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-As children, -we only think of the future. | 0:00:24 | 0:00:29 | |
-We expect all our relatives -to live forever... | 0:00:29 | 0:00:32 | |
-..to fill in the gaps of the past. | 0:00:33 | 0:00:35 | |
-It's only after -they've left this world... | 0:00:35 | 0:00:38 | |
-..that we realize how much of our -personal history is lost with them. | 0:00:38 | 0:00:43 | |
-Uncle Idris died in his nineties -in the year 2000. | 0:00:43 | 0:00:48 | |
-All that remains of him are a few -boxes of photographs and documents. | 0:00:48 | 0:00:54 | |
-And a diary that he gave me -just before his death. | 0:00:56 | 0:01:01 | |
-It recounts the story of a momentous -year in a young man's life. | 0:01:02 | 0:01:07 | |
-A year where Idris -came face-to-face... | 0:01:07 | 0:01:10 | |
-..with one of Adolf Hitler's -right-hand men... | 0:01:10 | 0:01:14 | |
-..and the mysterious death -of a close friend. | 0:01:14 | 0:01:17 | |
-What drove Idris to return -to his old diary in his old age? | 0:01:29 | 0:01:33 | |
-To type his handwritten -English words... | 0:01:33 | 0:01:37 | |
-..and bind it so meticulously? | 0:01:37 | 0:01:40 | |
-Was it something -to fill the empty hours? | 0:01:40 | 0:01:43 | |
-Nostalgia? | 0:01:43 | 0:01:45 | |
-Or was it an unresolved story? | 0:01:45 | 0:01:48 | |
-Eighty years later, I've come -to Berlin to find some answers. | 0:01:49 | 0:01:55 | |
-Idris Morgan came to Berlin in 1933 -as an employee of Barclays Bank... | 0:02:02 | 0:02:07 | |
-..for a twelve-month exchange -with Dresdner Bank... | 0:02:08 | 0:02:11 | |
-..one of Germany's -largest banking corporations. | 0:02:11 | 0:02:15 | |
-He was a 27-year-old bachelor. | 0:02:15 | 0:02:18 | |
-The city was a far cry from Penmark -in the Vale of Glamorgan. | 0:02:21 | 0:02:26 | |
-It was a great leap... | 0:02:26 | 0:02:28 | |
-..from Barry's narrow streets -to Berlin's boulevards. | 0:02:28 | 0:02:32 | |
-He only travelled -a few hundred miles... | 0:02:32 | 0:02:35 | |
-..but arrived -in a totally different world. | 0:02:36 | 0:02:39 | |
-Berlin was a trendy -and fashionable city... | 0:02:42 | 0:02:45 | |
-..nowhere more so than the clubs -and cafes around the Kurfurstendamm. | 0:02:45 | 0:02:50 | |
-But this hedonistic city... | 0:02:51 | 0:02:53 | |
-..was now facing the might -of the Nazis. | 0:02:53 | 0:02:57 | |
-In January 1933, -Hitler was appointed chancellor... | 0:02:59 | 0:03:02 | |
-..as part of a fragile coalition. | 0:03:02 | 0:03:05 | |
-Despite his power, -there were frustrations. | 0:03:05 | 0:03:08 | |
-There were rumours of an uprising -amid Nazi ranks... | 0:03:09 | 0:03:13 | |
-..and mounting tension -between Hitler and Ernst Rohm... | 0:03:13 | 0:03:17 | |
-..head of the Nazi paramilitaries, -the SA. | 0:03:18 | 0:03:21 | |
-The following twelve months -would prove critical for both men. | 0:03:21 | 0:03:26 | |
-It was to this situation -in September 1933... | 0:03:33 | 0:03:37 | |
-..that the young, shy, studious man -reached the Dresdner Bank... | 0:03:37 | 0:03:43 | |
-..at Depka 54. | 0:03:43 | 0:03:45 | |
-This is where he would spend -the majority of that year. | 0:03:45 | 0:03:49 | |
-It was an ordinary job... | 0:03:49 | 0:03:51 | |
-..but it was no ordinary workplace -and these were no ordinary times. | 0:03:51 | 0:03:55 | |
-"The Depka was closed -from 12.45pm until 2.00pm... | 0:03:56 | 0:04:00 | |
-"..while Hitler made his speech -from the Siemens factory. | 0:04:00 | 0:04:04 | |
-"Wireless was installed -to broadcast the speech. | 0:04:04 | 0:04:07 | |
-"There was one minute's silence -at 1.00pm. | 0:04:08 | 0:04:11 | |
-"All work stopped for one hour -so everyone could hear the speech." | 0:04:11 | 0:04:16 | |
-What do I care of the intelligentsia -or the middle classes? | 0:04:16 | 0:04:21 | |
-What do I care of the proletariat? | 0:04:21 | 0:04:24 | |
-My only concern -is the German people, my race. | 0:04:24 | 0:04:28 | |
-The nation I fight for. | 0:04:29 | 0:04:30 | |
-And on 12 November... | 0:04:30 | 0:04:33 | |
-..the world will see the German -people in all their glory! | 0:04:33 | 0:04:37 | |
-CHEERING AND APPLAUSE | 0:04:37 | 0:04:39 | |
-I've come to the bank's -present headquarters... | 0:04:42 | 0:04:45 | |
-..to see if there is any evidence -of Idris's time in the city. | 0:04:45 | 0:04:50 | |
-Professor Johannes Baehr, an -authority on the bank's history... | 0:04:50 | 0:04:54 | |
-..has something to show me. | 0:04:55 | 0:04:57 | |
-That is incredible, isn't it? | 0:04:57 | 0:04:59 | |
-It really is, after 80 years. | 0:05:00 | 0:05:03 | |
-John-Idris Morgan. | 0:05:04 | 0:05:05 | |
-They've even given him a hyphen! | 0:05:05 | 0:05:08 | |
-Born in 1906. | 0:05:08 | 0:05:12 | |
-What do we have here? | 0:05:13 | 0:05:14 | |
-Oh, it's his photograph. | 0:05:15 | 0:05:17 | |
-This is the first piece of evidence -of Idris's presence in Berlin... | 0:05:18 | 0:05:23 | |
-..apart from the diary, of course. | 0:05:24 | 0:05:27 | |
-He has written a synopsis -of his life and career. | 0:05:31 | 0:05:35 | |
-"Born 25 January 1906 at Pontyclun. | 0:05:35 | 0:05:38 | |
-"My family moved to Barry in 1911. | 0:05:39 | 0:05:41 | |
-"I entered Barry County School, -leaving it in 1922... | 0:05:42 | 0:05:46 | |
-"..with a matriculation certificate -of the Central Welsh Board... | 0:05:46 | 0:05:51 | |
-"..senior school examination." | 0:05:51 | 0:05:53 | |
-It's the handwriting I recognize. | 0:05:54 | 0:05:56 | |
-Frankly, it's more legible -on this form... | 0:05:57 | 0:06:00 | |
-..than on some of the letters -he wrote to me. | 0:06:00 | 0:06:03 | |
