"Messer im Kopf"

[ph@netcom.com (Peter Hendrickson)]

"Messer im Kopf" is a German film made in 1978 which I highly
recommend.  Roughly translated its title is "Knife in the Head".  It
has relevance to many of the issues we have been discussing.

In the late 1970s Germany was in a limited state of turmoil due to
fears of "terrorist" (1) groups, particularly the Baader-Meinhoff
gang.  Around this time a curious incident occurred.  The German
government had had some success in apprehending some gang leaders.  In
response, the others hijacked a Lufthansa jet and demanded that the
government release their friends.  Four of the leaders of the gang
then died in prison.  The government declared these deaths to be
suicides, but considerable doubt surrounds this claim.  The government
certainly wanted to discourage further hijacking experiments.  The
elimination of the gang leaders would certainly have sent a strong
message.  The logic is compelling.  On the other hand, it is not
inconceivable that the deaths were suicides intended to discredit the
government.

The Baader-Meinhoff gang popped up again in the late 1980s when they
were suspected of having murdered the banker Alfred Herrhausen.  (At
that time their name had changed, but I do not remember what it was.)
Their size was estimated to be about 20 active members with perhaps
3000 financial supporters. (2) Many other European trouble-making
groups of the 1970s were successfully penetrated and virtually
eliminated.  The Baader-Meinhoff gang stands out as one which
apparently solved this problem.  (It is interesting that infiltration
is the usual means of dealing with troublesome organizations.)

The motivations of the group are unclear to me.  It is widely assumed
in the media that they were (or are) communists, but I have seen it
suggested repeatedly that they were in fact sympathetic to the far
right.  (I haven't researched this.  I do not know how open this
question is.)

"Terrorist" groups are interesting in that they generally do not have
a known membership or location.  Certainly, this is germane to many
Cypherpunk discussions.

In the late 1970s the German government considerably extended its
surveillance and monitoring activities and was generally in a state of
alarm regarding terrorists.  Great effort was made to identify
everybody.  I can't say how much success they had in their stated
goals, but I would love to know as it relates to some of the ideas we
have been discussing.  I assume the "security" infrastructure is still
in place, which does not bode well for future German history.

The film is set in the late 1970s and addresses many of the issues
faced by Germans at that time.  The main character is a scientist who
is having marital troubles.  His life becomes more complicated when he
gets caught up in a scuffle the police are having with "suspected
terrorists".  He is shot - not knifed - in the head.  After a long
rehabilitation, he has no memory of what occurred.  Every other person
in the film attempts to use his ignorance for their own political or
personal ends.  More specifics would lessen your appreciation of the
movie.

More generally, you will see a portrayal of a society which is
disentegrating.  I found the police particularly alarming.  It is not
clear whether our own society is not on the same path.  Some will find
this heightens their interest.

The grimness of institutionalized behavior comes through very
strongly.  Nearly every character in the film is employed directly or
indirectly by the government.  The film itself was funded by the
German government.  Yet, it is surprisingly skeptical of the
government's role.

It should be noted that there are no real terrorists in the film.  The
police and the "suspected terrorists" are playing a game of "cops and
robbers" with the police holding the live ammunition.  Don't think
both sides don't both enjoy it!  This is perhaps the most worthwhile
aspect of the film.  While everybody else is playing games, the main
character is maimed, but the game goes on regardless.

Many of has have had long discussions involving the implications of
various technologies and how to effect the our kind of political
change in the world.  It is helpful to remember that real people are
involved.  The readers of this list are by no means the people who
would benefit most from this lesson.

"To win without fighting is best."  -- Sun Tzu(?)

That said, the film also gives a feeling for what it might be like to
operate in a hostile domestic environment.

The film is hard to get in the United States.  Last I heard, you could
rent it from a company in Chicago.  If there is sufficient interest,
it might be a good film for Cypherpunk Movie Night.  An invited
speaker who understands the film better than I do would be a
possibility.

Footnotes:
(1) These groups committed acts which are typically described as
"terrorist".  It is unclear what the term means.  When similar actions
are committed by established groups, the term "terrorism" is not
applied.  The term originated at the time of the French revolution
when some philosopher kings seized control of the government and
executed a number of VIPs.  The Economist published this excellent
article: http://www.economist.com/issue/02-03-96/sf1.html

(2) The IRA is said to have about 200 active members, which is an
indication of just how much trouble a small group of people can make
if they set their minds to it.

Disclaimer: Some of the facts above may be slightly wrong as I am
relying on memory.  The gist of the text should be correct.

Peter Hendrickson
ph@netcom.com