Die Konsequenz
Encyclopedia
Die Konsequenz is a West German
film from 1977
. It is an adaptation
of the 1975 autobiographical novel with the same name by Swiss author Alexander Ziegler
and directed by Wolfgang Petersen
. The film has a pederastic
theme. It has been praised as "one of the best `70s gay dramas."
actor Martin Kurath (Prochnow) who is in prison develops a friendship with Thomas Manzoni (Hannawald), the 15-year-old son of the prison warden (Lüönd). The two fall in love and they both yearn for Kurath's release. This triggers intense indignation in their surroundings. After Kurath is released a year later, Thomas accompanied by Kurath, tells his parents he is a homosexual. His father tells him to leave and never return. Kurath and Thomas move in together and Thomas enrolls in school. Thomas' father, however, then has him arrested and condemned to a brutal reformatory. Kurath obtains a fake passport and poses as a psychology doctoral candidate and helps Thomas escape with him to Germany. They are betrayed by a German homosexual friend of Kurath's who insists, in Kurath's absence, that Thomas become his lover in order to obtain a German residency permit. Thomas does so, but then refuses to sleep with the betrayer, is kicked out and prostitutes himself. Broken by these experiences, he voluntarily returns to the reformatory. When he reaches 21 and is released, he is so psychologically damaged that, despite reunion with Kurath, he attempts suicide and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. He escapes and the film ends with a TV announcement that the police are looking for him and that the public should, if approaching him, treat him gently, as he is very depressed and confused.
processed his personal experiences in the book. He himself served two and a half years in prison
for "seducing an innocent underaged person to unnatural sexual acts".
's 1977 sensitive adaptation of the novel and with director Wolfgang Petersen
. Die Konsequenz was made-for-television and filmed in black and white on 16 mm film
. The soundtrack is composed by Nils Sustrate.
In March 2008, the film was released on DVD as part of a complete works edition of director Wolfgang Petersen's films (size: 22 DVDs).
on November 8, 1977, and regional affiliate Bayerischer Rundfunk
refused to relay the transmission signal.
The novel and film had a pivotal role in West Germany
in starting a dialogue on the topic of homosexuality, a role analogous to that played by the works of Roger Peyrefitte
in France.
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
film from 1977
1977 in film
The year 1977 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*In the Academy Awards, Peter Finch, Faye Dunaway and Beatrice Straight win Best Actor and Actress and Supporting Actress awards for Network....
. It is an adaptation
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
of the 1975 autobiographical novel with the same name by Swiss author Alexander Ziegler
Alexander Ziegler
Alexander Ziegler was a Swiss author and actor.Ziegler studied drama at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Wien . He was an actor in Spring Awakening, a play by Frank Wedekind, in 1964...
and directed by Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen is a German film director and screenwriter. His films include The NeverEnding Story, Enemy Mine, Outbreak, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Troy, and Poseidon...
. The film has a pederastic
Pederasty
Pederasty or paederasty is an intimate relationship between an adult and an adolescent boy outside his immediate family. The word pederasty derives from Greek "love of boys", a compound derived from "child, boy" and "lover".Historically, pederasty has existed as a variety of customs and...
theme. It has been praised as "one of the best `70s gay dramas."
Plot
GayGay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
actor Martin Kurath (Prochnow) who is in prison develops a friendship with Thomas Manzoni (Hannawald), the 15-year-old son of the prison warden (Lüönd). The two fall in love and they both yearn for Kurath's release. This triggers intense indignation in their surroundings. After Kurath is released a year later, Thomas accompanied by Kurath, tells his parents he is a homosexual. His father tells him to leave and never return. Kurath and Thomas move in together and Thomas enrolls in school. Thomas' father, however, then has him arrested and condemned to a brutal reformatory. Kurath obtains a fake passport and poses as a psychology doctoral candidate and helps Thomas escape with him to Germany. They are betrayed by a German homosexual friend of Kurath's who insists, in Kurath's absence, that Thomas become his lover in order to obtain a German residency permit. Thomas does so, but then refuses to sleep with the betrayer, is kicked out and prostitutes himself. Broken by these experiences, he voluntarily returns to the reformatory. When he reaches 21 and is released, he is so psychologically damaged that, despite reunion with Kurath, he attempts suicide and is committed to a psychiatric hospital. He escapes and the film ends with a TV announcement that the police are looking for him and that the public should, if approaching him, treat him gently, as he is very depressed and confused.
Literary original
The novel Die Konsequenz, which reads like the diary of Martin Kurath, is set in 1974. The Swiss Alexander ZieglerAlexander Ziegler
Alexander Ziegler was a Swiss author and actor.Ziegler studied drama at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Wien . He was an actor in Spring Awakening, a play by Frank Wedekind, in 1964...
processed his personal experiences in the book. He himself served two and a half years in prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
for "seducing an innocent underaged person to unnatural sexual acts".
Film production
Alexander Ziegler contributed personally in the collaboration of Bernd EichingerBernd Eichinger
Bernd Eichinger was a German film producer and director.- Life and career :Eichinger was born in Neuburg an der Donau. He attended the University of Television and Film Munich in the 1970s, and bought a stake in the fledgling studio company Neue Constantin Film in 1979, becoming its executive...
's 1977 sensitive adaptation of the novel and with director Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen
Wolfgang Petersen is a German film director and screenwriter. His films include The NeverEnding Story, Enemy Mine, Outbreak, In the Line of Fire, Air Force One, The Perfect Storm, Troy, and Poseidon...
. Die Konsequenz was made-for-television and filmed in black and white on 16 mm film
16 mm film
16 mm film refers to a popular, economical gauge of film used for motion pictures and non-theatrical film making. 16 mm refers to the width of the film...
. The soundtrack is composed by Nils Sustrate.
In March 2008, the film was released on DVD as part of a complete works edition of director Wolfgang Petersen's films (size: 22 DVDs).
Controversy
The original version of the film received a Wertvoll (i.e. "recommended") quality award in the German Filmprädikat rating scheme, but was censored due to its perceived incendiary content in the first television broadcast on ARDARD (broadcaster)
ARD is a joint organization of Germany's regional public-service broadcasters...
on November 8, 1977, and regional affiliate Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk
Bayerischer Rundfunk [Bavarian Broadcasting] is the public broadcasting authority for the German Freistaat of Bavaria, with its main offices located in Munich. BR is a member of ARD.- Legal foundation :...
refused to relay the transmission signal.
The novel and film had a pivotal role in West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
in starting a dialogue on the topic of homosexuality, a role analogous to that played by the works of Roger Peyrefitte
Roger Peyrefitte
Roger Peyrefitte was a French diplomat, writer of bestseller novels and gossipy non-fiction, and a defender of gay rights.-Life and work:...
in France.
Reviews
Literature
- Alexander ZieglerAlexander ZieglerAlexander Ziegler was a Swiss author and actor.Ziegler studied drama at the Max Reinhardt Seminar in Wien . He was an actor in Spring Awakening, a play by Frank Wedekind, in 1964...
: Die Konsequenz. ISBN 3-596-23407-7, Fischer-TB 3407, Frankfurt am Main, 1978 - Wolfgang Petersen and Ulrich Greiwe (editors): Die Resonanz. Briefe und Dokumente zum Film "Die Konsequenz" ISBN 3596234239, Fischer-TB 3423, Frankfurt am Main, 1980