-And there's a list -of other questions he had to answer. | 0:06:05 | 0:06:09 | |
-There's a word -at the bottom. "Arier". | 0:06:09 | 0:06:13 | |
-What is "Arier"? | 0:06:13 | 0:06:16 | |
-Every Dresdner Bank employee... | 0:06:16 | 0:06:19 | |
-..had to declare -if he was a Jew or non-Jew. | 0:06:20 | 0:06:25 | |
-Every member of staff would have -to answer that question... | 0:06:26 | 0:06:30 | |
-..although I notice -that Idris has not answered it. | 0:06:30 | 0:06:34 | |
-Idris did not have to answer. | 0:06:34 | 0:06:36 | |
-As a British citizen, -he could avoid it. | 0:06:36 | 0:06:39 | |
-He may have got away with it. -Others didn't. | 0:06:40 | 0:06:43 | |
-During this period... | 0:06:43 | 0:06:45 | |
-..anti-Semitic messages were -increasingly frequent and explicit. | 0:06:45 | 0:06:50 | |
-This blatant propaganda was designed -to instil suspicion and fear. | 0:06:50 | 0:06:55 | |
-It's hard to say -how this affected Idris. | 0:06:57 | 0:07:00 | |
-But like many German people -at that time... | 0:07:00 | 0:07:04 | |
-..he sought the path -of least resistance. | 0:07:04 | 0:07:07 | |
-"Have given notice to Fraulein Heise -that I would leave Pension Enslin. | 0:07:07 | 0:07:12 | |
-"I want to live with a family -in order to talk more German. | 0:07:13 | 0:07:17 | |
-"A Jewish member of staff suggested -I live with a Jewish lady... | 0:07:17 | 0:07:21 | |
-"..who has an apartment -near the Tiergarten. | 0:07:22 | 0:07:26 | |
-"Such a move would be inadvisable -in the present climate of opinion... | 0:07:26 | 0:07:31 | |
-"..so I put him off." | 0:07:32 | 0:07:34 | |
-It's easy to excuse -Idris's nervous response. | 0:07:37 | 0:07:40 | |
-After all, he was a young man -in a foreign country. | 0:07:40 | 0:07:44 | |
-Knowing that a relative of mine -had reached such a decision... | 0:07:44 | 0:07:49 | |
-..makes me feel uncomfortable. | 0:07:49 | 0:07:52 | |
-Idris finally chose to live -on Wurttembergische Strasse... | 0:07:55 | 0:08:00 | |
-..a stone's throw from the bank. | 0:08:00 | 0:08:02 | |
-He lodged with a family... | 0:08:02 | 0:08:05 | |
-..in the same block as colleague -Fritz Sommer and his wife, Anny. | 0:08:05 | 0:08:11 | |
-I'm in the affluent -Wilmersdorf district... | 0:08:17 | 0:08:21 | |
-..to find the building that was -home to Idris and the Sommers. | 0:08:21 | 0:08:26 | |
-This is the address... | 0:08:27 | 0:08:29 | |
-..but the modern apartment block -is obviously not the same building. | 0:08:29 | 0:08:35 | |
-I'm feeling frustrated... | 0:08:35 | 0:08:37 | |
-..but I suspect that is inevitable -in a city with such a history. | 0:08:38 | 0:08:42 | |
-I've come to the Landesarchiv, -the city archives... | 0:08:44 | 0:08:47 | |
-..in the hope of finding -images of the street. | 0:08:48 | 0:08:51 | |
-Historian Michael Bienert -has been searching the records. | 0:08:52 | 0:08:56 | |
-What have you got now? | 0:08:57 | 0:08:58 | |
-These are the original plans -for Wurttembergische Strasse 27-8. | 0:08:59 | 0:09:03 | |
-Oh, look at this. | 0:09:08 | 0:09:10 | |
-Isn't that wonderful? | 0:09:10 | 0:09:12 | |
-It's fantastic. | 0:09:13 | 0:09:15 | |
-It's truly wonderful -and much better than a photograph! | 0:09:15 | 0:09:19 | |
-It's interesting -that there was a social order... | 0:09:19 | 0:09:23 | |
-..within the apartment block. | 0:09:23 | 0:09:26 | |
-The most desirable apartments -were on the first floor. | 0:09:26 | 0:09:30 | |
-This is where the rich lived. | 0:09:30 | 0:09:34 | |
-The higher you go, -the lower the rent. | 0:09:34 | 0:09:38 | |
-You get a social mix -in a block like this. | 0:09:38 | 0:09:40 | |
-The Sommers lived on the top floor -which would have been cheaper. | 0:09:41 | 0:09:45 | |
-Yes, the flats on the top floor -were the cheapest. | 0:09:45 | 0:09:49 | |
-The plans show the number of stairs -they had to climb. | 0:09:50 | 0:09:53 | |
-Whilst in his new home... | 0:09:56 | 0:09:59 | |
-..Idris grew closer -to Fritz and Anny Sommer... | 0:09:59 | 0:10:02 | |
-..and their 21-year-old daughter, -Gerda. | 0:10:02 | 0:10:07 | |
-The beautiful and fun-loving Gerda -was my uncle's guide to Berlin. | 0:10:10 | 0:10:15 | |
-She introduced him to the city -and all its attractions. | 0:10:16 | 0:10:20 | |
-"18 November. | 0:10:20 | 0:10:22 | |
-"Took Fraulein Sommer to the dance -of the Dresdner Bank Sportverein. | 0:10:22 | 0:10:28 | |
-"She persuaded me to go on to -Cafe Roesch on the Kurfurstendamm... | 0:10:28 | 0:10:33 | |
-"..where we met Herr Kuley -and his friends. | 0:10:33 | 0:10:36 | |
-"I eventually reached home -at 4.30am!" | 0:10:36 | 0:10:39 | |
-I can remember Idris -in his later years... | 0:10:40 | 0:10:44 | |
-..as a rather formal man. | 0:10:44 | 0:10:46 | |
-It's a bit of shock to read that -in the run-up to Christmas 1933... | 0:10:46 | 0:10:51 | |
-..that Idris regularly stayed out -into the early hours... | 0:10:51 | 0:10:55 | |
-..attending parties with Gerda -and her best friend, Hilde Wittke. | 0:10:55 | 0:11:00 | |
-They often partied until dawn! | 0:11:02 | 0:11:05 | |
-As the year drew to a close... | 0:11:06 | 0:11:08 | |
-..Idris's friendship -with the Sommers deepened. | 0:11:08 | 0:11:12 | |
-The diary makes it clear that the -family had taken a shine to him. | 0:11:12 | 0:11:16 | |
-"At midday, -Gerda Sommer called at the bank... | 0:11:16 | 0:11:19 | |
-"..and we arranged to meet -in the evening. | 0:11:20 | 0:11:22 | |
-"We had coffee at Cafe Kranzler -and bought chocolates and stockings. | 0:11:23 | 0:11:27 | |
-"Afterwards, I bought -an extra suitcase for myself... | 0:11:28 | 0:11:31 | |
-"..some cognac and cigarettes. | 0:11:31 | 0:11:34 | |
