All language subtitles for The Lost Honor Of Katharina Blum (1975).eng

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1975

THE LOST HONOR
OF KATHARINA BLUM

BASED ON THE NOVEL
THE LOST HONOR OF KATHARINA BLUM

BY HEINRICH BÖLL

Hello, Katharina. Can you hear me?

It's so noisy here. I'm at Cafė Polkt.

Hans is so drunk,
we had to put him to bed.

And Klaus is on duty, as you know.

We've come here
to try and pick up someone else.

You're such a nun. Don't be so proper!
Bye. See you later.

Let's take him with us.

Going to a party?

Want to come to a party?

If you'd care to take me.

- And without a costume?
- We'll get you a fake nose.

- Where are we going?
- To a distant relative's.

Aunt Else. We're from the same town.

- Must be a nice aunt.
- Of course.

Hands off!

We'll see about that.

Not so fast, man!

Shit!

Sheikh Karl from Kuwait and his harem.

- Hello.
- Hello.

Hello!

Barcelona, Barcelona
Barcelona, Barcelona...

- I need a napkin.
- What for?

- A bottle of wine was knocked over.
- Red or white wine?

- Red wine.
- Put salt on it.

- That's pepper.
- Here you are.

Ay, ay, ay, Maria Maria from Baria...

Carnival in Rio...

Carnival in Rio...

- Who's that beauty?
- My cousin, Katharina Blum.

The nun?

Everyone's feeling good.

It's occupied!
They're on first-name terms.

That wasn't an encounter.
It was a reunion.

It's occupied!

Woltersheim, Else. Mergentheimerstrasse 3.

Telephone number 349-462.

Katharina Blum, address still unknown.
I'll call back. Over.

Talking to yourself?

Just telling myself a couple of jokes
I hadn't heard before.

You're nuts.

- You girls are pretty tasty.
- Not so prudish, eh?

No, I'd like to grease you up.

Just a moment. It's Hach.

Good evening, Doctor. Beizmenne speaking.

Am I interrupting your dinner?

I need my suppositories.

Two this time. Danger is imminent.

Woltersheim, Else and Blum, Katharina.

Yes. Thank you, Doctor. Good night.

ELEVATORS UNITS 5-17

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1975
CARNIVAL NIGHT

Attention! Attention!

- This is an official police operation.
- Who are you?

- Against the wall!
- Donft put up any resistance.

This is an official police operation.
Donft put up any resistance.

Where is he?

There's no one here, boss.

Where is he?

He's gone.

That's impossible!

- Why?
- She's got nerve.

We've been watching this building
since last night.

If he's not here, he can't be far.
We'll catch him.

You'd better tell us where he is
unless you want him shot and crippled.

He can't have disappeared into thin air.
Go ahead!

- Search for weapons.
- How do you know he was here?

So you admit that you gave him shelter!
When did he leave?

I woke up half an hour ago
and Ludwig had already left.

- Without saying goodbye?
- Yes.

Did he fuck you?

That's not the word I would use.

We know each other, don't we?

I've seen you somewhere before.

Yes, at the Blornas' house. I work there.

Please get dressed.

You're making a bad impression parading
half naked in front of our officers.

I'm not parading. I live here.

Ms. Blum, please -

- What was that? Careful!
- Sorry.

- Please get dressed!
- Don't be so nervous.

Give that to me.

- Marksmen dismissed!
- Take something to put on.

Nothing.

He's slipped through your fingers again.

Möding.

Come on.

- The door stays open.
- Why? What did I do?

Get undressed.

What is Ludwig accused of?

The DA will explain it to you. Bend over.

You have a nice bathroom.

Four batteries, a strong alarm clock,

two reels of wire and various tools.

A short-haired wig, blond.

Books:
two romantic novels, three thrillers,

a biography of Napoleon

and a biography
of Queen Christina of Sweden.

All from a book club.
Typically bourgeois literature.

Nothing else? No weapons?

We found this note
in one of the thrillers.

No other clues for the time being.

What about the two cups on the table?

What use is this to you?

"I am a bad, unscrupulous, godless man,

but money is revered, and so is its owner.

The divine strength of money
lies in its being

as the estranged, alienated
and self-alienating essence of man.

It is the alienated property of man."

Sit down here.

Is this from Götten?

No, it has nothing to do with Ludwig.

"Money is revered, and so is its owner."

A quote from a bank robber?
That would make sense.

- It's by Karl Marx.
- Probably the early writings.

- So you've read Marx?
- No.

Is that your handwriting?

Father Urbanus, a Dominican,
wrote it down for me.

You can check. Hohenblumenberg Monastery.

Are you saying the Dominicans
introduced you to Marx?

