in this application.

The young lady could move in with you.

Sure.

Dörte.

Ladies and gentlemen, students.

It is my honour today, as Minister of Education,

to introduce the new head of the State Academy of Art.

Please welcome Mr Walter Gropius.

Ladies and gentlemen,

deserved dignitaries,

most welcome students, new and existing.

I see that many women are present who will be studying here.

This truly thrills me.

And the few men there are are Jews and gypsies.

The moment I declared equality to men and women

my biggest enemy became a woman.

The Baronesse von Freytag-Loringhoven. And she was not anyone.

She was representing the establishment of Weimar,

the capital of the Weimar republic.

The place where history was written and future was decided.

The home town of people like Goethe and Schiller and

Liszt and Herder and Nietzsche, Richard Strauss.

It was like a breakout of a battle of cultures.

And the Baronesse was the leader of the extreme

conservative guardians of the German classic heritage.

She was the council

of Weimar's culture commission and she constantly

used her position as a journalist against us.

Poor Walter. Always the press.

The idea of the Bauhaus already was a threat.

But women's liberation was sheer terror to the Baronesse.

We find ourselves in the middle of...

an unprecedented human catastrophe,

in a transformation of all human life.

For the artistic person, however, this is fortunate,

if he has the courage to explore new paths.

One day, you,

the students of the Bauhaus, will break out,

and you will be the ones...

to decide the future of this new world.

I firmly believe we are the tools of a new,

revolutionary view of the world.

And I'm telling you clearly, here and now,

that I stand and fight for radical art.

And what is that?

We'll find out together!

So be excited! - Radical art: interesting.

Before I come to the venerable old masters,

I'll introduce a few new ones.

For sculpture: Gerhard Marcks.

Lyonel Feininger will teach printmaking.

And for wood carving: Georg Muche.

And now I'm pleased to introduce...

the new Director of Studies, Johannes Itten.

Thank you, director, sir.

We all need to be clear that today is zero hour.

No one knows how radical the changes of the next century will be,

but I know this:

We cannot create this future using the old methods.

This is why my new preliminary course is obligatory.

Advanced students will also have to pass the course.

So the rumours were true!

My name is Hans Gross.

I've studied here for four years.

I'm a master in my field, regardless of your opinion.

We will see who deserves the title apprentice, journeyman or master.

These titles are gimmicks.

Gimmicks? And you call yourself "master"?

This is not meant as an affront against the advanced students,

but as a chance to liberate yourselves...

from your dry, boring academy.

Nonsense!

It's a declaration of war!

You're not studying under that oddball.

I'll have a word with him.

You're casting aside decades worth of tried-and-tested knowledge.

Please calm down, we're here to answer all your questions.

You're not recognising our credits. - That's not what this is about...

Director Gropius.

Baroness Von Freytag-Loringhoven.

Mr Itten.

What an address!

Let me introduce Dr Emil Herfurth.

As a high school teacher he has experience with the youths.

Who then join the civic committee...

which opposes us even before we've begun.

Not opponents,

supporters of the venerable tradition of classical Weimar art.

We're just attached to what you're not.

Which can be invigorating. - Let's not argue.

As a former student of this school and a fervent Impressionist,

a creative spirit is all that interests me.

Yes, but what is a "creative spirit"?

Antiquity tells us all we need.

I beg to differ.

Of course.

But remember: The mind that serves the state will be helped.

If it doesn't, it will be suppressed.

The parasites of art always became parasites of the state.

Who's a parasite?

Please, folks, nothing to get worked up about.

"Folks", director?

Come, let's go.

"Folks"...

"Parasites" was much more tactful.

Some of the workshops are here.

And this is the Preller Building.

Here's your bed.

And here's your desk.

Dörte!

I'm showing the Hungarian around Weimar. Coming?

Yes! Absolutely.

Excuse me. Dörte, would you accompany me to the station?

Of course. I'll join you later.

We haven't finished this yet.

These are drawings...

for a book of fairy tales that my daughter and I are working on.

They're illustrations to stories I used to tell her.

We already have a publisher for it.

I'm very pleased to meet you, Dr Helm.

My name is Johannes Ilmari Auerbach, Dörte and I are...

Classmates.

Dr. Herfurth...

I will pick you up later.

Mr. Minister, sir?

Yes?

Dr Herfurth to see you.

Yes, in a minute.

