Lou Andreas-Salomé, The Audacity to be Free (2016) - full transcript

Against vice and materialism.
I surrender to the fire

the writings of Karl Marx and Trotsky.

Against soul-destroying
overestimation of instinctual life.

For the nobility of the human soul.

I hand over to the fire the writings
of the Sigmund Freud school.

Against dodgy depreciation
of the German language.

My dear Professor Freud,

the recent events here
fear the worst for Germany.

For respect and awe of the
immortal German folk spirit ..

Now I very much hope that you are well.

... surrender everything
that is not German to fire.



Do you want?

You allow, Ernst Pfeiffer.

I wanted to ask if Ms.
Andreas-Salomé is to be spoken to?

She no longer receives anyone.

Goodbye.

Could you give her that?

Mariichen!

Who was that?

By the way, he is still there.

Then let him in.

For sure?

Yes.

- But you must not take too long.

I...



It's very kind

that you receive me.

You have written that it is
a matter of life and death.

So I have a friend who needs help.

Psychological help.

I have stoped practicing since yesterday.

Psychoanalysis is
considered Jewish science.

So you made an effort
to come here for nothing.

But I don't know where else to go.

So my friend, he,

he can't sleep anymore.

He hasn't tended to his papers for weeks.

He really needs to

finish his doctoral thesis.

He no longer knows how to feed his family.

So I think he is thinking of
doing something to himself.

What is your friend by profession?

He is a Germanist,

but without permanent employment.

His wife earns the bare
minimum with piano lessons.

And you are also a Germanist?

I...

And your wife also gives piano lessons?

Yes, that was stupid of me.

Now that you are here, stay seated!

So I...

... I have admired you and your
work for a long time, Ms. Salomé.

However.

I did not know,

that I still matter to your generation.

I am like a preparation and
smile quietly if you are wrong.

I know you out of loneliness

walk towards the big luck
and you will find my hands.

No room for the development of women

is so bad

like no freedom of movement
for man's development.

Nothing emancipates a woman so truly

as the idea

that a narrowness in
which she is artificially kept

prevents her from the way

in which she could come to life
with full devotion and devotion.

To be able to find the
point from which life

and herself

celebrate her mysteriously
intertwining harmony

Thank you.

Would you please sign for me?

Thank you.

For me too, please.

Do you have a pen?

Thank you.

Many thanks.

May I have one too?

Thank you.

It was fantastic!

Nice that you came, Frieda!

He's back already.

I'm leaving now.

See you later.

Frau von Bühlow ...

What do you intend with your behavior?

Sorry,

I didn't want to disturb.

Maybe you remember? My
name is René Maria Rilke.

There can be no disturbances,
you are bothering me!

That was not my intention.

But after your reading,
I had to see you again.

Well, you've succeeded now.

Thank you also for your poems.

You didn't like them?

Your poetry is too
cloudy sentimental for me.

You shouldn't let your imagination gallop.

You could help me with that.

You express so masterly

what has only been in my head so far.

Your last essay is related to my poems

like dream to reality.

As a wish to fulfillment.

And your flowery compliments
should impress me?

May I invite you to have a coffee with me?

You are cheeky, Mr. Rilke.

This Pfeiffer is back again.

Let him in!

Can you trust him?

He reminds me of someone.

Do we see him more often?

You maybe,

Soon, I woun't see anything anymore.

So I asked him to help me write my memoirs.

Will I appear in it?

Only if you want.

Mr. Pfeiffer needs help and employment.

I like to believe that.

Who knows how much time I have left.

For most people, childhood is the best time

it was the most difficult for me.

Now you don't have to fall into gloom.

Can you operate your device at all?

Of course.

I was born in St. Petersburg in 1861,

as the only and youngest daughter

after five brothers.

My father had wanted a daughter.

My mother, however

would rather have done
half a dozen male offspring.

You are not allowed to do that!

Ouch!

Did you hurt yourself, my princess?

I have said so many times
that it is too dangerous!

I also want to have shoes like Eugene.

Girls should better play in the house.

Why?

Why?

We just have to be careful that
your mother doesn't notice anything.

Dear God,

are you there?

I wanted to ask you,

can you take care of dad?

He is very old now.

Can you still make him stay with me?

Thanks God!

Soon God didn't answer anymore.

My father died when I was 16.

Become who you are.

Good day.

Spinoza?

It is said that he is in league with the
devil because he questions the church.

