by David Edgar
David Edgar
ALBERT SPEER
based on the book
Albert Speer: His Battle with the Truth
by Gitta Sereny
NICK HERN BOOKS
London
www.nickhernbooks.co.uk
Contents
Title Page
Dedication
Author’s Note
Original Production
Epigraph
Characters
Albert Speer
Afterword
Appendix:
Principal Characters
Chronology of the Third Reich 1933–45
About the Author
Copyright and Performing Rights Information
To Stephanie
AUTHOR’S NOTE
Gitta Sereny’s Albert Speer: His Battle with Truth is a 720-page book, written with the utmost historical rigour, about a man whose long life was dominated by the defining event of the twentieth century. In order to write a stage play based on this work I have had to conflate characters, combine scenes and concentrate the incidents on which they are based.
As ever, the aim of this is better to reveal the truth. This is a vulnerable procedure in a play based on a biography in which the truth is pursued but also questioned. I am hugely grateful for the chance to retell the story Gitta Sereny has told so authoritatively in her book. For the consequences of doing so in a very different medium, I am responsible.
In addition to Gitta Sereny herself, I am indebted to Michael Eaton and Hilary Norrish for their contribution to the shape and content of the play as it developed through treatment into draft. As with our earlier stage collaboration, Nicholas Nickleby, Trevor Nunn had an immense influence on the structure, substance and meaning of the text, both before and during rehearsals.
Finally, two practical notes. In order to counter the notion that Nazism could only have happened in a foreign language, I’ve anglicised most of the ranks and titles in the play. The ones left in German are those for which an English translation is misleading: ‘Führer’ doesn’t mean the same as ‘Leader’, ‘Gauleiter’ implies something different from ‘Governor’, and while ‘Herr’ does mean ‘Mr’ it is often used in conjunction with other titles in a way which sounds odd to an English ear. Second, where lines are broken in the text, I have indicated the point at which the next character interrupts by a slash. The rest of the first character’s line does not have to be completed: it is there to provide some overlap but also to indicate to the actor where the interrupted sentence was going.
David Edgar, May 2000
Albert Speer was first performed on the Lyttelton Stage at the National Theatre, London, on 16 May 2000. Press night was 25 May. The cast, in order of appearance, was:
Albert Speer
Alex Jennings
Nuremberg Prosecutor
William Gaunt
Nuremberg Judge
John Nolan
Spandau Prison, 1947
French Officer
Patrick Baladi
Russian Director
Charles Millham
Nuremberg Judge
John Nolan
Guard
Stephen Ballantyne
Soviet Guard
Patrick Marlowe
Konstantin von Neurath,
Pip Donaghy
foreign minister
Admiral Karl Dönitz
Martin Chamberlain
Baldur von Schirach
David Weston
Hitler Youth leader
Rudolf Hess
Hitler’s Deputy
Sylvester Morand
Walther Funk,
Iain Mitchell
economics minister
Admiral Erich Raeder
Benny Young
Georges Casalis,
Jonathan Cullen
Calvinist pastor
Germany and the Occupied Territories, 1931–45
Rudolf Wolters, architect
Simon Day
Hans Tessenow, architect
Pip Donaghy
Architecture students
Patrick Baladi,
Stephen Ballantyne,
Giles Smith,
Chris Vance
Adolf Hitler
Roger Allam
Colonel Nicolas von Below,
Adrian Penketh
adjutant
Karl Hanke, party official,
Iain Mitchell
later Gauleiter
Margret Speer, Speer’s wife
Jessica Turner
Anne-Marie Wittenberg,
Christine Kavanagh
later Kempf,
Speer’s secretary
Julius Schaub, adjutant
John Nolan
Dr Fritz Todt,
Pip Donaghy
Minister of Armaments
Speer’s Father
William Gaunt
Frau Maria von Below
Imogen Slaughter
Eva Braun
Cathryn Bradshaw
Frau Anni Brandt
Tilly Blackwood
First Adjutant
Stephen Ballantyne
Fräulein Johanna Wolf,
Sally Ann Burnett
secretary
Second Adjutant
Charles Millham
Fräulein Christa Schröder,
Elizabeth Conboy
secretary
Theodor Ganzenmüller,
Patrick Baladi
railway official
Major in Ukraine
Benny Young
Ukrainian Tufties
