Unity (31 page)

F[elicity], whose research borders on neurosis, tells me that Unity born in a Canadian town called Swastika. Can this be true? If so, what does it signify? G.M. born in Maidenhead.

Shooting scene at official reception. Many of the students who frequent the building in its present incarnation employed as extras. Flattered by their familiarity with my work (and inured to inevitable questions about Hollywood) but, when positions reversed, horrified by their lack of political awareness. My enquiries about Schleyer case and what it reveals about
government
founder on their indifference. Any social concern is reserved for the environment. One young man (Malibu smile) asks: ‘What does it matter whether we're Left or Right when, if we continue to destroy the planet, in fifty years time we'll have no future?'

Yes, save the whales. Far more compliant than people.

Dynamite interview in
Christ und Welt
in which F[elicity] expresses sympathy with R[ed] A[rmy] F[action] & condones use of violence against repressive, intransigent state. Declares it
disingenuous
to say direct action does not work. Egs: Castro;
suffragettes
; even Stern gang. RAF latest in honourable line.

Front page news not arts page ghetto. Printed alongside editorial claiming comments show that sickness of young not confined to Germany.

F.'s approval rating from G.M. *****, from rest of cast 0. Ring her room (moved to hotel after break-up with L[uke]) to convey support. She invites me round. No regrets about interview, except that the remarks about politics completely overshadow those about film (still has a lot to learn!), but furious that paper failed to
print statements about Schleyer's SS past. Advise her against writing letter of complaint.

She relates events of morning. Early visit from 2 W.s: Werner, apoplectic, kept hitting himself over head with rolled-up paper like character in farce; Wolfram, emollient, convinced that all would be forgotten by time film released next year. Forced by Werner to read riot act, but F. swears he winked at her in covert endorsement of her position. W[olfram] himself subject to constraints, so she must speak out on his behalf.

Our conversation interrupted by phone call from F.'s uncle. Rap over knuckles combined with lesson in diplomacy. Surprised by F.'s gymkhana voice: Yes, Uncle; no, Uncle; 3 bags full, Uncle.

Even more surprised by unannounced arrival of A[hmet] (Why no call from reception? Is he a regular visitor?). Congratulates her on stand: challenging consensus; provoking debate etc. His (over-) enthusiasm causes mine to wane. Later, when 2 of us alone, he insists that it's a deliberate tactic. Grooming F. for a mission.

‘What about me?'

Replies that it might be dangerous. G.M.'s face & politics too
well-known
. Refuses to say more.

Other front-page news: first confirmation for 10 days that Schleyer still alive. Sent letter appealing to government to
negotiate
with kidnappers accompanied by photograph holding placard: ‘Prisoner for 31 days.'

Nevertheless, looks decently fed. More than his Nazi friends allowed their captives … and more than his Zionist allies allowed A. when rounded up during Israeli raid into Lebanon. For 2 days, given no food, made to squat in cell wearing sack over head in which previous victim had vomited.

Think on that Prime Minister Begin. Think on that Herr Schleyer.

More drama on set.

Henry rounds on W[olfram] for giving him line-readings. Ironic, when some of us yearn for clearer direction. But Henry old school, jealously guards own preserve.

Still, fond of him. Far more incentive to join nightly revelry in bar now that he and Mathilda arrived. As Heidi's grandfather, he was one of my kinder honorary relatives. Treated G.M. with rare respect.

H. making first visit back to homeland for 40 years. Appalled by resurgence of political violence – espousal of ‘fascist tactics' by Left. Surprised us all (and frightened Mathilda) by revealing he'd been member of Communist Party in youth.

G.M.: ‘You've never mentioned it before.'

H.: ‘It's hardly something you discuss with a child, let alone in Hollywood. But we believed in peaceful persuasion … in changing society by changing minds.'

G.M.: ‘And look where it led you. Straight into the hands of the Nazis.'

