The Enigma of Kaspar Hauser (1974) - full transcript
Herzog's film is based upon the true and mysterious story of Kaspar Hauser, a young man who suddenly appeared in Nuremberg in 1828, barely able to talk or walk, and bearing a strange note; he later explained that he had been held captive in a dungeon of some sort for his entire life that he could remember, and only recently was he released, for reasons unknown. His benefactor attempts to integrate him into society, with intriguing results.
This film is dedicated to Lotte Eisner.
She's one ofthose - the better haIf-
who had to leave Germany.
On Whitsunday 1828,
a ragged boy who later
came to be known as Kaspar Hauser,
was found abandoned in the town of N.
He could hardly walk
and spoke but one sentence.
Years later,
after having learnt how to speak,
he told of being locked up
in a dark cellarfrom birth.
He said he'd had
no understanding ofthe world
and had been unaware of
the existence ofother people
because they only leftfood
in his cave while he was asleep.
He said he hadn't known what
a house was, or a tree, or language.
lt was not until the very end
that a man came to his cellar.
The mystery of his origins
remains unsolved to this day.
Don't you hear that horrible screaming
all around you?
That screaming men call silence?
THE ENlGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER
Writing...
Wri-ting!
Remember that - writing.
lfyou write nice now,
papa will give you nice horsey.
Horsey...
Horsey!
- Horse.
- Horse.
Horsey!
Repeat after me.
l want to be a gallant rider...
like my father was before me.
Remember that!
l want to be a gallant rider
like my father was before me!
Gallant rider.
Gallant rider like my father...
Like my father...
- Father...
- Father...
- ...was before me.
- ...was before me.
- Remember that!
- Remember.
Remember that!
Come on now.
Stand here.
Hold this letter.
The letter...
Stay right here.
Wait here.
Waitfor me here!
What do you want here?
Horsey!
l'm asking you
what you want here?
Like my father was before me!
Ah, where do you want to go?
Are from out oftown?
Can l be ofservice?
Maybe with that letter there...
Do you have to deliver it somewhere?
Let's have a look at it.
"To the Cavalry Captain of
the Fourth Squadron...
"Sixth Schwolische Regiment."
Let's see now,
that'll be straight ahead,
past Augustinergasse,
round the corner.
That's the Captain's house.
Should l take you there?
Or have you got other plans?
Say, where are from now?
Ansbach, Erlangen, Regensburg?
- Regensburg!
- Ah, Regensburg, good!
Come along now!
The young man here's
from Regensburg.
Here's a letterfor the Captain.
The Captain is not here.
He'll be in this evening.
Ah, but the young man is very weary.
Can't we find
a place for him till then?
Not in the house,
perhaps in the barn.
- Horsey!
- Right, with the horses on the straw.
There he can give the letter
to the Captain.
Horsey.
- ls that him?
- Yes.
We've tried everything we could
to wake him, without success.
Have you ever seen him before?
No, l don't know him.
l've never seen him before.
Here's the letter.
He didn't want to let go of it.
From the Bavarian border,
no place name, dated 1828...
"His Excellency the Captain."
- Does it really say "His Excellency"?
- lt does, yes!
"l'm senden yr Grace a bouye..."
"Senden yr Grace..."
That makes me laugh!
- Should l take that down?
- Yes, please do.
"This here bouye wants
to serve his King faithfully.
- "The bouye was laid me on..."
- The boy was what?
He was "laid" him
on 7th October, 1812.
"l am a poor labourer
with ten children."
- Ten children?
- Ten children!
"l have enough to do
to feed myseIf.
"His mother wanted to raise the boy,
but l couldn't ask her to."
- Couldn't ask her?
- Couldn't ask her!
"l didn't tell her the boy
was laid on me by the Court.
"l have not let him take one
step out ofthe house since 1812,
"so nobody doesn't know
a thing about him."
- Nobody knows?
- Yes.
"You can ask him,
but he can't tell you.
"l taught him reading and writing,
"and when we ask him what he wants
to be, he says he wants to be...
"a gallant rider like his father."
- A "gallant" rider?
- A gallant rider, yes.
"A gallant rider like his father
was before him.
"lf he had parents,
he would have been a smartfellow."
- A "smart" fellow?
- A smartfellow, yes.
"You only have to show him something
and he can do it.
"Dear Captain, you mustn't plie him
with questions...
- You "mustn't"?
- Yes, you mustn't plie him... "Plie" with 'ie'!
- With 'ie'?
- Yes.
"He don't know where l am.
"l brought him away by night.
"l am not signing my name."
No, there's no signature.
- Did you get it all down?
- Yes.
- This is very odd.
- Yes, indeed!
Should l report no signature?
Yes, and put this in the file.
l'll try him again...
No, don't. Leave him be.
You can see it's no use.
He seems to be
not quite all right in the head.
He's coming around...
Your name!
Should l report
that he refuses to talk?
Yes, name unknown.
Where are you from?
- And his passport?
- Gallant rider...
Occupation?
- Where were you born?
- He says he comes from Regensburg.
- From Regensburg?
- Yes, from Regensburg.
The intelligence ofthis man
is in a state ofabsolute confusion.
There's nothing to be gained
by police interrogation.
Should l take that down?
Nothing to be gained
by police interrogation, yes.
- Refuses to answer.
- He refuses to answer!
- Right, and what do we do now?
- Lay him down again.
- Maybe he's hungry?
- lt's worth a try.
- Come, come... Come!
- Here!
Lay him down again!
Spits outfood!
Spat outfood...
Let's have a look at his feet.
l say, those are odd boots!
lt's strange,
how you open these boots!
Bleeding ofthe toes, scabs...
lndicates a long period of...
Feet extremely tender...
Both feet show same indications
ofextreme tenderness.
- Aha, vaccination marks!
- Vaccination marks!
The foundling seems to be
ofthe higher orders!
- Afoundling?
- Foundling, yes, get that down.
Upper arm injured...
What was this injury caused by?
By a blunt instrument, l'd say.
- Blunt instrument, l'd say.
- The same marks here, and here...
Put that down!
Ah! A prayer book!
- A prayer book?
- Entitled "Spiritual Forget-me-nots".
Entitled "Spiritual Forget-me-nots".
Beautiful and Devoted
Morning Prayers for Faithful Souls.
The other book...
A printed treatise entitled
'Six Deep and Devotional Prayers'.
Put under 'other things'...
Afour-cornered,
folded square of paper, containing...
yes, indeed...
a small quantity
ofgold dust, or gold leaf.
- Gold dust or gold leaf?
- Gold leaf, yes.
Put that with the other things.
Then a rosary... a small rosary.
- A rosary with a metal cross.
- With a metal cross.
With the other things.
Under the circumstances,
this man should be taken into custody!
Put that down, word for word.
A pencil!
And a sheet of paper.
Can he write?
Kaspar Hauser.
The fellow is not as wild as l thought.
He came peacefully.
He seems harmless enough.
l've done all l can.
The rest is up to the authorities.
Maybe we should
place him under oath.
- Under oath?
- Yes, under oath.
He did not impress us
as being either mad or depraved.
Neither mad nor depraved.
lt's best we keep him in this tower
for criminals and vagabonds.
He doesn't look like going berserk.
No, but you never can tell.
He'll have to sit up to eat.
He can't eat on the floor.
Come...
Julius, take his feet.
You hold him back.
Now forward.
Now he's on his feet!
Sit him down there.
Let's stretch his feet out.
l guess he never sat up
straight at a table before!
He never sat up
at all in the tower.
Take the bowl away...
Hold on to the table there!
Come on, let go!
Give me your hat,
you won't be needing it now.