- Attention! Attention!
- You chose the wrong order.

Occupants of the building are requested
to supply any information they can.

Please report anyhing suspicious
to the officer in chafe. Thank you.

There she is!

We must give our colleagues from the press
a chance to do their jobs.

Schönni!

Take this down. DA Hach speaking.

We're dealing here
with one or more unscrupulous terrorists

who have scant regard for human life.

Thank you, District Attorney.

Loser!

Attention! Attention! The police
ask all occupants of the building

to supply any information they can.

- You were on a first-name basis?
- Yes.

- Even though you didn't know him?
- Yes.

Didn't Hertha Scheumel
call before the party?

- Yes.
- Why?

She asked if she could bring someone.

Did she say who?

She didn't know yet. She wanted to pick up
someone at Cafė Polkt.

And you sent her your Götten!

Right after the call,
Götten turns up at the cafė

and approaches
the easily recognizable blonde.

This cunning ploy allows Blum
to introduce Götten at her aunt's place

without arousing suspicion.

She didn't even bother
to try and cover things up.

As soon as he arrived,
they danced together intimately.

The only bit that's true
is that I danced with Ludwig.

- Do you often dance with strangers?
- No.

So you made an exception for Götten
even though you never dance?

I used to dance sometimes.

With Dr. Blorna and his friends -
politicians and businessmen -

when I helped out in the evenings
at their parties.

Once I got my own car,
I didn't accept any more invitations.

Why not?

Because the men were often drunk
and came on to me.

I used to need to be driven home.

I danced with this man a couple of times.

No need to get personal, Ms. Blum.

Just answer the questions
that are put to you.

Götten's advances didn't bother you?

Ludwig didn't make advances.
He was tender.

- Same thing.
- It is not!

Advances are a one-sided action,

and tenderness is quite different.

- It comes from both parties.
- Nobody's interested in that!

What we want to know
is whether you had agreed to meet him.

I won't sign the statement if it says
"advances" rather than "tenderness."

All right, "tenderness."

You've got her to thank
if this takes forever.

We're enjoying listening.

Why didn't you take your car last night,
of all nights?

It was safer by bus.
I wasn't sure how much I'd drink.

- Do you often get drunk?
- No. Never, really.

Well... someone got me drunk once.
My husband.

You keep contradicting yourself.
If you never drink, why take the bus?

I can tell you
why you didn't take your car.

You wanted to leave with Götten
in his Porsche!

As I told you, I felt like getting drunk.

Instead, you disappeared with him!

We know why.

How do you intend to explain to us

that even though you're so prudish
that your friends call you "the nun"...

you threw yourself
into the arms of a stranger,

took him straight to your room
and were intimate with him?

What was it?

Love at first sight? Tenderness?

Advances? Or just a quick lay?

- Do you want something to eat?
- No, thank you.

Don't be silly, child. You must be hungry.

We'd like a hot meal ourselves.

It won't be as good as yours this morning,

but you didn't finish your breakfast.

No, thank you.

You're only punishing yourself.

You're an adult. You should understand
why you're being interrogated.

Some people find it hard to distinguish
between their private life and business.

- Enjoy your meal.
- Enjoy your meal.

There.

Come on, girl.
Eating will give you an appetite.

I'm not a monster.

Can I wait outside, please?

I can always lock you in a cell
if you can't stand the sight of me.

Yes, please. I'd prefer that.

Men who have been sentenced
to eight years and more

are still thanking me for my fairness.

But we can be different. Pletzer!

Have her put in a cell.

- That hurts!
- You don't say.

Looks like someone got sick.

You really don't want anything?

We can send for something
and bill you for it.

You can have something on me.
I'm going to the cafė anyway.

No sense of humor.

Anyone Götten came into contact with
before he entered Cafė Polkt

has been identified and checked out.

A bartender who served him a beer.

Two girls he danced with.

We'll question them. Hertha Scheumel
and Claudia something or other.

No, not the girls he danced with
at Cafė Polkt.

He went dancing twice?

Further, a gas station attendant,
a salesman in a cigarette shop.

A bank clerk who exchanged $700 US
for him, probably from a bank robbery.

The numbers on the banknotes
are being checked in Washington.

All of these have been
positively identified as chance meetings.

There's no suggestion that anything
he said to them was a code.

Yes, gentlemen.

It's a mystery.

Götten was under constant surveillance
for 36 hours.

He took advantage of the carnival
to get away.

Shouldn't we try to arrest this sheikh
who went by the name of Karl

and investigate his highly obscure role?

After all, he's the one
who went to the party with Götten.

Didn't it occur to you, dear colleague,

that Inspector Beizmenne
may have left him out deliberately?