His philosophical approaches
are very interesting.

He saw God in everything that surrounds us.

And so frees him from the
narrow dogma of our church.

Could you ...

Would you recommend anything else to me?

If you are serious about philosophy,

start with the Greeks.

Aristotle, for example.

Thank you.

Hendrik Gillott.

Louise of Salomé.

Louise,

Louise!

Louise, get up!

The mass starts in an hour!

I don't want to be confirmed!

You have to learn to stick to the rules.

I am with you.

Every day,

until the end of the world.

These words from God

I want to give you on the way.

Nobody has to be afraid.

God is everywhere.

So God is in hell too?

What are you thinking?

You shouldn't ask things like that, child.

Why not?

I beg you! - This is blasphemy!

Why?

Be quiet! Behave yourself!

We'll talk about it later!

You stay here.

Leave me, mother!

What does fate mean for us?

One can already read in the early writings:

The fate of man is in the hands of God.

Aristotle, the sensory perception

as the starting point for
any natural knowledge,

Plato accuses speculative thinking

and criticizes Plato's thesis of
the existence of a unified science.

You are making progress.

Sorry.

It is not bad.

Lolja.

Lolja.

Lolja.

Lolja.

Can't I just call you Luise?

Do you want to be called like your mother?

That would probably not be possible.

Or maybe just Lou?

Lou.

Yes.

Lou.

Good job, Lou.

However, I am not happy about all topics.

For example?

Here: You can do everything

with the help of the mind and reason.

Why do you doubt that?

At the moment my world is upside down.

You have to work harder on yourself.

Otherwise you will give away your talent.

Poetry, for example, is a waste of time:

"Sure, that's how a
friend loves the friend.

I love you, live riddles.

Whether I shouted in you, cried,
whether you gave me happiness or pain.

A millenia

to think.

Enclose me in both arms.

Are you out of luck to give me?

Well, you still have your pain. "

It is not yet finished.

Lou,

that is beautiful.

Trust me.

My private lessons ended
when the pastor proposed to me.

I thought,

excuse me but ...

... I had the impression that
you were in love with him.

I had to remind him that he was married.

And that he has children my age.

In your novel Ruth
you tell a similar story.

At that time I decided
never to fall in love again

and forever renounce
all erotic experiences.

I think we should put an
end to today, Mr. Pfeiffer.

We are planning to have
Ruth reprint a new edition.

The interest is still huge

especially among the young women.

The same applies to her
work on Friedrich Nietzsche.

Did you have the opportunity
to see Mr. Rilke's poems?

With all admiration for you,

in this case I can not help.

This kind of poetry doesn't suit our house.

I am very sorry.

Then I thank you for your time.

I have to thank.

And greet the consort from me.

If I see him, gladly.

René!

Do not take it so hard.

You have to be patient.

My first novel

had to appear under a male pseudonym.

A woman was not believed to be successful.

René Maria Rilke also sounds like a girl.

One of the atrocities my mother inflicted on me.

I had to wear girl clothes as a child.

Rainer

You also need a male pseudonym.

Instead of René, Rainer.

Rainer.

Hello miss Marie.

Is the gracious woman at home?

What is she actually
telliing you all the time?

The many medications make her careless.

Don't take advantage of that.

What does she have?

Severe diabetes.

The lungs, the heart.

Don't overwhelm them.

What did Mariechen want from you?

I should take care of your health.

Rubish.

I can do that myself.

Where did we stop?

With your oath never to fall in love again.

What does your wife actually say

if you come here every day?

We hardly talk to each other anymore.

Has this been the case for a long time?

I am rarely at home. I
am mostly in the library.

And do you see a connection?

Between your writing
inhibition and your marriage?

I thought you were no longer an analyst?

Which I very much regret.

So I...

I would like to live a different life.

You can't achieve anything if you run away.

Have you never fled anything?

It is just you.

So between my wife and me

there...

Does your wife behave as
politely and well-behaved as you?

What are you trying to say?

Good education often does not help one.

You are only getting yourself in the way.

What did you dream of as a young man?

I didn't allow myself dreams.

But dreams are part of life.

I really wanted to study.

The University of Zurich was
the only one in Europe in 1881

at which women were admitted.

I could hardly believe my luck

when I got a study place there

for philosophy and religious studies.

I'm sorry, we're closing now.

Is it already so late?

You are the last one here.

