AQA A Level German Paper 2 7662/2 - 12th June 2024 [Exam Chat]

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Dürrenmatt uses the Lehrer to signpost what is going on, so that the story and its themes are easier for the audience to follow

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For example, in the first act (after Claires arrival but before her offer), the teacher compares Claire to a Schicksaalgötterin (goddess of fate) such as Clotho (Klotho in German), who was one of the goddesses in Greek mythology who determined the fate of mortals. Whilst the other Gülleners focus on Claires money, the Lehrer comments on the control Claire has over the town because of this money, and the power imbalance this causes (thus the comparison to a goddess). Because of this, the Lehrer is uneasy that something bad will happen, but isnt exactly sure what (later on this turns out to be Claires offer)

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The Lehrer is just as corrupt and greedy as the rest of the Gülleners. He has a better understanding of what is going on, and yet he too succumbs to the temptation instead of being the one just man who fights against it.

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E.g. At the end of the play the Lehrer makes a speech in which he justifies the murder of Alfred as the town had done Claire an injustice, and so the town owed her one (he is being vague as the press are there)

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Other examples of the Lehrer’s greed and hypocrisy is that when he (and the doctor) try to negotiate with Claire at the beginning of Act 3, they’re still trying to get the money (just without needing to kill Alfred)

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When he’s drunk and trying to defend Alfred later on, he’s drunk on alcohol he got from Alfred’s shop (i.e. that he probably didn’t have money to buy, and so has to kill Alfred to pay for)

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Der Lehrer is a stand-in for the educated people in the audience who see what’s happening and realise what is coming. Without the Lehrer, the story is a ‘masses get swayed by money’ story, which these people could dismiss by going ‘I’m educated, I would never do that.’ Dürrenmatt uses the Lehrer to argue that these people are NOT an exception and would also succumb to the temptation, pushing his message of “man kann alles kaufen” (Claire, Act 1) / the corruption in a Capitalist society more strongly.

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This is a strong quote

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It’s also not entirely true (more specifically, the reasons the Lehrer gives, Armut and Versuchung)

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The core of this quote is the corruption of the capitalist society. Let me break it down:

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Money rules the Capitalist society (“man kann alles kaufen”)

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Therefore, the Gülleners prioritise money over morality (despite what they say when initially responding to Claire’s offer, “Wir bleiben lieber arm als blutbefleckt” (“we’d rather stay poor than be stained with blood”) (Bürgermeister, Act 1))

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And that is why it is inevitable that they will kill Alfred. (i.e. it is their lack of morality, not the Versuchung and Armut, that makes his death inevitable)

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Important part of the humour of the play (the Komödie in Tragikomödie)

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For example their rhyming names (Koby, Lobby, Toby), as well as their characteristics (two eunuchs who speak in unison, two gum-chewing gangsters) are bizarre elements which add to the entertainment value of the play.

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Important for societal critique

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Alfred seeks them out in Act 2 when he fears that Claire will actually kill him, but they dismiss his concerns because they have also succumbed to the temptation of the money.

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E.g. the Bürgermeister has einen neuen Stadtplan (a new city plan), the Polizist einen golden Zahn (a golden tooth), and the Pfarrer eine neue Glocke (a new bell [in the church])

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This is significant because these characters represent their institutions (Bürgermeister is the government, Polizist is the police, Pfarrer is religion)

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And so Dürrenmatt uses them to show that the corruption (in preferring money over morality) is also present in these institutions (as well as in the general population, as established in previous scenes)

1.

Inwiefern spielt Gerd Wiesler eine Heldenrolle im Film? (like 6 and sort of similar to 11 and 16)

2.

Wie und mit welchem Erfolg hat das DDR-Regime seine Macht auf die Bevölkerung ausgeübt? (like 10, sort of similar to 5 & 13)

3.

Analysieren Sie die Rollen von MfS-Oberstleutnant Grubitz und Minister Bruno Hempf im Film? (like 8)

4.

Welche Bedeutung hat "die Sonate vom Guten Menschen" für den Verlauf des Filmes? (sort of similar to 12 and 15)

5.

Welche Methoden hat die Stasi benutzt, um die Bevölkerung der DDR zu überwachen und zu kontrollieren? Wie erfölgreich waren diese Methoden Ihrer Meinung nach? (like 13 & sort of 2)

6.

Welchen Effekt hat die Überwachung von Georg Dreyman und Christa-Maria Sieland auf Gerd Wiesler? Inwiefern könnte man ihn als Held beschreiben? (like 1 and sort of similar to 11 and 16)

7.

Inwiefern spielt Christa-Maria Sieland eine entscheidende Rolle im Film? (like 14)

8.

Untersuchen Sie die Rolle von Minister Bruno Hempf im Film (like 3)

9.

Untersuchen Sie die Rolle von Georg Dreyman im Film.

10.

Wie schildert der Regisseur das Leben in der DDR in seinem Film? (like 2 and sort of similar to 5 & 13)

11.

Analysieren Sie, warum und inwiefern Wieslers Charakter sich im Verlauf des Films ändert (like 16 and sort of similar to 1 and 6)

12.

Beurteilen sie die Rolle von Literatur und Musik im Verlauf dieses Films (sort of similar to 15)

13.

Untersuchen Sie, wie die Stasi in diesem Film die Einwohner der DDR beeinflusst (like 5 & sort of 2)

14.

Untersuchen Sie die Aktionen von Christa-Maria Sieland im Film (like 7)

15.

Untersuchen Sie die Rolle der Musik im Film (sort of similar to 12)

16.

Wie entwickelt sich die Figur von Wiesler im Film Das Leben der Anderen und warum ist das wichtig? (like 11 and sort of similar to 1 and 6)

17.

Wer sind die Anderen im Film Das Leben der Anderen deiner Meinung nach und warum?