All language subtitles for Die.Neue.Zeit.S01E06.1080p.WEB-DL.AAC2.0.H264-CMYK_Kyle (1)

THE NEW ERA

THE END AT WEIMAR

Can I come in?

Yeah, yeah. Come in.

I read the files,
the accusation was indeed ridiculous.

I told you.

This is ’26.

That's Josef Albers,
he was already married to Anni,

Marcel Breuer, Gunta
Stölzl, Oskar Schlemmer.

When we had to leave Weimar, many
students became teachers in Dessau.

And Dörte wanted to become a teacher too.

Why didn't she go to
Dessau with all of you?

Ach. Nobody wanted to
go to Dessau at first.

There was nothing.

Only Junkers and his planes.

No, we fought for Weimar.

We fought for the republic.

In 1923 France occupied parts of Germany.

The Versailles contract
made peace almost impossible.

Germans reacted with
sabotaged terror and strikes.

This battle for the center of Germany's
industry only ruined the economy.

The result was
hyperinflation and famine.

And while you're having to pay millions
of Reichsmark for a single loaf of bread,

and still go hungry,

an elite group of foreigners,
Jews and self-proclaimed artists,

sit in their Bauhaus
only about half a mile from here

splattering paint on canvases and whatnot.

And who's paying for this nonsense?

We!

You and I.

And I'm saying,

I'm fed up with these charlatans
and all their degenerate art.

A little too radical for my liking,

but better than nothing.

When the DVP forms the government
after the next elections,

I'll cut the Bauhaus budget straight away.

Then they can see
who's paying for their nonsense.

I've seen enough.

Really?

I'm taking his campaign seriously.

Leutheußer wants my post.

You must show the public
your students' work.

It's simply too early for an exhibition.

What are you waiting for?

For him to close your school?

And have art
which follows in the tradition

of our national and nativist culture.

German People's Party,
German People's Party...

It's futile to discuss
the pros and cons at this stage.

This happens to be the situation.

Minister Greil officially
justified our funding to parliament

on a new exhibition, that's a fact.

But I find this kind of culture politics
utterly repulsive.

Your fear of culture politics...

No, we all know the school
isn't ready for an exhibition yet.

My course is ready.

Lyonel's right, we have nothing to show.

Please speak for yourself, Master Marcks.

The weaving department might be doing well,

but we have no joint work
to illustrate our overall concept.

An exhibition now would make us look
like a standard Arts and Crafts college,

where everyone does their own thing
without an overarching idea.

That's exactly the point.

Fine, I've heard all the arguments.

If we have to do it,
we'll just do it properly.

We produce what we set out to do
and bring all the arts together.

We'll build a new house
on our plot in "Am Horn".

And may I ask how we'll finance this?

Art...
- There's a space here.

And technology, a new unity.

Art and technology.

Technology doesn't need art,

but art definitely needs technology.

It becomes clear
by looking at the building.

We must adapt our aims
to suit the requirements.

Let me therefore briefly explain
this new direction,

the unity of art and technology,

combining our crafts with the possibilities
of industrial mass production.

Not everyone immediately
understood what that meant.

But Dörte did.

She knew, that was a huge change. You know,

Dörte often accused me of being a
conformist or a hypocrite

but that was not true,
it was not a strategic move.

It was my conviction that functionalism
was the great idea of modernity.

And my success later proved I
was right.

I was right.

Well, the romantic times at
the Bauhaus were finally over.

Thank you for listening.

Director, sorry to trouble you.

You mentioned functional tests.

We discussed it,
but aren't sure what this means.

Well, to create a functioning object,

you need to explore its essence

according to the laws of mechanics,
acoustics, structure and proportion.

So we subordinate all our personal
creative vision to this objective element?

We must always objectify the personal
to avoid being pretentious.

Master Itten taught us differently.
- Excuse me?

Master Itten taught us not to reproduce
an object's outward function,

but its essence and meaning to us.

I don't see a contradiction.

You're putting a factual function
analysis before any decision.

I'm saying we follow our feelings
if we don't know how to decide.

An artist's creative process works
like any other decision in life, Miss Helm.