Oh, just leave the books here.

You will come back here tomorrow morning.

Thank you.

Muschka.

You should have telegraphed me.

So that I can listen to accusations?

Unfortunately, we women
were not born to study.

What!?

Sister!

Sister!

Sister!

I survived and became an
immature daughter again.

My mother brought me from Zurich to Rome,

because she hoped that I would
recover faster in the climate there.

Unfortunately, I did.

I'm sorry, thank you for your visit.

And you have to be the ladies of Salomé!

Thank you for your invitation.

Professor von Kinkel praised
her daughter in the highest tones.

Welcome.

It's nice to meet you.

May I introduce you to my niece Greta.

Very pleased.

You should be the same age.

I was told you studied the Greek scholars?

I am currently occupied
with the German philosophers.

Kant?

Kant, Hegel, Leibniz, Schopenhauer.

Excuse me briefly.

Mrs. von Meysenbug

I will refund you as soon as possible.

Dankeschön.

You promised to give a talk later

Greta can't wait to see you again.

I will never play against you again!

May I introduce you to Paul Rée?

Mrs. von Salomé and her daughter Louise.

You may also remember my niece.

Mr. Rée studied law and philosophy.

And deals with Schopenhauer

What are you reading at the moment?

The World as Will and Imagination.

What characterizes all reality

is the endless pain that arises from life

of which the world is full.

Man can do what he wants ...

But dosn't want what he
wants. Do you know Spinoza?

Spinoza denies free will
as much as Schopenhauer.

But the cardinal point
in Spinoza's philosophy

is the metaphysical unity of soul and body.

The epistemological problem of the
relationship between idea and object

he didn't consider.

Sorry for the delay

I had to wait until my mother snored.

You were right:

Nietzsche's theories are interesting!

Unfortunately, he has
so far been unsuccessful.

Does it correspond to
the ideal of the thinker

and put the truth above everything?

I had hoped,

that you can judge that personally.

His cure has ended.

But?

He still adorns himself.

He doesn't even know
what he's missing.

Are you dizzy?

Miss Luise von Salomé, I know
this is coming a little suddenly ...

But can I ask her hand?

You already had my hand!

Your mother has already consented.

She would do that to almost everyone.

My mother can't wait to
get me under the hood.

Tell me how I can win your heart.

I will never get married!

Can you give me a reason for that?

I want to be free, independent.

A family cannot be reconciled with this.

Maybe one day you will change your mind.

I'm afraid you hope in vain.

Then I'm sorry to have asked.

We can still be friends!

Just imagine I was a man!

Paul Rée and I worked in the next few weeks

in a special place.

The fact that everyone else
thinks his opinion is right,

should make us suspicious of
the correctness of our opinion.

I would assign that to the last chapter.

I no longer expected you.

May I introduce,

Luise von Salomé.

The greatest philosopher of our time.

Friedrich Nietzsche.

The Schopenhauer assumes
ignorance of nature and logic.

From which stars have we
fallen to each other here?

For my part, I came from Zurich.

What did you tell Mr. Nietzsche about me?

Friedrich has a penchant for theatrics.

Do not let yourself be disturbed

So you've already reached the you?

It serves for better understanding.

I think you are keeping something from me.

Then I can ask you to confess your sins.

Selfishness.

Pessimism.

Indifference.

Antimoral.

- Treachery. - Gambling addiction.

Misanthropy.

Fear of life

Self doubt ...

...Occasionally

That's all it was?

Of course you will accompany
me back to Saint Petersburg.

Anything else would be improper.

How should I continue my studies there?

You have to get well first. And
as long as you are de-registered.

You just signed me out?

Of course.

Then I will stay here and
continue to study privately.

Then you will ruin your reputation
and that of our entire family.

Also consider

how much you like this immoral lifestyle

would harm the women's movement.

Immoral?

I am developing my character and spirit!

You have to try to find
happiness in what is possible.

In any case, it is not possible
for me to go to Saint Petersburg!

Then you will have to find a
suitable man from society here.

So I can't make my own
decisions like my brothers?

They'll get married soon.

They are not dependent on their wives!

You should be thankful to belong to a shift

where women don't have to work.

As soon as you have
children, your life will be full.

Is it for you, Muschka?

Do you like accompanying your
daughter to climatic health resorts?

Paul Rée is a man from a good family.

He even seems to love you.

It would be the easiest,
you accept his request.

