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ABSTRACT'
A QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY--THE DEPUTY:
AN ANALYSIS AND ADAPTATION

by J. B. Ferzacca

The Deputz_by Rolf Hoohhuth has become one of the
most controversial and widely discussed plays of our time.
Its importance in tract literature cannot.be denied. _The
preponderance of factual evidence presented by Hochhuth
also makes The Deputz a successful historical epic. As an
. effective drama however, the play has been criticized for
its lack of clarity in theme and-for a general lack of dra-
matic unity in the selection of events which frame the major
thesis. Many critics find the scape of the argument and the
length of the testimony a serious detriment to its dramatic
impact. A Question of Responsibilitz attempts to solve the
play's major problems with an adaptation and interpretation
that not only preserves the intrinsic value of The Degutzi
but also earns for it a place of distinction in dramatic
literature.

All the characters in the play are prisoners of the
20th century: each person acts amid a sense of realityi
shaped and circumscribed by forces which.he no longer seems

able to control. Thus. all men share the Pope's guilt; the

Pcntiff becomes a symbol for "all men who remain passive
when their brother is deported."* One detects a discon-
certing note of inevitability in the play when he con?
sidersfithat "The terror against the Jews is only one
example of the terror which reigns on earth at all times...
in every century."**

Unfortunately, as long as all men are equally
guilty, man's self-abasement can become too easy an ad-
mission; it is a concession that allows him to avoid any
individual responsibility. Riccardo Fontana's refusal to
become a part of this corporate self-indulgence enables
him to discover that only when man places himself beyond
the power of the institution can he function as a thinking
individual. The priest represents Hochhuth's hope for
mankind: Riocardc's anguish in Auschwitz leads not to
despair. but ultimately invests in him only aggravated
strength. With his attempt to atone for the guilt of
his superiors, Riccardo becomes the true deputy of the
title.

In order best to tell Riccardc's story. many epic
theatre techniques were incorporated into the Michigan

State University production of the play. Besides

 

I"Judy Stone, "Interview with Rolf Hochhuth," The
Storm Over The De ut , ed. Eric Bentley (New‘York: Grove
Press. Inc., 1935;. p. 43. . -

**Ib1d.

addressing lines from the text directly to the audience.
actors set the time and locale of each scene. [InAct Two,
Riccardo was used to comment to the audience on the occur-
rences taking place within scenes. The technique of using
short episodes to bring out the contrasts between events
was also used in this act. All actors save two. were as-
signed to play more than one role.

The settings supplied only the essential frag-
ments needed to reveal the meaning of the play; the
contemporary dress warned the audience of the immediacy
of the problem. With the Settings purposefully sparse.
much of the data relevant to locale and general mood was
expressed in the lighting; the play cpened and closed in
a montage of sound that sought to describe musically the
style and theme of the play. The other musical cues
consisted of drum rolls which bridged scenes together

and which keyed important dramatic action.

A QUESTION OF RESPONSIBILITY--THE DEPUTY:

AN ANALYSIS AND ADAPTATION

BY

J. B. Ferzacca

A THESIS

Submitted to
Michigan State University
in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the degree of

MASTER OF ARTS
Department of Speech

1966

 

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PREFACE _

The Deputy is frequently a great play. The issues
are vital and the lines. though sometimes brutal. are honest
and moving. Its importance in dramatic tract literature
cannot be denied. While it always presents engrossing his-
tory. it is not always an effective drama. The play has
two major drawbacks: the scope of the argument and the
length of the testimony. I have attempted to place it in
its most effective setting and have striven to'solve its
major problems with an adaptation and interpretation that
preserves the work's integrity and value, but controls and
reduces its scope. Because of this need for focus. the
historical observations included in Part One do not repre-
sent an exhaustive cross section of opinion on the issues
raised in the play. In writing this section. I was func-
tioning as a director and not as an historian. This pre-
sentation of the issues only explains my groping for a
vision of the play. In all stages of my thinking and writ-
ing. I was keenly aware of my responsibility to the author.
When all issues were explained, all modifications made. the
style of production decided upon, the staging of the play .
completed. I hoped.§he Deputy would still belong to Mr.
Hochhuth.

ii

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The introduction begins with a biography of the.
author that gives particular attention to those events
which motivated Hochhuth to write the play. After pre-
senting "The History of Production“, an exploration of
certain major issues raised in the play is presented. Dis-
cussed are such topics as the lack of individual freedom,
the question of responsibility. and man's individual duty
to meet this responsibility. The Pope's failure to speak
is both attacked and defended in the next section of Part
One. Working in inductive fashion, the following section
attempts to show the need for a clarification and adaptation
of the script. "The Style of Production" begins with an
analysis of the specific techniques used in staging the ‘
play at Michigan State-University. Information regarding
the settings. costumes. lighting, and music lead into a
scene by scene explanation of my adaptation of the script.
The play and material about the various characterizations
comprise Part Three: evaluations of the Michigan State pro-

duction are included in Part Four.

Jo Bo Fe

iii

_ CONTENTS

PREEACE. . . . . . . . . . . .

LIST’OF FIGURES. . . . . . . .

INTRODUCTION--THE BACKGROUND
The Author 0 o o e o o o o
The History of Production.

PART ONE-9TH}? ISSUES
The Institution. .

e o o o
The Area of Guilt. . . . .
The HOPO e o 0 0'0 0 e o o
The Pope o e o o 0 0‘0 0 e
The Problem of Focus . . .

PART Tw0--THE APPROACH
The Style of Production.

0
The Setting. 0 o e c o o e
The Costumes 0 o o o o o o
The Lighting 0'. o 0.0 o o
The Music. 0 o o o o o o o

The Adaptation .
PART THREE--THE SCRIPT

The Characters . .

The Play o 0'. o 0

PART FOUR--THE SUMMARY

The Evaluations. o e o o o

BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . .

iv

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Page

10
15
20
26
32

37
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#7
1&9
51
53

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.224
.236

Figure

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16

17
18

19

Act

LIST OF FIGURES

Set for The Deputy. . . .

Stage areas for The Deputy. . .

One Scene One . . . .
Key

Act One Scene Two . . . .

Act One Scene Three . . .

Act One Scene Four. . . .

Act Two Scene

AOt “0 Scene “0 o o o e

POPE: d...The Star of

One....

David

to light and sound cues . .

on the habit of

Christ's serVantsl. e e e o o e o o o o o o

POPE:

Exsurge, Domino, adiuva nos. et libera

nos prOpter ROan tuum--. o o o e o o o o o 0

Act Three Scene One . . .
Act Three Scene Two . . .

DOCTOR: Shall I send you
went? 0 o o o o o o e o o

RICCARDO: Destroy him! .
Light cues. . . . . . . .
Light plot. . . . . . . .
Gel colors. . . . . . . .

Sound OUOBe o o .'. o o 0

your family

Page
. 1m
. 98
. 99
.100
.107
.115
.129
.1E3
.153,

.181

.186
.187
.196

.213
.216
.217
.219'
.220

.222

INTRODUCTION
THE BACKGROUND

The Author

Rolf_Hochhuth was born in 1931 near the river Werra
in the little town of Eschwege. He recalls that "to the
end of the war, the little boy Rolf wished that Germany
would win."1 Undoubtedly his membership in the Hitler Youth
Organization accounted for a great part of this desire.
Another significant factor was his fear of the Russians
and his hatred of the Americans.

As boys of the Hitler youth. we had to pick up pam-
phlets and leaflets drapped by the Allies. On these
leaflets, it was written, 'We are not fighting the
German people, but the Nazis.’ But we boys mocked
those words because we saw dead women and children
igdzwe were impressed and hated those who had done

The rumors concerning the dreadful crimes committed
by the Red Army in the Eastern Zone were substantiated as
fact. not prepaganda, by returning troops; certainly this
was sufficient to instill in a thirteen-year-old mind a
morbid dread of foreign domination.

As a reward for collecting the largest number of
chestnuts on a hiking expedition. Hcchhuth was named leader
of the Deutsches Jungvolk. (Because of a shortage in fats.
the chestnuts were pressed and the oil used as a substitute.)

Herman Shumlin. director of the New York production of The

Deputy. related in his program notes that Hochhuth was

 

lJudy Stone, "Interview with Rolf Hochhuth." The

Storm Over The De ut , ed. Eric Bentley (New York: Grove
Press. Inc.. 1935;. p. #6.

21bid.

 

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demoted two weeks later for appearing at an early morning
drill with.his bedroom slippers on instead of the regulation
shoes.3 Despite the fact that his presence in this organi-
zation was a mandatory obligation imposed on all boys aged
ten. Hochhuth considers his tenure an enjoyable one. He
enjoyed the hikes and liked wearing a uniform.”

Hochhuth vividly remembers the kindness extended
by his mother to the Jewish wife of their cousin:

.A Jew married to a non-Jew was considered half-Jewish

so they were not deported in 19b1, but they had to wear
the yellow star. My parents invited her here in 1943
and we boys were ashamed and wondered what pecple would
think. She was very sweet to us and grateful. She
stayed for a few weeks although people wondered and
talked in a small town. When she returned to Wiesbaden.
she had an 'invitation' to go to the Gestapo and she
poisoned herself. Her husband was asked to help revive
her, but he would not because ge had promised to respect
her wishes about her own fate.

When rumors of Nazi atrocities reached his family's
ears, no one thought it could be true. "It was so ugly and
brutal."6 Yet. having lived through it, they all understood
that, in war. people's feelings become innured to such.her-

. rors. "We...knew that the Russian prisoners of war in Ger-

many and the German prisoners of war in Russia were treated

 

3Herman Shumlin, About the Author, Flyer included
in the program for the New York production of The Deputy.

“Ibid.
sstone, op. cit., pp.. b6-U7.
51b1d., p. #7.

h!

 

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3

badly and died of starvation. but this didn't affect one;
each one had his own problems; we trembled for members of
our own families."7
when the Americans occupied his village. Rolf was
appointed aide to his uncle who was nominated mayor because
of his refusal to join the Nazi party. Hochhuthds duties
consisted of serving as messenger between wan Hall and the
military government. In retrospect. Rolf recalls that
The.American army would,have won the hearts of the Ger-
man youth...if they had treated the German soldiers
better. Of course, they made great speeches that the
Germans must not for the next one thousand years have
guns, but you must take into consideration that the
boys liked soldiers and ships and suddenly they heard
it would be forbidden for the next one thousand years.8
Hochhuth met his future bride, Marianne, while
still a boy and left school at seventeen to become a book#
seller in Munich. Kassel, and Marburg. During this time
he was beseiged by an undiagnosed illness which left one
side of his face partially paralyzed.9 Unable to work after
his recovery, Hochhuth.enrolled at the University of Heidel-
berg to study history and philosOphy. In the course of his
study he discovered the talents of Thomas Mann. To this
day. Rolf Hochhuth considers Mann a decisive factor in the

development of his own'craft. "When I started writing...

7Ibid.
81bid.

91bid. . Po “'8.

 

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everything I wrote painfully echoed this great man."10

After completing his work at the University of
Munich, Hochhuth became an editor for the largest book:
club in the world. the Bertelsmannwiesering. It was
during this time that he wrote his first and only novel.
Written in a series of letters. Occupation pictured the
last weeks of the Nazi regime and the first month of the
occupation. FaScinated by the documents presented at the
Nuremberg trials. Hochhuth's interest soon turned to his-
tory rather than fiction. It was this interest that first
introduced the author to the intriguing figure of Kurt
Gerstein, the man who fought Hitler by joining the SS.
Greatly impressed by his courageous actions, Hochhuth
planned to write a short story about his exploits.

Then in 1958, Pius XII died and the German press
proclaimed the death of a great and holy man. When Ger-
stein's report in The Third Reich and the Jews was followed
by another text concerned with the Vatican's attitude to-
ward the deportation of Jews from Rome. Hochhuth began to
ponder the same query raised by.Albert Camus in 19k“: "How
was it possible that Pius kept silence?"11 When Francois
' Nauriac and Catholic philosopher Friedrich Heer asked the

same question, Hochhuth travelled to Rome, London, and

_. ___‘

loPatrioia Marx, "Interview with Rolf Hochhuth,"
The Storm Over The Deputy. ed. Eric Bentley (New‘York:
Grove Press. Inc.. 19657_ p. 55.

llStone. op. cit.. p. 50.

Paris in the hope of uncovering an answer. After extensive

interviews and investigation. Hochhuth.amassed his evidence.

Four years later Der Stellvertrete;_was finally completed.
The uproar in Berlin when the play cpened in February.
1963, under the direction of the famous Erwin Piscator.
has since spread to Switzerland, Paris, England. Don-
mark, Vienna, and the United States where it opened in
New York....For the play, Hochhuth won the 'YOung Genera-
tion Playwright Award' of the 1963 'Berliner Kunstgreis'
[@nd] shared the Gerhard Hauptmann Prize of 1962.1 *

Discovering that the holy men were those who died
in concentration camps. and not Pius XII, he dedicated the
play to the memory of Father Maximilian Kolbe, a-Franoiscan
priest who accompanied the Jews to.Auschwitz and died in a
starvation cell in l9kl. Also lauded in the dedication
was Bernhard Lichtenberg. As Provost of the Cathedral in
Berlin he prayed publicly for the Jews. was arrested. and
sent to Dachau.

An intensely conscientious man. Hochhuth.has re- ,
fused to allow productions of his play to be staged in
Poland, Prague, or Belgrade: "I am convinced they would
abbreviate it in a radical way and I couldn't do anything
about it. I'm afraid the Communists would use it for
propaganda against the church."13 This ban also extends

to Eastern EurOpe or any country where the Church is sup-

pressed by the State.

lzIbid.. p. 43.

13Ibid.. p. #5.

 

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Hochhuth, a Protestant. refuses to define his own
religious views because he finds them "extremely vacil-
lating."lu For this reason he sometimes feels it best to
quell his doubts and accept some faith. Since we are
daily attacked by'doubts. man must use faith to "chase them
back into the corner."15

Lacking any such fortification, Hochhuth freely
admits that, if he had been a responsible adult during the
war. he would have "behaved just as well or as badly as all
contemporaries."15'

Questioned about his use of free verse. Hochhuth
replied that this form "carries its speaker along much
more readily than prose, especially when it concerns a
subject which is so closely involved with contemporary
events and depends so extensively on historical documents.
Then, things must be transposed, heightened by language.
Otherwise, it would often be likely to sound as if one
were merely quoting from the documents."17 The enormously
concentrated quality of free verse not only helped the
author to cut the length of the script by one-third,'but

it seemed to fit the milieu of the play. "Anyone who talks,

lunarx, OE. Cite. Po 63.
15Ibid. '
15Ibid.

17Ibid.. p. 53.

 

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for example, to high church dignitaries, will find that
they do not speak in an ordinary, everyday, language, but
that they express themselves...in a more ceremonial manner."18
Judy Stone, interviewing Hochhuth for Rampart maga-
zine, found the man “surprisingly shy and diffident...He
is a slender man with a look of pain on his face. the phy-
sical residue of a partial paralysis compounded by some in-
ner struggle. A slight imbalance of the eyes compels atten-
tion and the level sincerity in them commands respect."19 ‘
Unable to speak English, Hochhuth's wife generally acts as
translator in all interviews. The director and co-producer
of the New York production of the play, Herman Shumlin found

Hochhuth to be an intensely serious young man.20

The History of Production

A shortened stage version of The Dgputy_was first
produced and directed by Erwin Piscator in Berlin on February
23, 1963. For this production, the show was entitled 22;,
Stellvertreter. On September 7 of the same year, the play
cpened in Stockholm; on the 29th of the same month, it was
performed in Basel; the Royal Shakespearean Company presented
Ithe play on the 25th of September under the title The Repre-

sentative. The production in Odense marked the only opening

—___

laIbid.

19Stone, op. cit., p. #2.

ZOShumlin, cp. cit.

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of the play in November. December saw productions cpen
in three cities: in Helsinki on the 1st, in Paris on the
9th. and in Born on the 17th. In France, the title of the
play Pead Le Vicairg.

Theatregoers in Vienna flocked to an opening night
performance at the Volkstheater on January 2h,’l96#. .On
the 15th of February, Der Stellvertreter appeared in
Frankfurt: February 16th saw four simultaneous openings:
in Bochum where it was produced by the Schauspielhaus, in
Essen by Buhnen der Stradt, in Athens at the Akademia Theater,
and in Aarhus at the Aarhus Theater. The Thalia Theater
in Hamburg housed the Show on the 17th.and a production
opened in Munich on February 20th. Productions in Biele-
feld and.Bremerhaven began on February 22: the Kanmerspiele
sponsored the February 27 opening in Dusseldorf.

The Deputy played in Flensburg on March 1 and pro-
ductions were performed in Giessen on Harch.20, and Rotter-
dam on April b. Further productions were contracted with
the Norske Teatret, Oslo: the Finnish.National Theater and
the Habimah National Theater in Tel Aviv. Theaters in
Italy, Japan and SouthHAmerica have also presented the show:
the New'YOrk production opened in March of 1964.-

PART ONE
THE ISSUES

 

 

 

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THE INSTITUTION

EE£.D°2utZ explores the most profound and prove-
cative issues of modern times. Unquestionably, Hochhuth's
renown lies in his attempt to raise and treat such concepts:
yet therein resides his greatest weakness of a playwright.
Rather than selecting and emphasizing only these incidents
which have a certain dramatic unity and which work toward
one specific end, Hochhuth falls prey to a discursive or-
ganizational pattern which allows only a cursory investiga-
tion of his major thesis. .

Hochhuth not only considers the fate of Riccardo
Fontana but he also explores the failure of an entire way
of life. He moves beyond the individual to lay blame on
the forces which inhibit personal expression. Fundamental
to this tragedy is the "flaw" which begins a series of inex-
plicable events that resolutely seal the fate of Riccardo
Fontana. This "flaw" does not reside entirely in the make-
up of the man, but in the structure of a society which
leaves man impotent when attempting to exercise free will:
"decisions...are no longer possible for man, given the
featureless anonymity of social-political arrangements

and pressures in an absurd construction of human existence

10

 

 

vi

3.1

ACTH.

“and.

11

that sees everything predetermined."21

Thus, all charac-
ters in The Deputy are prisoners of the twentieth century.
The most momentous events and diScoveries of our time
all have one element in common: they place too great
a Strain upon the human imagination. We lack the imag-
inative faculties to be able to envision Auschwitz,
or the destruction of Dresden and Hiroshima, or explora-
tory flights into space, or even more mundane matters
such as industrial capacity and speed regards. Man can
no longer grasp his own accomplishments.
Each person acts amid a sense of reality shaped
and circumscribed by forces which he no longer seems able
to control. Man is pinioned by his own creations. The
Pope must function within a carefully structured and clearly
defined framework; he must articulate his sense of reality
within the confines of his role as protectorate of the
world's Catholics. He is head of an institution and this
responsibility forces him to act in its welfare. "His
morality is of a corporate body with branches in many nations

and for that reason it is equivocal."23

Church officials
such as the Nuncio, Cardinal, and Abbot give voice to the
dictates of their office, not of their conscience: "Anyone
who holds a responsible post for any length of time under

an autocrat--whether it be Hitler or Pius XII--surrenders

 

21Erwin Piscator, "Introduction to The Deputy,"
The Storm Over The Deputy (New York: Grove Press, Inc.,
19 . p.11.

22Rolf Hochhuth, The Deputy (New'York: Grove Press,
Inc., 1961:), p.222. -

23T‘om F. Driver, "The Meaning of Silence," The

Storm Over The Deputy (New'York: Grove Press, Inc., l964).p.
29. b

 

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12

his own personality. There is no way for him to express
his personal feelings."2u
.The enormous power of the institution reaches out
to encompass millions of Catholics throughout the world.
Trusting completely in the infallibility of the organization,
they feel no moral compunction about serving the Reich or
remaining passive when Jews are driven into the streets
and herded aboard cattle cars. Like Count Fontana who
serves as HochhuthWS symbol of lay trust, the Catholic world
agrees that "the Pope knows what he is doing."25
The Nazis dealing directly with the processing and
extermination of the Jews find the institution must reign
supreme. Many of the prisoners at the dock in Nuremberg
justified their actions by claiming they were only exe-
cuting the decrees of superior officers.
Even the sole anomalies, Riccardo and Gerstein,
seem fated to play out their given roles: "Eadh to his
post, neither of us will survive this war."26 For both
men, what appears to be free choice is actually predeter-
mined by a superceding chain of events. As The Deputy
opens. Riccardo is under no initial obligation to take an
active part in protesting the treatment of the Jews. Yet

Gerstein's entrance into the Papal Legation, at the very

M

zTHochhuth, op: cit.. p. 1h.
251bid., p. 100.
26Ib1de . Po 90 e

13

moment Riccardo is visiting the Nuncio, Riccardo's en-
counter with Gerstein in his apartment and his father and
Cardinal in Rome, and the apathy of church officials, sets
into motion a chain of events which seal Riccardo's fate.
Gerstein, cognizant that he has instilled in Riccardo
a sense of immediacy regarding the annihilation of the Jews.
is driven to venture a perilous mission which ultimately
ends in his unmasking and death.. Drawn to each other by a
situation not of their making, neither seems able to stem
the tide of historical inevitability. "I've already told
myself a hundred times that it was sheer presumption to
come here. (jfiuschwitzfl'27 Left no other recourse, Riccardo ‘
attempts to take solace in the probity of his decision to
accompany the deportees: "I came here with a mission
and that must sustain me. Whether it's meaningful or not.
I'm no longersure. I do not know."28 Riccardo's doubt
turns The Deputy,_in part, into a story of a man's desperate
attempt to tear himself away from the embrace of the church,
his probing to try and understand the power of that embrace
and the reason for the tearing away. The priest's despondency
not only compels him to refute the very essence of his re-
ligious training and the ascendancy of his spiritual superi—

era; in Act Three he doubts the existence of God: "For the

27Ibid.. p. 270.
231b1d., p. 271.

lb

past week I have been burning the dead ten hours a day.
And with every human body that I burn, a portion of my
faith burns also. God burns."29

The process of alienation which drives Riccardo to
the fires of Auschwitz enables him to discover that only
when man places himself beyond the power of the institution
can he function as a thinking individual.

His obvious counterpart is Kurt Gerstein, a man
who repudiates the sanctity of two institutions by giving
lip service to one while serving the other.

A personality like Kurt Gerstein's is necessarily a
twilight figure. Or rather, viewed by the standards
of the average man, he must.seem absolutely incredible.
The uncanny mastery with which he camouflaged his in-
ward Christian being by an outward demeanor of the.
perfect SS man, with the sole aim of giving succor to
others, made a mockery of all ordinary standards.
Gerstein, like the priest, must violate many sacred pre-
cepts in order to follow the dictates of his conscience.
In a letter written on March 5, 19uu. Gerstein says:
'At some juncture you will have to stand up with the
rest for your times, for what has happened in them.
You and I would no longer understand each.other and
would no longer have anything meaningful to say to one
another if I could not say this to you: Do not under-
estimate this responsibility and this obligation of
an accounting. It may come sooner than people think.
I am aware of this obligation, granted: I am gnawed
by 1t.'31 ' .
29Ibid., p. 270.
3°Ib1d.. p. 291.

31Ib1de. Po 291’s

15

These two men are unique exceptions and Hochhuth's sym-

pathies lie with them.
THE AREA OF GUILT

We are all guilty--yesl This is Hochhuth's ini-
tial message. In Abby Mann's Judgment at Nuremberg, Ernst
Janning explains that the entire world read of Hitler's in-
tentions in Mein Kampf. Winston Churchill praised the man
in an cpen letter to the London.g§ppp’in 1938; American
businessmen reaped great profits rebuilding the Nazi war
machine. While the Vatican's concordat awarded Hitler
tremendous prestige, it was the pact with Russia in 1939
that gave the Reich its greatest power. When Hitler be-t
gan "shrieking his hate in the Reichstag"32, did the world
rise in protest? How could it remain silent when "every
[German] village had a railroad terminal where cattle cars
were filled with.children...who cried out into the night"33
as they were driven to Dachau,.Auschwitz, Buchenwald....

It is easy to understand the fever that swept over
Germany. The Treaty of Versailles left the land in dis-
grace. People were hungry, the government was torn by
pressures from within. "There was above all. fear. Fear

of today, fear of tomorrow, fear of our neighbors, fear of'

‘—

' u

32Abby Mann, Judgment at Nuremberg (New York: New
American Library, 1961), p. 111}. ‘

33Ib1d.. pp. 11n-115.

16

3b

ourselves." Hitler capitalized on this anxiety: in ad-
dition to a myriad number of economic improvements. he also
promised to win back Germany's self-respect: "he said to
us: Lift your heads: Be proud to be Germansl"35' To ac-
complish this feat, Hitler had to find a victim. For this
and many other reasons the Jews, a convenient scapegoat,
became the cause of German misery.

Those who knew Hitler's words were lies comforted
themselves with the thought that this was only a passing'
phase that would be discarded sooner or later.” Until that
time, the liberties of a few racial minorities was of no
great consequence. The country was in grave peril and
her welfare was the principal consideration. And Germany
marched out of the shadows with a success that beggared
the imagination. "The very elements of hate and power in
Hitler that mesmerized Germany mesmerized the world:"36
Sudetenland, the Rhineland, Austria fell--with each.victory
Germany won the support of powerful allies. "And then one
day... [Germany] looked around and found... [they] were'in

even more terrible danger.... What was going to be a pass-

ing phase had become a way of life."37 .

 

”Mum 112.
35.19.12-
353z_b_1_g., p. 113.
37323,

17

Throughout history man has acted in similar fashion:

It is all in the whirling circles of time
If millions are born, millions must die
If England goes down and Germany up

The stronger dog will still be on top
111 in the turning of time.38

In.Act Three, even Riccardo reflects that "history is a
highway paved with carrion."39 The Cardinal giVes cre-
dence to the possibility that imbued in man is the need
to be both victim and Oppressor:

The people love rulers whom they can fear....I would
really like to see a people who did not adore a ruler
who offers it so many scapegoats...Nero was highly
popular with the mob....And where would the church

be if it had not ignited faggots for the mob during
the Middle.Ages...the people must always be offered
something....Most of the rowdies who fought his beer-
hall battles had long been running after the red flag
before the swastika was sewed on it. 0

The terror against the Jews in our time is only
one example of the terror which reigns on earth at all“
times...in every century. In every nation there are
feelings that wait for a Hitler to awaken....Nearly
all times have known horrible examples that certain
groups of men were persecuted in dreadful ways. 1

Man has been trained to die for so long that death becomes
almost seductive: "I had dreams at night-~Hitler in a great
flowing cloak, almost like a gown, almost like a woman. He
was beautiful."#2 The victim is then as responsible as his

 

38Robinson Jeffers "May-June 1940", The New Pocket
Anthology of American Verse, ed. Oscar Williams (New'York:
waShington Square Press, 1965), p. Zhl.

39Hochhuth, pp. cit.. p. 270.
401b1d.. pp. 118-119.
”lstono. pp. cit.. p. #3

1”Arthur Miller, Incident at Vich (New York: The
‘Viking Press, 196%), p. 65.

18

executioner: he, subconsciously, begins to seek imprisonment
and encourages punishment. The victim's heart is conquered
territory."""3
4 We now see that Hochhuth's criticism includes "all
men who are passive when their brother is deported...Every-
man--the Protestant, the Jew, Churchill, Cordell Hull..."un
He also affirms the fear that, with the exception of Gerstein
and Riccardo, all characters in The Deputy are virtually
interchangeable as historical types:
Jew is only the name we give to that stranger, that
agony we cannot feel, the death we look at like a
cold abstraction...the man whose death.leaves you
relieved that you are not him....Each man has his 5
Jew, it is the other. And the Jews have their Jews.
Actually, the disturbing note of inevitability
which one immediately detects in the play could be rooted
in the collective recognition of such guilt. This, too,
becomes a source of consternation. As long as all men are
equally guilty, man's self-abasement becomes too easy an
admission; it is a concession which allows him to avoid in-
dividual responsibility. Such self-abasement is frighten-
ingly self-indulgent until one man refuses to accept the
guilt without compensating action. >Therefore, Hochhuth's

second affirmation revolves around the example set by Rio-

cardo and Gerstein.

k

1‘3Ibid. . P. 51".
1"""Stone, op. cit., p. #2.
“5M111er, op. cit.. p. 58.

19

If the individual can no longer be held responsible
either because he is no longer in a position to de-
cide or else does not understand that he must decide,
then we have an alibi for all guilt.

, In No Exit, Jean Paul Sartre implies that many of
us create a hell on earth by pretending we are victims of
circumstance. Our nature cannot be changed; we are pawns
to circumstance because we have been so conditioned by past
experience. This predicament, however, is self-chosen. In
No Exit, the door to hell opens but none of the characters
leave: they prefer their present misery to that which free-
dom and choice might exact. Like the three characters in
Sartre's play, many people choose to live in an imprisoned
world. Only by changing ourselves every day through.poSi-
tive action can man avoid such confinement.“7

ThgrAndgrsonville Tzipl by Saul Levitt reinforces
Hochhuth's second theSis:

We who are born into the human race are elected to an
extraordinary role in the scheme of things. We are
endowed with reason and therefore with personal re-
sponsibility for our acts. A man may give to officials

over him many things. gut not what is called his soul--
not his immortal soul.” »

General Wirz, on trial for murder and barbarity at

Andersonville, offers as his defense the charge that all

_‘

,7

usMarx, OE: Cite. Pe 58e

1+7Leslie A. Juhasz, Sartre (New York: Monarch
Press. Inc., 1965). pp. 20-21.

ween Levitt. The Andersonville Trial (New York:
‘Random House, 1960), p. 112.

20

men placed in a similar situation would be obliged to fol-
low the directives of their immediate superiors. No one
would dare to behave differently. _Tb which the prosecu-
tion replies:
And if they could not, then we must shudder for the
world we live in--to think what may happen when one
man owns the conscience of many men. For the pro-'
spect before us is then a world of Andersonvilles--
of jailers concerned only with executing the commands
of their masters. And freed of his conscience-~fear-
ing only the authority to which he had surrendgged his
soul--might the jailer not commit murder then?
Saul Levitt gives voice to the same issues which prey upon
Rolf Hochhuth. Both men place great premium on the import-

ance of positive individual action regardlessof consequence.
THE HOPE

Yet consequence must remain a factor if Hochhuth can
freely admit "that history continually brings... Enara into
conflict with powers which condemn him to defeat, which are
stronger than he and which destroy him."50 “In the face of
such overwhelming odds, why should man motivate himself to
act? What purpose is served if‘a man chooses to "die as
the heroes of today do die, namelessly, snuffed out by
powers...[he has] never known, let alone can fight?"51

The Doctor's statements bear serious consideration. Perhaps

1*9Ib1c1.. p. 11a.
5°Marx, loc. cit.

sanOhhuth. OEe Cite. p. 21“}.

21

"Life as an idea is dead."52 When the largest employer

in Europe cannot comprehend the reason for his indictment
in the Nuremberg trial: when the horror of the camps com-
pels one defendant to charge another cohort with the ques-
tion: "How could it be possible?"?3when this guilt-ridden
Nazi receives as an answer: "You mean technically....It
all depends on your facilities"5? when one realizes that
among the millions who died in Auschwitz were many who
would have gladly joined the ranks of their murderers:
when one cannot even reassure himself that the camps were
run by "pathological criminals" but rather by "peacable,
normal, completely interchangeable paterfamiliaS"55 who
merely regarded them as their "place of work", the purpose
of individual action becomes merely an academic issue.
Even the Sartrean ontology that may have influenced Hoch-
huth's characterization opriccardo so greatly, the philo-
SOphy that condemns man to be free and forces him to carry
the weight of the world on his shoulders seems inadequate
when existence no longer "precedes" essence, but actually
seems to "preclude" it. Salzer's statement to the Manufac-
turer is undoubtedly true: "We are all like matches, sup-

plied in quantity, one like the other. We're taken out of

F —_

— w

521b1d.. p. 2E8.
‘ 53Mann, op. cit.. pp. 96-97.
5”Ib1d. I

55Hcchhuth, op. cit., p. 352.

as

 

an

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22

the box, we flicker a little, set fire to something--and
are tossed away."56

Confronted with this reality "Why should...Riccardo,
,martyring himself on behalf of the Jewish victims of Nazi
savagery, cling to his belief in God when all the evidence
of his actual experience contradicts any rational justifi-
cation for such faith?"57 As the Doctor remarks:

Auschwitz refutes Creator, creation and the creature....
This may well be the beginning of a great new era, a
redemption from suffering. From this point of view
only one crime remains: cursed be he who creates life.
I cremate life. That is modern humggitarianism--

the sole salvation from the future. -

This contradictory evidence and the fatalistic
aspect of individual responsibility haunts the author into
an exploration of an alternative mode of existence. In the
character of the Doctor, Hochhuth creates the embodiment
of existential immunity. The pattern for living as mani-
fested and exemplified in this character allows a detachment
that enables him cooly to observe: "In an hour they're un-
conscious or dead. At any rate ready for the furnace.-
Young children often go into the furnace still alive. An
interesting phenomenon. The gas doesn't always kill them."59

The Doctor is not a maniacal madman, but rather an amoral

 

551b1d., p. 178.

57Harold Clurman, "A Theatre Review", The Storm ngp
The Deputy, ed. Eric Bentley (New York: Grove Press. Inc.,
19 e p. 26e _ '

58Hochhuth, op. cit., p. 2u8.
59Ibid., p. 2&6. '

23

"visitant from another world",60 who, freed of involvement
in the human condition, functions as a disinterested ob-
server who abjectly accepts the realities of man's inhu-
manity to man. The Doctor has undergone a process of
alienation which has allowed him to transcend.the human
condition. He is a worthy combatant to Riccardo Fontana
and serves as the play's most persuasive antagonistic force.
In fact, it is the Doctor who seemingly reigns triumphant
at the play's end. The strength of his arguments and the
reality of the fires in Auschwitz have left the priest in
the throes of disillusionment. This is the despair and
hopelessness that constrains the priest to cry:' "I can't
go on...I can't bear it, I can't‘bear it."61 The Doctor
remains unscathed by the anguish that drives Riccardo to
his death.

Although he perverts the esSence of_Existentialism,
the Doctor understands that since man is hypocritical and
cannot be truthful about himself, the thinking individual
must set himself apart from a given social milieu and create
a personal ethic for living.' Riccardo accepts a fuller view
of this theory by adding Sartre's concept of La Responsa-
‘bilite to that of the Doctor's. To the priest, the indi-
‘Vidual must take an active part in the life of society.

lacing the incontestable author of an event, man soon

__

5°Ib1d., p. 32.
511b1d.. p. 270.

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2H

realizes that "he is not only the person he chooses to be,

but also a lawmaker"62

who creates a certain image of man.
with each affirmation. The doctrine of Le Desespoir warns
man that he can only be sure of his own individual will,
his own capacity to change the world. Hence, Riccardo's
doubt of God's existence only implies that here is no
priori criterion of good and evil and that both terms are
meaningless until man gives them definition. Riccardo's
anguish is that of a man who realizes that mankind, as ex-
emplified in the Doctor, had done just that.

Riccardo's anguish leads not to despair but ulti-
mately invests in him only aggravated strength and substance.
In the end, the priest's life becomes significant solely
through his conquest of pain. Endurance becomes a goal
and cruelty an essential means in the fullest achievement
of this end. Only through violence does this man aspire:

"...I have learned that happiness is important, but
' pain giypp_importance. The use of tragedy: Lear
becomes as tall as the stggg he crawls in; and a

tortured Jew becomes God.

Carried to fruition,.Jeffers' philosophy actually

obliges all men to seek purification through suffering.

 

62Jean-Paul Sartre, Existentiali§m_and Human Emc-
tions (New'York: Philosophical Library, 1957), p. 18.

63Juhasz, op. cit.. p. 77.
6uRobinson Jeffers "These Worldly Wonders", The New

Pocket Antholo of American Verse, ed. Oscar Williams
{New York: Washington Square Press, 1965), p. zuu.

bel

pm

to:
phe
rea
cis

men

25

Since the world is too willing to receive values that have
become weak and are too weak to substitute new ones. war
possesses a certain nobility and famine has dignity:55

'5 It is not bad. Let them play

Let the guns bark and the bombing-plane

Speak his prodigious blasphemies.

It is not bad, it is high time,

Stark violence is still the sire of all the world's
values. ‘ ‘

Who would remember Helen's face

Lacking the terrible halo of spears?

Who formed Christ but Herod and Caesar,

The cruel and bloody victories of Caesar?

Violence has been the sire of all the world's values

Never weep, let them play, 66

Old violence is not too old to beget new values.

This may be man's only hepe for the future. Yet,‘
dramatically, we cannot deny the import of Riccardo's pro-
test. While recent history intimates that sociological
phenomenon leads its constituents into "dilemmas more
readily conquered by saints than by men...freedom of de-
cision"67 is basic to effective drama. "Obviously the great
men who make hiStory are few in any epoch."68 Even though

they be few, men like Riccardo, fortunately, do exist.

 

ssoscar Canaill'and John Herbert Nelson (ed.), Con- 7
temporary Trends: Since 1200 (New York: MacMillan Company,
19 9 e P0 3- .

66Robinson Jeffers, "The Bloody Sire," The New Pocket
.Anthology of American Verse, ed. Oscar Williams {New York:

thhington Square Press, 1965), p. 290.
67Hochhuth, op. cit.. p. 352.

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rise
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GGPOr.

26

THE POPE

The juxtaposition of conflicting idealogies, pre-
sented in the debate between Riccardo and the Doctor, gives
rise to the most vital issue raised in The Deputy. How
unfortunate it is that this most prophetic theme is slighted
because "the author was carried away by the more burning
question of why the Christian world...failed to protest
the blackest_crime in history....The outraged moralist and
historian in the author superceded the religious artist."59

Hochhuth's conviction that each man must assert
himself through responsible action gives precedence to the
query: How... could the murder of an entire pecple...take
place without the highest moral authority on this earth
having a word to say.about it?"7O Line after line in'zhg
Deputy discloses that Pope.Pius XII was aware of the cir-
cumstances and.had both the power and authority to prevent
the massacre of the Jews. Yet he did not and his reticence
was indefensible. I

Hochhuth carefully emplains that protests by the
Bishop of Munster concerning the extermination of the sick
resulted in the cessation of such activities in his area.
He also points out that total abdication or deceleration of

deportation followed protests by Catholic bishops and clergy

h

69Clurman, 10c. cit.

7OI'larx. OE. Cite. po 55’

27

in many occupied communities. From his standpoint, the
Pope had every reason to feel a personal condemnation
would prove most trenchant.

Perhaps a more salient tenet for protest was the
fact that millions of Roman Catholics were members of Hit-
ler's armies; allies such as Spain, France, Italy, and '
the Balkans were predominantly Catholic. Hochhuth felt
the Pepe's prestige and authority in Germany could hardly
be denied: "With half of Europe Catholic even Hitler cannot
risk a schism... Fascism is invincible only with us, when
it stands with the Church and not against it."71 If this
were true, the moment for the abrogation of the concordat
and direct intervention seemed most propitious with the
failure of Hitler's offensive at Stalingrad in l9b3. Ac-
cording to the author, Hitler's defeat on the Volga would
have forced him to be amenable to a Papal decree concerning
the "final solution" of the Jewish problem. Still no protest.

The personal limitations of the Pepe are illumined
in Riccardo's searing indictment:

Is there anything he loves except his dictionaries and.
the cult of the Madonna?....His gardener...has strict
orders always to keep his back turned to the Pope....
Neither in his garden nor at table can he tolerate the
face of a fellow man....I ask myself whether he was
ever able to regard a single one of Hiyfier's victims
as his brother, a being in his image.

7lfiochhuth, op. cit.. p. 21.

72%.. p. 101.

Ric
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28

Riccardo finds the inaction of the P0pe as unfathomable as
the Doctor's. Similar in all too many respects, both men
play in strong dramatic contrast to Riccardo. For that
reason: the coldness and detachment that leaves the Pepe
impartial to the plight of the Jews is condemned and re-
iterated in almost every scene of Ihp Dgputy.

In the play, the Cardinal claims that Pacelli com-
mitted himself to a policy of neutrality in all dealings
with warring nations because he fancied the notion of
serving as a neutral arbiter at the cessation of hostili-
ties between Germany and the United States. The Cardinal
also suggests that anti-semeticism lay at the base of the
Pepe's silence. "The share the Jews had of the leading
professions in Germany before Hitler came to power, was
certainly unhealthy.".73 Hochhuth also suggests that whether
or not anti-someticism lay.at the base of the Pope's
silence, it certainly would have been foolish to endanger
millions of Catholics over an issue involving a non-Christian
group. He also feels certain that from the Catholic point
of view, no murdered Jew was really lost since, through
death, man is reunited with his Creator. 7h His mission
on earth had been fulfilled and he was now able to reckon

with eternal life.

k

731bide' p0 1170

7“Marx, cp. cit., p. 60.

29

And it is from this position...that the Church was
able...to demand for 2,000 years such unheard of sac-
rifices and victims. This brutality is true of all
great promulgators of ideas. So, too, the Nazis were
willing to sacrifice one-half of the German people in
the Second World War because they felt they were build-
ing an empire, a kingdom of a thousand years.
At this Juncture, it would seem that Hochhuth's
indictment no longer relates as directly to the man as to
the institution that creates him. The Pope is still a
priest and the product of a closely fabricated society
that insists on celibacy. Forbidden the involvementthat
results in marriage and children, priests may be inclined
to develOp a hardness "which.enables them to reckon years
not in terms of a human life, but incommensurably under
the aspect of eternity."76 Not allowed a life of their
own, life itself can become subordinate to matters of
ceremony and religious dogma. nAnd Hochhuth, through the
character of Riccardo. mercilessly accuses the Church of
consistently doting on the picayunish in the face of more
egregious needs:
The things they think about in Rome: Take poverty,'
for instance, which, in practice, means that as a
nation's churches grow in number, so do the prosti-
tutes....Instead of helping, we debate how frequently
a marries couple may cohabitate. Or if a widow'may
remarry. 7 ‘

The doctrine of Papal infallibility can thus become a most

perilous concept for those neither priest nor nun. Even

__

751bid.. p. 61.
75Ib1d.
77Hochhuth, Op. 015.. p. 96.

30

more so when the Pontifical head is a man the likes of
' Pius XII.

Yet, from a dramatic viewpoint, the author is
obliged to defend the Pope's decision. with the same con-
viction that he attacks it; only in this way can the
character of the Pope be given any credulous dimension."—
Accordingly, Hochhuth states that the abrogation of the
concordatbetwoen Hitler and the Pope would place the
Church.in Germany in grave peril: financial investments
would be confiscated and Church.pr0perty defiled.

The Pope's farsightedness also considers the loom-
ing threat of Communism; only Germany stands between the
Church.and.Russia's threat to Western Europe. The Car-
dinal elucidates on the Pope's position:

Stalin's reconciliation with the Orthodox Church...
proves to me...he is the tsar, the orthodox heart of
all the Russians, the Slav, true to his nationality,
who nurses the dreams of absolute soygreignty once
cherished by Peter and by Catherine.