-"After dinner, I visited the Sommers -with my offerings. | 0:11:34 | 0:11:38 | |
-"I also took the book of Welsh songs -I had from my sister, Mary... | 0:11:38 | 0:11:43 | |
-"..and we had some music." | 0:11:43 | 0:11:45 | |
-This was a happy time for Idris. | 0:11:46 | 0:11:48 | |
-I suspect the Sommers represented -the family unit he'd never had. | 0:11:48 | 0:11:53 | |
-His sister, Alys, -died when he was four. | 0:11:53 | 0:11:57 | |
-Two years later... | 0:11:57 | 0:11:58 | |
-..his mother died whilst -giving birth to my mother, Mary. | 0:11:59 | 0:12:03 | |
-He then followed his father from -one failed business to the next. | 0:12:04 | 0:12:09 | |
-It was a lost childhood. | 0:12:09 | 0:12:12 | |
-I wonder if Idris found himself -a place to call home... | 0:12:15 | 0:12:19 | |
-..with the Sommers in Berlin. | 0:12:19 | 0:12:21 | |
-But Christmas 1933 was the last -Christmas they would be together... | 0:12:22 | 0:12:27 | |
-..before tragedy struck. | 0:12:27 | 0:12:29 | |
-Life for the Sommers, and Idris too, -would never be the same again. | 0:12:29 | 0:12:35 | |
-. | 0:12:41 | 0:12:42 | |
-Subtitles | 0:12:43 | 0:12:43 | |
-Subtitles - -Subtitles | 0:12:43 | 0:12:45 | |
-The new year enabled Idris -to spend a few days... | 0:12:48 | 0:12:52 | |
-..at the prestigious headquarters -of the Dresdner Bank. | 0:12:52 | 0:12:57 | |
-Today, it's a five-star hotel. | 0:12:57 | 0:13:00 | |
-Despite heavy bombing -during World War II... | 0:13:03 | 0:13:07 | |
-..much of the original building -has survived. | 0:13:07 | 0:13:10 | |
-The banking hall in the heart of the -building is the most lavish feature. | 0:13:10 | 0:13:16 | |
-This is the historical part. | 0:13:18 | 0:13:20 | |
-Was this a balcony -or were these arches here before? | 0:13:20 | 0:13:23 | |
-It was open, and you can imagine -the director walking around. | 0:13:24 | 0:13:28 | |
-Looking at the money coming in. | 0:13:28 | 0:13:31 | |
-That's exactly what was going on. | 0:13:31 | 0:13:34 | |
-Despite its grand facade... | 0:13:34 | 0:13:36 | |
-..in the early 1930s... | 0:13:36 | 0:13:38 | |
-..the bank had to be rescued -following the financial crash. | 0:13:39 | 0:13:44 | |
-But by 1933, state support -entailed another price to pay. | 0:13:45 | 0:13:50 | |
-Over the next few years, over 500 -Jewish members of staff were sacked. | 0:13:51 | 0:13:57 | |
-The effect of Nazi propaganda -spread far beyond the workplace. | 0:13:59 | 0:14:05 | |
-"Went with the Sommers -to the Bockbierfest at Cafe Berg. | 0:14:05 | 0:14:09 | |
-"I thought it pleasant. | 0:14:09 | 0:14:11 | |
-"However, Frau Sommer was upset -and did not want to go there again. | 0:14:11 | 0:14:15 | |
-"She was convinced it was a nest -of Jews and anti-Nazis. | 0:14:16 | 0:14:20 | |
-"I was surprised at this. | 0:14:20 | 0:14:22 | |
-"I did not think the Sommers were -supporters of the Hitler party." | 0:14:22 | 0:14:27 | |
-The new year brought other tensions. | 0:14:32 | 0:14:35 | |
-Fritz and Anny -grew increasingly worried... | 0:14:35 | 0:14:38 | |
-..about Gerda and Hilde Wittke's -endless partying. | 0:14:39 | 0:14:42 | |
-"The Sommers confided in me... | 0:14:42 | 0:14:44 | |
-"..about the difficulties -they were having with Gerda. | 0:14:45 | 0:14:49 | |
-"Herr Sommer got worked up -and left at 1.30am... | 0:14:49 | 0:14:53 | |
-"..to look for Gerda and Hilde. | 0:14:53 | 0:14:55 | |
-"He came back with them -in a nasty temper." | 0:14:55 | 0:14:59 | |
-Gerda couldn't afford -to lead this lifestyle. | 0:15:00 | 0:15:03 | |
-She didn't have a job. | 0:15:03 | 0:15:05 | |
-This could explain -the host of men in her orbit. | 0:15:05 | 0:15:10 | |
-I knew Idris as a very proper man... | 0:15:11 | 0:15:14 | |
-..so I can't imagine that -he approved of Gerda's lifestyle. | 0:15:14 | 0:15:18 | |
-Nevertheless, he lent her money... | 0:15:19 | 0:15:21 | |
-..so she could catch the train -to Leipzig with Hilde... | 0:15:21 | 0:15:25 | |
-..unbeknown to her parents. | 0:15:25 | 0:15:27 | |
-"I must not get mixed up... | 0:15:27 | 0:15:29 | |
-"..in her complicated relations -with her parents. | 0:15:30 | 0:15:33 | |
-"Perhaps I ought not to have -given her the money. | 0:15:34 | 0:15:37 | |
-"But she can be persuasive and uses -her looks to her own advantage." | 0:15:37 | 0:15:43 | |
-As the spring became -an exceptionally hot summer... | 0:15:53 | 0:15:57 | |
-..Idris's relationship -with Fritz and Anny blossomed. | 0:15:57 | 0:16:01 | |
-The three regularly visited -Lindwerder Island... | 0:16:02 | 0:16:05 | |
-..where the bank kept boats -for its staff. | 0:16:05 | 0:16:09 | |
-They were happy days. | 0:16:09 | 0:16:11 | |
-But Gerda is conspicuously absent -from all the photographs. | 0:16:11 | 0:16:17 | |
-Idris was concerned for his friend. | 0:16:20 | 0:16:23 | |
-One morning, -he saw her at the breakfast table. | 0:16:23 | 0:16:26 | |
-"Gerda put in an appearance. | 0:16:26 | 0:16:28 | |
-"She looked a complete disillusion -after another late night. | 0:16:29 | 0:16:33 | |
-"If she goes on as she does now, -then long before her thirties... | 0:16:34 | 0:16:38 | |
-"..she will have lost -all her good looks." | 0:16:39 | 0:16:42 | |
-Idris was right to be worried. | 0:16:42 | 0:16:45 | |
-There was a new man in her life. | 0:16:45 | 0:16:48 | |
-Oberleutnant Wilhelm Bruckner -was Adolf Hitler's chief adjutant. | 0:16:49 | 0:16:53 | |
-He was twice her age. | 0:16:54 | 0:16:56 | |
-What do we know about Bruckner? | 0:16:57 | 0:16:59 | |
-Heike Gortemaker -can answer that question. | 0:16:59 | 0:17:03 | |
-She's an expert -on Hitler's inner circle. | 0:17:04 | 0:17:07 | |
