The People vs Fritz Bauer
Burghart Klaußner stars in this real life story of a Jewish state attorney trying to hunt down a Nazi war criminal
There's a potentially great double bill of East German political films to be programmed: The Lives of Others followed by Goodbye, Lenin! Tonally, they’re at odds, but after the tense voyeuristic drama of the former, the latter would be a pseudo-comedic counterpoint. The People vs Fritz Bauer is not only worthy of joining this elite pairing, but sandwiched between them it would provide the perfect transition.
Set in Germany in 1957, this is the true story of state attorney general Fritz Bauer (Burghart Klaußner), and his attempt to track down Hitler’s henchman Adolf Eichmann. However, the machinations of the attorney’s office are well known to the remnants of the Nazi party, who can still be found throughout the government.
Director Lars Kraume mines comedy from the procedural aspects of the investigation as Bauer oscillates between curmudgeonly and inspirational. Like the two previously mentioned films, Kraume uses intimacy and characterisation to humanise the larger political issues. Friends, make space in your diaries – this could be a triple bill.
The People vs Fritz Bauer screened at Glasgow Film Festival.
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