He's one of our men.

Why wasn't Götten arrested
if you had him under surveillance?

All of Inspector Beizmenne's moves

are coordinated
by Internal Security in Bonn

and approved
by the crisis management team.

Thank you.

Hold this.

Do you think she's innocent, Möding?

What if it were the other way around?

What if I'd met her
and taken her to my place?

And?

The morning after, she told me
the police were looking for her.

- You'd have turned her in.
- I probably would have.

But I can imagine
how an average man wouldn't.

Not everyone works for the police.

Anyone who thinks like that
doesn't belong on the force, Möding.

Mrs. Blum?

Mrs. Blum is in a public hospital.

Tötges, from the editorial department
of The Paper.

We're here about Katharina.
Doesn't she have any other relatives?

There's Katharina's brother, Kurt.
He is in jail.

Interesting. What for?

- I don't know.
- And the mother?

No wonder, with that little bastard.

The husband returned wrecked from the war
only to die.

It was better for him.

Ask the reverend
what happened in the sacristy.

Schönni! Come on!

We still have a bit of time left.

Sad, sad, sad.

Schönni!

A waitress may look like a whore,

but... she shouldn't be one.

I need that. I have a stomach ache.

Soup.

You must eat soup, Schönni.

And Katharina Blum,

was she a whore?

Her? No.

Stiff as a board.
You couldn't even pinch her ass.

Too square and too shy.

And then she fell for the first man
to screw her.

He married her. Brettloh.

Yeah, that's the one.

Third from the right.

He is, if you'll pardon the expression,
a true ass-licker.

Wilhelm, you're going to be in the papers!

Brettloh, Wilhelm.

Tötges. We're from The Paper.
We're here on account of Katharina.

- So you're the husband.
- I was.

I'm sure you've got a lot to say.

Dial.

Ladies, would you care
for a ride with Tötges?

Give me the editorial staff. Mr. Tötges.

Looks like a sex desert here.
Perhaps we can get laid.

Damning reputation throughout the village.

The ex-husband, Wilhelm Brettloh,
an honest, workingman

who divorced Blum
on the grounds of desertion told us,

barely holding back his tears,

"At last I know why she ran off.

Humble happiness wasn't enough.
She wanted to move up in the world.

But how could a modest workingman
ever get a Porsche?

Give my advice to the readers
of The Paper"...

Wait! I'm coming!

"This is where false ideas of socialism
are bound to lead.

I ask you and your readers,

how does a housekeeper
come by such wealth?

It couldn't have been honestly."

Hello.

Oh, dear. These things happen.

- That's sport for you.
- Thank you.

Tell me,

would you say your housekeeper
was capable of committing a crime?

What do you mean? What crime?

Everyone is capable of committing a crime.

- Interesting.
- You too.

- Aren't you Dr. Blorna?
- Yes.

I'm from the Innsbruck bureau
of The Paper.

Katharina Blum has been arrested
as part of the crackdown on anarchists.

Who?

Katharina arrested? Impossible.

It won't be that bad.
They'll probably release her soon.

- Who?
- Katharina.

- Could you tell me more about her?
- It's a misunderstanding.

If you refuse, it will look bad
and may be misinterpreted.

To keep silent in such a case -
it's a front-page story after all -

implies that she's of bad character.

Katharina is a very bright
and sensible person.

Say, didn't you ever notice
Katharina Blum's political views?

Why?

-Or do you yourself sympathize with -
-That's enough.

Weren't you reluctant
to hire someone like her?

After all, you hold files
from Lüstra PLC at your house.

- Couldn't she have had a look at them?
- What are you suggesting?

According to our sources,
Professor Sträubleder is your partner.

No. I'm his attorney.

I work for the corporation
of which he is the main stockholder.

We are on holiday. Goodbye.

Thank you. That will do.

"I don't know" means
I'm not authorized to say anything.

We know the place is a hideout.

And Blum gave shelter not only to Götten
but possibly to others.

Our staff has collected
valuable background material.

Did you know the Blum girl
has had a gentleman friend for two years?

The nun!

- No!
- Just an hour or so.

What kind of man is this Blorna?
Did you find out anything?

Yes, another "coincidence"!

Blorna happened to go off on holiday
the minute Götten appeared.

- Oh?
- His wife.

She's an architect.

At university, she was known as Red Trude.

- Ah-ha!
- No, not because of her views.

Because of her hair color.

Ms. Blum? Interrogation.

Wait here a minute.

Ms. Schwill!

- Hello, Mr. Ruhwiedel.
- He's in his 40s.

Very flexible.
Obviously from a good background.

A little wimp, more like!

- I wouldn't say that.
- I would.

