Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte (1978)
The year is 1978. Hartmut Geerken, director of the Goethe-Institut in Kabul, is on a mission. “We cannot change society, but we can change the landscape,” he says—literally. A trickster, a Don Quixote, Geerken approaches cultural work with playful defiance, forging deep mutual respect with a land foreign to most Europeans. The film follows him pushing a grand piano on a handcart for an impromptu concert with Afghan and German musicians, visiting a village artist, and meeting a famed tabla player—illiterate, yet musically eloquent beyond words. What begins as a whimsical journey becomes a poignant love letter to a country on the brink of irrevocable change—lighthearted, yet laced with melancholy.
Director: Arpad Bondy
Genre: Documentary, Music, History
Runtime: 43 min
Release Date: July 9, 1978
Cast
Music: Hartmut Geerken
Language: Deutsch
Original Language: de
More Films by Director: Arpad Bondy
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte about?
- The year is 1978. Hartmut Geerken, director of the Goethe-Institut in Kabul, is on a mission. “We cannot change society, but we can change the landscape,” he says—literally. A trickster, a Don Quixote, Geerken approaches cultural work with playful defiance, forging deep mutual respect with a land foreign to most Europeans. The film follows him pushing a grand piano on a handcart for an impromptu concert with Afghan and German musicians, visiting a village artist, and meeting a famed tabla player—illiterate, yet musically eloquent beyond words. What begins as a whimsical journey becomes a poignant love letter to a country on the brink of irrevocable change—lighthearted, yet laced with melancholy.
- Who directed Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte?
- Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte was directed by Arpad Bondy.
- Who stars in Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte?
- Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte stars Hartmut Geerken.
- How long is Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte?
- Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte has a runtime of 43m (43 minutes).
- What genre is Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte?
- Wenn Goethe das gewusst hätte is a Documentary, Music, History film.