Albert Speer

David Edgar

• Publisher: Nick Hern Books
• Year: 2016
• Print ISBN: 9781854594853
• eBook ISBN: 9781780017044
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

A panoramic historical drama about the man whose devotion to Hitler blinded him to the worst crime of the twentieth century, drawing closely on Gita Sereny's definitive and magisterial biography of Albert Speer.

Plucked from obscurity to be Hitler's architect and Minister of War, Albert Speer became the second most powerful man in Nazi Germany and the closest Hitler had to a friend. Having narrowly escaped hanging at Nuremberg, Speer emerged from twenty years at Spandau gaol, as he thought, a changed man. But even as he publishes his bestselling accounts of the Third Reich, the extent of his complicity in Nazi crimes returns to haunt him – and his long-suffering family.

David Edgar's play Albert Speer was first performed in the Lyttelton auditorium of the National Theatre, London, in May 2000.

ACT ONE

‘For five years I lived in this world of plans,
and in spite of all their defects and absurdities
I still cannot entirely tear myself away from it all’.

Albert Speer, Inside the Third Reich

ACT ONE

1.1.1 Heidelberg, 1970s

Around 70 years old, ALBERT SPEER sits in a chair, sleeping and dreaming. He remembers the charges and sentences passed at the Nuremberg trial of the Nazi leaders.

PROSECUTOR. The Defendant Speer – between 1932 and 1945 was: A member of the Nazi Party, Reichsleiter, member of the Reichstag, Reich Minister for Armaments and Munitions, \ Chief of the Organization Todt, General Plenipotentiary for Armaments in the Office of the Four Year Plan, and Chairman of the Armaments Council.

JUDGE. In accordance with Article 27 of the Charter, the International Military Tribunal will now pronounce the sentences on the defendants convicted in this indictment. Defendant Joachim von Ribbentrop, on the counts of the indictment on which you have been convicted, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging. Defendant Ernst Kaltenbrunner, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.

PROSECUTOR. The defendant Speer used the foregoing positions and his personal influence in such a manner that: \ He participated in the military and economic planning and preparation of the Nazi conspirators for Wars of aggression and Wars in Violation of International Treaties, Agreements, and Assurances set forth in Count One and Count Two of the Indictment . . .

JUDGE. Defendant Julius Streicher, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.

PROSECUTOR. . . . and he authorized, directed, and participated in the War Crimes set forth in Count Three of the Indictment . . .

JUDGE. Defendant Fritz Sauckel, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging.

PROSECUTOR. . . . and the Crimes against Humanity set forth in Count Four of the Indictment, including more particularly the abuse and exploitation of human beings for forced labour in the conduct of aggressive war.

JUDGE. Defendant Albert Speer! On the counts of the indictment on which you have been convicted, the Tribunal sentences you to death by hanging!

SPEER wakes in terrible agitation.

SPEER. Not – yet.

1.2.1 Spandau, 18 July 1947

The RUSSIAN DIRECTOR and a FRENCH OFFICER and GUARDS await prisoners in a reception hall in Spandau prison. Seven concentration camp uniforms set out. A door opens and a GUARD admits Konstantin von NEURATH, wearing shabby civilian clothes.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR (from a list, to NEURATH, emphatically, but with terrible pronunciation). Konstantin von Neurath. Foreign Minister. Fifteen year.

FRENCH OFFICER. On admission, the prisoners will undress completely. Prisoners will be addressed by their convict number, in no circumstances by name.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Now you are Number one.

NEURATH undresses. KARL DÖNITZ is admitted.

Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz: ten year. Number Two.

DÖNITZ undresses. Baldur von SCHIRACH is admitted.

Baldur von Schirach. Hitler youth leader, twenty year. Number Three.

SCHIRACH undresses. HESS is admitted.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Ah. Hess. Hitler Deputy, till 1941. Sentence to life. Is number four.

HESS doesn’t undress. SPEER admitted. He is 42.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. Albert Speer, Arm Minister, 20 year.

SPEER sizes up the situation.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. I say a lucky man.

GUARD (shouts to HESS). Undress!

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR. His number five.

HESS and SPEER begin to undress. We sense hostility from the other PRISONERS to SPEER. Walter FUNK is admitted.

RUSSIAN DIRECTOR (to FUNK and RAEDER). Walter Funk, Reichsminister for Economics. Number six, for life.

Erich RAEDER is admitted.

And Admiral Erich Raeder is number seven. Also life.

As the later PRISONERS finish undressing, the FRENCH OFFICER c...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Dedication
• Author’s Note
• Original Production
• Epigraph
• Characters
• Albert Speer
• Afterword
• Appendix: Principal Characters
• Appendix: Chronology of the Third Reich 1933–45
• About the Author
• Copyright and Performing Rights Information