78-year-old Richard G\u00e4rtner (Matthias Habich) lost his purpose in life after his wife Elisabeth died of a brain tumour three years ago. Although he is in the best of health, he wants to die with medical assistance. Following the recent ruling of the German Federal Constitutional Court, he does indeed have the right to seek assisted suicide as a healthy person. However, he has unsuccessfully tried to apply for a lethal dose of sodium pentobarbital at the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices, just as his family doctor rejected his request for assisted suicide. He thus turns to the German Ethics Council, which has to decide whether it is ethically justifiable for a doctor to help a healthy person die. In the council meeting, Mr G\u00e4rtner and his family doctor, Dr Brandt (Anna Maria M\u00fche), provide insight into his personal situation, allowing the viewers to learn about his existential suffering at the loss of his wife and his determination to die. In addition, three experts from the fields of law, medicine and theology are questioned on the subject of assisted dying, alternately by Dr Keller (Ina Weisse) from the Ethics Council, who rejects physician-assisted suicide, and Mr G\u00e4rtner\u2019s lawyer and friend Biegler (Lars Eidinger), who considers it a legitimate act of self-determination. The viewers are thus presented with arguments for and against assisted dying from different perspectives, which should enable them to make an informed judgement about Mr G\u00e4rtner\u2019s case. The film envisages that, at the end, the viewers will assume the role of the Ethics Council and decide on whether or not Mr G\u00e4rtner should receive the lethal drug.<\/p>
GOTT<\/em> is based on the play of the same name by Ferdinand von Schirach, who also wrote the screenplay. It sparked an enormous media response, mainly due to its topicality. Schirach wrote it at a time when physician-assisted suicide was prevented by Section 217 of the German Penal Code (2015). Several constitutional complaints were pending against it, so Schirach, who is also a lawyer himself, deliberately chose a topic where there was a need for clarification. Unexpectedly, however, GOTT<\/em> gained further relevance before its publication when the Federal Constitutional Court declared Section 217 \u2018null and void\u2018 in February 2020. The Court ruled that \u2018the general right of personality encompasses a right to a self-determined death, which includes the right to suicide\u2018 as well as \u2018the freedom to seek and, if offered, make use of assistance provided by third parties for this purpose.\u2019 And this right, the Court further stated, \u2018is in particular not limited to serious or incurable illness.\u2018 Following this judgement, it is up to the Bundestag to pass new legal regulations. Schirach also adapted his film specifically to the ensuing debate. The great attention the film received was especially due to the fact that it was first broadcast simultaneously on flagship national television channels in both Germany and German-speaking Switzerland. This took place within the framework of a theme night on assisted suicide, where the film was subsequently discussed, and the viewers were given the opportunity to vote on the G\u00e4rtner case\u2014just like in the theatres. In Germany, 70.8% of the viewers voted for the protagonist\u2019s right to die; in Switzerland, 67.6% were in favour. However, the film also met with fierce criticism from theology and medicine. Various representatives accused Schirach of presenting the subject of assisted suicide in an overly one-sided and approving manner and criticised above all the negative portrayal of the characters who spoke out against it.