I persuaded Paul and Friedrich

to go with us to the
northern Italian lakes.

My mother agreed.

She continued to hope
for an early engagement.

I had a dream tonight.

We lived together.

Everyone had their own room

but we could always exchange
our thoughts, study together, write.

Comradeship with the
goal of spiritual perfection.

Wouldn't that be wonderful?

This is against all conventions.

Don't I have to think of myself first?

Your unbridled enthusiasm can
only be excused through your youth.

We want to see

whether the apparent barriers of this world

do not prove to be harmless chalk marks.

You're crazy, Lou!

This is the woman I've always dreamed of.

Lou has a basic dislike of marriage.

So you've tried it already?

She believes that giving up physical
satisfaction releases mental powers.

She is right.

I will convince you otherwise.

I should actually tell Lou

what thoughts are haunting
your brain, Friedrich.

Does she know that
you have this poison for ...

... always carry suicidal
emergencies with you, Paul?

I do not think so,

that it’s good for your lungs.

I would like to talk about your plan

alone.

You make a fool of yourself.

What happened then?

Lou!

Think about your health!

We'll meet at the summit!

Thank you.

So you like my idea?

I find your personal revolution

against common morality very admirable.

But also very naive!

You want to change the world!

I just my own destiny.

Your fate would be
sealed in the penitentiary.

Extramarital communities are punishable.

You are not aware of this.

We'd be arrested, Lou.

Indeed...

if you marry me, you are free.

Then I would be inferior to the law.

And you think I would
take advantage of that?

Yes, you would!

If you prefer a wild marriage,

we could go to Paris.

Imagine,

what wonderful sons and
daughters we could get.

Little geniuses!

I am not a broodmare!

No no no.

No,

I feel every movement
of the higher soul in you!

And I love nothing more
about you than this emotion.

And I like to forego
proximity and confidentiality.

If only I could be sure
that we would meet there.

Where the common soul can't get.

You know the prerequisite for my plan.

Comradeship, nothing else.

Do you dare to do that?

And,

very beautiful.

It reminds me of the
photos with my parents!

Our Trinity needs a little more symbolism!

Two loving dreamers,

who do what Miss von
Salomé wants them to do.

I'm just asking for more imagination.

How about a bit of Greek mythology?

Zeus, Poseidon and Hades.

And you as Zeus? No way!

No, you can't take it!

Do you know the history
of Aristotle and Phyllis?

I refuse!

That's it!

We two are looking forward
to your philosophical cart.

I am not Phyllis!

Who was Phyllis?

A lady-in-waiting who has ridden
on Aristotle's back to humiliate him.

No...

I do not accept cowardice.

Come!

Don't! flach

Have a whip!

For the lady.

This is exactly what I
imagined. Come on, Rée!

Paul, come on!

Voila!

Are you ready?

In memory of Northern Italy.

As sharp as an eagle

brave like a lion

and finally a very girlish child.

You once wrote

there is no path from
physical attraction to spiritual.

But a path from mental
to physical attraction.

And?

Did you think of Nietzsche?

In my naivety, I assumed
that he understood my refusal.

Otherwise I would never have
gone to his family in Tautenburg.

Surprisingly, my mother agreed

after corresponding
with Nietzsche's family.

A pastor's household.
That sounded harmless.

Unfortunately, they are a bit tough.

Thank you, my lama. That's sweet.

Have you wondered why girls
are raised differently than boys?

Everyone takes it for granted

to leave her ignorant of the erotic.

While boys are expected to know their stuff

Women should be taught
how to avoid pregnancy.

A problem that does not concern you.

If you never surrender to a man

then they never become
the Dionysian principle,

get to know the passionate, the
sensual, the irrational being in itself.

I prefer the Apollonian principle

Rationality and no feelings.

That...

... is the way to the
innermost core of all things.

But I don't need a man for that.

Tell me,

Tell me, do you often think about
how close you escaped death?

Lou!

That would only prevent me from living.

You are avoiding my question.

As a child, I had long-lasting
dialogues with my imaginary God.

He promised me everything I wanted to hear.

My father died anyway.

Death comes when he wants to come.

It takes a lot of strength
to live without faith.

Maybe it's impossible

and one day we fall over it.

Please wait!

You make him look ridiculous!
They make our family ridiculous.

This Russian knows no shame.

That was my idea!

And pulls you down!

Elisabeth,

it's just a photo!

