a penal system reform, but the representative is unswayed. Steinau asks Helene to divorce Sommer and marry him, but she refuses. Marquis is released, and Sommer shortly after him. Marquis is briefly seen by the river with another man, happily commenting that Sommer got out today. The other man cynically responds that he could make a good deal of money if Sommer is rich, to which Marquis takes offense and walks away. Though not spelled out, the suggestion is that one could use Paragraph 175 (the German law against homosexual acts) to blackmail Sommer, in the same way that it is used against Paul Körner in Different from the Others. Sommer goes home, where his wife is happy to see him, and he is happy to be free, but confesses he no longer loves her. Helene thinks he has found out about Steinau, but when she mentions him, he knows nothing of it. It is at that point that there is a knock at the door and Helene opens it to find Marquis with a bouquet of flowers come to see Sommer. Helene then figures it all out. Sommer, now even more depressed, sends him away. He leaves the flowers on the newelpost in the hallway while offering his apologies to Helene, who sees him out. Going back inside, she sees Sommer eyeing the gas valve on the heater. He tells her he cannot go on living and urges her to leave, but she will not. He turns on the gas and together, they both die. External links 1928 films German LGBT-related films German silent feature films German black-and-white films Films of the Weimar Republic Films directed by William Dieterle 1920s LGBT-related films 1920s German films