Ursula Hentschlaeger > Media and Basic Research > On the Power and Powerlessness of the Individual

„In principle, there are only two possible theories of ethics, and they are like opposite poles. One is Christian-humanistic, declaring the individual to be sacrosanct, and claiming that mathematical rules cannot be applied to human entities. The other is based on the fundamental principle that the collective end justifies the means, not only allowing but actually commanding that the individual be subjected to the community in every way and even be sacrificed if need be – as a guinea pig, a sacrificial lamb and in any other conceivable way (...) Scatterbrains and dilettantes have always tried to balance the two ideas but in practice this is impossible.“ Arthur Koestler, paraphrased

Ursula Hentschlaeger

On the Power and Powerlessness of the Individual.

1989 - 1990

The first interest in research was directed at films and the past. Both were about crime and redemption, burden and liberation, love and survival.

| Wilma Lettner |

Never let yourself be silenced

1989

| Andrej Tarkovskij |

SACRIFICE

1990

BACKGROUND

WILMA LETTNER

SACRIFICE

In a contribution to an oral history project, the character of the interview series was discovered, and so were the Lettners. May they live on, even though they have both passed away.

At the same time, an analytical approach determined access to cinema, interpreted as the first total audio-visual event. The film-maker – Andrej Tarkovskij – has also passed away. May people also remember him for a long time to come.

Ursula Hentschlaeger > Media and Basic Research > On the Power and Powerlessness of the Individual


„In principle, there are only two possible theories of ethics, and they are like opposite poles. One is Christian-humanistic, declaring the individual to be sacrosanct, and claiming that mathematical rules cannot be applied to human entities. The other is based on the fundamental principle that the collective end justifies the means, not only allowing but actually commanding that the individual be subjected to the community in every way and even be sacrificed if need be – as a guinea pig, a sacrificial lamb and in any other conceivable way (...) Scatterbrains and dilettantes have always tried to balance the two ideas but in practice this is impossible.“ Arthur Koestler, paraphrased		Ursula Hentschlaeger On the Power and Powerlessness of the Individual. 1989 - 1990 The first interest in research was directed at films and the past. Both were about crime and redemption, burden and liberation, love and survival. \| Wilma Lettner \| Never let yourself be silenced 1989 \| Andrej Tarkovskij \| SACRIFICE 1990
			BACKGROUND

			WILMA LETTNER

			SACRIFICE
In a contribution to an oral history project, the character of the interview series was discovered, and so were the Lettners. May they live on, even though they have both passed away. At the same time, an analytical approach determined access to cinema, interpreted as the first total audio-visual event. The film-maker – Andrej Tarkovskij – has also passed away. May people also remember him for a long time to come.


	Ursula Hentschlaeger > Media and Basic Research > On the Power and Powerlessness of the Individual