Chloe Angharad,
Sally-Ann Burnett,
Elizabeth Conboy,
Imogen Slaughter
Speer Construction Workers
Patrick Marlowe,
Martin Chamberlain,
Giles Smith,
Chris Vance
State Secretary,
John Nolan
Ministry of Armaments
His Assistant
David Weston
Ernst, Speer’s brother
Stephen Ballantyne
Dr Professor Friedrich Koch
David Weston
Heinrich Himmler
Benny Young
Germany and England, 1966–81
Hans Flachsner,
Speer’s lawyer
Pressmen
Martin Chamberlain,
Charles Millham,
John Nolan,
David Weston,
Chris Vance,
Benny Young
Heckler
Iain Mitchell
Albert Speer’s son
Stephen Ballantyne
Hilde Schramm,
Cathryn Bradshaw
Speer’s daughter
Ulf Schramm, her husband
Iain Mitchell
Ruth, Albert’s wife
Sally Ann Burnett
Arnold, Speer’s son
Chris Vance
Fritz, Speer’s son
Giles Smith
Margret Nissen,
Elizabeth Conboy
Speer’s daughter
Hans Nissen, her husband
Adrian Penketh
Ernst, Speer’s son
Patrick Marlowe
Waitresses
Chloe Angharad,
Imogen Slaughter
Wolf-Jobst Siedler,
William Gaunt
Speer’s publisher
Mrs Winteringham
Tilly Blackwood
Publishers
Elizabeth Conboy,
Charles Millham
Chair of University Meeting
Sally-Ann Burnett
Hecklers
Stephen Ballantyne,
Chris Vance,
David Weston
Questioners
Patrick Marlowe,
Elizabeth Conboy,
John Nolan,
Martin Chamberlain,
Benny Young
Robert Raphael Geis
Pip Donaghy
Rabbi
David, his assistant
Patrick Baladi
Hotel Waiter
Patrick Marlowe
Director
Trevor Nunn
Set Designer
Ian MacNeil
Costume Designer
Joan Wadge
Lighting Designer
Rick Fisher
Video Design
Chris Laing
Music
Steven Edis
Movement Director
Kate Flatt
Sound Designer
Chris Shutt
Company Voice Work
Patsy Rodenburg
Associate Set Designer
Paul Atkinson
O, would that I had never seen Wittenberg,
never read book! and what wonders I have done,
all Germany can witness, yea, all the world;
for which Faustus has lost both Germany and the world,
and must remain in hell for ever.
Christopher Marlowe, Dr Faustus, last scene
For the commission to do a great building,
I would have sold my soul like Faust.
Now I had found my Mephistopheles.
He seemed no less engaging than Goethe’s.
Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich
CHARACTERS
Albert SPEER
Nuremberg PROSECUTOR
Nuremberg JUDGE
Spandau Prison, 1947
FRENCH OFFICER
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR
GUARD
SOVIET GUARD
Konstantin von NEURATH, foreign minister
Admiral Karl DÖNITZ
Baldur von SCHIRACH, Hitler Youth leader
Rudolf HESS, Hitler’s Deputy
Walther FUNK, economics minister
Admiral Erich RAEDER
Georges CASALIS, Calvinist pastor
Germany and the Occupied Territories, 1931–45
Rudolf WOLTERS, architect
Hans TESSENOW, architect
Adolf HITLER
Karl HANKE, party official, later Gauleiter
MARGRET Speer, Speer’s wife
ANNEMARIE Wittenberg (later Kempf), Speer’s secretary
Colonel Nicolas VON BELOW, adjutant
Julius SCHAUB, adjutant
Dr Fritz TODT, Minister of Armaments
Speer’s FATHER
FRAU Maria VON BELOW
EVA BRAUN
FRAU Anni BRANDT
Two young ADJUTANTS (at the Berghof)
FRÄULEIN Johanna WOLF, secretary
FRÄULEIN Christa SCHRÖDER, secretary
Theodor GANZENMÜLLER, railway official
MAJOR in Ukraine
Six members SPEER construction SQUAD
STATE SECRETARY, Ministry of Armaments
His ASSISTANT
ERNST, Speer’s brother
DR Professor Friedrich KOCH
Heinrich HIMMLER, Reichsführer-SS
Germany and England, 1966–81
Hans FLACHSNER, Speer’s lawyer
ALBERT, Speer’s son
HILDE Schramm, Speer’s daughter
ULF Schramm, her husband
RUTH, Albert’s wife
ARNOLD, Speer’s son
FRITZ, Speer’s son
MARGRET (JNR) Nissen, Speer’s daughter
HANS Nissen, her husband
ERNST (JNR), Speer’s son
Wolf-Jobst SIEDLER, Speer’s publisher
MRS WINTERINGHAM
Young PUBLISHERS
CHAIR of University Meeting
Two HECKLERS
Five QUESTIONERS
Robert Raphael GEIS, Rabbi
DAVID, his assistant
Architecture Students, Ukrainian Tufties, Staff Officers, Adjutants, Pressmen and Hecklers, Publishers and Partygoers, Audience at University Meeting
ACT ONE
‘For five years I lived in this world of plans,
and in spite of all their defects and absurdities
I still cannot entirely tear myself away from it all’.
Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich
ACT ONE
1.1.1 Heidelberg, 1970s
Around 70 years old, ALBERT SPEER sits in a chair, sleeping and dreaming. He remembers the charges and sentences passed at the Nuremberg trial of the Nazi leaders.
PROSECUTOR. The Defendant Speer – between 1932 and 1945 was: A member of the Nazi Party, Reichsleiter, member of the Reichstag, Reich Minister for Armaments and Munitions, Chief of the Organization Todt, General Plenipotentiary for Armaments in the Office of the Four Year Plan, and Chairman of the Armaments Council.
JUDGE. In accordance with Article 27 of the Charter, the International Military Tribunal will now pronounce the sentences on the defendants convicted in this indictment. Defendant Joachim von Ribbentrop, on the counts of the indictment on which you have been convicted, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging. Defendant Ernst Kaltenbrunner, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.
PROSECUTOR. The defendant Speer used the foregoing positions and his personal influence in such a manner that: He participated in the military and economic planning and preparation of the Nazi conspirators for Wars of aggression and Wars in Violation of International Treaties, Agreements, and Assurances set forth in Count One and Count Two of the Indictment . . .
JUDGE. Defendant Julius Streicher, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.
PROSECUTOR. . . . and he authorized, directed, and participated in the War Crimes set forth in Count Three of the Indictment . . .
JUDGE. Defendant Fritz Sauckel, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.
PROSECUTOR. . . . and the Crimes against Humanity set forth in Count Four of the Indictment, including more particularly the abuse and exploitation of human beings for forced labour in the conduct of aggressive war.
JUDGE. Defendant Albert Speer! On the counts of the indictment on which you have been convicted, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging!
SPEER wakes in terrible agitation.
SPEER. Not – yet.
1.2.1 Spandau, 18 July 1947
The RUSSIAN DIRECTOR and a FRENCH OFFICER and GUARDS await prisoners in a reception hall in Spandau prison. Seven concentration camp uniforms set out. A door opens and a GUARD admits Konstantin von NEURATH, wearing shabby civilian clothes.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR (from a list, to NEURATH, emphatically, but with terrible pronunciation). Konstantin von Neurath. Foreign Minister. Fifteen year.
FRENCH OFFICER. On admission, the prisoners will undress completely. Prisoners will be addressed by their convict number, in no circumstances by name.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Now you are Number one.
NEURATH undresses. KARL DÖNITZ is admitted.
Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz: ten year. Number Two.
DÖNITZ undresses. Baldur von SCHIRACH is admitted.
Baldur von Schirach. Hitler youth leader, twenty year. Number Three.
SCHIRACH undresses. HESS is admitted.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Ah. Hess. Hitler Deputy, till 1941. Sentence to life. Is number four.
HESS doesn’t undress. SPEER admitted. He is 42.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Albert Speer, Arm Minister, 20 year.
SPEER sizes up the situation.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. I say a lucky man.
GUARD (shouts to HESS). Undress!
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. His number five.
HESS and SPEER begin to undress. We sense hostility from the other PRISONERS to SPEER. Walter FUNK is admitted.
RUSSIAN DIRECTOR (to FUNK and RAEDER). Walter Funk, Reichsminister f
or Economics. Number six, for life.
Erich RAEDER is admitted.
And Admiral Erich Raeder is number seven. Also life.
As the later PRISONERS finish undressing, the FRENCH OFFICER continues to read out the rules. GUARDS gesture to them to go and dress in the concentration camp uniforms. HESS is swaying.