Might those visitors have been the men

who sometimes drove you home
after Dr. Blorna's parties?

Is it forbidden to have gentlemen friends?

Ms. Blum,

you do realize, don't you,
that this is a very serious case

with many implications?

It's kept the police and the DA's office
busy for over a year.

So I'm asking you,
are your gentlemen friends -

You don't deny that they exist, do you?

- No.
- Good.

Are there many or just one?

One.

So you've known Götten for two years!

No.

I only met Ludwig yesterday.

- Then who was it?
- Who was your gentleman friend?

He has nothing to do with Ludwig.

- Get out of here!
- Unbelievable. They're still working.

Do you recognize this ring?

Yes.

- Is it yours?
- Yes.

Do you know how much it's worth?

It can't be much.

We had it appraised by a jeweler
in the city in order to be fair to you.

This ring is worth
8,000 to 10,000 deutschmarks.

- How much?
- 8,000 to 10,000.

- It was a gift.
- A gift? From whom? What for?

And this letter
found in your bedside table

was postmarked on February 2 at 6:00 p.m.
in Düsseldorf, and it's addressed to you.

"Ms. Katharina Blum,
Hochkeppelstrasse 7, Cologne 1 ."

Who sent it if not Götten?

It has nothing to do with Ludwig.

There's nothing wrong
with having a boyfriend.

You're divorced. You have no ties.

And it's not a crime
if you do it for financial gain.

8,000 to 10,000.

May I go back to my cell, please?

I have nothing more to say.

Interrogation ended at 9:40 p.m.

Two cups of tea and a piece of cake
were brought to the detainee,

who accepted and paid for them.

Shouldn't we let her sleep at home?

I think it would be best
if we released her.

He may get in touch with her
or vice versa.

Shouldn't we lock her up
for her own safety?

- You can sleep at home.
- We can't expose her to any danger.

- In love, Möding?
- Mr. Beizmenne, Bonn!

You can take her home.

Beizmenne.

- In case you're free tomorrow night.
- Thank you very much, sir.

How did your tender Ludwig
leave the apartment?

All the exits were being watched.

You must have shown him a way out.
But I'll get him.

And if there's a shoot-out,
I know who will lose. Good night!

Your name is Katharina?

And yours?

Ludwig.

I haven't called a man
by his first name in ages.

- How long?
- Four years.

Five.

Of course, there are coworkers
I call by their first names.

- I'm not one of your coworkers.
- I know.

I'm so happy... and a little scared.

Scared? Of what?

I don't know.
If I knew, I wouldn't be scared.

I was married once,
and it didn't turn out well.

Let's leave soon.

Yes? Ludwig?

Yes, this is Katharina Blum.

You fat bitch. Is your pussy ready?
If Il come down now.

Will you give me a blow job?
Come on, give me a hand job.

You pig.

"Must I force happiness upon you?
I'm warning you. Your neighbor."

Drunk!

Aren't you feeling well?

Were you following me in your car?

You won't get rid of us that easily.

Two beers.

I almost had an accident.

What are you scared of?
You're innocent, aren't you?

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1975

"Was her apartment
the seat of a conspiracy, a mob hideout,

a weapons cache?

The ex-husband, Wilhelm Brettloh,
an honest workingman,

who divorced Blum on grounds of desertion,

could barely hold back his tears.

'At last I know why she ran off.
That was it.

Humble happiness wasn't enough.
She wanted to move up in the world.

But how could a modest workingman
ever get a Porsche?'

As a warning he added,

'This is where false ideas of socialism
are bound to lead.

Now I know why I feared her radicalism
and her hatred of the Church.'

Her employer, the respected
corporate later Dr. Hubert Blorna,

when asked, told The Paper,

'Katharina is ice-cold and calculating.

I deem her capable
of committing a crime."

I know exactly what I told this guy.

I said, "She's bright and sensitive."

Best not to make any more statements.
They can't force you.

I like you.

We like you very much.

Yes.

- Is she taking this nonsense seriously?
- Do you know what she said?

"I believe you.
I know now how these pigs work."

That doesn't sound like her.

Do you know if she's known him
for a long time?

She'd never talk about it.

She says he's safe.

She'll be liable to prosecution.

That's what I told her.

We have to go back.

Father Urbanus, I'm sorry about the note,

but I liked the Karl Marx quote so much
that I had to keep it.

I don't blame you, dear Katharina.

I know the situation you're in.

But that isn't why I sent for you.

We were afraid
you would be detained longer.

Katharina!

Thank you for coming.

I find it very silly to summon me here.

You had no idea
it was me who wanted to see you?

No.

I thought, if you knew, you wouldn't come.

I understand and admire you, Katharina.

