Interesting discussion of the ending and of B's motives to stay.
One intriguing point is indeed why Mr Stasi did not do anything when he learned that B had taken a night bicycle trip.
IMHO you have to understand that even the Stasi was trying to be seen as following strict rules, unlike Stalin in the 30's. Reason was that the GDR was heavily scrutinised by the West ("understandable" language, family ties across the Iron Curtain, etc.), and could not act too arbitrarily. So it was one thing to watch every person's moves, and have half the population snitching on the other half, but quite another to arrest people unless they had committed an offence (even if the definition of such an offence was a bit wider than what we mean by the word).
Of course Dr R was a snitch, he explained to B when he told her his story that he got the job (instead of prison) provided he would "write reports". So Mr Stasi knew almost everything about B and Dr R, and he was not shy of harassing B extensively, but he could never arrest her because she never gave him ground for doing so. She always remained composed and acted within the rules. Furthermore, arresting her would have made no sense since she was useful to the Republic of Peasants and Workers as a medical doctor.
The Iron Curtain (I went through it a couple of times by train and car), was an impressive affaire, with two rows of barbed wire 10 x 10 m thick, a plowed 50 m no man's land between them, and a no entry zone about 1 km from it on the Eastern side (on the Western side you could touch the barbed wire). Why there was no such an equivalent system on the beach beats me, but there must have been more holes in the coastal defence system than on dry land. This is why B's escape had been planned by sea.
All this is relevant to the interpretation of the end and prediction of the fate of the protagonists, which goes like this :
1) B goes out at night with Stella
2) The Hausmeisterin sees her and calls Mr Stasi
3) Mr Stasi knows that B is taking those bicycle trips once in a while, so he finds nothing alarming in this fact. He also thinks that the Iron Curtain is totally foolproof, so no need for him to look for B in the middle of the night. He needs not be compassionate, he is just a human being and wants to sleep.
4) At about the same time Dr R waits for B since she promised to act as anesthesist. Not seeing her he goes ahead with the operation anyhow (nurse Schulze in attendance).
5) Later in the night, Mr Stasi checks out B, may be upon warning from the Hausmeisterin that the bicycle is not back. He finds the door open and no B, so he understands she is gone for good. He can do nothing about it and is in deep trouble for his failure to prevent her escape. But he thinks the VoPo (Volks Polizei) will catch her anyway, so not much to worry about.
6) At the same time, Dr R calls at B's house, after the operation, and meets Mr Stasi.
As it is, after B returns to the hospital, Dr R is puzzled but happy, to keep her as a colleague and friend (and later lover), and Mr Stasi will not arrest B because if he does, it will involve the VoPo and probably a judge, his failure will be exposed and he will be in for a lot of trouble. There is no proof that she tried to escape, nor that she helped Stella escape. Fugitives from the East were usually caught (and shot) in the act. She was not. No witness on the beach, no evidence whatsoever.
Again, why could a rubber dinghy land on the beach from a larger boat which must have been quite close to shore beats me. But if Mr Direktor says it could happen, given 5000 or 10000 D Marks, it probably did, since everything he shows about Eastern Germany is quite accurate.
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DogtownGirl
10 years ago
For someone named "Doodleburger" you surely do think things through to an extent that no one would think of you as being a mere doodler!
What got to me about the ending is why was Stella sent off, in rough seas, on a mere tiny dinghy? I mean, she would have survived more than five minutes out there.
In light of what I've read from you, I'm even more curious as to why Barbara would have come back to stay in her post and be with Dr. R. / Andre if she even had a doubt that he could be trusted, or KNEW he was s snitch!
(Makes my skin crawl, this does)
** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **
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Doodlebuger
10 years ago
I think B had wanted to go with Stella, but she realised it was not possible (the dinghy was ridiculously small) and made a snap decision on the spot. She had considered Stella was in condition to stand the trip, she was a doctor after all.
The logic of her decision is quite clear. She herself risks harassment, a miserable life, etc. but Stella just cannot survive in GDR, given her past record and psychic problems.
As to joining Dr R who she knew was a snitch, so what ? everybody was a snitch, not because they wanted to but because they had to. She had ample opportunities to appraise Dr R loyalty, which was to his job, to his patients, to her. The snitching was unimportant at that point. The evolution of B is quite clear (to Herr Direktor's credit) from a rather stiff attitude at the beginning until the farewell kiss at the end. She had learned Dr R was a good man whom she could trust.
What matters anyway is not that people know all about you, but what they do with the information. That is an issue of trust.
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DogtownGirl
10 years ago
Doodle,
Well, if I were a responsible doctor, that LAST thing that I would have done would have been to have put a child on such a small dinghy in such rough seas!
Also, YOU said: "...She had learned Dr R was a good man whom she could trust..."
I reply: Huh? I wouldn't trust anyone who I thought could possibly tell all on or about me, regardless of what other people were doing anywhere at the time
** There MUST be more than one way to skin this Cat! **
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