Leave him be, it's all right.
Let's start.
You've got to eat, come on.
You can't eat with your hat!
He won't give it to me.
There, take the spoon...
and start eating.
Look... look... like this.
Do it like me.
He'll be all right.
lt'sjust that he don't have
no manners yet.
So, open your mouth...
See, l told you so!
Oh, my goodness me!
Take his bowl away.
He's not used to it.
Give him bread instead.
He always takes bread
when you give it to him.
Bread... take the bread.
Give him a drop ofwater, Julius.
Look, it's empty.
There's nothing more inside.
Nothing comes out anymore.
- Empty!
- Empty.
- lt's empty!
- Empty!
Nothing more inside.
- Nothing comes out anymore.
- Empty.
- Empty.
- Empty.
No, thisjug's not empty.
There's beer in it.
Look... it's full.
Look... it's not empty.
That cup there is empty.
There's nothing in it.
lt's empty.
- Empty.
- Yes... empty.
lt'll take time,
getting him used to such things.
Don't cry, don't cry.
Oh my, how my gut is painin' me!
Finger, thumb, arm...
This is your hand, this is your arm.
Arm, arm...
nose... mouth...
Look, this is your ear.
Look, l've even got a mirror!
This here is your ear.
My gut is killing me.
Finger...
shoulder...
...arm!
No, that's your hand.
This is your arm.
- Hand, hand!
- This is your arm.
Arm, arm, arm, arm!
Arm, arm!
Hand.
What kind of place is this here,
anyway?
Hey! Damn your eyes!
Ain't there nothing to drink
in this place?
Stand up, Kaspar, stand up!
You don't have to be ashamed,
we're alone here.
Only the dear Lord is watching.
You needn't be afraid.
Mother, my skin is coming off!
Don't worry about it.
He hasn't had a bath in years.
Lap, lap, lap, l like this milk,
lap, lap, lap as smooth as silk.
Good morning, little cat so white.
May l sit down by your side?
Good morning, little cat so white.
May l...
Good morning, little cat so white,
may l sit down by your side?
Be nice to me little girl so fair,
then you may sit down right there.
Lap, lap, lap l like this milk,
lap, lap, lap as smooth as silk.
Agnes, that rhyme is too long for him.
All he knows are separate words.
l just taught him separate words,
and he can't understand
your rhyme yet.
lt's no use, he doesn't even respond
to a feigned thrust.
- Doesn't respond to feigned thrust.
- ...feigned thrust.
l don't think
he's a hard boiled swindler.
He's got absolutely
no conception ofdanger!
- No conception ofdanger.
- No conception ofdanger.
lt didn't even scare him.
How about trial by fire?
- Trial by fire? ls thatfor the record?
- Yes.
He's not afraid ofthe flame.
Charmed to meet you!
Charmed, l'm sure!
Charmed to meet you!
Do it, do it...
Look at him gapin'!
He's never seen that before.
Look, look... look here!
He's trying to flee. Look!
Pick up the baby,
Kaspar, go ahead.
Mother!
l am so far away
from everything.
l eat with my handses...
With your hands!
- With my handses.
- With your hands!
Have you heard anything?
A number of people
have testified that the foundling
ran away from a group
of English circus equestrians.
- They were in the Oberpfalz area.
- What was that?
Other citizens say he is a
member ofthe Baden dynasty
who was to be eliminated
as most likely heir.
- That'sjust a rumour.
- That's absurd!
The Baden dynasty, however,
is beyond all reproach.
Besides, there are better ways
ofgetting rid of unwanted heirs.
l don't believe the story in any case.
Just look at him!
- With his coarse, rustic features!
- Yes, yes...
There's nothing refined
about him at all.
She can't walk on two feet!
After all, he's beginning to be a burden
on the community coffers.
He's costing us a pretty penny.
Perhaps he should begin contributing
to his own upkeep somehow.
One could turn the public interest
in him to good use.
Come right on up,
ladies and gentlemen!
Parents keep an eye on their children!
Come right on up,
ladies and gentlemen!
Now before we present
the Four Riddles ofthe Spheres,
we have for you
an entertaining intermezzo.
This wild bear, Kublai Khan,
from farthest central Asia
came to us somewhere in Mongolia,
where the Huns live.
With one sweep of his mighty paw
he can kill a bull!
But here in the temperate zones,
dear children,
he is as tame
and cuddly as a little cat.
Hup!
Here our lndian fire-eater,
ourfakir, a living flame,
a veritable mountain offire!
He has succeeded, ladies and gentlemen,
by will power alone
in rejecting every trace
ofa burn or scorch!
Show us your skin!
Soft as a baby's, not a blemish.
What's this, you scoundrel?
And now...
Ladies and gentlemen,
for the very first time
in the history ofthe world,
brought togetherfor you
and only for the first time -
The Four Riddles ofthe Spheres!
Minors please keep their distance.
The gravity of my presentation
permits of no childish pranks.
And now for the first Riddle.
The Little King!
Monarch ofthe Golden Land
of Punt ofsong and legend.
The last link ofan
ancient line ofgiants!
Each king ofthis line
was tinier than the last.
Here you see the last living member
ofthe royal family.
Anotherfew centuries,
and the Kings of Punt will be invisible.
The very last king
will be no bigger than a flea!
Yes, there he sits, our Little King,
cowering like an outcast
in the corner of his throne.
And as the kings have grown tinier,
so have their kingdoms.
His kingdom is no larger
than the spot he is sitting on,
for neither can he leave his kingdom
without outside help nor can he climb it.
Our next Riddle,
ladies and gentlemen,
our next Riddle of Science -
the Young Mozart!
One day long ago
he fell into a deep trance
and asked for nothing
more but the music of Mozart.
At a tender age he already
knew all the scores by heart.
Now, still in the trance,
he looks for dark holes in the earth,
because they tried to teach him
to read and write at school.
Since that day he has lost
the power ofspeech.
He was not able
to read or write he says,
because the whiteness
ofthe paper blinded him.
Day in, day out, he peers into dark,
deep holes in the earth,
looking for entrances to caves
and underground waterways.
As you see, there is no way
to gain the poorfellow's attention.
His mind is completely engrossed
in zones oftwilight.
Our next Riddle,
a living specimen ofanthropology,
is Hombrecito.
An untamed lndian from
the sunny shores of New Spain.
This wildman is the sole
remaining member in all of Europe
ofthe renowned and legendary
Kaffir and lndian Show.
He plays his wooden flute
night and day,
because he believes
that if he stops,
all the people in town will die.
He wears three separatejackets
to keep from catching cold
and to protect himseIf
from the evil breath of mankind.
Hombrecito is a jolly good fellow,
and quite tame.
He speaks hardly a word ofany tongue -
except lndian ofcourse.
Hup!
And now to the final
and greatest Riddle ofall!
Kaspar, the Foundling!
He has agreed, with the express
permission ofthe authorities
to appear in person here
every afternoon,
and thus to ease the community's
financial burden.
Thank you, Kaspar!
Kaspar Hauser was found
in the Town Square ofthis fine city,
just as you see him
standing before you today.
ln his right hand,
a prayer-book,
and his left,
the Anonymous Letter.
Abandoned to his
fate in a strange town,
the boy could neither speak nor walk.
He had never seen a living human being
in his life before!
His origin remains in darkness to this day,
ladies and gentlemen.
ls he a prince?
Or perhaps descended
from Napoleon?
His is and will remain the
Riddle ofthe European Continent!
Come here, Hombrecito!
Kaspar, have you gone mad?
l will get you!
Hombrecito!
Stop!
Stop, l said!
Kaspar!
Ah! There's Mozart!
Take the child.