Pacelli's antipathy towards United States policy
is revealed in his admonition of.American air raids on
Italian factories. *

The White House will now be chary of provoking us once
more. We have declared with utmost firmness that we,
as bishOp of the city, as spokesman for-five hundred

million Catholics who look toward Sain Peter will
protest vigorously and without delay.7

781bid., p. 113.
”gig... p. 195.

His

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31

His partiality toward anything German is evidenced in his
renewed attack on the United States:

It was not the Germans who bombed San Lorenzo: The;

Germans saved every book and every parchment from Monte

Cassion and brought them safely to the castle of St.

Angelo. Then Mr. Roosevelt's bombers came alon and

reduced the place of peace to dust and rubble.8

The Cardinal concedes the concordat "touches on
the Chief's point d'honneur"81 and that an embarrassing
situation would result since the pact first made Hitler
"socially acceptable est orbi".82 His various insinuations_
about the egocentricity of Pacelli makes credible the query
"and now you want the chief to curse him or cathedra?"83
Despite the Pope's preciosity, the Cardinal also insists
the Pontiff is doing all he can: "we have set up whole
bureaus, offices and committees, solely in order to help,
to rescue...."8“
By providing the Pope with a rationale for his be-

havior, Hochhuth not only makes him a believable stage
entity: he saves The Deputy from becoming a "hate" play.

No one can point a finger at the Pope and feel content

that in no way does Hochhuth's imputation apply to all men.

 

8°£2$Q.. p. 198.
81;p;g.. p. 119.
saw,
83%.
“$213. . p. 202.

32

Nor can the critics validly reproach Hochhuth for attempting
to diminish German guilt by attacking the Pope:
The arsonist does not become less guilty because a
fireman resigns in front of a great fire...It's the
problem of each individual: how'he can live with

gui§§...1 wrote this book: that's how I lived with
it.

THE PROBLEM OF FOCUS

The inherent danger in a work so vast in scape is
the problem of focus. The script used at Michigan State
attempted to delimit and synthesize each aspect of the
total project so that attention riveted to a single theme
and a few selected characters.

In the original version of the play we are esposed
to a historical drama of epic stature. The Deputy is not
only a chronicle of the Pope's silence: it traces the
tragedy of Riccardo Fontana, begins an esploration of the
relationship between Riccardo and his father, introduces
the elusive motivations of Kurt Gerstein. the Doctor, and
Jacobson, a Jew who finds sanctuary in Gerstein's apart-
ment by a method never made clear to the audience. The
horrendous aspect of the Doctor's personality is intro-
duced early in the play, yet no mention of him is made'
until its last act when he and Riccardo meet amid the
holocaust of.Auschwitz. Along with.most of the other

35mg. . p. 1:3.

33

characters, neither Gerstein, the Doctor, or Jacobson
are developed in adequate depth in the original version
of the script.

6 Nor are many of the incidents. Gerstein's wild
scheme of assassinating the Pepe and taking control of
the Vatican radio station is briefly mentioned and quickly
abandonedpdwithout resolution. The Doctor offers the
v priest an avenue of escape:. if Riccardo finds the Doctor
a safe refuge in a monastery for the remainder of the war,
he will deliver the priest to his religious order in Rome.
Even stranger than the motivation prompting the suggestion
is the fact that neither man pursues the possibility to its
natural conclusion. The character of Helge is as equally
mysterious: she has no apparent function in the development
of the plot, yet she occupies considerable space in Hoch-
huth's script. .Consideration of such characters and events
can be attributed to Hochhuth's regard for historical ac-
curacy. Undoubtedly, many of the events did occur; the
characters, although fictitious, bear close semblance to
. actual types and specific individuals. But to attempt a
survey of the entire melange in one panoramic view seems
too great a task for Hochhuth. Robert Brustein feels this!
approach makes all the characters appear "larger than

scale": most seem to be "members of a cardboard nobility."85

 

86Robert Brustein, "History as Drama", The Storm

Over :he Depugy, ed. Eric Bentley (New‘York: Grove Press,
Inc., 19 9 Po 2’. , .

34

This technique also fails to amplify the major thematic
issues. Characters are brought into interaction at a
critical moment for generally the same reason and the
situation serves as the controlling device for dialogue,
action, and decision. Too often.characters meet and inter-
act solely for the purpose of informing one another about
some aspect of the Pope's silence.87 As Robert Brustein
comments: I
Hechhuth'is limited...by his own apparent lack of
interest in the inner workings of characters. Cat-
a10guing his persenages almost exclusively according
to their attitude toward the Pope's silence, Hochhuth
f§§2§$°§:'?2.”2§2h§ifigiiféhif.§i‘£fifia.§§§.3g 'h"

And.the Pope is not even the most important character
in the play. If it were the Pontiff'sstory, the play would
end with.his appearance. The plot would be complete: the
Pope had taken a stand.

In order to cope with the many vagaries regarding.
characters and incidents, a director may discover that the
Pope, Gerstein, the Cardinal, Fontana and the Doctor function
only as catalysts for further action on the part of Riccardo
Fontana. His is the only story carried to climax. The
forces which.drive him to Auschwitz are clearly delineated;

the change the ensuing tenure brings is also thoroughly

 

87Susan Sontag, "Reflections on The Deputy", 2pc.

Storm Ove; The eruty, (New York: Grove Press, Inc., 196%),
Po 121e

88Brustein, lec cit.

35

examined. We see the seed of doubt motivated to the brink
of despair. We understand that the priest is truly the
Deputy of the title.

a5

PART we .
THE ”moses

THE STYLE or PRODUCTION

-:-

Many of the Epic theatre techniques offer the most
successful method of securing the audience's total considera-
tion of the issues involved in The Depugy. In this play,.
the conflicting opinions should be as absorbing as the
conflicting passion: ultimately we must be moved by the
correctness of Riccardo's Judgment and not the emotional
.richness of his conduct. "The point is not to leave the
spectator purged by a cathartic but to...sow'within him
the seeds of change which must be completed outside thel
theatre."89

But the type of theatre designed by Bertolt Brecht
and Erwin Piscator goes to such extremes that "it has an
almost morbid distrust of the keying up of emotion whether
the emotion be relevant or not."90 While emotional impact
may, on some occasions, overpower the audience's objec-

tivity, it is doubtful that "suspense and climax in dra-

matic scenes should be avoided, that the development should

89Sergey Thetiokev, "Bert Brecht", Brecht, ed.
Peter DeMets (New Jersey: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1962),
P0 27. e ,

9°Mordecai Gerelik, New Ipeories for Old (Now‘York:
Samuel French, 19M0), p. #13. ' .

37

36

be on a narrative basis, gaining dramatic power only by
means of the cumulative effect of the total number of
scenes."91 This view, coupled with.the knowledge that the
Epic concept grew out of an intensely localized need, makes
a complete acceptance of the approach impossible.
According to Piscator, theatre is a tribunal....Epic
theatre taught that the German people will inherit
Germany. This will occur, however, not as a matter
of justice, but as a result of the exigencies of
history. The German common people will win not ne-
cessarily because moral right is on their side but
because the truth is on their side....The people will
grow strong...as they accept the facts of the world

and reject the fallacies...whioh have accumulated
through the ages of human existence.

Hence it was the duty of Epic theatre to teach and
to teach scientifically....Each production was meant

to be an im mpartial tribunal where the facts were in-
vestigated.

To avoid fusing the dramatic elements'into one emotional
impression, some authors have actually turned drama into
a lecture demonstration complete with placards, slides,
motion pictures, and loudspeakers. Mordecai Gorelik's
~statement about Epic theatre seems to apply to The Deputy
for it seems that Hochhuth's ”canvas is the bread one of
events rather than the narrower one of personal fate."93
In fact, "an identical usage of the term exists in the
American motion picture industry. An 'opic' is a large-

soale film where the events, usually pictorial, take

 

911bid.
92Ibid.. p. #11.
93Ibid.. p. #12.

39

precedence over the clash of contending individual desires."9"'
The diffuseness which characterizes W's structure
grows from the deliberate suppression of the essential con-
cepts in Aristotelean theatre. But, like Brecht before him,
the playwright in Hochhuth would not permit total aliena-
tion: the importance of the individual could not 'be denied.
The Michigan State University production attempted
to show that representational and presentational stylistic
devices could be consistently integrated without weakening
either form. For example, Hechhuth's pursuit of the "es-
trangement" so important in Brechtian theatre was best
attained by blending certain qualities of both methods.
And this was accomplished without furthering what Brecht
called the "decay" in theatre that results from the misuse
of the audience's emotions. In fact, Brecht's explanation
of "estrangement"_. agrees with Aristotle's concept that the
balance of forces at play's end must enable the. audience to
measure objectively the import of the theme. Brecht explains
the term by analogy:
A watch is a familiar object. But, he [Brecht-J says,
take it apart and all the pieces seem strange and small:
they are unfamiliar in their estrangement from the
functioning time pieces alm03t irreconcilable with it.
This is the same sort of strangeness, of irreconcil-
ability about an individual who is naturally good in

a society which is evil. To understand, we must watch
his path through society. We must stand at a distance

» 91mm;

40

and Judge him: we are powerless to help him but we
can recognise where he goes wrong.

To attain this end, Epic theatre devotees insist that the
actorsaaddress the audience when the occasion calls for
it. Epic style also suggests that an actor is not to "live
another character, but only to mimic another character.".96
The Chinese stage is often alluded to as a classic example
of this form. In any case, the approach must be direct:
It does not tease us into making desired conclusions:
instead it‘ppkgp the conclusions with us or for us-h
which is often Shakespeare's procedure in assigning...
soliloquies to Hamlet or declarations of intention
to Iago. It tells us what a character thinks, in- .
stead of challenging us to find out what he thinks.97
While complete acquiescence to such a method may
be ruinous to The Deputy, much of this technique can be
utilised in plays based on Aristotlean principles of organi-
sation. Shakespeare unconsciously employed Epic principles:
Thcrten Wilder's Our Town often seems to be a chronicle
of an entire village rather than that of any one person
or incident. In The Deputy, lines delivered directly to
the audience were intended to break down_the distance be-
tween actcrs, spectators, and material. Direct address was

used to set the time and locale of individual scenes and to

introduce certain characters. The technique seemed particularly

95John Gassner, Directions in Modern Theatre and
Drama (New York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc., 1935),
p. 312s '

95Gorolik, op, cit., p. 517.

97Gassner, 02' bites PP. Zhb-ZHS.

“1

valuable in its role of giving stage to important characters

and their lines. In Act Two, Scene Two. little provision

is made in the original script to show the effects of

Pius' words on Riccardo Fontana. Dntil he pins the Jewish

star on his cassock and bolts from the room, the audience

is given virtually no indication of the frustration and

rage surging within the priest. Since Riccardo is the

principal character in the show, his reactions should be

clearly and consistently delineated. Using him to comment -

on the various episodes should help to unify the script.

This technique allows all action to flow through the eyes‘

of a one man chorus, catechist, and interlocutor. Because

the alternating sequences increase the building tension

through simple Juxtaposition, Riccardo may be given the

strong dramatic build denied him in the original translation.
Greatly influenced_by cinematic method, Piscator

often used "a technique of short episodes...in order to

. bring out the contrasts between the lives of rich and poor."§

His extremely stylised production of An American Tragedz

developed the action in a series of units separated by

momentary b1ackouts.99 With the exception of the blackouts,

 

##—

981bid., p. 312.

. 99John C. Vents, "An American zaagedz as Epic
Theater:

the Piscator Dramatisaticn , Modern Drama, IV
(University of Kansas} Department of English, Lawrence,
Kansas, February, 1962), p. 371.

#3

this technique was used in The Deputy. But rather than
attempting to objectify the situation, this structure
attempted to aid the intensification and heightened the

"dramatic climax.
THE SETTING

Epic stage designers supply only the essential
fragments of setting needed to reveal the meaning of the
play. In design

the process of thought is purely inductive. The de-

-signer does not imagine a room for the characters,

or a striking atmosphere. Instead he supplies all-

necessary properties, sections of doors or windows

or steps. and arranges for these units to function

with workmanlike preoision."1°o
Total environment is developed either through imagination
or as an argument in the play; the elements in the stage
setting function more as stage properties. The CradleWill
Rock, in fact, used no sets or properties and barely a
suggestion of costume.3 Whatever its limitations, an approach
of this type has the distinct advantage of being able to
'free the actor from the hampering physical objects that
can slow down the tempo of an entire production.

This fluidity can also be accomplished by a careful

blend and artistic use of space, color, and light. Since
the Epic play frequently moves back and forth in time and

location, all elements need to be unified so that no

__

——_—f —— W

’1°°Gerelik, o2, cit., p. #23. ‘

1+3

impediment hinders this flow of events. Many productions.
of basically Aristotlean shows like A Man For All Seasons
and Death of a Salesman found they had to violate pictorial
realism in the cause of analytical criticism. And, most
important, it was done without confining the imagination
or resorting to non-dramatic techniques. The De ut , too,
‘was designed on the principle that selective realism and.
dramatic eloquence are compatible as theatrical types.

As stages in the Arena Theatre at Michigan State
University, four platforms were set at diagonals to each
'other and the remainder of the stage except for a small
permanent octogonal structure was left open and was used
in the particular way which best suited each scene. Set
pieces were hung from poles placed at the back of platforms
A and E (See diagrams proceeding each scene): four units
which simulated various set pieces were placed in a line
between exits one and four when not in use. Inscribed in
the center of the stage floor was a rather expressionistic
Jewish star whose points reached into all corners of the
stage. The various settings were stored in the lobby and
corridors so that-the audience could view and inspect them
as they entered the theatre.

In.Act One. Scene one, platform E held a church
window} the octagon was used as a combination altar and.
table. Besides serving a practical function, chair units
helped to define the physical limitations of the scene.

Nasmon 2a. you use}; .mE

 

us

.The entire stage was used in the second scene so banners
were hung on both A and E. The octagon was used as a
table and three of the units used in Scene One were struck.
By contrast,.Aot One Scene Three was confined to only a
small portion of the stage. The banners were removed,
the units overturned, and a blown out window was hung on
platform E. The last scene in Act One keyed off two trol-
lises which.hung at the back of both A and E; the octagon
became a table around which three chairs were placed. _

As Act Two began, the trellises were removed and
a stained glass window which portrayed Adam's fall in the
Garden of Eden was placed on platform E. The four units
were positioned to suggest wall-like structures while the
octagon functioned as an altar. The transition to Scene
Two was made while the Abbot and Gerstein prayed at the
altar. When completed, the new decor revealed a gigantic
crucifix above the Papal throne on platform.A; two chairs
flanked it on either side. The opposing platform was set
with a window frame and telephone stand. The octagon re-
mained an_altar. when stripped of the frame and stand,
platform E also functioned as the interior of the railway
boxcar.

Two Nasi banners and nine swastikas on poles driven
into a Jewish star that served as a base represented the
concentration camp in.Auschwits. Keeping the setting as

suggestive as possible seemed more reasonable than attempting

, “6

to depict what could never be portrayed on any stage. Incor-
porating the audience's imaginative faculties more convinc-
ingly helped to etch the unspeakable horrors of the camp.
After all, Auschwits was I
a reality so enormous and grotesque that even today,
fifteen years after the events, the impression of un-
reality it produces conspires with our natural strong
tendency to treat the matter as a legend, as an incred-
ible apocalyptic fable...we can go sightseeing in
Auschwitz as we do in the Colosseum scarcely serves to
convince us that seventeen years ago in our actual world
this gigantic plant with scheduled railroad connections
was built especially in order that normal people, who
today may be earning their livings as letter carriers,
magistrates, youth counselors, salesmen, pensioners,
government officials or gynecologists, might kill
other people.101
Act Three Scene Two retained the swastikas and banners: the
only change involved a telephone and two chairs which were
placed near the octagon.

Because the set changes were made by actors as part
of the play, each property had to be most flexible. All
had to be easily and quickly whifted from place to place.
Since only one or two items were selected for each scene,
all had to be functional and immediately recognisable.

As the play progressed, the style more closely
resembled Expressionism. ‘Hhile the source of abstraction
was always evident, the distortion emphasised the growing
madness which enveloped the entire play in its final stages.
Expressionism was also visible in the selection of color:

the floor continued a pattern of black, yellow, and purple

A

101flgohhnth, 92: cit., p. 223.

1+7

used in the other settings. The unusual shades of purple
used in the color scheme suited the violence of the action
, and frequently added to the macabre effect in the final
act. a

Tbnnessee Williams' production note for The Glass
Menagerie served as the inspiration for the theatrical
technique used in The Deputz: I

Expressionism...[has] only one valid aim, and that is

a closer approach.to truth. When a play employs uncon-
ventional techniques, it is not...trying to escape its
responsibility of dealing with reality, or interpreting
experience, but is actually...attempting to find a
closer approach, a more penetrating and vivid expression
of things as they are. The straight realistic play
‘with its genuine frigidaire and authentic ice-cubes, ~
its characters that speak exactly as its audience speaks.
corresponds to the academic landscape and has the same
virtue of a photographic likeness. Everyone should know
nowadays the unimportance of the photographic in art:
that truth, life, or reality is an organic thing which
the poetic imagination can represent or suggest, in
essence, only through transformation, through changing
into other forms than those which.were merely present
in appearance.102 ' ’

THE COSTUMES

} The costumes aided the universality of the theme
”in that the suits, sports coats. and slacks worn by the men
and the pants, sweat shirts, or blouses selected for the
women assured the audience that such.cvents could happen.

in our time Just as easily as in l9h2. Since certain basic'

_‘

102Tennessee Williams, The Glass Mona erie (Eew'
York: Dramatists Play Service, 19 , p. 7.

#6

information had to be conveyed in dress, suggestive orna-
mentation described the actor's role or station in that
specific scene. The Nasis could be recognised by the arm-
bands they wore: the Nuncio's crucifix and Riccardo's black
outfit were enough to portray their situation. Only the
Pope and the Cardinal wore cloaks: the Pontiff also wore
the skull cap so often visible in photographs.

Costume pieces were also selected on the basis of
what seemed most essential, indispensable, and recognisable
about a priest or Nasi. For'the clergy, color seemed most
important: the white cloak and cap of the Pope, the red
cloak of the Cardinal. Dark hues were indicative of the
Nasis. (The only universal item of attire could be long
black boots: all characters, except Riccardo, could wear
them at all times.) An actor who plays both a Nazi and
church official could thus change stations by simply re-
moving an arm band and adding a crucifix. The Jew who
doubled as a Nasi could reverse roles by exchanging the
arm band for a yellow star. Any confusion that resulted
was part of the desired effect. On stage, as in life, it
‘was often difficult to separate one from the other.

Recent history has taught us that in the age of univera
sal military conscription it is not necessarily to anye
one's credit or blame, or even a question of character.

which uniform one wears or whether one stands on the
side of the victims or the executioners.10 A

1°3Hechhuth, op, cit., p. 12.'

1.9

THE LIGHTING

-.\

With settings purposely sparse, much of the data
pertinent to locale, time of year, day, and general mood
was expressed in the lighting. Since no visible light
sources were used on the set, lighting design not only il-
luminated the actors but sought to capture the emotional
key of each scene.

Ace Cne Scene One was played in a twilight of blues
and amber. Gerstein's entrance cued a higher level on all.
instruments. In addition to the obvious symbolic purpose,
this helped the actor portraying Gerstein to give import to
the man's entrance and message. In this and all other scenes,
the areas not in use were left darkened. The second scene
was played in high levels of amber, pink, and blue. The
extra light was needed to accommodate the large number of
people in the scene and to establish the festive mood of
the episode. Contrasting levels of intensity centralised
the focal points in each of the various discussions. The
scene change which followed was done in a very dim light:
this helped to prepare the audience for the sudden shift
in mood. AA predominance of blue with amber and green highé
lights suited this scene best. The Doctor's entrance raised
the level of intensity on all instruments. This new reading

was maintained until Riccardo placed the Jewish star on his

50

'cassock: at this moment, all lights, save one solo spot,
faded to black. The final scene in the act was played in
bright sunlight, an effect achieved by combining shades of
yellow, rose, and amber. The act ended with a quick fadev
out. '

The lighting in the office of the Father General
affected the musty, dim quality so typical of such places.
Riccardo, now possessed with the light of truth, brought
with him a high reading on all instruments. This level was
maintained until Riccardo pondered his martyrdom. ‘At this
point, the lights were extinguished in frankly theatrical
fashion until only a single spot remained on the altar. The
scene ended with the Abbot and Gerstein kneeling in prayer. I
' Meanwhile, the change to Act Two Scene Two was being made .
in the darkness. At its completion, the lights suddenly
came up in all areas; they did not achieve their full in-
tensity however, until the Pope made his appearance. His
entrance was made in a brilliant aura of light. When the
action moved outside the Papal Palace, the lights in that
area dimmed to one half. A single spotlight symbolically
. forced the Pope to see the blinding truth. tau stage lights
began to fade whenRicoardo made his exit. ‘The dissolve
was completed when Pius beseeched his followers to pray
for those about to die. A single instrument was the only

illumination on the congregate’bretheren.l Meanwhile, another

51

spotlight flooded the opposing platform as the monologues
began. when they ended, both spots slowly faded out.

The lighting for.Act Three reflected the non-realistic
distortion of the setting. Reds and pinks gave contrast to
the essential tenor.of the scene and created a contradiction
that continued to the end of the play. «All lights began to
fade when Riccardo was shot and all but one was extinguished
as the Doctor exited from the set. The last light held a
moment on the dying figure of Riccardo, and then faded to
black.

THE MUSIC

The play opened in a montage of sound: priests at
prayer cut to locomotives which dissolved into screaming
patrol cars and German march music. A diatribe by Adolph
Hitler as he addressed a maddened tumult was also included
in this crescendo of pandemonium. The sounds switched quickly
from one to another and ended in a union of dissonance.
Most of the remaining sound cues consisted of drum rolls
which ended one scene and began another. They were used
within ....n. to key important dramatic action. Act One
Scene Two used energetic German beer garden ballads throughp
out the scene; the third scene of the act ended with the .
distinctly different drum roll that was then repeated when-
ever Riccardo-made an important decision. The opening music

for Scene Pour was serene and rdther pleasant. German

52

march music interpolated between traditional Jewish and
religious melodies preserved the mood of the show during
intermission.

A religious chant began.Act Two: the same vesper
service concluded the scene, a scene whose development
played in direct contradiction to the music. The dichotomy
between church practice and the realistic problems of the
world was thus suggested--sacrod religious rites bore little
relationship to the holocaust exploding within Riccardo.
During the interlude between scenes, the music grew more
dissonant and incongruous: Scene Two began as it reached a
distended climax. ‘Drum rolls were used to signal the be-
ginning and end of all scenes in Gestapo headquarters. The
act ended as the railroad sounds drowned out the Pope's
supplication for the victims. The intermission music fol-
lowed the same format as in.Act One, the only discernible
difference-being the distinct predominance of rousing German
march music. I

Since Auschwitz defies realistic description, the
director may, in order to stir effectively the imagination
of the audience and instil in them the trepidation.which
must have gripped the inmates of this camp, choose to ex-
periment with a series of alien sounds in.Act Three. Many.
interesting effects can be achieved by playing drum rolls
and.music recorded at seven and one-half at a slower speed

of three and three-fourths or one'and seven-eighths. 'The

'6

ti

3P

qu.

he

he

53

play endedzwith a reprise of the march.music that echoed
through.the windows of Gerstein's apartment in‘Act One Scene
Three.¢ Only this time, the tune was distorted and off-key.

A succession of drum rolls was played during the curtain call:

loud German march.music was used for the audience's exit.
THE ADAPTATION

The adaptation of the script and the rationale be-‘
hind the cutting of it can be best understood in a scene by
scene breakdown which also indicates general patterns of move-
ments and basic observations regarding the physically ob-
servable aspects of character. Hopefully, this will more
clearly illustrate how the direction influences the cutting
and the cutting influences the movement and the basic char-
acterisations. .Act One Scene One lays important groundwork.
Riccardo Fontana is exposed to an attitude which is ex-
pressed time and again hy high officials--"we are doing all
we can to help the unfortunate victims."

Yet the Nuncio must be remotely aware of the situa-
tion existing beyond the walls of the Papal Legation. De-
spite the calm faoade, he is a bit too anxious to defend his
position. The success with which.he anticipates Riccardo's
queries suggests that the same issues are preying on his .
mind. To the end, however, he remains the true diplomat:
he chooses thetopics, controls the discussion of thom, and
reacts in appropriate fashion to each stimuli. Nothing

5%

serves to belie his true demeanor--if.indeed there is one.

In this scene Riccardo functions as an observer
who compiles and assimilates the evidence which eventually
leads him to Gerstein's doorstep in Scene Three. This .
scene, like many in the first act, furnishes initial ex-
position necessary for a fuller understanding of the approach!
ing crises. Only with his fleeting remark to Gerstein at
the end of the scene does Riccardo exhibit his true attitude
toward the Nuncio's behavior and the extent of his confusion
and bewilderment regarding church policy. While he feels.
compelled to pursue the matter further, his alienation from
the church hasonly subconsciously begun. Riccardo is deeply
imbued with the stringent philosophy underlying his religious
training. Although.he senses the limitations of the Nuncio,
he feels obliged to extend to Orsenigo the respect due one
.of God's representatives. ’His questioning ofpolicy is done
in the spirit of energetic discussion. If this attitude can
be cultivated in this scene, the audience can more easily I
measure the enormity of Riccardo's eventual insubordination.
His insubordination is a task undertaken with a heavy heart.

Riccardo is also acutely aware that he is the son °
of an influential and revered layman and that any impropriety
would be a reflection on his father.‘ In fact, it is his '
atypical background that gives him the strength to remark
‘te Gerstein at the end of the scene that he will find him.

55

Sheltered.from unpleasantness and reared in a tranquil at-
mosphere, Riccardo envisions an easy solution to the problem
before him: -a word to his father-and the Pope will immedi-
ately put an end to Nasi brutality. It is this attitude
which Gerstein chides in Scene Three--the blind faith and
blatant optimism reserved only for the innocent and naive

of the world. Ironically, Gerstein's visit to the Papal
Legation is prompted by his trust in the Pope. If thiswere
not so, he never would venture so far. nor risk so much.

Riccardo's noble origins also explain, in part, the
Nuncio's desperate attempts to silence Gerstein. Orsenigo
realises that making a favorable impression on Riccardo
might help to assuage the Pope's misgivings toward him. The'
confrontation with Gerstein creates an embarrassing situation:
the Nuncio has to Justify his inaction in the face of a
horrible truth.. His habit of comfortably escaping any re-
sponsibility by claiming he has no authority offers him
little solace in moments such as these. He is undoubtedly
vaguely aware that his refusal to listen and act is a per-
sonal failure Just as Bishop Galen's action must be counted
as a personal triumph and victory.

Until Gerstein's entrance, the scene is paced very
conversationally. The Nuncio's effort to impress Riccardo'
with his competency manifests itself in fluid and refined
gestures. the pride with which he displays his grasp of the

56

entire situation, the impartiality which.allows him to admire
Hitler's cunning, and his ability to treat all issues in an
academic and disinterested fashion. Superficially, his per-
formanee is masterful. I

Riccardo moves about freely and comfortably until
Gerstein's entrance, when much discomfort is suddenly evi-
denced in his embarrassed attempts at interjection. One imp
portant note: although he is easily taken in by Gerstein's
sincerity and intensity-qRiccardo rarely sees such passion
'for humanity in religious circles--he must not seem a to-
tally impetuous "hothead' given to making irrational Judg-
ments. {

Gerstein's energy level is alarmingly higher than
either Riccardo's or'the Nuncio's. However, his’gestures
got more spastic and frequent as he realises his words are'
falling on deaf ears. Many gestures have a point of origin
but flutter ineffectually to no conclusion. He continually
pursues the Nuncio in a frantic attempt to make his point.
Only when he realises that the Nuncio is implacable does the.
chase terminate. Accordingly, the Nuncio attempts, in vain,
. to remain physically a safe distance from Gerstein--as if .
proximity alone ccnnotates sympathy and involvement.

Gerstein's energy level changes in the speech.where
he recalls his victims. This speech is given flatly, without

emotion.n It is underplayed to point up the actual horror of

57

the experience: an experience so deeply emotional could
never be accurately described and must be psychologically
suppressed. .Although Gerstein recalls it vividly. it remains
a living nightmare that forces itself upon his consciousness
and makes him prey to hallucinations which.virtually de-
bilitate him. .

The next scene catalogues a cross-section of thought
regarding Nasi and Catholic policy. It reveals many impor-
tant, but subsidiary facts which could not be presented in
any other way. The most alarming element brought into con-
sideration is the amoral character of those involved in the
traffic of Jews. Many do not even dislike their victims.

Not inhuman monsters these are generally capable men of
average, or above average intelligence.

Eichmann's concern over church policy and the various
-speeehes of those gathered at the party accentuate the ex-
tent of the Pope's authority and emphasise the need for a
definite policy. The quickness with which Eichmann halts
operations because of religious intervention.illustrates
the Church‘s importance in the establishment of Nasi strategy.
Until the Pope takes an official position, Germans are able
to liquidate Jews and attend he" with no conflict of interest.

Exposed also are the practices which.involve non- .
military factions of the German population. The inhumane

use of prisoners by Krupp and I. G. Tarban and the extent

58

of barbarity in the treatment, not only of the Jews, but

the Russians as well, cause the area of guilt to grow wider.
Later in" the play we see how little difference exists between
file religious charges of Pius XII and the cronies of Adolph
Hitler. Uith modifications. this scene could.be played in

‘ the Papal Palace. ‘ '

Until Gerstein's entrance, the center of interest
is created by using the freese technique. Only the characters
involved in each segment remain animate. This somewhat.
choreographic approach allowsextravagant outs and foreshad-
ows the portions of Acts The and Three which repeat the use
‘ of this technique.‘-. The patterned movement of this scene and
general method of presentation is necessary because Scenes
One and Three contain so much static exposition.

On his entrance’, all attention is directed to Gerstein
and his efforts to deceive the men he secretly abhors. The
strain of this forced interaction with the enemy must be
made ’clear to theaudience: for that reason, blocking places
Gerstein in the center of the stage for most of the scene,
much like a prisoner at a' dock.

In Act' One Scene Three we see that Jacobson fulfills
Gerstein's need to do something tangible for the people
whose cause he secretlyfights. The protection given Jacob-f
son is the one contact that continually affirms the purpose
underlying his dual 'lifene~ Gerstein has no particular affection

59

for the Jewb-perscnal feeling is not a factor. It would
weaken the play to suggest a deep oomraderie between the
two men. It makes Gerstein's risk too personal a venture.

. Re is waging a war of principle: the grandeur of his action
lies in his personal indifference for the men and himself.
He extends his services through a sense of duty as keen as
that which.prompts the Nuncio to execute the orders of his
office. ‘ .

Yet, at moments, Gerstein does feel the strain which
stems from the continual pressure of harboring a fugitive.
when the opportunity comes it is a relief to be able to
expedite Jacobson's escape. While Jacobson is appreciative.
of assistance from any helping hand. the vision of Gerstein,
the Nasi, can never be entirely dispelled. His host's ex-
change with the Doctor only rekindles his suspicions.’ He
too, has no particular love for his savior.

Certain contradictory reactions in Jacobson's char-
acter make his one of the most elusive roles‘in the show.
The actor portraying him must avoid making the characteri-
sation too maudlin. Never should he resort to the stereo;

: type so readily accessible to a man in his predicament.
Probably it is simply the anxiety of his situation that
makes his responses to Riccardo and Gerstein often seem.
ambivalent. unmotivated, and rather exaggerated. Jacobson's
knowledge that both men are untouched by the disaster that
has destroyed his family and threatens his explains a great

60

part of his behavior. He also feels that the world-wide .
conflagration is more their doing than his.

6 when he lashes out at the world over the death of
I his parents, we see that even Jacobson, the Jew, fails to.
understand that violence only begets violence. Jacobson,
in his bitterness, would now annihilate the Germans.

The scene also develops the character of the Doctor.
His casual discussion of medical experiments and his ur-
bane exchange with Gerstein does much to explain the man's
behavior in Act Three. To delete this sequence would mean
to leave the man totally undeveloped until the last act of
the play, and this would make either too much or too little
of his importance in the plot. Besides giving an insight.
into his own personality, the Doctor's cunning is clearly
responsible for a great deal of the pressure and nervousness
so readily apparent in Gerstein.

In this scene, Riccardo persuades Gerstein to di-
vulge some important exposition: facts about the man's life,
the worldpwide participation in the "final solution”, and .
facts about Nasis who double as priests. Gerstein also
\ helps to mold a distinct impression of the Doctor. Actually,
until asked to give up his cassock, Riccardo plays the con-
fidante who acts as a sounding board for relevant exposition.

Although.the priest wins him over with his concern
'for the Jews, Gerstein questions his tenacity in seeing this

indignation to solution.‘ His need to test the priest's good

_61

faith plays a large part in Gerstein'ts demand of Riccardo's
cassock. The request, of course. places the priest in an
untenable situation. On one hand he. is bound by oath, on
the other by moral obligation. Yet, after only a moment's
hesitation, he offers his. cassock to the Jew.

The almost cataclysmic action which follows this
initial comitment is apparent only to the audience at this
point. Riccardo perceives neither the imediate consequences
of his act, nor. the groundwork it lays for future decisions.
His visit to Gorstein's apartment is actually made without
'a carefully defined purpose or aim. The motivating force
‘is simply to gather more information and to assure him that
not all church officials are like the Nuncic. Even at this
early stage, Riccardo feels compelled to atone for the actions
of a religious brother.- The easy solution he proposes takes ’
shape only after Gerstein's explanation.

From a technical standpoint, Riccardo's tentative and
almost self-conscious movements and gestures suddenly become
more definite and purposeful as the situation unfolds before
him. Although it is tremendously naive, Riccardo's solution
infects Gerstein 1m. begins to relax and becomes more ener—
getic and excited. The priest is clearly no enemy, and, per-
haps, he is much more. Gerstein cannot quell the small hope'
that he will now be able to share his burden.

If his hope is small, it is because Gerstein re-
alises that Ricc'ardo's giving of his cassock is only one of

62

the things he will be forced to sacrifice before his Jour-
uney is ended. The outer manifestations of his belief are
the first to go: once this facade is stripped away, the
.attack on the more deeply rooted ideals begins. ARiccardo's
acceptance of the Jewish.star at the end of the scene
marks the end of his innocence. In fact, the Jerome Roth!

enberg adaptation of the script makes this moment a religious

ritual in which.Riccardo is initiated into the underworld:'

Jacobson. You'll learn, Priest.
Gerstein. You'll descend the stair--
Jacobson. At night.

Gerstein. 'You will feel cold.

Jacobson.
Gerstein.
Jacobson.
Gerstein.
Jacobson.
Gerstein.

The darkness will run through you.
Hide, Priest.

The mirror is watching.

Hell is watching.

Is the night inside you?

You' ll have to live with it.

Jacobson. To see it, to touch it.

Gerstein. ,In death.

Jacobson. In pain.

Gerstein. In hatred.

Jacobson. In pain.

Gerstein. Take the star.

Jacobson. The light is in the star.

Gerstein. The pain is in the star.

Jacobson. And wear it.

Riccardo. (He thr sts the star against his heart.)
Here?10 .

Taken in total, this scene is important because it
shows the change that is taking place within Riccardo. .Prom
this point on, Riccardo no longer listens, but acts. It is
also the only scene which really explains Gerstein's char-'
acter. Ironically, Gerstein now becomes the ”foil" for Rio-

' O‘NO e

 

10"RelfHechhuth, The Deputz, adapted by Jerome Roth-
enberg (Hew’Yerk: Samuel French, Inc., l96t), pp. 37-38.

63

Par removed from the personal dangers which exist '
for the Jews and their allies, Fontana and the Catholic
clergy and laity in Rome have time for reflection and re-
ligious'pomp. :Act One Scene Pour reveals this security in
the relaxed pacing cf the conversation, and the moderate
tenor of the Cardinal's and Pontana's speeches. 'Now it is
Riccardo who mars the tranquility of the mood with the same
concern that makes Gerstein the agitator in'Scene One.

Fontana understands his son and tries to mollify'
his exasperation with objectivity and temperance. It can
be sensed that Fontana admires his son at the same time he
feels faced to admonish his blasphemous talk. The Count
is, as always. touched by his son's naivete: freed of con-
' cern over affairs of State and matters of protocol, the
boy tends to reckon with life in absolutes. Although .
tempted to take part in Ricoardo's ire, considerable ex-
perience tells Fontana that his son's impetuosity must be
, curtailed. Fontana sees the hopelessness of this position
and feels inroads can only be made with diplomacy and mod-
oration. Early in the scene, a great part of his unwill-
ingness to accept Ricoardo's attack is his trust in the
infallibility of file Pope. Like most Catholics around the
world, he looks to the Pontiff. for guidance. Thus, he
tends to minimise Ricoardo's outrage. He also knows that
his comfortable position would be seriouslydeopardised
.by any premature repudiation of Papal policy.

fit

The Cardinal his known the truth of Ricoardo's
message for some time but refuses to exertany pressure on
the Pope. He, too, understands that creating conflict with
"the Pope would not be to his advantage. Throughout the
scene, he moves quickly and quite often, uses gestures to
punctuate each point of his argument, and shows sudden ir-
ritation whenever the Church's policy of neutrality is
questioned.

During the heated discourse between his son and the
Cardinal. Eontana is more concerned with the impression
his son is making than with the issues under examination.
Until Riccardo senses his father's discomfort. he moves
about freely. "As the exchange develops, Riccardo is torn
between the passion of his convictions and the acute em-
barrassment he is obviously causing his father. '

X Not until the very end of the scene does.the Count
become alarmed by Ricoardo's trepidation: for the first
time, diplomacy begins to frighten him. Both realise the
seriousness of Hitler's decision to make his Undersecretary
of State Ambassador to the‘Vatican. If You Heisacher can
placate the Pope before they receive an audience, all'will.
be unalterably lost. The scene ends with.their resolve to
reach.the Pepe before it is too late.

Per Riccardo this scene carries him further into the
underworld.fl He .... both the Cardinal and his father in a

new light.' Their sense of reality is no longer his.
. . . , - e o*e ' A

65

The Cardinal and Abbot are content to hide Jews be-
hind their mcnastary walls. and not protest the slaughter
which is taking place outside the confines of the Church.
In fact. they take great pride in the amicable relationship
that exists between the Nazis and the Church. Both are
able to operate freely with no interference from the other.

Ricoardo's news of arrests in Rome confuses the
Cardinal because this action constitutes a provocation
which could not pass without public reaction from Church
officials. The_policy predicated on the "live and let
live“ theory has now been seriously breached. ‘Angry at.
this new development and irritated at not being the bearer
of such news. the Cardinal grows extremely ill at ease in
the presence of Riccardo and.cerstein. Their courage and
accurate analysis of the situation is now a source of ex-
treme embarrassment to the Cardinal.

Following his exit. Riccardo and the Abbot ponder
the consequences of the Pope's failure to speak. Their
debate about duty and responsibility includes Gerstein to
the extent that he. too. is torn by the same anguish.that
‘beseiged the two priests. while Riccardo considers the
possibility of accompanying the deportees to their desti-'
nation in Auschwitz. the‘Abbot clings desperately to the
doctrine of Papal infallibility. a

Riccardo realises that he must be prepared to
stand alone in his fight. lhile he still hopes the Pope

66

will speak, he prepares a course of action in the event
he does not: if the Pope refuses to take a stand, Riccardo
must. Once this decision is reached. Riccardo becomes more
relaxedt°his gestures are few5 his speechlslcwer and more
deliberate. Riccardo is no longer innocent or bewildered.
Prom.the very opening of.Aot Two Scene Two we see
that the Pope is not a weak man. His silence speaks well
of his ability to make decisions and abide by them in the
face of great pressure. The opening sequence in.Act Two
Scene Two illustrates the Pontiff's area of greatest con-
cern; he is indignant over the United State's bombings and
worried about financial speculation in the midst of great
peril. His extreme unrest at being accused of protesting
the German deportation is the first warning that he*will‘
never speak. A I
This scene. once again. utilises the same freeze
tedhnique used in the second scene of.act One. The only
modification made in this act is the use of Riccardo as a
commentator on the activities which.take place in both
locales. For this reason. he moves from scene to scene and
observes all action. when the action shifts from the Papal _
Palace to Gestapo headquarters. for_example. the Cardinal.
lontana. and the Pope suspend their action until Salser
finishes his interrogation. .At its conclusion. the action

67

resumes in the Papal Palace. The occurrences in one setting
have no effect on the other; only Riccardo and the audience
are afforded the opportunity of witnessing. simultaneously.
the events taking place in both places. Ricoardo's pleas

to the Pope and his comments to the audience become more

I passionate as the actions in both settings hurdle toward
their terrifying climax.

. The second episode discredits the Pope's line "Herr
Hitler is no longer dangerous"1°5 since in it we see the
Nazis begin their roundup of the Jews. Placing these con-
tradictory scenes next to each other points up the fallacy .
of the Pope's stand and the need for immediate intervention
in a much more dynamic way than if the scenes were played
separately as intended in the original script.

By allowing Riccardo to move freely from scene to
scene and by giving him comments which bridge one to another.
he remains in the center of attention. The Pope's failure
to recognize the impending danger is no longer measured
solely in.Riccardo's decision to submit to the horrors of
Auschwitz.

Uith.tho exception of Riccardo. the other actors
acknowledge the existence of an imaginary wall whidh sepa-
rates one setting from the other. Besides being a common '

feature of Epic theatre. the technique of_superimposing one‘

A ._..4__

105Heoh‘huth. op. cit.. p. 200.

68

scene on another is actually suggested by the author in a
stage consent. is the Pope begins his dictation to the
scribe. Hochhuth notes: '

It ib'a blessing that in this scene it is technically

impossible to show some of the victims in the back-

ground: families in tatters. from infants to old

men-u-several hundreds of thousands of European fami-

lies inoluding Catholics. including a number of nuns

gdnmg?g:og.$grogaghtzggfogas chambers. abandoned

The Juxtaposition of contrasts often creates a~
horrifying irony. In the second episode. Luccani's query
about their destination brings an acrimonious retort from
Uitzel 8 "We're going straight to Heaven. right straight to
\God Almighty."107 In the last sequence of the same act.
the Pope actually gives credence to Uitzel's caustic as—
sault on Church practice with a prayer that reiterates the
same sentiment. I
Riccardo appears in the next episode and immediately

provokes the Pope's wrath with his zeal for the Jews and
the news that Pius has already voiced his disapproval in an
official protest. The ferocity of the Pope's denial shows
Riccardo that Pacelli has known for weeks what the Nazis
were planning to do in the Holy City. Riccardo is stag-s ~
gored at the knowledge that noninvolvement is the Pope's

deliberate and premeditated policy.

1°‘Ibig.. p. 212e
1°7.:.I___b1d-. p. 139.2

59

In Gestapo headquarters. Salzer lives with the con-
tinual fear that his operations in Rome might provoke an
angry rebuttal from the Pope. He'sees that every possible
precaution is taken to pacify the man. at least until his
alliance of silence is no longer needed.

