This description involves nothing less thanadefinitionofgestus in music, that
is, an attitude of resistancethatrequiresaparticularset of emotions. Musically,
the shift to interiority,which alsomeanstomore empathetic modes of spectator-
ship, is announced byasentimental tune playedbystreet musicians, which com-
pletes the transitionto the inside of the apartment and, by extension, the world
of private feelingsbroughtout into the open as theBönike familysits down for
lunch. Discussing the dire economic situation, the parents spout platitudes, such
as“Industrious people always succeed”and“Unemployed and impolite, too?No
one can afford this!”Anni questions their stubborn belief in individual respon-
sibility and declares:“There simplyisnowork!”Cutaways to shots of cyclists in
the morning sun corroborate her position, whereas the mother’sselfless service
prompts an ironic visual commentary in the cut toapopularsaying on the tea
towel abovethe kitchen sink:“Do not bemoan the morning that bringstoil
and work.It is its ownrewardto care for the peopleyoulove.”Throughout,
the (unnamed) son says nothing and sits hunched forwardaverting his eyes.
Once the others have left,hegets up and walks towardthe window.The camera
follows and moves closer as he takes off his watch and lays it on the sideboard–
aperfect illustration ofTretyakov’sbiographyofthe object (with its implicit cri-
tique of psychologism).Anni’sbrother firstmovesaflowerpot and then climbs
on the windowsill. The cameracuts to the mother coming up the stairswith a
shopping bag, followed byacloseup of his hand on the window frame and
thenaloud scream offscreen, followed by closeups of the flowerpot and his
watch as inanimate witnesses to his jump to death.
Very similar in its formal structure, the closing sequence starts withaseries
of long shotscelebrating modern industry and technology,but instead ofaca-
cophonyofdissonant sounds, the rousingtheme from Eisler’sfamous“Solidarity
Song”is heard. Significantly, the song is still without words since the workers
have notyetfound theirvoice. The conditionsthatallow them to announce
themselvesasthe legendary proletariat ofTheCommunist Manifestoare estab-
lished through the smallgestures of camaraderie and cooperation duringprep-
arations for the workers’sport festival. The determination of theyoung workers
is acknowledgedinthe well-knownlyrics now added, with the refrain“Forward,
and never to forget/ what our strength consists of!/ When starving or when eat-
ing,/ forward, never to forget/ solidarity!”Every scene that follows adds another
level of agencyto the meaningof“not liking it.”The newsreel footageofworkers
marchinginformation throughBerlin’sworking-classneighborhoods givesway
text =Gestus—music—text(Madison:University ofWisconsin Press,2008), especiallyDarko
Suvin,“Emotion, Brecht,Empathyvs. Sympathy”(53–67).
Kuhle Wampeand“Those Who Don’tLike It” 325