An individual chooses between two options
based on their personal feelings.

What if they choose wrongly?

Then the object to be created
simply won't function.

I find your new direction tough
compared to Master Itten's.

We always considered the person.

Functionalism will prevail.

Things must function first and foremost.

If you'll excuse me now.

To functionalism.

Another.

So what's with you and Gropius?

Officially? Nothing.

Cheers.

Why is he so strict with you?

Because the court of honour
arrived at this conclusion.

There was never a relationship
and there never will be.

What if the exhibition isn't great?

Just get elected to the commission.

That's even worse,
then I'm partly to blame.

Who's actually designing Haus am Horn?

Gropius. Who else?

But why? There could be an open tender.

You want to become an architect,
and Farkas Molnár has great ideas.

That's not going to happen.
Gropius will do the design.

And we'll do the interiors.

You will understand that, in my opinion,

the new unity of art and technology
is the only possible direction.

It's the future, and we cannot ignore it.

I myself won't stand
for the commission, please.

But I want to tell you

I'm planning to curate
a series of films for Bauhaus Week.

What could be more forward-looking

than the film experiments
currently happening on our screens?

Thank you.

This concludes the speeches.

I'm now asking students and masters

to elect the commission
to curate our exhibition.

Excuse me?
- Miss Helm?

I'd like to stand as a commissioner too,
sorry to leave it late.

Fine.

Please.

Thank you.

I haven't prepared a rousing speech,

so I'll just tell you
why I want to be on this commission.

It's for one particular reason.

If Haus am Horn is to combine everything
we've learned and invented at this school,

if we're to amalgamate all the elements

according to
Director Gropius's founding principle,

which we've all supported ever since,

shouldn't the design of the house

be determined by all of us
as part of an open tender?

If you elect me to the commission,
I'll make sure

we have an architecture competition
everyone can enter,

regardless of whether
they're a master or student.

Good evening.

Congratulations
on being elected to the commission.

It's now up to us
to prepare this exhibition.

Please, take a seat.

Mr Kurz will point out
our precarious financial situation, but...

I think we can do it.

I'd now like to focus on your suggestion,
Miss Helm, the architecture competition.

We can't afford a house...
- One moment, please.

You mustn't see this
as questioning your authority, Director.

The students respect and admire you...

It's not about admiration.

And it's not about self-adulation.

It's about the survival of our school.

The survival of the concept of modernity.

The People's Party want to destroy us,
and if this exhibition fails,

if we can't get the public's attention
and get them to acknowledge

that we're inventing the future
here at Weimar,

that we are the future,

then we're history.

I know this, Director.

I'm fully aware
our survival depends on this exhibition.

But to create a really strong exhibition,
we need to mobilise all our efforts.

Every single student and master
must do their very best from now on.

And nothing will inspire them more

than the feeling of being part
of the creative process.

Nothing will motivate us more

than your original concept
of a community forming here at the Bauhaus.

You inspired us with your community idea.

Now prove we can believe in it.

We'll have to set guidelines
for the competition.

The students will be thrilled.
- We can't afford it.

For the exhibition I developed
what I call "The Wohnmaschine".

The
Idea was to build a series of houses

constructed of prefabricated elements,

modules to fit
variations in use.

The red cube house by Farkas Molnar.
Very interesting.

Yeah.

But the winner was Muche.

This is the design for a model house

for a young family.

Everything centres around the living space
where the family congregates.

Students, all in love.

And they all wanted to
live in Muche's house.

And I had to pay for it.

This is Mr Sommerfeld.

Hello.
- Hi.

Haus am Horn
will be the exhibition's central building.

It'll be the first Bauhaus Gesamtkunstwerk.

I thought my house in Berlin
was the first Gesamtkunstwerk.

Yes, it is. And then again it isn't.

It was my design,
executed with the help of the students.

But this here is completely different.
- I understand.

And this is your design?

Yes. There was a competition.

How generous of you, Walter.

The world is watching
and you let students pick?

The school is based
on the idea of community, Adolf.

Yes.

And the roof is flat?

Correct.
It's basically a cube inside another one.

Yes...

It reminds me of...

well, oriental huts.