-Bruckner managed -Hitler's relationship... | 0:17:09 | 0:17:15 | |
-..with the outside world. | 0:17:15 | 0:17:18 | |
-The Fuhrer was keen to emphasize -his singular position... | 0:17:19 | 0:17:23 | |
-..by keeping his distance -from his Nazi colleagues... | 0:17:24 | 0:17:28 | |
-..and the outside world. | 0:17:28 | 0:17:33 | |
-If anyone wanted to see Hitler... | 0:17:34 | 0:17:40 | |
-..they had -to go through Bruckner first. | 0:17:40 | 0:17:46 | |
-Hitler trusted Bruckner. -They shared a common history. | 0:17:48 | 0:17:53 | |
-In 1923, Hitler and Bruckner -were imprisoned at Landsberg... | 0:17:58 | 0:18:03 | |
-..following the first Nazi revolt -in Munich. | 0:18:03 | 0:18:07 | |
-They shared a close bond... | 0:18:08 | 0:18:10 | |
-..and Hitler appointed Bruckner -as his chief adjutant in 1930. | 0:18:10 | 0:18:15 | |
-Bruckner was tall and blonde. | 0:18:16 | 0:18:19 | |
-The Aryan ideal. | 0:18:19 | 0:18:21 | |
-Hitler felt safe knowing -that Bruckner was at his side. | 0:18:21 | 0:18:26 | |
-On the night that Gerda revealed -her relationship with Bruckner... | 0:18:28 | 0:18:32 | |
-..she was defensive and emphasized -there was no open access to her bed! | 0:18:33 | 0:18:38 | |
-Idris responded sharply. | 0:18:38 | 0:18:40 | |
-"I never said there was open access -to her bed and I never sought it." | 0:18:41 | 0:18:46 | |
-A week later -on the morning of Friday 8 June... | 0:18:48 | 0:18:52 | |
-..Idris started work early -at Depka 54. | 0:18:52 | 0:18:57 | |
-He went to the canteen... | 0:18:57 | 0:18:59 | |
-..and heard the shattering news -that Gerda had been found dead... | 0:18:59 | 0:19:04 | |
-..in Wilhelm Bruckner's apartment. | 0:19:04 | 0:19:07 | |
-Idris was shaken by the news -and raced across the city... | 0:19:13 | 0:19:17 | |
-..to Bruckner's apartment. | 0:19:17 | 0:19:19 | |
-This is where my uncle, -Idris Morgan... | 0:19:20 | 0:19:23 | |
-..came face-to-face -with Adolf Hitler's chief adjutant. | 0:19:23 | 0:19:28 | |
-"Frau Sommer and Fritz Sommer -were there. | 0:19:28 | 0:19:31 | |
-"Gerda's body lay sprawled, -fully clothed on the bed. | 0:19:31 | 0:19:35 | |
-"She looked terrible -and had not washed off her make-up. | 0:19:35 | 0:19:40 | |
-"There were yellow and pink streaks -on her mouth. | 0:19:41 | 0:19:44 | |
-"Bruckner came in. | 0:19:44 | 0:19:46 | |
-"A tall man, -over six foot and broad... | 0:19:46 | 0:19:48 | |
-"..with student duelling scars -on his face. | 0:19:49 | 0:19:52 | |
-"I put him at about forty. | 0:19:52 | 0:19:54 | |
-"He said the body could be moved. | 0:19:54 | 0:19:56 | |
-"He and the undertakers -had arranged everything. | 0:19:56 | 0:20:00 | |
-"There would be no inquest." | 0:20:00 | 0:20:02 | |
-Idris suggests that Bruckner wanted -to deal with the situation quickly. | 0:20:02 | 0:20:08 | |
-Was it to protect his reputation -or to conceal foul play? | 0:20:08 | 0:20:14 | |
-The official verdict was suicide -as a result of gas poisoning. | 0:20:14 | 0:20:19 | |
-But if that was the -obvious explanation for her death... | 0:20:19 | 0:20:23 | |
-..why was there never an inquest? | 0:20:24 | 0:20:27 | |
-Gerda Sommer's unfortunate death... | 0:20:28 | 0:20:32 | |
-..was problematic for Bruckner -for two reasons. | 0:20:33 | 0:20:38 | |
-First, -he was engaged to Sophie Stork... | 0:20:39 | 0:20:44 | |
-..a close friend of Eva Braun... | 0:20:44 | 0:20:46 | |
-..and very much a part of Hitler's -inner circle in the Berghof. | 0:20:46 | 0:20:51 | |
-Bruckner would have -rightly feared Hitler. | 0:20:53 | 0:20:58 | |
-Such a breach of trust towards -Sophie Stork was unacceptable. | 0:20:58 | 0:21:03 | |
-The second reason -was a more pressing issue. | 0:21:05 | 0:21:08 | |
-The tension between Hitler and -the leader of the SA, Ernst Rohm... | 0:21:08 | 0:21:13 | |
-..was at fever pitch. | 0:21:13 | 0:21:15 | |
-It wasn't the best time to fall out -of favour with the Fuhrer. | 0:21:16 | 0:21:20 | |
-The plan to assassinate Ernst Rohm -was already in motion. | 0:21:24 | 0:21:31 | |
-In June 1934... | 0:21:32 | 0:21:36 | |
-..Hermann Goering -and Joseph Goebbels... | 0:21:36 | 0:21:39 | |
-..had compiled a list -of people close to Ernst Rohm... | 0:21:39 | 0:21:44 | |
-..who would be killed. | 0:21:44 | 0:21:48 | |
-It was a death list. | 0:21:48 | 0:21:52 | |
-Bruckner was in -a very precarious situation... | 0:21:52 | 0:21:57 | |
-..and a private scandal of this -measure would be extremely damaging. | 0:21:58 | 0:22:03 | |
-Against this turbulent backdrop... | 0:22:04 | 0:22:07 | |
-..Idris and the Sommers would -struggle to uncover the truth... | 0:22:07 | 0:22:12 | |
-..about Gerda's death. | 0:22:12 | 0:22:15 | |
-. | 0:22:17 | 0:22:18 | |
-Subtitles | 0:22:19 | 0:22:19 | |
-Subtitles - -Subtitles | 0:22:19 | 0:22:21 | |
-There was no time to dwell -on their daughter's death... | 0:22:29 | 0:22:33 | |
-..or Bruckner's eagerness -to dispose of her body... | 0:22:33 | 0:22:37 | |
-..because Fritz and Anny -had to organize her burial. | 0:22:37 | 0:22:41 | |
-The official verdict was suicide, -but Gerda was a Catholic... | 0:22:41 | 0:22:46 | |
-..and this presented them -with a problem. | 0:22:46 | 0:22:49 | |
-In the Roman Catholic Church, -suicide is considered a mortal sin. | 0:22:49 | 0:22:54 | |
-It's a violation of the commandment -"Thou shalt not kill." | 0:22:54 | 0:22:58 | |
-An added source of grief for Anny, -who was also a Catholic... | 0:22:58 | 0:23:04 | |
-..was the thought that her daughter -could be denied a Christian burial. | 0:23:04 | 0:23:10 | |
-And so, on the morning -of Saturday 9 June... | 0:23:17 | 0:23:20 | |