The Pope defends his decision to remain silent as
the scene switches back to the Papal Palace. A forceful
and vigorous defense is essential to the play: if the Pope's
rationale does not seem reasonable. he remains an unchar-
acterized. rather flaccid antagonistic force. The magnitude
of Ricoardo's action requires a persuasive Pius.

I Hazi cruelty is disclosed in the following episode.
Despite the harshness with.which.he deals with his victims.
Salzer is moved by the pathetic nature of the souls he so
ruthlessly intimidates. Thankfully. this trait enables

the actor portraying the man to avoid the melodramatic.
stock characterization so much.the vogue in war films of
the late forties.

The Pope's fetish for religious pomp is clearly
shown in his burning concern to "further the canonization
‘ of Innocent the Bleventh."1(B His aestheticism gives him
the vision to look beyond the immediate death of millions
.and to focus on the eternal questions so muoh.the essence .

of Catholic doctrine. For Riccardo. the detachment of the

- J ._

1°31b1d.. p. 211.

70

man was never easier to see nor more difficult to accept.
When the incessant pressure from Riccardo begins to affect
even the.) Cardinal and the Count. Pius is finally shamed
into abridging his stand to take. at least. token notice
of the events erupting around him. On this somewhat hope-
ful note. the scene changes again to Nazi headquarters in
Rome. I

Salzer has a Job to do: the tactics he employs
help him to discharge his duties in the most effective pos-
sible manner. The almost mechanical precision with which
his interrogation ruthlessly devastates his victims can-
not hide his hasio humanity. Possession of this quality
therefore charges him with a greater responsibility to
protest the carnage of which he is a part. Like many of
the other characters in the play. however. he feels obligated
to prolong his allegiance to the powers at hand.’

In the Papal Palace the Pope's garrulity begins to
abound freely in circumlccution and bombast. He is doing
what he enjoys most and his performance is masterful. Taking
great pride in the richness of his articulatory powers. he
attempts to dispel any hostility toward his policy with a
superb demonstration in loquacity. Needless to say. his
exhibition leaves the Count. Cardinal. and Riccardo unmoved;

Meanwhile. Salzer'is seeking an excuse to cease

operations in'Rome. A definite complaint from the Pope

71

will give him enough cause to abandon the apprehension
and deportation of Jews. The added fear that he might be
blamed,in the event a protest is issued makes his demand
for bluntness even more intense. The Pope's license to
continue the assault leaves Salzer no alternative; the
roundup has to continue. ‘

In desperation. Riccardo pins the Jewish star to
his cassock as the next scene commences. His cpen defiance
of the Pope marks his final break with the ritualistic
church. Not only'has he sacrificed family. position. and
security--he new refutes the very essence of his religious
belief. All that is left is the hope that his sacrifice
will preserve the sanctity of the Church. For this reason.
he no longer even listens to the protests of the Cardinal.
his father. or the Pope. His long Journey to Auschwitz has
already begun.

Alone. the Pope beseeches the aid of his two ad-
visers: with their assurance that his decision is merciful
and Just. Pacelli implores them to Join him in a prayer for
the "unfortunates." One can understand the Cardinal's re-
fusal to defend Riccardo: obedience is a basic tenet of his
religious belief and Riccardo has violated this sacred
principle. But Fontana's decision to sacrifice a son rather
'than openly contradict a man he knews to-be wrong is as
unforgivable as it is pathetic. The Pope's blessing is

72

momentarily overshadowed by the supplications of the de-
portees on their way to Auschwitz: the old man prays only
to dieéwith dignity; the expectant mother pleads for the
life of her child; the girl simply longs for death. The
prayers of both.are drowned out by the screech of brakes
as the train reaches its destination and the act ends.

By.ict Three. the audience is suddenly aware that
the entire history of man has passed before their eyes. If
the past becomes the present. there is hope that it need
not become the future.

Given almost Mephistophelean proportions in the
opening of the act. the Doctor's encounter with Riccardo
reminds one of Christfls temptation in the desert. The real
essence of the play is contained in the idealogioal debate
between these two men. Since Riccardo mostly reacts to the
Doctor's propositions. and since the priest is his prisoner.
the Doctor paces back and forth. moves often and comfortably.
while Riccardo tends to remain stationary. When the Doctor's
logic suddenly taket held of Riccardo. the priest is actually
too overwhelmed to move; instead of defending his faith.
he longs for martyrdom.while he still possesses a remnant
of the conviction which motivated.him.to take the cloth.
Understanding this desire. the Doctor devises other plans
for Riccardo. Muller‘s'opening address is delivered to the
audience in order to emphasize directly the ramifications

73

and shocking truth of his statements. We soon see how
government and industry work together genially in the ex-
ploitation and annihilation of an entire race. In earlier
scenes°we have already witnessed other similar acts.

Carlotta. Gerstein. and Jacobsen‘s reappearance
move the play closer to its frightening climax. A prime
thematic culmination is reached when Riccardo repudiates
his Creator‘s Judgment and refuses to live in a world of
His making. ’Preferring the horror of Auschwitz. he attempts
a final break with both God and the Church.

When he attempts to save Carlotta. he does it for
the same reason that he first shouldered the burden of re-
sponsibility; simply. there is no alternative course of action.
.Despite the evidence which stands in direct contradiction.
Riccardo still clings desperately to a basic faith in God.
In maintaining this belief. Riccardo resembles Archibald
MacLeish‘s character. JB. to the extent that neither man
is given insight into the purpose of his suffering or the
mystery of religion. Like the modern day Job. Riccardo has
shrunk to the point where he no longer hopes to understand.
Knowing that he must go on as if he did. however. Ricoardo‘s
final'entreaty resounds JB's supplication to God:

I know that thou oanst do everything

And that no thought can be withholden from

3:2.is he that hideth counsel without

knowledge?

Therefore have I uttered that I understand
not:

7!&

Hear. I beseech thee. and I will speak:

I have heard of thee by the

hearing of the ear.

But now...mine eye sooth thee:

Wherefore 5 abhor myself...and
.3 repent...1 9

As his life ebbs away. Riccardo beseeches his

Creator to "Call me in the hour of my death."110
Undeniably the Doctor does momentarily triumph.
The final tableau is awful. Riccardo is dying. Gerstein
is exposed; without an ally. his deception is meaningless.
Since time incarnate. Riccardo. Gerstein. and humanity‘
have been the losers. In The Anderscnville Trial. De-
fense Attorney Baker bleakly outlines the prospect before

Men will go on as they are. most of them. subJect to
fears--and so. subJoct to powers and authorities.
And how do we change that slavery?...we redecorate
the beast in all sorts of political coats. hoping
that we change him. but is he to be changed?1

109Archibald HacLeish. JB (Boston: Houghton Mifflin
00mm”. 1958). p. 132.

noHochhuth. op. cit.. Po 283°
111Levitt. e2. cit...Po 120'

PART mass
m SCRIPT

THE CHARACTERS

In the original version of The Deputy. the charac-
ters grouped together by twos. threes. and fours were
played by the same actor. For the Michigan State Univer-
sity production. this concept was retained. but combinations
were changed. Riccardo and Gerstein were the only excep-
tions: all other characters played two or more roles.

Despite his noble origins. Riccardo Fontana has
dedicated himself to the arduous rigors of the.Jesuit order
with austere fervor and zeal. His devotion can be credited
to a sincere desire on his part to realize his responsibi-
lity as God‘s representative on earth. It is this duty
which forces him to revile every sacred precept of the
‘Church: it is this realization that compels him to violate
the sanctity of his own immortal soul. “When he goes
voluntarily to his death...he does not tower over his
destiny. but seems shrunken beneathitsweig‘ht.112 It is
in this way that Riccardo achieves tragic stature: inno-
cent and naive at the outset. he dutifully accepts his role
as God‘s deputy and dedicates himself to an action which

culminates inha prolix and empty death. The actor who

 

_ llzLionel Abel. "Rolf Hochhuth‘s The Deputy". The
Storm Over The De ut . ed. Brio Bentley (New York: .Grovo
Press. Inc.. 1935;. p. 85.

76

77

played Riccardo was careful not to make him a cardboard
character. a moral trumpeter who functioned merely as a
”device for pushing theoretical thought to extreme limits.“113
In suffering the reversal of fortune which results in an
undoserving fate. Riccardo remains a flesh and blood human
being ”who goes too far. who makes mistakes. who cvershoots
his mark“11u yet clings to an empty ideal even at the peak
of desperation. .After pinning the star to himself. he
seems overwhelmed by his own action and is unable after-
wards "to express any powerful conviction of the rightness
of that action.”115 In fact. Ricoardo‘s
solidarity with.the victims of persecution. and his
voluntary martyrdom for the Church. are freely drawn
after the acts and aims of Provost Beinhard Lichten-
berg of Berlin Cathedral. who came forth and prayed
publicly for the Jews. was sentenced to Jail. and
asked Hitler's henchmen to let him share the fate of
the Jews in the East. His petition was granted.115
"In 19b2. when...ޣurt Gerstoia called at the
Papal Legation and was eJected. he was thirty-seven years
01d.u117

As the English historian Gerald.Teitlinger says....
[Gerstein] undertook perhaps the most extraordinary
mission of the Second World War. So uncanny. divided.

 

113Marx. op. cit.. p. 6b.
lluw. .

115Abel. loo. cit.
116Hochhuth. op, cit.. p. 14.
11?;2;§.. p. 15.

78

and mysterious . personality seems more like a fic-
tional creation than an historical personage.118

A believer in God and a hater of Hitler and all he re-
presents. he spends his own money to publish clandestine

anti-Hitler pamphlets for which.he is twice arrested and
3.11 0d e

Throughout the period of the Church’s struggle a-
gainst the totalitarian aims of the National Social-
ist government. Kurt Gerstein adhered to a clear.
unequivocal line.119

Having concluded that the only way to fight Hitler is from
within. he manages to be taken into the 5.8.. where he is

particularly useful because of his training as a chemical

engineer.

The immediate cause for this decision was the death
of a...[relativ§|...in the Hodamar Mental Hospital.
[The relative] ...was put to death by gas....Aftor I
had officiated at the interment of the ashes. he

informed me of his decision. He wanted to investi-
gate. he said. what truth there was to the rumors

circulating abogfiosuch criminal actions. and crimes
of other sorts. '

The Nazis. apparently against his will. pressed him
into improving the lethal gas-apparatus of the con-
centration camps. He thus participated in a work

which.horrified.him. at the same time making unsuc-
cessful attempts to slew it down and to get news 05
the anihilation of the Jews to the outside world.1 1

"3° "' prepared ‘9 81" uP honor. family. and life for this
cause. and did give them up."122

 

118Ib1d.. p. 1h.

119Ibid.. p. 290-

12°Ibid. '

121Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. oB.-cit.. po 3-
122Ho°hhuth. 02' Cite. Po 2910

79

This sense of a double-role is with him from the start
and his extreme self-awareness is in direct contrast
to Ricoardo‘s initial innocence: for he is thoroughly
conscious of himself as both a murderer and 'savior' .
thoughwwith a Nierkegaardian belief in finding God
through a participation in the experience of evil.123

In a letter written to his father in the autumn of iguu. he

writes:

It seems my destiny to think through to their ultimate
consequences all those things between black and white.
between good and evil--to think them through and; please
understand me rightly. to suffer them through.12

It is. in fact. the one terrible luxury he permits
himself: an attitude of almost farcical self-mockery.
of a man speaking in tones of grandiose and always
controlled hysteria to a world that chooses not to hear.
Entering the Papal legation and forcing his way into

the presence of the Nuncic...required an act of great
courage.

But. as Pastor Martin Niemcller says “...he always fought
for his convictions down to their ultimate consequences."126
Even among his co-workers the Doctor

gives the impression...of being the secret stage manager.
If he is like the others. he is like them in the way

the puppet master resembles his marionettos....EHej is
cool and cheery-«when he is not invisible. He has the
state of Absolute Evil-~far more unequivocally so than
Hitler. whom he no longer even bothers to despise--
which is his attitude toward all members of the human
race. He himself is a being no longer interested in
anything or anyone: he no longer regards it as worth-
while even to play with homo sapiens....He is not out-
wardly arrogant. but extremely charming. There is some-
thing instantly engaging about him...It is in keeping

123Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. ,loc, cit.
lzuHcchhuth. M-
125Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. loc. cit.

126Hochhuth. loo, cit.

80

‘with his character that he was never caught--presumably
thanks to the pleasant way in which he promised children
'a tasty pudding' before sending them to the gas chambers
...or his habit of being on the railroad platform and
asking the new arrivals whether.anyone felt ill as a
result of the trip. Those who said they did-~relieved

.by this unexpected show of solicitude from this amiable
man-dwere the first to be sent to be gassed.... Frau
Salus' narrative relates 'He stood before us. the hand-
some dovil who decided life and death....He stood there
like a charming. dapper dancing master directing a po-
lonaise. Left and right and right and left his hands
pointed with casual movements. He radiated an air of
lightness and gracefulness. a welcome contrast to the
brutal ugliness of the environs: it soothed our frayed
nerves and made whatever was happening devoid of all
meaning....Nothing. nothing put you on your guard: no
angel stood behind him. With utter docility the people
went to the right or to the left...Uherover the master
waved them. Sometimes a daughter did not want to be
parted from her mother. but the words. ”You'll see each
other tomorrow. after all." would reassure them come
pletely' ....This 'doctor' stands in such sharp contrast
not only to his fellows of the 5.5.. but to all human
beings....Uith.this character an ancient figure in the
theatre and in Christian mystery plays is once more
appearing on the stage.127

His "intellectual arrogance...fatigued cynicism. and ox-9
pertmental cruelty make him a creation worthy of Sartre

or Camus.”128 "This uncanny visitant from another world was
obviously only playing the part of a human being."12.9 Ho

. carried a short conductor's baton which.he used for making
his selections in Auschwitz: it also found.much use in his

Graceful movements. gestures. and in his commands.

k

127m... pp. 31-32.
12aBrustein. loo, cit.
129309hhu§hg Me. Po 32o

81

while his cruelty may appear to be something beyond
sadism. he is in fact a mediocre and.banal mind which.
freed from any ordinary restraints on human action. creates
for him and his victims the illusion of.a demonic super-
human intelligence. He enJoys this sense of freedom and
the fantastic game it permits him to play with.his victims.'
particularly when he recognizes. as in Riccardo and Ger-
stein. traces of an intelligence superior to his own...
he too is based upon a true character. Dr. Nongele. who
has been described by several victims of Nazism who es-
capod the gas chambers of Auschwits.1'

”The 'Doctor' was not a theologian. not a false
theologian. not even an anti-theologian. but a sadistic
clown. a frivolous maniac and gangstera"131 Still at large.
he is presmed to live somewhere in South America. ‘

This same detachment finds form in the tall. spidery
monk who serves as the Pope‘s personal scribe. But in this

role he

seems as marvelously servile as a fourth-generation
bureaucrat. and whose exquisite politeness would shame
any normal man. He took his doctorate in Germany with

a thesis on the symbol of the lily in the late Pre-
Raphaelito paintersél32 .

“His great honor is to be able to be near the Pope and one
can imagine that he lives without any kind of resentment

in a bare. cold 0.11o“133

~

13°Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. op, cit.. p. 9.
131Alfred Hazin. “The Vicar of Christ". The §torm
Over 13. Deputy. ed. BricBentley (New York: Grove Press.
000 19 s P0 1080 \ ‘
132Hochhuth. 22. cit.. p. 312.
133stobhuta. adapted by Rothenberg. ’og.oit.. p. 12.

82

It.

The actor who plays Pacelli should consider that His
Holiness is much less a person than an institution:
grand gestures. lively movements of his extraordinarily
beautiful hands. and smiling. aristocratic coldness.
together with the icy glint of his eyes behind the
gold-rimmed glasses--these should suffice. The rest
should be largely conveyed by the uncommon. elevated
language of the Pontiff. Pacelli is at this point
sixty-eight. by no means an old man. and at the peak
of his powers. 3“ ‘
He is a virile and vigorous man capable of taking a firm
position in the face of savage criticism. There is nothing
weak about him: his silence is strength. “It damages the
character .to make him soft or to suggestsuave ’insincerity....
The part should be read with dignified strength. and masterly
self-possession and with the firm conviction that: the Pope
is right.‘“35 ‘ m1. the Pontiff proJects “...a frail and
gentle exterior...a sustained refinement and moderation of
language.“36 we must remember the obJeotiv‘ity of the dip-
lomat as he casually endorses checks while discussing finan-
cial investments. condemning the bombings of San Lorenso and
never mentioning the names of the Jews in his message. ' His
lack of compassion can be traced to his love of solitude.

“His richly cultivated mind. his unusual capacity for thought

13"Hochhuth. op. cit.. p. 195.
13501urman. 02. Cite. p. 27e

136s. 8. Cardinal Nontini. “Pius, m and the Jews”.
3. Storm Over The Deputy. ed. Eric -Bentley (New York:
Grove Press. Inc.. 1964). p. 67. ‘ ' '

83

and study lead him to avoid all useless distractions. every
unnecessary rolaxation.“137 Some critics feel he was re-
mote and emotionally impoverished 'to an almost pathological
degree and displays the “eccentric traits of impassivity
and egocentrioity of the'narcissistic esthete."138
In the nightmare of Europe through which Riccardo and
the others are living. he appears also as a nightmare
Pope. the personification of an aloof 19th century mind
unable to leap beyond its rhetoric and traditignal.
responses to the agony of the present moment. 9
Earlier in the play. the Pope appears as Regierungsrat

Pryzilla

an ethnic German with a strong Polish accent and a'
Hitler mustache. Excessively careful of his manners.
he would sooner choke than contradict a superior. He
only opens his mouth to follow like a bloodhon some
trail that leads back to his own department. In 1955
he held a high post in a Bonn ministrym-by then he had-
learned to speak German fluently.1 0

So fluently. that he eventually lands in the Papal Palace.
In the third act ta. Pope p1.” the ss soldier who
fires the fatal bullet at Riccardo. Like all Nazi guards.
militiamen. and soldiers. he too is plagued with the order-
liness of the weak-mink! and the Nazi sense of honor.

h__

137Ib1d.

138Rolf C. Zimermann. “Drama or Pamphlet: Hochhuth's
.‘l‘he Deputy and the Tradition of.Polemical Literature.“ _T_h_g '
to Over' e Do u . ed. Eric Bentley (New York: Grove.
ess. Inc.. 19 . p. 129. ' n ‘

' . 139Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. loo, cig.
JM’Hochhutlh M" p. 31. .

8h

$.fi

lhe Cardinal 'rotund. florid. but nervous. in fact
irritable at work and in conversation. is a noted flower
fancier. “1’”- Like many fat men. he is extremely deft in

his movements.

At first siglt...he looks like a clubwoman: with ad-
vancing age...he has become visibly more female. But
that is deceptive. The Cardinal is a suave. even ruth-
less diplomat.. and his blue eyes can suddenly assume

the coldness of GBring's or Churchill‘s eyes. belying
the grandmotherly amiability of his plump face. At

such times his fondness for flowers seems as improbable
as Goring' s delight in toy railroads. He has another
trick and. that is to fall silent and by his engaging
manner seduce his interlocutcrs into talking until they
have said more than they can justify. ,
...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO...
The Cardinal is a man who has risen out of poverty.

When he was still slim and straight. and his black

curly hair formed a troubling contrast to his light.
large. laughing eyes. he must have found it rather dif-
ficult to avoid women. He was reputed to have had affairs:
these rumors were no doubt prompted by envy and were pos-
sibly an injustice to him. As long as the power of Eros
disturbed him. he was feared for biting wit. Now ma-
licious sarcasm has given way to an effervescent gaity.
eeeeee'eee.eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
But the Cardinal's bent for sarcasm was always held in
check by his remarkable intelligence. and his mind is
still far too alert to reveal anything like its full
brilliance in the presence of His Holiness. The prince
of the Church always lags perceptibly behind the Pope.
whom he refers to as “Chief and of whom he is not
especially fond. He would rather appear stupid than

ever show himself superior. He knows why.
............................'.
His intellect. however. has never overcome one weakness--
and like all such distinctive traits. it has grown stronger
with the passing years: the Cardinal adores being the. -

bearer of news. Hens as such fires him. no matter whether
it is good or bad.1

 

“1221‘... p. 106. '
“213.14.. pp. 106-107.-

35

"He enjoys the sentiment of tears and gestures
of forgiveness almost as much-as the deoorativeness of
the costume of his office. which he wears with a flours-
1m."1u3 '

A prime example of a certain type of man. the
Cardinal occupies an equivalent post with the Nazis in
Act One Scene Two. As Professor August Hirt. he is an
anatomist and collector of skulls at the University of
Strassburg:

Sixty-five years old. tall and fat. Hirt is a gar-
gantuan. space-filling carouser with a chest like
a barrel. 0n drinking nights he lapses into his
earthy good-natured Swabian dialect because he is
aware of its humorous effect and because he seeks
to be the 'life of the party'. He was never found
after the war. probably never sought. althoughtthe

idiocy and cruelty he pursued in the guise of science
went beyond the itflits comon to the practice of

many SS doctors. .

As an engineer attempting to land a substantial
military contract. Muller-Scale is a non-military counter-
part to both Hirt and the Cardinal in that he is willing
to play the fool in order to attain his ambitions and
preserve his status among associates. Accordingly. the
same man played all three roles.

as e a

Ayoung man in his early thirties. Jacobson

fears every sound on the street and in the building.

4.—

luanoohhuth. adapted by mean»... 22. cit.. p.10.
1%9hhuth. 02‘ Cite. Pe 3°e

86

and the daily and nightly bombings. For this reason
"he speaks cautiously. Itimidly: his movements are I
somewhat awkward.”1“5 The almost unbearable situation
which threatens to destroy him has distorted all or-
dinary responses. his explains his ambivalent reactions
to Gerstein and Riccardo: "his humanity has been
pushed to the limits of it. endurance."1u6
To illustrate that the oppressed can easily be-
come the oppressor. Jacobson is also cast as Uitzel.
’a man so typically a person of his time that ”his clothes
defined him. not his face."1'-"7 Since both men are such
a familiar part of our environment. the same actor 'should
play both characters. V
In 191:3 Witzel resembled a typical thirty-five year
old German just as in 1960. when he held the post of
' Chief Inspector of the Municipal Government in D..
he looked like most fifty year old Germans...he is
very "correct --the rude. obscene. blustering tone
he uses toward Jews and other defenseless persons. '
because that is the custom. doesn' t really belong to-
him. Quite instinctively. Witzel has picked up this
brutal loquacity from his superiors: he even parrots
their turns of speech. As soon as his superiors
change after the war. he will just as quickly unlearn
these habits. By 1959 he has become a dependable
citizen. His love of order makes him dislike neo-
Hazi gaution as much .as strikes or a burst water ‘
m1“. . ' I

fit.

.1’*5;_m_<_1... p. 65.
1u5Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. M" p. 9. '
m7Hochhuth. .2. .13.. p. 132'.
wins-

37

Fontana is a distinguished man. an aristo-
crat sincerely devoted to his high duties as financial'
adviser to the vatican. By discharging his duties

.5

well. he became one of the most highly honored lay
officials of that institution.

[He] belongs--along with a tiny select group of
EurOpean aristocrats...to the Apostolic Privy
Chamberlains di spada e cappa. His is the high
honor of being permitted to stand on ceremonial
occasions in Spanish court dress directly beside
His Holiness.
.........'..............‘.'..
But Fontana...regards the costume as something
of an affliction. for he has nothing in common
with the many picturesque trappings and museum
pieces which contribute so much to the general
atmosphere of the Vatican.1 9

It comes as a great surprise to him to find
that he has everything in common with church ceremony
and policy. Although an intelligent. cultivated man
"capable of kindliness and suffering. even graced with
some fair understanding of the social necessities of
the twentieth century."150 he consciously abandons
his son. rather than refute a religious superior.

In Act One Scene One he is a Franciscan monk
whose roots lay in peasant stock.

As his order dictates. he must live simply...and...
must accept service wherever he is ordered and what-
ever the service may be. In this case. he is a

servant of the Nuncios. a menial position which
he accepts without question.151

 

luglbid. . p. 91.
15°Ibid.

151Hochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. op. cit..
pp. 7‘8 e .

88

In this respect. the monk is like the Count.

In fact. the only trait that hints at any distinctive
identity is his unnatural fetish for cleanliness and
orderliness. He is forever arranging. dusting. and
cleaning. Other than that. he has no obsessions.

He is also the Nazi guard who holds Riccardo.
is disarmed by him. and watches helplessly as the priest
is murdered. In this. his final appearance. we are
suddenly aware that we have known him a long time: we
see him daily ”on the roller coaster or in our bathroom
Ili1.'ror."1'52

tit

His Excellency Cesare Orsenigo. is sixty-nine years
old. Baron Ernst von Weizs'écker. State Secretary
in the Foreign Office until the spring of 19153. and
thereafter Hitler's Ambassador to the Holy See.
describes the Nuncic as a realistic Milanese who
preferred to avoid 'elevating the irreconcilable
differences between the Curia and the Third Reich
into matters of principle.’ He also attests that
when Orsenigo presented his complaints--as he did.
for instance. about the treatment of Polish priests
in Hitler's concentration camps-"'11. 138313804 *0 €10
so in a calm spirit and with a friendly manner.
......................'...‘."
The Nuncio resided in Berlin throughout the Hitler
era. By November 8. 1938 at the latest he must
have witnessed with his own eyes the acts of terror
ccmitted against the Jewish citizens of Germany. ’
It is hard to say how a man...cchld. in good con-
science. reconcile himself to the continuance of
the Concordat between the Curia and the Government.

‘ .quochhuth. Mud). 230'. ’

39

' of the Third Reich. even when Catholic Jews were
deported.153

As official representative of the Vatican to the
Hitler government. he is fearful of not protesting

" enough against the activities of the Nazis: he is
also fearful of protesting too much. He has already

- lost favor with the Vatican. While he protests to
Riccardo against pro-Hitler actions_of the Catholic
clergy. he is frightened of taking any anti-Hitler
action himself. In trying to salvage some sense of
his own dignity. he RgRomes the perfect wall for
Gerstein to address. ‘

When he appears as Luccani Sr.. Orsenigo begins
to understand keenly the Nuncio's reticence. In this
role. he plays an old man who becomes a burden to his
daughter and son-in-law. Because he is sometimes can-
tankerous and disoriented. both tend to overlook his
deep compassion and great courage. When faced with
death. his only thought, is for the young children im-
prisoned in the cellar belcw. As a deportee. he is
much like the others: all are exhausted and stare
through vacant. stunned. eyes. Some react as ifethey
are witnessing some incomprehensible happening on
another planet: others protest their inevitable death:
some pray: most remain silent and-accept the unavoidable.

 

153m» p. 13.

1JuHochhuth. adapted by Rothenberg. op. git" p. 7.

90

Carlotta is pale. disheveled. and. very beautiful.
Deathly afraid of any man in uniform. she attempts to
conceal her great fear and makes a desperate. doomed
effort to escape the death she knows is planned for her
...1 all the others.

a: s s .
Salzer is much like a thousand other German

officers:

tall. broad. and insignificant. bursting with vigor.

. in his mid-thirties. even more dedicated to his
Piihrer Adolph Hitler than most since this devotion
allows him the privilege of hunting defenseless
civilians in the occupied territories instead of
risking his life on the Russian front like the
great majority of men his aged-55

However. in this. the third year of the war. he

sees that there. is danger to him and all like him
as Hitler is being pressed back on all sides and he
has become nervous and easily angered and even tired
of the wor? which previously he had found so sat-
isfying.”

til

[The] abbot...is a man of great dignity and evident
decency and from his humility reach out kindness.
good will. and an acceptance of the authority of
those over him. He will go to any extent to be of
help to those who need help. except he cannot find
in himself the power to question the decisions of
those superior to him. He is thus the victim of
his own gentle nature. '

 

155Hochhuth. op. cit.. p. 166.

11 155mehauth. adapted by Rothenberg. 22. cit..
Pe e

1572;.-

91

During the Pirst World War Serge was a cavalry
captain in the Austrian army. Tossed by the

winds of destiny into the General Staff Head-
quarters on Bendlerstrasse. he now helplessly tries
to make some improvements in the lot of the pris-

" cners of war. but his humanity is gradually wearing
down to cynical resignation and almost suicidal
impulsive actions....Serge's surly nervousness
is expressed in a comic fumbling for words cad
stuttering at the beginnings of sentences.15

While their dispositions differ. both the Abbot
and Serge are ineffectual in their attempts to improve
. the situation of which they are a part. Because they
both represent the same type of man. one actor is. as-
signed both roles.

Lethar Luocani's love for his wife and family
and the deep concern he] feels for their welfare makes
him.irritable and unreasonable. In another time. he
would be a tender and compassionate person. not given
to any of the petulant outbursts which flare up so often'
in their household. But since he realizes there is
cause for irritation and unreasonableness. all reactions'
remain shaped by one unalterable fact: like the other
two men he portrays. Lothar Luocani can do nothing -to
delay the empty and undeserved fate which awaits him

and his family.

A;

1”neehhnth. op. cit.. pp. 30-31.

92

Adolph Eichmann...was the most diligent shipping
agent who ever labored in the employ of death.

e On...stage...he remains as colorless as any aver-
age man who likes ' to study railroad schedules and
is determined to get ahead at all costs.159
This amiable bureaucrat did not even have a dis-
taste for his victims and would just as conscien-
tiously have arrested the prostitutes or nuns of
Rome. He would have unconcernedly piled the faggots
for Joan of Arc. He was no racist fanatic and. 60
worked with as little passion as a guillotine.1

He takes his job very seriously and becomes
most irascible when things do not move smoothly or on
schedule. One is always aware that Eichmann is in!-
fluenced in his actions by his own portrait of what a
Nazi officer should say and do and the manner in. which
it should be done. lime. in the grand manner of caricae
ture. ‘Eichmann becomes totally irrational when any oom-
plication arises. .

As a victim ofphis own design. he also portrays
the manufacturer. a tall. well dressed man about forty
years of age. who is interrogated and deported under
direct orders from Adolf Eichmann. By staunchly main-
taining it is merely error that. brings about his arrest.
he hopes to convince the Nazis of his innocence. Having
Eichmann victimized by the same technique he. himself.
so frequently employs. makes this combination of roles.
rich in poetic justice. ‘

#0.

15°Ihie.. p. 166;

93

Baron von Rutta is an extremely distinguished
looking civilian. and scion of the Ruhr aris-
tocracy. Gold to the point of seeming inhibited.
he makes an effort to be 'one of' the boys'. He
resembles other industrialists to the extent that
they are all equally incompetent in politics and.
accept money-grabbing as the only thing that
really counts.1 1

He successfullybecomes one of the boys in his
appearance as a German militiaman: he also portrays the
photographer assigned to cover the Count Fontana story.
In this role. he plays a middle apdman who has no pre-
tense about his talent as a photographer: he uses "rather
old-fashioned equipment for his picture-making and is
not very imaginative. highly paid. or successful."152

a s t
A newly won convert to the Catholic religion.
Julia feels confident that her Jewish ancestry is no
longer a 'threat to herwell-being. A Catholic by choice.
she is especially fervent in her belief and extremely
confidant that the Pope will protect her and her family
from harm. At another time. this naivety.~would be an
attractive feature.
a: c s

Doctor Littke. Hirt's assistant}. is a young
lieutenant on the medical staff of an army group. He ,

 

151%. . pp. 29-30.

0 153seehhuth. adept-d by acts-abort- Mn
Po 1 e .

9“

"is an insipid careerist. a man whose interests have 1
so shrunk to his particular field that he is an ab-
solute blank where all other aspects of life and knowu
lehge are concerned. Obviously he will rise swiftly to
a position of importance in his profession."153 Since

this man represents a type found in many walks of life.
i the actor who plays Littke also plays three other char-
acters.

”Vittorio is the ancient servant of Count Fon-
tana. proud of his position and vain.about it before
those of his own class."16u None of his concern was
feigned: beneath the vanity is a dedicated friend of
the family.

c t t

Herr Fritsche on principle neither sees nor hears
the infliction of corporal punishment. He also
avoids looking at the crematorium. for he sometimes
fears 'going soft and relapsing into our bourgeois
notions . To offset such fits of weakness. he takes
long walks accompanied by two wolfhounds. and reads
the Nazi party political education pamphlets. though
politics scarcely interests him. He went through
the university at the cost of considerable self-
denial. married a girl without money. and conse-
quently is anxious to do well in his career fi-
nancially. But he would never enrich.himself ille-
gally: the gold watch once belonging to a crematcd*
Amsterdam Jew'has arrived on his wrist in a strictly
official manner. Since the Fuhrer has recently
castigated all legal experts as stupid simpletons._

...—

153hoehhuth. op. 013,... Do 3.0-.

9 15".Hochhuth. adapted.by’Rothenberg. op, git..
Pe‘ e -' ' '

95

Dr. Fritsche no longer cherishes hopes of becoming
a judge. AA lawyer's career seems to him totally

~ absurd. Not that he would be conscious of the

grotesquerie of people of his sort sitting in judg-
ment on a man who has stolen a bicycle. for ex-
ampleo-a situation frequently to be enacted in West
Germany after 1950. But Lieutenant Colonel Fritsche
. tells himself that after Final Viotory modern legal
practice will hardly admit more than two punishé
ments: death. or transportation for service in the
occupied Eastern territories. Greater Germany
will not want to be burdened with superfluous
months in prison. Reasoning thus. Herr Fritsche
talks of a subject which greatly pleases his family:
the lands in the Ukraine...which he will certainly
receive for his services. Naturally. he knows_
nothing whatsoever about farming. He lacks the
ability to come to grips with any living thing...
vHe even keeps a safe distance from.horses. for fear
of being kicked. In 1952 he will be a financial
expert for one of the most prominent German building
and loan companies and by 1960 a judge in a State
‘ Superior Court. and eligible for a pension--having -
changed his profession after a heart.attaok and put
up'with a temporary out in salary out of concern
for his family's security.1 5

165Hochhuth. op, cit.. pp. 230-231.

‘—

96

THE PLAY

THE CHARACTERS-

13 Men b Women

.Eichmann. Obersturmbannfahrer ‘ .
A.Hanufacturer. prisoner of the Gestapo Fred Piegonski

Deportee
Father Riccardo Fontana. S.J. Eberle Thomas
Kurt Gerstein. Obersturmfuhrer SS Dean Kyburz

The Apostolic Nuncio in Berlin

Luco i . c nve ted '
The :24 3:“. ‘ o r J." Michael Oberfield

Deportee

§§§.3§§Z°’ :} "1111‘" A- 50010!

Jacobson
Witzel. ss Sergeant Charles Hannum

The Cardinal ' '
Professor Hirt. Reichs University Strassburg Bob Stern
Huller-Saale. of the Krupp works in Essen

The Abbot. Father General of a religious order
Colonel Serge. of the Army High Command

Dr. Lothar Luccani Ed.Abry
Kapo '-
The Officer of the Day in Auschwitz

Salzer. Chief of the German Police in Rome Nike Rehling
Kapo

Count Fontana. counsel to the Holy See .

‘A Father in the Papal Legation James Alexander
Guard A ‘

A Photographer

Baron Rutta. Reichs Armaments Cartel
' Howard Rebach
Nilitiaman

97

Dr. Fritsche. Sturmbannffihrer ‘ .
Dr. Littke. lieutenant in the Medical Corps Jeffrey Justin
Servant in Count Fontana's house

. Pope Pius XII , .
Regierunssrat Dr. Pryzilla Terry Williams

SS Soldier

Julia Harriet Nowell

The Woman Vicki Jean Sanchez.
Carlotta Dale Gelvan

'11.. Girl Ann Matesich

.Aside from the Pope. the Nuncio. Gerstein. Hirt. and
eEichmann. all the characters and names are fictitious.

98

e De u

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fig. 2.--Stage areas for

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONdhl

 

 

 

AK.LARH.I

*7.

99

' Fig. 3.-qut One Scene One'

*1

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOWN

 

 

.RIGHT

‘fil

100

Fig. b.--Key to light and sound cues

Cues are located in the left margin of the script
.All light cues are designated by a circle enclosing
the cue number.

Ex.: Light cue No.l-® .

All sound cues are designated by a box enclosing,
the cue number.

Ex.: ’ Sound cue Nod-E

Identical consecutive light or sound cue Nos. in-
:dicate repetition ef‘a cue. . '

101

m DEPUTY
norm ONE

E) (As the stage lights dim up to reveal the set. the ACTORS
enter separately and introduce themselves. They mingle
CDfreely with.cne another. select their various costume pieces.

arrange the setting for SCENE ONE. and exit. .After a brief
®exchange with a group of NAZIS . THE NUNCIO crosses to plat-
®form E. This is RICCARDO' S cue to begin SCENE ONE.)

RICCARDO. (Entering #1. ) AugustI lghz. The reception
room of the Papal legation in Berlin which is under
the supervision of the Nuncio. His Excellengy1_0esare
Orsenigo.

(All actors except RICCARDO and fHE NUNCIO have left the
stage e

NUNCIO. (Looking out window on E.) You see? Over here--
St. Hedwig's Church. Ten years ago we had no more than
forty-four churches in Berlin. The Jews had just as

,many synagogues. The number of our churches has in-
creased. but not a single synagogue is left.

RICCARDO. (Casually. at unit C.) Could not Your Excellency
intervene?

NUNCIO. (Raises his.hand in a gesture of abnegaticn: his
calm is imperturbable.) It is not my place. as Nuncio.
to speak of that. (CrossesLC.) When. for example. I
try to remonstrate about conditions in Poland. confining
my protests to the mistreatment of priests. Herr von
Weizacker politely shows me the door. (FATHER enters
#3 with tea tray. Crosses to C.) Outside of my domain.
he says. (THE NUNCIO crosses to C and dismisses FATHER.)

Concernin Jews he sa 3 the 'd fall within my scgpe

cnl if the were ba tized. But Herr Hitlerfis careful
not to deport the baptized Jews. (FATHER exits. NUNCIO.
at the tea table and In a more personal tone.) You .
‘weren 't a bit nervous about coming to Berlin? (Pouring
tea and examining the contents on the tray.) In Rome

you were safe from bombs. We have a raid every night.

 

RICCARDO. (Crosses to window on E.) Your Excellency. a
priest's life is much too safe. I' m.happy to have
gotten out of Rome.

runoxo. .(Amused.) You will go far. young friend. ’

RICCARDO. (Turns away.) ‘Your Excellency must consider
that I've chosen the right parent.

102

NUNCIO. (Cordially.) You are too modest. (Crosses to
unit C with glass.) If you were nothing but your
father's son. the Cardinal would never have called
you to the Secretariat of State. (Crosses “LC and
offers glass to RICCARDO. Confidentially.) Is our
Chief still so ill disposed to me?

HICCARDO. (Embarrassed.) But. Your Excellency. no one
is ill disp... '

NUNCIO. (Placing a hand on his arm. then rising. holding
the teacup.) Come now. you too are well aware that I
have long been persona non grate in Rome....

RICCARDO. (Hesitantly and evasively. Attempting to
sympathize.) Possibly at the Vatican it seems easier
to represent the Holy See than here in Berlin....

NUNCIO. (Crosses back to unit 0. vehement in self-justifi-
cation.) The Pope should decide what harprcfers:
peace with Hitler at any_price. or else let me be
authorized tc_take a stand the we m brother—Nuncio
in Slovakia did two weeks ago when he spoke up

a ainst the wholesale killin of Jews in the Lublin
district. (To RICCARDO.) My dear friend. what does
Rome expect? (RICGARDO moves down onto corner of D.)
I would have resigned long ago if I were not afraid

my post would fall into the hands of some nonentityl
(Stirs contents of cup.) .

RICCARDO. (Crosses to unit L.and sits.) Does that mean
Your Excellency favors abrogating the Concordat with
Hitler? ‘

NUNCIO. Oh. no. on the contrary. Herr Hitler has put a
stop to certain measures some of his more stupid under-
lings wanted to take against us. (Crosses with plate
to RICCARDO. who refuses cakes.) He himself is neutral
in his official policy toward the Church. In Poland.
though, he is trying to blackmail us. (Crosses past
RICCARDO to put tray on 0.) It's strange he hasn't
dared touch.Bishcp GalenI even though he publicly '
denounced ri ht from his ul it the murder of the
mentallz ill. (Faces Riccardo.) Hitler actuallz gave

in on that!

{RICCARDO. (Crosses to C. opposite Nuncio. Enthusiastically.)
Surely the Churdh can issue such demands. Your Excel- ‘
lencyl Especially ncw'when bishops in half of Europe
;:e drumming up support for Hitler's crusade against

lOOVe

103

NUNCIO. '(Energetically. vexed.) You see. Father. that is
precisely what I oppose. We should not be drumming up
support for Hitler as long as this wholesale killing
goes on behind.his front lines... (Crosses R of unit C.)

.London speaks of seven hundred thousand Jews in Poland
alone! Of course. we 've seen that sort of thing before.
(Crosses up D and E.) Crusades begin with killing of
the Jews. But in such numbers--horrible. I hardly .
think they are exaggerated. (Turns to RICCARDO.) You
know. in Poland they are killing even the priests.

Our attitude should be one of great reserve.

RICCARDO. (Crosses RC. circling below C.) Does Your
Excellency think there are grounds to fear Herr Hitler
will respect the Church only for the duration of the
war?

NUNCIO. (Crosses to unit 00 and sits.) It did seem so a
little while ago. my dear Father. for victors always
act immorally. But ever since Herr Hitler. much against
his will. was pushed by Japan. and Mr. Roosevelt. too.
into declaring war on the U.S.A.--ever since that
folly. the Church of Christ at any rate no longer needs
to stand in fear of him. He will not force England and
America to their knees. Not even if he moves into the
Kremlin. ‘

RICCARDO. (Crosses to UR by NUNCIO.) Once he has beaten
Russia. Your Excellency..he will be economically invul-
nerable. Who would be left to overthrow him then?‘ His
tanks have pushed their way almost to Stalingrad. You
think that Herr Hitler will listen to reason?

NUNCIO. Oh yes! He will even prefer to. We saw that at
Dunkirk. after all. He let the British.make their
getaway. (Rises.) His policy was obviously moderation
in victory. I grant you. Mr. Churchill gave him no
thanks for it... (Crosses to unit L. RICCARDO sits
on UC unit.) With the Spaniards. the FrenchI the Balkans.
the Bel ians and above all his own Catholics here in
Germany. all of them willingly or not supporting his
crusade a ainst Moscowa-with half of Euro e Catholic. ‘
even Hitler cannot risk a schism. (Crosses DLC to C.)
Fascism is invincible onl with us when it stands wit
the Church and not against it.

(Commotion begins off #1.)

Hhat' s that. what's the commotion? Vhat' s going on
out there?

10»

(THE NUNCIO rises. remains standing and listening a moment.
then breaks C. murmuring to himself. There is an excited
altercation backstage; people begin to shout. The FATHER
is heard. his dialect thickening as his voice grows louder.
Amid fragmentary phrases. only half intelligible. sounds
the insistent. pleading voice of a man who is obviously
holding himself in check with.difficulty in the effort to
remain polite.