I'm sorry that you got into trouble
because of me.

I'd like to thank you, Katharina.

I've never doubted
your courage and sensitivity.

I'd like to help you.

Yes, I know.

I have been punished too.

I love you.

One word from you and I'd turn myself in
and confess, "Look, it's me.

I bought her the ring.

I'm the gentleman friend."

You'd do that?

I'd do anything to help you.

Anything... that would help you.

It wouldn't help me.

I often waited for you.

I never completely gave up hope
that you'd show up one day...

of your own accord.

But now I see that it was in vain.

Which is why it would be better
if I took back the key.

You still have it, don't you?

It wasn't found
when the apartment was searched.

You forced me to take it.
I never wanted it.

So? You can give it back to me.

Wait!

You don't know how much it means to me.

Father Urbanus!

Did you suspect your daughter
of leading a double life?

What for?

How does a mother feel
when faced with that?

- What for?
- You must have got quite a shock.

What for?

No one knows Katharina's character
better than you.

Mrs. Blum, how do you explain
that your daughter has chosen this path?

- Can you tell me?
- What for?

What are you doing in Intensive Care?
No one's allowed in here!

- The woman needs rest.
- She will soon rest.

- Man, you can't do that.
- Shut up.

Katharina Blum and her aunt,
Mrs. Woltersheim,

arrive for questioning by the police.

The young woman's likable appearance
comes as a surprise.

According to the DA's press release,

Götten's hiding place remains unknown

despite numerous leads from the public.

Mothers are a source of information,
even sick ones.

- How did you get to the mother?
- I'm an old pro.

"'It had to come to this, '
she whispered in a dying voice."

Did she really say that?

We must help simple people
express themselves.

Mrs. Woltersheim is also a dark horse.

Her father went by the name of Lumm.
She was born out of wedlock.

He was a communist
and emigrated to the Soviet Union in 1932,

where he disappeared.

Here are some interesting photocopies
our staff got hold of.

If he's in town, can we expect news
for the weekend edition?

You won't have to wait long.

Tötges speaking. Here is the headline.

"Backers in the GDR."

We have learned from well-informed sources

that Mrs. Woltersheim
may also be involved.

Inspector Beizmenne has received documents

according to which her father, Peter Lumm,

emigrated to the USSR in 1932,
where he disappeared.

Ms. Hedwig Plotten,
please report to Department 3A.

Ms. Hedwig Plotten...

Good morning. Did you sleep well?

Don't blame it on the police
if I'm a little rude.

I'm only a man and sometimes pretty blunt.

We realize you must investigate
Katharina's role -

- Mrs. Else Woltersheim?
- Yes.

Please come in.

I wonder if you have a right
to destroy a human being this way.

I don't mean just you, but how the case
was handled by The Paper in particular.

Woltersheim. I've known Katharina
since the day she was born.

I see how scared and distraught she is.

- Because of The Paper?
- Yes.

That's not our concern.

Anyway, freedom of the press
must be respected.

What about the freedom and dignity
of a human being?

If you avoid bad company,

you don't give the press the chance
to blow things out of proportion.

I won't be lectured like that,
especially by a young man like you.

My colleague's age is irrelevant,
Mrs. Woltersheim.

However, his position as District Attorney
matters a lot.

In any event, I wouldn't dream of asking
my guests to produce police records.

Your mother lives in East Germany,
Mrs. Woltersheim, by choice.

It would appear that she prefers
their political system to ours.

I'm wondering how many of your guests
share her opinion.

Do I have to provide you
with political profiles of my guests?

What are you investigating exactly?

Let the state representative decide
which questions he deems important.

Mrs. Woltersheim.

Is Katharina Blum's gentleman friend -

let's leave aside
whether there's just one or several -

among your guests too?

Absolutely not.

Anyway, there's only one person,
and the affair is in very bad taste.

By bad taste I mean the visitor,
not Katharina.

And who is this visitor?

Since Katharina didn't say,
I won't either.

- Do you know him personally?
- No.

And yet you claim to know
all the details of Ms. Blum's life.

Yes.

Did you know that your Katharina

has traveled over 50,000 kilometers
over the past few years

all over Germany, destinations unknown?

Don't you feel well?

There.

I went through the archives again
to look for more newspaper clippings.

Here, for instance,
they just mention a Katharina B.

No picture.

How do they know all that?

The value of the ring,
all those lies about my gentlemen friends?

That's The Paper.

Is there nothing the state can do
to protect people against this filth?

Not everybody reads The Paper.

Everyone I know reads The Paper.

- Would you like some tea?
- Please.

Just let me know
when she's going to be released.

She's what people want and never find.

A real gem.

Right, then...

How's Ludwig?