-..Gerda's mother and grandmother, -Frau Scheffels... | 0:23:21 | 0:23:25 | |
-..came to this church to plead -with their priest, Father Milz. | 0:23:25 | 0:23:29 | |
-After the devastation -of World War II... | 0:23:33 | 0:23:35 | |
-..does a record of that sad meeting -still exist? | 0:23:36 | 0:23:41 | |
-Now then. | 0:23:41 | 0:23:43 | |
-Nothing. | 0:23:58 | 0:24:00 | |
-Oh, goodness. | 0:24:06 | 0:24:08 | |
-I don't understand that. | 0:24:14 | 0:24:16 | |
-Good heavens! | 0:24:19 | 0:24:21 | |
-In the middle of this ledger... | 0:24:23 | 0:24:26 | |
-..a child has drawn a picture -of a massive tank. | 0:24:26 | 0:24:31 | |
-A large German tank. | 0:24:32 | 0:24:34 | |
-There is a story that a tank -actually defended this church. | 0:24:34 | 0:24:40 | |
-Right then. | 0:24:50 | 0:24:52 | |
-What do we have -in this other ledger? | 0:24:52 | 0:24:55 | |
-March 1934. | 0:25:03 | 0:25:07 | |
-May. | 0:25:07 | 0:25:09 | |
-June. | 0:25:10 | 0:25:12 | |
-Here it is. | 0:25:13 | 0:25:15 | |
-This is it. | 0:25:15 | 0:25:17 | |
-Gerda Sommer, 7 June 1934. | 0:25:19 | 0:25:23 | |
-The date of her death. | 0:25:23 | 0:25:25 | |
-The date of her funeral -which was 12 June. | 0:25:25 | 0:25:29 | |
-What does it say -about the cause of death? | 0:25:30 | 0:25:34 | |
-"Unglucksfall. Gasvergiftung." | 0:25:34 | 0:25:37 | |
-An accident and not suicide. | 0:25:37 | 0:25:40 | |
-An accident and not suicide. | 0:25:41 | 0:25:44 | |
-Why the discrepancy? Was it an act -of compassion by Father Milz? | 0:25:44 | 0:25:48 | |
-The relationship between -a priest and his parishioners... | 0:25:49 | 0:25:53 | |
-..was very different -to what it is today. | 0:25:53 | 0:25:56 | |
-It was much, much closer. | 0:25:57 | 0:26:00 | |
-It is essential -for every priest to remember... | 0:26:02 | 0:26:06 | |
-..that the individuals involved -must remain central. | 0:26:06 | 0:26:11 | |
-His or her situation is important. | 0:26:12 | 0:26:15 | |
-I also think that Father Milz... | 0:26:16 | 0:26:18 | |
-..who spent many years -as a priest at St Ludwig's Church... | 0:26:19 | 0:26:23 | |
-..had a good understanding of the -political developments in Berlin. | 0:26:24 | 0:26:29 | |
-The fact that he gave -a Christian burial... | 0:26:30 | 0:26:35 | |
-..to someone -who may have committed suicide... | 0:26:35 | 0:26:38 | |
-..gives a clear signal... | 0:26:38 | 0:26:40 | |
-..of his beliefs -and those of his church. | 0:26:41 | 0:26:46 | |
-Persuading Father Milz wasn't -the only hurdle the Sommers faced. | 0:26:50 | 0:26:56 | |
-"Frau Sommer told me -how short of money they were. | 0:26:56 | 0:27:00 | |
-"They had drawn -Fritz's monthly salary... | 0:27:00 | 0:27:03 | |
-"..and were obliged to get a bank -loan to meet the funeral expenses. | 0:27:04 | 0:27:08 | |
-"I naturally offered to do -anything I could to help them." | 0:27:08 | 0:27:13 | |
-I often feel that Idris -was closer to Anny than to Gerda. | 0:27:18 | 0:27:23 | |
-In his diary, it's Anny rather -than Gerda who gets his attention. | 0:27:23 | 0:27:29 | |
-Did Anny take the place -of the mother he lost as a child? | 0:27:29 | 0:27:33 | |
-Gerda was the last -of the Sommer family. | 0:27:37 | 0:27:41 | |
-I've come -to the Stahnsdorf Cemetery... | 0:27:41 | 0:27:44 | |
-..to see if there is any record -of her burial. | 0:27:44 | 0:27:48 | |
-This is the record card -from the file. | 0:27:49 | 0:27:52 | |
-It says 7 June, date of death. -12 June, date of funeral. | 0:27:52 | 0:27:56 | |
-Does it say where she was buried? | 0:27:56 | 0:27:59 | |
-Despite borrowing money, the Sommers -still couldn't afford a gravestone. | 0:28:03 | 0:28:08 | |
-This sheds some doubt -on the exact location of the grave. | 0:28:09 | 0:28:13 | |
-This is the burial record. | 0:28:14 | 0:28:17 | |
-It's for Gerda Sommer. | 0:28:18 | 0:28:20 | |
-There's a lot of details -about the cost... | 0:28:20 | 0:28:23 | |
-..and the cause of death -is also noted. | 0:28:24 | 0:28:26 | |
-It's really expensive. | 0:28:26 | 0:28:28 | |
-It's really expensive. - -It is expensive. | 0:28:28 | 0:28:29 | |
-It was 234 Reichsmarks. | 0:28:30 | 0:28:33 | |
-That was a lot of money. | 0:28:34 | 0:28:36 | |
-This is what a worker would earn -in a month. | 0:28:36 | 0:28:40 | |
-Earn in a month. Right, right. | 0:28:40 | 0:28:43 | |
-Gerda's body lay in the crypt -of this chapel for four days. | 0:28:44 | 0:28:50 | |
-Very little has changed -since those days. | 0:28:50 | 0:28:54 | |
-"Saturday, 9 June. | 0:29:07 | 0:29:09 | |
-"We went to Stahnsdorf and -chose a place for Gerda's burial... | 0:29:09 | 0:29:14 | |
-"..and saw her again afterwards. | 0:29:14 | 0:29:16 | |
-"She was properly laid out -and looked much better. | 0:29:16 | 0:29:20 | |
-"White and peaceful." | 0:29:21 | 0:29:23 | |
-This is the very room... | 0:29:35 | 0:29:37 | |
-..where Fritz and Anny -viewed the body of their only child. | 0:29:37 | 0:29:41 | |
-It's the worst nightmare -of any parent. | 0:29:41 | 0:29:44 | |
-An experience -Idris's own parents endured... | 0:29:44 | 0:29:47 | |
-..when they lost -their eldest daughter, Alys. | 0:29:48 | 0:29:51 | |
-But it was very different -for Fritz and Anny. | 0:29:51 | 0:29:55 | |
-They suspected murder. | 0:29:55 | 0:29:58 | |
-With these suspicions in the air... | 0:30:03 | 0:30:06 | |
-..Idris and the Sommers -gathered at Stahnsdorf on 12 June... | 0:30:06 | 0:30:10 | |
-..for the funeral. | 0:30:10 | 0:30:12 | |
-It was a small, private funeral... | 0:30:21 | 0:30:23 | |
-..with only family -and close friends in attendance. | 0:30:23 | 0:30:27 | |
-And Bruckner? | 0:30:28 | 0:30:30 | |
-Idris wrote... | 0:30:30 | 0:30:33 | |
