2004 goodbye lenin 004

Goodbye Lenin: Christiane Kerner (Mother)

  • Independent

    Independent
    Her husband was officially noted as fleeing from the country to West Germany. The mother was now alone to raise her kids, and goes into a deep depression.
  • Stronger Than Ever

    Stronger Than Ever
    After 8 weeks of being hospitalized for depression, she gets to go home. This moment showed a shift in the film for the character. After she was checked out, the mother begins to devote her time to better the GDR by writing petitions and being leader for the country's youth.
  • Earlier during the 40th GDR Anniversary

    It was the 40th anniversary of the German Democratic Republic. This was a huge moment for the country, showing that it has been around for a long time. The mother, an active socialist, began to prepare for that night's festivities.
  • Goodbye Lenin!

    Goodbye Lenin!
    Later on at night, the celebrations of the GDR 40th anniversary is met with violent protests against the GDR. The mother did not know this, and on her way to the party, her cab is stopped by the protest. Amid the chaos, she notices her son being beaten and arrested. This causes her to have a heart attack and fall into a deep comma.
  • History is made

    History is made
    The historic Berlin Wall comes down, which is often referred to when speaking of the unification of East and West Germany. However, the mother, still in a deep comma, would awake to a world so foreign to her.
  • Rise and Shine

    Rise and Shine
    After 8 months in a comma, she finally wakes up and is taken back to her home on bed rest, where she remains for most of the film.
  • R.I.P.

    After all of Alex's efforts to keep her shielded from the outside world, the mother finds out what he was doing. A few days later she peacefully passes away.