Then I'd suggest that we...

I'll call you back in a few minutes. Thank you.

Dr Herfurth.

Minister of Education, sir. Good evening.

How are you?

I'm worried,

after Mr Gropius's opening address.

You didn't like it?

My committee won't let these radicals nestle here.

The thing you're trying to vilify as "radical"...

is the hopeful future to me.

Future?

The future will be born of a compromise, as ever.

Don't you believe that, too?

How do you mean?

I know you're planning to separate school and church.

Yes. - That's your big project, isn't it?

School and church should be separate, true.

If you need support for your school reform in the conservative camp,

I can help you.

In return for what?

I'm just asking for fairness.

A student like Hans Gross

should be allowed to complete his studies with his old master.

Don't you agree?

Think it over.

When Hans Gross's request is decided, I just need your neutrality.

Minister, sir.

Down with it!

Have you swallowed it?

That's Alma Mahler.

Who is she?

Gropius's wife. Mahler's widow.

Interesting.

She's very self-confident.

And promiscuous, apparently.

Sorry?

When men have lots of women, they're cavaliers,

but women are sluts.

Oh, Gunta! - Yep.

Director Gropius,

Master Itten, excuse us.

We are students, my name is Johannes Ilmari Auerbach.

This is Gunta... - Stölzl.

Delighted. - Marcel Breuer from Pècs.

Delighted.

Dörte Helm. - You're Miss Helm?

Your father already introduced himself.

The classical philologist from Rostock University.

He doesn't like my preliminary course.

No, he doesn't. What do you think about it?

I can't say.

That will soon change.

We won't disturb you any further. Have a nice evening.

Likewise.

How sweet.

You'll have to excuse me now.

Certainly not!

I'm leaving for Vienna tomorrow: no.

I'll have more time for you the next time.

No. - I'm afraid so.

If I'm here in this ultra-conservative, snobby town...

Please.

Thank you. - You Swiss bore, please.

See you tomorrow. - See you then.

Enjoy yourself.

Are you getting on with each other?

We'll have to see.

He's ambitious.

Why don't you come with us to Vienna?

Don't!

I miss you.

What are they doing? - A courtyard party.

But parties in the courtyard are forbidden.

A little one?

You're so beautiful, Dörte.

So incredibly beautiful.

So beautiful...

You're so beautiful.

The party's over. Clear the courtyard now!

Good morning, Mr Gropius. - Mr. Minister, sir.

Would you just...?

Yes, of course.

This is going back to van De Velde.

And would you help me with the other one?

It's going on the other side.

Right.

What brings you to me?

Not that business with the constable, I hope.

They say the grand piano went up in flames.

Oh, an inferno!

No, a leg got broken, but the Hungarians quickly repaired it.

I'm here about the Hans Gross affair.

It's an affair now?

The civic committee will make one out of it.

Fine. I'm listening, Minister. What can I do?

Keep the peace.

Let the advanced students complete their studies with their old masters.

Split the academy. - Split it?

The budget as well? We're already broke.

No, I need all my resources. I'll show you what I'm planning.

Come over here.

There'll be no more delays or bickering, no compromises.

You know the plot of land "Am Horn"?

Yes, I think so...

We're going to build a new school,

a Bauhaus colony.

Do you see?

Morning.

Morning.

Welcome to my preliminary course.

Please...

Mr Gross,

how nice to see you here.

Curiosity is artist's virtue. But will I be back?

Up to you.

Does everyone have paper? - No, master, sir.

Mr Itten or Master Itten,

but not "master, sir". That's childish.

Those with paper, share with the others.

No.

What?

I go without food to buy materials. I won't share.

We're only strong collectively: keep that in mind.

For the first exercise,

we can use this.

Please...

Like this, master?

No.

Stand up, please.

I want you to run.

Run. Move.

Down. Move.

Come on! Move! Be free!

Get a move on!

Good. I want you to capture their movements!

The fleeting moment.

Come on!

Yes, try it.

Try it. Yes, yes.

Look closely.

That's idiotic!

And back again, and back again.

Draw.

Come on, and back again.

No paper! There's no drawing paper!

And I have no ink to print with.

We need soapstone.

The war has depleted the country's resources.

The reparations are horrendous. I don't have to explain that to you.

You'll have to get by on your budget.

And you want to build a colony.

This country needs a vision, sir. That's why we're here.

Yes.