-"Bruckner did not attend... | 0:30:33 | 0:30:35 | |
-"..but sent an SS officer -as his representative... | 0:30:35 | 0:30:39 | |
-"..with a wreath." | 0:30:39 | 0:30:41 | |
-"Come unto me, all ye that are heavy -laden, and I will give you rest." | 0:31:02 | 0:31:07 | |
-. | 0:31:09 | 0:31:10 | |
-Subtitles | 0:31:12 | 0:31:12 | |
-Subtitles - -Subtitles | 0:31:12 | 0:31:14 | |
-Back in Berlin, the Sommers -set their sights on Bruckner. | 0:31:15 | 0:31:19 | |
-They wanted an explanation -for their daughter's death. | 0:31:19 | 0:31:24 | |
-This is Albrecht-Achilles-Strasse -in the west of the city. | 0:31:26 | 0:31:31 | |
-According to the church records... | 0:31:31 | 0:31:34 | |
-..they found Gerda's body -at number five. | 0:31:34 | 0:31:38 | |
-This is Albrecht-Achilles-Strasse. | 0:31:52 | 0:31:55 | |
-But is this the building that -Idris raced to on that morning... | 0:31:55 | 0:31:59 | |
-..where he saw Gerda's corpse -on the bed? | 0:32:00 | 0:32:02 | |
-I'm not sure. | 0:32:03 | 0:32:04 | |
-Is this the actual building -where Gerda died? | 0:32:07 | 0:32:11 | |
-This isn't the house. | 0:32:18 | 0:32:19 | |
-It's the right street -but the numbers have changed. | 0:32:20 | 0:32:23 | |
-It's quite common in Berlin, -especially after World War II. | 0:32:24 | 0:32:29 | |
-We can look at the photographs... | 0:32:29 | 0:32:33 | |
-..that were taken after the war. | 0:32:33 | 0:32:36 | |
-This was number five. | 0:32:36 | 0:32:38 | |
-Yes, that is number five. | 0:32:39 | 0:32:41 | |
-We can see that the entire building -was demolished in the early 1950s. | 0:32:41 | 0:32:47 | |
-So much of the past -has been destroyed. | 0:32:49 | 0:32:52 | |
-Only one faded photograph remains -of the place where Gerda died. | 0:32:52 | 0:32:58 | |
-But what else has Michael found? | 0:33:00 | 0:33:02 | |
-We have found the police records -of the case. | 0:33:03 | 0:33:09 | |
-On 8 June, -the police in Schoeneberg... | 0:33:10 | 0:33:13 | |
-..noted that Gerda Sommer -had been found on 7 June. | 0:33:14 | 0:33:17 | |
-On 7 June 1934. | 0:33:18 | 0:33:21 | |
-It's interesting as it suggests -the existence of another document... | 0:33:22 | 0:33:27 | |
-..in the state attorney's files. | 0:33:27 | 0:33:29 | |
-This is the file -of the prosecution authorities. | 0:33:29 | 0:33:34 | |
-This is where we find Gerda Sommer. | 0:33:34 | 0:33:37 | |
-Here she is. | 0:33:39 | 0:33:41 | |
-File 189. | 0:33:41 | 0:33:43 | |
-File 189. - -Correct. | 0:33:43 | 0:33:44 | |
-Some action was taken. We don't have -the documents. They were destroyed. | 0:33:44 | 0:33:50 | |
-Is this significant? | 0:33:54 | 0:33:57 | |
-It's impossible to say. | 0:33:57 | 0:33:59 | |
-But there is another mystery. | 0:33:59 | 0:34:01 | |
-According to the diary... | 0:34:02 | 0:34:03 | |
-..24 hours passed -between the discovery of her body... | 0:34:04 | 0:34:07 | |
-..and any contact with the family. | 0:34:08 | 0:34:10 | |
-A day for the corpse to lie in the -heat of the scorching Berlin summer. | 0:34:10 | 0:34:16 | |
-The morning after the funeral, -Idris wrote... | 0:34:16 | 0:34:20 | |
-"Fritz told me -of their suspicions of foul play... | 0:34:20 | 0:34:24 | |
-"..and of their wish for an -investigation and a proper inquest. | 0:34:24 | 0:34:28 | |
-"I felt it was -none of my business... | 0:34:29 | 0:34:31 | |
-"..but at the same time, -I cautioned him to be careful. | 0:34:31 | 0:34:35 | |
-"An investigation could give rise to -insinuations about Gerda's life... | 0:34:35 | 0:34:40 | |
-"..and her behaviour in recent weeks -that might cause her parents pain... | 0:34:41 | 0:34:45 | |
-"..and reveal -what might best lie hidden." | 0:34:45 | 0:34:48 | |
-Idris clearly cared deeply -for the Sommers. | 0:34:48 | 0:34:51 | |
-But was there a basis -to their suspicions? | 0:34:52 | 0:34:55 | |
-If we look at the facts... | 0:34:56 | 0:34:58 | |
-..it's possible to argue that -Gerda Sommer did not kill herself. | 0:34:58 | 0:35:04 | |
-The fact that the corpse -was left to lie for 24 hours... | 0:35:05 | 0:35:11 | |
-..before calling the police... | 0:35:11 | 0:35:14 | |
-..or informing the family... | 0:35:15 | 0:35:19 | |
-..certainly suggests that someone -was trying to hide something. | 0:35:19 | 0:35:24 | |
-According to Idris's diary... | 0:35:25 | 0:35:27 | |
-..Bruckner was summoned -to Hitler's HQ at 2.00am on 7 June. | 0:35:27 | 0:35:32 | |
-He left Gerda in his apartment with -his maid, Erika, and her mother. | 0:35:32 | 0:35:37 | |
-Bruckner returned later that morning -and discovered Gerda's body. | 0:35:37 | 0:35:43 | |
-But why did Bruckner return -to the office at such a late hour? | 0:35:43 | 0:35:49 | |
-There could be many reasons. | 0:35:49 | 0:35:52 | |
-It is a well-known fact that Hitler -kept very irregular hours... | 0:35:52 | 0:35:58 | |
-..and often worked day and night. | 0:35:58 | 0:36:00 | |
-It's perfectly plausible that -Bruckner was called to a meeting... | 0:36:02 | 0:36:08 | |
-..in the Reich Chancellery -in the early hours. | 0:36:08 | 0:36:13 | |
-It was an incredibly tense month. | 0:36:13 | 0:36:16 | |
-Plans to kill leading SA figures -and Ernst Rohm were in motion. | 0:36:16 | 0:36:22 | |
-It was not a good time to be caught -having an affair with a young woman. | 0:36:22 | 0:36:28 | |
-The diary states that Bruckner -was reluctant to allow Gerda... | 0:36:28 | 0:36:34 | |
-..to spend the night -in his apartment. | 0:36:35 | 0:36:38 | |
-It's possible that he was trying -to end the relationship. | 0:36:39 | 0:36:44 | |
-He had a room of his own -at the Reich Chancellery. | 0:36:45 | 0:36:50 | |