There's Mozart.
Here!
Go and lookfor him!
Come down from there!
Stop shaking that branch!
You're gonna
break the branch in two!
l forbid you to shake it!
- You mustn't break the branch!
- What about the beehive?
- Get down!
- Kaspar!
Come down here!
Come here, boy! Come here!
- Keep searching for Kasper.
- Come here.
The beehive! Ah, it's locked.
He couldn't be in there.
l want to fly like a rider,
midst the bloody tussle ofwar!
What a fine report,
what a beautiful report this will make!
l shall write a report the likes ofwhich
has never been seen!
Kaspar, what's wrong?
Are you feeling well?
ltfeels strong in my heart.
The music feels strong in my heart.
l feel so unexpectedly old.
You've been in the world
for such a short time, Kaspar.
You've got your whole life ahead ofyou.
Why is everything so hard for me?
Why can't l play the piano
like l can breathe?
Look Kaspar, in the two short years
you have been here with me,
you have learned so much!
You must make up for lost time now,
at your age,
because you weren't
among people before.
The people are
like wolves to me!
No, you mustn't say that.
Look at Florian,
he lives here too.
He's been blind ever since he lost
his entire family in an accident,
but he doesn't complain.
He plays the piano all day long,
even though his music
sounds a little strange.
Oh, that's quite tall!
A very big man must have built it.
l would like to meet him.
No, Kaspar, a man doesn't have to be
as tall as the tower he builds.
He can use a scaffold!
l'll take you to see a building site.
You lived in this tower,
where that little window is.
Do you remember?
- That cannot be!
- How come?
Because the room
is only a few steps big.
l don't understand.
Wherever l look in the room,
to the right, to the left,
frontwards and backwards -
there's only room.
But when l look at the tower,
and l turn around,
the tower is gone!
So, the room
is bigger than the tower!
No, Kaspar, that's not right.
Think about it a little more.
l still don't understand.
How do you mean that?
Yes, let's ask him. lt's important.
Another cup ofcoffee, Pastor?
Yes, please, it's excellent!
- Another cup ofcoffee?
- Yes, please.
You're not going to torture
him much longer, are you?
He's got to do his homework.
l wouldn't call it torture!
- l'll leave the pot here.
- Thanks.
Kaspar, what we
really want to know is
whether a Higher Being didn't
occupy your thoughts in prison.
l don't understand the question.
ln my prison
l didn't think ofanything.
And l cannot imagine
that God created
everything out of nothing,
like you say!
lf he doesn't understand God,
then he'll simply have to have faith!
You must have faith!
The tenets offaith
transcend mortal doubt.
First l have to learn to read
and write better to understand.
No, Kaspar, the articles
offaith are more important.
And do stop pressing your
thumb and finger when you speak!
And now, my son,
please repeat this prayer after me.
Repeat after me!
For the peace of God
is higher than all mortal coils,
keep our hearts in the name
ofJesus Christ, Amen.
Please, repeat.
Say it!
Look, these are last years apples.
Big and red, aren't they?
And those apples on the tree
will lookjust the same soon.
How do they do that?
Time does it, Kaspar.
And the Lord's plan!
Let the apples lie,
they're tired and want to sleep.
Kaspar, an apple can't be tired.
Apples don't have lives oftheir own -
they follow our will.
l'm going to roll one down the path,
it'll stop where l want it to.
The apple didn't stop,
it hid in the grass!
May l have your help in demonstrating it
to him, Mr Fuhrmann?
Come here, Kaspar, watch!
Stand here where you can see.
Now, pay attention, Kaspar.
Mr Fuhrmann is going to put out his foot,
and when l roll the apple,
it will stop right where we want it to.
Watch this!
This apple is smart!
ltjumped
over his foot and ran away!
Smart apple!
What are women good for?
Can you tell me that, Kathe?
Women are not good for anything
but sitting still!
But Kaspar...
Why are women
allowed only to knit and cook?
You'll have to ask
Mr Daumer that, Kaspar.
He'll know a decent answerfor you.
l've already asked Mr Daumer.
Yes, Mr Daumer
is an educated man.
l will never learn as much as him.
He told me about
the Sahara Desert,
and l can't get it out of my head!
Kathe, have you been
to the Sahara Desert?
l'm just a housekeeper,
l don't gojourneying so much.
l was in Erlangen once.
But it's a long way from there
to the desert!
l know a story about the desert,
but only the beginning.
Yes, Mr Daumer told me about it.
He said you keep trying
to tell him a story,
but you only know the beginning.
He says you should wait to tell it
until you know the end
and notjust the beginning.
Yes, he takes it seriously,
that you should learn to tell a story right.
lf l... can ask...
Mister Daumer...
to read...
this letter...
at his pleasure.
Afew days ago
l took some cress seeds
and sowed my name with them.
And it came up right pretty.
And it made me so happy
that l can hardly say.
And yesterday,
when l came backfrom boating,
somebody had come into the garden
and stepped on my name.
l cried for a long time.
l am going to sow the name again.
lt dreamed to me...
You had a dream?
Tell it to me!
Yes, it dreamed to me.
You're really coming along, Kaspar.
You used to think
all your dreams were real.
Just a fortnight ago,
you said you saw the mayor's wife,
even though everybody
knows she'd gone on a journey.
Strange!
Strange that you didn't dream once
during your years in prison!
l dreamed ofthe Caucasus.
ltjust can't be true
when you say
that your bed is the only place
in the world you're really happy in.
And everything else is bad.
Don't you like the garden?
The gooseberry bushes?
Or the onions over there?
Everything that's green...
Well, it seems to me...
that my coming into this world...
was a terribly hard fall!
But Kaspar!
That...
No, that's not...
How should l explain it to you?
Kaspar, the Professor here
has come all this way
to ask you a question.
He wants to see
how well you can think
and what you have learned
in these two years
and whether you can think logically.
Will you answer him?
- Yes!
- Good.
Kaspar...
Let's pretend that this is a village.
ln this village live people
who tell only the truth.
Here is another village.
The people here only tell lies.
There's a path running towards you
from this village,
and there's another path running
towards you from the other village.
And you are at the crossroads.
A man comes along,
and you want to know...
Does he come from
the village ofthe truthtellers,
or does he come from
the village ofthe liars?
Now in order to solve this problem,
to solve it logically,
you have one question,
and only one.
What is the question?
That's too difficultfor him,
how can he know that?
l admit, the question is thorny.
lfyou ask the man whether he comes
from the village oftruth,
and he does, then he will say,
truthfully, yes.
But if he comes
from the village of lies, he will lie
and also answer yes.
Yet there exists one question
which will solve the problem.
That's much to hard,
too complicated.
You have one question, Kaspar,
and only one,
to solve this problem of logic.
l wouldn't know either.
Kaspar,
ifyou can't think ofthe question,
then l shall tell you.
lfyou came from the other village
would you answer 'no'
if l were to ask you whether you came
from the liars' village?
By means ofa double negative,
the liar is forced to tell the truth.
This construction forces him
to reveal his identity, you see.
That's what l call logic
via argument to the truth!
- Well, l know another question.
- You do?
There is no other question.
- Not by the laws of logic.
- There isn't?
But l do know another question.
Let us hear it, then!
l should ask the man
whether he was a tree-frog.
The man from the
truth village would say,
"No, l'm not a tree-frog,"
because he tells the truth.
The man from the liars' village
would say,
"Yes, l'm a tree-frog,"
because he would tell a lie.
Therefore l know
that he comes from the liars' village.
No, that's not a proper question.
No, l can't accept it as a question.
That's not logic.
Logic is deduction,
not description.
That'sjust a description, not logic.