That's what our conservative critics wrote,

as if this was a negative thing.

Yes, it's nonsense of course.

Miss Helm, Mr Muche,
would you excuse us for a minute?

They're sending the kids out to talk money.

Please don't cause any trouble.

Why aren't you building
your "Wohnmaschine"?

Nothing against the house, but your design
is a different thing altogether.

Thank you, but we're represented
as a community here.

It's not about me,
it's about an idea supported by everyone.

And they want to build this house.

But it won't be possible without your help.

We need a guarantor.

With each second of us talking here,
my money is worth less.

Of course I'll give you what you need
to build the house.

Thank you.

Thank you, Adolf.

Mr Muche?
- Yes?

The planned interiors will be of interest
to our new investor.

Our investor...

Mr Sommerfeld, come.
I'll show you everything.

I'm delighted you came.

We'll build it?
- We will.

We'll build the house?
- We will.

I can't quite believe it yet.

This is all that matters now.

The following weeks were crazy.

They all worked and worked.

Laszlo Moholy-Nagy curated the program of the
most avant-garde and experimental films.

Oskar
Schlemmer directed a ballet.

And the Turk.

The sphere... the diver.

And... go.

And I tried to combine
all crafts in one room.

Metal workshop,
weavery, woodwork.

Inspired by Wassily Kandinsky
and designed by myself.

They all worked on a new office.

An office for who?

For me, of course.

The weeks of preparation were fantastic.
But I had to travel a lot to raise money.

I'm speaking to you
in this venerable old city

to gain your attention.

I want to gain your attention for the new,

emanating from our arts college,
the state-run Bauhaus.

The new can be confusing,

sometimes unnerving,
and occasionally painful,

but there is no alternative.

If we don't seek new paths in art,
as in life, we're already dead.

Interesting?

Yes.

Let me briefly explain to you

what the Bauhaus is.

Was the new so unnerving
no-one wants to speak to you?

Either that, or word got around
I'm looking for backers for my school.

So you're a beggar?

A man in need.

What do you need most?

Everything.

Everything. Money...

affection... champagne...

I think I can help with everything.

With everything?

Champagne.

You gained my affection
with your inspiring speech.

Thank you.

I can get money because I know people.

Cheers, Mr Gropius.
- To your health, Mrs...

Miss. Miss Frank.

But you can call me Ilse.

Ise suits you better.

It's more modern.

Ise?

Fine. If you say so...

My fiancé.

Oh... You're newly in love?

No, it's not really like that.

He's my cousin.
We've known each other from birth.

You're marrying your cousin?

Yes. It makes economic sense.

Ise came from a well-known family.

And she introduced me to
powerful and wealthy people.

And none of them could believe that
we had such problems in Weimar.

Let me show you some pictures from
this great exhibition in 23. Yeah?

Hello, Mr Gropius.

Director.

Miss Helm.

You've been away for a long time.

Yes.

You've received news of my success?

We spent every penny you sent us.

That was the idea.

May I show you our house?

With pleasure.

Then follow me.

What do you say?

It's fantastic.

It's perfect.

Yes.

I've been wanting to tell you for months,
but didn't know how...

Not here, what if anyone sees us?

No, don't worry, they've all gone home.

I didn't want to be pressured into
marrying you by the court of honour.

I didn't want for this decision
to be forced upon us by others.

But now that all this time has passed...

I want to ask you if you'll be my husband.

What...

You're asking me?

I love you.

I love you, I can't stop thinking about you

and I want to spend
the rest of my life with you.

Walter?

Walter, where are you?

Where...
- I'm in the house, Ise.

This is incredible.

It's... it's wonderful.

I want to move in here, Walter.

Can we move in here?

It's fantastic.

Fantastic!

Hello.

Please, sit down.

Most of you have already met Ise Frank.

She'll assist me over the coming weeks
and will work with us in the long term.

Master Muche,

congratulations on Haus am Horn.

To realise this kind of building project
in only four weeks...

Miss Frank, have you seen our house yet?

I have, and I agree with my fiancé.

Great.
We need to advertise the Bauhaus Week,

a lot depends on visitor numbers.

