The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui: An Analogy using gangsters!

Set amidst the economically devastated Chicago, somewhere in the 1930’s, this play is a direct ridicule at the apathy shown by the German’s towards Hitler’s rise to power and also acts as a message to the future generations. Two years before Hitler’s extermination programmes, his expansionist tendencies and his ruthless political ambition were already apparent to Brecht as he transposes Hitler’s manipulation of German and Austrian Governments onto a gangster’s attempts, by taking care of a protection racket and plans to take over a cauliflower trade in the American cities of Chicago and the nearby town of Cicero during the Depression. Initially dismissed as an uncouth upstart, the gangster Ui uses a mixture of violence, inspiring speeches and mesmerizing rhetoric to further his mafia-like promotion of brotherhood and blood ties. Ui and his bunch of ruthless thugs run after power, killing anybody who showed dissent and critics and finally achieving support of the vegetable vendors of Chicago and Cicero.

I will delve, not too deep into the play rather give an overview and try and explain exactly what Brecht has been referring to.

Brecht sets in motion a flurry of parallels, a plot that follows Hitler’s rise to the summit, with character’s with a whole different agenda, and yet strikingly similar to a number of incidents. Brecht when directing the play, displayed what I perceive to be enormous newspaper cuttings depicting which part of Hitler’s ascent he figuratively wants to highlight. For example.

`This show of clippings happens before every scene, as each scene takes the viewer through Germany’s new turn of events.

In order to understand the play I had to learn a little bit about Hitler’s rise. It was easier to go through the chronological sequence the play followed. The chronological order is as follows:

Scene 1: Germany is hit hard by the world crisis. In spite of this there are a number of Prussian Junkers who want to obtain loans from the German Government, but without success. The big industrialists in the Ruhr meanwhile dream of expansion.

Scene 2: By landing President Hindenburg a Landed estate, the Junkers won his sympathy for their cause.

Scene 3:In Autumn 1932 Hitler’s party and private army are threatened with bankruptcy, so Hitler tries everything in his power to appoint himself as the German chancellor. But Hindenburg would not see him.

Scene 4:In January 1933, Hindenburg appoints Hitler chairman, in return for a promise that Hitler would not expose the East Aid scandal.

Scene 5: After coming to power legally, Hitler resorts to extremely violent measures, but keeps his promises.

Scene 6: He turns himself into a statesman. He is believed to have taken lessons in declamation and bearing from one Basil, a provincial actor.

Scene 7:Feb 1933, the Reichstag Fire. Hitler accuses his enemies of instigating the fire and gives the signal for the Night of Long Knives.

Scene 8: The supreme court commands an unemployed labourer to death for causing the fire. The real perpetrators get away.

Scene 9 und 10: The impending death of Hindenburg is causing unrest in the Nazi camp. The industrialists and the Junkers want Röhm removed. Austria’s invasion is planned.

Scene 11: On 30^th June 1943 Hitler overpowers his friend Rohm in an inn, when Rohm expects Hitler’s arrival in order arrange a joint strike against Hindenburg and Goring.

Scene 12: Under compulsion the Austrian chancellor Englebert Dollfuss agrees to stop press related attacks in Austria on Hitler.

Scene 13: Hitler has Dollfuss eliminated, but Hitler goes on to continue negotiating with Austrian rightist cirles.

Scene 14: On 11 March 1938 Hitler marches right into Austria, a panic stricken election under the Nazi terror yields a 99% vote for Hitler.

(Petty)

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The parallels also exist amongst the characters Brecht portrays in this play. A list of all the character’s and their real-time parallels are as follows:

• Dogsborough -Paul von Hindenburg
• Arturo Ui -Adolf Hitler
• Giri - Hermann Göring
• Roma -Ernst Röhm
• Givola -Joseph Goebbels
• Dullfeet -Engelbert Dollfuß
• Karfioltrust - Junker, the Industrial trust
• Gangsters - Fascists
• Fish -Marinus van der Lubbe
• Sheet (Shipyard Owner)

The different places cited in the text:

• Chicago -Germany
• Cicero -Austria
• Dockshilfeskandal -East Aid Scandal

Delving a little into the play.. the key character’s are as follows.