® (GERSTEIN enters #1 with the nuns Just behind him.
Both pause and RICCARDO rises.)

RATHER. You're in uniform! GERSTEIN. But-eyou must an-

Be off with you or I'll nounce me! Please. give
send for the police. me five minutes with.His
The Nuncio has a visi- Excellency.

tor from.Rome.

GERSTEIN. (Speaking rapidly.) Gerstein is my name. Your
Excellency. I have a message for the Vatican that...

NUNCIO. Sir. I am astounded that you invade this building
in this manner....

GERSTEIN. (Just as quickly.) Your Excellency. a message
for the vatican. It will not bear a single day' s delay.
not one single hour. (The FATHER attempts to remove
GERSTEIN. but he breaks away and plants himself firmly
on A.) I have Just come from Poland. Your Excellency.
daily. ten thousand Jews. more than ten thousand. are
being murdered, put to death with gas...

(His Excellency is determined not to hear confirmation of
such monstrous crimes. For he is basically a man of deep .
humanity. and official acknowledgment of this message would
make it difficult for him to continue to deal with Weissficker
as he has done in the past. "indifferently. without much
distinction. in a calm spirit and friendly manner.")

NUNCIO. For God's sake. hold your tongue! Tell that to
Herr Hitler. not to me. Leave this place. (Embarrassed
by his own words. he crosses UR to dismiss FATHER.)

GERSTEIN. (A shout.) Your Excellency!

JEUNCIO. (Confused and at a loss. Crosses R.) Who are you
anyhow? (Pause.) I am not authorised to have any
dealings with members of the German Armed Forces....

GEESTEIN. (Frantically.) Your Excellency. every hour I-
see trains pull in bringing fresh.loads from all of
Europe to those death factories...Your Excellency. at
this point. only the Vatican can intervene.

105

NUNCIO. (Indignant. since he does not know what to do.)‘
Why do you come to me? You yourself are wearing the
uniform of the murderers. (Breaks DLC.) I tell you.
I have no authority to interfere. '

GERSTEIN. (Following NUNCIO DLC and shouting.) Authority!
' Here inyBerlin you represent the--the Deputy of Christ.
and you can close your eyes to the worst horror that
man has ever inflicted upon man.

NUNCIO. (Moves L of C.) Control yourself...keep your voice
down...we don't shout here. I am terminating this
conversation now... (Turns and starts to exit #3.)

GERSTEIN. (Pursuing him DL and pleading.) No. please--
I beg your pardon. I know very well. Your Excellency--
you can 't do anything. (THE NUNCIO turns back to him.
Mystified. RICCARDO sits on unit UC. ) But the Holy
Father must take action. must speak for the world' s
conscience... (As if in a trance.) I can 't bear it
any more--I' ve seen it--I see it all the time--

(His gaze is turned inward and his eyes have a wild. rest-
lessly flickering expression. Thus Frau Balz described
him in her report to the Institute for Contemporary History.
His nocturnal conversation with Frau Balz took place at
about the same time as his ineffectual call on THE NUNCIO.
Baron von Otter. the Secretary of the Swedish Embassy.
writes that GERSTEIN told his tale to him in the aisle of
the train "weeping and in a broken voice."

(At times GERSTEIN' S sentences taper off into inarticu—
late murmurs: then again he speaks loudly. distraughtly.
or in a series or brief outcries. like someone crying out
in his sleep.)

(Turns and crosses to C.) They've been running the gas
chambers on carbon monoxide. common exhaust gas. ‘But
many times the motors will not start. (Sits on unit C.)
In Belsac recently the victims waited two hours and
forty-nine minutes until the gas came on. The gassing
operation takes twenty-five minutes. Now they want to
Speed it up. and so they've brought me in for consulta-
tion. I am an engineer and medical man. (Screams.)

I will not do it. I‘will not do it... (Rises.) Like
marble columns the naked corpses stand. There was the
manager of Berlin' 3 biggest store...There was a violinist.
too. decorated in World War I...Fought at the front for
Germany. And bodies of dead children. .A young girl
ahead of the procession. naked like the rest. Mothers.
all stripped. babies at their breasts.

106

NUNCIO. (Turns away and makes the sign of the cross.)
Enough-~I cannot listen any more. (Crosses to L of
GERSTEIN.) My dear man. my heart is with the victims.

GERSTEIN. Your Excellency. the Vatican has made a pact
with Hitler! For more than a year you have seen.
(GERSTEIN lunges at THE NUNCIO'S arm. He pulls free
and backs off a step or two.) every priest has seen
how they're rounding up the Jews.

RICCARDO. (Overwhelmed. rises.) Your Excellency. all this
agrees completely with the reports my Order has received.

NUNCIO. (With genuine concern. deeply moved but helpless.)
my dear Father. please keep out of this... (Breaks DL.)
Why doesn't this man go to Herr Hitler!

(GERSTEIN gives a terrible laugh and breaks to unit L.)

RICCARDO. (Crosses to U of unit C and pleads.) But he is
not an agent provocateur. Your Excellency...

NUNCIO. (Tried beyond his patience. losing composure.)
Why does he come to me? The Curia is not here to
aggravate strife. (Crosses C to GERSTEIN.) God has
charged it with.the mission to work for peace...

CERSTEIN. Peace with murderers too? (Moves LC. then breaks
DL and crosses to L of C. Screaming.) Every hour. Your
Excellency. every hour thousands more are killed-~there
are factories for killing. (With hysterical grandiosity.)
Factories. won't you understand?

NUNCIO. (Breaks to above C.) Please. sir--I am charged
by my position not to involve myself in any cause of
conflict between Rome and your authorities. I should
not even have this talk with you-~please. you must go.
(GERSTEIN starts briskly out #1.) God bless you. God
help you. (GERSTEIN stops. turns. THE NUNCIO is at #3.)
I shall pray for the victims. Father. please come--I
must insist. ’ .

RICCARDO. Your name is Gerstein-~I will find you.

(GERSTEIN pays no attention to these words; he sees only ,
that he has accomplished nothing. THE NUNCIO has returned
to RICCARDO. puts his hand on his shoulder and propels him
almost forcibly out exit 3. Before THE NUNCIO can close the
door. GERSTEIN follows him once more. passionate. beside
Ihimself. But he realizes that he has lost. One more point-
less attempt: he reaches into his coat pocket. takes out a
‘batch.of papers. He is alone in the room. He turns in a
circle. the papers in his hand. Then he exits #1.)

*1

107

Fig. 5.--Aot One Scene Two

 

436w”:

 

 

 

 

108

SCENE TWO

(The ACTORS enter in a group and reset the stage. The
noise and merriment of a party is established; the ACTORS
freeze as SERGE begins his speech. The ACTORS re-establish
the freeze after each of the sequences; only when GERSTEIN
enters does it terminate.)

- LITTKE. Berlin. (A small hotel which ever since the onset
of re ular Allied air raids on the ca itol has been
reguisitioned as a recreation center by the SS.

SERGE. The host is Adolph Eichmann. This amiable bureau-
ggat does not even have a digtaste for his victims.
He would_1ust as conscientiously have arrested the

prostitutes or nuns of Rome--he would have unconcern-
edly piled the faggots for Joan of Arc. He is no

. racist fanatic and worked with as little passion as
a guillotine.

(SALZER enters #1 and EICHHANN crosses to him.)
EICHMANN. Heil Hitler. Salzer. What's up?
SALZER. (Salutes.) Heil Hitler. Colonel. Bad news.

EICHMANN. (Anxiouslyt) For a moment I thought you were
Gerstein-~I'm expecting him here. (Irritated at the
prospect of "bad news".) Well. what's wrong in Press-
burg? Aren't things moving?

(SALZER. No. they're not moving. sir. The Church is kicking
up a fuss. . ‘

EICHMANN. The Church! Why. that's impossible. (Crosses
RC.) It was in Pressburg that theggovernment made no '
distinction between baptiped Jewsighd others. Mostly.

I assumeI because they have a priest heading the govern-

ment there.

SALZER. I know. sir. .And of course the first train to
Auschwitz. in March. did come from Pressburg.

EICHMANN. (Animated.) There you are-- (Crosses up to
sauna.) and it was the Catholic People's Party. that
rounded up the Jews for us. These are people you can
count on. Salzer.

SALZER. They've lost their nerve all of a sudden. (Crosses.
C to unit.) It seems the Nuncio. The Papal Nuncio.
forbade them to support the deportatious...

109

(Aware of EICHMANN‘S growing wrath.) The Nuncio went
to Tiso with the news that we incinerate the Jews at .
Lublin. Now Tisc calls for an investigation. (Crosses
RC and faces EICHMANN.) That's why he sent me here to
talk to you.

EICHMANN. (Crosses UR to unit and. agitated. paces back
and forth.) Investigation! What s there to investi-
gate? Ashes? Damn it to hell--the Nuncio in Rumania
is starting to stir hp trouble too. The bishops in

.these countries don't much bother me. But a Nuncio as
representative of the Vatican... (Crosses to unit C.)
There s nothing we can do. we'll have to take it easy
in Slovakia for a while. Shit. (Worried.) All we
need now is for our own bishops...If they begin to
raise a stink about the Jews the way they did about
the loonies... (Crosses to SALZER.) and if the Berlin
Nuncio gives us trouble too--it's a bleak prospect.
Well. Salzer. have a bite to eat.

(SALZER crosses DLC to unit C.)

SERGE. There's something I had in mind to tell you. Herr
Direktor--The sort of thing that' 3 going on inside the
fineold firm of Krupp-~the way they treat the pri-
soners of war there--that' s outrageous. sir.

BARON RUTTA. (Vexed. ) But. Colonel.why tell that to me?
That's an affair for the Krupp management.

SERGE. (Suddenly inflamed.) Tell Herr Krupp once and for
all to stop giving the prisoners the whip--yes. the
whip!--instead of potatoes...

RUTTA. (Icy and precise.) Whi in is administered onl
in the firm‘s re-education camps. (Crosses DC off unit
B.) Otherwise only to the incorrigible--the incor-

rigible kitchen thieves caught stealing foo .

SERGE. (So angry that he can no longer listen.) No sense
beating around the bush. Baron. (Steps up on unit A.)
When my horse' s had nothing to eat it can't pull the
cart. (Turns and crosses C.) As for the other things
we hear from Krupp: about the Ukrainian women who
surely. didn' t care too much for being shipped off to
thO Ruhr" e

 

 

BARON RUTTA. (Turns to SERGE. Lightly.) ' I' m surprised at
you. Colonel. For the most part these people are out-
right Bolsheviks. (Suddenly serious.) There is a war
onla They multiply in Essen. even though we've put a

110

doctor in. a Russian. for abortions. Those women
simply can't be trusted. (Breaks DR to corner of unit
A.) All they think about is having relations...

SERGE. (Comes up on B and faces RUTTA with one foot on unit
A. Carried away and throwing all caution to the wind.)
Aha. relations--re1ations. Baron--I hadn' t heard about
that part of it. Ifg_after alliga young Russian girl
is, mind you a privileged to manufacture arms for Krupp
ten hours day for day, she s certainly_got no call to
sleep with herT Russian after dark. Of course. of course.
youT re guardians of morality...

EICHMANN. (Who has come up to them and is half eavesdrop-
ping. crosses RC between them.) Gentlemen. no argu-
ments--We're here to enjoy ourselves.

BARON RUTTA., (Bitterly amused and prissily. ) Colonel
Serge. you see. feels that the Russian women at Krupp' s
should be allowed to have healthy sex lives. (His
voice takes on a steely ring.) Enough of them get
themselves knocked up.Colonel. to be able to shirk
work for six weeks each time. It's scandalous. Krupp
sends the children to a home in Voerde where they £2"
ceive the best of careI with balanced dietsI butter.

milk and fruit...

SERGE. Well. well. milk and fruit! You know. I wouldn't
mind sending my grandchildren there for a vacation.
If only some louSy liar hadn' t told me that in Voerde
out of a hundred and thirty-two kids eighty-nine died...
I suppose those Russians can't stand our climate. Or
do you think the butter didnft agree with them? (He
gives an artificial laugh. for he is Justly afraid that
he has gone too far. Breaks DR alongside platform.)
I noticed though. that many of the kids are blond...

EICHMANN. (Jokingly to RUTTA.) Krupp will be relieved
of those worries. Baron Rutta. once the branch in
Auschwitz is set up. In Auschwitz nobody complains.
And I've never heard (He laughs knowingly and crosses

to R of SALZER. where RUTTA Joins him.) of any pregnan-
cies in Auschwitz either. .

HIRT. (With the greed of a philatelist. ) Ycu' ve got to
bring me more skulls. Science has hardly a single
decent commissar skull! You' re getting a direct order
from Reichsfuhrer Himmler--I guess that Army Group of
yours knows what that means! Everything that's picked
sup from.now en in the way of JewishpBolshevist commissars...

111

is to be brought alive to the SS military police.
You'll have your armored truck and driver and will

be responsible for the safety of all the material...
Above all-- (Comes down off E and D to put arm around
PRYZILLA. Very anxiously. with pedantic emphasis.);
above all. don't injure the head. For heaven's sake
don't injure the head. (Leads PRYZILLA UR.) I'll
give you blanks to fill out. You'll enter on them--
as far as possible. of course-~origin. date of birth
and other personal data. Then go ahead with the measure-
ments-~photographic and anthropological. Only after
you've got all that is the Russki to be liquidated.
You cut off the head from the trunk and...

LITTKE. (Attempting to affect a oomraderie.) All the same.
he produced a fine. upstanding son. I'm still waiting
to hear about some progeny from you. my friend.

DOCTOR. Idealist that I am. I recently sterilized myself.
Wanted to see what it was like.

LITTKE. Seriously. though. how far have you come with
that?

DOCTOR. (Indifferently. but in a matter-cf-fact tone.)
As far as I'm concerned. we're ready to go. Painless
for women. takes no time at all. It was meant for

Jewesses married to Aryans. I could sterilize them on
the assembly line.

 

LITTKE. (Rises as if to shake his hand.) Really--well.
my congratulations.

DOCTOR. (Ignoring his handshake and breaking past LITTKE
to unit E.) Congratulate the ladies--but for the
present nobody dares start on them. On March sixth.
the Propaganda Ministry raised objections even to forc-
ible divorces of such marriages because they're afraid
of a protest from the Vatican.

LITTKE. A protest from the Vatican? (Sits.) Why would
they?

DOCTOR. You seeI those marriages in many cases were sealed
by priests of the Holy Roman Church. .

RUTTA. (Breaks RC.) As a Rhinelander I can still be a
good Catholic. even todayi since the Pope by his wise
conduct has spared me the necessity of being a bad;
German at the same time. As far as I knowI he does not

112

meddle in German integgal affairs.

SALZER. On the other hand think of GalenI that Blabber-
mouth. I was fit to be tiedI let me tell you. when

the Fuhrer called off the euthanasia ro ram ust...
(Breaks L.) just because of the rabble-rouser of a
bi 5110 Be

EICHMANN. (Crosses to unit C and faces up.) When we

. came to take him to the interrggatiopi Galen says to
the fellows: "I won't enter your car of my own free
will."* At that the Gestapo gave it up, Theygwgyg
afraid of the populace in Munster. Rightly so--
think of the fg§§_thegpeople would have made. What'g

the sense of angering the people while thereTs a war
T

on. We ve ggt time. It doesn t cost us anything to
wait. .

 

 

PRYZILLA. (Attempting to hide his distaste.) Tell me--
what is the ultimate purpose of the skull collection
you've been making in Strassburg?- What does science
hope to gain from it? - '

HIRT. ‘We're idealists. and certainly don't ask about'_'
ultimate purposes right off. (Crosses DR onto unit A.)
But still. from the photographs and the measurements
of the head and finally the skull our team.in Strass-
burg can carry out exacting researches in comparative
anatomy. Racia1.stock. pathological phenomena related
to shape and size of brain--all expressed in a single
formula: (Grandly.) in days to come our grandchildren
should knoijhy the final solution of the Jewish.ques-
tion was absolutely necessary.

GERSTEIN. (Enters #3.) Colone1--I was told you wanted to
see me immediately... '

EICHMANN. (Delighted and expectantly.) Why. Gerstein-—
at last. at last! (Turns and meets GERSTEIN above C.)

Did it work all right? Gentlemen. this is Lieutenant
[:3 Gerstein. ‘

(The freeze ends--the.ACTORS break into groups. listen to
the exchange between EICHMANN and GERSTEIN, and continue
the normal traffic of a party. EICHMANN and GERSTEIN move DCJ

(Proudly.) Herr Gerstein's background is both in
medicine and engineering. he's head of the technical
disinfection service. Last year he stopped the epi-
demic of spotted fever in our barracks.

113

HIRT. (Turns to them. DOCTOR crosses to RUTTA and PHY-
ZILLA. UR.) Heard about it. my friend. .A technical
genius. that's what you are. Glad to meet you-~Heil.
Herr Gerstein!

GERSTEIN. (Ambiguously.) Heil Hitler. Herr Professori-
(Crcsses to HIRT DRC.) when will you get around to
publishing a paper on your collection of skulls?

HIRT. (Delighted.) What an idea--my lifelong dream! But
for the present. unfortunately. it has to be kept
secret.

‘ (LITTKE crosses to SALZER at C.)

GERSTEIN. ,Oh. people exaggerate. There'wouldn't be any
harm in'hfiving a pamphlet printed for'use in the medi-
cal schools.

HIRT. Delighted to hear your interest. I'll try...

EICHMANN. (Anxiously.) Let's get down to business.
gentlemep.
“T (DOCTOR crosses ULC on D.)

Gerstein was in Belzec to find out if we can handle
the final solution more efficiently. and above all
more quickly with.Cyclon B.

(GERSTEIN crosses a. ' LITTK‘E and SALZER move m. and sit on
corner of riser.)

DOCTOR. (Moves further down on platform.) I thought you
'were working with carbon monoxide? ‘

GERSTEIN. Yes. so far. But Diesel exhaust gas is useless:
the generators are always breaking down. (Sharply.
with undisguised outrage.) Why. Colonel Eichmann. I ~
myself have seen the people waiting in the chambers for
almost three full hours before the Diesel motors got
started. And then-- (Sits on unit C.) it took
another half hour for them to die!

(EICHMANN is horrified. speechless.)

HIRT. (In a booming voice.) Why boys. that's grisly. Do.
it humanely! (Crosses to edge of A.) Why don't you
simply shoot them.dcwn the way they do in Russia?

EICHHANN. (Agitated and no longer in the least pedantic.
‘ he crosses DRC to HIRT. SERGE crosses to C. then to
the group DL. )

11b

Shoot them! Easier said than done. Professor. You

try shooting at forty railroad cars full of a naked.
screaming horde! Although. in fact. they seldom scream.
(Crosses RC and directs. generally. his speech to RUTTA
and PRYZILLA.) Justgpicture it: the grandmother. her
grandson in her arms: the teenage_girl calling to mind
the first dategyou undressed. And then the pregnant
ghee! The toughest rifleman canTt stand that sort of
thing f6? long. not even when he's doused himself with
schna s so that his blood is ninet ercent alcohol.
(Crosses ULC toward the DOCTOR.) No--shooting is im-‘
pgssible. Whyl it would give the men insomnia and
leave them impotent. (Moves back UC.) Just bear in mind.

we have a good eight million to process in Europe. and
we must finish it before the war is over.

HIRT. (Crosses to C. Plaintively.) Well then. a more
efficient method must be found.

EIOHMANN. (Crosses to GERSTEIN. ) That's exactly why-
Gerstein has just made this experiment with prussic
acid. How did that work. Gerstein?

(RUTTA and PRYZILLA cross onto A.)

GERSTEIN. It didn't,sir: I couldn't get the testing off
the ground.

EICHMANN. (Suddenly apprehensive.) But. man. you had
your orders! You mean you didn't even try?

GERSTEIN. I couldn't. Colonel.

(All attention is focused on GERSTEIN. EICHMANN crosses
behind GERSTEIN to his right side. LITTKE crosses to C.
followed by SALZER. Then both.move DL. )

EICHMANN. Why. that's ridiculous: In September we tried
Cyclon B on six hundred Russians. (Crosses to above
unit C. ) We sealed the windows of the penal block

hermetically with.mud. and tossed the cr rystals through
the door.

GERSTEIN. (Pulling himself together with a violent effort.)
But then...on that occasion. sir. some of the Russians.
were still very much alive the following afternoon.

EICHMANN. (Turns to GERSTEIN.) But after all. Gerstein.
that was a first experiment! You don't get speed by
magic. (crosses LC to nocron..) After all. the room
was jammed as full as a pail of herrings. (To GERSTEIN.
reproachfully.) Then.your whole trip was for nothing?

El

115

GERSTEIN. (Firmly.) The prussic acid was already beginning
to disintegrate. (HIRT‘moves ac. watching GERSTEIN.)
I couldn't carry out the experiment. But in my own
specialty. disinfection. I was able to... (EICHMANN
has closed in behind him at unit C and looks down at
him. LITTKE and SERGE cross onto A.)

EICHMANN. (Suspiciously and with a touch of sarcasm.)
Prussic acid received fresh.from the factory just the
week before disintegrates so fast. you_say? Strange.
Gerstein! '

GERSTEIN. (Meeting his eyes. begins an elaborate explana-
tion.) You see. sir. once the disintegration starts--
with all the heat and all that jogging--the ride over
those dreadful Polish.roads...

(PRYZILLA and RUTTA return UR.)

EICHMANN. Oh yes. I don't doubt it happened. You're the
chemist. not me. (Crosses URC by PRYZILLA.) But it
didn't exactly make you mad. did it. Gerstein. old
jailbird? (LITTKE moves to nocron. EICHMANN laughs.)
You really weren't mad that you couldn't try out the
stuff!

(ALL laugh at Brennann's joke.)

GERSTEIN. (Rises. LITTKE returns and crossed DLC by C.
With convincing indignation and in an extremely official
tone.) Sir! If your allusion to my spell in concentra-
tion camp is meant as a new expression of distrust.
then I request a formal disciplinary hearing. (Very
rapidly. with a pretense of being deeply offended. as
EICHMANN waves this aside in alarm.) I thought that on
the basis of my achievements in the disinfection ser-
vice. my probation...

EICHMANN. (Without suspicion.) Why. Gerstein. can't you
take a joke! .I trust you one-hundred per cent...Come.
enough.shoptalk! (Crosses to GERSTEIN. puts his arm
around him on his left side.) Let's join the others.

SCENE THREE

(Party exits. resetting the stage as it goes. The following
morning. GERSTEIN'S apartment in Berlin W35. JACOBSON is
a Jew. whom.GERSTEIN is hiding. nHe speaks cautiously and.
timidly: his movements are somewhat awkward. It is evident
from his manner that he misses freedom: he also looks as
if'he has not been in the fresh air for a long time.

*1

#zme

Fig. 6.-cht One Scene Three

n6

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*3

117

GERSTEIN sits on E and places pieces of plaster into a
bucket. JACOBSON enters #1 and resets units and repairs
the damage RC.)

GERSTEIN. I must say. Jacobson. I felt concern for you
last night. a raid as bad as that. and you can't even
gotdown to the cellar.

JACOBSON. (Smiling and putting units together.) Lucky
my parents can still go to the cellar in their house.
Would you drive by a little later and see whether their
house came through the raid?

GERSTEIN. (His back to JACOBSON.) Gladly. Herr Jacobson.

JACOBSON. It wasn't any fun. I must admit. when the window
glass began to fly last night. But I'd sooner catch
it here than in Auschwitz.

‘ E] (The voices of soldiers singing can be heard from the street.)

GERSTEIN. They have to have their music all the time.
(Rises to look out window.) Even in Auschwitz they'v

organized a band of Jewish women who must play Viennese
waltzes while victims for the ga§_are picked.

(JACOBSON does not respond.)

I'll have a passport for you before the house is bombed
to smithereens.

JACOBSON. (Moves to unit UC.) You'd better have a pass-
port issued for yourself. Go off to Sweden.

GERSTEIN. Go into exile just like that? (Crosses L off
platform.) As long as there is still the slightest
hope that I can save a single_person I have to face

the chance that later on I may seem the spit and image
of the murderers.

JACOBSON. Your visit to the Nuncio was the last risk you
should take. It's very likely they found out about
you.

GERSTEIN. (With a sphinxlike smile.) Found out about me?.
(Crosses C.) No one has found out about me yet.

(There is a knock. Both.show their nervousness. Without
a word JACOBSON gathers his things together and flees into
the adjoining rooms GERSTEIN pauses a moment. gathers his

‘wits about him. and crosses to the door. The DOCTOR enters
(:) hurrialy.) . .

GERSTEIN. Oh. it's you. Doctor.

118

DOCTOR. (Very excitedly.) How are you. Gerstein. Have '
you heard? It's frightful....

GERSTEIN. What's happened?

DOCTOR. I suppose the bombs knocked out  your radio. Then
you don' t knOWeee 7

GERSTEIN. I have no idea.

DOCTOR. -Assassination of Hitler?--Goring and Himmler were
also on board--a plane crash.

GERSTEIN. (Stunned by this turn of affairs and shaken.
Crosses R and plays with his back to the DOCTOR.)
Good God--all three of them? 'That can't be true.
Doctor! No one was saved? . .

. DOCTOR. .(Diabolically grinning.) Saved? Why yes! Guess
who e '

GERSTEINe W110?
DOCTOR. (Breaks C.) GERMANY!

(His infernal laughter clatters like sheets of metal roofing
being loaded on a truck. GERSTEIN has sat down. partly be-

cause he is frightened at this sudden descent by the DOCTOR.
partly because he is.unnerved by his disappointment.)

GERSTEIN. (Slowly.) Not very funny. Doctor. I fail to
see the joke.

DOCTOR. (Crosses up to E. leaving his case on unit UC.)
Maybe you think it funny your apartment has undergone.
such stylish renovations? (Comes down off E. puts coat
on unit L.) I' midriving down to Tfibingen tomorrow
morning. so I can offer you a ride to see your family.
Also we'll have a chance for a good talk. You're the
only one worth talking to. (Breaks C.)

GERSTEIN. (Smiling to conceal his fear. Moves URC.)' I
complimented--but how do you mean. the only one?

DOCTOR. Just that. (Breaks DC.) The rest of our col-
' leagues are. without exception. cold-blooded. heavy-
footed German blockheads. What brains they have is
all used on technology...I plan to leave at seven--
does that suit you?

GERSTEIN. Fine. What's taking you to Tubingen? Don't
tell me you're going to be a professor after all?

119

DOCTOR. Not so fast. I still have to get my degree.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses UC.) Will you be allowed to use the
experiments you've done in.Auschwitz?

DOCTOR. (Lost in thought.) Oh. that--no. I don't plan
to’go to Tfibingen as a medical man. No. no. to teach
philospphy. Medicine is only my profession. not my
chief interest. (Crosses RC.) Aside from that: the
human experiments on prisoners aren't so secret as
all that. (Crosses to unit C.) Incidentally. instead
of flowers. might I leave this with you for a while?

(He is holding a glass jar shaped like a melon mold. He
shows its contents. a mass of grayishpwhite organic matter.
the brains of two Jewish children. to the horrified GERSTEIN.
who does not conceal his repugnance. The DOCTOR brings
bottle to GERSTEIN C. Casually)

Brain tissue from a pair of Jewish twins. two kids

from Calais. preserved in formaldehyde. Rather inter-
esting in comparative sections. I brought-the specimen
with me for a girl who's taking her first course in
histology. But her house has been bombed out and I've
no idea where my little student has moved to.

GERSTEIN. (Moves to unit C to put bottle down.)‘ Nice
little gift...Twins' brains...

DOCTOR. As soon as I find out if she is still alive she
can come here to pick it up. all right?

GERSTEIN. Easier had in.Auschwitz than flowers. eh?

DOCTOR. (Seemingly only concerned with teasing GERSTEIN.
crosses around to L of him.) For you. as Christ's'
disciple. this must be upsetting.

GERSTEIN. (Anguished.) I know'what you are doing...

DOCTOR. (Diabolically.) Gerstein. you don't fool me. .
(Crosses to GERSTEIN.) Whom are you swindling anyway--
the church and yourself. or us--the SS?-

GERSTEIN. '(Senses that he won't be able to stand up to)
this interrogation; therefore he makes a great show of
putting all his cards on the table and revealing him-
self as an unworldly idealist.) What do you mean.
swindling! (Crosses UL on D.) A man who's truly loyal'
to thO Fahrer... '

DOCTOR. (Attempting to trip him up.) .As you are--(Edges
toward C.) as loyal as you are. Gerstein?

120

GERSTEIN. (Hardlydaunted.) Yes. but who am.I to tell
him: race policy excludes a policy of conquest.
(Sits on C.) Alexander the Great married his Mace-
donians off to daughters of the conquered pecples.
But we exterminate the conquered. Do ypg'believe this
bodes well for the future?

DOCTOR. (Laughing.) Believe! Who still believes in
belief? Or in the future. for that matter! (Sits
on unit C. facing him. Pauses.) I know. to you I
am the principle of evil in the flesh. .

GERSTEIN. (Laughing. tries to sidestep the trap.) The
principle of evil! Whose phrase is that?

DOCTOR. (Amused. quotes.) Otto Weininger's. "The prin-
ciple of evil is despair at giving life some meaning."

GERSTEIN. (Laughing. rises and crosses UC.to L of unit.)
I shall have to report that to Eichmann. You read
Viennese Jews. ‘

DOCTOR. (Crosses L and picks up coat. Not without vanity.)
Oh. well I roast them. too. (Crosses UC and picks up
case.) On Tuesday I piped the sister of Sigmund Freud
up the chimney.

(He gives his characteristic laugh. .Already outside. he
calls back.)

Seven in the morning. then. Looking forward to our
trip... ‘EXitS #1e)

GERSTEIN. (Follows as far as C.) It will be nice to have
a chance to spend... (His voice trails off. {The DOCTOR
is gone. He.sees glass jar.) Instead of flowers...

(The doorbell rings again. GERSTEIN starts violently: for
the moment unable to move...RICCARDO enters #3 and speaks

with some embarrassment. since GERSTEIN is extremely reserved
in manner toward him.)

RICCARDO. Good morning. Herr Gerstein...
GERSTEIN. (Coldly.) What brings you here? Who are you?°

RICCARDO. (Even more constrained.)' We met yesterday at
the Papal legation. Herr Gerstein. '

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to window. Interrupts with sharp re-
proof.) What do you want?

121

RICCARDO. (With indecision. because he is not sure yet
whether he should be there.) I told you yesterday.
at the Nuncio' s. that I would look you up. My name
is Father Fontana. I am attached to the Secretariat
of State of the Holy See. ‘

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to O and sits. Still cautious; not
looking straight at RICCARDO.) What do you have to
say to me? ,

RICCARDQ. (Crosses to GERSTEIN.) That the Vatican will
help you. You and Hitler's victims. Believe me. I
was ashamed to watch the conduct of the Nuncio. But
I supposehhis situation forced him to speak in such
a neutral‘tone.

GERSTEIN. (Breaks C. Abruptly.) Whom did you just meet
on the stairs? Did you see an SS army officer?

RICCARDO. Yes. I noticed him.

GERSTEIN. (Agitated. but forcing himself to remain calm.:
Speaks to himself.) Oh. well. this is a large apart-
ment house. You might have come to any one of twenty
families. (Rises and moves R. Suddenly and imperson-
ally.) Let's come right to the point. The Pope has
now for many years received exhaustive and precise
reports from Polish.agents--as I said. £p£,many years.

RICCARDO. (Embarrassed.) Before the day is out a courier
will be taking a letter to my father. My father is
a layman at the Holy See, most highly placed. I give
my guarantee, Herr Gerstein, His Holiness will make
a protest. (GERSTEIN breaks DRC on B.)

GERSTEIN. (Close to cynicism.) Be careful with your
guarantees! They may come back to haunt you. Why
didn't he do something for old Lichtenberg. Cathedral
Provost of St. Hedwigs The scum threw him in jail
merel because he included the Jews in his ra ers.
(Breaks UL on D.) How can the Pape look idly on when .
priests are thrown in jail merely because they pray for
Jews?

RICCARDO. Herr Gerstein. I ask you to please believe me.'
(Moves to unit C and sits.) The Pape will help.

GERSTEIN. (More at east. sits on E.) I've come to be so
terribly despairing of hOpe. as far as the churches
are concerned. As for myself. I am.a member of the
Confessing Church. I am a friend of Pastor Niemoller

122

who's been in concentration camp for nearly five years
by now.... (Smiling.) He used to call me an inveterate
saboteur. and I suppose he understands the reasons why
I sneaked my way into the SS...You cannot fight the
Nazis with pamphlets. .

RICCARDO. You voluntarily put on this uniform?

GERSTEIN. Yes. last year they finally found out that I'd
been locked up twice before because of Christian leaf-
lets I distributed. I drew a prison sentence first.
and then the camp. Of course. I had not told them
when I entered the 55. They made a lot of trouble, but
nothing was done to me. I was forgiven. (Rises. moves
LC.) You see, in lgfippgksgppressed a typhus epidemic
in the barracks and prison campse-engineering and
medicine are my specialties. That—gazed my life.

They think I'm mad. In the eyes of those gangsters

I am a cross between technical genius and unworldlz
idealist.fi

WUnworldly_because I m Christian.

 

RICCARDO. (Senses GERSTEIN'S uneasiness.) Should we pro-
pare an explanation in case one of your associates
should happen by just new?

GERSTEIN. (Crosses DC. Abruptly and very uneasily.) No.
there wouldn' t be any point to it if he comes back. the
man you just ran into.

RICCARDO. Who was that man?

GERSTEIN. Man?: Not a (man at all, not human. You've just
met the Auschwitz angel of death. (Crosses DR onto A.)

He comes here just to sound;me out and hopgs to hand me
over to the hangman.‘ ,

’RICCARDO. I'll go now. to endanger you no.further.

GBRSTEIN. (Sensing RICCARDO' S thought.) My visit to the
Nuncio and your bishop' s secretary was high treason...
(Smiling.) You' re shocked.

RICCARDO. (Uncomprehendingly, with reserve.) I don't pre-
sume to Judge you.

GBRSTEIN. (Crosses to unit 0 and places one foot on it.)
Hitler himself has written: the rights of men invalidate
the rights of states. Therefore: a man who sets up
factories which.serve no other purpose but to kill his
fellowman with gas--this man must be betrayed. must
be destroyed, no matter what the cost! His murderer
would only be his Judge. '

123

RICCARDO. I am sure you are acting in good conscience.

GBRSTEIN. (Breaks UR.) Conscience? Who could trust that!
Conscience or God: men have never fwrought such havoc
as when invoking_God. Conscience is a treacherous
uide. I am convinced that Hitler acts accordin to his
conscience. (Crosses ULC near D.) Every hour costs a

thousand victims; people cremated on the family plan.

RICCARDO. Herr Gerstein, why the German people. the nation
of Goethe, Mozart. Menzel--hcw could the Germans become
so barbarous.

GBRSTEIN. We Germans are no worse than other Eur0peans.
(Crosses LC.) Not long ago the Jews employed in Berlin
factories were to be sent to Auschwitz. The police did
not descend at once, but first informed the factories.
And the result was that four thousand Jews managed to
disappear. They were hidden by Berliners, fed by them--
four thousand! (Crosses in to RICCARDO. by unit UC. )
You see, not every German has forgotten the debt he owes
to Germany's name. And there are Scoundrels everywhere.
(Breaks R.) In Holland the Dutchppolice are working
hard to round up every Jew: in France thpy don't co-
pperate with so much zeal, but still theykdo their_part.
In Hungary, too, but worst of all in the Ukraine...The
Ukrainians shoot their Jews themselves. (Crosses DC.

.On rare occasions can a Jew in Poland find a place to
hide outside the towns. His kindly neighbors turn him
over to the German murderers for a small bounty. But,
Germany bears the greatest guilt. Its leader has con-

ceived the program. As for the people--the other peoples
hardly are much better.

 

RICCARDO. .At home in Rome (Crosses UL on E. With pride
and slightly declamatory.) such things would be impos-
sible. From the Holy Father down to the chestnut peddler
in the piazza. the entire nation would rise up against
such cruelties.

GBRSTEIN. (Coldly. ) It' s touching. Father, it's enviable,
to be so sure of one' s own countrymen. (Crosses LC.
Now cynically.) All the more bitter, then, if in its
attitude the Church should be equivocal. (Crosses UC. )
Not long ago Dr. Edith Stein. Europe's most celebrated
nun, I believe, was gassed in Auschwitz. A convert for
many. many years, a famous Catholic writer. I ask you:
(Crosses to RICCARDO at D.) How could the Gestapo have
discovered that this one nun had Jewish blood? They
came and got her. right out of her Dutch convent.

W.’

12h

RICCARDO. (Trapped.) The raid must have come too suddenly.
(Breaks L.)

GERSTEIN. (Breaks LC by D. Sarcastically.) It's clear
then. how much protection the Church.will offer a con-
verted Jew. .A dozen members of various orders were
actually handed over from Dutch religious houses.

RICCARDO. (Feebly.) But only under duress. The bishops
protested. Dutch.labor groups protested; but that Just
made the situation worse.

GERSTEIN. (Angered. violently.) Worse? There was no con-
sistent policy. Rome left the bishops in the lurch.
It's not the Dutch I blame. But how can Rome be silent
while monks and nuns are carted off?

(Silence e)

RICCARDO. (He gathers animation.) Why not flee to England?
Broadcast from London. (Crosses to him at D.) You,
Sturmffihrer Gerstein. of the SS Public Health Department,
and offering as your affidavit figures. dates, bills
for poison. reporting all the details of what is happening
here. (Breaks ULC. Enthusiastically and naively.)

Make a full confession, what you have done, what you
have managed to prevent...and what you could not prevent.

GERSTEIN. (Passionately.) Good Lord, are you aware of what
you're asking. One speech by me on Radio London and
my whole family would be wiped out.

RICCARDO. Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize!

GERSTEIN. (More calmly.) They would kill my wife. my .
children--they would torture my-brothers to death in
a camp.

RICCARDO. Forgive me...

GERSTEIN. (His tone colder.) Nor is there any need for it.
no need at all! (Crosses L.) Reports on Radio London
long ago told all about what's going on in Poland.
People already know! All I could do is tell it all again.
along with.detai1s no one would believe. And who am I?
Nobody ever heard of mg} I'd only be a questionable
renegade. and nothing more. (Crosses C.) Why is there
not a single word heard from the only man in Europe
still free today from any taint of propaganda: the
Pope. (RICCARDO crosses UR. GERSTEIN crosses DC,
laughing hysterically.) Oh, God--my God! Here I con-
tend with.Him as I did in my student days. Did He. I

125

wonder. not become a Christian only to ease His con-
science with the thought that--just like His Deputy
today--Jews do not fall within his competence.

RICCARDO. (Crosses RC to him. Solemnly. very sure of
himself.) The Vatican will act. I promise you. Only.
how shall I identify my source? Who my informant is?

GBRSTEIN. (Crosses to unit L and sits.) .I understand: in
the eyes of Rome a traitor is too questionable to...

RICCARDO. I beg your pardon--no. I meant...

GERSTEIN. I don’t mind. The traitors. they alone. are
saving Germany's honor. For Hitler is not Germany. he's
Germany's destroyer-~the verdict of history will acquit
2g, I will not survive the work that I must do. .A
Christian in these days cannot survive if he is truly
Christian. I am a spy in the SS. And spies are executed--
(Crosses up on A. Without transition.) Would you.
right now. put in my hands your cassock and your pass-
port? '

RICCARDO. (Crosses ULC. With.mounting indignation.) I
vowed when I was consecrated...No. Herr Gerstein.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses C to L of unit.. Quickly.)~ Your pass-
port and your clothing can help a Jew to cross the
Brenner Pass. You. as a diplomat. should have no trouble
getting a new passport from Rome.

RICCARDO. (Reluctantly and.hesitantly.) Oh. I see. Need
it be right away?

GERSTEIN. (Moves toward #3.) Herr Jacobson?

JACOBSON. (Enters #3 and holds DL.) Yes. Herr Gerstein?
GOOd “Ye '

RICGARDO. Good day.

GERSTEIN. (Adroitly and rapidly.) Father Fontana. Herr
Jacobson. (Crosses R.) I hardly think I'll have
another chance to offer you a cassock and a diplomatic
passport from.the Holy See. (Turns toward JACOBSON.)
Are you prepared to try to cross the Brenner Pass with
them?

JACOBSON. (No longer as quick to apprehend as he has been
in the past.) Do I hear right--is there a chance...
(Now he addressed RICCARDO cordially.) You are offering
me escape?

 

' 126

RICCARDO. (Struggling not to show'his reluctance.) Oh'
' yes. of course. When would you want...

GERSTEIN. (Impersonally and very businesslike.) I pro-.
pose tonight. (JACOBSON sits on unit L. GERSTEIN
crosses to unit.) I'll buy your ticket when I drive
the Father back to the vicinity of the Papal Legation.
It will be better for you not to walk through town
.without a passport. (RICCARDO crosses UL on E.) Can _

' we change right away--Herr Jacobson. (Sits on unit C.)
good Lord. man. what's the matter? You re finally
through with living like a prisoner!

(JACOBSON has dropped into a chair. he is done in. He
takes out a handkerchief. smiles. cleans his glasses with
- an embarrassed air.)

JACOBSON. (With frequent pauses.) Forgive me. Just
now. back in the room there when I heard your voices--
and also last night' 5 air raid...I kept thinking if this
place caught fire and people came to put it out...

-GERSTEIN. That' s all over now. Herr Jacobson. - em..ewn

- JACOBSON. Yes. all over. How easy it is to say. (Rises.
and steps to C. Tb RICCARDO.) Now you are the one I
am endangering. -Do you know that? .

RICCARDO. (He has come around completely: warmly.) I
thank God for the opportunity to help.

GERSTEIN. (Friendly but anxious. looking at the clock.)
You must be brief. Jacobson. (Breaks R.) You have
to know enough to. answer any questions from.the German
border guards. -

' JACOBSON. (Crosses to GERSTEIN.)_ I cannot leave before
tomorrow night. Herr Gerstein. When it gets dark
tonight I' m.going home to see my parents and to say
goodbye. (RICCARDO moves LC to remove his cross at C.
JACOBSON continues resolutely and almost happily. not .
noticing GERSTEIN' S embarrassment. Breaks ULC. ) And '
once in Rome 1' 11 leave no stone unturned to have the
two placed under the protection of some neutral power.
An emigratiOn visa-- (RICCARDO puts cross on C.) per-
haps that can be..{

'YGERSTEIN. (Gaite convincingly.)' Don' t put your parents in
danger-~depart tonight at any cost. (Rather uncer- ”
tainly.) No visits home. (Breaks R facing away.)

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127

JACOBSON. (Disturbed. mistrustful.) You mean I am not
to say goodbye? (Pause.) Tell me--have they--please.
the truth! (Crosses above unit C.) Have they already
shipped my parents off?