H.: ‘I think we should change the subject, my dear. I like you far too much to want us to fall out over politics.'

A true
citizen
subject of his adopted country.

eve: Misery. A[hmet] stood me up for dinner. Rang Mahmoud: no news. Rang F[elicity]: no answer. Early to bed, unable to sleep. Room service (twice).

Not called. Nothing to read and no sign of A[hmet]. Hotel
suffocating
. Unnerved by lift-boy's knowing grin.

Spend morning sightseeing at Nymphenburg Castle, 1-time summer residence of royal family. Strolling through gardens, come
across Dora in tears. Against better judgement, ask what's wrong. Catch her off guard. No time for any grit in eye/contact lens guff. Instead, explains that attendant in Stone Hall gave her mirror to see details of ceiling and, holding it up, she caught full view of neck.

G.M. incredulous. Surrounded by life-and-death problems: Ahmet and occupation of homeland; Helmuth and guilt of father; Baader and friends waiting for government action on Schleyer. And Dora distraught about puckered skin!

Then she confesses. Having affair with L[uke]. ½ her age (⅓ more like!). His flesh drum-skin taut; hers subject to subsidence.

Offer curt reassurance, while struggling to check irritation. Is there something in the air that promotes these spring/autumn romances? G[erald] and Haroko all over again – only worse.
Whatever
L.'s faults, he's undeniably gorgeous. Why Dora? Is he in therapy?

Lose all enthusiasm for castle. Sit in café, sipping hot chocolate and pondering injustice. Gaped at by woman with goitre, who tells me shyly that
Pollyanna
is her favourite film. Stare at her coldly and, when asked for autograph, sign Hayley Mills.
143

More Dora this eve (sporting choker!) among disparate group in bar. Sir H[allam] regales us with some legendary production from 30s featuring actors with P. G. Wodehouse names whom he invokes as if our personal friends. Interrupted by mysterious old man, whose drably respectable clothes are at odds with his brazenly hennaed hair. He hovers in front of us, keeping hands in pockets (for good reason). Hotel staff converge protectively. No need. Turns out to have been former dresser of Henry's when he
acted for Reinhardt.
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What's more, met Sir H. during pre-war visit to Germany. Read article about film and travelled to Munich from Berlin. Persuaded assistant at studios to slip him address of hotel. And here he is.

Much auld lang syne-ing. Henry draws him out on subsequent life. Terrifying story of incarceration in Sachsenhausen. Salutary reminder that, despite compensation camp culture, Jews not only victims.

Nazi policies never more insane. In theory possible that, had he achieved world domination, Hitler could have destroyed every single Jew: confined entire race to museum of anthropology. But impossible to eliminate homosexuals. Even in Ralf's Lebensborn homes, 1 in 10 or 20 (or whatever the current statistic) would have emerged to thwart him. He could wipe out history, culture and morality, but not nature.

Man (Per) encouraged to join group. Offer of drinks a grotesquely inadequate response to such suffering. Nevertheless, Per grateful for any chance to talk. Recites litany of friends from past with Henry, but refrain of ‘dead' spreads gloom. Tries to include Sir H. in
recollections
, but latter in familiar ‘so sorry, my dear boy' vein. Admits to forgetting everything, even script (rest of us can vouch for that!). ‘The only thing I have no trouble with is cast lists. I can tell you who played the gardeners in a fifty-year-old production of
Richard II
, whereas I couldn't name the ones who work for me now.'

Per appears hurt. Reading between lines, wonder if they flung. Face pitted & puffy (plus that hair!) but must have been
good-looking
in youth.

Poodle in next bay yaps. Per jumps. Knocks over L.'s glass. Profuse apologies. Automatic reflex. Thing for which he hates Nazis most – even above murder and torture – is that they've left him with horror of dogs.

Then he asks Sir H. if he remembers Rolf. Sir H. increasingly wretched at constant ‘no's. Per: ‘But you must. We took him to Grunewald together. That's when I knew I could trust you because it was so rare for Rolf to warm to someone straightaway.'

