Justice for everybody

Mohsen Azarm

“Wackersdorf” is like revealing films which turned to be an important part of America’s cinema in 1970s. Such films are about relationship between dominant regime and citizens as well as civil rights ignored by the regime to accomplish its five-year and ten-year programs. In these films there is usually a person who although serves the regime, suddenly or gradually joins people who often oppose some policies of the regime. Hans Schuierer in Wackersdorf is one of those people. A commander who prefers to stay by people’s side who want nothing except their primary rights and justice- what was ignored in Germany’s democracy at that time. The dominant regime claims that it knows what is good for people while they know nothing therefore they shouldn’t interfere at all. What makes Schuierer a German symbolic character in West Germany in 1980s is doubting this claim. A commander like any other official is to execute orders given by officials of higher rank without considering consequences. But if commander considers civil and moral responsibilities everything will probably change. This is when legitimacy of regime’s supervision cannot be taken for granted, exactly like when Schuierer doubts if establishing a nuclear plant can solve problems of this region’s people. Doubt is always the solution, undoubtedly.