GERSTEIN. (Softly.) Yes. I couldn't deliver your letter
on Tuesday. (Crosses up on A.) But I could not tell
you either. The door is sealed. I almost didn't
notice. almost dropped the letter in their box. (RICe
CARDO sits on unit L.) The people who now run the -
store saw me go off. The woman beckoned to me through
the store window...

JACOBSON. (Fighting back his tears.) Frau Schulze--yes.‘
she was always decent. (Sits on unit UC.) Without
her help my parents would have starved to death by
now. Did she--have a chance to speak to them?

GERSTEIN. (Crosses DC. looking away. At first he cannot
answer.) I left. I suddenly felt scared. I had to
force myself to walk and not to run. I'm sorry-~I
thought I'd go to see the woman in the store some
time during the next few days.

RICCARDO. Should I try to ascertain where they were taken?
The Nuncio surely could find out.

JACOBSON. Don't bother. They're sure to get to Auschwitz
now. Tuesday...three days...Do you think. Herr Gerstein.
it was on Tuesday? (Crosses C to him.) Or could it
have been sooner? How long do those transports take?
(Crosses R.. To RICCARDO. making an effort to control
his voice.)' No point in asking questions. The old--
it's true. isn't it Gerstein?--are--gassed immediately.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses C to L of unit.) Not always. no. Some
are--your father. as a badly wounded veteran of the
first war. would surely have been sent to Theresienstadt.

JACOBSON. (Changed. Composed now.) Gerstein. you saved
my life. (Crosses to him. R of unit C.) But there's
no need for you to lie to me. I don't want consolation
now. I've always known that it would have to happen--
known it long. (Crosses onto A. Violently. tormentedly.
but firm.) It will not kill me--I won't do the mur-
derers that favor.

(His movements are tightly. spasmodically.resolute. He

is wholly transformed. unnaturally composed. and now speaks
with something of the harshness of the Old Testament. while
his pallid. kindly librarian's face takes on a streak of

128

cruelty. He turns to GERSTEIN.)

Gerstein. reconsider whether you want to help me across
the Brenner. For now I am no longer German. Now.
whether or not you understand. each German--every one--
becomes my enemy. (Crosses DC off B. Wildly and alarm-
ingly.) No one shall say we Jews let outselves be .
driven to the slaughterhouse like cattle. I shall come
back--as a murderer. Killing for killing. Gerstein.

I warn you. (Turns and crosses C.) This is my thanks
to you for hiding me. I tell you honestly. the man
you're helping to escape is now your enemy. Drive me
out on the street as I stand here. For I shall never--
never forgive the Germans. all Germans. for this murder
of my parents.

RICCARDO. (To JACOBSON. sounding theoretical but sincere.)
Do not harden your heart--you simplify.. Hatred can
never be the final word.

JACOBSON. (Aloofly. objectively.) Hate strengthens. I
must now stand firm. '

GERSTEIN. (Morosely. hoarsely. without looking at JACOB-
SON.) Each to his post. Both of us will not survive
this war. (Crosses URC. ) Change your clothes--it' 5
getting late.

(JACOBSON holds out to RICCARDO his passport--a large. bold-
face J is visible on the inner pages--and the yellow star.
a scrap of cloth as big as a man's palm.)

JACOBSON (Smiling.) You are making a poor trade. Father.
You give me this. and I--here--this--this is all I have
to offer: only the stigma of the outlaw.

(All three fall silent. RICCARDO takes the yellow star and

-examines it. He looks at the star. then looks up at GERSTEIN

and JACOBSON. Shakes his head. Holding the star against
his cassock over his heart for a moment. he asks...)

RICCARDO. Here?

0(The drum roll builds to a climax as the bells of St. Peter's
Oand the servant's introduction begin Scene Four.)

129

Fig. 7.-nAct One Scene Four

 

fiIme

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[M3VJNJ

-111UIF‘

#3-

130

SCENE FOUR

(As the scene cpens. an old-fashioned PHOTOGRAPHER is din
rooting his cumbersome photographic apparatus at platform
0. Then he himself steps to B. where his subject is to
pose. and looks directly into the lens in a posture of
"importance." As he stands there. trying to look like
Garibaldi. he is caught in the act by the old SERVANT.
who has noiselessly entered the room. The SERVANT looks
at him. shaking his head contemptuously. until the PHOTO-
GRAPHER again busies himself with his camera.

SERVANT. Rome, February 2._l9h3. The Palazzo Fontana

on the Monte Gianicolo. His veranda. (Arranging

the set pieces on A. To PHOTOGRAPHER.) Don't keep
,His Honor the Count long. He hasn't even been told
that the young master is back from Germany. (Crosses
UR to #1. ) When he knows. I can tell you right now.
he'll have no time for you.

PHOTOGRAPHER. (Setting up camera C.) His portrait is
supposed to go on the front page!

SERVANT. (Turns and takes position by pillar R.) Here
he comes.

FONTANA. (Enters #1 swiftly and crosses to R. Nervously
pleased.) Wonderful. what a surprise! When did he
arrive. Vittorio?

SERVANT. (Following.) Barely an hour ago. sir.
FONTANAe Let him Sleep.

SERVANT.' But he said I was to wake him straight off when
you returned. He won't want to go on sleeping...

FONTRNA. (Has noticed the PHOTOGRAPHER. distractedly.
Crosses RC.) Ah. yes. well. tell him that I'm here.

(SERVANT exits.)

(To PHOTOGRAPHER.) Oh. do you have to? Don't you
have enough pictures of me?

PHOTOGRAPHER. (But not a single pOrtrait yet that shows‘
Your Honor wearing the Order of Christ. Permit me.
Ycur Honor. to extend.my most respectful congratula-
tions!

131

FONTANA. (Crosses DR on.A and. attempting to seem ac-
commodating. lights a cigarette.) Well. all right.
Where? Here? Go ahead. You've already set the
camera. haven't you? What are you waiting for?

PHOTOGRAPHER. Permit me. Your Honor. if you don't mind...
Do you think the cigarette and the court costume...?

FONTANA. What's that-4you want my hands to show as well?
The whole paraphernalia? I thought. only a bust...?
(He lays aside the cigarette.) Very well. very well.
get it over with. (He stands with a helpless air.)

PHOTOGRAPHER. Perhaps your hand on the sword and head
a little higher--a little more to the left.

(He squeezes the rubber ball.)

Many. many. thanks. Perhaps one more shot for posterity
Your Honor in full excersize of business...

FONTANA. (Trying not to laugh.) .Ah yes. preserved for
posterity. .Posterity might even fancy that I opened
letters in this costume I'm.wearing. with.my sword.

(He points to the SERVANT. who has re-entered with.RIC-
.CARDO‘behind him. PONTANA crosses to them R.)

My boy. what a surprise!

(They look at each other a little awkwardly for a moment.
then they embrace.)

RICCARDO. Congratulations. Father! My. how grand!
FONTANA. So good to have your company for a while..

RICCARDO. (Nervously.) Why do the bells keep going on
and on? . '

(SERVANT moves PHOTOGRAPHER out.)

FONTANA. (Humorously.) Because the POpe this morning'
consecrated the world to the Immaculate Heart of the
Blessed Virgin. A very tiring ceremony. Right after -
came my audience--and then the decoration suddenly
came my way-~I had no idea.

RICCARDO. Mama would.have been happy.>

132

PHOTOGRAPHER. Much obliged. Your Honor. (To RICCARDO.)
Your Honor! Good day-~good day! .

(PHOTOGRAPHER exits #3. followed by SERVANT.)
FONTANA. Thank you. Goodbye.
RICCARDO. Goodbye.

FONTANA. (Crosses DLC to R of unit C and begins to prepare
a cocktail. Skeptically and ironically.) Ah.yes. my
boy-~the dogma of Mary's.Ascension may now. quite seri-
ously. await us when the war is over. AS‘a result.
he'll merit an important chapter in every history of
the Popes... . ,

RICCARDO. (Steps C and takes a glass from his father.-'
Bitterly amused.) The things they think about in Rome!

The dogma of the Virgin. Does he havenothing else
to do?

FONTANA. (With a laugh.) Don't be too hard on him. my
boy! (Returns to pour himself a glass L of C.) The
Pope almost always asks about you. Have you brought
more bad news from the Nuncio?

RICCARDO. You must know that for months the Jews all over
EurOpe are being wiped out systematically. Each day--
Father. just think of it: each day. six thousand!.'

FONTANA. (Lightly. trying to keep his son's concern at a
minimum.) I read that too. but it must be enormously
exaggerated. .

RICCARDO. Suppose it is exaggerated! (DeSpairingly.)
I gave my word the Pope would protest. ' '

PONTANA. (Moves LC. .Agitated.) You had no right to do
that. Riccardo.

[2)RICCARDO. Could I have thought he would do otherwise?
The children of an entire pecple are being born today
only to be murdered in Poland. (Crosses to FONTANA.)
How shall we ever find apologies for our silence.
And those bells! (Breaks L. Almost shouting.) They
ring and ring as though the world were Paradise. What
idiocy to offer this earth to the Blessed Virgin's
heart. Does not the Pope who holds within his hand
five-hundred million Catholics--does he not share re-
sponsibility for the moral climate of this world?

133

FONTANA. (Moves to RICCARDO on D. Speaks loudly to check
him.) Riccardo. is this the way you thank the POpe
for always-~always favoring you?

RICCARDO. Father. please. what do personal affairs matter
here? '

(Both fall silent. worn out by contention: the ringing of
the great bells of St. Peter's can still be heard. more
muted. FONTANA struggles to master his agitation; he
tosSes the ridiculous sword aside and lights cigarettes
for himself and RICCARDO. Then he leads RICCARDO DLC to
U unit at C and moves to D of L unit.)

FONTANA. Let's look at this realistically. How can the
Pope. without surrendering his policy of neutrality.
force Hitler not to deport the Jews.

RICCARDO. (With great energy.)' Let him exploit the fact
that Hitler fears his influence. It wasn't out of
piety that Hitler has refrained from all infringements
upon the Church.

FONTANA. (Matching his son's intensity.). That policy may
change tomorrow. How many priests has he'not killed
already!

RICCARDO. (Crosses to behind R unit. Passionately.)
That's right--and Rome. despite that fact. has not
called off her friendship. Why? Priests in Germany
who sacrifice themselves do not do so on orders from
the Vatican--rather. they violate its principle of non-
intervention.

FONTHNA. The Pope knows what he is doing. Once reasons
of state permit him to rise up against Hitler without
imperiling the Church. then...

RICCARDO. (Breaks UC.) Then not a single Jew will be
alive in Poland. Germany. or France. or Holland!

FONTANA. (Crosses C. Shocked at how far the conversation
has gone.) Good God. do you believe the Pope could
suffer to see even a single man hungry and in pain?
His heart is with the victims.

RICCARDO. But his voice? Where is his voice? His heart.
Father. is of no interest. Even Himmler. Hitler' 8'
police chief. could not tolerate the sight of his
victims. (Crosses R.) The orders sift down from
bureau to bureau. The Pope does not see the victims;
Hitler does not see them...

13H

FONTANA. (Approaches RICCARDO threateningly. ) Enough--
I'll out this conversation short if you mention Pius
XII and Hitler in the same breath.

RICCARDO. (Pause. Softly. with a note almost of spite.)
Father. do you believe the POpe--are you sure the Pepe
is actually tormented by a conflict between reasons
of state and Christian charity?

FONTANA. How do you mean that. Riccardo?

RICCARDO. (Crosses UR. Controlling himself with effort.)
I mean--he stands so very high above the destinies of
the world. of men. Is there anything he loves except'
his dictionaries and the cult of the Madonna?

FONTANA. Riccardo. please-~this is hardly fair. this
verges on demagogy.

RICCARDO. His gardener. remember. has strict orders always
to keep his back turned to the Pepe. Neither in his
garden or at table can he tolerate the face of a fellow
man. (Crosses UC. ) I ask myself whether he was ever-
able to regard a single one of Hitler' s victims as his
brother. a being in.hi§.image.

FONTANA. (Crosses DR on A.) Granted his coldness. granted
his egocentricity. he still attempts to help. to under-
Stand. m0 Victims e e e

RICCARDO. The victims--does he truly bring them to his
mind? (Crosses LC.) Do you think that he not only
studies the statistics. the abstract figures. seven
hundred thousand dead--starvation. gassing. deportation...
(Turns to FONTANA.) Do you think he is there--has ever
seen the way they are deported from Paris: three hun-
dred suicides-~before the journey even starts.

LEONTANA. (Under great strain.)' Riccardo. please--I know
you tear at your own heart. ,

RICCARDO. (As if he were delivering an ultimatum.) My
question. Father. please. answer that question.
(Crosses to FONTANA.) Does the Pope-edoes he bring
such scenes to his mind?

FONTAMA. (Breaks past RICCARDO UR. Uncertainly.) Of
course. of course. But what of that? You know he can-
not act according to his feelings.

RICCARDO. (Beside himself--crosses above him. intercepting
him.) Father. What you are saying cannot be. Does no-
body here realize--you. Father. surely you must realize...

135

(The ringing of the bells stops. It is very quiet. Neither
speaks. Then RICCARDO. extremely agitated but stressing
every word. continues; very softly at first. but with

slowly mounting intensity.)

A deputy of Christ who sees these things and nonethe-
less permits reasons of state to seal his lips--

who wastes even one day in thought. hesitates even for
an hour--that Pope is...a criminal.

(After some hesitation FONTANA approaches RICCARDO. FON-
TANA' S indignation. which had at first left him speechless.
is softened by the sight of his "prodigal" son.)

FONTANA. (Crosses ULC to RICCARDO.) My boy. how can you...

(The old SERVANT enters #l quickly and holds out a file
folder.)

SERVANT. .At last. Your Honor. here is...

FONTANA. (Shouting. more intemperately than anyone would
have thought him capable of.) Let us be!

'(As the SERVANT; shocked. slowly retreats toward the door.
FONTANA manages to say a few apologetic words.)

Vittorio. not now--excuse me. I can see no one just
HOW. e e .

(The SERVANT exits #1. FONTANA looks at RICCARDO and then
tries to appear calm.)

Your monstrous insult to the Pepe as well as all who
serve hiBIe e e

RICCARDO. (Crosses L. "Still distraught.) My own share in
the guilt--I. too. am guilty--this gives me the right...

JEONTANA. (Crosses DLC to R of C. Attempting to terminate
the discussion.) The POpe no doubt knows that his
protest would be without effect. or place the Church
in Germany in grave jeopardy.

RICCARDO. (Crosses to U unit. Violently.) He does not
know that. cannot know! It is this very POpe as an
individual. this twelfth Pius. whom Hitler fears.

(The SERVANT enters #1. still obviously.cowed.)

SEF

F0]

F0

CA

136

SERVANT. (Crosses UC.) His Eminence. the Most Reverend
Cardinal e e e

(The name is not heard. for FONTANA interrupts swiftly.
slightly alarmed.)

FONTANA. OhP-yes. (Crosses toward #1. To RICCARDO.) Is
it all right for him to see you here?

RICCARDO. (Crosses DL by unit. Quickly.) .He is bound to
find out anyhow that I came here without official orders.
Ask him to lunch.

(Behind the stage. the sonorous. attractive laughter of a .
fat man is heard. Evidently His Eminence has condescended
to jest mildly with the servants. Entering #1. the CARDINAL
spreads his arms wide to embrace Count FONTANA. who has

come forward to meet him. In celebration of the day he is
wearing his red hat. In his right hand he holds a choice
orchid. -He continues to laugh and goes on laughing as he
says a few half-finished sentences during the casual embrace.
He even laughs in between words as he becomes aware of
RICCARDO'S presence. This does not actually displease him.
but is an annoying surprise. His noisy joviality instantly
arouses liking. for it is altogether genuine. Here and now
His Eminence is a very good man. Today. on this festival

of the Blessed Virgin and the occasion of Count FONTANA'S
honor. he is quite uncomplicatedly delighted.)

CARDINAL. My dear Count--well. well. God bless you! Yes.
this time it's gone to the right man! Here--this. my
Bletia verecunda. you know. (He presents the Count
with flower.)

FONTANA. Why. thank you. Eminence--how thoughtful. (Crosses
R.) What an amazing flower!

CARDINAL. Riccardo! Why. what a joy!

FONTANA. (Continuing.) An orchid--what variety did you
say?

CARDINAL. Well. well. such a surprise. Punctually in Rome
to congratulate your Papa. aren't you? (Crosses to RIC-
CARDO. who meets him C and kisses his ring.)

RICCARDO. (As he kisses ring.) Good morning. Your Eminence.

FONTANA. Yen will stay for lunch. Eminence?

137

CARDINAL. What's that? 'Yes. oh yes. gladly.

(He talks on. as he gives the SERVANT his hat and cape. a1-
ternately addressing father and son without waiting for
answers to any of his questions.),

(Crosses to SERVANT with cape.) Well. well. how splendid.
what a surprise. The Nuncio has not advised us of your
arrival?--Ah yes. the orchid interests you. Count.

(Steps R toward him.) Yes. you know. that is my beloved
Vletia verecunda. It's old in EurOpe--we first raised
them in England back in 1732.

FONTANA. (He obviously does not.know what to do with the
noble blossom. Very courteously.) So very thoughtful.
so kind of you. Eminence. Did it not cost you a pang
to out it for me? But please--let us sit down--please.

(FONTANA hands the orchid to the SERVANT and gives him a
word of instruction. The SERVANT exits. Then FONTANA leads
the CARDINAL to C. The CARDINAL sits in U unit while FON-
TANA sits in R unit. Noticing the CARDINAL. handling the
cigar cutter with pleasurable fusiness. RICCARDO crosses UC
and offers him a light. .All this takes place during the
CARDINAL'S StorYe)

CARDINAL. (Holding a big cigar. he takes the COUNT'S arm.)
Yes. let us sit--that reminds me of a soirée in Paris.
I stood in a corner. Have you nothing to sit on. the
hostess called at last. Indeed. Madame. I have some-
thing to sit on. I called back across the room. some-
thing to sit on. yes. but not a chair.

(His Eminence enjoys his met for some time while the FON-
TANAS laugh respectfully. RICCARDO' S restiveness increases.
The SERVANT enters #1 with champagne and hands the tray to
RICCARDO. )

...Ah. yes. a glass of this will go down well even
before noon. indeed. Well. then. Count. may you wear
the Order for a long. long time!

FONTANA. (As they touch glasses.) It is really so kind
of you to have come Your Eminence...

RICCARDO. (After a bow.) Your Eminence! Your health.
Father!

FONTANA. Thank you. my boy.

138

(The CARDINAL finishes his glass of champagne before he re-
places it on the table. He now produces a piece of news
which has been burning on the tip of his tongue. It is a
matchless news item. He underplays it for dramatic effect.)

London has just confirmed the claim that Moscow made
.last night. you know. In Stalingrad the fighting is
over. A German field marShal now Stalin's prisoner!
The Volga will not be crossed...

RICCARDO. (Circles behind unit L. Vehemently. surprised
and overjoyed.) And in Berlin the Propaganda Ministry
was saying that not a German would surrender! (Sits.)

FONTANA. What else could they have done!

CARDINAL. Moscow says that ninety thousand Germans have
surrendered--Hitler' s field marshall. his twenty-two
divisions, or rather all that's left of them. That
is a nasty stroke.

FONTANA. (He sees opportunity here.) May we hope. Your
Eminence. that the POpe will take advantage of Hitler's
predicament to threaten him with breaking off the Con-
cordat if he continues murdering the Jews?

CARDINAL. (Smiles; and. suddenly nervous. rises.) Has
Riccardo been besieging you as well. dear Count?

FONTANA. Your Eminence. only Hitler's fiasco on the Volga
' gives me the courage to request that we denounce his
infamy e

CARDINAL. (Moves behind his chair. circling R.) Well...
You know. Riccardo. I told you once before. the Con-
'cordat is intended to protect our fellow Catholics...
the Chief will not expose himself to danger for the
Jews.

FONTANA. Not even now. Your Eminence. when Hitler would
have to be amenable?

CARDINAL. (With mounting earnestness and deep emotion;

. puffing smoke from his huge cigar.) Three events in
recent weeks must alarm every Christian. yofifknow.
FirstL the recklessness of the Unit?df§t§t3§”Ifi—Ieaving
EurOpe to Stalin s diviSlons; second. the defeat GP "
Hitler on the Volga; and third. Stalin's reconciliation
with the Orthodox Church. (C?3Sses UC. ) That proves
to me. you know. he is the Tsar. the OrthOdox heart— of

 

 

139

of all the Russiansl the SlavL_true to his nationality.
who nurses the dreams of absolute sovereignty once
cherished by Peter and Catherine.

RICCARDO. (Crosses LC to CARDINAL.) Permit me. Your Emi-
nence--the moral right. surely. is on the Russian side.
They were attacked. their country devastated. their
pecple carried off. slaughtered. If they are threaten-
ing Europe now. the blame is only Hitler's.

(In the following speech. it must not be thOught that the
CARDINAL is evading the argument out of indolence. He
simply feels it unseemly for his youngest assistant to be
trying to lecture him. FONTANA. himself an old man. feels
that better then does RICCARDO.)-

CARDINAL. That may be. but when the house is burning the
fire must be put out. The question of who kindled it
can be investigated later on. Be careful. Count. Your
Riccardo is an idealist. which is to say a fanatic.

In the end the idealist always spills blood in the
delusion he is doing good--more blood than any realist.
Hitler is an idealist. Anyone who differs with his
ideals is exterminated. He must first smash a world

so that he can confer his peace upon it. (Crosses DR
onto A.) We realists are practical: we compromise.
make concessions. You say Hitler attacked Russia. I
say he marched in. Let us not enter into controversy.
Hitler exists. We must live with.him. (He gives a
lordly laugh; he wants both to conciliate and to change
the subject.)

RICCARDO. (CroSses C. Terribly concerned and speaking
as pleasantly as-he can manage.) But Your Eminence.
the Holy Father must protest that hundreds of thou-
sands of persons are being literally slaughtered--
killings which have no bearing on the outcome of the
war.

CARDINAL. (Laughing--attempting to make RICCARDO seem
a figure of fun and in that way. end the subject once
and for all.) Must. you say! Now. now. my boy.
calmness alone disarms the fanatic. nothing else.
The Chief you know. would be risking a great deal
if he took up cudgels_ for the Jews. (Crosses L.)
Minorities are always unpopular. in every country.
The Jews have long provoked the Germans.

RICCARDO. (With a quietness which.makes its impression.)
In times gone by. we Christians were also in the

lhO

minority. and perhaps we will be soon again. (Crosses
to CARDINAL.) I believe that God has indissolubly.
linked us Christians to the pecple to whom Jesus be-
longed...

CARDINAL. (With a long laugh. adr'oitly.) But. but--my
dear Fontanas. to whom are you saying all this. Count.
do you think me an enemy of the Jews?

FONTANA. (Quickly.) Certainly not. Your Eminence.

CARDINAL. I'm only saying that the share the Jews had
of the leading professions in Germany before Hitler
came to power. was certainly unhealthy.

FONTANA. (Determined to save the situation.) Unhealthy.
at any rate. in a nation that has more than six million
unemployed.

CARDINAL. (Spontaneously and gratefully.) There you are--
I meant no more than that. (Crosses to RICCARDO.)
The thief problem. Riccardo. is. you know. the dread-
ful p0pu1arity of Hitler.

RICCARDO. Your Eminence must consider this: that since
his entry into Paris two full years--war years--have
passed. The pecple are tired and afraid.

CARDINAL. The people love rulers whom thgy can fear. Nero

was highly pppular with— the mob. (Crosses C. ) And where
would the Church be today if it had not igpited faggots

for the mob during the Middle Ages. ‘(RICCARDO moves
onto B and the* CARDINAL crosses UR.) And Hitler. you
knowL_also gave them bread. Let us not forget that.
Bread and a uniform, and daggers. Most of the rowdies
who fought his beerhall battles for him had long_beenfl
running after the red flag before the swastika was sewn
on ite

FONTANA. (Rises.) The late eleventh Pius. Your Eminence.
told me the Concordat with Hitler would be a platform .
from which to make protests if necessary...Now it is
necessary. ' ‘

CARDINAL. (Crosses UC. Firmly.) As long as Hitler has the
people behind.him.the Chief would only make himself
unpopular if he openly made an issue of the Jews. How
would it be if our Nuncio in Berlin were to speak to
Herr von Weizsacker about the matter?

lUl

RICCARDO. (Crosses ULC and to CARDINAL. Bitterly.)‘ All
that would come of that. Your Eminence. would be a
(courteous exchange of words. The undersecretary un-
doubtedly knows nothing about the extermination of
the Jews. And since nobody dares to suggest to Herr
von Weizsacker that he might be lying in the name of
his Fuhrer. and since he so readily assures everyone
that threats will only aggravate the situation...

CARDINAL. (Crosses R and. feeling that RICGARDO'S irony
is arrogant. speaks sharply.) Can you guarantee that
threats will really not aggravate the situation?

RICCARDO. (Crosses up on D. His control is slipping and
he speaks much too loudly. making his last attempt.)
Your Eminence. a hundred thousand Jewish families in
EurOpe face certain murder! It could not. could not.
possibly be worse! (More quietly. fervently.) No.
Your Eminence. please do not try to do anything through
Weizsacker. or though the Nuncio. It must be: the
Pepe to Hitler--directly and at once!

(The SERVANT enters #1 and reports to
FONTANA . )

SERVANT. Your Eminence. His Holiness urgently requests
Your Eminenoe's presence in the Papal Palace.

CARDINAL. (Without feeling ) Now--before lunch? Very
well. (Crosses C.) What a pity. '-

(RICCARDO takes the CARDINAL'S cape from the SERVANT and
begins to help His Eminence into it.)

FONTANA. A fearful pity--oan't we wait with lunch?

CARDINAL. (Briskly.) Out of the question. Count. Ric-
cardo! .

(RICCARDO kneels to kiss ring.)

CARDINAL. (Casually.) I think you'd better go to Lisbon
for six months. (Quickly. without transition.) My
dear Count. enough politics for today. This is your
day to celebrate. God bless you. Arrivederla.

(Laughing intimately. as if the quarrel had been made up.
the CARDINAL exits #1 and FONTANA follows UR.)

RICCARDO. (Rises. Downoast.) 'Arrivederla. Your Eminence.

142

FONTANA. -(Bowing him out.) It was so good of you to come.
Your Eminence.

(The SERVANT follows the CARDINAL out and closes the door.)

RICCARDO. (Breaks ULC. Speaks to himself. along and crushed.)
Lisbon! Sidetracked!

FONTANA. (Returning quickly. holds UR.) He's getting rid
of you! He did not even ask why you returned from

Berlin! Lisbon: that's your payment for having gone
too far. - .

RICCARDO. But. Father. I kept back the very worst.
FONTANA. What else?
RICCARDO. Weizsacker is coming to Rome.

FONTANA. (Crosses RC. Incredulously.) Hitler is making
his undersecretary of state ambassador to the Vatican?

RICCARDO. (Crosses UL on E.) Weizsacker is now supposed
to keep the Pope carefully soothed. For Hitler knows
what it would mean if the Pope should join the protests
of the Allies against his crimes.

EEBIONTANA. (Crosses c.) Stalingrad marks the turning point
permitting us to act. .

RICCARDO. (Crosses off platform to meet his father.)
Father. I implore you: We must act before Weizsficker
arrives in Rome-~immediately. Father.

(The bells begin to ring loudly again. Both look up and
then exchange glances. FONTANA makes a resigned geSture.
. The SERVANT appears at #1.)

SERVANT. .Luncheon is served.

(The act ends as both men make their exit.)

®

lug

Fig. 8.--Act No Scene One

 

 

 

 

 

lbh

11
® A ACT Two SCENE ONE

(Office of the Father General of a religious order. Three
ACTORS set the scene and exit. .

(The sonorous likable laughter of a fat man is heard.
muffled. as though it were sounding inside a barrel. After
a moment. His Eminence. amused. worldly. emerges from #3 with
considerable fuss. He supports himself on the arm of the
ABBOT who is an elderly. white-haired man. slender. dry.
obedient. rather like an officer on an army general staff.
The_CARDINAL laughs. talks and coughs all at once to the
ABBOT. Then he crosses 00 while the ABBOT stays L.)

CARDINAL. Priceless. you know. But just suppose one of
your flock--up there should become deranged...as pri-
soners do...Suppose he could no longer stand captivity
and ran off screaming and carrying on. and came banging
through the wardrobe into your room. perhaps when you
are sitting with the Gestapo chief. (Sits on unit UC.)
Might be somewhat ticklish. (The idea amuses him as
much as it horrifies him. He gives a rather anxious.
questioning laugh.)

ABBOT. (Smiling.) No fear of that. Your Eminence. Besides.
' the Germans know quite well that I have the place full
of deserters. full of Communists. Jews. royalists.
They respect the peace of the cloister. (Sits on unit
L.) Your visit has brought a wonderful serenity. a
new and benificent atmosphere. into our refuge.

CARDINAL. (Rises and crosses LC to ABBOT. Touohed.) I
suppose. Father General. that a good many of the Jews
(Hepoints to the ceiling.) will be converted to the
faith. you know. '

ABBOT. A happy outcome. Your Eminence.

CARDINAL. (Crosses to unit C.) Herr Hitler will no more
dare to touch the monasteries of Rome than touch our
Chief. He is_much too shrewd to offer—the world any
such spectacle. Although the Germans know that many

a monastery harbors a secret radio station...thez under-
ggand what lines they must not cross.
(A MONK enters #1 and holds UR. The ABBOT rises.)

MONK. Your Eminence. Father Riccardo asks to be received
at once. accompanied by an officer of the SS. May I...

_ ®

145

CARDINAL.‘ (Both curious and vexed.) Riccardo Fontana?
Oh. certainly. by all means. Don't let me be in your
way. (He strides rather angrily back and forth but
cannot quite make up his mind to leave.)

ABBOT.A (Moves C.) Bring them in. Brother. Father Riccardo.
Your Eminence. has urged me several times to speak to
His Holiness concerning...

CARDINAL. (Crosses onto D. Offended and irritated.). Yes.
that is Ricoardo's everlasting subject. Six months ago.
at the fall of Stalingrad. I had to remove him from
Berlin because he was taking too much into his own
hands. What is he doing back here in Rome? His place
of work is Lisbon. He's spoiled because of his father's
‘pggition._you know. and the Chief_makes a_pet of him. ——

(RICCARDO and GERSTEIN enter #1 in a furor.)

RICCARDO. (Crosses RC by unit. GERSTEIN stays UR.) This
is how far we've let things drift. As of this evening
Jews are being arrested right here in Rome!

(He sees the CARDINAL and gives a start of great alarm.)

Your Eminence! (He goes up to him and bends over the
ring.

ABBOT. (Crosses C and sits on unit C.) What did you say?
Frightful!

CARDINAL. Well. well. Riccardo. Has the Nuncio sent you
here from Lisbon? And who is this officer?

(He goes up to GERSTEIN. who makes a low bow. is very con-
strained and suspicious.)

RICCARDO. (Quickly.) This. Your Eminence. is our liaison
man in the SS leadership. Best for us not to bother
with his name. It was he who first asked the secretary
of Bishop Preysing to describe the gassing in Poland

to the Holy See. (Angrily.) That is now more than a
year ago...

CARDINAL. (Quite cordially. extends his hand to GERSTEIN.)
Oh. indeed. we thank you. sir. We were terribly shocked'
to hear it. (Crosses to GERSTEIN.) God will reward
you for having done such a service to the victims. you
know; But. Riccardo. what did you Just say? Arrests

1&6

in Rome? (Crosses C near.ABBOT. Uncertain. irritated
and indignant.) My dear Father General. we felt certain
they would not arrest the Jews right here in Rome.
(Crosses DC. Nervously.) Let's hope that most by now
have managed to get over to the Allies.

CERSTEIN. (Crosses in to ABBOT. C. Concerned.) May I
ask you. Monsignore. to make sure that--that no other
German beside myself comes in here now...

' ABBOT. No need to be concerned. No one will see you here.
At this time of the night none of your associates ever
visit me.

GERSTEIN. (Breaks UC. Sardonically.) Associates...Non-
signore. I only wear the same uniform.

ABBOT. (Crosses to him. With sympathy.) I know; I' ve
already heard about you--although. you needn' t fear.
I wasn t told your name... (He exits #1.)

RICCARDO. Insistently.) Your Eminence. we now have come
to this. A manhunt for citizens of Rome underneath
the windows of His Holiness: (Crosses to CARDINAL.)
Will no action be taken even now. Your Eminence?

CARDINAL. (Moves R below B. Guilty. he is. therefore.

* highly offended.) Action hg§,been taken. Riccardo.
(With emphasis.) We have given asylum to unbaptized
Jews as well. (Crosses up to GERSTEIN. attempting to
change the direction of the conversation.) You Germans.
Yes. you frightful Germans. I' m so fond of you. you
know. and the Chief is too. but why won't you stop

that business with the Jews.~ You're absolutely forcing
us. you know. (Crosses R.) you' re forcing the Pope
publicly to take note of these crimes.

RICCARDO. (Crosses DR to B.) God be thanked: At last he
DUSte e e

CARDINAL. (Crosses to RICCARDO and speaks sharply to him.
RICCARDO receives the rebuke with a sardonic air.) I
will not have that. Father Fontana: Are you so limited
as not to see that any anathema against Hitler by the
Curia will become a fanfare of victory for the Bol-
sheviks? Mr. Stalin is marching on Kiev. (Crosses DR
on A.) Hitler' s summer offensive has been a total
failure...

1&7

GBRSTEIN.- (Crosses to him LC. Firmly.) Your Eminence.
in my fatherland Hitler is a very popular man. I
love many Germans who will die when the Red Army
marches in. Presumably I too will be killed--and
nevertheless...

CARDINAL. (Desperate in his attempt at subterfuge.) And
nevertheless! (Crosses to edge of platform.) Surely
you are not a Communist--do you really want the Red
Army to come? Can't you imagine what will happen:
altars pillaged. priests murdered. women ravished?

GERSTEIN. (Brutally.) Yes, Your Eminence. there will be
grim scenes. Like an apocalypse. (Crosses to above
unit C.) And yet--the wildest band of soldiers cannot
wreak more outrages in a convent dormitory than the
atrocities that Hitler's lawyers. doctors. and SS men
have been practicing for years.

CARDINAL. (Haplessly.. because he has been caught out. )
The smoke of the crematoria has blinded you to the fact
that there must be an alternative to conquest of the
territories by the Red.Army. Stalin' s entry into Ber-
lin. (Crosses UR.) why. dear God. that is a price
Europe cannot. that Europe dare gg$.pay!

GERSTEIN. (Crosses URC.) But Russia has never threatened
the West as gravely as Hitler threatened it. He would
have subjugated all of EurOpe had not his march to
Moscow brought Russia into the fight. EurOpe has been
saved by Russia.

CARDINAL. The Chief himself. has never called for a crusade
against Russia. (Crosses to RICCARDO.) Riccardo. I
.understand your deep distress. But you've seen that
the Holy See is doing what it can.

RICCARDO. (Cornering him.) Your Eminence. those are the,
lucky few. a handful among millions. who reach the ‘
gate of a monastery. And if the Rape grants them a
hiding place. he only does what many private persons
are doing for the persecuted.. But Yourquinence. the
doctor or the businessman. the workingman who gives
asylum to a Jew. risks beheading. What does the Pope
risk?

(The ABBOT re-enters #1 and holds UR.)

CARDINAL. (Moves to C. Strives to suppress his irritation.’
which is rising again.) Riccardo. arrests in Rome

1&8

change everything. indeed. The Chief will now speak
as other bishops did. (After a pause.) Would you not
prefer. for your protection to stay here in this house.
Herr Gerstein? (Crosses up to GERSTEIN.)

ABBOT.» I can guarantee you our protection as long as no
bombs fall upon the monastery.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses R. Coldly.) Your Eminence--Monsignore--
I'm deeply touched. But I have a family I cannot leave
alone in Germany. '

CARDINAL. (Deliberately ignoring GERSTEIN'S tone of voice.)
God protect you. and your family as well! Let us pray
for the persecuted. (Anxious to leave. starts out #1.)
I'll find my way out alone. Please stay here with your
guests... (To the group.) Till we meet again!

ABBOT. RICCARDO. GERSTEIN. (Simultaneously.) Your Eminence.

CARDINAL. Goodbye. (He starts off with the MONK. stops.
then. unable to suppress his true concern any longer.
turns to speak to GERSTEIN.) One more question in
haste. dear sir. I ask not out of curiosity but despair.
A good many visitors who come here are prone to talk of
a German rebellion against Hitler... (Moves URC.) What
is there to it? Anything at all?

GERSTEIN. (Sadly.) Alas. Your Eminence. a few defenseless
people--pastors. socialists. Communists. Jehovah's wit-
nesses--yes. In September they hanged one hundred
eighty in a single day.. The women were beheaded...
(Crosses C and sits.) It is a hopeless struggle.

CARDINAL. (Agitated and very sympathetic.) Women too!
Women. you say! Oh.Blessed Virgin aid them! What
about the military? London speaks of generals. you
know. (Crosses C to GERSTEIN.) Could these officers
carry the people with them-g?

GERSTEIN. I do not believe that army officers are ready
to sacrifice themselves. Not the German but the Russian
army will dispose of Hitler.

CARDINAL. (With a wan smile.) Unless Hitler does it him-'
self. you know. (Starts out #1 again.) I thank you.
Good night. gentlemen.

(The.ABBOT accompanies the CARDINAL to the door. on the
other side of which the MONK appears. The CARDINAL goes

1&9

out with him. The.ABBOT returns and speaks to RICCARDO.
who is standing in the center of the room with an air of
hopelessness.)

ABBOT. (Moves RC.) Hitler will now discover what it costs
tc.provcke the Holy Father.

(RICCARDO does not reply at once.)

GERSTEIN. (Cross DR onto A.) Monsignore. are you certain
that he will now intervene? ' '

ABBOT. .Absolutely. Aren't you, Riccardo?

RICCARDO. I am not so certain. Suppose the Pope does what
he always does--I mean. does nothing. (Suddenly alarmed.)
Father General. what will we do then?

ABBOT. (Automatically.) Obey. As we must. You know that.

RICCARDO. (Rises and crosses DC. Defiantly. ) That would
be too easy! Look at him--a German officer! If he
were not disobedient. breaking his oath. he would be
a murderer. And what about us? (Moves to unit C.
Urgently. trying to persuade the ABBOT.) You have saved
the lives of hundreds. Father General.

ABBOT. The Pope gave me means to do so. Don't forget that.
Riccardo. -

RICCARDO. (Crosses R.) Your rescue work has not imposed
the slightest sacrifice upon the Pope. aside from the
financial one. nor even the merest shadow of a risk...
(Crosses URC to the ABBOT.) .And you. as I know you.
cannot stand idly by when tomorrowb-right here-~they
load victims into cattle cars...

ABBOT. (Breaks L. Shocked.) Good God! A priest cannot
use firearms!

RICCARDO. (Softly. almostto himself.) No. but he can go.
along. He can go with.them.

GERSTEIN. (He does not suspect how long this idea has
preoccupied RICCARDO.) That would be utterly senselesS!

ABBOT. .And would not save a single Jew. not one.

RICCARDO. (Still to himself.) No. not a Jew. But one's
own superiors.

150

GERSTEIN. (Crosses RC on platform toward RICCARDO. Firmly.)
The SS would never permit an Italian priest to accom-
pany the deportees. That would be far too interesting
a matter for Allied propaganda.

RICCARDO. What if the priest himself is Jewish. (Crosses
UL onto D.) I still have the star of David that
Jacobson gave to me. I'd need only to let myself be
seen with that. and I would be arrested.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to unit C. Aghast.) But Riccardo--
you would not be treated as a priest. You would be
gassed like any Jew!

ABBOT. (Frightened and also vexed.) Burn the star and the
passport. You are simply courting disaster!

RICCARDO. Then what are we to do if the Pope does not
protest? '

(Silence. The ABBOT sits on unit L and makes a helpless
gesture. Silence.)

RICCARDO. Nothing? Nothing at all?

ABBOT. (Hesitantly. because he feels that he must suggest
something.) In individual cases offer help--as we are
doing now.

RICCARDO. And look on? No. Reverend Father. that is--
that cannot be your final word. (Crosses URC.) To
look on idly when tomorrow morning our fellow citizens
are loaded aboard cattle cars. Are E2 to stand by and
(He gives a sudden laugh.) wave our handkerchiefs to
them? That is. if the kind Germans permit. (He laughs
again. Then he speaks with rhetorical shifts of tone
as his irony and his arguments rise to their climax.)
And then--then we go home? And sit down to some jour-
nal. to read about the excavations in St. Peter's?
(Crosses DLC.) And then on Sunday we ring the bells
and celebrate our Mass--so filled with sacred thoughts.
that nothing. surely. tempts us to consider those who
at that very moment in.Auschwitz are being driven naked
into the gas.

ABBOT. (Wearily and with anguish.) God in Heaven. what
remains for us to do?

(Silence. Then RICCARDO erupts suddenly-~horrified.)

151

RICCARDO. Doing nothing is as bad as taking part. It
is--I don't knew-~perhaps it is less forgivable.
(Crosses to ABBOT. Screams.) We are priests! God

can forgive a hangman for such work. but not a priest.
not the Pepe!

(Silente. Then he continues. speaking more calmly. cal-
culatingly. objectively.)

You see as well as I. Father General. You must see
that the silence of the Pepe imposes a guilt upon the

‘ Church for which we must atone. (Crosses UL on D.)
And Since the Pepe can actually represent God on earth.
I...if need be (GERSTEIN understands and attempts to ~
still him. RICCARDO goes on undeterred.) can also

' represent the Pepe (Steps up on E.) where the Pepe
ought to be standing today.

ABBOT. (Rises and crosses to C. More shocked than out-
raged.) Riccardo. I shall keep ycur--your accusation.
which is monstrous. like a secret of the confessional.

RICCARDO. (Unmoved.) Perhaps this very night. maybe to-
morrow. he will at last fulfill the obligation he has
long since had as spokesman of Christendom. Otherwise--
otherwise one of our number must go along from Rome.
And if in doing so he dies...

GERSTEIN. Yes. he will die! He will be gassed and burned...

RICCARDO. (Crosses to ABBOT'S R. Undeterred.) Perhaps
this flame which will extinguish him. if only God
looks on this penance with His grace. perhaps...

ABBOT. Riccardo!

RICCARDO. (With intense emotion.) ...perhaps it will
annihilate as well the guilt of our superior.
ABBOT. Not another syllable. Why. that is-- E(Crosses C

between unit and platform.) You must not blame the
Pope.

-RICCARDO. (Shaken.) Father General. the portrait of this
Pope. Cardinal Paccelli has hung above my bed since I
was twelve years old. On his account I entered the
priesthood. much as my...my mother begged me not to.

I will spend the rest of the night praying that I
misjudged the Pope. that by tomorrow evening he will

152

have had the arrested families released--(Crosses UR.)
[:3 I'll pray for that. I am afraid. (Very softly. almost
inaudibly.) I have such horror of the camp. .

