European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

Goodbye to Berlin

In this paper I am going to write a critical and reflective essay about the novel “Goodbye to Berlin”. For the analysis chapter I use the studied concepts, theories and the historical context. My work in this essay start with a short introduction on the novel "Goodbye to Berlin" and then I will combine the novel with main characters, the time, movie and music.

On the last chapter of this essay, I will write my own reflection and my own opinion about the novel.

The best way to achieve correct information about this novel is that to read relevant materials like books, movies, web pages and articles which can give correct information.

Short facts

Title: Goodbye to Berlin Author: Christopher Isherwood Country: Great Britannia and Germany Genre: Diary novel Year of publication: 1939 Main characters: Christopher, Sally, Otto, Natalia and Bernhard. Music: Cabaret Movie: Isherwood and his kind

/Written by Aria Rezai, student at Malmö University. European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

Introduction

"Goodbye to Berlin" is a novel that is written by the British author Christopher William Bradshaw Isherwood. This novel takes place in Berlin between 1930 and 1933 and was published in English on 1939, and in Swedish on 1954 by translating of Tage Svensson and by Leif Janzon on 2009. This novel contains six chapters and each chapter is a short story about Isherwood’s daily experiences. The story starts from then he was travelling to Berlin until he left Berlin forever (Leijonhufvud 2009 and Montelius 2009).

On 30th of the January 1933 Adolf Hitler took power in Germany, during his time the Jews in Germany were exposed for cruel discrimination and they got brutally persecute. During the 1930s Jews in Germany were gradually segregated from the rest of the non-Jews population. The Jews hadn’t same rights and opportunities as non-Jews population. Anti-Jewish laws and restrictions were executed. The anti-Jewish laws took away from the Jewish population their civil rights. Towards to the end of the 1930s, the violence against Jews increased incredibly. After the conquest of Austria and parts of Czechoslovakia between 1938-1939, the Nazism regime persecuted the Jews. An important part of anti-Jewish political thought was about the known race "Aryan race". It brings that Jews people were excluded from the labour market and economic life. Jewish companies were taking from them with violence and then the companies were driving by "non-judges". Successively the Jews got forbidden to work in different professions and they even deprived of all opportunities which could support them (Karlsson 2009). Aryan race had an idea of a society where only "pure and original" German citizens could live. According to Aryan race, the German`s race is the best and perfect race. In the movie "Isherwood And His Kind" and the novel "Goodbye to Berlin" clearly you can see how Nazism conquered all other nations and committed genocide to achieving “a pure German race”. I will explain more about the genocide on upcoming chapters.

European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

Background of the novel

Chapters one and six are about present time and other four chapters are about past. Basically, the whole novel is about Christopher Isherwood life`s story (Janzon 2010: 15).

According to Isherwood, what you read in the novel is what he sees, "I'm a camera with open shutter, totally passive, mechanical recording." By this he means he could only behold what its happened in Berlin and wrote down what he could see (Sax 2011).

In the following of this paper I just go through the important part of each chapters.

Biography of Isherwood

Christopher Isherwood was born in August 26, 1904 in a traditional "upper-class home". He died in January 4, 1986 in Santa Monica, California USA. His father, Frank Isherwood, belonged to "upper-class lifestyle" but he had relatively little money to be a person from "an upper-class family". Christopher was the second son (Izzo 2001: 4 fff). Christopher's mother, Kathleen, came from a wealthy family of business. Both parents encouraged Christopher's imagination by reading, writing and making magazines. Christopher studied history at Cambridge and then medicine in London. On 1928 he debuted the novel “All the conspirators” as his first work (Izzo 2001: 10 fff). Between 1929-1933 he lived in Berlin in Germany together with W.H. Auden, just before Adolf Hitler came to the power. This inspired him to the novel "Goodbye to Berlin" in 1939. The novel was later filmed as musical “Cabaret” (Izzo 2001: 13ff).

European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

The main story

The general content of this novel is written on the diary form and the novel contents six chapters that can be read as short stories. In this novel Isherwood is trying to describe his life because this novel is an autobiography of Isherwood's daily experiences during all trips in Germany on 1930th. That's why the main person in the novel is Isherwood. The first and last chapter both called 'A Berlin Diary', and these are told in the present time. In these chapters Isherwood telling about his return to Berlin, people he meets and the things that happening in his environment. He basically ends up with the same people and atmosphere as he had previously met in Berlin when he was there for first time. It will be a repetitive moment for Isherwood, though with minor changes, namely the cessation of Hitler's power and time difference since he was there (Norton 2010). In this comeback, Isherwood also noticed the fascism and Nazism extreme increase in Berlin. Isherwood got emotional and felt sham on Nazim who treated the Jews people inhumanity way. In this novel Isherwood writes “shame, shame…” because he saw how Nazism took power in Berlin by stamp on other ethnic groups, for example Jews people.