-It's possible that he stayed there -as opposed to staying with Gerda. | 0:36:50 | 0:36:56 | |
-The Sommers wanted to know -who was responsible. | 0:36:57 | 0:37:00 | |
-Was the maid jealous of Gerda? | 0:37:01 | 0:37:03 | |
-Or was it Dr Widtmann... | 0:37:03 | 0:37:05 | |
-..who had access to Bruckner's -apartment via an adjoining door? | 0:37:05 | 0:37:10 | |
-Or Bruckner himself? | 0:37:11 | 0:37:12 | |
-New evidence -fuelled their suspicions. | 0:37:13 | 0:37:16 | |
-"Frau Sommer had talked to the -firemen who were first to be called. | 0:37:16 | 0:37:21 | |
-"They told her that Gerda -had blue marks on her throat." | 0:37:21 | 0:37:25 | |
-Is it further evidence -against Bruckner? | 0:37:26 | 0:37:28 | |
-During that hot summer... | 0:37:29 | 0:37:30 | |
-..Fritz and Anny waited for him to -answer their requests for a meeting. | 0:37:31 | 0:37:35 | |
-But all they had -were broken promises and silence. | 0:37:36 | 0:37:40 | |
-It came as no surprise to Idris. | 0:37:40 | 0:37:43 | |
-"My feeling is that he will not -countenance any investigation... | 0:37:46 | 0:37:50 | |
-"..but will see -that everything is kept quiet... | 0:37:50 | 0:37:54 | |
-"..for the sake -of his own reputation." | 0:37:54 | 0:37:57 | |
-The aeroplane carrying Herr Hitler -comes to rest at Venice. | 0:37:59 | 0:38:03 | |
-On 14 June, -two days after Gerda's funeral... | 0:38:04 | 0:38:08 | |
-..Bruckner travelled to Italy -with Hitler. | 0:38:08 | 0:38:11 | |
-Was it the planning -of this state visit... | 0:38:11 | 0:38:14 | |
-..that called him back to the office -on the night that Gerda died? | 0:38:15 | 0:38:20 | |
-The Sommers -were desperate for answers. | 0:38:20 | 0:38:23 | |
-Bruckner finally agreed -to meet with them on 27 June. | 0:38:23 | 0:38:29 | |
-But when the day arrived, -he was nowhere to be found. | 0:38:29 | 0:38:32 | |
-He was making preparations with -Hitler to arrest the SA leaders. | 0:38:33 | 0:38:38 | |
-Over the following three days... | 0:38:39 | 0:38:41 | |
-..over 200 members, including -Ernst Rohm, were massacred. | 0:38:41 | 0:38:45 | |
-This became known -as the Night of the Long Knives. | 0:38:46 | 0:38:49 | |
-It sent shock waves -around the world... | 0:38:52 | 0:38:55 | |
-..despite the regime's attempts -to put a spin on it. | 0:38:56 | 0:39:00 | |
-The Fuhrer -has punished the guilty... | 0:39:05 | 0:39:09 | |
-..and our relationship with the SA -is once again as it was. | 0:39:09 | 0:39:14 | |
-This was a turning point -in the history of Germany. | 0:39:15 | 0:39:19 | |
-There was no going back -from this moment... | 0:39:19 | 0:39:22 | |
-..and the Sommers lost all hope -in their search for answers. | 0:39:23 | 0:39:28 | |
-"Later, I visited the Sommers. | 0:39:29 | 0:39:31 | |
-"Both are upset over events, -especially Frau Sommer... | 0:39:31 | 0:39:35 | |
-"..who is worried that Gerda -was mixing with people in the SA... | 0:39:35 | 0:39:39 | |
-"..and who, like Bruckner, -were part of the massacres... | 0:39:40 | 0:39:44 | |
-"..and has a dread of what -may happen if they go too far... | 0:39:44 | 0:39:48 | |
-"..in the request for investigations -into how Gerda died. | 0:39:48 | 0:39:52 | |
-"Both have lost faith in the -Socialist Party and the government. | 0:39:52 | 0:39:58 | |
-"Fritz went as far as -to despair of Germany altogether." | 0:39:58 | 0:40:02 | |
-The warden of Stahnsdorf Cemetery -and I... | 0:40:09 | 0:40:11 | |
-..have come to find where Gerda -was buried in this massive cemetery. | 0:40:12 | 0:40:17 | |
-This is where my uncle stood with -Gerda's family eight decades ago. | 0:40:17 | 0:40:23 | |
-Do you think -it's around here somewhere? | 0:40:26 | 0:40:29 | |
-Are you saying -that you are looking for grave 188? | 0:40:30 | 0:40:34 | |
-She is in 176. | 0:40:34 | 0:40:37 | |
-Do you think that may be 188? | 0:40:37 | 0:40:39 | |
-Do you think that may be 188? - -Yes, I think so. | 0:40:39 | 0:40:41 | |
-Let's see. | 0:40:41 | 0:40:42 | |
-We can check with the name. | 0:40:43 | 0:40:45 | |
-Yes, that's correct. | 0:40:50 | 0:40:53 | |
-Wassil Babamoff. | 0:40:53 | 0:40:55 | |
-And we can try -to take the difference... | 0:40:57 | 0:41:01 | |
-..between this grave -and this place here. | 0:41:01 | 0:41:04 | |
-So we'll measure that. | 0:41:04 | 0:41:06 | |
-We have to take three metres. | 0:41:06 | 0:41:09 | |
-A little bit more. | 0:41:09 | 0:41:11 | |
-We know that Gerda's grave -would be to the left of grave 188. | 0:41:11 | 0:41:16 | |
-Yes, to the left. | 0:41:17 | 0:41:18 | |
-Yes, to the left. - -This area here. | 0:41:18 | 0:41:19 | |
-There's a place for Gerda Sommer. | 0:41:20 | 0:41:22 | |
-And in fact there's a slight dip -in the ground. | 0:41:22 | 0:41:25 | |
-This is a typical sign. | 0:41:26 | 0:41:28 | |
-There was a coffin under the ground. | 0:41:28 | 0:41:31 | |
-After a long time, -it's deeper in the area. | 0:41:31 | 0:41:34 | |
-It's a real find. | 0:41:34 | 0:41:35 | |
-It's the place for Gerda Sommer. | 0:41:35 | 0:41:38 | |
-That is amazing that we found it. | 0:41:38 | 0:41:41 | |
-We wouldn't have found it -without you. | 0:41:41 | 0:41:45 | |
-It's a very special moment. | 0:41:45 | 0:41:48 | |
-Thank you. | 0:41:48 | 0:41:50 | |
-You're welcome. | 0:41:50 | 0:41:52 | |
-It's incredibly sad to think -of Gerda laid here all alone. | 0:42:04 | 0:42:09 | |
-There is no gravestone. | 0:42:09 | 0:42:12 | |
-The family couldn't afford one. | 0:42:12 | 0:42:15 | |
-This means that the diary -is her only memorial. | 0:42:16 | 0:42:21 | |
-Gerda was the last of the Sommers... | 0:42:42 | 0:42:44 | |
-..but I've tracked down descendants -of Anny's sister, Frau von Furich. | 0:42:44 | 0:42:49 | |