(RICCARDO exits #1. After a moment. the ABBOT crosses to
the altar to offer a silent prayer. GERSTEIN starts to fol-
low after RICCARDO. stops. and joins the ABBOT at the altar.
The change.of scene is made as the two men bow their heads
in prayer. The prayer done. both rise and exit in separate
directions. This signals the start of Scene Two.)

SCENE TWO

(In the Papal Palace. The stage is divided into a diagonal
so that the action can switch. without interruption. from
the Papal Palace to LOTHAR LUCCANI' S apartment. to German
headquarters in Rome.

(The CARDINAL and FONTANA enter #1 and cross a.)

CARDINAL. (With some malace.) The Chief is so-miffed.
you know. whenever his services as mediator are re-
jected. He is so fond of writing letters to Mr. '
Roosevelt with nothing in them.

FONTANA. (Impetueusly.) He should write to Hitler. Your
Eminence! Outrageous--what that scoundrel dares to do
to the Jews--even here in Rome.

CARDINAL. Do you think Herr Hitler has any idea how that
rabble of his are behaving here?

FONTANA. (Coldly.) At least it saves our honor that the
Pepe has protested at last. I heard about it early
this morning from the confidant my son has in the SS.

CARDINAL. (Extremely surprised. in fact. alarmed.) Pro-
tested? The Chief most certainly did not protest.
Count!

FONTANA. (Surprised and disturbed.) But he did! This
morning he... -

CARDINAL. (Steps toward #3.) Here he comes. No. I know H
nothing about it.

(3§(The POPE enters #1. swiftly. As first His Holiness appears
only as an intense white gleam. The CARDINAL. then FONTANA.

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153

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15b

kiss the ring. The CARDINAL rises first: the POPE gra-
ciously raises the Count to his feet and draws him close
sand still closer to his cold. smiling face. After the
Holy Father's first words--he begins discussing affairs
‘without preamble--FONTANA gradually_withdraws a few steps
C. and the CARDINAL. DL. His Holiness more and more turns
to the ' . finally speaking almost exclusively to him.
After a while he seats himself on the throne. and cleans
his glasses while sitting there.

POPE. Dear Fontana: We are pleased to receive you. to .
hear your advice and that of Our venerable brother as
well--for We are filled with burning concern for Italy's
factories. Every enterprise stands in imperative need
of protection. But the White House will now be chary
of provoking Us once more. We have declared with ut-
most firmness that We. as bishop of this city. as '
spokesman for five hundred million Catholics who look
toward Saint Peter will protest vigorously--and without
delay. (Plaintively.) Yet the bombings of armaments
plants is legitimate by the laws of war. (Sits.) You
have recommended to Us. Count Fontana. that We invite

the men around Roosevelt. industrialists and generals
in the UeSeeee

FONTANA. .And also in London. Your Holiness.

POPE. Yes. very we11--to purchase securities. But how
will you persuade influential financiers. Count. to

take Shares in Italy's industries which are in such
peril?

-FONTANA. (Crosses RC on B.) Good securities. the best we
have. are as desirable as ever. Your Holiness. I am
thinking principally of securities held by the Society
of Jesus. (Crosses R by unit. Insisting.) Something
must be done. Your Holiness. Otherwise the Order's
mines in Tuscany will be bombed. I must be permitted

to ask the Jesuits to sell securities of Idria and
Monte.Amiata...

/

POPE. At a loss?

FONTANA. .Not at a loss. (Sits.) The patres. after all.
acquired the securities mostly at face value: they
will still realize a profit.

POPE. (After a pause.) Try it. You may try. Fontana.
(Rises and crosses C. feeling quite expansive.) For

(Hi
son
TA):
spa

CA)

155

Our feelings go out toward the families of the pro-
letarians whom the destruction of the factories. and.
above all. of the mines. would reduce to even greater
poverty and still worse. radicalism-- (Crosses URC.)
they would become anarchists--dreadful to conceive.

(His Eminence. although he is at home here. is more imper-
sonal than he was on the occasion of his visits to FON-
TANA' S house and to the monastery; he is quieter and more
sparing of word and gesture.)

CARDINAL. (Sincerely bothered.) Thank God the Germans
are still in the country; they won't permit a strike
or indolence. you know. But what will happen when
their troops withdraw?

POPE. (Revealing his distaste.) Then we shall have Ameri-
' cans here. Eminence. We intend to receive the President's
envoy this afternoon. (Crosses ULC. ) But unfortunately
Mr. Taylor in his interviews with Us keeps reverting to
Mr. Roosevelt's plea that we condemn Hitler' s atrocities.
It was not the Germans who bombed San Lorenzo! The.
Germans saved every book and every parchment from Monte
Cassino and brought them safely to the Castle of St.
Angelo. (Fretfully.) Then Mr. Roosevelt's bombers
came along and reduced the place of peace to dust and
rubble. (Crosses L.) All the more tactless of the
Germans new to carry off the Jews of Rome as well.

(With great indignation.) Have you heard about that.
Count...Eminence? It is extremely bad behavior!

FONTANA. Rome is shocked. Your Holiness.
CARDINAL. (Moves UC.) Yes. a wicked outrage. you knew!

FONTANA. (Crosses C to POPE.) Permit me. Your HolineSs--
on behalf also of those Isrealites who have sought re-
fuge in my house. to express most heartfelt gratitude
for...

POPE. (Crosses in at DONIANA. Full of kindness and with
spontaneous cordiality.) Why. my dear Fontana. it is
only natural that We will do all in the power that God
has given Us to aid. as always. the unfortunates.
(Breaks DR on.A. )

FONTANA. It is veritable salvation that Your Holiness has
new so vigorously threatened to take a public stand.
(The POPE turns toward FONTANA. FONTANA crosses to POPE.)

156

May I ask in all humility whether the German City
Commandant has in any way reacted yet?

(The POPE looks at the CARDINAL with suspicion and incom-
prehension. then at. FONTANA.)

CARDINAL. (Crosses DC.) The German commandant? Reacted
to what?

POPE. (Suspiciously.) Reacted? But to what. Count?

FONTANA. (Rather uncertainly; he already suspects what
is to follow.) Why. I heard from my son. you see.
that early this morning BishOp Hudal warned the German‘
commandant that Your Holiness would make a protest.

POPE. (Sharply.) The Bishop warned? In Our name! Your
Eminence. did you empower Hudal to speak in the name of
the Holy See or even in Our name?

CARDINAL. (Crosses ULC.) God is my witness. Your Holiness!
I have just this moment heard about the protest for
the first time from the Count here.

FONTANA. (Nervously.) I do not know the wording. (Breaks
R.) Perhaps the Bishop did not make a protest in the
name of His Holiness. but only announced that a state-
ment from the Holy Father was to be expected. My son
says e e e

POPE. (Very angrily.) Your son. Count Fontanan-where is
your son? Does he not belong in Lisbon?

CARDINAL. (Alarmed. dutifully.) He is expecting me down-
stairs. in the Secretariat of State. Your Holiness.

POPE. (Crosses to CARDINAL. Extremely annoyed.) Have him
come up! We wish to be informed how it is he ventures.
as a member of the Foreign Office. constantly to inter-
fere in these affairs. (CARDINAL exits #3.) The Jews
and the Germans are matters for the two Jesuit fathers
whom We have specially appointed for that purpose.

/
FONTANA. (Cresses to POPE.) Your Holiness. I ask for-
giveness for my son. He was an eyewitness in Berlin
when the Nazis threw Jewish children onto trucks...

POPE. (Angrily waves that aside.) Eyewitness! Count. a
diplomat must see many things and hold his peace. Your

15?

son has no disCipline. (Crosses UR.) As long ago as
July of last year the Nuncio in Pressburg learned that
Jews were being gassed in his district. Has he run
.away from Pressburg for that reason? No. he goes on
doing his duty. and behold: he managed to arrange that
no more Jews are to be sent away. Whoever wants to
help must not provoke Hitler. (Crosses to FONTANA.)
Secretly. as our two Jesuit fathers. silently. cunning
as serpents-~that is how the SS must be met. We have
hidden hundreds of Jews in Rome. Have issued thousands
of passports! Herr Hitler is no longer dangerous.

FONTANA. (With agitation.) But after all. the Nuncio
in Pressburg did succeed in saving. by his protests.
the lives of countless victims. without incurring the
reprisals of the murderers.

POPE. Remember Our last Christmas message: one single
plea for brotherly love. What was the end result?
(Crosses onto A to throne.) The murderers ignored it.

FONTANA. (Crosses UC.) Your Holiness. I too was sadly
disappointed that it remained without effect. (Care-
fully.) However. in that message Your Holiness did
not. unfortunately. mention the Jews expressis verbis—-
nor. I might add. the terror bombings of cpen cities.
(Crosses to U of A.) It seems to me that anything
addressed to Hitler and to Churchill requires words
so blunt as not to be misunderstood.

(RICCARDO enters #3 with the CARDINAL. who holds DL. The
POPE meets him C and RICCARDO kneels to kiss the ring.
RICCARDO is constrained because he assumes that the POPE has
issued his protest after all. and therefore feels that he
gravely misunderstood him last night. The POPE smiles.)

POPE. We are delighted with you. Riccardo. and contemplate
your zeal with affection. He who defends the parse-
cuted. always speaks as We would wish.‘ (Crosses back
on A.) But--We have just heard with dismay that you
or BishOp Hudal in Our name has protested the arrest
of the Jews. Is that so?

IIICCARDO. (Rises and. still not understanding. speaks
very politely.) I? No. Your Holiness. I heard from
my liaison man in the SS that Your Holiness through
Bishop Hudal has threatened to protest.

POPE. (Crosses to him off platform. Angered.) What have
you arrogated to yourself--to conspire with the SS?

158

CARDINAL. (Malignantly.) The Holy Father. you know. has
just heard of his alleged statement.

POPE. (Steps DLC to CARDINAL.) I am Speaking to him.
Eminence! -

RICCARDO. (Crushed. steps to his father. but does not
lower his voice.) So--after all--nothing whatsoever
has been done! (He still cannot believe it.) But
Your Holiness did threaten a protest. I do not under-
stand.... (POPE returns to throne. RICCARDO has under-
stood. however. He speaks passionately. almost crying
out. He crosses to the foot of B.) Your Holiness. the
Jews are being shipped out. murdered!

CARDINAL. Be still! (FONTANA moves UR.)

POPE. (Smiling.) Why. no. Your Eminence... (Crosses to
RICCARDO. moves him to DC unit and sits him.) God
bless you. Riccardo. Speak. your heart is good. Only
you must not negotiate with the SS. Hold yourself back!
(Cresses back to throne.) At your age modesty honors
one.

RICCARDO. I am concerned for the honor of the Holy See.
for that is dear to me....

FONTANA. Riccardo! (FONTANA moves RC by B to the POPE.
'who sits.) '

RICCARDO. Suppose. I said. suppose the Pope does what he
always does. does nething--what will we do then?

(All but RICCARDO freeze.)

(The apartment of a young teacher. DR. LOTHAR LUCCANI.
LUCCANI'S apartment on the street side affords a reassuring
view of the Papal Palace opposite. with His Holiness's
living quarters on the fourth floor. Thus this scene bears
out what Herr von Weizsacker. by then Ambassador of the
German Reich to the Papal See. reported to Berlin on Oc-
‘ tober 17: that "the incident took place. as it were. under

the Pope's windows."

® (LUCCANI. LOTHAR and JULIA enter #1. LUCCANI goes to
D, LOTHAR. R. with luggage and JULIA remains UR at #1.)

JULIA. The Germans have been in Rome for weeks. 'No Jew
has been arrested yet. Why should it be today?

159

LOTHAR. (Vehemently.) Why! Why! Because the orders have
just been given new. The gold was not enough for them.
They've already looted the synagogues. Now it's our
turn. (Crosses L.) Do you still not believe the reports
from London? Whenever the Russians recapture their
territory. they come across mass graves filled with
murdered civilians. Jews.

LUCCANI SR. (Irritably lays down the newspaper and speaks
very firmly.) I know the Germans better than you. I
don't believe these fables. (Sits on E.) Who was it
shot the five thousand officers in Katyn-Forest--the
Germans or the Russians?

LOTHAR. (Crosses C.) I don’t know. They're both capable
of it. At any rate. German ammunition was found in
the bodies.

LUCCANI SR. That proves nothing. The Germans exhumed the
Polish victims--a Sign that they were in the clear.
Stalin killed them--just as six years ago he killed his
own General Staff.

JULIA. (Leaving the basket. crosses to LUCCANI. ) Please.
Grandfather. have you two nothing else to talk about?
We're not in Poland here. (Confident. ) The Pope is
right_beside us; with him there. no one is going to
come and take us away. (Gestures towardfthe POPE.)
The Holy Father doesn't have to quail before Hitler.

LUCCANI SR. (Tenderly.) It will pass--it cannot last ,
much longer. The Allies are already at the Volturno.

LOTHAR. (Again vehemently.) My dear. my dear. you place
your hopes in the Pope. Grandfather in the Americans--
and I. I hope for nothing at all. (Crosses R.) If
only the monastery gate were closed behind us now...

(A German staff sergeant of the Waffen-SS and two Italians

of the Fascist Militia swarm into the room. entering #1.

The sergeant' 5 name is WITZEL. The MILITIAMEN cross URC
and WITZEL holds UR.)

FIRST'MILITIAMAN. (With the list.) Doctor Lothar Luccani?
Wife Julia. Yen are going to a labor camp. (LUCCANI '
, rises.) Pack up. quick!

LOTHAR. (Completely resigned. crosses UC to JULIA and
speaks softly to her.) Too late.

160

(WITZEL gives LOTHAR such a brutal push that he lurches far
back into the room.)

WITZEL. (Crosses UC. MILITIAMAN counters UR.) Get busy--
pack up your stuff. (Louder. paying no attention to
the old man.) You've get ten minutes. or at least five.
(Pushes LOTHAR down. JULIA goes to him.) 'Pack. get
moving. avanti!

LUCCANI SR. (Crosses to WITZEL and speaks with great re-
solution.) We are Catholics. are all baptized. You
have no right to arrest us. Where is your order?

WITZEL. (Amiably.) Where is your Jew star? Catholic. eh!
I used to be Catholic too. You' ll get over it. Ten
minutes time. because you're Catholic. (He steps toward
LOTHAR and JULIA.)

LOTHAR. (Attempting to hide his fear.) My father is a
visitor here. He has been a Catholic for decades.
And you do not have him on your list. either. Leave
him here or you will have a great deal of trouble with
the Vatican. .

WITZEL. (Crosses to R of LOTHAR and JULIA.) He doesn't
have to complain to the Pope. he can make his complaint
direct to God.Almighty--the old man will see him soon
enough. (Crosses to LUCCANI.) Those who can't work
are given extra-dgiven special treatment. (Breaks L.)
Fifty pounds of baggage per Yid--and nothing but
clothes and eats. Everything else left behind--and
hurry up about it-- (Turns and looks at them.) get
moving-~avanti! Stop--one more little thing. (Crosses
to JULIA and picks her up.) Let's see yOur hands--
You-~there. the ring. take your rings off. Jewelry

is to be confiscated. (Pushes JULIA L and crosses LC.)
Off with them!

(LOTHAR begins to draw his wedding ring off his finger with
some difficulty; his father and JULIA have not yet reacted.)

.LO’fliAR. (With bitter irony.) The wedding rings might

hamper us at "work." Do you happen to have a warrant
to rob us? '

WITZEL. Rob? Don't get fresh. (Crosses to U of LOTHAR. )

Time' 5 run out for you anyhow. so hand over your watches--
come on. your watch.

(WITZEL turns to LUCCANI SR. who is sitting as if he were
witnessing some incomprehensible happening on another planet.

151

motionless. his stunned eyes wide open. his hands resting
on his slightly spread knees. He seems almost unconscious
as he lets his pocket watch with its golden chain and his
two wedding rings be taken from him. The rings are pulled
violently from.his fingers rather than eased off.)

Time to go. No earrings. eh. .Good. Ready. (Crosses
L to grab JULIA.) Come on.

LUCCANI SR. (Crosses UC. LOTHAR rises and he and JULIA
pick up their luggage.) Where are we going? -

WITZEL. We're going straight to Heaven. right straight to
God Almighty.

13
- (All exit #1. WITZEL last.
(Back in the Papal Palace.)

CARDINAL. (Crosses C. With a glance at the POPE.) Have
you never heard that we have set up whole bureaus.
solely in order to help. to rescue. (Turns to RICCARDO.)
It seems to me that we have several times discussed that
very matter. haven't we?

RICCARDO. (More and more losing his self-control) Such
assistance reaches only some Jews in Italy. Your Eminence.
That too has been discussed often enough. (He turns to
the POPE.) But the terror rages in the other countries!
In Poland alone. one million eight hundred thousand Jews
have already been slaughtered! God cannot wish.Your
Holiness to ignore it!

CARDINAL. (Crosses to RICCARDO. Indignantly.) Leave at
once! (Breaks DL.) Count. say something to your son...

(During RICCARDO'S last words the POPE has risen. Then he
sits down again. A moment passes before he is able to speak.
with utmost effort.)

POPE. "Ignore!" We do not intend to account for Our actions

to Riccardo Fontana. (Rises and crosses to RICCARDO on
B. With mounting bitterness. attempting to change the
subject.) Do you know; for example. my young man. that
‘weeks ago we were already prepared to help the threatened
-Jews of Rome out of their predicament with gold. consid-
erable gold. Hitler's bandits offered the Jews freedom
for a ransom. They attempted to extort from Us a sum

- that was no longer realistic. Nevertheless We would
have paid it!

152

RICCARDO. (Turns aghast. to his father. Speaks softly
to the POPE.) Then Your Holiness has already known--
for weeks--what the SS here intend to do to the Jews?
(Crosses C.) For the past 3 months. ever since Rome
has been occupied by the Germans. I have hoped that
the Vatican and the SS would come together in a bloody
clash. Instead the most ghastly thing of all is hap—
pening-- (Crosses DC and sits.)

(All freeze but RICCARDO.)

(The headquarters of the Gestapo in Rome. SALZER enters
#3 and crosses to E where he sits. WITZEL enters #1. clicks
heels and salutes URC.)

WITZEL. Lieutenant-~I can report the operation completed.
eleven hundred and twenty-seven arrests.

SALZER. (Beginning to pull on his boots.) Pretty scanty.
Rome used to have eight thousand Jews. All skipped
out to the South. to join the Yanks-~well. let them
feed them. I said right off it wasn't worth the
trouble. -

WITZEL. And hundreds more are holing up in monasteries. .

. We grabbed thirty of them just as they tried to slip'
away. (Crosses C.) Our Italians from the mobile bat-
talion wouldn't mind taking a look inside these men-
asteries. We know for sure that out of every hundred
monks. twenty at least are fakes.

SALZER. (With rising impatience. He is fiercely self-
righteous. and all the more autocratic toward sub-
ordinates. the more uncertain he is of his position.
He rises and crosses to WITZEL.) Witzel. you're
crazy as a loan. Why not liquidate the Pope too.
while you are about it. Can t you get it through
your head: (Shouting.) we aren't in the Ukraine
here. (Threatening.) Witzel. you're responsible to
me! You'll be aboard the next train to the Eastern
front if you don't see to it that these idiotic

-Fascisti behave themselves. These avanti satellites
of ours are always such brave boys when-the enemy are
civilians. (Crosses URC. Firmly.) No Catholics
are to be offended. get it?

WITZEL. Sure. I know that. but we have to...

SALZER. (Crosses RC. .Screaming.)- Did you or didn't you
hear what I just said? .

163

WITZEL. (Cowed.) Yes sir. very well. sir.

SALZER. (Calmly.) All right. (Crosses ULC on D.) What
else did you want to say?

WITZEL. (Confused.) That we've stuck straight to the
liSts from Mussolini. Of course lots of the young fry
weren't on them. And so on. I mean. for instance.
(Crosses LC.) if somebody happened to be visiting...
naturally he wouldn't be on the list. But they're all
Jews. guaranteed. Only some of them get fresh and
started threatening us with the Church because they're
Catholic. Some say by birth and all that.

SALZER. (Turns on WITZEL.) What's that you're yammering.
idiot! You Should've told me that last night. Then
I would have had a reason to call off the whole stupid
mess. Arresting Catholics in Rome--man._I... (Per-
plexed. speaks in a lower voice. Crosses C.) maybe
some of them really aren't Jews!

WITZEL. (Crosses to SALZER. Cautiously.) But. Lieu-
tenant. you couldn't have checked on that. How can
you tell which of them is lying.

SALZER. (Resigned.) All right. Witzel. it's my mistake.
I Shouldn't have trusted your intelligence. (Crosses
ULC onto D.) Go to the photographer and pose for a
hero's picture--you dummox! Witzel. for weeks you've
seen me negotiating here-~did you ever see me negoti-
ating with priests in Poland?

WITZEL. (Abashed.) No. sir.

SALZER. Never thought of it did you--why. here in Rome.
I have to put up with that black crew. that Jesuit
priest. coming to see me every goddamn minute about
setting some louse we were lucky to catch at liberty
again? Never gave it a thought. did you?

WITZEL. Yes. sir. I did. certainly.

SALZER. (Crosses to WITZEL.) In five minutes I want you
to bring up to me all of those bastards in Cell One
who claim they are Catholics. Get it?

WITZEL. (Crosses URC.) Yessir.

SALZER. One more thing. Double the rations for that bunch
today. Once we have them safely across the Brenner. t

16b

we'll cut the rations down again. And no beatings.
and enough fresh air in the cellars. understand?
(Crosses to D and puts one foot up. Freezes.)

( WITZEL. Yessir. (Exits #1.)

@RICCARDO. (Rises and crosses C toward SALZER.) Instead
the most ghastly thing of all is happening. They are
not even jarring one another. They live together har-
moniously in the Eternal City. '

(The freeze breaks in the Papal Palace.)

FONTANA. Your Holiness. may I ask in all humility:
(Crosses to RICCARDO.) Warn Hitler that you compel
five hundred million Catholics to make Christian pro-
test if he goes on with these mass killings!

POPE. (Crosses down on B. RC. He senses that he must answer
this seasoned adviser to the point. He is embarrassed.
vexed; he speaks as if he has frequently explained the
matter.) Fontana! An adviser of your insight! How
bitter that you too misunderstand Us. Do you not see
that disaster looms for Christian EurOpe unless God
makes Us. the Holy See. the mediator? The hour is dark.
(Cresses UR.) To be sure We know they will not touch
the Vatican. But what of Our ships out in the world.
which We must steer? Poland. all of the Balkans. even
Austria and Bavaria? Into whose harbors will they sail?
They may easily be shattered by the storms. or else
drift helplessly to land on Stalin's shores. (RICCARDO
crosses DC.) ’Germany today is Hitler. (Crosses URC.)
We expect less than nothing from Hitler's generals who
want to dispose of him. They wanted to act as far back
as the spring of nineteen-forty. And how did they act?
They let Hitler pin decorations on them and smashed all
of Europe into kindling wood. We knew that manner of
men from Our own days in Berlin. (Crosses L to CARDINAL.)
The generals themselves have no opinions. When Hitler
falls. they will all go home...

CARDINAL. .And Stalin would then have an cpen road to
Warsaw. Prague. Vienna-~even to the Rhine. you know.

POPE. (Firmly.) Hitler alone. dear Count. is now defending.
Europe. (Speaks with.a sense of having pondered and
explained the matter many times before.) Since Casa-
blanca reason alone no longer wields the scepter in
the White House. (And Mr. Churchill is too weak.
(Crosses to Count and leads him.to sit in unit R.)

165

Moreover. he too seems unwilling to establish a second
front in the West. He is pleased if the Russians
thoroughly exhaust themselves against the Germans.

and the Germans against the Russians. (Crosses back

to throne. At every word he pounds the arm of the
throne.) And Hitler will fight until he dies because
no pardon awaits a murderer. (Sits.) Nevertheless.
the West should grant him pardon as long as he is use-
ful in the East. In March We publically declared that
We have nothing. nothing at all. to do with the aims
_of Great Britain and the United States.‘ (RICCARDO Sits
DC in disgust.) Let them first come to an accommoda-
tion with Germany. Reasons of state forbid our pillory-
ing Herr Hitler as a bandit.

(All except RICCARDO freeze.)

RICCARDO. A Deputy of Christ who sees these things and
nonetheless permits "reasons of state" to seal his
lips--that Pope-~The victims: does he see them?

(:) Does he truly bring them to his mind?

(Back in Gestapo headquarters in Rome.

(Girl. MANUFACTURER. and LUCCANI enter #1 and line
up C. WITZEL follows and holds UR.)

WITZEL. These are the three from Cell One. sir. Some
more claim they're Catholic. but it doesn't say so in
their papers. It doesn't say so in his either. He
says he's an arms manufacturer. ‘

SALZER. (Crosses URC and then down to Carlotta. the girl.
again. In a low voice.) I see. I see--fine goods
you've packed for me. Man alive. Witzel. it's in-
credible--I' m sending you to the Eastern Front. You
numbskull. you. (CARLOTTA has backed L.) Well. I'll

be damned. Are you always so standoffish when a man
comes near you?

(The girl does not answer. Without warning. SALZER sud-
denly grabs her arm and forces her to her knees. He holds
her in this position for a moment. then. just as quickly.
releases her.)

You don't look the kind. I'll bet you have a boy
friend: He wouldn't be down there in the cellar too?

CARLOTTA. (Coldly.) My fiance was killed in Africa.

166

SALZER. (Embarrassed. speaks roughly and quickly.) Killed?
On the British.side? (Crosses onto D.) A

CARLOTTA. On the German side. of course. He came from
here. from Rome.

SALZERS (Attempting to change the subject.) Since when
is a Jewess here allowed to marry an Italian?

CARLOTTA. That's why I became a Catholic.

SALZER. (Business-like and impersonal.) Since you were
not yet married to this Aryan. by law you are still a
full-blooded Jewess. (Circles URC. then past the line
of deportees to CARLOTTA again.) Your religion does
not matter here. We Germans are tolerant--everybody
can pray as he likes.

CARLOTTA. (Tearfully and hopelessly.) But I would have
been married long ago. and so been half-Aryan by law
if my fiance had not fought and died for Germany!
Please let me go. It's already arranged with the nuns--
on November first I am to enter the convent as a novice.

SALZER. (Lifts her up from the floor and gives her to
WITZEL. Gravely.) Your case is complicated. I can't
decide that right now. Don't touch her. understand?

WITZEL. Yes sir. Commander!

SALZER. (Crosses back up onto E.) Take her back to the
cell. . '

CARLOTTA. (Terrified.) Oh no--please not!
(WITZEL pulls her out #1.)

SALZER. (Sits on E.) By November first it will be all
straightened out.‘ (It can be sensed that SALZER feels
better as soon as he no longer has the girl in sight.)
You baptized Hebrews. show me that you're Catholics.
Hand me your passports.‘

(What follows by no means runs counter to SALZER'S policy
of treating the Jews well as long as they are in Rome. The
"treatment" of the Jews who were arrested in other countries.
aside from some exceptions. could not be represented on any
stage. .
(The man of forty crosses to SALZER and shows him his
passport.) 1

What are you doing here in this office? You aren't
Catholic at all!

167

MANUFACTURER. (Eagerly. as if rehearsed.) I work for
your war industry. .I own large textile factories.
My family is Catholic. Catholic nobility. I was in
town just by chance. They pulled me right out of my
car. I tell you. my arrest will have the greatest re-
percussions.

SALZER. (Angered.) You've got to work like all your
brothers! After all. you're a Jew--I can't do more
than let your family know...

MANUFACTURER. (Eagerly reahces into his wallet and takes
out a notebook.) Please do so. Here. this is the
address. my telephone number. please...

SALZER. (Gives an ugly laugh. snatches the notebook from
the MANUFACTURERS hand and throws it L. MANUFACTURER
crosses to retrieve it. SALZER rises and crosses RC.
Scornfully. ) How are your relatives going to complain
if they don't even know that you have been arrested by
us?

MANUFACTURER. (Frightened.) 'What's'that? But...! Word
gets around that you have arrested us. All Rome and
all of Italy knows by now!

SALZER. (Violating his policy of discretion; ominously.)
If you threaten me. Mr. Manufacturer. Mr. Owner of a

textile factory. why then. you'll simply disappear. for
good and all.

MANUFACTURER. (Loquacious out of fear.) I beg your pardon.
but--since forty-one I have been working for the German
army. My factories...

SALZER. (Crosses to E. Enters fully into his role as
tormentor.) They'll go on working for us. You' re”
going with your fellow Jews...

MANUFACTURER. (Crosses C. away from LUCCANI. Ostentatiously.)
They are not my fellow Jews. have never been. (Crosses
to SALZER. who turns. The MANUFACTURER steps back; his
voice trailing off.) I've nothing in common with the
Jews. My arrest is a mistake which will lead to the
gravest consequences for you!

(SALZER. extnmmly angered since he fears these very conse-
quences. knows that no matter whether and when the POPE pro-
tests. this particular Jew. witness of the events in the
Gestapo cellar. must never again be allowed to open his mouth.)

.-

168

SALZER. (Backs the MANUFACTURER C.) You're threatening
again. If your factories work for the German army.
‘then I suppose you ought to sympathize with our measures
as regards the Jews. Do you have sympathy for'them?

.. (WITZEL enters UR and holds.)

MANUFACTURER. Sympathy. yes. I have long been alienated
from Judaism. For ages. After issuance cf Mussolini's
anti-Jewish laws. (Crosses to WITZEL.)- I promptly--
the fact can easily be verified-~dismissed all the Jews
in my factories who held positions of authority. I
have personal ties with Count Ciano...

SALZER. (Crosses to WITZEL. UC. Amiably.) Who is awaiting
execution in Verona. -

MANUFACTURER. And the Duce himself has always treated me
as an exception.

SALZER. As a good taxpayer?

MANUFACTURER. No. as a good Fascist. I could have left
the country ten times over... ‘

SALZER. (Crosses ULC on D. Pleasantly. playing with him.)
Onge would have been enough.

MANUFACTURER. (Following SALZER.) But I wanted to make
my contribution to the victory of the West over Bol-
shevism. I thought...‘ ,

SALZER. (Growing tired of the game.) Well. well. you do
talk like a book. (Sits on E.) So you regard our
fight as good and just. I take it? And also agree with
our policy of making the Jews responsible for instigating
the war? ’ _

MANUFACTURER. Disturbers of the peace should always be
punished.

SALZER. You put things in very general terms. But I want
to hear a clear declaration: Do you declare yourself
against your people and for Adolf Hitler. who W111
liberate the world from that people?

MANUFACTURER. My conduct in this war has all along re-
presented a clear declaration.

169

SALZER. When a man makes as much money as you are making
out of the war. his work is no declaration of principles.
(Rises.) Stop jawing: Do you favor the extermination
of the Jews. yes or no?

MANUFACTURER. The FEhrer must know what he is doing.
SALZER. Yes or no. damn it--don't waste my time.
MANUFACTURER. Yes.

SALZER. (Crosses to MANUFACTURER and pushes him down to
LUCCANI. ) That sounded very feeble. Here--spit in
this Jew' s mug!

MANUFACTURER. Really now. the old man is Catholic. And he's
done me personally no harm. No!

SALZER. Has he done anything to me personally? Come on.
.spit at him.

MANUFACTURER. No. I won't do it.

SALZER. (Crosses UL on D.) All right. Witzel! Take this
industrialist to his fellow Jews.

WITZEL. (Crosses to MANUFACTURER and starts dragging him
off #1. ) 0' men. get going. into the cellar.

MANUFACTURER. Lieutenant. you'll be called to account for
this by the Duce and the Pepe. Don't you dare...

SALZER. (Turns on him. He is convinced now that he must
destroy the MANUFACTURER.) Threatening again. fellow!
(Crosses to him UR.) You're not even a Catholic--so

‘you owe me every possible proof that in your heart at
least you've overcome the Yid boy that you were. What
else would give me a justifiCation (With extreme cyni-
cism.) for letting you go. Don't imagine that anyone
will look for you here. Peeple forgot other pecple
quickly. (Crosses C.) We are all like matches. spp-
plied inéguantityLkone like the other-«you too. WeTre
taken out of the box, we flicker a little, set fire to
something-~and are tossed away. (Crosses LC.) Nobody
looks to see. (Turns to MANUFACTURER.) If you want
to get out of this fix--good. But by threats! Ridi-
culous. (Crosses LC.) Come on. spit at the old man.
and then you won't have to return to the collar--on
my word of honor. Come on. spit-~that will be a de-
claration! ‘

®B

170

(The man is finished. He realizes that he. too. despite
all his advantages. can actually go out "like a match"

in this place. What happens to him now is not pleasant.
but it is human. After SALZER' S last words. he demurs no
longer; he rapidly brings his hand to his eyes. his face
painfully contorted. and spits at the old man's coat.
WITZEL' S laugh is long and ugly.)

SALZER. Too bad. that would have been a snapshot for the
Stfirmer. All right. take him away. Not to the cellar--
we keep our word. (Crosses back onto E.) We'll put
this gentleman in our dog kennel. ~

(The others laugh again; SALZER does not. WITZEL grabs
the MANUFACTURER.)

MANUFACTURER. (Cries out.) No: You swine:
WITZEL. Get going. to the dogs. Get going. move:

MANUFACTURER. (Stops-UR. He has suddenly regained his
self-control.) To the dogs--yes. (Imploringly. to
LUCCANI.) Forgive me--p1ease forgive me...

(LUCCANI looks silently at him.)

(Desperately.) Please. don't despise me. The fear--
this frightful fear--I am ashamed.

LUCCANI. It no longer touches me. Pray. (Rises and
crosses UC facing off.)

(WITZEL drags the MANUFACTURER out-#1. SALZER freezes.)

RICCARDO. The Pepe stands 50 high above the destinies of
the world of men. I ask myself if he was ever able
to regard a single one of Hitler's victims as his
brother. a being in his own image.

(The freeze breaks in the Papal Palace.)

POPE. In Europe there can be no peace without the Reich
as central bulwark of the Continent. holding East
and West sufficiently far apart. Great lords remain
good friends only when their.lands do not adjoin.

CARDINAL. (CroSses C.) Yes. if the Reich is simply divided
up. as so much booty. you know. the consequences would
be the same as the partition of Poland between Hitler

171

and Stalin. or as the Peace of Tilsit in 1807. The
seeds of a new war would be sewn.

POPE. (Gratefully. ) Exactly what We always tell the
President's Envoy. Eminence! Herr Hitler must not
be disposed of unless the Reich survives his downfall
as a buffer state between the East and West. a small
but independent military power. not strong but strong
enough so that it cannot be completely occupied and
torn to pieces.

CARDINAL. (Crosses DRC to B.) But the way the Germans
are behaving now--carrying off Catholics too. you
know--such impertinence should teach a lesson: the
Germans must be kept upon their knees!

FONTANA. (Bitterly.) For decades. Your Eminence--forever.
The Germans must be kept on their knees forever.

POPE. (Rises. Impatiently.) Certainly the terror against
Jews is loathsome. but We must not allow it to incense
Us so that We forget the duties that devolve upon the
Germans for the immediate future as the present pro-
tectors and rulers of Rome. (Crosses C.) Moreover.
Germany must remain viable not only to hold the fron-
tiers against the East. but also to hold the balance
of power. The balance of the Continent is more impor-
tant than its unity which hardly corresponds to EurOpe's
ancient national-traditions. (Crosses UR.) Very sel-
dom indeed has God guided the rivers of Europe into
a single bed or in a single direction. When He did.
the stream swelled to a raging torrent flooding and
washing away the older orders. (Crosses UC.) So it
has been under Philip. under Napoleon. under Hitler.
Ne. let each land have its own river. its own direction.
to confine it and keep it within its confines. That is
the sounder pattern. more easily controllable. A1-
liances. yes. but no unity. (He studies the others for
a moment to see if his words have had any effect on
them. Then. he crosses LC.) We must new and this
audience. Our beloved congregation is awaiting Us.

We wish to further the canonization of Innocent the
Eleventh. It is indeed a matter of great concern to
Us to bring that noble predecessor within the vision
of thinking EurOpeans. (Crosses DL.) Under his
guidance Christianity concluded an Alliance to resist
the Turks. God grant that this new assault from the
East will once more come to naught because Europe has

172'

recognized in good time that she must bury her inter-
necine feuds before this menace from without. (He
starts to leave. but after a few steps. as if he
senses that the FONTANAS wish.to block his way. he
speaks.) And pray. all of you dear ones in the Lord.
pray for the Jews also. of whom so many will soon be
standing before the face of God.

FONTANA. (Crosses C.) Your Holiness. with all due respect
for the considerations that-impose silence on you. I
beg you in all humility. implore you...

POPE. (Crosses to FONTANA. .After a moment's embarrassment
he instantly recovers his composure.) Why. did you in-
deed believe. Fontana. We would permit this sacrilege
beneath Our very windows to pass completely without
comment? Of course not: It goes without saying. a
proclamation shall attest it-- (Crosses C.) the Pepe.
in deepest sympathy. stands on the victims' side...
Eminence-~we have time for that. Let us do it at once.
Send for the Scribe. please. (CARDINAL exits #1.) No
one shall say We sacrificed the law of Christian love
to political calculations-- (Crosses onto A.) no: To-
day. as always. Our spirit dwells upon the unfortunates.

(The POPE sits. FONTANA crosses DC and sits. Both freeze.)

RICCARDO. Perhaps he will at last fulfill the obligation
he has long since had as spokesman of Christendom.
(Crosses C.) Perhaps he will realize that the fires
of Auschwitz are also‘ggg trial by fire. (Crosses UR.)
For who. in times to come. will respect us as moral
arbiters if in this time we fail so miserably.

(MILITIAMAN enters #1. The freeze breaks in Gestapo head-
quarters.)

SALZER. (He is now in full swing and he temporarily forgets
his soruples about such actions in Rome.) Pray. go on.
pray. (Turns to LUCCANI.) Prove that you're Catholic.
Sing away. get on with it. sing Ave Maria:

LUCCANI. (Crosses C.) No. I will not take God's name in
731“ e

SALZER. In vain: My good man. if you don't sing now. you
will soon be in heaven with the angels. Or with the
men in the fiery furnace. (Crosses URC to MILITIAMAN
and draws him over to confront LUCCANI.). Your last
chance. One of your brothers will see whether you can

173

sing an Ave Maria properly. Come on. you substitute
priest. test him.

LUCCANI. (Intensely. with boundless contempt.) I will not
have dealings with this traitor to his country.

FIRST MILITIANAN. (Shouts.) Traitor. you say?

(He gives LUCCANI a badly aimed blow on the chest. SALZER
grasps the FIRST'MILITIAMAN'S arm and holds him back.)

SALZER. (Moves in to them.) Hey there! You're not to hit
him.

FIRST MILITIAMAN. Commander. I won't stand for that!

SALZER. (Crosses ULC behind LUCCANI. Dangerously interested.)
What exactly did you mean by that?

LUCCANI. (Articulately and incisively..) That an Italian
who betrays an old Italian officer to the Germans is a
traitor to his country. Who knows. I may have stood
beside the father of this traitor on the Isonzo--see...

(He reaches into his pocket and produces two medals. SAL-
ZER. affected and embarrassed. speaks quickly.)

SALZER. (Crosses L.) Why didn't you say right off that
you're an officer?

LUCCANI. (To MILITIAMAN.) Aren't you ashamed. you coward?
We fought at the front against Austrian alpine troops--

marksmen all. and where are you fighting? Against de-
fenseless fellow citizens.

SALZER. (He is psychologically imperiled: the old officer
‘ who has seen front-line service has struck his sentimen-
tal vein. chiefly because SALZER himself has always
shirked the front lines.) All right. of course I re-
spect you as an officer. Naturally you won't be sent
to Auschwitz but to Theresienstadt where you will be
kept in honorable internment until the war ends.

LUCCANI. Thank you for--for this proof of your fairness.
But--you see. I am seventy-two. Don't give preferential
treatment to me. There are children down there in the
cellar. Let them go. (Crosses to SALZER LC and kneels.)
I have never in all my life begged any man for anything.
but now I beg you--think of the children.

I
w

17“

SALZER. (Hoarsely.). Not a hair of the children's heads
will be touched. What do you think of us Germans!
They will be sent to Theresienstadt. The younger Jews
are to build roads. up in the Apennines.

LUCCANI. But certainly not the children. Last night they
were violently taken from their parents. Are we really
to believe the stories we hear about your camps in
P018ndeee

SALZER. All lies. Churchill's propaganda lies. (Crosses
DL.) Don't listen to what the English radio says. I;
those stories the hateepropagandists tellgwere true.
(Points to POPE.)’ gp_ypu imagine that the nge would
give such friendly audiences to thousands of members

of the German arazgf Go along now. We won't touch a
hair of_your head.

(LUCCANI rises. The MILITIAMAN crosses to him and begins

to take him out #1. SALZER. who has turned his back to

LUCCANI. struck to the heart and repelled. crosses UL on
E and sits.)

SALZER. Take him away--And don't touch him.

.(SALZER freezes. The freeze breaks in the Papal Palace.
SCRIBE enters #3 and crosses C. followed by CARDINAL. who
hOIdS DLe

(As though he had never intended to follow any other
course. the POPE new acts as if he were going to protest
publicly against the arrest of the Jews. The Deputy of
Christ composes his thoughts. The coldness and hardness
of his face. which Church publicists are fond of describing
as "unearthly spiritualization." has virtually reached the
freezing point. He strikes the pose in which he likes to
be photographed. gazing over the heads of all around him.
far into the distance and high up in the air.

(It is inevitable that the scene suddenly takes on an
unreal. in fact a phantasmagoric atmosphere. Words. words.
a rhetoric totally corrupted into a classic device for

sounding well and saying nothing.)

POPE. (Dictating.) Even more insistently...and awakening

even greater compassion. there has come to the Holy
Father's ears the echo of those misfortunes which pro-
traction of the present conflict...constantly increases.

CARDINAL. That will certainly be a blow to the Germans.
you know.'

175

(The FONTANAS silently look at one another.)

POPE. (Rises and begins pacing back and forth as he dic-
tates.) The Pepe. as is well known. in vain endeavored
to prevent the outbreak of the war by...by warning the
heads of all nations against resorting to arms. which
today are so frightful in their power. Ever since he
has not ceased to use all means within his power to
alleviate the sufferings which...which are...in any
form (Crosses to SCRIBE.) whatsoever consequences of
the worldwide conflagration. (Crosses L. the SCRIBE
moves UC.) With the augmentation of so much suffering.
the Pope's universal and fatherly work of mercy has
still more increased-~semicolon. Increased; it knows--
this is to be printed in italics--

SCRIBE. (Moves to POPE. In a thin voice.) Very good.
Your Holiness: to be printed in italics.

POPE. (Crosses RC. The SCRIBE follows C. With a grand
gesture. the POPE raises his voice.) .c.knows no limits.
comma. neither of nationality. comma. nor of religion
nor of race. (Smilingly. but without friendliness.to
the FONTANAS.) Content. you beloved in the Lord?
(Crosses onto A.)