I don't expect you to tell me where he is.

It would be out of character for you.

Let's forget what you've done.

Let's assume you don't belong
to Götten's gang.

Personally, I don't believe that you do.

Let's imagine Katharina Blum -
domestic help, above all suspicion.

How much do you earn?

1,200 DM at the Blornas.

With extra income,
I make 1,800 to 2,000 DM.

What extra income?

- I told you about that yesterday.
- That's the point.

We don't understand how,
with your income -

more or less the equivalent
of your salary, Möding -

you can afford to buy an apartment
worth 110,000 DM.

Don't you have any other earnings?

Or should we assume
the loot from Götten's robberies

fills the hole in your budget?

I made a down payment of 7,000 DM
for the apartment. I had been saving up.

The Blornas vouched for a 30,000 DM loan.

My monthly expenses, including interest,
are about 1, 100 DM.

Calm down.
We just want to know how you do it.

Perhaps we can learn
how we can afford to buy an apartment.

1, 100 DM per month, you say?

Our accountant has established

that we should add
another 150 DM per month

that you send to your mother.

Regular payments
to a company called Kolter in Kuir

- to take care of your father's grave.
- Yes, 12 DM.

Then something to your brother
who is serving time.

I send him 10 to 20 DM
for cigarettes and coffee.

He doesn't even get enough money
for his shopping.

Don't you spend anything on clothes?

You don't always dress as economically
as you did yesterday morning.

I tailor things that Mrs. Blorna gives me.

I need your help with this.

I wonder where these hefty gas bills
come from.

I drive to the Blornas every morning,
and in the evening I drive back home.

I do my errands on foot.

We've measured the distance.

Möding?

The round trip is six kilometers.

In the evening,
I clean for the Hiepertz family.

The distance to the Hiepertz home
and back is about eight kilometers.

From time to time,
I visit my aunt, Mrs. Woltersheim.

Four kilometers.

On weekends, I go to a caterer's,

or I help out as a waitress
at receptions, parties or weddings.

Often, they're out of town.

Could we say about 30 kilometers a week?

- A little less.
- Thirty.

That comes to 8,000 kilometers a year.

You own an old Volkswagen,

which, according to this contract,
signed by Mr. Klommer, a chef,

you bought six years ago
with a mileage of 56,000 kilometers.

If we add six times 8,000...

it should come to 104,000.

But in fact, it shows 162,000.

Every now and then,
she visits her mother in Gemmelsbroich.

50,000 kilometers remain unaccounted for.

We have the gas receipts.

My question is,
where did you drive to so often?

What were you scouting out?

Who did you meet and where?

That's right.
I just added it up in my mind.

I never thought about it before,
about how much it costs.

After work, I often go for a drive.

Nowhere in particular,
just to drive around.

Mostly when it rains.

And when I'm alone.

Sometimes I'm home by 5:00 p.m.
with nothing to do.

I know so many women
who get drunk alone in front of the TV.

That scares me.

- Goodbye.
- Bye.

"Seriously ill mother collapses in tears.

What is Blum hiding?

Are our interrogation methods too gentle?

Our correspondent managed
to find Blum's sick mother.

She complained bitterly that her daughter
hadn't visited her for ages.

The truth didn't take her by surprise.

'It had to come to this, '
she whispered in a dying voice."

Nobody is allowed near her!

Hello?

You filthy pig. You filthy, cowardly pig!

- Just let me throw that crap away.
- No, I'm going to read it.

No news from him.

"A good fuck is half the battle."

This one's complete.

"Where Stalin didn't succeed,
you won't either."

"Learn to pray again."

"I'm the best lay. I will"...

COMMUNIST PIG

Don't take it seriously.

I'll get rid of all this filth.

It's nice and cozy again here.

Now go to sleep.

Right.

- I'll go home now.
- Why don't you stay here?

Good night, child.

Good night.

Hello?

Hello.

Is that you?

Did you find it? Are you all right?

Is there anything to eat?

Don't worry. They don't bother me.

I know, but I had to hear your voice.

You.

I like you so much.

Ifd like to be near you.

Last night I was almost on my way over
to see you.

Don't call again. I'll be in touch.

You told me not to speak of love.

But I still want to tell you
that I'm very fond of you.

Me too. Very much.

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1975

All this filth.

This damn filth follows you everywhere.

I'll throw a bomb into their office.

Is Alfred awake?

I have to speak to you about Katharina.

Did you come back
just because of the girl?

You should be careful.

Götten belongs to a gang
of deserters and objectors.

-They're undermining our security--
-You sound like The Paper.

What's this got to do with Katharina?

Didn't you read this crap
yesterday and today?

Nothing but slander,
against Trude and me too!