- There's no deduction.
- But l understood his question.
Understanding is secondary,
the reasoning is the thing.
ln Logic and Mathematics
we do not "understand" things,
but we reason and deduce.
l cannot accept that question.
Died June 30th.
Karl Friedrich WoIf,
apprentice bookbinder
and orphaned son ofJohannes WoIf,
haberdasher and tradesman.
Age - 18 years, 9 months,
and 27 days.
Cause ofdeath - consumption.
Died July 6th,
Josef Christian Friedrich Hölzlein.
Age - 22 days.
Cause ofdeath - gout.
With gratitude we record
the Guardianship Council's petition
to all men ofgenerous heart
to ease the lot ofthe poor
and destitute among us.
Flowers will also be accepted.
No, Käthe dear,
my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Would you be so kind
as to call on the tailor today?
Kaspar will be needing
his new coat tomorrow.
l'll do it today.
Don't stop writing, Kaspar.
How far along are you
with your biography?
You know, the word is out
that you are working on it,
and everybody l know
is dying to read it.
No, l don't want to let go
ofany of it yet.
There are so many words
l don't know
and so many things
l don't understand yet.
Sorry to disturb you,
but l just wanted to tell you
that an English nobleman,
Count Stanhope, has come to town.
He has taken great interest
in your situation,
and said that he would like
to adopt you
ifyou made a good impression.
lt would be a wonderful
new startfor you.
l am overwhelmed.
Welcome!
Thank you.
l should like to introduce
my young protégé Kaspar.
Kaspar, this is our
charming hostess.
Don't be afraid,
give the lady your hand.
And this is our gracious host
who will open the doors
ofsociety to you.
Allow me to introduce
my young protégé Kaspar to you.
lsn't he droll!
Yes, quite the noble savage!
- Enchanté, Madame.
- Kaspar!
Kaspar, l should like you to meet
the mayor and his wife.
Hello, Kaspar.
l'm so happy to meet you, Kaspar.
Tell me, what was it like
in that dark cellar ofyours?
Better than outside!
But we all like you
so much, Kaspar.
Kaspar, were you about
to say something?
You needn't be afraid
ofthe people here.
You just tell us whatever comes
into your natural young head.
Your Grace, nothing lives in me
except my life!
Oh no, there's much
more alive inside ofyou.
You've been making such
fine progress with your music,
something that educates
and ennobles ourfeelings!
Your Grace, l would like
to play a piece on the piano.
l shall play Mozart's
waltz in F major.
l'm notfeeling well,
may l be excused?
A little fresh air will help.
l'll open the window a bit.
Are you feeling better, Kaspar?
l think it would be better
ifwe left him alone for a moment.
There's no cause for concern.
Kaspar is feeling a bitfaint.
Perhaps in the meantime l can tell you
of my visit to Greece.
Not many days ago,
the sun of Hellas shone down on me.
l loitered, Pindar in hand,
underneath the columns of Corinth.
The sunrises were indescribable,
the crystal clarity ofthe Greek light
unforgettable.
A balm to the soul,
that unsullied atmosphere!
l continued onto Crete.
There l rode the mules.
The backs ofthese animals
are often quite hard, you know,
and l was forced
to wear peasants' trousers!
Then l went to the festivals
ofthe simple peasants ofthe countryside.
l saw the charming dances...
Excuse me please, my protégé...
What's the meaning ofthis, Kaspar?
What's that you're doing?
l don't understand it...
And what manner
ofsilly business is this?
Apparently l've been
guilty ofa misjudgement.
There hasn't been enough time
for me to get a true picture
ofthe circumstances.
Kaspar, why did you leave the church?
Well, the singing ofthe congregation
sounds to me like awful howling.
And then the singing stops,
the pastor starts to shout.
Kaspar, we have to go back in.
Poor young fellow!
He must have taken too much
ofthat laxative the doctor gave him!
- Käthe!
- Yes?
Come here for a moment.
lt looks like a bloody handprint.
Mercy me!
l saw him go in here this morning,
and the door wasn't off its hinges.
Look - it's blood!
There are bloodstains
on the cellar door.
He can't have broken in by himseIf.
Kaspar!
He's drunk the entire bowl!
Take it out ofyour mouth.
He's bitten a piece out ofthe bowl!
Ah, here's our patient.
Hello, thank you.
Did you apply the bandage?
There wasn't time to do it better.
Were there any other injuries
beside the head wound?
No, only his head.
l have a few important
questions to ask the victim.
Please - not now.
Well, we won't be getting
anything out of him today!
But at least he's not talking
the kind of rot he did last week.
All the same, with respect
to the crime and Hauser's origins,
we can't expect much
from him today.
Then l shall ask you
to take your leave, gentlemen.
There was one thing...
l wanted to mention.
But it has nothing to do
with the attack on me.
lt is all so clear before my eyes.
Tell us, Kaspar.
l saw the ocean,
and l saw a mountain,
and there were many people
climbing up the mountain.
lt was like a procession.
There was a lot offog.
l couldn't see it very clearly,
but at the very top was Death.
Kaspar!
What's happened?
He's been stabbed!
What happened?
And where?
The man told me
to watch the gardener,
then he gave me this
pouch and stabbed me.
l'll take you home, we'll carry you.
Let me see what's in the pouch.
A note!
"Hauser can tell you exactly
what l look like
"and where l come from.
"To save him the trouble,
"l'll tell you myseIf
where l come from
"and even what my name is.
"M. L. O."
The Lord have mercy on me,
for l am weak.
Heal me Lord,
for my limbs are stricken.
Lord, why do you hide from me
in my hour of need?
Do not go farfrom me,
forfear is near.
l am weary ofsighing.
l lay in my sweat all night long,
and my tears moisten my bed.
My body, weakened by mourning,
has grown old,
and l am tormented
from every side.
Away from me, evil-doers,
for the Lord hears my call.
Kaspar, my son,
ifanything is burdening you,
please tell us now.
Yes.
There is something, a story...
lt's about a caravan...
and the desert.
But l know only the beginning.
That doesn't matter now.
Tell us the story,
even if it's only the beginning.
l see a caravan...
coming through the desert...
across the sands.
And this caravan...
is led by an old Berber tribes man.
And this old man is blind.
Now the caravan stops,
because some believe
they are lost,
and because they see
mountains ahead ofthem.
They look at their compass,
but it's no use.
Then their blind leader
picks up a handful ofsand
and tastes it,
as though it were food.
My sons, the blind man says,
you are wrong.
Those are not mountains you see.
lt is only your imagination.
We must continue northwards.
And they follow
the old man's advice...
and finally reach
the city in the North.
And that's where the story begins.
But how the story goes
after they reach the city, l don't know.
Thank you all for listening to me.
l'm tired now.
There we have it -
the left lobe ofthe liver
is greatly enlarged.
That is an unusual finding indeed,
and worth recording.
Please take this down.
Left liver lobe enlarged
- and extends...
- ...enlarged, yes.
...and extends to below
the left arch ofthe diaphragm.
Doctor, look!
...arch ofthe diaphragm.
Look at the brain,
its shape is rather unusual.
Yes, a remarkable abnormality.
- Overdevelopment ofthe cerebrum.
- Oh, l agree, yes!
There is also a deformity
ofthe cerebrum.
- The left hemisphere is too small.
- That explains a great deal!
This should be recorded.
Take this down.
Abnormal cerebrum,
definitely overdeveloped.
Deformity of left
cerebral hemisphere...
which does not sufficiently
cover the cerebellum.
Coachman!
Coachman,
today is a day to remember.
Be so good as to take my hat
home with you.
l'm going to walk home.