-CARDINAL. (Pretending to be impressed.) Race. too. Holy
Father--ah. yes. that is burningly relevant. you know.
But ought we not also add. if I may suggest in all
humility and gratitude. to add. you know (Crosses C
to SCRIBE. In a declamatory vein.) This varied and un-
resting activity of Pius XII (He bows. as does the
SCRIBE.) has in recent days become still further in-
tensified as a result of the arrests just undertaken
in the Eternal city itself of Isrealites who...

POPE. (Vehemently checking him with a wave of his hand.)
No Eminence. absolutely notl. Not so direct and not so
detailed. That would amount to taking a position on mi-
litary events. The Holy See must continue to shelter
the spirit of neutrality (Crosses to R of SCRIBE. Im-
patiently.) Not so direct...Now. then. Scribe: what
came before Rome and the Jews were spoken of so dir-

' ectly? (Moves further UR.)

SCRIBE. (Rises and bows. In a thin voice.) This varied
and unresting activity of Pius XII (Genuflects. then
continues. standing.) has in recent days become still

further intensified as a result of...of was the last
word. Your Holiness.

176

POPE. Then let us say: of the aggravated... (Crosses to
C.) -yes: of the aggravated sufferings of so...so many
unfortunates. Eminence. (Turns to CARDINAL.) We think
that is more comprehensive than if We mention only the
Jews.

CARDINAL. (Crosses DLC.) No doubt about that. Your Holi-
ness. More comprehensive. certainly.

POPE. (Appeased.) Now. then. Scribe: (Breaks DR on A.
Dictates very rapidly.) May this beneficent activity.
comma. supported above all else by the prayers of be-
lievers throughout the world...my dear Count!

FONTANA. (Coldly.) Your Holiness?

POPE. (Friendly and intimately.) The securities of the
Hungarian Railroads. Will you see to it. dear Count.
that We suffer no losses even if the Red Army should
occupy Hungary?

FONTANA. (Rises.) I am offering the shares in Zurich. Your
Holiness. through intermediaries. Some have been sold
already. and on terms not as bad as might have been ex-
pected. Only it must not be bruited about who is un-
loading them. (Sits.)

POPE. Of course. We understand. Dispose of them quickly.
No need to make a profit; just dispose of them. Who
knows if Hitler can protect Hungary... (Sits.) Where
were We?

SCRIBE. (Bows and then repeats in a thin voice.) Prayers
of believers throughout the world. (Crosses to foot
of B.) I thought. if I might humbly suggest a phrase
to Your Holiness...

(The POPE gestures assent.)

...believers throughout the world who with hearts in
one accord and with burning fervor unceasingly raise
their voices to Heaven.

(The CARDINAL and the POPE glance at each other.)

POPE. Yes. very much what We wish to say. Good. (SCRIBE
glances at CARDINAL.) How did you put it; raise their
voices to Heaven--yes. Comma. accomplish still greater
results in the future. and soon bring about the day

177

(With great emphasis. in an almost liturgical chant:
almost singing.) when the light of peace will once

more shine over the earth. when men will lay down their
arms. all discards and resentments shall fade away and
men shall meet as brothers once again to work righteous-
ly together at long last for the common welfare. Period.

(The POPE. CARDINAL and FONTANA freeze.)

RIOOARDO. (Grosses UR.) Empty phrases--he does not mean
Hitler even to notice them. The silence of the Pepe
imposes a guilt upon the Church for which we must atone.
Yet I have sworn an oath of obedience to this Pope. But

1 what of Gerstein--if he were not disobedient. breaking

(:) his oath. he would be a murderer.

(Back in Gestapo headquarters. GERSTEIN enters #1; he almost
steals into the room. He places a hand on SALZER'S shoulder.
and as he does so his expression. which has revealed extreme
exhaustion. changes completely. His face is now charged
with energy and alertness. which he attempts to conceal be-
hind a smile that seems false.)

GERSTEIN. Heil. Salzer! You haven't had much sleep. eh?

SALZER. (Upset.) Gerstein--you startled me. How can a man's
nerves stand it--this idiot. my sergeant. picked up a
whole sackful of Catholics during the round-up--out of
sheer stupidity.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses ULC. He can scarcely conceal his satis-
faction: he deliberately exaggerates.) What! You've
arrested Gatholics as well! If there I on: thing that
the Fuhrer doesn't need right now it's trouble with the
Pope. Don't do anything in Rome that might stir up an
international outcry against Germany. The handful of
Hebrews aren't worth it!

SALZER. (Irritably.) Then why does Berlin send me orders I
to ship the goddamn lot of them!

GERSTEIN. What do you mean. Berlin? Eichmann orders! He'll
drOp you like a hot potato if the Fuhrer throws a fit
. because of a protest from the POpe.

SALZER. (Furious and uncertain now.) Can I dOpe out high
policy? I just get my orders. ~

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to E and sits. Shrugs.) .They'll say
you should have seen the dangers threatening us from
the Vatican.

178

SALZER. (Crosses past D. LC. Extremely agitated.) Don't
get me all confused. (Crosses C.) Three weeks ago
Berlin sent orders that we were to demand a ransom
from the Jews of a_hundred pounds of gold. ‘deid.
jhe Pepe knows all about it. (Crosses RC.) He was
even willing to contribute¢gpld if itflturned BEE—EH.
Jews could not raise the full sum. That reasonableness
efi—thg nge s part gave us the courage to de ort the
Jews. w(Crosses to GERSTEIN.) If the Pepe kept his
mouth shut then. after such a fantastic demand-~why not
new? (Sits on E at GERSTEIN'S R.) You ought to see.
Gerstein. how nice he is about granting audiences to
our boys. He's seen thousands of them already. Berlin
doesn't like it--but you ought to go to one some time;
it's an experience:

 

 

GERSTEIN. (Rises and moves UC. Taken aback. for a long
time he cannot reply.) Your conclusion seems to me too
Optimistic. The fact that the Pope would contribute
gold for the Jews. Salzer. clearly shows that he is on
their side. If he kept his trap shut then. three weeks
ago. he did that because he thought the Jews could buy
their freedom with gold. But now you've cheated him.
Watch out. he'll go on the air tomorrow and broadcast
what you were doing all night.

SALZER. It's quite possible that the Pope will make a fuss
today. (Rises and moves C.) The main thing is nobody
can put the blame on me. Not me. Besides Gerstein.
Berlin won't take a chance and roast the Jews from Rome
immediately. The first batch are to go to Auschwitz via
Mauthausen. If the Pepe starts kicking up a fussI they
won't be roasted until it s certain that he isn t wor-

) zying any more about them. —_i

E!!(The telephone rings. SALZER points significantly at it and
comments as he goes to it.)

Speak of the devil-- (SALZER crosses to D to answer
phone.) here comes the Pepe already... (At the tele-
phone.) Yes. put him on. (To GERSTEIN.) The City
Commandant: Jawohl. Salzer. Heil Hitler. Herr General.
Aha-~we were just discussing that. Really! By God. a
protest after all! I was eXpecting something of the
sort. Yes--what's that? Yes. Have you received the
full text yet. sir? Many thanks. sir. Aha-~I see.
(GERSTEIN crosses C.) Well. that's not quite as drastic
as it might be. So it's not the Pepe himself who issued
it. But it exPressly threatened. We'll have to wait and
-See. Most grateful to you sir. yes. sir. Heil Hitler.
Herr-General.

179

(SALZER hangs up and looks at GERSTEIN.)

GERSTEIN. (Moves UC.) You'd best report that to Berlin
at once. If there's a fuss. they'll blame it on you.

SALZER. (Cresses C. then UR.) Damn it all. what should I
do! (Very loudly.) If only this damn Pope would tell
us bluntly where he stands! (Lowers his voice again.)
If he gives us a free hand the way he's done. and thinks
this letter from the bishop is enough to sguare things
with his dear old Christian conscience-~then I ve got
to start deporting tonight.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to SALZER.) Good Lord. Salzer-~this is
his protest!

SALZER. (Almost suspiciously.) How can you say a thing
like that. Gerstein? This is just a representation
from the bishop. In Berlin they'd laugh their heads
off at me if I let the scum go on that account.

GERSTEIN. (Somewhat more cautiously.) I don't want to con-

fuse you. Salzer. But I don't think the Pope will ever
give you a free hand here in Rome.

SALZER. (Again vexed.) Of course I don't think so either.
Gerstein! (Moves C.) This lettg;_from the bishop seem;
to prove Pius is getting ready to raise a hue and cry
about his lambs. And the Ffihrer will_give'way._naturally.
Who cares about eleven hundred Jews! But. Gerstein.
thatis not my affair.—FAS long as the Church merely

tosses off a lot of empty generalities...I am left
with no choice.

(SALZER exits #1. GERSTEIN hesitates only a moment then
pursues SALZER in an effort to continue the discussion.
(Back in the Papal Palace.)

FONTANA. (Crosses C. RICCARDO breaks UC. Strongly.) Your
Holiness. this message. in which not one word mentions

the arrests. cannot be construed as a reference to the
Jewish problem. '

POPE. (His patience exhausted.) Have we not spoken ex-
pressis verbis of men of all races. Count Fontana?

CARDINAL. The proclamation will go down in history.

EONTANA. (Frustrated.) Your Holiness. as you well know.
the Holy See has other means to command a hearing.
(Crosses RC.) Your Holiness. send Hitler an ultimatum.
or even just a letter that Weizsacker can deliver.

180

SGRIBE. (Crosses to POPE alongside A and bows.) If I may
humbly remind Your Holiness. Your Holiness has not yet
signed.

(The POPE signs and SCRIBE exits #2. Meanwhile RICCARDO
takes out the yellow Star of David. crosses onto E. and
pins the star to his cassock. At this moment the POPE
sees it. He is struck dumb.)

CARDINAL. (Crosses L. Breathlessly and furiously.) Minu-
tante. you forget yourself! Remove-~this--this thing.
How dare you. in the presence of the Holy Father.
Blasphemy-~on a priest's robe--blasphemy.

FONTANA. (Pleadingly and imploringly.) Riccardo-~please
don't... (FONTANA crosses R and sits.)

RICCARDO. (Undeterred. passionately.) Your Holiness. what
you have set your name to grants Hitler unrestricted
license to go on treating the Jews as he has always
done...

CARDINAL. (Exclaims immediately after RICCARDO has spoken.)
Be still! Holy Father. (Steps C.) I humbly request
that we end this discussion.

(The POPE has recovered sufficiently to find his voice again.
He speaks haltingly. but without the stammer which fre-
quently afflicted Pacelli as Cardinal. rarely as POPE.)

POPE. (Rises and steps forward.) In the name of the vic-
tims...this...this arrogance as well! And this imper-
tinence--the Star of David on the habit of Christ's
servants!

RICCARDO. (Readily answering the POPE'S reproach.) This
star which every Jew must wear as soon as he is_six
years old. to show he is an outlaw-~I shall wear it too
until...

POPE. (Quivering with rage.) He will not! We forbid him--
forbid-~on a cassock--this... (He steps. his voice
failing him.)

RICCARDO. (Almost quietly. soberly.) I shall wear this star
until Your Holiness proclaims before the world a curse
upon the man who slaughters EurOpe's Jews like cattle.

(The POPE is silenced by his obvious inability to check
RICCARDO or to find his voice. He sits.)

181

Fig. lO.--POPE: ...The Star of David on the habit of
Christ's servants!

 

182

CARDINAL. Criminal folly!

RICCARDO. (Crosses C. With the bluntness of one who has
already lost everything.) Polly? No. Your Holiness.
The King of Denmark. a defenseless man. threatened
Hitler that he would wear this star. along with every
member of his house. if the Jews in Denmark were forced
to wear it. They were not forced. When will the Vati-
can at last act so that we priests can once again own
without shame that we are servants of that Church which
holds brotherly love as its first commandment!

CARDINAL. (Breathlessly.) Obedience. unconditional obe-
dience is the Jesuit's first commandment. Minutante!

RICCARDO. Yes. obedience to God.

CARDINAL. Who speaks through the voice and will of His
Holiness. you know. Obey!

(The POPE remains ostentatiously silent.)

What vow did you take as a member of the Society of
Jesus?

RICCARDO. Does not every Cardinal. true to the color of his
scarlet robe. vow to stand by his faith even unto the
spilling of his own blood? And our faith rests upon
brotherly loves: (Greases BC.) remember the depertees
before you judge me.

CARDINAL. (Crosses URC.) I do not judge you. I pray for
youe

POPE. (Makes an effort to leave; he is sincerely shaken
and extremely agitated.) Rebellion in these rooms!
Disobedience and arrogance--Protestantism. (Crosses C.)
This is our recompense for all the benefits we have
conferred upon the MinutanteJ

FONTANA. (Rises and crosses RC.) I ask permission...

POPE. (With cold imperiousness.) You stay. You will be
responsible to Us: make sure that this--this scan-
dalous behavior steps. (Crosses DC.) Take the Minu-
tante heme. (Cresses ULC.) God watch over him. he knows
not what he speaks. We have forgiven him. Of course
he cannot return to his post. nor to Lisbon...

(RICCARDO stands by as though all this has ceased to con-
cern him; it is impossible even to tell whether he is

183

listening. FONTANA, crushed. falls to his knees before
the POPE.)

FONTANA. (Crosses to POPE LC and kneels.) Your Holiness.
please...I beg you. Holy Father...

POPE. (Embarrassed.) Fontana. do stand up. you're not to
blame. Your son's behavior cannot make a breach be-

\ tween the two of us. (FONTANA rises and crosses L.
The POPE speaks. at last. with crystal clarity and
hardness.) Non possumus. (Crosses C.) We cannot--
will not--write to Hitler. He would only be antagon-
ized and outraged. We desire him. and also Roosevelt.
to see in us impartial go-betweens. (Strengly.)‘ Now.
that is enough. Ad acta.

RICCARDO. God shall not destroy His Church only because
. a Pope shrinks from His summons.

(He crosses DL. FONTANA makes a feeble attempt to step
him. but RICCARDO continues out #3. Speechless. the POPE
rises. He is unable to conceal the effect of these words
which have struck him to the heart. All stare after RIC-
CARDO; they are stunned. but not a word. only gestures and
expressions betray the shock. FONTANA. like the rest. of
course. unaware of RICCARDO'S intentions. feels that more
is at stake here than an unforgivable "offense." Completely
helpless. he takes three steps toward the door. in great
anxiety. as though he intends to follow RICCARDO. then
turns around and stands shattered. He looks down at the
floor. The POPE sits down. He is incapable of speech:
fortunately he can conceal the shaking of his hands. The
CARDINAL watches him. taken aback; then he goes up to him
and speaks in an intimate tone Which he seldom uses.

CARDINAL. Holy Father. you must not be...so offended by
such stupidities. (Crosses RC.) It is simply cut-
right rudeness. ycu know!

(The POPE smiles painfully and gratefully at him. He has
recovered his voice. and speaks to the CARDINAL somewhat
appeasing his troubled conscience.)

POPE. Are the monasteries supplied with enough food for
the fugitives?

CARDINAL. (In the pacifying tone of one addressing a
gravely ill person.) For the first few weeks. Your
Holiness. there are undoubtedly ample provisions in
all the monasteries.

121]

®

[23?]

18h

POPE. (Pained at having been so misunderstood.) Summa'
iniuria!. As though We did not wish to give suecor to
all. all! Whatever has been granted Us to do was
done. We are-~Ged knows it--blameless of the blood
now being spilled. As the flowers (He rases his
voice and declaims.) in the oeuntryside wait beneath
winter's mantle of snow for the warm breezes of spring.
so the Jews must wait. praying and trusting that the
hour of heavenly comfort will come. We who are here
assembled in Christ's Name will pray in conclusion...
Fontana. you too (FONTANA moves to POPE'S R on B.

He and CARDINAL kneel.) Fontana-~whe would know it
better than We. to be a father is to wear a crown of
thorns.

("The gaunt. tall figure straightened up...and turned his
eyes to Heaven....With arms outstretched the Pope seemed to
wish to close all mankind in a fatherly embrace.")

POPE. Exsurge. Domino. adiuva nos. et libera nos prcpter
nomen tuum--sit super nos semper benedictio tua--

POPE. CARDINAL. and FONTANA freeze. The OLD MAN and WOMAN
enter #3. GIRL #1. They move to positions on E. The

Aspeakers themselves are scarcely distinguishable. The

monologues are spoken or thought in the interior of a

freight car. The sound effects make that apparent: a

freight train moving and then being switched back and

forth is heard. Pallid morning light dimly illuminates

the set. so that only the outlines of the deportees are
visible.)

LUCCANI. SR. Not to die in the car. with my grandchildren
watching. Fear has long since rubbed out the shape of
their faces. quelled their questions. They sense what
I know: the journey's end will be our end as well.
Wherever that may be. You terrible God. Your Heaven
is above us. and the hangman are men like us. au-
thorized by You. Is man such a pit of depravity
because You have created him in Your own image? I -
can no longer contend with You. no longer pray. (Kneels
slowly and Sits on E.) only beseech You: do not let
me die in this car. not where my grandchildren can see.

WOMAN. They_smirked When they found the little shirts and'
diapers in mp suitcase. They Iistened’courteeusly When
I explained was in my eighth month. and put me ques-
tions about m husband as thouoh the ‘had not. two.
da 5 earlier dragged you from your workshop and down
the stairs. The blood ran from.your mouth. How you

 

185

looked arcund--your face. Oh. if only I knew what you
meant to say! Did you mean our baby? What did you
mean? And how they guffawed when you called to me that
you would be coming back. How menaced the child is
even in the womb. How can it be? You live! I feel
your hands. your heart. Another month and you'd be
born. But who will look after you? Madonna. Mother

of God. don't let it happen! Let me have my child--
let us live!

THE GIRL. No hepe. beloved. that you will ever find me.'
Cold. God is cold. It's nothing to Him that this woman
next to me will never bear her child. that I will never
be yours. Cold. God is cold; my hands grow numb when
I try to fold them to pray with. And the gods of the
'ancients are dead as their legends. dead as the antique
rubble in the Vatican museum. The morgue of art.
You'll never find me. however long you look. Don't'
waste time looking. Take a girl who'll give you more.
than I could. Be happy with each other. Don't miss
your day. as we missed ours in the Campagna. Seize
the evening by the sea. when the beach. the.black sand
of Ostia. is still a warm bed for you. But don't for-
get everything. Keep the memory of the sound of the
waves. the warm sand. the surf flooding our hearts.
Against your body I shrank. Why didn't we take the
night that was given us? Why--forgive me. darling--
did I resist your hands. If only you were beside me
new. I am so terribly alone. Take. take once more
the Sand of Ostia into your hands and throw a handful
to the waves. as though it were my ashes. And call my

ll! name. as you did. that time. in Ostia.

@ (Back in the Papal Palace.)

POPE. A domine cum tribularere clamavi et exaldivit me
anima libera meam a labiis iniquis et a lingua dolcsa.

(The sounds merge:‘ prayers. shrill whistling. the steam
escaping from the engine. dogs barking. 'It rises to a
crescendo and abruptly stops. Silence.)

186

Fig. ll.--POPE: Exsurge. Domino. adiuva nos. ct
libera nos prcpter nomen tuum--

 

187

Fig. 12.-cht Three Scene One

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

#1
/ l
/
/
/ l _
XLOTHAR
Q XJULIA >
G) d
I
R I t;
I.
G 900 I ‘ XwONAN I F
H . . T
T XFRITSCHE l OFFICER
_. _ _. _+ ._ __ _l _ _ __
l @ I
< l |
I l
X RLOTTA /‘/
6+ J0 , #3
1"2 V _ DOWN

NOTE: Grepresents swastika sticks

188

ACT THREE SCENE ONE

(Throughout the entire scene the light is never bright;

it remains dusky. The "cloud." present in almost all the
existing drawings made by prisoners. hung continually
above Auschwitz. as did the pestilential stench of burning
flesh and the swarms of flies. Passengers on the rail
line from Cracow to Kattowitz would crowd to the windows
when the train passed by the camp.

(The pall of smoke and the glow of fires visible to a
distance of thirty kilometers. the showers of sparks from
the crematoria and from the ten vast pyres on which a
thousand corpses could be burned at once in the open air--
all this created the infernal atmosphere which surrounded
even the railroad yards and outer reaches of this death
factory. What took place in the interior of this under-
world. at the crematorium itself. exceeds imagination.
There is no way of conveying it

,[23 (The set is dreamlike and ghostly even if the actuality
could be "realistically" communicated. It is enough to
provide some bare hints. '

(The ACTORS enter and set the stage. Then they take
their positions. All but the person speaking continue the
freeze used in Act One and Act Two.)

FRITSCHE. The most momentous events and discoveries of
our_time all have one element in common: they place
too great §_strain on the imagination. We lack the
imaginative faculties to be able to envision Auschwitg.

Man can no longer grasp his own accomplishments.

DOCTOR. (To OFFICER.) I cremate life. I create life--
and always I create suffering.

OFFICER. Why do you piCk on this particular Jewess whose--
who had two children?

DOCTOR. It stimulates me. that's all. it stimulates me.
Can't you understand? I want to find out whether this
woman will go on sleeping with me after I've told her
where her children went.

OFFICER. Let her live. The least you can do is let her
live.

DOCTOR. What good would it do her. with her family dead?

OFFICER. But that's what she hopes for.” That's why she
0011108 e ~ .

DOCTOR. Maybe that's why she came at first.

189

FRITSCHE. (Moves ULC. then DL. Flatly.) This "doctor"
stands_in sharp contrast not only to his fellows of
ihe SS_i but to all human beings.

LOTHAR. (Dully.) Heipromiged thgkchildren a "t§s§y_pudding"
before_§ending_them into the gas chambers.

CARLOTTA. (Without emotion.) He asks the new arrivals
whgther anyone feels ill as a result of the trip.
Those who sayithey_do.ireligyed 9y this.unexpected
show of solicitudei_are the first to be gassed.

® DOCTOR. (Crosses to WOMAN.) A pity your girl has no twin
brother. Research on twins is my special hobby. Other

children never live more than six hours. even when
we're rushed. (Crosses URC.) Nor their mothers either.
We have enough workhorses and we're sufficiently ac-
gomodatingpto gas children under fifteen together with
their motherp. '(Crosses DR to B.) It saves a lot of
screaming.

JULIA. (Hollowly.) He stands before usL_deciding¥life
.and death. Sometimes a dagghter doesn Tt want to be
parted from her motheri_but theW words "You' 11 see each
giher tomorrowL after all." reassure them completely,

(DOCTOR moves back on E.)

LUCCANI. (Evenly.) This uncanny visitant from another
world is obviously_only playinggthe part of a human

being.

‘ (The Deportees begin to move slowly toward #3. pausing on
the DOCTOR' S line. The Oppressive "light." the gaseous
smoke and the glow of fire. concentrate the gaze upon the
DOCTOR who stands. legs wide apart. He stares fixedly at
RICCARDO. who glances over once. shyly and timidly. as

though he felt the look.)
’ DOCTOR. You there! Your Holiness. The one in black over
there-~come here! Get a move on. come here!

JULIA. (Reaches for him.) Don't go away. Stay here.
stay with us!

DOCTOR. (Threateningly. as if speaking to a dog.) Come
here. I say. Where is your yellow star?

(RICCARDO reassures JULIA. than moves LC to foot of A. The
Deportees exit #3. )

190

RICCARDO. (Softly.) I threw it away because I wanted to
escape. .

DOCTOR. What's this about your not being a Jew? On the
railroad platform. I am told. you claimed the Pope
assigned you to care for the Jews. '

RICCARDO. (Simply.) I said that only to escape. They
believed me and let me go. I am a Jew like the others.

DOCTOR. (With his stick. he gives RICCARDOa brief and
almost comradely tap on the chest.) Congratulations.
How is it they caught up with you again?

RICCARDO. (Contemptuously.) Nobody caught me. I joined
my companions of my own accord. when nobody was looking.

DOCTOR. (Scornfully.) My. how noble! We've needed volun-
teers. Priests too. Just in case someone should die
here. (Crosses UC.) The climate can be nasty in
Auschwitz. Of course you're not a Jew... '

(RICCARDO does not answer. The DOCTOR continues sarcasti-
081 1" e )

A martyr. then. If that's the case. why did you run
away?

RICCARDO. Wouldn't you be afraid if you were sent here?

DOCTOR. (Crosses LC.) Afraid of what? An internment camp.
Why should a man so close to God as you be afraid!

RICCARDO. (Breaks L. Insistently.) Peeple are being
burned here....The smell of burning flesh and hair--

DOCTOR. (Crosses DRC onto A. Lightly.) What foolish
ideas you have. What you see here is only industry.
The smell comes from lubricating oil and horsehair.
drugs and nitrates. rubber and sulphur. A second Ruhr
is growing up here. I. G. Farben. Buna. have built
branches here. Krupp will be coming soon.

RICCARDO. I've known for a year what this place is used
for. Only my imagination was too feeble.

DOCTOR. (Casually.) Ah. then you know about it. Very
.well. I understand your ambition to be crucified.
(Crosses to RICCARDO.) but in the name of God the
Father. the Son and the Holy Ghost. I intend to have
a little sport deflating your self-importance. I
have something quite different in mind for you.

191

RICCARDO. (Hearse from horror.) Get it over with.

DOCTOR. (With a smile.) You' d like that. wouldn' t you:
inhaling for fifteen minutes. and then sitting at
God's right hand as a saint. No. (Crosses ULC. RIC-
CARDO sits on E. ) I cannot give you such preferential
treatment while so many others go up in smoke without
that consolation. As long as you can believe. my dear
priest. dying is Just a joke.

RICCARDO. What sort of devil are you?

DOCTOR. (Turns toward RICCARDO. Extremely pleased.) Dev-
il--wonderfull I am the devil. And you will be my
private chaplain. It's a deal: save my soul. I have
great plans for you. Chaplain.

RICCARDO. What do you want of me?

DOCTOR. I mean my Offer seriously. DO you really know
what awaits you otherwise? (Sits on E. R of RICCARDO.)
Not long ago the brutal idiots here had their fun with
a certain Polish priest. They kept him in a starvation
cell ten days. then even put a barbed wire crown on him.
Oh'well. he had what he wanted. suffering in Christ--
and Rome will surely canonize him some day. (Rises.)
If you insist on it. you '11 die here-~die as the heroes
of today do die. namelessly, snuffed out by powers they
have never known. let alone can fight. In other words.
meaninglessly. ‘

RICCARDO. (Scornfully.) DO you think God would overlook
a sacrifice. merely because the killing is done with-
out pomp and circumstance?

DOCTOR. (Big. expansively.) (Aha. you think God does not
. overlook the sacrifice. Really? (Breaks UR.) All

my work' 3 concerned entirely with this one question.
I' m doing all I can. Since July of '42. for fifteen
months. weekdays and Sabbath. 1' ve been sending pecple
to God. DO you think He' 5 made the slightest acknow-
ledgment? He has not even directed a belt of lightning
against me. Can you understand that? You ought to
know. Nine thousand in one day a while back.

RICCARDO. (Crosses C. Groans and speaks against his better
knowledge.) That isn t true. it can t be...

DOCTOR. (Crosses to him. Calmly.) Nine thousand in one
day. In an hour they‘ re unconscious or dead. ‘At any

192

rate ready for the furnace. Young children often go
into the furnaces still alive. An interesting phenom-
enon. The gas doesn't always kill them.

(The DOCTOR crosses DR on A. RICCARDO steps DL.)

You cannot always run away. My word of honor. I'll
let you live....What difference does it make to me.
one item more or less puffing up the chimney.

RICCARDO. (Screams.) Live--to be your prisoner!
DOCTOR. Not my prisoner. My partner.

RICCARDO. (Crosses C.) I assure you. leaving a world
in which you and.Auschwitz are possible. is scarcely
harder than to live in it. (Breaks DL.)

DOCTOR. The martyr always prefers dying to thinking. Paul
Valery was right. (Crosses C.) The angel. he said--
who knows. you may be an angel-- (He laughs.) is
distinguishable from me. the devil. only by the act
of thought that still awaits him. (RICCARDO moves to
L of C.) I shall expose you to the task of thinking
like a swimmer to the ocean. If your cassock keeps
you above water then I promise I'll let you fetch me
back home into the bosom of Christ's Church. (Laughs.)
Who knows. But first you can watch me for a year Or
so conducting this. the boldest experiment that man
has ever undertaken. Only a theological mind like
my own--I too once were the iron collar for a while--
could risk loading himself with such a burden of sac-
rilege.

RICCARDO. (Makes the sign of the cross. HOpelessly.)~
Why...why? Why do you do it?

DOCTOR. (Enjoying himself immensely.) Because I wanted
an answer! And so I've ventured what no man has ever
ventured since the beginning of the world. I took the
vow to challenge the Old Gent. to provoke him so
limitlessly that He would have to give an answer.

RICCARDO. (Crosses R of C and then to L Of DOCTOR. Bitingly.)
Can it be that you are not even a criminal? Are you ‘
only a lunatic? As primitive as Virchow when he said
he had dissected ten thousand cadavers and never found
asmu? ' - -

DOCTOR. (Rises. offended.) Soul! Now that's what I call
primitive! What utter flippancy to be forever taking

193

cover behind such empty words! (He imitates a priest
praying.) Credo quia absurdum est--still? (Seriously.)
Well. hear the answer: not a peep came from Heaven.

not a peep for fifteen months. not once since I've been
giving tourists tickets to Paradise. (Breaks DC.)-

RICCARDO. (Ironically.) So much sheer cruelty--merely
to do what every harmless schoolmaster manages with-
out all this effort. if he happens to be stupid enough
to want to prove that the Incomprehensible isn't there.

DOCTOR. (Turns to RICCARDO.) Then do you find it more
acceptable that God in person is turning the human race
on the spit of history? (Crosses UC.) The truth is.
Auschwitz refutes creator. creation. and the creature.
Life as an idea is dead. This maygwell be the begin-
ning of a great new era, a redemption from suffering.
(Crosses UR.)—rFrom this pgint of viqg only one crime
remains: cursed be he who creates life. I cremate
life. That is modern humanitarianism--the sole sal-
vation from the futurg. (Crosses C.) I mean that
seriously. even on the personal level. Out of pity.

I have always buried my own children--in condoms.

RICCARDO. (Crosses to R of C. He attempts mockery. but
shouts in order to keep himself from weeping.) Re-
demption from suffering! A lecture on humanism from
a homicidal_maniac! Save someone-- (Crosses C to
him.) save just a single child!

DOCTOR. (Calmly.) What gives priests the right to look down
on the SS? .(Crosses ULC.) We are the Dominicans of the
technological age. It is no accident that so many of
my kind. the leaders. come from good Catholic homes.
Heydrich was a Jew-~all right. Eichmann and G3ring
are Protestants. (Crosses L.) But Hitler. Goebbels.
Bormann. Kaltenbrunner...H3$s. our commandant. studied
for the priesthood. And.Himm1er's uncle. who stood
godfather to him. is nothing less than a bishop!
(Crosses DC to R of C. He laughs.) The Allies have
solemnly sworn to hang us all if they should catch.us..
SO after the war. it's only logical. the SS tunic will
become a shroud for gallows birds. (Crosses RC.) The
ChurCh. however. after centuries of killing heretics
throughout the West new sets itself up as the exclusive
moral authority of this Continent. (Crosses toward
RICCARDO. Malignantly.) Your Church was the first to
show that you can burn men just like coke. In Spain
alone. without the benefit of crematoria. you turned
to aShes three hundred and fifty thousand human beings.

19“

most of them while alive. mind you. Such an achieve-
men surely needs the help of Christ.

RICCARDO. (Furiously and loudly.) I know as well as you--
or I would not be here--how many times the Church has
been guilty. as it is again today. (Crosses DL.) I
have nothing more to say if you make God responsible
for the crimes of His Church. God does not stand
above history. He shares the fate of the natural order.
In Him all man's anguish is contained.

DOCTOR. (Crosses UL and sits on E. Friendly.) Your anger
amuses me--you'll make a good partner. You'll help in
the laboratory. and at night we'll wrangle about that
product of neurosis which for the present you call
God. .

RICCARDO. (Disgusted.) I don't intend to act your court
jester. to cheer the hours when you are face to face~'
with your own self. (Crosses to him LC.) I have never
seen a man so wretched. for you know what you do...

DOCTOR. (Ready for RICCARDO. he rises and intercepts him.)
Then I must disappoint you once again. Of course bore-
dom has always plagued me. That is why I find our dis-
pute so refreshing. and why you are to stay alive.

But wretched? Ne. (Crosses UR.) At present I am
studying homo sapiens. Yesterday I watched one of
the workers at the crematorium.As he was ch0pping up
the cadavers to get them through the furnace doors he
discovered the body of his wife. How did he react?

RICCARDO. (Graping for a way to penetrate the man's de-
tachment.) I think you too feel no easier than that
(worker.

DOCTOR. Don't I? Well then. I still have my books.
(Cresses DR on A.) Napoleon. as you knew. remarked
to Netternich.he did not give a damn about the death
of a million men. I've just been investigating how
long it was before that scoundrel became the idol of
posterity. Quite relevant. in the view of Hitler's...
Of course. that disgusting vegetarian has not. like
Napoleon. seduced all of his sisters. He's quite de-
void ef such endearing traits. All the same I find
him.mere likable--than the philOSOphers who squeeze
the horrors of world history through countless convo-
lutions of their brains. until at last they look ac-
ceptable. -(Crosses close to RICCARDO. Abruptly.)

195

By the way. you can have champagne here too. and girls.
(Purposely offensive.) This afternoon when those people
there. the ones you came with. burn up in smoke. I ,
shall be burning up myself between the legs of a nine-
teen-year-old girl. (Crosses UC.) That's one amenity
that beats your faith because it's something a fellow
really has. with heart. mouth and hands. And has it
here on earth. where we need such things.

RICCARDO. (Crosses DC. R of C.‘ Contemptuously.) Here--
there—-I'm in the midst of it. Since the devil exists.
God also exists. Otherwise you would have won a long
time ago. .

DOCTOR. (Laughs ebulliently.) Frightened? That's the
way I like you. »

RICCARDO. .(Softly.) I never said that I was not afraid.

DOCTOR. I gave my word that nothing would be done to you.
Sergeant!

KAPO. (Enters #3 and holds at attention DL.) Major!

DOCTOR. (Indicating RICCARDO.) This fellow goes along to
the crematorium. He's to work there. (KAPO crosses to
RICCARDO and moves him toward #3. The DOCTOR speaks.
ironically. to RICCARDO.) I will not forget you. Father.
You'll have plenty to eat. and a normal workday of about
nine hours. You can engage in studies there. theolog-
ical studies. Find out about God. (Crosses UR.) In
two weeks I'll take you into the laboratory. as my
assistant. if you wish. I'm sure you will. (To the
KAPO.) On your ashes: not a hair. not a hair of his
head is to be touched. I'll talk to your superior later.
Now beat it. ' '

KAPO. Jawohl. Sturmbannffihrer!

[:5 LAfter a glance at the DOCTOR. RICCARDO quickly exits #3.
followed by the KAPO. The DOCTOR watches RICCARDO leave

, and then exits #1.)

SCENE TWO

(It is again early in the morning. about a week later.
FRITSCHE and RUTTA enter #3. set the scene. take positions
and freeze. MULLER enters #3 and crosses C.)

4::me

196

Fig. 13.--Aot Three Scene Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

411111!"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*2,

DOWN

197

@MULLER. Auschwitz is not run by madmen or pathological
criminals. Ordinary human beings reggrd it as their
:place of work;"*'(Moves a few steps ULC?) Lieutenant
Colonel Doctor Fritsche transports prisoners to the
industrial plants which have settled in the immediatg
vicinity of Auschwitz, receiving a receipt in returg.
(Continues ULC.)* A few months later, when Baron Rutta
has mercilessly drained these workers of all strength.
he takes back the worn-out human wrecks. returns the
receipt. and delivgrs them to the gas chambers. (Crosses
UC.) Herr Fritsche has never felt any compunctions
about this work, for he took his doctorate in juris-
p_udence and knows that nothing is being done illegally.
(Crosses RC.) The whole procedure is according to
official decree. He has never had the impulsg_to beat
a prisoner, and he hopes that his subordinates will use
the lash only if a prisoner makes himself legally
elligible for corporal punishment bqualingeringger
laziness. All illnesses are considered malingerifig
unless the prisoner‘proves otherwise by dying. (He
moves to unit DC and sits.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FRITSCHE. (Who froze with the phone in his hand.) Fritsche
speaking. Yes sir. Commandant. Gerstein? Oh. he is
to fetch him? But I have visitors from Essen--I— can 't
go for the priest. I suggest we have him brought here
and Gerstein himself can take charge of him. Yes sir.
Of course. The whole thing was entirely unnecessary.
Incredible careleSsness. Just what I said right off.
Thank you. sir. (He hangs up and murmers to himself.)
A fine mess. (Abruptly crosses to RUTTA.) By God!
The fuse plant!

RUTTA. Ideal. isn't it? When can Krupp begin production
here in Auschwitz? You certainly should have enough
labor.

FRITSCHE. More than enough!

EEI(A distant loudspeaker comes on: "Attention. an announce-
ment: Inmate Riccardo Fontana No. 16670 is to report at
once to the guardreom Inside Platform One. End of announce-

ment.")

(Indifferently.) That's a priest from Rome. an Aryan.'
(Crosses DR.) The Church sent him along with the
Italians since some were Catholic. Now he's to be
released. '

198

MULLER. (Incredulously.) And you're releasing him. just,
like that? Isn't that pretty risky?

FRITSCHE. (Crosses around behind MULLER and leans on his
chair.) We'll saddle his conscience with hostages.
two Polish priests we have as inmates here. If he
talks--they die.

RUTTA. Ah, yes, they use hostages in Essen too: French
or Belgian workers whom we cannot refuse a visit home.
must give a hostage to the firm, a fellow-countryman.

(Phone rings.)

FRITSCHE. (To RUTTA as he lifts the receiver.) Excuse me.
Baron...yes? This is Sturmbannffihrer Fritsche. Bring
Bundle 16670 to the guardreom Inside Platform One--

a cassock. What's that? You know. the thing a priest
wears. At once. Good.'

RUTTA. Herr Mfiller. please read the draft aloud to us.
will you?

MULLER. (Reads aloud.) Very well.then.to make it short
and sweet: subject of contract. (FRITSCHE circles
around RUTTA to C.) the Auschwitz building will be
leased by the SS to Friedrich Krupp. Secondly. the
electrical substation. to be built and equipped by
Krupp. will be transferred to the SS administration.

FRITSCHE. Transferred to us?

RUTTA. Only the substation. Herr Fritsche. The machines.
am I not right Herr Muller. remain Krupp property?

MULLER. (Rises.) Yes. Point Three: machines remain the
property of Krupp. (Crosses C.) Fourth: a year's
notice is required to terminate the contract. I think
it just as well. (Crosses DL.) Major. if we say
nothing in the contract about the daily fee Krupp pays
the SS per inmate?

FRITSSHE. (Crosses DRC by platform.) Of oeurse not. Herr
Muller. of course not.

RUTTA. My colleague. Streifer. of I. G. Farben was not
exaggerating. God knows. when he praised the exemplary
cooperation of the SS and industry ianuschwitz.

199

(GERSTEIN appears at #1. He peers surreptitiously into
the room. and hesitates. His expression is gloomy and
depressed-~he knows this is to be the greatest risk he has
yet taken. He.forces himself to assume an expression of
calm superiority. and then crosses to RC and salutes.)

GERSTEIN. Major-~the Commandant has sent me to you. Am
I intruding? I have orders to fetch a certain Father
Fontana from here.

FRITSCHE. (Amiably.) Heil Hitler. Gerstein...Excuse me.
gentlemen. I'll be along shortly. (Crosses to above .
C.) Will you be so kind as to go on ahead without me?

MULLER. (Quick to respond.) Yes. I'm due there anyhow.
Good morning. Herr Gerstein.

(MULLER exits #3.)
GERSTEIN. Good morning.

RUTTA. Well. many many thanks. Herr Fritsche. 'Heil
Hitler! (To GERSTEIN.) Heil Hitler!

(RUTTA rises and exits #3. FRITSCHE follows DL.)
GERSTEIN. Heil Hitler!

FRITSCHE. (To the civilians.) I'll be right along. (Crosses
to behind L unit.) The black crew will be along soon.
Our Doctor. it's incredible. amused himself putting the
priest to work at the crematorium as a dentist. (Crosses
LC to GERSTEIN.) It's all the Doctor's fault the man
ever set foot inside this camp. I wanted to send him
straight back home. (He starts off DL.) You'll bring
the priest over?

GERSTEIN. To you. Major?

FRITSCHE. (Rejecting that suggestion.) No. not to me! I
want (Firmly.) nothing at all to do with this affair.

(CARLOTTA enters #1 with pail hnd crosses to E to scrub.)
Take him to H355. .See that the fellow signs a state-
ment that he's seen nothing in the camp but flower
beds.

GERSTEIN. He'll sign anything to get out of here.

200

FRITSCHE. Nobody's ever been released before.

GERSTEIN. I've wondered about that myself. (Crosses LC.)
Oh. well. I suppose they know what they are doing.

(A KAPO. timorous and careworn. enters #1. crosses R and
hesitates. He brings a bundle of clothing tied with string.
to which the number 16670 is attached.)

FRITSCHE. The cassock! Just dr0p it.
KAPO. Yes. sir.
(The KAPO leaves the cassock on the corner of A and exits #1.)

FRITSCHE. Well then. Gerstein. the black crew will be along
in due course. After all. we're a good two kilometers
from the crematorium.

.GERSTEIN. And still the smell of flesh is so sharp? What
\ do the local pecple say?

FRITSCHE. They know what's up. of course. (Moves to A to
inspect cassock.) What you smell now doesn‘t come from
the furnaces. That's from the cpen burning pits. We
can no longer manage with furnaces alone. Please tell
them in Berlin that I had not a thing to do with it.
(Crosses UR. GERSTEIN follows.) I guessed right off he
wouldn't stay here. (As he walks off.) And feed him
up a bit at the canteen. Heil Gerstein!

(FRITSCHE exits #1.)

GERSTEIN. Thanks. Heil Hitler. Major. many thanks.
(Gritting his teeth.) Asshole!

(GERSTEIN returns C and lights a cigarette. He then notices

the girl scrubbing. The girl's every movement betrays her
terror of any man in uniform.)

GERSTEIN. (Crosses ULC.) Have you been here long?

CARLOTTA. For a week.

GERSTEIN. Where do you come from?

CARLOTTA. From Rome.

‘GERSTEIN. From Rome? (Offers her a cigarette.) Then you
know the priest. Father Fontana?

201

CARLOTTA. (Refuses cigarette. for fear of a trick. Stops
scrubbing.) We all know him.

GERSTEIN. (Puts cigarettes away. Sympathetically.) Would
you like me to send a letter out for you?

CARLOTTA. (After a pause. coldly.) No. thank you.

GERSTEIN. (Hurt that his motives are suspect.) You don't
trust me. (Moves to C for paper.) Well send a message
with the Father. He's being released.

CARLOTTA. (Overjeyed. then abruptly sad.) Released?
But of course he doesn't really belong--to us. (Rises.)

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to CARLOTTA with paper and pen. c.)
The Father will take the letter to Rome.