By all means...

With your budget.

Gentlemen.

Master Itten.

Minister.

What colony? - Another time, Lyonel.

What now?

We'll improvise.

The students are collecting junk,

so they'll have materials for their works.

It's pathetic.

It's not an art school anymore, it's a chaotic kindergarten.

You know,

I'd arranged with the minister...

that you could finish your studies with the old masters.

That would have meant splitting the academy,

creating two academies.

But Gropius saw through it and rejected it.

What exactly did he see through?

Split school, halved budget.

We need to force Gropius.

Yes, but how?

I have an idea. The only question is...

How far you, Mr Gross, would be prepared to go.

Would you be prepared...

to read that before the civic committee?

Master Feininger?

It's working!

Yes. Very good!

So now we have ink.

Right. For your inspiration,

I'm going to show you some of my works.

But only follow your own ideas.

Master?

Now let's look at the basics of the woodcut technique...

Mr Kurz the accountant is here. - Yes.

Come in, please.

Thank you.

You wanted to speak to me, director, sir?

Yes. Kurz, listen...

This is my grandmother's silverware case.

I will come back for it. Will you tell the pawnbroker that?

And what shall we acquire first?

Ask the masters.

And, Kurz:

I'll be needing some cutlery,

from the refectory.

Try it.

You're supposed to draw a circle, not an egg.

It's a potato.

You think you're clever,

a cheeky one.

Let me tell you something.

All of you.

Stop it.

This course is designed to separate the wheat from the chaff.

So I would strongly advise you to work on your potatoes.

Carry on.

I call it "The Holy Family".

It's...

It's...

Don't you like it?

Of course, of course.

It's perfect.

I think it's marvellous.

I'm a little embarrassed to say this, but...

It looks like one of mine.

Yes?

I want to be just as good as you, Master Feininger.

Yes. Very good...

What are you reading?

The "Ethics of Marriage".

Johannes keeps talking about marriage.

But...

Can I ask you something?

When Johannes and I are together...

Physically together...

He...

He looks at me so weirdly.

With this strange look in his eyes,

and says all kinds of things...

Then he satisfies himself.

Is that how it's supposed to be?

No.

Where did you get the pattern?

I just started weaving.

It's going to be a shawl.

Do you like it?

It's lovely.

Can you do handicrafts?

Weave and knit?

Very well actually.

At my girls' school you couldn't make mistakes...

Can you smell it?

The hours of sunlight necessary to ripen this fruit?

Can you feel the pocky skin, the rough surface?

Can you taste the sour juice in the fruit pulp?

Can you imagine all these things? Yes? No?

Can you? - Yes, master.

Then why don't you paint any of it?

All you can do is imitate, Miss Helm, like a trained monkey.

This little monkey copied Master Feininger brilliantly.

I want you to catch the essence of things,

not the boring reflection of the sunlight.

I won't go there.

FRIDAY, 7 P.M.: OUR GAME, OUR PARTY, OUR WORK

A party at Itten's, why not.

A party is always good.

Come on, everyone's going to the party.

This isn't soup, it's just hot water with fat.

How about a toast?

Yes, but what will we drink to?

To the beginning, which we've made.

To the beginning.

Your father has written me a nasty letter.

Seems angry about Itten's class.

He wants you to finish here and illustrate children's books.

Do you want that?

Yes.

Is it bad?

Can I be honest?

Absolutely.

I find him rather scary. - Yes.

I understand that.

No one's dancing.

No one dares to.

Would you?

Dare to dance with me, theoretically?

Theoretically. But people would talk.

You're right, people like to talk.

Shall we open the dance?

Enough. Enough...

You can't imagine the radio operator's face.

We were in the middle of a French attack...

and under artillery fire.

I made him send the telegram...

in which I applied for my position here.

It sounds bizarre, but...

I thought I was going to die.

And suddenly, it became clear to me...

that everything I'd done until then...

was completely without meaning.

I hadn't added anything of my own to the world.

If you knew...

you were going to die tomorrow,

would you still draw illustrations for children's books tonight?

I'll let you in on a secret: I can't draw, not at all.

You can't be serious. - I am.

But don't tell anyone.

I think it's better I go to bed now.

Good night.

Oh...

One more thing about Master Itten:

Show him!

Well?

Enjoy your dance?

Are they all gossiping?

Of course.

Let them.

Exactly.