What a wonderful report,
what a precise report this will make!
Deformities discovered
in Kaspar Hauser's brain and liver!
Finally we have got an explanation
for this strange man,
and no one would ever
find anything like this.
THE ENlGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER
She's one ofthose - the better haIf-
who had to leave Germany.
On Whitsunday 1828,
a ragged boy who later
came to be known as Kaspar Hauser,
was found abandoned in the town of N.
He could hardly walk
and spoke but one sentence.
Years later,
after having learnt how to speak,
he told of being locked up
in a dark cellarfrom birth.
He said he'd had
no understanding ofthe world
and had been unaware of
the existence ofother people
because they only leftfood
in his cave while he was asleep.
He said he hadn't known what
a house was, or a tree, or language.
lt was not until the very end
that a man came to his cellar.
The mystery of his origins
remains unsolved to this day.
Don't you hear that horrible screaming
all around you?
That screaming men call silence?
THE ENlGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER
Writing...
Wri-ting!
Remember that - writing.
lfyou write nice now,
papa will give you nice horsey.
Horsey...
Horsey!
- Horse.
- Horse.
Horsey!
Repeat after me.
l want to be a gallant rider...
like my father was before me.
Remember that!
l want to be a gallant rider
like my father was before me!
Gallant rider.
Gallant rider like my father...
Like my father...
- Father...
- Father...
- ...was before me.
- ...was before me.
- Remember that!
- Remember.
Remember that!
Come on now.
Stand here.
Hold this letter.
The letter...
Stay right here.
Wait here.
Waitfor me here!
What do you want here?
Horsey!
l'm asking you
what you want here?
Like my father was before me!
Ah, where do you want to go?
Are from out oftown?
Can l be ofservice?
Maybe with that letter there...
Do you have to deliver it somewhere?
Let's have a look at it.
"To the Cavalry Captain of
the Fourth Squadron...
"Sixth Schwolische Regiment."
Let's see now,
that'll be straight ahead,
past Augustinergasse,
round the corner.
That's the Captain's house.
Should l take you there?
Or have you got other plans?
Say, where are from now?
Ansbach, Erlangen, Regensburg?
- Regensburg!
- Ah, Regensburg, good!
Come along now!
The young man here's
from Regensburg.
Here's a letterfor the Captain.
The Captain is not here.
He'll be in this evening.
Ah, but the young man is very weary.
Can't we find
a place for him till then?
Not in the house,
perhaps in the barn.
- Horsey!
- Right, with the horses on the straw.
There he can give the letter
to the Captain.
Horsey.
- ls that him?
- Yes.
We've tried everything we could
to wake him, without success.
Have you ever seen him before?
No, l don't know him.
l've never seen him before.
Here's the letter.
He didn't want to let go of it.
From the Bavarian border,
no place name, dated 1828...
"His Excellency the Captain."
- Does it really say "His Excellency"?
- lt does, yes!
"l'm senden yr Grace a bouye..."
"Senden yr Grace..."
That makes me laugh!
- Should l take that down?
- Yes, please do.
"This here bouye wants
to serve his King faithfully.
- "The bouye was laid me on..."
- The boy was what?
He was "laid" him
on 7th October, 1812.
"l am a poor labourer
with ten children."
- Ten children?
- Ten children!
"l have enough to do
to feed myseIf.
"His mother wanted to raise the boy,
but l couldn't ask her to."
- Couldn't ask her?
- Couldn't ask her!
"l didn't tell her the boy
was laid on me by the Court.
"l have not let him take one
step out ofthe house since 1812,
"so nobody doesn't know
a thing about him."
- Nobody knows?
- Yes.
"You can ask him,
but he can't tell you.
"l taught him reading and writing,
"and when we ask him what he wants
to be, he says he wants to be...
"a gallant rider like his father."
- A "gallant" rider?
- A gallant rider, yes.
"A gallant rider like his father
was before him.
"lf he had parents,
he would have been a smartfellow."
- A "smart" fellow?
- A smartfellow, yes.
"You only have to show him something
and he can do it.
"Dear Captain, you mustn't plie him
with questions...
- You "mustn't"?
- Yes, you mustn't plie him... "Plie" with 'ie'!
- With 'ie'?
- Yes.
"He don't know where l am.
"l brought him away by night.
"l am not signing my name."
No, there's no signature.
- Did you get it all down?
- Yes.
- This is very odd.
- Yes, indeed!
Should l report no signature?
Yes, and put this in the file.
l'll try him again...
No, don't. Leave him be.
You can see it's no use.
He seems to be
not quite all right in the head.
He's coming around...
Your name!
Should l report
that he refuses to talk?
Yes, name unknown.
Where are you from?
- And his passport?
- Gallant rider...
Occupation?
- Where were you born?
- He says he comes from Regensburg.
- From Regensburg?
- Yes, from Regensburg.
The intelligence ofthis man
is in a state ofabsolute confusion.
There's nothing to be gained
by police interrogation.
Should l take that down?
Nothing to be gained
by police interrogation, yes.
- Refuses to answer.
- He refuses to answer!
- Right, and what do we do now?
- Lay him down again.
- Maybe he's hungry?
- lt's worth a try.
- Come, come... Come!
- Here!
Lay him down again!
Spits outfood!
Spat outfood...
Let's have a look at his feet.
l say, those are odd boots!
lt's strange,
how you open these boots!
Bleeding ofthe toes, scabs...
lndicates a long period of...
Feet extremely tender...
Both feet show same indications
ofextreme tenderness.
- Aha, vaccination marks!
- Vaccination marks!
The foundling seems to be
ofthe higher orders!
- Afoundling?
- Foundling, yes, get that down.
Upper arm injured...
What was this injury caused by?
By a blunt instrument, l'd say.
- Blunt instrument, l'd say.
- The same marks here, and here...
Put that down!
Ah! A prayer book!
- A prayer book?
- Entitled "Spiritual Forget-me-nots".
Entitled "Spiritual Forget-me-nots".
Beautiful and Devoted
Morning Prayers for Faithful Souls.
The other book...
A printed treatise entitled
'Six Deep and Devotional Prayers'.
Put under 'other things'...
Afour-cornered,
folded square of paper, containing...
yes, indeed...
a small quantity
ofgold dust, or gold leaf.
- Gold dust or gold leaf?
- Gold leaf, yes.
Put that with the other things.
Then a rosary... a small rosary.
- A rosary with a metal cross.
- With a metal cross.
With the other things.
Under the circumstances,
this man should be taken into custody!
Put that down, word for word.
A pencil!
And a sheet of paper.
Can he write?
Kaspar Hauser.
The fellow is not as wild as l thought.
He came peacefully.
He seems harmless enough.
l've done all l can.
The rest is up to the authorities.
Maybe we should
place him under oath.
- Under oath?
- Yes, under oath.
He did not impress us
as being either mad or depraved.
Neither mad nor depraved.
lt's best we keep him in this tower
for criminals and vagabonds.
He doesn't look like going berserk.
No, but you never can tell.
He'll have to sit up to eat.
He can't eat on the floor.
Come...
Julius, take his feet.
You hold him back.
Now forward.
Now he's on his feet!
Sit him down there.
Let's stretch his feet out.
l guess he never sat up
straight at a table before!
He never sat up
at all in the tower.
Take the bowl away...
Hold on to the table there!
Come on, let go!
Give me your hat,
you won't be needing it now.
Leave him be, it's all right.
Let's start.
You've got to eat, come on.
You can't eat with your hat!
He won't give it to me.
There, take the spoon...
and start eating.
Look... look... like this.
Do it like me.
He'll be all right.
lt'sjust that he don't have
no manners yet.
