Cyankali (1930) - full transcript

A 17 year old girl died here within an

hour under suspicious circumstances.

An official investigation revealed a

forbidden surgical operation

aiming at the abortion of a foetus.

The mother was arrested under

suspicion of aiding and abetting.

("The Swabian Daily",

May 21, 1930)

...there he became acquainted

with F., a cashier...

When F. became pregnant...

attempt at abortion...

Claims to have been given the advice

to perform the abortion with cyankali.

Subsequently, F. died from the poison

after heavy agony.

("South German Workers' Newspaper,

March 1, 1930)

MEDICINE WEEKLY.

The yearly number of abortions

in Germany is estimated to be

about half a million to 800.000, among

which are about 10.000 (!) casualties.

Doctors report about cases in which

criminal abortionists

have even administered their patients

cyankali for the purpose of abortion.

This most murderous of all poisons,

which is only available illegally...

Prosnick

Custodian

RENT RECEIPT. To have duly received

from Widow Anna Fent

the rent for the month of February

is herewith certified. 24.80 marks.

RENT RECEIPT. To have duly received

from Herr Witt...

"How can I possibly pay, custodian?

Six children, my husband out of job -

and the seventh is on the way."

"Is it my fault that your

husband is a drunkard?"

"If you don't pay,

you're going to be kicked out!"

RENT RECEIPT. To have duly received

from Frau Minna Klee...

"What are you cooking, Fent? -

It's mouthwatering!"

"Paul gave it as a present to Hete.

Else, I couldn't afford it, either.

"I'm already feeling quite weak

because of that roast perfume..."

"Yes, that Paul, that's a great guy...

Your Hete had luck."

"Mother gives her thanks

for that nice meat...

Are you coming this evening?"

"Max is on the night shift -

but I'm coming, Hete!"

"There's unrest in the factories;

the union has opened the wages."

"But don't be afraid, mother -

this time our claims will be accepted!"

"In the office they say that

all wages are going to rise."

"Well, Kuckuck - all papers sold?

What's news?"

TRAIN DISASTER IN

SIMPLON TUNNEL

DANCE RECORD

WITH 3 PIANOS

The famous 'permanent dancer' Fernando

has set up a new dance record.

The old record was beaten by 3 hours.

SCHMELING BEATS PAOLINO

ON POINTS

"I'll go to bed now, children."

"Why is it that people like us

don't have a place in the world

where they can be

alone and undisturbed."

"Paul, I've felt so tired

and down recently... I believe..."

"That's how you men are!"

"Nonsense, Hete.

Of course I'll pay for it!"

"But where shall it live?

In this place, where there's

no air, no room, no quiet..."

"Listen, Paul, I think we can keep it,

now that we're both going to earn more."

"We can make it pleasant - even if we

only get a very small place to live..."

ATTENTION: From today on,

all factory works are closed,

as the proposals of the conciliation

committee have not been accepted.

"So you're amusing yourself here - but

none of you wants to pay the rent!"

"Don't put on airs. You're only

a beaten dog, like all of us!"

"This house isn't a rabbit hutch.

Each week some girl opens the gas tap

or takes to the water."

"Lockout! - The night shift has

withdrawn... Posters have been put up."

"Strike!

All workers are locked out!"

"Tough boys... but if the lockout

continues, they will falter, too!"

"I am pregnant!"

"Come down to my place then..."

"Help, help me, Prosnick,

I'll do anything!"

"We can't have the child, now

that Paul and I are out of work..."

"Give it to me, Prosnick!"

"Help! Help!"

RENT RECEIPT. To have duly received

from Frau Witt...

"If you don't leave me alone,

there'll be bad luck for you!"

"That Witt has jumped

out of the window!!"

"But you are going to help me, Paul -

you won't ruin me!"

Strike weeks - Hunger weeks...

"Kuckuck... do we all have to

die a miserable death?"

"Is there nothing else to life than..."

"...Eating..."

"...Sleeping..."

"...Having children!"

"A nice shop steward, your Paul!

Lets us die a miserable death here!"

"Are you going to

let the women starve?"

"You're right, Max!

We're not doing it for fun."

"I want to have something to eat!"

"Where did you get it?"

"From the canteen."

"I've been honest for fifty years..."

"... and now you're hungry!"

"The main thing is

that you have fuel again!"

"Totally drunk - just from eating!"

"That was great, boys... great!"

"There's talk about a burglary

in your factory canteen!"

"Cops! Clear off quickly!"

"In the evening -

at Kuckuck's newspaper stand!"

"They'll seize them soon!"

"You are a mean fellow!"

"Mean? Who made you pregnant,

he or I?"

Dr. Möller, practitioner

Consultation hours 8-9, 4-5

"As your old family doctor I have testified

that you suffer from a lung disease

and have supported the

termination of your pregnancy.

FUNNY PAGES

"You must help me, Doctor!"

"Weeks of lockout.

We barely have bread and potatoes.

How could a child live there?"

"Unfortunately, the law

doesn't consider economic distress.-

But I'll be happy to examine you

for an organic disease."

"I have no disease but - poverty!"

"It has no place to lie down,

no napkins, no basket, no food...!"