CARLOTTA. (Continues to refuse. but with a touch of Italian -

pathos: her voice at the end subsides into tears. She
crosses L off platform.) I have no one to write to!
My fiance died in Africa--for Germany. To prove your
gratitude you Germans have deported my parents and me.
Tell me. are they...dead? (Crosses to RICCARDO.) We
arrived on October 20th. We were separated on the plat-
form. Only a hundred or so entered the camp here. The
others were taken away in trucks. Trucks with Red Cross
markings. (Grasps RICCARDO'S arm.) You must know
where they were taken!

GERSTEIN. (Helplessly.) I don't know. I'm not one of the
camp guards. (CARLOTTA moves DC.) Your fiance wasn't
Jewish. Write to his parents. Ask them to try. through
the Vatican...

CARLOTTA. (Cresses to A.) Catholics. Catholic Fascists.
were the ones who.handed me over to the Germans. Per-
haps that was my punishment for deserting my own people
and going over to the Catholic Church.

GERSTEIN. You must not say that. Many Catholics are
being persecuted too. (Crosses to CARLOTTA DC and puts
his foot on B.) Many priests in Poland and in Germany
have been murdered. And Father Riccardo. coming with
you voluntarily...

CARLOTTA. (Crosses R off platform. Still hostile.) There
are just a few like that. Exceptions.

202

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to unit DC and sits.) The majority
Aof Italians. the great majority. are against this
terrorism. '

CARLOTTA. (Turns quickly to GERSTEIN.) Against this
terrorism--like you. I suppose. But do nothing or
little against it. like you. (Pleading.) Can't you
please find out whether my family is still alive?

(Pause. CARLOTTA turns and walks back to her work.)

GERSTEIN. Really. I have no way to. (Rises.) At least
write down your name for Father Riccardo.

CARLOTTA. (Suddenly taking heart.) I'd like to write a
letter after all. (GERSTEIN takes paper to her.)
Thank you, and forgive me.

(JACOBSON enters #3 and holds UR. At the shock of finding
' GERSTEIN here, he is incapable of doing more than cry out
(his name, while his skeletal face widens in a smile that
threatens at any moment to disintegrate into sobs.)

JACOBSON. Gerstein! You! (Softly.) Sometimes I hoped
for this.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to grasp JACOBSON'S hand and meets him
RC.) Good God, Jacobson! You here. I thought you
were in England! Where were you caught?

JACOBSON. At the Brenner. They looked too carefully at
the passport photo. But I stuck to my story through
thick and thin. (Crosses DR.) I kept insisting that
I was the priest. You understand. my name here is
Father Fontana. I am the priest. you see.

(As he speaks, he looks around several times to see that
he is not being overheard. One can sense that he has al-
most completely identified with his part. which is his
sole salvation. He speaks feverishly and hoarsely.)

I work at the Outer Platform sortin the belon in s

of those who have been gassed. Sometimes I find
jewelry that I swap with the railroad men for bread.

That's wh ‘TIE still alive. And because I hate.
(Crosses UC.) I want to get out. Otherwise I would
have lon a 0 run into the wire. (Returns 0 to
GERSTEIN.) And now you've sent for me!

203

GERSTEIN. Not you, Jacobson! (Despairingly.) Don't you
see: Riccardo Fontana's in the camp. (Crosses DC.)
How could I have dreamed that you were here?

JACOBSON. (Steps LC. Not understanding.) The Father
here? But he's no Jew. How could he ...

GERSTEIN. (Sits on unit DC.) They deported the Jews from
'Rome‘ and he went with them, of his own volition. Now
they re releasing him. ‘

JACOBSON. (Incredulously. then with an effort to respond
generously.) Released--from Auschwitz? (Crosses L
and sits.) Incredible! But...I'm glad for the priest's
sake e ‘ '

GERSTEIN. How painful it is to be powerless to free you.
(CARLOTTA exits with pail.)

JACOBSON. (Unable to hide his mounting bitterness.) Yes.
I.am no priest, Gerstein. A priest is worth an ultimatum.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses ULC. He gives a short, harsh laugh.)
Ultimatum? From whom? Believe me, this order for
Ricoardo's release is only something I've invented.

JACOBSON. (Crosses to him C.) Then invent another-~to get
that girl, or me or any of us wretches out of here.

GERSTEIN. You know I can't. Jacobson. At this moment I
stand closer to the brink of death than you, Jacobson.

KJACOBSON. (Turns away and breaks L.) Forgive me--you
wear that uniform.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to JACOBSON LC.) How.else could I
have come here? That I can never shed this uniform
is my part-payment of the debt of guilt that burdens
all of us. Our resistance movement...

JACOBSON. Resistance! Why. Gerstein. it can't even tear
up the railroad tracks to Auschwitz. Why doesn't
your resistance show itself? (Crosses C. Softly,~
fervently, and despairingly.) How can you people
g9 on living knowing what has been happening here?
You live on eat on be at children--and ou know--

on all know about the cam s. (Crosses UR to #1.
Barely audible.) I'll go. so that I don't put you
and the priest in greater danger.

20h

GERSTEIN. (Deeply moved, stops him. Helplessly.) Not
this way. Jacobson. Don' t leave this way.

JACOBSON. (Empty of feeling.) Four thousand, five thou-
sand--some days even more are gassed here. Nothing
frightens me any longer except the world that permits
such things. (More composed and matter-of-factly.)
And the most devilish thing of all is that if one man
escapes he dooms ten others to the hole. (Crosses R.)
That happened once and ten were sentenced to death by
starvation._ We listened to their orying_for a week.
Father Kolbe was the last to diggpthey gay.

GERSTEIN. They think the priest is being freed officially.
(Crosses DC.) There' 11 be no reprisals, except for me,
if ever the truth comes out.

(RICCARDO enters #3 and moves to C. He is shocked and

speechless at seeing GERSTEIN there. RICCARDO has been

terribly marked by the work he has had to do at the cre-
matorium for the past week.)

GERSTEIN. Riccardo: The Nuncio sent me to take you back.

RICCARDO. You should not have tried to find me. (Sees
JACOBSON.) Jacobson-~you:

JACOBSON. (Crosses DR to A. Irritated.) How could you
have come here, Father? I'm living under your name,
you know.

RICCARDO. (Crosses C. ) Forgive me. Jacobson, I thought
you 'd come through safely that time.

JACOBSON. To come here voluntarily, unarmed-~whom did you
think you could help?

GERSTEIN. (Since RICCARDO has obviously not understood.
he crosses to him and grasps his arm. Insistently.)
Riccardo. you are being released:

RICCARDO. (Crosses back to unit L.) Released? (He is
finally done in.) I can't go on. I' ve already told
myself a hundred times that it was sheer presumption
to come here. I can 't bear it. I can 't bear it.

(He cries silently. None of the others can speak.)
For the past week I have been burning the dead ten

hours a day. And with every human body that I burn
a portion of my faith burns also. God burns. Corpses--

205

a conveyor belt of corpses. History is a highway
paved with carrion...If I knew that He looks on--
(With revulsion.) I would have to--hate Him.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to RICCARDO LC and pulls him to his
feet. Uncertainly.) None of us understands Him

any longer. But now at least He wants to save you,
Riccardo.

RICCARDO. (Wearily.) How do you know that? (Crosses UC.
Murmurs disconnectedly.) I am--I would be frightened
of rescue by Him, the Monster that devours its young.

GERSTEIN. (Moves toward RICCARDO. Feverishly.) You have
to survive. Ricoardo--tc live. somewhere.

RIOOARDO. (With a grim smile.) Live? No one can come
back from here to go on living. (Points to JACOBSON.)
And what about him? And all the others? I came here
with a mission. and that must sustain me. (Crosses UL
and sits on E.) Whether it's meaningful. I'm no longer
sure. I do not know. But if it‘s not, my life too
is no longer meaningful. Let me be. -

JACOBSON. (Crosses to RICCARDO ULC.) Father. if you do
not go along you will endanger Gerstein. He only
invented the order for your release.

GERSTEIN. You shouldn‘t have said that.
JACOBSON. I did to get him out of here-~now hurry.

RICCARDO. (Rises and crosses C. He starts convulsively.
but then quietly and affectionately speaks.) So--I
rather thought as much, Gerstein. You used to go

about things so cautiously...Why this insanity now.
to come for me?

GERSTEIN. (Distraughtly.) Because I have you on my con-
science. I turned you first on this fatal path. '

RICCARDO. (Quickly goes to GERSTEIN and speaks to him as
if to a child.) What would I have on my conscience. if
I weren‘t here? Please understand. I have no right
to go. Why lead me into temptation--that makes it
worse. You see, I hardly have the necessary strength.
(Crosses RC. Softly.) I'm doing penance. as I must.

GERSTEIN. (Exoitedly.) You‘ve done your penance long ago.

206

RICCARDO. Gerstein, please, take him with you..
JACOBSON. Me? Father, I won't accept that.

RICCARDO. (Crosses to JACOBSON.) Jacobson, I'm not
staying in your place. It‘s not a question of me
or you. I am here to represent the Church. (Crosses
past JACOBSON LG.) I could not go even if I wanted
to. God knows, I did want to. (Moves ULC.) You
will owe me nothing, Jacobson. If you don't go, then
no one will at all. Put on my cassock one more time--

(JACOBSON looks from one to the other.)

GERSTEIN. (Finally.) I say nothing. Decide it for your-
selves. (Breaks R.)

RICCARDO. (Speaks quickly and moves in to JACOBSON.) You
can do all the things that I cannot. You can use a gun,
can sabotage. It's not a case of simply saving your
life. Gerstein is not going to set you free so that
you can hide out until the end of the war.

GERSTEIN. (Unable to forbear commenting.) Do any of the
officers know either of you personally?

JACOBSONe NOe
RICCARDO. Only the head doctor knows me.

GERSTEIN. (Breaks DR on B, aghast.) The Doctor? 'No! If
the Doctor knows you, Riccardo...

K

RICCARDO. (Crosses C. Undeterred.) Nobody can prove that
you knew me, Gerstein, or that you already knew Jacob-
son.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses in to RICCARDO and indicates JACOBSON.
With extreme impatience.) But what chance has he if
the Doctor finds him with me? We'd only be endangering
Jacobson.

(Pause. Both of them look at JACOBSON. He hesitates, then
Speaks softly.)

JACOBSON. (Crosses DL.) Rather one more risk-~even if I
lose--than stay on with the railroad company until the
time they automatically count me off for gassing.

207

(From this point on. until the end, GERSTEIN reacts swiftly,
unsentimentally and ccnsistently,)although he has no hope
at 811e

cans'rsin. All right, let's try it. (Tcsses JACOBSON the
cassock.) Get into the cassock.

(CARLOTTA enters #1 and crosses RC.)

RIOGARDO. (With forced dryness.) Is my breviary there? A
(Crosses to JACOBSON and gets book.) Then I‘ll go...
(Crosses LC.) Carlotta!

GBRSTBIN. (Insistently to JACOBSON, who has crossed ULC
to D.) Hurry, Jacobson! i

RICCARDO. Carlotta, your father is still living. I saw
him last night at roll call...

cnasrsm. (To the still hesitant Jacosson. Irritably.)
Change your clothes, man, change your clothes.

0mm. (Answering RICCARDO.) How did he look? And
my mother? -

GERSTEIN. (Crosses C.) I'll take your letter with me--
is it ready?

RICCARDO. (Crosses R.) I don‘t see the women, Carlotta.
Your father is holding out bravely.v

CARLOTTA. (Fumbles the scraps of paper out of her pocket
and crosses to GERSTEIN.) Thank you...I could not write
the letter. Thke these, please, so that they aren't
found on me. (Crosses to DC unit and sits.)

OBRSTEIN. (Crosses to‘RIOCARDO, in fear.) If we run into
the Doctor. Riccardo. you'll see us both again-dues.»-
tomorrow.

(JACOBSON comes forward, RICCARDO meets him C and shakes
his hand.)

JACOBSON. Thank you., (Fanatically.) Hold out. We'll
come. We will avenge you.

axccmo. (Trying to smile.) nun you'd better hurry...
Goodbye, Gerstein. Don‘t let my father knew where I
an. Tbll him.my life has been fulfilled.

208

(RICCARDO exits #2. GERSTEIN and JACOBSON move URC. CAR—

LOTTA rises, nods mutely to them and goes out quickly to

refill her pail, but chiefly to make their departure easier.

With spasmodic self-control, GERSTEIN raps out his.in-
structions.)

@GERSTEIN. We're going to the Commandant now. Talk as
little as possible. You've been here a week, is that
clear, one week. Remember, you were working at the
crematorium. °

JACOBSON. (Frantically.) He was here a week? I have
(Pointing to his forearm.) an altogether-different
number..§

GERSTEIN. (Gloomily.) No one will ask you your number.
Ready! .

(Already at the door, GERSTEIN starts violently. The DOCTOR,
who has stopped CARLOTTA, drops her pail in exit #3.)

Over there, the Doctor! (In a tone of command.) Walk
ahead of me, Father.

@ (The DOCTOR enters hurriedly #3, pushing CARLOTTA ahead of
him. He deposits her at unit L and moved LC.)

DOCTOR. What's the hurry, Gerstein? How are things?

GERSTEIN. (Turns to face him.) Heil Hitler, Major. I'm
here to pick up Inmate Fontana, the priest.

DOCTOR. (Crosses C. ) The reason I left my soft bed, Ger-
stein, was to say goodbye to our priest. (Yawns widely.)
In a hurry, isn't he? Touching. Since when do Hebrews
belong to the One True Church? '

GERSTEIN. (Harshly and with a good pretense of assurance.)
Hebrews? What do you mean by that? (Steps C.) I
have orders from Lieutenant Colonel Eichmann...

DOCTOR. (Scornfully.) Really!

GERSTEIN. To take this Jesuit, a diplomat frOm the Holy
See who was sent here by mistake...

DOCTOR. (CroSses ULC.) By mistake-~they' re all sent here
by mistake. What does that matter? (Crosses URC to
JACOBSON. He bows elaborately to the Jew.) .Your

209

Excellency-~is it true that God is sick? It' 5 said
he's having those depression fits again--as he did the
time the Church was burning up the Jews and Protestants
in Spain.

JACOBSON. (Trying to play along.) I also think God suffers
great grief now.

DOCTOR. (Crosses RC. Plays with his stick and enjoys
every word.) Or maybe he has syphillis. like so many
female saints who were prostitutes on earth--and sodo-
mites like St. Francis... (Crosses DC to GERSTEIN.)
Gerstein, I've seen through you ever since our drive
to Tabingen. But Christians as ingenious as you are
delight me e

GERSTEIN. (Indignantly.) Major, I will not stand for that.
I demand an explanation.

DOCTOR. So you demand! You demand that I make a fool of
myself. (Angrily.) You think I am another.Adolf Eich—
mann? I'll make you pay for thinking me a fool, Gerstein.

GERSTEIN. I don't understand you at all.

DOCTOR. (Crosses ULC. Brutally.) You understand perfectly
well. I know the priest.

GERSTEIN. (After a pause, to JACOBSON.) Do you know the
Major, Father?

DOCTOR. I know the real priest, the real one. (Crosses URC
to JACOBSON. He taps JACOBSON in the face with his
stick.) Tell me, what's so attractive about this
fellow that you're determined to have him? Nice, warm,
Christian brotherly love?

GERSTEIN. It‘ s a cheap joke, Major, to go on mocking me all
) the time because I go to Church. That's my affair.

DOCTOR. (Breaks DR on A.) Really touching. A member of
the Confessing Church comes here to swindle a priest
free and instead smuggles a Jew out of the camp.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses ULC. Seemingly bitterly amused.)
Smuggle? Riciculous! I'm taking him to the Commandant
right now. Of what are you accusing me? How am I
supposed to know if he's not the man they're looking
for?

210

DOCTOR. (Laughs malignantly.) How? How are you supposed
to know? Sergeant! (Crosses C.) You'll get your
chance to explain how... ‘

GERSTEIN. (Feverishly interrupting him.) Was I the one
who insisted on taking the priest to the camp gate?
It was only because Major Fritsche was busy with visitors
from Essen. (He points to JACOBSON.) If you have any
doubts e e e

DOCTOR. (Crosses to GERSTEIN.) Doubts! I'm arresting
you, Gerstein. (Breaks DL.) Rome hasn't asked for
the priest at all or you would never have swapped him
for that follow.

(SS man enters #3.)
Arrest him!
(RICCARDO enters #2 with GUARD.)

(Pleasantly.) Well, my dear Father. Have you now
reconciled reality with the ideal there at the furnaces?
(Crosses RC to RICCARDO.) I hOpe. as my private chap-
lain, you will show appreciation for my giving you the
chance to study the Golgotha of Absolute Spirit at

close quarters. '

RICCARDO. (Calmly and contemptuously.). You'll never win;
your kind can only triumph temporarily.

JACOBSON. (Crosses R. He has come to the decision to
give up quickly, so that GERSTEIN, at least, may be
exonerated.) I tricked the lieutenant. I pretended to
be the priest. Since he didn't answer, I reported to
the guardreom. He wasn't here...didn't come, so...

DOCTOR. (He flies into a rage after this last sentence,
which too obviously attempts to give information to

\ RICCARDO. He turns and crosses to JACOBSON.) One
more word and you'll go into the furnace alive.
Kneel--on your knees.

(JACOBSON lies on the ground, face down. The DOCTOR.
speaks triumphantly to GERSTEIN, pointing to RICCARDO.)

(Steps URC to GERSTEIN.) I suppose he did not want
to come? Or didn't you want to take him?

211

GERSTEIN. (Nervously, indicating RICCARDO.) This is
the first time I have ever seen him. How should I
know which is the real priest. It isn‘t my affair
to check on that.

scores. '(Crosses o and looks at CARLOTTA.) on well, let's
see what the bit of skirt here has to say. Come over
here, you! Come here!
(He beckons to her. She crosses C. The DOCTOR finally
takes hold.of'CARLOTTA, as she approaches falteringly,
and pulls her to his side.)

RICCARDO. '(Addresses CARLOTTA rapidly.) Carlotta-~you!’
We were deported together....Do you still remember me?

CARLOTTA. (Trying to play along.) Father, it's good to
see you're still living.

(The DOCTOR circles CARLOTTA during the following inter-
change, pausing at every line.)

DOCTOR. You came from Rome, with your family? Are you
Catholic?

miter-TA. v...

DOCTOR. You've been cleaning here since seven o'clock?
Were you on time today? ~

CARLOTTA. (Frightened.) Yes, right on time.
DOCTOR. (Quickly.) Your fiance was killed?
CARLOTTA. Yes, at Tobruk.

DOCTOR. I see-~what is--what was his name?
CARLOTTA. Marcello. I“

DOCTOR. (Very rapidly.) So, you were here on time! But
you still came later than the priest, eh?

CARLOTTA. (Bewildered, she does not dare to reply. StammersJ
I--dcn't knowh-I was...

RICCARDO. (Calmly, pointing to JACOBSON, attempting to
help her.) He 5 asking whether the priest was here
when you came, Carlotta.

212

DOCTOR. (Inruriated, turns on RICCARDO.) Father, don't
stoop so low! (To CARLOTTA, pointing to RICCARDO.)
Well then, when did your soulmate get here?

CARLOTTA. The Father--I don't know--I couldn't...

(Although nothing really depends on her answer any more,
the DOCTOR, out of pleasure in tormenting her, forces
CARLOTTA to her knees with an iron grip and then bends her
over so that she is almost on her back. He applies this
force so unexpectedly that she cries out.)

DOCTOR. Well--do you know or don't you?

CARLOTTA. I didn't look up, I was just--scrubbing the
floor--I...

DOCTOR. (Pulls CARLOTTA to her feet again. With smiling
sadism.) Shall I send you where your family went?
(Pushes her toward #3 and then to #1.) Look at the
fires over there. And there-~the fence--(Turns her
head one way and thmn the other.) do you want me to
chase you over there or over there?

(At this casual mention of the end of her family CARLOTTA
collapses psychically--this news is the last straw. Mad-
ness already in her eyes, she whispers, an insane stammeringu)

CARLOTTA. Dead-~all dead-~dead--all dead-~dead...
(While she stammers, the DOCTOR speaks offhandedly.)
DOCTOR. Was he here first--or was it this one?

CARLOTTA. (Looks at the DOCTOR in silence, her face
wildly contorted. At last she stammers.) I don't know,
I don't know, I don't know.

(The DOCTOR has let go of her. She backs toward the
guardrcom and kneels UC while staring hypnotized at "the
most cunning of brutes" (Canaris's phrase for Heydrich)--
his bestiality has now come fully to the fore. Then she
.screams, screams like a woman in labor, under anesthesia,
all inhibitions gone. The actress may, if she wishes, blurt
out words at this point--perhaps the simplest, the most
cliche phrases might be used.)

Nc--no--let me alcne--no--don't...

DOCTOR. (Mechanically, he opens his holster and murmurs.)
Gone off her rocker. » -

213

Fig. lu.--DOCTOR: Shall I send you where your family
went?

 

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(RICCARDO kneels as if in prayer.)

CARLOTTA. (To the DOCTOR.) Marcello: Marcello: (She
laughs madly.) I was afraid you would never come
back from.Africa. It's been so long, Marcello--
you've been gone so long.

(An insane smile passes over her face, for the DOCTOR

radiates that "most persuasive kindness" that has been

mentioned. Her madly flickering eyes look in his. She

jumps up and tries to grasp his hand. She utters a cry

of release because she has found "him" again and wants
to embrace him.)

DOCTOR. (Evading her embrace, with compelling tenderness.)
Come along--come now-~not here.

(He leads her off #1. She follows without hesitation. He

does not touch her, merely extends his arm to her-~the

gesture lightly, gracefully suggesting that she come with
him.) '

iRLOTTA. Marcello--Marcellol

(Standing behind her, the DOCTOR draws his pistol and kills
CARLOTTA with a bullet.in the back of the neck. Without so
much as a glance at the corpse. he replaces the pistol in

the holster. At this moment, while the two GUARDS are ab-
sorbed in what is happening, RICCARDO throws a fist into a
GUARD'S stomach, grabs his gun, and dashes toward the DOCTOR.)

RICCARDO. Destroy him:

(Before he can pull the trigger, he is shot down by the sub-
machine gun of the SS man.)

DOCTOR. (Crosses to RICCARDO, leaving CARLOTTA in aisle #1.)
Aimed at me? I guess he really meant it. Thank you,
Sergeant. (Bending over RICCARDO.) Hm, Father, shoot-
ing comes almost as hard as praying--in Auschwitz. (He
kneels.) Too bad, I was looking forward to debating with
you for a few weeks more....Any nearer to God now?

RICCARDO. (Straightens up, tries to say something, sinks
back, murmurs almost inaudibly.) In hora mortis meae
V0 Ca me e

DOCTOR. (Mockingly.) Did you really hear him calling--
in the crematorium? (He rises, crosses RC to JACOBSON,
and kicks him sharply in the groin.) Get up--on your

215

E33 way, to the campfire. (Points to RICCARDO.) And take
that with you-~go on, take it along.

GERSTEIN. (Crosses to RICCARDO and kneels next to him.)
He isn't dead. You are a physician-ehelp him. (Shouts.)
He's still alive!

DOCTOR. (Without looking at GERSTEIN, he crosses UR and
speaks cooly.) The fire is a good physician. It will
burn out the Jew and the Christian in him. (Beckcns
to the GUARD who saves him.) Take this man to the ‘
Commandant. Watch out for him-~I'll be along shortly.)

GUARD. Yes, sir.

(The other GUARD picks up his gun and takes JACOBSON off
lfllfifla The DOCTOR returns to the dying priest, laughs, and
@exits #1. As the lights fade, the audience sees only

. RICCARDO'S desperate, groping attempts to right himself.)'

®

III THE END

@
@

216

Fig. 15.--RICCARDO: Destroy him!

a, _J L
"f" —l {I

 

 

 

 

 

217

 

Fig. l6.--Light Cues

 

 

 

 

Act One
Cue Page Lights ~ Level nirggtignsn_____
l 101 House t;
2 101 House Out
Dimmers 1-12 ’10
3 101 Dimmers 1-12 *6
U 10“ Dimmers 1-12 *7 (Cue: Gerstein's
entrance)
5 107 Dimmers 1-12 910 (Fast)
6 115 Dimmers 1-12 +7 (Cue: .Gerstein
~ in position)
7 117 Dimmers 1-12 .18 KCue: Doctor
onstage)
8 128 Dimmers 1-12 .tfi (Fast)
9 130 Dimmers 1-12 +10 Krast. Cue! Ser-
132 - vant in position)
137 '
10 1&2 Dimmers 1-12 40
11 1&2 House Full
Act Two
12 its House $§
13 1th House Out
Dimmers 1-6 1%
Dimmers 7-12 +3
in ink Dimmers 1-12 +6
15 ' 1H5 Dimmers 1-12 18 (Cue: Riccardo
onstage)
16 152 Dimmers l-u *3 (Slow)
.Dimmers 7-12 *3 (Slow)
2 Thke out, plug [20
17 152 Dimmers 1-12 +8- ‘
18 152 Dimmers 1-12 +10 Krast)
19 158 Dimmers 1, 3-6 m in
20 161 , Dimmers 1, 3-6 $10
21 162 Dimmers 1, 3-5 *u
22 16U Dimmers 1, 3-6 ’10 .
23 165 Dimmers 1, 3-6 *h
2“ 170 Dimmers 1, 3-6 110
25 172 Dimmers 1, 3-6 *h
26 17b Dimmers 1, 3-6 +10
27 177 Dimmers 1, 3-6 *u i
28 179 Dimmers 1, 3-6 110
29 183 Dimmers 1, 336 *0 rEnd by "summa iniuria
. 8 Out, un lug #19, plug #21

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

218

Fig. 16. Continued

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cue ‘Page .Lightspk Level Directicgg ,-
30 18h 8 T8.

31 . 185 8 Out

32 185 2 Out WSlow)

8 Out, unplug #21, plug #19
33 185 House Full
Act Three
'3U 188 House ¢é-R0ues song begins)
35 188 House Out
Dimmers 1-12 in (Cue: song ends)
36 188 Dimmers 7, 8 *8 (Cue: Doctor
crosses onto B)
37 189 Dimmers 7, 8 wt “Cue: .Dcctor
leaves D)

37A 189 Dimmers 1-12 l9 (Very slowly)

38 195 Dimmers 1-12 t5 (Fast)

39 197 Dimmers 1-12 +7 (Fast)

no 202 Dimmers 1-12 +8

1&1 208 Dimmers 1-12 1‘10

#2 215 Dimmers 1-12 *0

#3 215 Dimmers 1-12 110\

an 215 Dimmers 1-12 *0

#5 215 House Full

219

Fig. 17.--L1ght' plot

 

 

 

 

 

"I9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

s2, 8 ' \®/ #3
K ,

Light

#1
#2
#3

#5
#6
#7
#8
#9
#10

#111

#12
#13

#11. .

#15
#16
#17
#18
#19
#20

220

Fig. 18.--Ge1 colors

Color

Medium Blue
DarknBastard.Amber
Dark Bastard.Amber
Daylight Blue
Daylight Blue

Sky Blue

Rose Pink

Dark Bastard.Amber
Dark Bastard.Amber
Rose Pink

Dark Bastard.Amber
Rose Pink

Dark Bastard.Amber

Dark Beetird Asher
Rose Pink

Dark Bastard Amber
Medium Blue

Medium Blue
Dark.Bastard.Amber
Daylight,Blue

Gel

Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco

Rosco

'Rcsco

Rosco
Rosco

80000
Rocsc
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco
Rosco

Rosco

NOe

No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.

N90
No.
No.
No.
No.
No.

257
203
203
251
251
260
232
203
203
232
203
232
203

203
232
203
257
257
203
251

Light

#21
#22
#23
#2»

221

Fig. 18. Continued

Color

Daylight Blue
Rose Pink
Rose Pink

Dark Bastard.Amber

GOle N0 0

Rosco No. 251
Rosco No. 232
Rosco No. 232
Rosco No. 203

222

Fig. 19.--Sound cues

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cue Act One Page Tape No. Level
1 Introduction-drums-music-drums 5.101 . 1-30 10
2 3 Drum rolls 105 75 6
3 Drums-drinking song 106 79 6a10
# Drinking song 112 115 ‘2}
5 Marching song 115 17# 10
6 Marching song 117 17# 2}
7 Drums 122 201 5
8 Drums-music 128 205 633210
9 Bells 130 238 2}

132

137
10 Drums 1#2 299 10

Act Two

'11 Drums-Gregorian chant-fi‘tfnkles 11m *‘312 10
12 Gregorian chant 152 3#8 10
13 Drums 160 379 6

161
1# Drums 162 392 6
15 Drums 153 .#05 6
l6 Drums 165 #19 6
17 3 Drum rolls 170 #32 8
18 Drums 17# #37 6
19 3 Drum rolls 177 #50 8
20 Telephone 178 --- ~-
21 Train running 18# #55 #
22 Train running 18# #82 #
23 Train stepping 185 503' #

Act Three

2# Drinking song 188 520 10
25 Drums- ~ 195 575 10
26 (Announcement 197 590 6
27 Drums 208 603 6
28 Drums-music ' 215 619 6¥#»10
29 Drums-marching song (Curtain cal 215 6n10

 

 

 

 

 

. 658

PART FOUR
1313 SUMMARY

THE EVALUATIONS

The original version of The Deputy is comprised of
five acts and eleven scenes: if performed with no deletion
of lines or modification of action, the 285 page play would
run anywhere from six to seven hours. Because it is too
long and much too episolically structured, a director soon
discovers that a successful production of the play depends
as much on his ability to adapt the script as on his talent
to stage and clarify the action.

This in no way diminishes the necessity for in-
ventive staging. Realism as a style would only emphasize
the excessive naturalistic aspects of the plot. Already
bogged down by the sheer bulk of necessary exposition, the
play would be so bound by a naturalistic decor that all
theoretical thought would be totally obscured. In 1h;
Deputy, more so than in most others, the cutting, acting
style, and scenic approach must be so integrated that
they clearly illuminate the real issue.

The cutting used in the Michigan State University
production retained the essence of the original and elir
minated many of the unformed subplots and most of the;
overwrought imagery. Hochhuth's penchant for the preten-
tious made wholesale'cutting advisable. In its new form,

the script was less bombastic and considerably more

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incisive. Intercalating scenes within scenes not only
pointed up the issues under examination, but appreciably

. heightened their impact by giving focus where none existed
before. Interpolation probably saved some of the scenes
from becoming static and noticably repetitive.

Many of the problems regarding acting were inherent
to the script. While the Epic theatre approach gave cre-
Pence to many speeches which would have otherwise rung
false, vagaries still surrounded the actions, reactions,
and interactions of many characters. Part of the resultant
lack of clarity could be traced to the exorbitant amount
of time spent of the technical business of plotting the
detailed pattern of movement. Although it was generally
aesthetically pleasing and carefully balanced, the block-
ing occasionally appeared overworked and somewhat contrived.
This was due, in part, to the fact that very little move-
ment is either explicitly or implicitly stated in the
argument of the play. And since most of the action is
verbal, the director must create enough movement and busi-
ness to hold the audience's attention. Still, too many of
the moves grew from this technical necessity rather than
the emotional tone of the scene. i

A good part of the time spent on blocking could

have been more profitably used to explain more clearly the
individual character's function in the total process of pro-

duction. Since the lines in the play offer few clues to

 

225

characterisation, a director must carefully explain the
rationale behind each piece of stage business. Also, since
Epic style presents many special problems, an actor's ef-
fectiveness depends a great deal on his understanding of
the technique.

Eberle Thomas obviously understood the technique
and his part in the total development of the plot. Con-
stantly aware of the shifting conflicts exploding within
Riccardo Fontana, Thomas etched an agonizing and memorable
portrait of a man captured in a trap of his own design.

. He paced his performance superbly and mastered the subtle
nuances of the role in a most skillful fashion.

William Seeley was outstanding in his characteri-
zation of the Doctor. His gestures were exact: his movements
deft. His assault on the senses began early in act three:
.the climax it reached at the end of his scene with Ric-
cardo provided one of the most passionately defined and
clearly articulated moments in the show. If his characteri-
sation relied too heavily on malevolence rather than irony,

‘ the fault lay in the adaptation. 'In some ways it was a
mistake to begin act three with the various testimonials
about the man. While the comments gave his character fuller
explanation and greated antagonistic merit, it tended to
endow his personality with an almost unearthly dimension.

Besides being the most controversial role in the

play, the part of Pius Xii was perhaps the most difficult

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to portray. Hochhuth's concern for historical accuracy
coupled with the availability of material about the Pepe's
public and private life. forced Terry Williams into imi-
tation. his reproduction consciously avoided caricature,
however; Williams defended with sincere conviction a man
he knew to be wrong. And, not granted the license given
Pacelli in life, Williams had to make the Pontiff an in-
teresting stage character with only a series of verbose,
rather stultifying speeches to work with. His characteri-
zation did much to make The Deputy more than a mere "hate"
- play.

Fred Piegonski's sensitive and moving portrayal
of the doomed manufacturer played in direct contrast to
his searing interpretation of Adolf Eichmann. Piegonski
displayed excellent variety in his two consistent and well
defined characterizations.

In the ruthless role of Salzer, the chief of the
German police in Rome, Mike Rehling was excellent: as one
of his victims, Dale Galvan was equally outstanding. De-
liberately avoiding resorting to type, Rehling added a
compassionate humanity to a man victimized by circumstance.
Gelvan's delicate interpretation of Carlotta revealed the
fears and anguish of all innocent victims. It was a tragic
A commentary on the real savagery of war.~
Ann Matesich is an actress of considerable talent:

in the few lines given to her, she told.the audience with

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an icy calm all they needed to know about the loneliness
and bitterness of one about to die.
Vicki Sanchez and Mike Oberfield each played two

roles and both were done most believably. Charles Hannum
was very convincing as Witzel but tended to exaggerate
I Jacobson's responses to the extent that the character
appeared somewhat insincere. Generally too dynamic for
the role, Hannum never seemed able to give the Jew any
logical continuity of response. Undoubtedly the direc-
tor's experimentation with possible interpretations, the
vagueness of the playwright's comments, and the abrupt
'change in emotions suggested by the lines all added to
his obvious perplexity.
The Cardinal also suffered from the same plight

that beseiged Jacobson. Bob Stern was never able to grace
him with the charm, extreme urbanity, and hauteur so ne-
cessary to the appreciation of the man and his function in
the play. Not only did the man's eccentric personality
fail to crystalize but individual speeches and responses
often lacked coherence. a

Dean Kyburz caught the frantic sincerity of Ger-
stein and as long as scenes were played with an almost
hysterical frenzy, he was somewhat'believable. Sequences
demanding a change in energy and dramatic pitch suffered
greatly from his lack of vocal variety. His technical

delivery was noticably poor; at times, he became almost

229

totally inarticulate.

In the hands of James Alexander, the conflict
which grew from the Count's being torn between his al-
liance to his Pope and his love for his son was never
convincingly drawn. In his critical moment of decision,
he too willingly deferred to the Pope's desire. His re-
lationship with.his son remained too vague and undefined:
we saw no deep affection, no pride in his son's accomplish-
ments; we did not even see forceful indignation at the
intensity of his son's protest. Not in the slightest
way did father resemble son.

In minor roles. Jeff Justin and Harriet Nowell
were capable while Ed Abry and Howard Rebach were generally
weak in most of their assignments. It must be mentioned
in their behalf, however, that their roles were designed
merely to provide relevant exposition.

The set provided a number of playing areas, was
fairly well conceived, and more than adequately fulfilled
its primary function of helping to interpret the action.
mhe only disturbing element in the set was the gaudy, un-
broken, predominence of purple which proved both distract-
ing and.monotoncus. Set pieces were quite good, the
crucifix and poled swastikas being extremely evocative
and well designed. The symbolism in the latter was over-
drawn (Jewish stars served as the base for the swastikas
mounted on poles) but its immediate effect was quite out-

standing.

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While the limited number of available lighting
instruments made many special effects impossible, the

sharply contrasting gel colors nicely fit the emotional

key of the various scenes. More instruments would have
also helped to isolate the various areas of the stage in
a more distinct way. If the budget would have permitted,
long black boots and costumes designed solely in black
and white would have been more apprOpriately timeless and
far more exciting than the basically contemporary apparel
worn in the Arena production at Michigan State University.
The music compensated for many of the inadequacies in
lighting, costuming, and settings by defining the mood of
each scene and emphasizing important moments. It not only
aided the flow of action but did much to give the script
its grim continuity.

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Critical Appraisal of The Deputy
By Sidney J... Berger

Assistant Professor, Department of Speech
Michigan State University

There is little doubt that Mr. Ferzaoca's production
of Rolf Hoohhuth's W was a notably ambitious under-
taking and one which yielded a certain amount of satisfaction
to both director and audience. The play certainly presented
numerous difficulties, not the least of which being the author's
need of almost unlimited time to expound upon the crucial
sense of injustice alive in our own time. Indeed, the director,

in this case oreditably edited and adapted the full work in
' addition to creating the mi e on oene. Mr. lerzacoa met
with varying degrees of success in accomplishing these mul-
tiple tasks.

Certainly W was produced-with a degree of
power and impact. Directorially, Hochhuth's indictment was
brought clearly into focus: however, the bifurcation was an
instinctive one, made between a rather pure good and malevolent
evil. There was little room for argument in an arena with
hero and villain. Yet, the play demands argument or it would
have little reason for being written. Interpretation of char-
acter served to support this former effect and brought the
play, at times, rather close to melodrama. Eichmann, for
example, was depicted with a degree of petulance that mitigated

232

the power of his perverse brilliance. Indeed, the playwright
states that the true grotesqueness of the Nazi era was that

the mind can no longer comprehend the revelation of an Ausch-

witz and its soientificaiiy oouoeived program of genocide.
There was intelligence here, of that there must be no doubt.
In addition, the Pope appeared to be a rather simple, weak
cleric. It certainly seemed implausible for him to have been
elected to a position of such power and political significance
and yet not be aware of the possible implications of each
move. Depicted as simply fearful, the issue of the play
becomes one of weakness versus strength, in its broad sense.
' But, I believe, the furor aroused by the play depends strongly
on the problem of extracting JusticeandLmoral. right from a
balance in which arguments on both sides were indeed weighty.
Against these characters Fontana stands with messianic strength.
In directing the work, Mr. Ferzacca brought to the
stage a unity which stimulated the mind and frequently pro-
duced a high degree of empathy on behalf of the audience. Yet,
while the director appeared to have envisioned the play on a
universal basis I (with some Justification), this approach
frequently obscured a sense of specific‘ locale. Places were
difficult to define and this viewer occasionally attempted to
solve locale problems while sacrificing portions of the play.‘
There are certain locales demanded by the play. These vary
from palace to apartment, yet the impression was one of space,

' not place.

233

The director made successful use of rhythm in his
work. The sense of uninterrupted continuity greatly in-
creased the sense of fatality and hopelessness so vital to
the play. The choice of’music also contributed strongly
to this effect.

The director's successes with a play which demands
a great degree of skill, were notable. There was an overall
honesty to the approach.whioh.greatly increased the effective-
ness of the play. If a single temptation was evident to
which.Hri Ferzacca yielded, it was to direct the play as a
universal. However, universality becomes apparent after wit-
' nessing the realities, the specific actions of a time and a
place. To embrace the cinematic technique, in part, is to
sacrifice the power of immediacy, of the.impaot of eventst

Critigue of Tpe Dgpupy Dipected by John Ferzacca
By Frank Rutledge

Instructor, Department of Speech
Michigan State University
John Ferzaoca's‘produoticn.of The Deputy by Rolf

Hechhuth revealed many of the advantages and limitations of
the arena stage for the presentation of such a monumental
work. Mr. Ferzacoa was generally more successful in staging
bthe larger scenes which required the entire playing space,
and less successful in utilizing the arena stage's opportuni-

ties for intimacy in the smaller scenes. He tended to use

231.

n the entire playing area for each scene of the multi-scened
play. This led to some confusion as to the locale from scene
to scene as the actors were not instructed to convey the en-
vironment by their pantomimio abilities. The loss in variety
that resulted distracted from the total impact the script
might have achieved. .

Hr. Ferzacca also adapted the play for this arena
production. In this process a definite directorial viewpoint
was established which seemed to diminish Hochhuth's accom-
plishment. This diminished effect was then carried out in
' the staging and overall presentation. In essence, Mr. rerzacoa
‘ simplified the conflict of the piece to a. "good guys-bad guys"
level and then proceeded to depict both parties in a two-
dimensional fashion. The Nazis were either mniacal or pet-
ulant and those scenes which supported Hochhuth's charge about
the modern imensity of horror-science were quickly under-
played to make room for the more "exciting" actions of the
principals. -

me very critical scene with the Pope was adapted
to be Juxtapoised with the scenes of the German round up of
the Italian Jews. The German officer was somewhat overdrawn,
but in the main presented the aspect 'of a hard working officer
who .is trying to do the best job possible under very trying
circumstances. The Pope's posturing and affectedness, by

the contrast. was greatly emphasized and thus the Catholic

235

position was denigrated. By such devices and effects Hochp
huth's central issue of the nature of Justice and its ab-
sence from.the world‘was submerged: and in its place a series
of episodes (that might be construed as somewhat surrealistic
from Ricoardo's viewpoint) narrating a young priest's ex-
periences with Nazis, Jews, and Catholics during World War II

was presented.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bentley, Eric (ed.). The Storm Over The Deputy. New York:
Grove Press, Inc., 19 .

Corrigan, Robert W. Theatre in the Twentieth Century. New
York: Grove Press, Inc., 19 3.

DeMetz, Peter (ed.). Brecht. New Jersey: Prentice Hall,
Inc. 3 1962s

Gassner, John. Directions in Modern Theatre and Drama. New
York: Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc.. 1935.

Gerelik, Mordecai. New Theatre for Old. New York: Samuel
French, Inc., 1950.

Hochhuth, Rolf. The De ut . Trans. Richard and Clara Winston.
New York: Grove ress, Inc.. 1961:.

'Hochhuth, Rolf. The Deputy, adapted by Jerome Rothenberg.
New York: Samuel French, Inc., 196H.

Juhasz, Leslie A. Sartre. No. 569-# of Monarch Notes and
Study Guidep. New York: Monarch Press, Inc., 1935.

Levitt,.Saul. The Andersonville Trial. New York: Random
House, 1930.

MacLeish, Archibald. gg. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co.,

Mann, Abby. Jud ent at Nurember . New'York:' The New
American Library, 1931.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. Existentialism and Human Emotions. New
York: Philosophical Library, 1957.

Sartre, Jean-Paul. No Exit. New‘York: Samuel French, Inc.,
1958.

Wentz, John C. "An American Tragedy as Epic Theater: the

.Piscator Dramatization , Modern Drama, ed. A. C. Ed-
wards, IV. 371. Kansas: Allen Press, 1962.

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237

Williams, Oscar (ed.). The New Pocket Anthology of American
Verse. New York: Washington Square Press, Inc..
1955.

Williams, Tennessee. The Glass Menaeepip. New’York: Drama-
tists Play Service, Inc., 19 .

HICHIGQN STQTE UNIV. LIBRRRIES

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