Cruise as Stauffenberg

He's a famous actor, but his talent is average. He will play a German resistance fighter. Nothing spectacular in itself. However, this famous, albeit mediocre, actor is an active member of the Church of Scientology -- a community whose belief system includes totalitarian structures and claims to world supremacy.

The resistance fighter is Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg, who attempted to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and a man who went down in history books as a "symbol of the resistance." Someone who embodied a "different Germany" during its dark period.

He may, he may not

Tom Cruise is to play von Stauffenberg -- it's a story loaded with everything that can prompt a fierce debate in Germany. After all, it concerns both the jurisdiction of interpretation of one's own history, as well as a group in which brainwashing supposedly takes place and one which the German domestic intelligence agency has categorized as undemocratic. Scientology is a group whose organization reminds some Germans of their darkest hour in history.

Tom Cruise in the role of a German who tried to overcome totalitarian structures. While some ask "is he allowed to do that?" other newspapers are talking about a "new clash of cultures."

Everyone's entitled to their own beliefs

But that is the way things are in both real and alleged cultural clashes: there is no clear distinction between fact and opinion. The debate strays. Everything gets mixed up. Of course Cruise is "allowed" to play von Stauffenberg, even if many consider him wrong for the role, which he probably is. It's understandable, for instance, that von Stauffenberg's eldest son considers Cruise an imposition in the role.

But to forbid people from doing their job based on their beliefs? That's unacceptable -- even if it comes to pass what Peter Steinbach, director of the Memorial of the German Opposition, warned of: that the film could be perceived as a Scientologists' venture. The global media industry will, like always, abbreviate. The equation: an active and prestigious member of the Church of Scientology -- an organization that recently opened up a major center in the middle of Berlin and a member of the German resistance; in other words, Scientology equals resistance. That is the way it will be conveyed. That is abhorrent and dangerous.

But it is still no reason to forbid Cruise from playing Stauffenberg.

Just a little quote from Article 4 of the German Constitution, or "Basic Law:" "Freedom of faith and of conscience and freedom to profess religious or philosophical creed shall be inviolable."

Bendlerblock is a memorial site

So Cruise is allowed to play him, but there's another, more important question: where he is permitted to play him. The German authorities have banned Tom Cruise from filming at a few historical sites -- at the place where Stauffenberg attempted a coup d'etat on July 20, 1944, and where he and other conspirators were executed on that same night.

"There is no better way of evoking the Nazi era than be denying a man the possibility of doing his job because of his beliefs," one American newspaper wrote.

There are many people in Germany who are talking about possible damage to the country's image due to the ban. They also point to the fact that three years ago, people were allowed to shoot a film about Stauffenberg at Bendlerblock -- precisely the location where Cruise is not allowed to shoot.

If not sooner, this is the point at which things can get confusing: Cruise was not prevented from filming there because he is a Scientologist, but because the employees at the memorial have had bad experiences with elaborate film shoots there. And because they have learned that this memorial, this place of mourning, simply cannot be turned into a setting for a film. Any German film crew would have experienced exactly the same thing as the American crew. It's just that no one here would have got upset about it.

Original locations not necessary

The director of the memorial at the Dachau concentration camp once said that memorials must not be misused; their sanctity must not be violated. He said commerce -- and that's what Hollywood is, after all -- had no business being there.

Must a film be shot at an original location anyway? This is not a documentary film that demands the authenticity of an original location. These settings can be built, such as in Steven Spielberg's film "Schindler's List." Many other such examples exist as well.

Let's be clear: Cruise should play Stauffenberg. But not everywhere. We have to be very precise about why Cruise may not film at Bendlerblock: because this would be like a desecration. Because it would be unbearable to again execute Stauffenberg at the original location for a popcorn-eating audience. That is the argument. And not that Cruise is a member of an unbearable denomination.

Ramon Garcia Ziemsen works in DW-RADIO's culture department (als)