Class, Hierarchy, and Exploitation Theme Analysis

Since the case of Katharina Blum will, in any event, remain more or less fictitious, because of the attitude of the accused and the very awkward position of her defense counsel Blorna, such minor and very human lapses in conduct as those committed by Hach may be not only understandable but forgivable.

Strangely enough, Schönner’s death and funeral were accorded less display and attention. Why, one may ask? Because he was not a “victim of his profession” btu more likely the victim of a crime passionel?

This was done in a manner that may be worth mentioning: in such cases Beizmenne would call up the appropriate superior and say: “I need my little plugs again. Two of them this time.”

She was photographed repeatedly from the front, from behind, and from the side, and finally—since in her shame and confusion she kept trying to hide her face and so got all tangled up with her handbag, toilet articles, and a plastic bag containing two books and writing materials—with disheveled hair and an angry face.

Later, at the urgings of the policewoman and the two young policemen, she permitted the former to take her pulse, and when this proved to be normal she condescended to have a slice of cake and a cup of tea brought from a nearby café, insisting, however, on paying for them out of her own pocket, although one of the young policemen, the one who had guarded her bathroom door that morning while she was dressing, was prepared to “treat” her. The opinion of the two policemen and Mrs. Pletzer on this episode with Katharina Blum: no sense of humor.

“[…] How so you propose to explain to me—to us—that you, a person known to be easily shocked, almost prudish, a person whose friends have nicknamed ‘the nun,’ who avoids discotheques because of the depraved goings-on there, who gets a divorce because her husband ‘made advances’ to her—how do you propose to explain that you (so you say) did not meet this man Götten until the day before yesterday and yet that very day—one might say, post haste—took him home and there very rapidly became, well, shall we say, intimate with him? […] Don’t you see that there are certain inconsistencies there which do not altogether preclude suspicion? […]”

She was free to bring a private suit on the grounds of insulting and possibly libelous details in the newspaper reports and, if it should turn out that there had been “leaks” in official circles, she could rest assured that the police authorities would bring charges against a person or persons unknown and support her in the restitution of her rights.

In vain did Miss W. and Beiters try to part Katharina from her mail: she kept the bundle of letters and circulars firmly clutched in her hands, together with the two issues of the News that she had also taken from her bag, and insisted on opening it all. It was useless. She read every one!

“[…] If an affair with a woman gets me into trouble, it’s private trouble, not public. Even a picture of me with a woman as attractive as Katharina Blum wouldn’t harm me, and by the way they’re dropping the theory of the male visitor, and neither the ring nor the letter—well yes, I did give her a rather valuable ring, which they’ve found, and I did write her a few letters, of which all they’ve found is one envelope—neither of those things is going to present a problem. […]”

Incidentally, there’s still such a thing as a true gentleman: the first thing our friend Ludwig said was that Katharina had absolutely nothing to do with the whole business, it was a purely private love affair totally unrelated to the crimes with which he was charged but which he continued to deny.

When reminded that, through her daughter’s connection with Götten, Mrs. Blum was also a “public figure,” the doctor countered with the remark that as far as he was concerned even public figures were first and foremost patients.

We mention these trifling, even if deliberate, consequences of the Sunday News reporting merely to point out how even well-educated, well-established people can be so carried away by their indignation that they consider resorting to violence of the crudest kind.

Thus we see that integrity, combined with intelligent organizing ability, is not desired anywhere, not even in prisons, and not even by the administration.

“[…] There are characters who go without breakfast or lunch so they can fall like vultures on a cold buffet—not that I mean to insult vultures.”

So far we know of only one instance of an actual exchange of blows, one which unfortunately aroused a good deal of public attention.

But finally we do have something reasonably cheerful to report: Katharina told Blorna the whole story; she also told him how she had spent the six or seven hours between the murder and her appearance at Moeding’s home. We are in the fortunate position of being able to quote. Fortunately, this account can be quoted verbatim, Katharina having written it all down and given Blorna permission to use it at the trial.

“[…] And I thanked her for the coffee, and when I got outside I took a cab and drove to see Moeding, the police officer who had been so nice to me before.”