Did you come here
to discuss tabloid journalism?

Good morning, Trude.
Don't you want to come in?

You can sue The Paper for libel.

Where did they get all the details
of the investigation if not from you?

This is neither the time nor the place
for your accusations.

- Are you under surveillance too?
- They're here to protect me.

I'll file a complaint.

I want to know if you're cooperating
with The Paper.

Do what you want.

Five days a week, I deal with extremists.

The other two days,
I want to enjoy my peace and quiet.

- What are you doing?
- What do you want?

- I'm with The Paper.
- Who are you?

Damn cheek!

Just watch it, or I'll punch you!
Now get lost!

I recognized you straightaway.
You're the girl's boss.

Yes, and this is the luxury mansion
with a swimming pool.

The coffee is pretty weak.

- Not like Katharina's.
- Cut it out.

- I'm not blaming you.
- You couldn't if you wanted to.

- With Katharina, I could never do that.
- Never do what?

Take her in my arms.

- I couldn't do it because of you.
- Thanks.

You know what I mean.

Out of consideration for her.

She's so damned vulnerable.

I don't think Alois noticed.

What's Alois got to do with it?

Don't you know that Alois
is the gentleman friend?

He thinks he's irresistible.

I know that from experience.

If it turns out it was Alois,
I'll smash his face in.

Here's your chance. He just drove up.

Come in.

- Good morning, Trude.
- Hello, gentleman friend.

I suppose Trude was right.

I'm not sure that's in very good taste.

Good taste would be
if you were your wife's gentleman friend.

The heat isn't on yet.

Do everything you can to find Katharina.

I'm disappointed
you've waited till now to come here.

I can't do anything about The Paper.

Lüding's taking care of that.
My name won't appear in The Paper.

Didn't you speak to Lüding?

- You don't seem to be in the picture.
- I have no idea.

What a weird situation for an attorney
to be in, considering I'm your client.

- Why didn't you come by plane?
- Because of the fog.

- So you don't know where she is?
- No.

Do you?

Katharina called Tötges an hour ago
to offer him an exclusive interview.

So what? I thought Lüding
was taking care of The Paper.

There are other papers besides The Paper.

Tötges can sell his articles
through his stooges.

I can stand any kind of headline
except ones that link me to anarchists.

You should have thought of that
before gentleman-calling.

An affair might get me into trouble
at home, but not with the public.

We live in a free country, don't we?

TOGETHER...
...FOR ONE NIGHT

Hubert.

Hubert, you must
talk her out of this interview.

The worst hasn't come out yet
in the interrogations or in the press.

Six months ago,
I made Katharina take the key

to our place in Kohlforstenheim.

It was just sentimentality, I guess.

Call it what you like. I do love the girl.

But you won't help her fight The Paper.

You can't help her. You can help me.
She won't let you help her!

Goddamn it, Hubert.

Don't you understand?

I'm sure she gave the key to Götten...

and he's hiding in my home.

It's a good hideout.

Why don't you call the police?

An anarchist in my house!

He's got to go!

You could drive out there as my later.

- Me?
- Yes.

To see if the crocuses are out?
Do you really think that's a good idea?

I'm sure the bastards from The Paper
are watching my every step.

If my name appears in the papers
in connection with this gang,

I'm done for.

Don't get too involved with Katharina
out of a false sense of guilt.

I'm saying that for your own sake,
not for mine.

- I'm sorry, Alois.
- Then we'll have to part company.

Two picture frames with family photos,
a pair of orthopedic shoes...

toiletries in a plastic bag.

The clothes are in the suitcase
with an inventory.

Valuables: two wedding rings, a pin
and 32.50 DM in cash.

Do you like it?

Thank you.

If Tötges actually got into her room,
as he claims he did,

I'll sue him.

But I think it's impossible
that he had the nerve to do it.

As I said, I'll consider going to court
and notifying the medical association.

We can't prove that it was detrimental,
but we can't exclude it either.

The operation was successful,

and your mother
was on the way to recovery.

These people are guilty
of murder and slander, all of them.

They're in the business of robbing
innocent people of their honor,

often taking their lives.

Otherwise, nobody would buy their papers.

Are you a Marxist?

Just a moment, please.
Your mother is being prepared.

I would like to be there.

Mira and Teresa, our two helpers.

- Are you her daughter?
- Yes.

Thank you for everything.

Attention! Attention! This is the police!

The house belongs to a well-known
executive and university professor

who is also a major party official.

It is not clear yet how Götten managed
to break into this well-protected place.

The owner, Professor Sträubleder,

has gone away to meditate during carnival.

The house is surrounded by hills
which make perfect watchtowers.

