At the Georg Büchner School in Stadtallendorf, Dieter Bachmann's class comprises 19 students from 12 different countries, some of whom only recently came to Germany. Over the course of a year, director Maria Speth accompanies the twelve- to fourteen-year-old children of Class 6B and their teacher: Mr Bachmann helps his students overcome their shyness and master the German language, remaining committed to them through thick and thin. His lessons rarely follow the curriculum, but it becomes obvious that with juggling or music he arouses an interest in the students that then carries over into maths or English. In this marvellous documentary, one learns to appreciate the teacher and class, as well as what school is capable of when the teacher finds the right approach.

Everyone who went to school remembers that special one: that one teacher for whom you really tried. The one who made learning enjoyable; who measured success not just on grades. At the comprehensive school in Stadtallendorf, Dieter Bachmann, the teacher of class 6B, is cut from this cloth: he approaches everyday school life with devotion and unconventional methods. There are 19 students from 12 different countries in 6B, with different religions, cultures, and world views. On occasion, their knowledge of the German language is barely existent – much like their motivation.

This changes as soon as Mr Bachmann entertains them with absurd stories, sits them at a drum set, or lets them take a little nap. His methods often have little to do with school; as he puts it at one point, "dressage" is only about 10% of his job. Discipline raises its head rarely, but for that there is understanding and only positive encouragement. This goes so against the grain of what the students expect that they rise above or at least reduce their attitude of rejection. They gradually begin to get more involved, finding and expressing their own opinion – not least because Mr Bachmann always wants to know more about it.

In addition to Mr Bachmann, you also see other teachers, two of whom are of Turkish origin, which means that they can contribute their own experiences to a conversation about home and homeland. This also encourages the trust of the students. One witnesses the extent of what they have to learn: to speak German; to read and write German. And English. Maths. To that, there are also the usual school subjects, all of which must be graded – because this is the year in which the students' future scholastic path is decided: Hauptschule (lower secondary education) or Realschule (secondary education), or Gymnasium (preparatory high school). Mr Bachmann talks to his students about their grades; he explains, encourages, and involves them in the grading process. This does little to change the pressure, but it does rob the grading process of its power: it is no longer part of an uncontrollable machinery.

As one follows the daily life at school and learns more about the students and their abilities, the film, without commentary, also reveals the respective environments. The fathers are shown at work, in a general store or factory; and the local area is also shown, the dreariness of which is quite impressive, especially in the winter months. Sometimes one goes to the mosque, sometimes to the museum, where other things are learned: after 1938, the district was a major production centre for munitions. The forced labourers from Eastern Europe lived in camps, and the TNT produced at the local factory was stuffed into the bombs by women and young people. The contemporary history and corresponding photos captivate the students – and the viewer also learns new things.

In class, Mr Bachmann knows no taboos. No matter how embarrassing it may be for the students, he talks to his students about love, sex, religion, homosexuality. Preconceived opinions are not simply accepted, but reviewed and reassessed. During the course of which, Mr Bachmann is neither self-righteous nor self-assured. In fact, his career as a teacher occasionally surprises him, as it was not the path he intended. By now he has been doing it for 17 years, and retirement is a consideration. This sixth-grade class is meant to be his last – or at least that's the plan. In conversations with colleagues, his desire to retire is met with regret – a feeling that one can only agree with.

What distinguishes Mr Bachmann's lessons – in addition to the involvement with the kids, the total lack of fatigue, and the continual inquisitiveness that constantly guides him – is the music. In his class there are guitars, a drum set, and an electric bass; and when boredom threatens, the instruments are played and songs are composed and sung. Once, during a parent-teacher conference, Mr Bachmann gets a girl to sing something to her father. The amazement, emotion, and sudden joy on the face of the father make the gloomy room light up. The comfort that comes from music, as well as the way music can connect, is palpable to everyone. This adds another layer to the way the class bonds that is different to that through discussions or working groups.

By the end of the film, a good three and a half hours have passed – a long period of time when it comes to sitting in a cinema. But you can understand why and how it makes sense: the documentary takes you through a whole school year, day by day, from winter to summer – and you can only see the result correctly when you take the time to do so. By the end, the students are not the same people they were at the beginning. They way they view themselves as well as the world has changed, both more assured and confident. A teacher cannot give a class anything more valuable, and you need to get a sense of the patience that Mr Bachmann needs to do so. Aside from that, one is entertained just as much when watching as the students are when learning. Possibly even more.

Doris Kuhn (20.01.2022)

Reviews and Commentary:

"Mr Bachmann teaches at the comprehensive school of an industrial city in northern Hessen, the immigration history of which dates back to the 1930s. He is a teacher that everyone would have liked to have had, and his class reflects contemporary German society. Speth's long-term observation, despite its duration, is extremely entertaining. The film not only documents a successful alternative to the dreadful state of education, it reveals just how complex educational work is as well as how nice it can be to devote oneself to it." (Alexandra Seitz, Viennale)

"Dieter Bachmann with his crocheted caps, hard-rock T-shirts and unruly beard: a studied sociologist as well as a former stonemason and folk singer. It was not until his mid-40s that he trained as a teacher of German, mathematics, and geography. His real main subjects, however, are respect, perception, listening." (Alex Rühle, Süddeutsche Zeitung)

"The others laughed at us: 'You just play music all day.' But half of our class made it to high school." (Ayman, Student of Class 6B)

Awards (selection):
71st Berlinale (2021): Silver Bear for Maria Speth
71st Berlinale (2021): Audience Award for Maria Speth
German Film Award 2021: Best Documentary
Hong Kong International Film Festival 2021: Golden Firebird Award for Maria Speth

Production Period

2017-2021

Production Year

2017

Type

Documentary

Topic

Coming of Age, Work, School, Migration / Flight / Exile

Available Media

DCP, Blu-ray Disc, DVD, DCP, Digital Film

Original Version

German (de)

DCP

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Arabic (ar), Chinese (zh), Russian (ru), Estonian (et), Turkish (tr)

Note on the Format

DCP sind verschlüsselt

Blu-ray Disc

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Arabic (ar), Chinese (zh), Russian (ru), Estonian (et), Turkish (tr)

DVD

Subtitles

German (partly), German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Arabic (ar), Chinese (zh), Russian (ru), Estonian (et), Turkish (tr)

Note on the Format

DVD-Auswertungszeit: ab 01.11.2022

DCP

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Arabic (ar), Chinese (zh), Russian (ru), Estonian (et), Turkish (tr), Japanese (ja)

Note on the Format

DCP sind verschlüsselt

Digital Film

Subtitles

German (full), English (en), French (fr), Spanish (Latin America), Portuguese (Brazil), Arabic (ar), Russian (ru), Estonian (et), Turkish (tr), Japanese (ja), Chinese (short)