It will endanger your salvation!

It gets worse

we will soon live together in Berlin!

I knew that they were dissolute.

But you far exceed my ideas.

I'll report you!

And make sure you leave the country.

The dirty fantasy is in
the eye of the beholder.

Lisbeth...

I don't have to be offered that!

Lieschen! Lieschen!

I never want to see this
disgusting woman here again!

Never again!

I'm sorry!

They couldn't keep to themselves.

Why did they say that
... What are you doing?

I depart. And you come with me.

But then you have to marry me.

You didn't understand me, did you?

I wanted to live alone.

But then the lovely bird
Lou flew over the way.

I thought it was an eagle.

And now I wanted ...

... the eagle have me.

We are destined for each other.

You are my sibling brain.

And Paul?

And our trinity?

Do you really want to live with this fool?

He thinks of suicide if
he only gets a runny nose!

You should free yourself
from this family crypt.

Did he say that?

Are you talking about me behind my back?

Your thoughts are always negative.

I was inclined to keep you as an
appearance of my ideal on earth.

But have you noticed

I see very bad.

Do you have no feeling

that a man like me needs a
lot to overcome in your proximity?

I could make it easier for myself with you.

But I overcame myself too often
to be of use to you if it harmed me.

Do you know I can't hear your voice?

Except when you ask.

Be careful!

If I turn you away from me now

then this is a terrible
censorship on your whole being.

Phyllis!

Unfortunately you are not Aristotle!

How did he say so beautifully?

Character shows itself in behavior.

To the train station please!

Mrs. Salomé!

Friedrich Nietzsche's
sister spreads lies about you.

Don't you want to do anything?

I know everyone's stories about me.

What’s much worse is
that she falsifies Nietzsche,

to give National Socialism
a philosophical glory.

Ms. Salomé, she writes:

Dr. Rée and Mrs. Salomé
were of Jewish origin,

which nobody had previously contested.

- Really?
- You have nothing to fear, do you?

If you search long enough, you
will find a Jewish relative in everyone.

Miss Marie!

Come quickly, please!

Ms. Salomé, is everything?

What did you tell her

Should I call a doctor?

It is better you go now.

None of this is necessary.

Why does Elisabeth
Nietzsche hate you so much?

She blames me for
falling out with her brother.

And what happened to the Trinity?

Paul and I found an apartment in Berlin.

His parents were as
horrified as was my mother.

But you had fought for your freedom.

A step for emancipation.

Nonsense, what has changed for us women?

But you wanted to tell me about
yourself and your time in war?

I don't think it's the right moment now.

If you brought me a blanket

then that would be the right moment.

In Berlin I could finally
live with Paul Rée

like I always dreamed of.

My dear! Lou and Rée.

Do not worry too much about
the outbreaks of my injured vanity.

Please consider that I am
a troubled half-madman,

whom loneliness has completely confused.

I come to this understandable insight

after taking a tremendous
dose of desperate opium.

Instead of losing my mind, it
finally seems to me to come.

Friend Rée, ask Lou to
forgive me for everything.

Eating outdoors is actually
only for English people.

It's always cold there anyway

also in the houses.

The more you stay outside,

the more you appreciate the fresh air.

The cold usually comes from the inside.

Do I have to worry now? I freeze easily.

Do you want one too, snail?

What an unusual nickname

for such a beautiful woman.

I am the snail and he is my house.

Well then.

Does anyone else come along?

How unconventional!

The water wouldn't be
warmer with swimwear either.

He slept outside for years on
his expeditions through Persia.

Is everything ok?

Elisabeth Nietzsche wrote mother

This time, she claims
that I prostitute myself.

But snail.

Do you think the police are
interested in the opinion ...

an old spinster from the province?

Muschka will block my
check if I don't come back.

And Friedrich leaves his sister granted.

No sign of life, no letter,

nothing at all! What a coward!

If only we ...?

No!

Just because you swore
to yourself never to marry,

you don't have to stick to it forever.

And what should we live on then?

How do you imagine that?

Pay your gambling debts,
my check would be canceled!

I can no longer imagine life without you.

My big smart brother.

But you don't marry brothers.

I finally had to become independent.

About the defamation,
Muschka and the Russian check.

I started to write a novel.

The question was

what happens when people lose their faith?

My hero Kuno only follows his ideals and
brings misfortune to everyone who loves him.

My novel “Im Kampf Gott” was
published under the pseudonym Henry Lou.