In order to understand the Nazism behaviour its needs to explain what Nazism stand for. According to Herbert Tingsten, Nazism are created by groups of people who are extremist national socialists. Nazism are like anti-democratic and authoritarian ideologies. Their power is characterized by strong nationalism and the idea of the strongest has the right. Government needs are more important than people's needs. The state has the right to have full control over the population. Based on this ideology, the state takes the right of freedom and freedom of expression, because the purpose of the state dominates and has more value than the population's purpose (Tingsten 1965).

The other chapters are "Sally Bowles", "On Ruegen Island (Summer 1931)", "The Nowak's" and "The Landauer's". In these chapters, the stories are told in the past. These chapters are about some characters which Isherwood meets. But the focus in these chapters turns more on those characters life time (Norton 2010).

For example, Sally Bowles is one of those characters that Isherwood begins to get to know him in Berlin, when he randomly ends up in a nightclub. She is a nightclub singer who always is “in love affairs”, but she never succeeds in falling in love with anyone permanently. She easily falls in love with handsome and wealthy men and she thinks that these men’s want to marry her just European Studies: European political cultures, part 3. because she has had quickly sexual contacts with these men. According to Bowles, Isherwood is the real and a dear man that she ever met in her life because Isherwood never seen her as a sexual pleasure. She knows that Isherwood is also interested of her but because of Isherwood's homosexually interest they cannot be a couple. Bowles therefore called their friendship as a strange contact, because the contact was something between love and just a simple friendship (Norton 2010).

In this novel Bowles describes as a famous woman because she was a good artist and she has a good voice. She sings very romantic and lovely songs. As soon she begins signing, the audience feels the love and gets calm. Her biography was interesting and beside of this she was a good singer which made movie producers to make a movie about her life. On 1972, Bob Fosse made a movie about Bowles life. The name of this movie was Cabaret. This movie won Oscar price later (IMDB 2017).

Bowles's beauty and work made a great and positive influence on the visitor's feelings. Bowles's beauty, voice and art can be known as an aesthetic perspective. According to an aesthetic perspective (Scruton & Munro 2017) beauty is a property of a person, place, object or idea that provides a perceptual experience of pleasure. This experience arises through sensual manifestations like color, personality, voice, style or rhythm. The subjective perception of beauty involves an interpretation of an entity's balance or harmony with nature, which can lead to attraction and emotional well-being. "Beauty is in the eyes of witnesses", this is a common phrase that expresses an impression of what is experienced. According to the philosopher Pythagoras, aesthetics beauty is about the philosophical study of beauty and taste. It is closely related to the philosophy of art, which is concerned with the nature of art and the concepts in terms of which individual works of art are interpreted and evaluated (Eco 2005: 61 fff).

In the third chapter, Isherwood tries to describe about the gay couple Peter and Otto. Peter is a depressed British man who previously visited a psychologist because of his paranoid behaviour, but in the third chapter he seems happier because he recently met a new and young gay. Isherwood meets these couple in a hostel in Rügen in northern Germany. Peter and Otto's relationship is complicated because Peter does not trust Otto as a faithful partner (Janzon 2010: 84ff). But Peter is still wants to pay the rent for Otto because by this Peter can keep Otto stay with him. Otto is a young person who rather would like to go out and dance with others youth in the evenings. But this making Peter extremely jealous and Peter believes because he European Studies: European political cultures, part 3. economic supports Otto then Otto must be for him. In the end, Peter controlled Otto`s life a lot, Otto felt pushed by him and this was the reason why Otto escaped back to Berlin (Janzon 2010: 96ff).

Between the third and fourth chapters the times goes very fast. On Chapter four, Isherwood moves into Otto's family on Wassertorstrasse. The family belongs to a typical working-class family with poor background and poor economy.

Otto is a lazy teenager who is walking on her mother's nerves because of his laziness, although Otto's mother loves him too much but still she is angry on Otto (Janzon 2010: 100fff). The father of Otto is alcoholic, and Otto's older brother, Lothar, is unemployed men. He is also member of Nazism (Janzon 2010: 109 fff). This is also a reason Lothar never welcomes Isherwood, and in the end, he threw Isherwood out of the family apartment. The apartment was overdue, and the cold caused the mother of Otto to get pneumonia and because of this she sends to a hospital (Janzon 2010: 119 fff). Isherwood and Otto visited Otto`s mother in hospital. Isherwood gave Otto a lot of support like he always stayed beside of Otto when he felt sad or emotional because of his mother illness. Isherwood’s support effected positive on Otto and he really started to come close to him. And that’s why Isherwood suddenly became an important part of Otto's life (Janzon 2010: 127fff).

