Seventeen Moments in Spring is a Soviet era miniseries (12 episodes) that aired on consecutive days on Russian TV in August 1973. It tells the story of Stierlitz, a Soviet spy embedded in Germany since 1927, working as a high-ranking member of the SS military intelligence. In February 1945 the Soviets became concerned that the Germans would make a separate peace with the western allies, allowing the Germans to concentrate their remaining forces against them. Stierlitz is given the task of finding out who within the German high command is involved in the negotiations and of the status of the negotiations.
As television entertainment I found the series captivating, despite having virtually no action and even limited dialogue. The acting is a throwback to the silent era because so much is conveyed only through facial expressions (and non-Russian speakers must read subtitles). Visually the black and white images of Berlin and Bern, Switzerland, interspersed with much newsreel footage from the era gives the whole production authenticity. Also mesmerizing is the music, including an interlude of French singer Edith Piaf in episode 8.
Before Our Very Eyes,...
Best Price: $29.44
Buy New $24.97
(as of 05:40 UTC - Details)
The relevance of Seventeen Moments on Russian society is explained in this 2022 article, which states it is “as instructive about the modern Russia psyche as any classic novel.” The author Stuart Williams explains this importance.
“A 1999 poll in Kommersant showed that out of all Russian film characters, Russians saw Stierlitz as having qualities they most desire in a leader, citing his honesty. And it’s hard to escape the impression that Putin and Stierlitz, as played by Vyacheslav Tikhonov in his iconic performance, sound unmistakably similar. It’s the tone of talking that sometimes is no louder than a murmur and the “ah-has” of assent, combined with the streams of analysis and occasional, but utterly decisive, ruthlessness that resonate. Did Putin, a former KGB spy who was himself famously posted in Germany during the final years of the USSR, model himself on his illustrious fictional predecessor? “Work in Germany, devotion to the Motherland, shedding a tear on Soviet holidays. This is Maksim Maksimovich Isayev [Stierlitz’ real name],” the Kommersant Vlast magazine wrote back in 2000 as Putin consolidated his grip on power, in an article titled “Stierlitz — Our President.” After recently rewatching all 12 episodes, I find that Putin sounds uncannily like Stierlitz, even down to the occasional sharp intakes of breath. But the Russian strongman has never publicly commented on the influence.
“What is in no doubt is that Stierlitz epitomizes the qualities envisioned for a Russian spy: courage, calmness and total readiness to sacrifice the self in favor of the greater good. Perhaps the most famous scene in the whole series shows him in flashback 10 years before the main action, watching his wife enter a Berlin cafe in a wordless meeting arranged by the KGB. Their eyes meet for several minutes across tables, her minder sips a drink at the bar, and when the time is up, he guides her out. Stierlitz’s eyes fill with tears, but he doesn’t flinch. The scene has become a symbol of the self-control and sacrifice of a Russian agent.”
Certainly Stierlitz is nothing like James Bond. He has continual mental battles but no physical combat. He kills one person execution style and knocks a gestapo agent over the head from behind. His super power is his mental acumen especially applied to bureaucratic politics.
The other great Bond power to seduce women exists in Stierlitz but in such a different manner, as alluded to above regarding the scene with his wife, as to be categorically different. For example, Stierlitz frequents a cafe where he has befriended an elderly woman named Frau Zaurich. He plays chess with her and takes her for drives in the country. There is also a young attractive woman there named Gabi. He notices her but does not let her know that he does so. One day when he enters Frau Zaurich is comforting Gabi who is very distraught. Out of kindness, Stierlitz invites Frau Zaurich to his house to eat some ham, and what appears as an afterthought, he also invites Gabi. Frau Zaurich plays the piano and invites Stierlitz to dance with Gabi. Gabi asks him as they dance, “I often ask myself why you’re gentle with Frau Zaurich[?] She says that you remind her of her elder son. Maybe she reminds you of your mother? Then why?” He replies, “It’s just that of all humans living on earth I like old people and kids most of all.” Gabi’s despondent response is heartbreaking, “I see. I don’t belong to either group.” His final words in the scene are said with deep affection (obviously even though spoken in Russian) was, “No, Gabi.”
Gabi and Stierlitz dancing
The depiction of the Germans and Americans is interesting because it is not dogmatic like I might have expected from Soviet TV at the height of the Cold War. For example, a key player in the story is the Gestapo chief, Heinrich Müller, who is depicted as a kindly, if occasionally grumpy, old cop just doing his job while dealing with bureaucratic infighting but with no ideological pretensions. In fact, the overriding context of the German state shown is bureaucracy (hence the great advantage of the Stierlitz super power). Nazi ideology is only alluded to in a half hearted manner among the top German officials at this late date in the war. I wonder if this was a kind of confession through projection of the Soviet filmmakers.
The Heritage of the South
Best Price: $6.00
Buy New $9.99
(as of 11:12 UTC - Details)
The key American in the story is Allen Dulles. In Wikipedia we find that,
“Dulles was involved in Operation Sunrise, secret negotiations in March 1945 to arrange a local surrender of German forces in northern Italy. His actions in Operation Sunrise have been criticized by historians for offering German SS General Karl Wolff protection from prosecution at the Nuremberg trial, and creating a diplomatic rift between the U.S. and U.S.S.R.”
Not mentioned in Wikipedia directly but alluded in the treatment of General Wolff was that Dulles was an important player in Operation Paperclip, the project that secretly repatriated hundreds of German scientists and engineers, but also Gestapo and counter intelligence into the service of the US government. James Corbett in his report on Dulles states that “After the war ended, Dulles became instrumental in launching Operation Paperclip with the help of Nazi spymaster Reinhard Galen.” In the Series Dulles is depicted as a profound power who must be dealt with very carefully.
Who is the real Dulles?
I learned about this series from a comment on a podcast dealing with the status of the war in Ukraine given by The Duran, my go to source for geopolitics. In particular, like the Germans in 1945, the Ukrainians today will not recognize that they are defeated on the battlefield such that continuing the war is madness. In the same scene where Stierlitz dances with Gabi, Frau Zaurich asks him, “When will the war end?”
He responds, “It’s already over.”
“Really?”
“In a sense, yes.”
Frau Zaurich makes the final comment that is so apropos today, “If we’d realized it sooner, it would’ve been better for us all.”