I would never have believed
that a woman was the author.

Are you sure that no man
has stood by your side?

Ask them yourself.

Here, you have to read that.

The critic is overwhelmed with enthusiasm.

Here: style and form are unique.

The sensibly explored loneliness of the
man becomes the psychogram of his time.

Bravo, can I?

Are you behind the pseudonym Henri Lou?

Very pleased.

And you are the happy publisher?

No. I am the more than happy publisher.

Miss von Salomé has exceeded
our wildest expectations.

Tell me, do you already
have plans for further projects?

A question,

that every creative person fears.

As if it were so easy to write a novel.

Which is half?

Russian.

I'll teach you the other half.

Sorry.

Paul!

Your lady of honor is probably jealous.

I am afraid our experiment has failed.

Mr. Andreas!

I was just around the corner.

Come in.

Thank you.

I wanted to talk to you about something.

Hopefully nothing unpleasant.

Come!

I read that fake marriage is
common with Russian intellectuals.

At my age you look suspicious,

if you're not married.

You don't marry brothers.

But father did, yes?

Such an old man.

It is a fake marriage.

It's so original.

And befitting.

Blue blood, a good game for you!

Your Excellency!

You know that Karl has
no money and no title.

I am the good match.

You rejected my application.

You know exactly why.

I don't break my oath.

I am a jackass.

I am an unsuccessful philosopher
who has wasted the past few years.

Give me that.

Do not worry,

it is enough that Nietzsche
has gone crazy because of you.

Be merciful,

Do not search.

I can't be a wife to you.

Not to you and no one else.

Is it because I have no job?

I can't do it to Paul.

If you don't marry me

I don't want to live anymore

No! Please do not!

Keep calm, I'll call a doctor.

It's just a scratch!

You are crazy!

So what,

You are too!

This is ideal for our marriage.

I get a doctor.

I'm looking for a woolen blanket.

Do you never knock?

I think it would be better
if you stopped coming

How long has this been the
decision of the housekeeper?

How do you know I'm the housekeeper?

No!

No!

Lou please

open the door!

I'm so sorry.

We cancel the marriage.

No,

we can try to do everything else right.

You gave me your word.

It will not happen again.

Open the door. You're welcome.

I'm so sorry.

Mariechen didn't tell me you were there.

She made me understand
that I was not wanted.

She is too worried.

Is she related to you?

I adopted her.

And since then, she has
been trying to mother me.

And when was she born?

You already knew Rilke by then.

That's right,

Sherlock Holmes.

Many thanks.

I owe it to a single person
that I can stand here today.

Without him, I would have
had a pretty miserable fate.

Lou Andreas-Salome.

Put my eyes out

I can see you.

Throw my ears shut, I can hear you.

And I can go to you without feet.

And without a mouth I can still summon you.

Break my arms

I take you with my
heart like with one hand.

Cover my heart and my brain will beat.

And you throw the fire in my brain

I will carry you on my blood

What about you?

Did you not like it?

Too much.

It makes no sense.

Why?

You lock your feelings behind walls.

Do you call that freedom?

You don't have to understand that.

You are cowardly

Do you really want to do without
the most beautiful things in life?

You are cheeky, Mr. Rilke.

I'm afraid you're right.

I...

I've never been with a man.

You can trust me.

Always.

You walk towards me
out of all beautiful things

my spring wind you

you my summer rain

You my June night, with a thousand ways

on which no devotee walked before me:

I am in you!

And what was different about Rilke

than your other admirers

Rainer was the only man
I saw so much feminine in.

We had completely complemented each other.

That means ...

as a man ... should you
allow yourself a female side?

All people should find the
opposite sex within themselves.

However, you ... should
allow your male side more.

And...

And how did your husband react

that you were with Rilke so much?

He was used to

that I was often traveling.

You don't tell me how it really was?

When did biographies
contain the unabashed truth?

Anyway, the summer of 1897 was ...

the most beautiful of my life

And?

This verse ... and let
it rain over the trees ...

We'll find something better.

About the vines?

I can hardly read your writing.

And let it rain over the vines.

And let it shine over the roses.

And forget the laughter
and don't know crying

And yet they are yours.

That is nice.

Do you know that?

The feeling someone is watching
you even though nobody is in the room?

The doors are tightly closed.

My mother used to run after me all day.

When I did something, she let me pray.

