Kretschmann - Old Communist himself, of course, Wehner. What would Willy's party do without us?

Brandt (with Ehmke) He's never forgiven me for becoming Chancellor. Too spiritually disfigured to show his own face, because every cat in Germany would be up the curtains, and hates anyone who isn't. The puppetmaster who's jealous of his own puppets. He wanted to keep a Christian Democrat in the Palais Schaumburg just to keep me out of it. An old Nazi! But then he knew how to pull his strings. What a pair. The old Communist pulling the strings. The old Nazi dancing on the end of them.

Ehmke Discipline, Willy. That's what Uncle craves. Someone to take the stick to him. That's what maddens him about you, Willy. You won't take the stick to him. And whatever you think about him, he's given his heart and soul to this party.

Brandt He gave his heart and soul to the Communist Party. He also gave all his comrades away to the Russian secret police.

Ehmke He's still tormented by it.

Brandt He's still as thick as thieves with his old mates in East Berlin.

Ehmke They've never forgiven him. They hate him.

Brandt They understand each other, though.

Guillaume - Do they?

Kretschmann - Of course.

Ehmke Anyway, he's a sentimental old thing, underneath it all. The night you were elected he threw his arms round you.

Brandt With all the grace of someone's maiden aunt making a drunken lunge at the postman.

Ehmke He travels all over Germany visiting sick and dying party members.

Brandt Sits on their beds praying over them. First he's a Communist, now he's a religious maniac.

Ehmke Just as well there's no one can hear what you're like when you're like this.

Brandt Only Herr Guillaume.

Ehmke Oh - still here, Günter?

Brandt How does Uncle know so precisely when people are dying, Herr Guillaume? Because, even if you're not dying when he arrives, after half-an-hour of his company you are.

Ehmke Come on, Willy. These things get back to him.

Brandt It's the only legal form of euthanasia.

Kretschmann - I think you were a little soft on Willy when you started this job. What did I tell you, though? Wehner's not the only one with another side to him.

Guillaume - No. Then there's Helmut.

Schmidt (with Wehner) I revere Willy. You know I do. I always have. He's my political idol. I'd put my hand in the fire for him.

Kretschmann - Helmut Schmidt. The heir to Willy's throne.

Schmidt But his attitude to you is frankly ridiculous. Our majority's fast approaching zero. He knows he can't keep the party together without you.

Wehner He also knows we can't get re-elected without him.

Schmidt We all need each other! It's we three who made this party electable! You and Willy and I. We dumped the Marxism. We fought and fought. The three of us together. The Three Musketeers of modern socialism! I was so proud to be one of them!