SILENT REVOLUTION/ DAS ZWEIGENDE KLASSENZIMMER
Germany, 2018, 111 minutes, Colour.
Jonas Dassler, Judith Engel, Tom Gramenz, Leonard Scheicher, Michael Gwisdek, Lena Klenke, Isaiah Michalski.
Directed by Lars Kraume.
A very interesting film from Germany, taking its audience back to East Germany in 1956 and noting that this was five years before the building of the Berlin Wall. The film recreates the place, homes, school, the families, the harsh Soviet style government, the ideology of socialism. It also has people from the East travelling by train, being checked, for visits to the West, something which was to come to a bitter end with the establishing of the Wall.
We are introduced to some young students in their final year at school, full of hope, but their expectations of future in the East. Two of them, Theo and Kurt, go on a trip to West Berlin, cheeky to the guards who check their identities, going to visit Kurt’s grandmother’s grave – but also wanting to go to see a sexy movie in a West Berlin cinema. When they return, they gather with their friends to discuss the visit, some excited by the experience, some rather censorious about going to that kind of film. They are again cheeky to some of the Soviet soldiers who pursue them but let them go.
The focus on this group of students, as well as Eric and Paul who are also in the class and some of the girls, including Lena who is attracted to Theo, means that the film offers us a microcosm of the East Germantown, Stalinstadt, and the comparatively small drama that affects the students. And this microcosm is a symbolic drama of what was happening in the rest of the East and for the following 35 years until the Wall came down and there was reunification.
The students hear news of the Hungarian uprising in October 1956. This excites them, possibilities for freedom, of getting away from Soviet overrule. Without thinking of the consequences, they decide to hold a two minutes silence period in the classroom. The keep looking at the clock. The teacher does not know what is going on, the tension begins.
Kurt comes from a family where his father is on the town Council, a respected authority. Theo’s father, on the other hand, works in the steel mills and has two younger brothers. He is the first in his family to complete his secondary schooling and his father has high hopes. Later Theo will learn that his father participated in an uprising in 1953.
Paul takes the group to his uncle, with a reputation as a gay man, to listen to radio from the West in order to learn more about Hungary. The principal, originally a blue-collar worker, is anxious for his job and talks with students. However, an official visits, Miss Kessler, a severe interrogator and, later, the Minister for Education will visit the school.
There are divisions amongst the students, Erik idealising his resistance father but rather conservative. The others, on the other hand, are eager for solidarity with Hungary. Questions are asked about who is responsible.
Ultimately, the state will come down on students and they will have to make decisions about staying, being expelled from school, the consequences for their careers or travelling to the west.
Well acted, well written, always interesting – and, though it is the history of a small group in 1956, still challenging.
1. The German perspective on the past? Based on actual events? 1956? Five years before the Wall? The experience of 11 years as part of the Soviet empire? Attitudes towards socialism? The German heritage, the Nazis and the SS, the war, resistance? Concentration camps? Memories?
2. The East German setting, Stalinstadt? The town, homes, the school, the house in the countryside, trains? The American sector? The cemetery? The cinema and be sex film?
3. The stories has a microcosm of East Germany, illuminating the macrocosm of the Soviet empire and the countries involved?
4. The musical score, the American songs heard in East Germany? From the west?
5. The focus on the students, the age of 18, their graduation year, their experiences, growing up in East Germany, the two Germanies? The prospects? The past, the labourers, the opportunity for the new generation to get diplomas, betterment, true socialism and improvement?
6. The introduction to Kurt and Theo, on the train, cheeky with the guards, their checking? Dislike of the Russians and the interrogation? Going to the cemetery, Kurt’s grandfather? Going to the movie, the sex movie in the West, following the girls, getting in free? The impact of the newsreel, Hungary, revolution, ideas?
7. The situation of Hungary in 1956, News from the radio in the American sector? The group going to Edgar’s to listen? The newspapers? Accusations of bias, American propaganda? Yet Hungary, the uprising, the leader, resistance, the many deaths, the streets, the Russian tanks, the soccer hero and whether he died or not?
8. The core group of students for this story? Theo, Kurt, Lena, Paul, Erik? The group at the diner after a visit to the west? Throwing things at the Russians, the chase?, Religious background, against the world of the movies?
9. At school, the ceremonies, the initial pledge, everybody saying “friendship�? The plan for the silence in support of Hungary? Looking at the watch, the clock, the teacher and his not understanding? His questions? Being upset, going to the principal? The intervention of the authorities, Miss Kessler and her hard interrogations, the visit of the Minister and his ideology? The jokey attitudes of the students, their inexperience at 18, having to discover real politics, truth, consequences, experience betrayal?
10. Theo, his father working in the steel mill, the other children, the mother? On the bike going to school, the affection for the other children? His father involved in the uprising of 1953 but not telling his son? Taking Theo to work in the mill one day? His hope for Theo’s graduation and future?
11. Kurt, his father in the Council, severe, attitude towards his wife? His hopes for Kurt?
12. She’s too, his father seen as a hero? The minister knowing him? Miss Kessler, the photo, the discovery of the truth, his shame?
13. Lena, living with her grandmother? The grandmother saying nothing was a as it seems – and who work at sewing?
14. Paul and his relationship with Edgar? Studious? Edgar, his reputation as a gay man, living alone? The radio, welcoming the students, the listening to the news, the music? His speech about realism and truth? The speech about individuals and the collective, conformity? The fact that they had become enemies of the state? His being arrested, smiling, the radio and the American music?
15. The consciousness of Hungary, hopes for the uprising, the failure?
16. The personal stories, Theo and the clover for Lena, Lena attracted to Kurt, Paul seeing them kissing? Paul telling Theo?
17. The parents meeting in the bar, Theo’s father going to the Minister, being rejected?
18. The role of the principal, from a blue-collar worker to an opportunity, the visit with Theo, the tea, the warning? The minister arriving without telling the principal? Miss Kessler? The threats to his job?
19. The plan to use the excuse that they were mourning the soccer hero? Their all being interrogated, the revelation that the player was still alive?
20. The role of Erik, indicating that the silence was a sign of protest? His being interviewed? His agreeing to the excuse?
21. The range of interrogations, the stances, that the news was passed along rows? Miss Kessler and her investigation, wrong conclusions? The minister, his attitude, his criticism of the girls their father as a vet?
22. The continued pressure, the pastor and his sermon on betrayal? The decisions?
23. Erik, seeing the photo, getting his rifle, killing the supervisor, his being chased, going to the church, confronting his mother about the truth?
24. Kurt, his father and the photo, betraying Erik’s father, the execution? Council man, severity with his wife? His mother advising her son to leave, the farewell, his going to see Theo? On the train, his bag of books, taken, the confrontation with his father, the father promising and signing the document – and the strong handshake and his father farewelling him?
25. The day, Theo asked, not saying what happened? Miss Kessler and her deal that Erik take the blame? The others saying they supported him, expulsion, Theo and Paul? The Spartacus moment and all the class standing up? Everybody out and expelled? Theo as the leader? His telling them to make individual choices?
26. Theo, his family, going to visit the grandmother? Theo with Paul? The group on the train?
27. The final information, all leaving East Germany? Subsequent history? The building of the Wall five years later?