Pray on your knees.

She won't hear from us.

I have the same dream all the time

I'm lying in a pit on fresh earth.

And above me a big stone
casts its shadow on me.

And then...

The stone can be removed

and while he descends on me

I realize that it is my own tombstone.

Have you already dreamed it here?

You must never leave me ... never!

Rainer accompanied me back to Berlin.

He rented a room near me.

How old is he?

Do you know how I feel?

10 years, Lou.

10 years at your side,

without being allowed to touch you

I never promised you anything else.

I know you're not
interested in your reputation.

But maybe you think of mine.

Or his?

His name is Rainer.

If you stay with him

then I want you to move out here.

But nothing changes between us.

I forgot ...

You always want everything.

Why not?

You also have your pleasure.

If you want to stay here

then I will go.

And where do you want to live?

How do you want to pay rent and studies?

Please do not leave me.

Gracious woman, mail for you from Russia.

Thank you.

Rainer!

Did you have nightmares again?

Let's go to the theater today

They play Ibsen's Nora in the Volksbühne.

How long do you want to work on it?

I beg your pardon?

Instead of making money from translation,

you crawl away and write
nothing more of your own.

Tolstoy's works are
more important than mine.

There is always something more
important than your own work.

If everyone thought so nobody would write.

Your mother asks when you visit her.

We could all go to Saint
Petersburg together.

I will write Tolstoy.

Maybe he'll meet us.

We will visit Tolstoy next week.

Couldn't you imagine living here again?

Here are my roots

but I want to live in Berlin.

You should read Lou's poem about the Volga.

You lay my life like a landscape.

If I had never rested on your banks

I feel like I know your vastness.

As if every flood of dreams landed on me

your immense loneliness.

You feel immediately connected to Russia.

His nature, people. It
speaks to us from the soul.

Is that why they wear
the traditional costume?

By the way, why didn't
your husband come with me?

He doesn't like to travel anymore.

In contrast to you.

I'll never be what you'd like me to be.

I know.

And here again.

Eyes closed.

Rainer?

Do you remember?

No, no, the ...!

Rainer, there is nothing.

I can not!

It's good.

All is well.

Your condition gets worse every day.

You have to look for help.

I found it yesterday at a goldsmith's.

Do you want to be my wife?

I'm already your wife.

I can not live without you.

I can not breathe without you.

Don't eat, don't laugh, don't cry.

I can do nothing, nothing at all.

That is a great burden
that you impose on me.

I want to be with you.

Every day.

Every hour, every second. I want to be you.

It's not love, Rainer.

I cannot be the woman you long for.

I will look for help. Promised.

You can't breathe without me.

And I can't breathe with you.

You were the most motherly of women for me.

You were a friend like men are.

A woman, so you were to look at.

And moreover, you were a child.

You were the most tender I met.

You were the hardest so I wrestled.

You were the high that blessed me.

And became the abyss that devoured me.

After our separation ...

He started writing poems again.

And shortly afterwards Nietzsche died.

I found him after
finding his apology letters

only hit once.

But reconciliation never happened again.

He called me once

a smelly monkey with fake breasts.

That’s amazing. Such a big mind
and such a small self-confidence.

Syphilis,

was pretty advanced with him.

And a few months later,
Paul Rée died on a hike.

Allegedly an accident.

You don't believe in this theory?

I have all men

who made me unhappy.

Not all.

You have forgotten the time.

Thanks, Mary.

You have to avoid any excitement.

You have a weak heart.

I want to travel in the next few days.

If you take these drops,
you can drive with confidence.

Thank you, Doctor Pineles.

You have been traveling a lot lately.

Frieda is back from
Africa and expects my visit.

Do not worry. Your wife is on the mend.

And when you go back to Vienna,

You know where I practice there.

Gladly.

But I hope not to need you soon.

Don't overdo it, my child.

Yes, daddy.

Sorry Ms. Andreas-Salomé,
do you remember me?

Malwida's niece Greta?

How are you? You look good.

I am fine.

I now work for the central organ
of the civil women's movement.

Would you write something for us?

Gladly.

Hello.

What is the name of the author?

Richard Beer-Hofmann.

He is said to be very talented.

Finally I had to admit to myself,
Nietzsche was right.

The Dionysian principle is much
more intense than the Apollonian one.

Let's leave that out.

It is nobody's business.

Unfortunately, the feeling of fullness
came immediately after the high feeling.

