The Marriage of Maria Braun

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Do you, Hermann Braun,

take this woman to be your wife?

I do.

I do.

I can't get out.

Hey, stay here! Don't run away!

Let me go! Please!

CIVIL REGISTRY:

Hermann!

Are you all right?

- Come here!

Sign here.

Put the stamp on it!

THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN

FOR PETER ZADEK:

Is that you, Maria?

I was worried to death.

I thought something

had happened to you.

Nobody wants wedding dresses now.

Too many girls, not enough men.

That's all I got for it.

There's so much shaving gear

on the market.

There, my dear.

Let's fry some potatoes with bacon.

We interrupt this performance

of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony

for this SOS broadcast

for missing persons.

For each of the names mentioned,

we have a message.

5821...

Adler.

First name unknown.

Born 1910,

paymaster from Vienna.

5822...

Albartz, Eugen.

I still feel sick

at the sight of some of them.

I could do with a tea now.

The medical orderlies say

crosswise is not the worst.

If you get hit all on one side,

you can't even hold a crutch.

I've seen it going on for six years,

and I've been a widow for five.

I'd have been satisfied with mine,

if he had only come back.

How long were you married?

I still am married.

I just meant you didn't have much

from your marriage.

Yes, I did.

Half a day and a whole night.

Mine was killed right at the start.

In Norway.

Mine was killed right at the start.

In Norway.

He was in the navy,

until his ship was sunk.

Two soups, please.

He survived

and swam through icy water

covered with burning oil.

Then he had to fight on land.

Then he fell into a crevasse and died.

Why didn't you marry again?

In condolence,

they sent me a painting:

a picture of a wreath with a ribbon

floating on the waves,

with "They died that Germany might live"

written on it.

Just imagine.

"They died that Germany might live,"

and he's dead.

They send me a picture of the sea,

and he falls into a glacier.

There were once seas

where the mountains are now,

before the last ice age.

How can you be so sure

your husband's not dead?

Because I want him to come back.

What did he say?

Something indecent.

I don't know what you said,

but you had no right to.

You must be crazy.

The divorce is pending.

That's why he told me:

because he loves me.

But her!

Since I have her husband now,

she said she was going to keep

his food ration card.

Ration card?

And now?

I don't know.

Shame on you.

All right, Grandpa Berger.

Let's try it on.

The mistake people make is

to love one person all their lives.

If we don't have potatoes,

we eat turnips.

If we have no turnips, we eat gruel.

But in love, there's only one man,

and when he goes to war

and is dead five months later,

you have to mourn

for the rest of your life.

Does that make sense, Grandpa?

Much too wide.

No. It ain't good being alone.

It was almost too tight for Karl

the last time he was here,

in May '41.

The men still looked like men then.

Now they all look

as if they've shrunk.

You can take the underpants.

They're warm.

And no one will mind

if they're too big.

Let's say three bundles of firewood?

All right.

Look what Maria had.

Three weeks of being in love

and one day of marriage.

Now she stands there

with her search board.

Do you know

why we always stick to one guy?

Because there is only

one you love.

I don't know how Maria knew it

at such a tender age.

Here she is.

Take your things, Grandpa.

She has her pride.

How wide?

"Pride," I said.

There you are at last.

I was just sorting out

your father's things.

Hello, Grandpa Berger.

It's nice to have a man

in the house to come home to.

And it's warm, too.

Yes, it's warm, too.

Why are you doing that here?

It's my way of remembering

your father.

Grandpa Berger can use them.

Father won't need them anymore,

and we need firewood.

I thought the same thing,

but what about Father's belongings?

Father is dead and we're alive.

What will you give me for them?

Your brooch?

My brooch?

It's very valuable.

There's one missing.

Very well.

Okay then.

Wait. I'll go get it.

Here.

Bunch of Nazis!

Snotty-nosed bastards!

They're not proper men anymore.

What difference does it make,

whether you're a man

or a woman if you're freezing?

Something has to change.

What do you want to change?

I don't know.

But something has to happen.

- Do you know Hermann Braun?

- No.

Shed no tears for love

Shed no tears for love

In this wide world

there's more than one

There's more than one fish

in the sea

I look like a poodle.

You think so?

It's the latest thing.

I'll bet...

the Americans

are just crazy about poodles.

My Willy wouldn't have approved.

That's for sure.

Hermann wouldn't have minded.

And they won't hire you anyway.

- We'll see about that.

- What'll you wear?

What do you do with this?

Play music.

Shall I play something for you?

Any requests?

Yes.

The German national anthem.

Cut it out.

For God's sake, stop it.

What use is it if you can't even play

the national anthem?

Go on in.

Keep your eyes open here.

I didn't think you were coming.

I waited so long.

Hold this a second.

Black, short sleeves,

and low-cut.

It wasn't easy to come by.

Is it for you or is it a gift?

It's a gift.

We all have to make a living.

And the liquor?

For my mom.

Helps her forget her troubles

with her daughter...

and eases her heartache.

I have a valuable complete edition

of Kleist's works, 1907.

Would that be something for you?

Books burn too easily,

and they don't keep you warm.

- If you look at it that way.

- That's the way I look at it.

Maybe it's better

that way for now.

Thanks a lot.

And good luck.

I'm not going to sew it for you.

You know I can't sew, Mom.

My dear girl.

Mom!

Come on.

When a girl has pretty legs like you...

she ought to show them.

You father would turn over

in his grave.

I don't think it's right either.

I just pray your soul

doesn't come to harm, my girl.

Make sure somebody gives you

a nice pair of stockings...

if you're letting yourself in

for that sort of thing.

HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM

HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASIUM

Amazing.

Really amazing.

I learned it here on these bars.

Is that a new way

to apply for a job?

Not really, but...

if it were...

I'd have been hired by now.

We don't need anyone.

You just might not need anyone

apart from me.

Come in here.

- We still have doors in our place.

- Well, we don't.

I need your name, address

and age.

Are you married?

Yes.

Don't wear your wedding ring to work.

And I need a health certificate.

Payment in cash

or goods?

You can get dressed again,

Mrs. Binder.

Everything okay?

Do I get a certificate?

No.

You'll have to take a break

for three or four weeks.

Have I caught something?

Something bad, I'm afraid.

You won't be able to work.

That's tough.

Come back on Tuesday.

Bye.

And send the next patient in.

Little Maria.

You used to give me

a kiss on the forehead.

Did I really?

Yes.

Then I must have forgotten...

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