The fifth chapter is about Natalia Landauer and her family. Natalia is one of Isherwood's students. He works as a private English teacher for Natalia. Her Jewish family owns the Landauer store which is one of the largest stores in Germany. Natalia's father is a very rich man with great financial resources (Janzon 2010: 143 fff). Natalia's English is bad, and her education is low. Natalia and her family have their own opinion about how one should live their live. However, after a while, she gets better degree because of Isherwood’s help. It also made a good friendship between Natalia and Isherwood (Janzon 2010:150 fff). She becomes a little bit “in love friend” on Isherwood. But It was hard for Isherwood to choose to spend time with Natalia or Bowles, instead he decides to partly be with both. Later Natalia gets tired of Isherwood's obscene contact and she chooses to leave from this friendship, she moves to Paris and there she gets married with another man (Janzon 2010: 156 fff).

While Natalia is gone, instead Isherwood comes close to her uncle, Bernhard Landauer. He visits Bernard's summer house several times in the garden. Isherwood never understood if European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

Bernhard was kidding, he was serious or was ironic when Bernard was talking about moving with him to London. In Berlin Bernard felt afraid because of Nazism violence again Jewish and that’s why Bernard suggested Isherwood to leave Berlin. Isherwood never took Bernard as a serious person because he was joking a lot. Isherwood understood Bernhard’s suggestion as a joke when he told him about moving to London. But later Bernhard disappeared, and Isherwood found it out that Nazism killed Bernard. Isherwood realized that Barnard spoke truth and serious when he was talking about the fear of the Nazism. Nazism killed Bernard because he was a Jewish (Janzon 2010: 168 fff).

Berlin has a traditional history of gay culture, and still Berlin recognizes as a capital of gays. In 1896, Der Eigene of Adolf Brand in Berlin founded the world’s first gay magazine. The magazine was published between 1898 and 1932. In 1930th, in Berlin, there were about 300 clubs and bars and mostly visited by gay men (Johansson & Percy 1997). The reason Isherwood had such easy access to many gays was because of that in Berlin were huge places for gays. But also at the same time Isherwood was very popular among women, for example Bowles and Natalia. He also had many males as " in love companions" around him who always flirted with him. This raised a great interest for Isherwood because his gay thoughts and interests were bigger than his heterosexual interest. That is why he often chose to pair with male lovers.

In the sixth chapter Isherwood returns to Berlin. Isherwood realizes that almost all people and places he had met and seen have disappeared or changed. It was probably because of Isherwood did not visit Berlin for a long time (Janzon 2010: 188 fff). The novel ends by that the Nazism taking over Berlin and Hitler has all the power. Isherwood moved back to Berlin for boy’s sake and he hoped to find a way to rescue these boys he knew. But when he realized how much power Hitler had in Berlin, he gave up rescuing the gay boys. The rate of Nazism was high in Berlin and Isherwood had not find any other support to help and save these gay boys. Isherwood therefore decides to move away from Berlin in protest that this city was in a sharp and dangerous situation (Janzon 2010: 196 fff).

This is also the reason when he mentions "The Lost" in the last chapter. Isherwood feels sadness and emptiness in Berlin because he saw the Nazism occupation. He says a couple of times "shame! shame! .." and then he was thinking, this is something that he never would forget or would to live with (Janzon 2010: 203 fff).

European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

What Isherwood means by saying “shame!” is that he really disliked the ideology of extremism nationalism. According to Ingmar Stenroth, the ideology of nationalism is about community within national borders. But extremism nationalism is extra proud of its nation, culture, history etc. Extremism nationalism is against all other ethnic groups that are against or do not belong to the nation-state. That’s is why they want to eliminate other existents nation, culture, history etc. Anyone who is in the way or not belonging to the nation must immediately move out from the country of extremism nationalism (Stenroth 2005: 20 ff). According to Oliver Zimmer, extreme nationalists believe that a nation with a collective community, who are belonging to the same culture, race, tradition, etc are much stronger than an individual (Zimmer 2003: 5 ff).

With this background, you can understand the reason why Nazism disliked existent of Jewish people in their community. Nazism in Berlin did not accept Jewish culture, religion, and tradition because it was against what Nazism stand for.

Cabaret

Music and melodies which are mentioned in the novel are very special and unique, according to Isherwood. He calls the music “Cabaret”. Cabaret is a musical performance which is about reality, feelings and experiences that the singer feels at the moment. The musical performance Cabaret gave a hope and pleasure to a broken city, where there people were very desperate, worried and nervous because Communists and Nazism fought against each other in the streets and the squares. Their war was about who had the power over Berlin (Isherwood 1973: section 3).