<\/p> Suggested Citation: GOTT von Ferdinand von Schirach, Assisted Lab: A Digital Cultural Archive on Assisted Dying, 18 March 2024 <\/p>","cover":{"ratio":0.72222222222222220988641083749826066195964813232421875,"url":"https:\/\/assistedlab.ch\/media\/pages\/visual\/gott-von-ferdinand-von-schirach\/9016eb3396-1713881212\/an-empty-ethics-council-2410x-q90.jpg","caption":"\u00a9 Lexica AI-model, Untitled artwork generated from the summary, 2024"},"toggles":[{"title":"Reviews","list":[{"text":"Marie Schmidt, Ferdinand von Schirachs \u2018Gott\u2018 im Ersten\u00a0: Letzter Wille, S\u00fcddeutsche Zeitung, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.sueddeutsche.de\/medien\/gott-schirach-film-kritik-1.5122230","pathname":"sueddeutsche.de"},{"text":"Wolfgang H\u00f6bel, Sterbehilfe-Event im Ersten \u2013 Der Tod ist ein Lehrmeister aus Deutschland, Spiegel, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.spiegel.de\/kultur\/tv\/schirach-themenabend-gott-der-tod-ist-ein-lehrmeister-aus-deutschland-a-60284923-bcbb-4c53-8e82-90f8996b80b1","pathname":"spiegel.de"}]},{"title":"Media citations","list":[{"text":"Philipp B\u00e4umer, Rechtslage Assistierter Suizid \u2013 Endlich raus aus der Grauzone!, Deutschlandfunk Kultur, 2023","link":"https:\/\/www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de\/rechtslage-assistierter-suizid-endlich-raus-aus-der-grauzone-dlf-kultur-2e7cfeda-100.html","pathname":"deutschlandfunkkultur.de"},{"text":"Martina Keller, Assistierter Suizid in der Schweiz: Sterben auf Wunsch, Deutschlandfunk, 2022","link":"https:\/\/www.deutschlandfunk.de\/assistierte-sterbehilfe-schweiz-suizid-begleitung-100.html","pathname":"deutschlandfunk.de"},{"text":"Beate Lakotta, \u2018Wir haben uns in ihr Bett gelegt und sie ist friedlich in meinen Armen eingeschlafen\u2019, Der Spiegel, 2022","link":"https:\/\/www.spiegel.de\/panorama\/sterbehilfe-debatte-tuer-zum-notausgang-ein-persoenliches-plaedoyer-a-d79b6680-9e7f-4366-bd15-b9ef99b8a731","pathname":"spiegel.de"},{"text":"Michael Hanfeld, Kritik an von Schirachs \u2018Gott\u2019: Mediziner protestieren mit offenem Brief gegen Suizid-Film, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.faz.net\/aktuell\/feuilleton\/medien\/offener-brief-zu-gott-von-ferdinand-von-schirach-17063545.html","pathname":"faz.net"},{"text":"Michael Hanfeld, Streit um von Schirachs \u2018Gott\u2019: Mediziner gegen Mediziner, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.faz.net\/aktuell\/feuilleton\/medien\/pro-und-kontra-zu-von-schirachs-gott-17076161.html","pathname":"faz.net"}]},{"title":"Interest Group citations","list":[{"text":"Gott, Deutsche Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Humanes Sterben, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.dghs.de\/presse\/presseschau\/artikel\/gott-23-11-2020.html","pathname":"dghs.de"},{"text":"Club-Spezialabend \u2018Gott\u2018, EXIT Deutsche Schweiz, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.exit.ch\/medienerwaehnung\/club-zum\/","pathname":"exit.ch"},{"text":"ARD-Ausstrahlung \u2018GOTT\u2018: Offener Brief aus Palliativmedizin & Suizidpr\u00e4vention an Ferdinand von Schirach, Deutsche Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Palliativmedizin, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.dgpalliativmedizin.de\/dgp-aktuell\/dgp-verweist-auf-offenen-brief-an-ferdinand-von-schirach-anlaesslich-der-ard-ausstrahlung-von-gott.html","pathname":"dgpalliativmedizin.de"},{"text":"Replik auf den \u2018Offenen Brief an Ferdinand von Schirach\u2019, Frankfuter Allgemeine Zeitung, 2020","link":"https:\/\/dynamic.faz.net\/download\/pdf\/Replik-auf-offenem-Brief-zu-GOTT-FAZ-vom-21.11.20.pdf","pathname":"dynamic.faz.net"},{"text":"Experten-Kontroverse zu Schirach-Film \u2018Gott\u2018, Deutsche Gesellschaft f\u00fcr Humanes