So, open your mouth...
See, l told you so!
Oh, my goodness me!
Take his bowl away.
He's not used to it.
Give him bread instead.
He always takes bread
when you give it to him.
Bread... take the bread.
Give him a drop ofwater, Julius.
Look, it's empty.
There's nothing more inside.
Nothing comes out anymore.
- Empty!
- Empty.
- lt's empty!
- Empty!
Nothing more inside.
- Nothing comes out anymore.
- Empty.
- Empty.
- Empty.
No, thisjug's not empty.
There's beer in it.
Look... it's full.
Look... it's not empty.
That cup there is empty.
There's nothing in it.
lt's empty.
- Empty.
- Yes... empty.
lt'll take time,
getting him used to such things.
Don't cry, don't cry.
Oh my, how my gut is painin' me!
Finger, thumb, arm...
This is your hand, this is your arm.
Arm, arm...
nose... mouth...
Look, this is your ear.
Look, l've even got a mirror!
This here is your ear.
My gut is killing me.
Finger...
shoulder...
...arm!
No, that's your hand.
This is your arm.
- Hand, hand!
- This is your arm.
Arm, arm, arm, arm!
Arm, arm!
Hand.
What kind of place is this here,
anyway?
Hey! Damn your eyes!
Ain't there nothing to drink
in this place?
Stand up, Kaspar, stand up!
You don't have to be ashamed,
we're alone here.
Only the dear Lord is watching.
You needn't be afraid.
Mother, my skin is coming off!
Don't worry about it.
He hasn't had a bath in years.
Lap, lap, lap, l like this milk,
lap, lap, lap as smooth as silk.
Good morning, little cat so white.
May l sit down by your side?
Good morning, little cat so white.
May l...
Good morning, little cat so white,
may l sit down by your side?
Be nice to me little girl so fair,
then you may sit down right there.
Lap, lap, lap l like this milk,
lap, lap, lap as smooth as silk.
Agnes, that rhyme is too long for him.
All he knows are separate words.
l just taught him separate words,
and he can't understand
your rhyme yet.
lt's no use, he doesn't even respond
to a feigned thrust.
- Doesn't respond to feigned thrust.
- ...feigned thrust.
l don't think
he's a hard boiled swindler.
He's got absolutely
no conception ofdanger!
- No conception ofdanger.
- No conception ofdanger.
lt didn't even scare him.
How about trial by fire?
- Trial by fire? ls thatfor the record?
- Yes.
He's not afraid ofthe flame.
Charmed to meet you!
Charmed, l'm sure!
Charmed to meet you!
Do it, do it...
Look at him gapin'!
He's never seen that before.
Look, look... look here!
He's trying to flee. Look!
Pick up the baby,
Kaspar, go ahead.
Mother!
l am so far away
from everything.
l eat with my handses...
With your hands!
- With my handses.
- With your hands!
Have you heard anything?
A number of people
have testified that the foundling
ran away from a group
of English circus equestrians.
- They were in the Oberpfalz area.
- What was that?
Other citizens say he is a
member ofthe Baden dynasty
who was to be eliminated
as most likely heir.
- That'sjust a rumour.
- That's absurd!
The Baden dynasty, however,
is beyond all reproach.
Besides, there are better ways
ofgetting rid of unwanted heirs.
l don't believe the story in any case.
Just look at him!
- With his coarse, rustic features!
- Yes, yes...
There's nothing refined
about him at all.
She can't walk on two feet!
After all, he's beginning to be a burden
on the community coffers.
He's costing us a pretty penny.
Perhaps he should begin contributing
to his own upkeep somehow.
One could turn the public interest
in him to good use.
Come right on up,
ladies and gentlemen!
Parents keep an eye on their children!
Come right on up,
ladies and gentlemen!
Now before we present
the Four Riddles ofthe Spheres,
we have for you
an entertaining intermezzo.
This wild bear, Kublai Khan,
from farthest central Asia
came to us somewhere in Mongolia,
where the Huns live.
With one sweep of his mighty paw
he can kill a bull!
But here in the temperate zones,
dear children,
he is as tame
and cuddly as a little cat.
Hup!
Here our lndian fire-eater,
ourfakir, a living flame,
a veritable mountain offire!
He has succeeded, ladies and gentlemen,
by will power alone
in rejecting every trace
ofa burn or scorch!
Show us your skin!
Soft as a baby's, not a blemish.
What's this, you scoundrel?
And now...
Ladies and gentlemen,
for the very first time
in the history ofthe world,
brought togetherfor you
and only for the first time -
The Four Riddles ofthe Spheres!
Minors please keep their distance.
The gravity of my presentation
permits of no childish pranks.
And now for the first Riddle.
The Little King!
Monarch ofthe Golden Land
of Punt ofsong and legend.
The last link ofan
ancient line ofgiants!
Each king ofthis line
was tinier than the last.
Here you see the last living member
ofthe royal family.
Anotherfew centuries,
and the Kings of Punt will be invisible.
The very last king
will be no bigger than a flea!
Yes, there he sits, our Little King,
cowering like an outcast
in the corner of his throne.
And as the kings have grown tinier,
so have their kingdoms.
His kingdom is no larger
than the spot he is sitting on,
for neither can he leave his kingdom
without outside help nor can he climb it.
Our next Riddle,
ladies and gentlemen,
our next Riddle of Science -
the Young Mozart!
One day long ago
he fell into a deep trance
and asked for nothing
more but the music of Mozart.
At a tender age he already
knew all the scores by heart.
Now, still in the trance,
he looks for dark holes in the earth,
because they tried to teach him
to read and write at school.
Since that day he has lost
the power ofspeech.
He was not able
to read or write he says,
because the whiteness
ofthe paper blinded him.
Day in, day out, he peers into dark,
deep holes in the earth,
looking for entrances to caves
and underground waterways.
As you see, there is no way
to gain the poorfellow's attention.
His mind is completely engrossed
in zones oftwilight.
Our next Riddle,
a living specimen ofanthropology,
is Hombrecito.
An untamed lndian from
the sunny shores of New Spain.
This wildman is the sole
remaining member in all of Europe
ofthe renowned and legendary
Kaffir and lndian Show.
He plays his wooden flute
night and day,
because he believes
that if he stops,
all the people in town will die.
He wears three separatejackets
to keep from catching cold
and to protect himseIf
from the evil breath of mankind.
Hombrecito is a jolly good fellow,
and quite tame.
He speaks hardly a word ofany tongue -
except lndian ofcourse.
Hup!
And now to the final
and greatest Riddle ofall!
Kaspar, the Foundling!
He has agreed, with the express
permission ofthe authorities
to appear in person here
every afternoon,
and thus to ease the community's
financial burden.
Thank you, Kaspar!
Kaspar Hauser was found
in the Town Square ofthis fine city,
just as you see him
standing before you today.
ln his right hand,
a prayer-book,
and his left,
the Anonymous Letter.
Abandoned to his
fate in a strange town,
the boy could neither speak nor walk.
He had never seen a living human being
in his life before!
His origin remains in darkness to this day,
ladies and gentlemen.
ls he a prince?
Or perhaps descended
from Napoleon?
His is and will remain the
Riddle ofthe European Continent!
Come here, Hombrecito!
Kaspar, have you gone mad?
l will get you!
Hombrecito!
Stop!
Stop, l said!
Kaspar!
Ah! There's Mozart!
Take the child.
There's Mozart.
Here!
Go and lookfor him!
Come down from there!
Stop shaking that branch!
You're gonna
break the branch in two!
l forbid you to shake it!
- You mustn't break the branch!
- What about the beehive?
- Get down!
- Kaspar!