"And you are a human being,

a doctor who is supposed to help..."

"How glad I'd be

if I was allowed to help...

But the law binds

the hands of us doctors!"

§ 218. A woman who kills her foetus

by abortion, or agrees

to such killing by another person,

will be sentenced to imprisonment.

In the same way another person is

punished who kills a foetus by abortion.

The attempt is liable to prosecution.

"Do you know that every year 10.000

women die from forbidden surgery?"

"And you can still be a doctor?"

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to where they help me!"

"Girl, don't go where you are

injured with unclean instruments,

or where they even give you cyankali...

Both means certain death!"

"But... it's you

who is sending me there!"

"But the state aids you with

pregnancy assistance,

takes you into a public hospital,

and after delivery continues

to care for you and your child."

"They've been hard on my heels

for ten days now, Hete.

But here, nobody is searching for me."

"No one has helped me...

And I can't do it alone..."

FEMALE FRIEND

WOMEN and GIRLS

find discreet admittance

"Don't torment me, you know everything

anyhow... You must help me!"

"Have you already seen a doctor -

or tried it yourself?

You look so miserable!"

"Do you have money?"

"Complete with antisepsis

and sterilisation, you know,

because of childbed fever..."

"All this for ten marks?"

"Twenty marks now,

ten marks in one week!"

DANCING IS FORBIDDEN

BY THE POLICE

"Do you think I'll risk it for a lousy

tenner - with the condition you're in?!"

"Fever?!"

"No, I'm not leaving!!

The fever, the fever..."

"I don't want to die, you!!

I don't want to die!"

"How much longer shall we

be on the run, Max?"

"Because of those few tins

it won't be the end of us..."

"And what will become of Hete

if they catch you?"

"You are no criminal... Hete was

starving!

You must not allow them to catch you!"

"To be sure, take five drops

of these in a glass of water!"

"Nobody must know that I treated you,

do you understand?"

"Otherwise, you're in

for a few years in jail!"

"It'll be bad for Paul... before he was

arrested he smacked a cop's face in!"

"May I stay, mother?"

"I wanted to see you once more...

because you might

perhaps give me a word..."

"Don't go away again, Hete!"

"Who harmed you, my child?"

"But you have fever!"

"Mother! Mother! I have to die!"

"I went to a woman, mother, and

now I have the fever in me."

"You must help me, mother!"

"Won't it destroy me entirely, mother?"

Police Presidency Berlin

"The mother of a fatally ill girl

called me yesterday,

and the arrested Paul Krüger

seems to be involved in the case."

"The old story -

an abortionist has fatally

injured her - with knife and poison!"

"As the sick girl isn't moveable, I will

question her in her apartment, doctor!"

♪ Why are you crying,

beautiful gardener?

♪ Are you crying

for that violet there...

Thank you.

♪ ...bright blue?

♪ Or are you crying

for the rose that you are breaking?

♪ No, oh no, I'm not crying

because of all that.

♪ Alas, I'm only crying for my true love

♪ who went out into the world,

♪ who swore eternal faithfulness to me

♪ that I as a gardener...

Mother! Mother!

Mother! Mother!

"So you don't know who

performed the operation on Hedwig Fent?"

"It is said that

a crime against burgeoning life

has been committed in your flat.

I have to question your daughter."

Well then, Miss Fent.

You had relations with

a certain Paul Krüger, hadn't you?

Yes?

So you don't want to answer.

Frau Fent, according to

the doctor's examination

the last surgery was

done three days ago.

Who performed it?

No answer here, either.

Well, then.

Officer!

Inspector?

Officer, bring in the remand prisoners!

- Yes, Inspector.

Paul, Paul!

- Hete.

Krüger!

Tell me, where did you

get the instrument?

Not from you.

Now listen.

Let's suppose you're in the right.

Why don't you budge, then?

Where are the millions,

where's the people?

They are still asleep.

Perhaps 100.000 women more

must die from fever.

And how do you want to change that?

Birth control!

The state must help the millions of

jobless, homeless, breadless people,

not the abortionist!

That is the spirit which each year,

in Germany alone,

brings 800.000 mothers

into conflict with the law.

A law that turns 800.000 mothers

into criminals every year...

...isn't a law!

Don't deliver a speech.

Officer, lead them off.

Paul... Paul!

Keep calm, Hete. I'm coming back.

Frau Fent,

listen to me now.

You're a respectable woman, aren't you?

We must find the person

who committed such a severe crime, no?

Just look at your child.

Who ravaged your daughter so terribly?

A criminal?

A crime?

If a child comes to

the mother in mortal fear?

What's that supposed to mean?

Do you want to insinuate that

Frau Fent herself committed the crime?

Yes, indeed. She did it.

And every mother would have done it.

Well.

Frau Fent!

No... no...

Mother, don't! No!

Stay here, mother! No!

Let the woman stay here

for a few hours more.

Perhaps they are the girl's last.

Well then, Frau Fent, you can

stay here for the time being.

But in any case,

I must ask you to be at our disposal.

10.000...

10.000 must die.

Will no one help us?

The End

Subtitles by Tommaso

Retimed by bruno321