Der letzte Abstich [The Last Tapping]

With Der letzte Abstich Heinz Brinkmann returns to the location of his DEFA film Die Karbidfabrik: the legendary carbide plant in Buna, a symbol of the applied use of East German raw materials. The government agency responsible for privatization after German reunification has begun disassembling the outdated factory. Scenes filmed in 1987 for Die Karbidfabrik are juxtaposed with images of the demolition to depict the tragic, uncertain plight of the employees. A visit by Chancellor Helmut Kohl offers little hope, though he promises to do everything possible to create new jobs and maintain the region as a center for the chemical industry. In 1995 the American company Dow Chemical took over large portions of the Buna production facility, yet only a small number of employees was retained.