Dörte and I had an idea,

it's an unusual form of advertising,

but I'm not sure it's appropriate.

You want to post this to people?

Advertising in their letterboxes?

I'm not sure myself.

Well, I am sure.
I'm sure it's against any decency.

People's letterboxes
would flow over in future.

Yes...

It's a balancing act.

Of course it's brash and controversial,

but on the other hand...
- It's about victory or defeat.

What do you think, Ise?

Yes. What do you think?

I think it's a brilliant idea.

Advertising by mail.

Thanks. Maybe your fiancé agrees with you?

Yes...

Fine, so how do we reach these people?

We'll get their addresses from friends.

And from friends of friends.

What are you playing at? War?

You think a display of jealousy
is a good idea?

No, I agree with you, Director.

You didn't want to marry me, remember?

And now you're feeling hurt?

Now it's all my fault?

Fault?

Whose fault and for what?

We won't get married because
we don't belong together, that's it.

I won't make a scene.

I love you and you'll marry and be happy.

Things are the way they are.

No-one's at fault and no-one will be happy.

Actually, I will be happy,
with Ise by my side.

She wants to share my happiness.

She'll develop the school with me,
and support my vision, you understand?

It won't be about her all the time.

You think all this was about myself?

Well, it certainly wasn't about me.

No, that's true.

I always thought it was about us.

Is everything okay?

Mmh? Yeah, yeah. Sure, sure. Just...

brings up old memories.

Where's Ise, is she not around?

Oh no, she's gone for the weekend,
running away from all the fuzz.

- Send her my regards.
- I will.

The exhibition was a great
success, people came from all over.

Igor Strawinsky,

Ludwig mies van der Rohe, Le Corbusier.
They came all the way, they were curious.

Ah, my opening speech.

You see, this is Kandinsky,

this is the minister of education
Max Greil.

Here is Lyonel Feininger.

All this didn't help.

Our enemies won the election and Richard
Leutheußer immediately cut the budget,

so the Bauhaus had to leave Weimar.

So we threw our final party.

EXIT - CATASTROPHE

EMOTION - PASSION - PAUSE

Those were the early days of the Bauhaus.

So how did you get to Dessau?

Ah. Another time, Stine.

I have a few other appointments in the
afternoon and I really need to rest.

Okay.

But, Stine.

Please do me a favor and don't
write that I lowered women.

It's simply not true.

: Just one more thing.

Why didn't Dörte move to Dessau?

Oh, I asked her. She was so talented and

she wanted to become a
teacher as you know, so I begged her.

Miss Helm for you.

Yes, fine. Show her in.

I'm here because I'd like to...
- Please...

have a seat.

I want to come to Dessau
as a junior master.

I'll see what I can do.

I could study murals,
Schlemmer wants me to join.

Or I could do stage sets.

I'll see what I can do.

I'd even be happy to work
in the weaving department

or in the print workshop.

Marcel Breuer is to be junior master

and Josef Albers
is to teach the preliminary course.

Gunta will run the weaving department.

I'm the only one
you didn't offer a position.

I'll see what I can do.

It's a pity you're scared of me.

I'll see what I can do.

It's such a pity, that she didn't join us.

But she insisted to become an
independent artist

so what can one do?

She moved back to her parents to Rostock.

She was half Jewish so when the Nazis
came, she lost permission to work.

I think she died in '41 from
some infection.

Yeah, the daughter told me.

Yeah, that's tragic.

Did she become an important artist?

No, no, no, no.
Teaching would have been something.

You know Gunta Stölzl and many others
became very influential in Dessau.

A pity she was not with us
anymore.

Stine.

Goodbye, Walter.

Why did you lie to me?

What do you mean?

Dörte wanted to become a teacher.

Why should she go back to her
patronizing father?

What happened, Walter?

You were in love with her.

But you could not
possess her, so you send her away.

That's what I think.

You can think whatever you like,
but can only write what I told you.

Come on.

You're practically dead,
why not confess now?

Goodbye, Stine.

Just amongst us.

I won't write it.

Okay?

Where you in love with
Dörte Helm?

Well, then die with your secret.

Goodbye, Walter.