Arturo Ui: Gang Leader.

Ernesto Roma: Ui’s Lieutenant

Emanuelle Giri: A gangster.

Givola: The horticultural gangster.

Old Dogsborough.

Clark, Flake, Butcher, Mulberry : Memeber’s of the Cauliflower trust.

Ignatius Dullfeet.

Sheet: A shipyard owner.

Staying on topic a small note can be made on East Aid Scandal (Osthlife.) It was a policy of the German government of the Weimar Republic (1919-33) to give financial support from Government funds to bankrupt estates of East Prussia. This policy exploded in the government’s face as a considerable number of the Junkers were known to indulge in luxuries such as cars and whatnot. This was a clear instance of misappropriation of funds. This period was also known as the Osthlifeskandal. The ensuing investigations implicated General Paul von Hindenburg. It came to light the Hindenburg family estate in East Prussia in Neudeck. Has been clandestinely by many industrialists and presented to the President as a gift, seemingly in exchange to some political influence.

The play hasn’t been discussed in detail a detailed summary, I felt it was not necessary. Hence, a brief summary should suffice.

Scene 1: The struggles of Chicago are highlighted in a conversation amidst the members of the Cauliflower trust. IT leaves people unable to tend to their business. This is when Ui arrives to make an offer to the Cauliflower trust, but they reject them.

Flake forces Sheet to sell him the shipyard, by pointing out he would eventually lose it if he didn’t fold then. Sheet reluctantly agrees, and in a way is forced to do so.

Scene 2:Butcher and Flake visit Dogsborough and his son at his restaurant, to discuss the loan they want to buy to make repairs to the docklands. Dogsborough rejects the idea, saying that business will soon pick up. Flake and Butcher agree and offer Dogsborough the dockyard they just brought, which Dogsborough unwittingly agrees to.

Scene 3:Meanwhile Arturo feels insecure because of him losing his ‘respect’ which every gangster values more than his dear life. In the conversation that follows involving Bowl a treasurer at sheet’s dockyard who was sacked by old Dogsborough on account of laundering. This is when Arturo uncovers the dirty hands of the old man. This is when Arturo makes plans to trap the old man and take advantage of the situation.

Brecht, B. (1941). The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui.

The above lines show Giri’s excitement at uncovering Dogsborough’s wrongdoing.

Scene 4: Dogsborough and his son discuss the trouble that the dockyard seems to be causing them and the loan which was meted out to the Cauliflower trust, on his credit was not even used to buy a single bag of cement towards the repairing of the dockyard. He gets a call from Butcher, informing him about a formal enquiry into the dockyard loan. Arturo Ui makes his entry into Dogsborough’s new Estate and tells him this would all go away if Dogsborough would put in a good word for him with the police. He makes his deal and Dogsborough refuses bluntly.

Brecht, B. (1941). The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui.

(Brecht, 1941)

The above lines show Old Dogsborough repenting what he has done.

Scene 5: Members of the cauliflower trust, including Dogsborough, are gathered at the city hall where the investigation is about to begin into the loan to the shipyard to build the dockland. To prevent scandal involving Dogsborough, Sheet must say that the shipyard is his. It is inferred that Ui gangsters have been sent to 'convince' Sheet to say that the shipyard is still his. O'Casey, the investigator, asks Ui about contracts surrounding the shipyard. Ui says that he has investigated himself and found that the city loan has been embezzled by Sheet. O'Casey tells Ui that Sheet is dead, Ui obviously acts shocked and says that he was in Cicero at the time and so knew nothing about his death, he suggests Sheet committed suicide. O'Casey begins to question Dogsborough, suggesting that Dogsborough was present when the contracts were made and has a personal. O'Casey reveals that he has a witness that can testify to Dogsborough's involvement. At this point gunshots are heard and it becomes clear that the witness was Bowl, although he has been killed and so cannot now testify. Ui congratulates Dogsborough, saying that 'one way or another, I'll get things straightened out'