After the novel “Goodbye to Berlin” a movie was published on 1972, the movie was called Cabaret. This movie was based on the Broadway Musical Cabaret, which is also based on parts from Christopher Isherwood's autobiographical novel "Goodbye to Berlin" (1933 until 1945). The biggest difference between the novel and the movie Cabaret is that the novel gives a great attention on the people that Isherwood meets in Berlin and on actions which are happening during Nazism time in Berlin, while the movie Cabaret gives Sally Bowles much more value and significance because she is the main character of the movie (Hörnqvist 1991: 39 fff)

In the movie it shows how Bowles strongly wants to be an actress and to achieve this dream she hunts rich men and hopes to fool or charm them with her body and some fake stories about European Studies: European political cultures, part 3. her life. One day, Brian moves into the same hostel as Bowles lives in. Brian is a reserved and polite graduated men, he pays for his doctoral studies by working as an English teacher. Despite Brian’s and Bowles differences, a weird friendship grows up between them. She thinks he is the rich and smart man who can help her to achieve her dream. Their friendship ends up by that Brian finds out who Bowles actually is and then he just makes a decision to leave her and moves out from this hostel (Hörnqvist 1991: 39 fff).

The movie Cabaret is very unique movie because the story behind of this movie is based on Isherwood’s novel and Bowles musical performance, which are very interesting stories. Moreover, in the movie Cabaret shows that how people around Bowles gets slowly brainwashes by Nazism propaganda, that member of Nazism increases more and more, and hatred of Jews increases in Berlin (Hörnqvist 1991: 39 fff).

Reflection

I really enjoyed reading this novel and it was also interesting to watch the movies Cabaret and Christopher and his kind. These three different materials on Isherwood's existence in Berlin gave me a good understanding of all events, Nazism and Hitler's rise in Berlin. In addition, I also learned, thanks to this novel, that Berlin has been the gay capital for a long time. Isherwood therefore visited Berlin for so long time and he found some interesting males gay whom he fell in love with.

This novel consists in sex parts. Each part puts one of the main characters in focus. And meanwhile we get to know these characters and how these people describing image of Berlin. In Berlin there is a lot of Nazism and Hitler is taking power over Germany. But the stories are written with warmth and humor and it makes it more interesting and entertaining. By reading this novel I get a live portrait of life in Berlin before World War II and at the same time it hurts into my stomach when I feel that a cruel facit is waiting to happen.

European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

References:

Hörnqvist, Mikael (1991). Verkligheten bakom Cabaret. Hjärnstorm. Uppsala universitet.

Isherwood, Christopher (1973). Cabaret (Farväl till Berlin) (Ljudupptagning, 8 sektioner) översättare av Tage Svensson (2006).

IMDB 2017. Cabaret. Readed 20 october 2017. (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0068327/). Izzo, David Garrett (2001) (In Eng). Christopher Isherwood: his era, his gang, and the legacy of the truly strong man. Columbia: University of South Carolina Press.

Janzon Leif (2010). Farväl till Berlin. (Ljudupptagning) Stockholm: Lind & Co.

Johansson, Warren & Percy, William A. (1997). Homosexuals in Nazi Germany. Museum Of Tolerance. (http://motlc.wiesenthal.com/site/pp.asp?c=gvKVLcMVIuG&b=395203 Readed 28 october 2017).

Karlsson, Ingela (2009). Fakta om förintelsen/judeförföljelserna under 1930-talet. (http://www.levandehistoria.se/fakta-om-forintelsen/judeforfoljelserna-under-1930-talet readed 27 october 2017).

Leijonhufvud, Åke (2009). Sista dansen i Berlin. (https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2009-01-21/sista-dansen-i-berlin readed 20 october 2017).

Liedman, Sven-Eric (2000). Från Platon till kommunismens fall, Stockholm, Bonnier.

Montelius, Martina (2009). Farväl till Berlin. (http://www.expressen.se/kultur/bocker/christopher-isherwood--farval-till-berlin/ Readed 20 october 2017). Munro, Thomas & Scruton, Roger (2017). Aesthetics PHILOSOPHY. (http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7484/aesthetics readed 25 october 2017).

European Studies: European political cultures, part 3.

Norton, Ingrid (2010). Year with Short Novels: Breakfast at Sally Bowles. Open Letters Monthly. Readed 20 october 2017. ( https://www.openlettersmonthly.com/short-novels-breakfast-at-sally-bowles/ ).

Sax, Geoffrey (2011). Christopher and his kind. YouTube 2017. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-MD4z7_RI4)

Tingsten, Herbert (1965). Nazismens och fascismens idéer. Stockholm, Aldus.

Umberto, Eco (2015). Om skönhet. (översättning: Barbro Andersson). Stockholm, Bromberg, cop.

Zimmer, Oliver (2003), Nationalism in Europe, (1890-1940), Palgrave: Macmillan.