On Thursday night and into Friday,

special troops were flown in by choppers,
out of earshot, of course,

and sent into action.

We waited for Götten to make his contacts.

It was essential to find out
who he was trying to contact.

Our success here has proven
that it was a risk worth taking.

You'll have to excuse me now.

Where is Ludwig?
What's happened to Ludwig?

- We've already taken him away. He's fine.
- Yeah?

He's got a bullet wound in his thigh.
What are you doing here?

All we know is that he's a deserter
from the armed forces.

He damaged this sacred institution
materially too,

not just morally.

He never robbed a bank.

He helped himself to the pay
of two regiments.

It's all my fault, really.

This is the blueprint for the heating and
plumbing system in Katharina's building.

It was on the wall in our bedroom.

It fascinated Katharina.

I told her exactly
how high the passages are,

where you can stand up straight,
where you have to duck

in order to fix pipes or wires.

Katharina, do sit down, won't you?

Today, we are going to spoil you.

I don't want to belittle you,
but what happened exactly?

You were interrogated.

So were we, and we all got smeared
by The Paper.

I was the only one who was spared.

Perhaps because I'm an old Nazi.

You can stay at my place
if you don't want to go home.

Here's the key.

- Thanks.
- I'm going to live with Else anyway.

Life goes on.

- Well, Katharina?
- How long will Ludwig be locked up?

With all this hysteria,
I figure eight to ten years.

So you really do love him?

Yes.

Why this interview now that it's all over?

Let me cancel it.

No, I want to know what Tötges looks like.

I want to know what such a man looks like.

You're not aware of his tricks.
He'll fool you again.

At least let me come along.

I'd prefer to do it alone.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 1975

GÖTTEN CAUGHT - MOTHER DIES

FIRST VICTIM OF ANARCHIST PARAMOUR

Hey, Katharina, is that you?

We're having beer for breakfast.

- Look over there.
- It's the Blum girl.

You're in The Paper every day.

We're saving the clippings.

I pictured her differently.

Katharina, how about a quickie?

She belongs in the gas chamber.

Cheers!

Cheers!

You see, Blum?

You're famous now.

All that mail, even on a Sunday!

You owe it all to me.

Special delivery. Telegrams.

By messenger.

Just you wait. Your name
is going to make you a lot of money.

This story will run and run.

But we must keep pouring it on,
or people will forget about you.

First, an exclusive interview
for a weekly magazine.

You're headline news.
You must exploit that.

Here.

This is for the story on Sträubleder.
Excuse me.

That business with the key.
We'll take care of the gentleman caller!

We'll club him over the head.

You have to be a bit more tolerant.

You're not blaming me
for the coverage in The Paper?

They treated you a little roughly.

You're not mad at me?

I'll survive this and so will you.
I often get furious with the editors.

I deliver first-rate copy,
and they turn it into crap.

I have a lot of respect for you.

Really.

Hats off for what you've done.

It's politically naive, of course.

We should get to know each other better.

This interview is just the beginning.

How about a fuck now?

Schönner's corpse
has been found in the woods.

The photographer with The Paper.

He was shot. Did you kill him too?

Why not him too?

EPILOGUE

This is a very moving moment
at the cemetery.

Many of our prominent citizens
are paying their last respects

to Mr. Tötges, the journalist
who was murdered in cold blood.

This is his mother, Mrs. Tötges.

In the first row of mourners
are Professor Sträubleder and his wife

and the owner of The Paper, Dr. Lilding,
who will deliver the eulogy.

The shots that killed Werner Tötges

didn't only hit him.

They were aimed
at the freedom of the press...

one of the most precious commodities
of our young democracy.

These shots -

and I say this as we stand here
grief-stricken and horrified -

had an emotional impact on us...

as well as a physical impact on him.

Who doesn't feel the wound?

Who doesn't feel the pain

that goes far beyond
our personal concerns?

Who doesn't feel the breath of terror...

the savagery of anarchy,

the violence which is undermining

the foundations
of our liberal-democratic order...

which we are so devoted to.

Here, allegedly private motives

have led to a political assassination.

And once more we say, "Nip it in the bud!"

Look out,

for freedom of the press
is at the heart of everything -

well-being, social progress,
democracy, pluralism...

diversity of opinions.

And whoever attacks The Paper...

attacks us all.

TO OUR COLLEAGUE
VICTIM OF HIS PROFESSION

EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT
THE PAPER

ALL CHARACTERS
AND EVENTS ARE FICTITIOUS.

THE DESCRIPTIONS OF CERTAIN
JOURNALISTIC PRACTICES

ARE NEITHER INTENTIONAL NOR ACCIDENTAL

BUT UNAVOIDABLE

THE END