Ui wins Dogsborough’s trust by rescuing him at court

Scene 6: Ui takes lessons from an actor, where he learns how to stand, walk and speak. He says this will benefit him by drawing people’s attention to him and making him be more easily understood, particularly when he enters politics

Scene 7: Ui and other gangsters are holding a meeting with vegetable dealers. Ui is persuading the vegetable dealers that they need his protection, other gangsters jeer from the crowd in support of Ui's plans. Initially the dealers say they don't need protecting as they've not had any problems recently. Then one dealer says he wants to leave to which Ui does not object. Then immediately the police arrive only to inform his that his warehouse was up in flames. Ui ends by saying “Ain’t no one safe around here”

Scene 8 - The warehouse trials (between each scene the funeral march is played, this represents the link with the Reichstag fire trial in which an unemployed worker was sentenced to death whilst the real criminals were left free.)

Scene 9:Givola writes his own version of Dogsborough's will, directing all his possessions, including his son to Giri, Givola, Roma and Ui. The will also recommends them for various new jobs, including Dogsborough's role to be taken on by Ui.

Scene 10: Depicts the Reichstag Fire, Brecht depicts this with a women who comes out of the flames blaming Ui for the death of her husband and is subsequently gunned, down.

Scene 11:Roma and Young Inna are ready to attack Giri and Givola and are awaiting Ui, by which they convince Ui otherwise, Ui comes to the location in blacked out cars and shoots down Roma in cold blood. Has all of Roma’s men killed.

Scene 12: Betty and her husband are talking in Givola's flower shop. Betty says how Ui seems to be becoming a changed man for the better and they should not upset him or else they may turn him back to his old ways and he will blame it on Dullfeet. They meet with Ui and Dullfeet states how he feels about the protection business, he feels that people should be able to choose whether or not people need protection, without force, Ui agrees. Ui asks Dullfeet to not print any matters concerning him or the cauliflower trust as he does not want a negative opinion of him in the press, Dullfeet says he wouldn't have to avoid printing these scandals if there weren't any problems in the first place. The scene splits into two as Betty and Ui have one conversation and Dullfeet and Givola a separate one.

Scene 15

The chicago vegetable dealers are talking of their unhappiness at their current situation - they are having to pay for the protection of their business which only need protecting from those providing the protection!?! They say they would refuse if it wasn't for the fact that they had guns and they fear for their lives. Vegetable dealers from Cicero appear also unhappy about the same situation they've been put in but also recognise there's little they can do about it. Ui enters with Giri, Givola, Clark and Betty Dullfeet. Clark talks to the crowd and states that the cauliflower trust will now be selling the vegetables to them - the upside being 'secure delivery' and the only downfall a 'slight increase in cost'. Mrs Dullfeet is welcomed to the trust. Ui then speaks to the crowd about Dogsborough and mentions his will. He continues to reveal that he spoke to both Dogsborough on behalf of Chicago and Dullfeet on Cicero's behalf - each concerning the vegetable trade for the respective cities. Ui states that he said to both, he would only deal with the cities if the people wanted him to of their own free will and they are now free to vote. Dullfeet speaks briefly and urges all to vote for and support Ui. A vote is called to which people are to raise their hand in support of Ui. One ciceronian asks if he may leave, Givola says all men may do exactly as they like. The ciceronian leaves, 2 bodyguards follow and a gunshot is heard. All remaining voters now raise their hand in support of Ui. Ui concludes the scene with a speech stating his intentions now, he has ordered more guns etc and now aims to take on more cities.

Another topic worth mentioning is The Night of the Long Knives.

The Night of the Long Knives, also known as Operation Hummingbird was a purge that took place between June 30 to July 2,1934. Nazi regime carried a whole bunch of political murders, Leading figures of the left-wing, such as Gregor Strasser. Many of those killed were leaders of the Sturmabteilung(SA), the paramilitary brownshirts.