Come down here!
Come here, boy! Come here!
- Keep searching for Kasper.
- Come here.
The beehive! Ah, it's locked.
He couldn't be in there.
l want to fly like a rider,
midst the bloody tussle ofwar!
What a fine report,
what a beautiful report this will make!
l shall write a report the likes ofwhich
has never been seen!
Kaspar, what's wrong?
Are you feeling well?
ltfeels strong in my heart.
The music feels strong in my heart.
l feel so unexpectedly old.
You've been in the world
for such a short time, Kaspar.
You've got your whole life ahead ofyou.
Why is everything so hard for me?
Why can't l play the piano
like l can breathe?
Look Kaspar, in the two short years
you have been here with me,
you have learned so much!
You must make up for lost time now,
at your age,
because you weren't
among people before.
The people are
like wolves to me!
No, you mustn't say that.
Look at Florian,
he lives here too.
He's been blind ever since he lost
his entire family in an accident,
but he doesn't complain.
He plays the piano all day long,
even though his music
sounds a little strange.
Oh, that's quite tall!
A very big man must have built it.
l would like to meet him.
No, Kaspar, a man doesn't have to be
as tall as the tower he builds.
He can use a scaffold!
l'll take you to see a building site.
You lived in this tower,
where that little window is.
Do you remember?
- That cannot be!
- How come?
Because the room
is only a few steps big.
l don't understand.
Wherever l look in the room,
to the right, to the left,
frontwards and backwards -
there's only room.
But when l look at the tower,
and l turn around,
the tower is gone!
So, the room
is bigger than the tower!
No, Kaspar, that's not right.
Think about it a little more.
l still don't understand.
How do you mean that?
Yes, let's ask him. lt's important.
Another cup ofcoffee, Pastor?
Yes, please, it's excellent!
- Another cup ofcoffee?
- Yes, please.
You're not going to torture
him much longer, are you?
He's got to do his homework.
l wouldn't call it torture!
- l'll leave the pot here.
- Thanks.
Kaspar, what we
really want to know is
whether a Higher Being didn't
occupy your thoughts in prison.
l don't understand the question.
ln my prison
l didn't think ofanything.
And l cannot imagine
that God created
everything out of nothing,
like you say!
lf he doesn't understand God,
then he'll simply have to have faith!
You must have faith!
The tenets offaith
transcend mortal doubt.
First l have to learn to read
and write better to understand.
No, Kaspar, the articles
offaith are more important.
And do stop pressing your
thumb and finger when you speak!
And now, my son,
please repeat this prayer after me.
Repeat after me!
For the peace of God
is higher than all mortal coils,
keep our hearts in the name
ofJesus Christ, Amen.
Please, repeat.
Say it!
Look, these are last years apples.
Big and red, aren't they?
And those apples on the tree
will lookjust the same soon.
How do they do that?
Time does it, Kaspar.
And the Lord's plan!
Let the apples lie,
they're tired and want to sleep.
Kaspar, an apple can't be tired.
Apples don't have lives oftheir own -
they follow our will.
l'm going to roll one down the path,
it'll stop where l want it to.
The apple didn't stop,
it hid in the grass!
May l have your help in demonstrating it
to him, Mr Fuhrmann?
Come here, Kaspar, watch!
Stand here where you can see.
Now, pay attention, Kaspar.
Mr Fuhrmann is going to put out his foot,
and when l roll the apple,
it will stop right where we want it to.
Watch this!
This apple is smart!
ltjumped
over his foot and ran away!
Smart apple!
What are women good for?
Can you tell me that, Kathe?
Women are not good for anything
but sitting still!
But Kaspar...
Why are women
allowed only to knit and cook?
You'll have to ask
Mr Daumer that, Kaspar.
He'll know a decent answerfor you.
l've already asked Mr Daumer.
Yes, Mr Daumer
is an educated man.
l will never learn as much as him.
He told me about
the Sahara Desert,
and l can't get it out of my head!
Kathe, have you been
to the Sahara Desert?
l'm just a housekeeper,
l don't gojourneying so much.
l was in Erlangen once.
But it's a long way from there
to the desert!
l know a story about the desert,
but only the beginning.
Yes, Mr Daumer told me about it.
He said you keep trying
to tell him a story,
but you only know the beginning.
He says you should wait to tell it
until you know the end
and notjust the beginning.
Yes, he takes it seriously,
that you should learn to tell a story right.
lf l... can ask...
Mister Daumer...
to read...
this letter...
at his pleasure.
Afew days ago
l took some cress seeds
and sowed my name with them.
And it came up right pretty.
And it made me so happy
that l can hardly say.
And yesterday,
when l came backfrom boating,
somebody had come into the garden
and stepped on my name.
l cried for a long time.
l am going to sow the name again.
lt dreamed to me...
You had a dream?
Tell it to me!
Yes, it dreamed to me.
You're really coming along, Kaspar.
You used to think
all your dreams were real.
Just a fortnight ago,
you said you saw the mayor's wife,
even though everybody
knows she'd gone on a journey.
Strange!
Strange that you didn't dream once
during your years in prison!
l dreamed ofthe Caucasus.
ltjust can't be true
when you say
that your bed is the only place
in the world you're really happy in.
And everything else is bad.
Don't you like the garden?
The gooseberry bushes?
Or the onions over there?
Everything that's green...
Well, it seems to me...
that my coming into this world...
was a terribly hard fall!
But Kaspar!
That...
No, that's not...
How should l explain it to you?
Kaspar, the Professor here
has come all this way
to ask you a question.
He wants to see
how well you can think
and what you have learned
in these two years
and whether you can think logically.
Will you answer him?
- Yes!
- Good.
Kaspar...
Let's pretend that this is a village.
ln this village live people
who tell only the truth.
Here is another village.
The people here only tell lies.
There's a path running towards you
from this village,
and there's another path running
towards you from the other village.
And you are at the crossroads.
A man comes along,
and you want to know...
Does he come from
the village ofthe truthtellers,
or does he come from
the village ofthe liars?
Now in order to solve this problem,
to solve it logically,
you have one question,
and only one.
What is the question?
That's too difficultfor him,
how can he know that?
l admit, the question is thorny.
lfyou ask the man whether he comes
from the village oftruth,
and he does, then he will say,
truthfully, yes.
But if he comes
from the village of lies, he will lie
and also answer yes.
Yet there exists one question
which will solve the problem.
That's much to hard,
too complicated.
You have one question, Kaspar,
and only one,
to solve this problem of logic.
l wouldn't know either.
Kaspar,
ifyou can't think ofthe question,
then l shall tell you.
lfyou came from the other village
would you answer 'no'
if l were to ask you whether you came
from the liars' village?
By means ofa double negative,
the liar is forced to tell the truth.
This construction forces him
to reveal his identity, you see.
That's what l call logic
via argument to the truth!
- Well, l know another question.
- You do?
There is no other question.
- Not by the laws of logic.
- There isn't?
But l do know another question.
Let us hear it, then!
l should ask the man
whether he was a tree-frog.
The man from the
truth village would say,
"No, l'm not a tree-frog,"
because he tells the truth.
The man from the liars' village
would say,
"Yes, l'm a tree-frog,"
because he would tell a lie.
Therefore l know
that he comes from the liars' village.
No, that's not a proper question.
No, l can't accept it as a question.
That's not logic.
Logic is deduction,
not description.
That'sjust a description, not logic.
- There's no deduction.
- But l understood his question.
Understanding is secondary,
the reasoning is the thing.
ln Logic and Mathematics
we do not "understand" things,
but we reason and deduce.
l cannot accept that question.
Died June 30th.