It's hard to imagine.

Even if you were in love?

I was never ready to compromise.

Isn't that pretty selfish?

Did you actually read my treatise
on the double direction of narcissism?

And also understood?

Narcissism in moderation is healthy, yes.

You paid him with loneliness.

Mr. Pfeiffer, you're lonely too!

The only difference between us is

that I never been

set in a comfortable life.

Otherwise I would have become
a St. Petersburg housewife.

But existence is not just intellect.

It must have cost you an infinite
amount of energy to suppress all feelings.

Do you really think that I should let a man

tell me how I should
have lived at the age of 72?

Are you happy?

Lucky! It's just an ephemeral feeling!

It is an overexcitation
of the nerves and synapses.

Why are you so cold?

And why are you so naive?

It's a shame that you see it that way.

I think we should stop
working at this point

Mr. Pfeiffer.

Wasn't it always like that?

You say when it's over.

Are you happy?

Once the child is there,
everything else will be found.

Oh yes?

How do you imagine that?

I will ask your husband for a divorce.

You move to me in Vienna.

My parents will get used to you.

It is her first grandchild.

Lou!

Lou!

Please wake up!

Lou.

Please wake up!

I have finally been appointed
to the University of Gttingen.

Could you imagine leaving Berlin with me?

That shouldn't have happened.

It was to be expected.

Don't worry, Karl.

I had the feeling that everything
was now repeating itself.

And nothing better is coming.

As was before.

We people

with the high demands of our culture

and under the pressure
of our inner repressions,

find reality generally unsatisfactory.

And therefore live a fantasy

in which we produce productions of wishes

compensate for the shortcomings of reality.

Under certain conditions,
the individual remains able to find

from these fantasies

another way into reality.

I thank you for your attention.

- Thank you - see you next week.

Professor Freud, would you have a moment?

Why, surely.

I appreciate your interest in
the matter, Ms. Andreas-Salomé.

Your treatise on Nietzsche

anticipates many
findings of psychoanalysis.

I would like to study with you.

Are you ready to face your own unconscious?

That is the prerequisite for
becoming a psychoanalyst.

How do I imagine that?

And once my father gave me
candy wrapped in tissue paper.

Which I didn't open specially.

Because I imagined the most
beautiful clothes that were in there.

Girls whose fathers died early,

have trouble getting involved with someone.

Because they have not
experienced a natural replacement.

I had enough erotic encounters.

You understand very well what I want to do.

With Rainer I was able to experience
sexual and mental satisfaction.

Why do you think it was possible with him?

He made me do it through
the power of his love.

But it was not possible for you
to achieve a permanent state in it.

I wish I could have loved blindly
and hollow-headed once in my life.

Have you ever considered that
you are the classic narcissist?

You don't know me that well yet.

Was there a man besides Rilke

to whom you have deep feelings?

No.

- No one? - No one.

No!

Trust me.

I've done everything.

I will get a divorce.

Do you want to marry me then?

What?

Do you want to tell me about it?

Do you remember my child
god who disappeared one day?

A seldom vivid loss of God.

He looked just like you!

Projection. My love,

Projection.

Lou.

You have a summons.

Should I tell them that you
are too sick to leave the house?

Then they may come here.

We...

we have to get papers and books away.

Preferably today.

Everything has to go.

The diaries ...

Sometimes I think he's
still down in the garden.

Did you actually love him?

In another way.

Yes.

Even though I was born.

Mariichen!

You didn't do anything wrong at all.

He never accepted me.

Nobody could tell stories as well as you.

Now you could actually use the Pfeiffer.

I miss him all the time.

After all, I seem to have succeeded
in releasing your writer's block.

I thought you weren't
leaving the house anymore.

I thought wrong.

Again.

I may have been a little
too researched recently.

I put your new self-confidence
on my list of successes.

Well then...

It would be very nice

if you were one of the few people
I didn't scare off permanently.

What will that be?

Do you want to burn your life?

Only what posterity shouldn't read.

You can hide it at my place.

I don't want for anything to be found

to dismantle me further.

I promise this would only
happen ove my dead body.

That is very noble of you, but ...

what happens if you don't
survive the millennial empire?

And we still have memories of life.

Yes, half of the truth.

We could occasionally work on it again.

I found something

when cleaning up.

Take it.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

The world, it will give
you bad. Believe me.

If you want to have a life,

steal it for yourself!