Hitler moved against the SA, as the power and independence it had gained and their influence on the street causing violence came a threat to the Reichswehr, the official German military whom Ernst Rohm wanted to incorporate into the SA.Hitler used the purge to attack the critics of his regime especially those loyal to vice chancellor to Vice-Chancellor Franz von Papen.

Most of the killing was done by the Schutzstaffel(SS) and the Gestapo, the regime’s secret police. The purge consolidated Hitler’s strength and brought him closer to the Reichswehr. The courts swept aside laws to legalize the killings. The Night of the Long Knives was a turning point of the German Government. It established Hitler as the “Supreme Judge of all German people” as he proclaimed.

Brecht, B. (1941). The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives. (n.d.). Retrieved from Wikipedia.

Another major incident portrayed in the play is the Reichstag fire.

The Reichstag fire was an arson attack on the Reichstag building in Berlin on 27 February 1933. Marinus van der Lubbe a you Dutch council communist was arrested for the crime, he was an unemployed brick layer, who came into the country looking for work. He was caught at the crime scene on the day of the crime. He later confessed to having caused the fire. The fire was used as evidence by the Nazi’s that the communists were plotting against the German government and this event was pivotal to the Nazis to establish their regime. Hitler who was appointed Chancellor four weeks before asked the Presiden Paul von Hindenburg to pass an emergency decree to suspend civil liberties to encounter the “ruthless confrontation of the Communist Party of Germany”. After this the government legalized mass arrests of people in the Communist parties. With the Communists gone, the National Socialist German Workers Party went from a plurality party to a majority; which enabled Hitler to consolidate the power of the Nazis.

In February 1933, three Bulgarians were examined in the Leipzig trial, also known as the “Reichstag Fire Trial”, Bulgarian’s Georgi Dimitrov.Vasil Tanev and Blagoi Popov all senior Comintern operatives. The responsibility of the Reichsatg fire still remains a topic open for debate.

To end with another major I will talk about is the Ansschluss.(meaning annexation or connection.) was the annexation of Austria by Nazi Germany in March 1938.

Austria was annexed into the German Third Reich on March 12, 1938. There had been prolonged support for the move from supporters on both sides. Also known as the “Heim ins Reich” movement. Earlier Nazi Germany had provided support for the Austrian Nationalist Party in its bid to seize the power in the Austrian Government.

Under considerable pressure from Nazis on both sides Austrian Chancellor Kurt Schusnigg decide to hold a vote but the Austrian Nazi Party decided otherwise.

The power was transferred to Germany and their troops entered Austria and threatened the country into submission winning another vote by 99%.

Brecht saw all this as the works of a maniacal madcap who could be stopped but couldn’t be. Brecht’s portrayal of the German middle class as vegetable vendors is satirical, and the entire play was based on mockery of the man who could have been stopped but just wasn’t, he also places a lot of emphasis on how corruption can be the root of all evil. The long speeches represent how calculated Hitler moved to affect the society as a whole. The play also serves as a lesson to the new generation on the necessity to stand up to bullies. He also points out on how Hitler controlled the mass media, killing anyone who wrote anything defamatory about him, and asking Dollfuss to keep the media quiet in Austria as well, a “calculated propaganda”.

Brecht tries to make Hitler look like a gangster because they are usually stereotyped as criminals, liars, cheats who wouldn’t hesitate to ‘pump yer guts full o’ lead’. Brecht also takes a swipe at the Junker’s who sided with Hitler, only because of greed and absolutely nothing else. Brecht also knocks on the doors of the justice system with the scene of the trial, where the court physician shows clear signs of being corrupt. Brecht in this 144 page play brings out everything that is wrong, with the German government.

Bibliography and Citations.

Anschluss. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anschluss.

Brecht, B. (1941). The Resistible Rise Of Arturo Ui.

Eastern Aid. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastern_Aid.

Petty, M. (n.d.). http://www.matthewpetty.com/carlton/productions/arturoui/arturoui_index.php#blurb5. Retrieved from MathewPetty.com.

The Night Of Long Knives. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Long_Knives.

The Reichstag Fire. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reichstag_fire.