-She was in Stahnsdorf on the day -of the funeral with her son, Heinz. | 0:42:50 | 0:42:56 | |
-I'm in Ulm in southern Germany -to meet Heinz's children... | 0:42:56 | 0:43:00 | |
-..Helga and Klaus-Dieter von Furich. | 0:43:00 | 0:43:03 | |
-Thank you so much. | 0:43:03 | 0:43:05 | |
-I'm very afraid. Please come in. | 0:43:05 | 0:43:06 | |
-I'm very afraid. Please come in. - -Thank you very much. | 0:43:06 | 0:43:09 | |
-We have here a photograph... | 0:43:12 | 0:43:17 | |
-..of Fritz, Anny Sommer, -Frau Scheffles. | 0:43:17 | 0:43:23 | |
-Is that your...? | 0:43:23 | 0:43:24 | |
-Is that your...? - -She's my great grandmother. | 0:43:24 | 0:43:26 | |
-And there's Gerda Sommer -and my uncle, Idris. | 0:43:26 | 0:43:30 | |
-There's the whole family at home -in Wurttembergische Strasse. | 0:43:30 | 0:43:35 | |
-It's lovely. We have a picture too. | 0:43:36 | 0:43:38 | |
-It's lovely. We have a picture too. - -It's Gerda. | 0:43:38 | 0:43:40 | |
-This is Gerda. | 0:43:40 | 0:43:41 | |
-This is Gerda. - -Yes, it's Gerda. | 0:43:41 | 0:43:43 | |
-Look at it. -That's exactly the same face. | 0:43:43 | 0:43:47 | |
-You knew about the story of Gerda. | 0:43:47 | 0:43:50 | |
-Yes, I did. | 0:43:50 | 0:43:53 | |
-I spent a year in Berlin and visited -my great grandmother and Anny. | 0:43:53 | 0:43:59 | |
-That was in 1964. | 0:44:00 | 0:44:02 | |
-They told me the stories -but I don't remember them very well. | 0:44:02 | 0:44:07 | |
-They told me that Gerda was friendly -with one of Hitler's adjutants... | 0:44:08 | 0:44:14 | |
-..or they were having a relationship -but nobody was sure. | 0:44:14 | 0:44:18 | |
-What did Anny Sommer believe -really happened to Gerda? | 0:44:18 | 0:44:23 | |
-She was convinced -that Gerda did not commit suicide. | 0:44:24 | 0:44:29 | |
-That was certain. | 0:44:29 | 0:44:30 | |
-She put it down -to Hitler's machinations. | 0:44:31 | 0:44:38 | |
-She believed that Gerda -had discovered a secret plot. | 0:44:38 | 0:44:42 | |
-That is why -they had to get rid of her. | 0:44:42 | 0:44:45 | |
-The other thing we have here... | 0:44:45 | 0:44:48 | |
-..is a menu card -from the Palais Am Zoo... | 0:44:48 | 0:44:53 | |
-..from Christmas 1933. | 0:44:53 | 0:44:55 | |
-It was a family gathering -and everybody has signed it. | 0:44:55 | 0:44:59 | |
-Oh, that's interesting. | 0:44:59 | 0:45:01 | |
-That is Frau Scheffels. | 0:45:02 | 0:45:04 | |
-Gerda Sommer. | 0:45:04 | 0:45:06 | |
-Fritz Sommer. | 0:45:06 | 0:45:07 | |
-Frau Anny Sommer. | 0:45:07 | 0:45:09 | |
-Frau Clara von Furich, -who was my great grandmother. | 0:45:09 | 0:45:13 | |
-And this is my father, -Heinz von Furich. | 0:45:13 | 0:45:17 | |
-It was a very happy time -for the family. | 0:45:18 | 0:45:22 | |
-Yes, I believe so. | 0:45:23 | 0:45:24 | |
-Unfortunately, -1934 was a more difficult year. | 0:45:24 | 0:45:29 | |
-It's so interesting. | 0:45:29 | 0:45:30 | |
-Everyone gathered for Christmas. | 0:45:31 | 0:45:33 | |
-It's beautiful and brings back -many happy memories. | 0:45:35 | 0:45:39 | |
-Thank you. | 0:45:39 | 0:45:41 | |
-My uncle. | 0:45:42 | 0:45:44 | |
-His mother died -when he was very young... | 0:45:44 | 0:45:47 | |
-..and his own background... | 0:45:47 | 0:45:50 | |
-The family was broken. | 0:45:50 | 0:45:52 | |
-Yes, OK. | 0:45:52 | 0:45:54 | |
-And I think he got very close -to Fritz and Anny Sommer. | 0:45:54 | 0:45:58 | |
-They were his surrogate family -during his time in Berlin. | 0:45:58 | 0:46:02 | |
-That's right. | 0:46:02 | 0:46:05 | |
-I think it was a very important time -in his life. | 0:46:05 | 0:46:09 | |
-Why did Idris return to this diary -in his old age? | 0:46:14 | 0:46:18 | |
-Does the answer -lie in his passion for history... | 0:46:18 | 0:46:22 | |
-..and his understanding of the -importance of every act of witness? | 0:46:22 | 0:46:27 | |
-Or was this the one year where -he experienced a close family unit? | 0:46:27 | 0:46:33 | |
-They were not without -their own problems... | 0:46:33 | 0:46:36 | |
-..but they were lively -and welcoming. | 0:46:36 | 0:46:39 | |
-A family unit that escaped him -for the rest of his solitary life. | 0:46:39 | 0:46:44 | |
-I'm certain of one thing. | 0:46:49 | 0:46:52 | |
-The memory of his year in Berlin -never left him... | 0:46:52 | 0:46:57 | |
-..even at the end of his days. | 0:46:57 | 0:47:00 | |
-On his final night in the city, -the Sommers gave Idris a book. | 0:47:01 | 0:47:06 | |
-Inside the cover... | 0:47:06 | 0:47:08 | |
-..Fritz had written a quote from the -work of the German author, Goethe. | 0:47:08 | 0:47:13 | |
-"If one thinks of it only in terms -of mountains, rivers and cities... | 0:47:15 | 0:47:20 | |
-"..then the world -is such a desolate place. | 0:47:20 | 0:47:23 | |
-"But as soon as we meet someone... | 0:47:23 | 0:47:26 | |
-"..who is sympathetic -to our way of thinking... | 0:47:26 | 0:47:29 | |
-"..with whom we can commune -in silence... | 0:47:30 | 0:47:32 | |
-"..the desolate globe is transformed -into an inhabited paradise." | 0:47:33 | 0:47:38 | |
-Fritz Sommer died in the Dresdner -Bank when Berlin was bombed in 1945. | 0:47:44 | 0:47:50 | |
-Anny Sommer survived the war -and died in Berlin in 1971. | 0:47:50 | 0:47:56 | |
-Bruckner married an 18-year-old girl -in 1937. | 0:48:00 | 0:48:03 | |
-He was loyal to Hitler until his -dismissal in 1940 and died in 1954. | 0:48:04 | 0:48:10 | |
-Idris served in North Africa -during World War II. | 0:48:14 | 0:48:17 | |
-He returned to Barclays Bank -in London and died aged 94 in 2000. | 0:48:18 | 0:48:24 | |
-S4C Subtitles by Tinopolis | 0:48:47 | 0:48:49 | |
-. | 0:48:49 | 0:48:49 |