Sterben, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.dghs.de\/aktuelles\/neuigkeiten\/artikel\/experten-kontroverse-zu-schirach-film-gott.html","pathname":"dghs.de"},{"text":"(Unter)Komplex \u00dcberlegungen zum Fernsehfilm \u2018GOTT\u2018 von Ferdinand von Schirach, Deutscher Hospiz- und PalliativVerband e. V., 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.dhpv.de\/files\/public\/themen\/20201130_BHA_Schirach_EF.pdf","pathname":"dhpv.de"},{"text":"Kommentar von DIGNITAS zum Themenabend \u2018Gott\u2019 vom 23. November 2020 in ARD und Schweizer Fernsehen, DIGNITAS, 2020","link":"http:\/\/www.dignitas.ch\/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=140&Itemid=174&lang=de","pathname":"dignitas.ch"},{"text":"Ach, \u2018Gott\u2018, Herr von Schirach \u00dcber vertane Chancen eines Volkserziehungst\u00fccks, evangelisch.de, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.evangelisch.de\/inhalte\/178601\/23-11-2020\/ach-gott-herr-ferdinand-von-schirach-peter-dabrock-suizidassistenz","pathname":"evangelisch.de"},{"text":"\u2018Gott\u2018 von Ferdinand von Schirach: 7 Punkte aus theologisch-ethischer Sicht, kath.ch, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.kath.ch\/newsd\/gott-von-ferdinand-von-schirach-7-punkte-aus-theologisch-ethischer-sicht\/","pathname":"kath.ch"},{"text":"\u2018Wem geh\u00f6rt unser Sterben?\u2019, ref.ch, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.ref.ch\/news\/wem-gehoert-unser-sterben\/","pathname":"ref.ch"},{"text":"Assistierter Suizid: Schirach-Film \u2018Gott\u2018 l\u00f6st schon im Vorfeld Debatte aus, Kirche + Leben, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.kirche-und-leben.de\/assistierter-suizid-schirach-film-gott-loest-schon-im-vorfeld-debatte-aus","pathname":"kirche-und-leben.de"},{"text":"ARD zeigt Schirachs Theaterst\u00fcck \u2018Gott\u2018 \u00fcber Suizid Wem geh\u00f6rt unser Leben?, Domradio.de, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.domradio.de\/artikel\/wem-gehoert-unser-leben-ard-zeigt-schirachs-theaterstueck-gott-ueber-suizid","pathname":"domradio.de"},{"text":"Wem geh\u00f6rt unser Leben?, Evangelische Akademie, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.ev-akademie-boll.de\/nc\/mediathek\/redaktionelles\/aktuelle-meldungen\/artikel\/wem-gehoert-unser-leben.html","pathname":"ev-akademie-boll.de"},{"text":"Den Bev\u00f6lkerungswillen achten \u2013 HVD ruft Bundestagsabgeordnete auf, Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.patientenverfuegung.de\/den-bevoelkerungswillen-achten-hvd-ruft-bundestagsabgeordnete-auf\/","pathname":"patientenverfuegung.de"},{"text":"Mitgliederrundbrief, Hospiz- und PalliativVerband NRW e. V., 2020","link":"https:\/\/hpv-nrw.de\/uploads\/StatischeSeiten\/Rundbriefe\/2020_Weihnachtsrundbrief_HPV_NRW.pdf","pathname":"hpv-nrw.de"},{"text":"TV-Diskussion nach Schirach-Film \u201cGott\u201d \u2013 \u201cHart aber fair\u201d: B\u00e4tzing \u00fcbt heftige Kritik an Sterbehilfe-Urteil, katholisch.de, 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.katholisch.de\/artikel\/27722-hart-aber-fair-baetzing-uebt-heftige-kritik-an-sterbehilfe-urteil","pathname":"katholisch.de"},{"text":"GOTT von Ferdinand von Schirach, LeOnDigi-Stadtf\u00fchrer \u2013 Tiroler Bildungsinstitut Medienzentrum, 2023","link":"https:\/\/www.tirol.gv.at\/fileadmin\/themen\/bildung\/medienzentrum\/bilder\/12_Ueber_Uns\/digi_stadtfuehrer_update_fruehjahr2023_large_01.pdf","pathname":"tirol.gv.at"}]},{"title":"Legal and Paralegal citations","list":[{"text":"Deutscher Ethikrat, Ph\u00e4nomenologie der Sterbe- und Selbstt\u00f6tungsw\u00fcnsche (Online-Veranstaltung), 17 December 2020","link":"https:\/\/www.ethikrat.org\/fileadmin\/PDF-Dateien\/Veranstaltungen\/anhoerung-17-12-2020-transkription.pdf","pathname":"ethikrat.org"}]}]}