Sir H.: ‘Yes, of course. Rolf was that charming a.s.m. The one with the sleepy eye.'

Response well-meant but unfortunate. Rolf, it turns out, was a dog.

First thought is to condemn Sir H.'s self-obsession. Then wonder, were I to meet wardrobe staff from Disney now, how many would I recognise?

In absence of any progress on Schleyer front, Right resorts to ever blacker propaganda. Might expect Schmidt to strive for agreement with kidnappers for that reason alone. Truth = his priorities little different from those of opponents.

Christian Democrats have published 33-page pamphlet designed to show that Left soft on ‘terrorism'. It mixes statements – wrenched out of context – from writers (among them, Heinrich Böll, a Nobel prize-winner), academics and theologians. It even includes comments by Schmidt and former Chancellor, Willy Brandt, in section entitled Appeasement. F[elicity] irate that W[olfram] quoted twice. What it fails to mention is that both remarks taken from
The Judge
! Might as well include speech from
Macbeth
and charge Sh[akespeare] with incitement to murder.

Sombre mood on set when Werner brings news that Ralf arrested. Accused of hiding a suspected terrorist in house. Faces jail
sentence
if convicted.

Story fleshed out later by Liesl (courtesy of mutual friends). Not his Berlin flat but a holiday cottage in Black Forest. Apparently, he hasn't set foot there for 3 years. Lent it to friends, including woman he had an affair with at peace camp. Swears that he had no idea of her R[ed] A[rmy] F[ront] credentials.

Feel so helpless. F. immediately suggests that we send letter, signed by everyone in Unit, demanding Ralf's immediate release and an end to witch-hunts.
But no response – not even from Germans. Start to despair of fellow actors. Working on film about Hitler, but it might as well be
Peter Pan
.

All they do is sit around in trailer, indulging in idle chit-chat about own responses if faced with friend on run (Teach Yourself Moral Dilemmas). Gerald's contribution a reactionary diatribe about living in a decadent society that distrusts absolutes and places loyalty to individuals above that to country or ideal. G.M. replies that it's no wonder, since placing concepts above people precisely what led to fascism.

L[uke] claims that it's lucky Ralf walked out of film when he did or else even tougher reshooting schedule.

Sick remark, typical of his self-obsession. Dora welcome to him. F. had a narrow escape.

Outrage!

Not content with bully-boy tactics on set (3 visits), police search Serpent's Nest. Given anonymous tip-off (probably disgruntled actor) connecting W[olfram] to terrorists. Sweep through house, passing prurient remarks about bedrooms. Unable to grasp
alternatives
to their own X begat Y lives.

Gun found on top of A[hmet]'s wardrobe. Deeply alarming. He would never have been so careless in past. F[elicity] saves day when, with remarkable presence of mind, she declares that she has pinched it from set for sex games. Police so preoccupied with
racist fantasies of Arab A. and Aryan F. that they fail to look for bullets (hidden in bedhead).

Narrowest escape. Thank G that, despite previous cavils: i) A. used same dealer as film and ii) M[ahmoud] refused to assist with storing weapons. 1 extra gun a props department oversight, but not 6. Invite A. and F. for celebration dinner but A. feels that, in circs, he should take her alone. Disappointed but understand.

Another day's shooting lost. Film now seriously behind schedule. Rumours of uncertain cash flow and plan to move us to cheaper hotel. Both given credence on meeting W[erner? Wolfram?] in foyer who claims to have just discovered (oh yes?) that 4 Seasons once the venue for secret fascist society frequented by Hess.
145
Puts whole new complexion on stay. Reply breezily that I never feel oppressed by history. If I did, wouldn't have come to Munich at all.

Shall fight to the last any attempt to downgrade us. Not for self but for Sir H[allam] & G[erald] & D[ora]. Older actors in smaller parts: less clout.