Karl Friedrich WoIf,
apprentice bookbinder
and orphaned son ofJohannes WoIf,
haberdasher and tradesman.
Age - 18 years, 9 months,
and 27 days.
Cause ofdeath - consumption.
Died July 6th,
Josef Christian Friedrich Hölzlein.
Age - 22 days.
Cause ofdeath - gout.
With gratitude we record
the Guardianship Council's petition
to all men ofgenerous heart
to ease the lot ofthe poor
and destitute among us.
Flowers will also be accepted.
No, Käthe dear,
my eyes aren't what they used to be.
Would you be so kind
as to call on the tailor today?
Kaspar will be needing
his new coat tomorrow.
l'll do it today.
Don't stop writing, Kaspar.
How far along are you
with your biography?
You know, the word is out
that you are working on it,
and everybody l know
is dying to read it.
No, l don't want to let go
ofany of it yet.
There are so many words
l don't know
and so many things
l don't understand yet.
Sorry to disturb you,
but l just wanted to tell you
that an English nobleman,
Count Stanhope, has come to town.
He has taken great interest
in your situation,
and said that he would like
to adopt you
ifyou made a good impression.
lt would be a wonderful
new startfor you.
l am overwhelmed.
Welcome!
Thank you.
l should like to introduce
my young protégé Kaspar.
Kaspar, this is our
charming hostess.
Don't be afraid,
give the lady your hand.
And this is our gracious host
who will open the doors
ofsociety to you.
Allow me to introduce
my young protégé Kaspar to you.
lsn't he droll!
Yes, quite the noble savage!
- Enchanté, Madame.
- Kaspar!
Kaspar, l should like you to meet
the mayor and his wife.
Hello, Kaspar.
l'm so happy to meet you, Kaspar.
Tell me, what was it like
in that dark cellar ofyours?
Better than outside!
But we all like you
so much, Kaspar.
Kaspar, were you about
to say something?
You needn't be afraid
ofthe people here.
You just tell us whatever comes
into your natural young head.
Your Grace, nothing lives in me
except my life!
Oh no, there's much
more alive inside ofyou.
You've been making such
fine progress with your music,
something that educates
and ennobles ourfeelings!
Your Grace, l would like
to play a piece on the piano.
l shall play Mozart's
waltz in F major.
l'm notfeeling well,
may l be excused?
A little fresh air will help.
l'll open the window a bit.
Are you feeling better, Kaspar?
l think it would be better
ifwe left him alone for a moment.
There's no cause for concern.
Kaspar is feeling a bitfaint.
Perhaps in the meantime l can tell you
of my visit to Greece.
Not many days ago,
the sun of Hellas shone down on me.
l loitered, Pindar in hand,
underneath the columns of Corinth.
The sunrises were indescribable,
the crystal clarity ofthe Greek light
unforgettable.
A balm to the soul,
that unsullied atmosphere!
l continued onto Crete.
There l rode the mules.
The backs ofthese animals
are often quite hard, you know,
and l was forced
to wear peasants' trousers!
Then l went to the festivals
ofthe simple peasants ofthe countryside.
l saw the charming dances...
Excuse me please, my protégé...
What's the meaning ofthis, Kaspar?
What's that you're doing?
l don't understand it...
And what manner
ofsilly business is this?
Apparently l've been
guilty ofa misjudgement.
There hasn't been enough time
for me to get a true picture
ofthe circumstances.
Kaspar, why did you leave the church?
Well, the singing ofthe congregation
sounds to me like awful howling.
And then the singing stops,
the pastor starts to shout.
Kaspar, we have to go back in.
Poor young fellow!
He must have taken too much
ofthat laxative the doctor gave him!
- Käthe!
- Yes?
Come here for a moment.
lt looks like a bloody handprint.
Mercy me!
l saw him go in here this morning,
and the door wasn't off its hinges.
Look - it's blood!
There are bloodstains
on the cellar door.
He can't have broken in by himseIf.
Kaspar!
He's drunk the entire bowl!
Take it out ofyour mouth.
He's bitten a piece out ofthe bowl!
Ah, here's our patient.
Hello, thank you.
Did you apply the bandage?
There wasn't time to do it better.
Were there any other injuries
beside the head wound?
No, only his head.
l have a few important
questions to ask the victim.
Please - not now.
Well, we won't be getting
anything out of him today!
But at least he's not talking
the kind of rot he did last week.
All the same, with respect
to the crime and Hauser's origins,
we can't expect much
from him today.
Then l shall ask you
to take your leave, gentlemen.
There was one thing...
l wanted to mention.
But it has nothing to do
with the attack on me.
lt is all so clear before my eyes.
Tell us, Kaspar.
l saw the ocean,
and l saw a mountain,
and there were many people
climbing up the mountain.
lt was like a procession.
There was a lot offog.
l couldn't see it very clearly,
but at the very top was Death.
Kaspar!
What's happened?
He's been stabbed!
What happened?
And where?
The man told me
to watch the gardener,
then he gave me this
pouch and stabbed me.
l'll take you home, we'll carry you.
Let me see what's in the pouch.
A note!
"Hauser can tell you exactly
what l look like
"and where l come from.
"To save him the trouble,
"l'll tell you myseIf
where l come from
"and even what my name is.
"M. L. O."
The Lord have mercy on me,
for l am weak.
Heal me Lord,
for my limbs are stricken.
Lord, why do you hide from me
in my hour of need?
Do not go farfrom me,
forfear is near.
l am weary ofsighing.
l lay in my sweat all night long,
and my tears moisten my bed.
My body, weakened by mourning,
has grown old,
and l am tormented
from every side.
Away from me, evil-doers,
for the Lord hears my call.
Kaspar, my son,
ifanything is burdening you,
please tell us now.
Yes.
There is something, a story...
lt's about a caravan...
and the desert.
But l know only the beginning.
That doesn't matter now.
Tell us the story,
even if it's only the beginning.
l see a caravan...
coming through the desert...
across the sands.
And this caravan...
is led by an old Berber tribes man.
And this old man is blind.
Now the caravan stops,
because some believe
they are lost,
and because they see
mountains ahead ofthem.
They look at their compass,
but it's no use.
Then their blind leader
picks up a handful ofsand
and tastes it,
as though it were food.
My sons, the blind man says,
you are wrong.
Those are not mountains you see.
lt is only your imagination.
We must continue northwards.
And they follow
the old man's advice...
and finally reach
the city in the North.
And that's where the story begins.
But how the story goes
after they reach the city, l don't know.
Thank you all for listening to me.
l'm tired now.
There we have it -
the left lobe ofthe liver
is greatly enlarged.
That is an unusual finding indeed,
and worth recording.
Please take this down.
Left liver lobe enlarged
- and extends...
- ...enlarged, yes.
...and extends to below
the left arch ofthe diaphragm.
Doctor, look!
...arch ofthe diaphragm.
Look at the brain,
its shape is rather unusual.
Yes, a remarkable abnormality.
- Overdevelopment ofthe cerebrum.
- Oh, l agree, yes!
There is also a deformity
ofthe cerebrum.
- The left hemisphere is too small.
- That explains a great deal!
This should be recorded.
Take this down.
Abnormal cerebrum,
definitely overdeveloped.
Deformity of left
cerebral hemisphere...
which does not sufficiently
cover the cerebellum.
Coachman!
Coachman,
today is a day to remember.
Be so good as to take my hat
home with you.
l'm going to walk home.
What a wonderful report,
what a precise report this will make!
Deformities discovered
in Kaspar Hauser's brain and liver!
Finally we have got an explanation
for this strange man,
and no one would ever
find anything like this.
THE ENlGMA OF KASPAR HAUSER