Satan’s Brew

Satan’s Brew

Year: 1976

Runtime: 113 mins

Language: German

Director: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

DramaComedy

A celebrated poet, stuck in a two‑year creative drought, begins to unwittingly reproduce the verses of Stefan George. As his tangled personal life unravels—filled with multiple mistresses, a clueless brother, and a looming murder investigation—he is forced to confront the origins of his work and the chaos surrounding him.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Satan’s Brew (1976)

Trace every key event in Satan’s Brew (1976) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Financial downward spiral begins

Walter Kranz, once hailed as a revolutionary poet, struggles with debt and writer's block. His bank account is overdrawn, his publisher refuses an advance, and creditors loom. The pressure of money pushes the story into motion.

Walter's home
2

Irmgard's fatal roleplay

Irmgard von Witzleben writes him a check, but during a dark roleplay with a gun Walter shoots her. The act shatters the illusion of romance and triggers a police inquiry. The incident marks the onset of Walter's moral decline.

Walter's apartment
3

Idea for a prostitute tale

Walter decides to write about a prostitute and interviews Lana von Meyerbeer. The interview becomes intimate as he yields to temptation. Luise complains that Walter has not slept with her in seventeen days, highlighting their strained marriage.

Walter's home
4

Alibi inquiry and repossession

A policeman asks for Walter's alibi regarding Irmgard's supposed murder, casting suspicion on him. Meanwhile movers arrive to repossess their furniture, underscoring their rapid financial collapse. The couple confronts a future defined by debt and deception.

Walter's apartment
5

Lisa provides an alibi

Walter visits his mistress Lisa, whose husband is indifferent to the affair. Lisa agrees to supply an alibi, helping Walter evade police scrutiny. The encounter deepens the web of complicating relationships surrounding him.

Lisa's residence
6

Andrée enters the household

Andrée, who has long written to Walter, moves in with him, Luise and Ernst. She offers her savings and unwavering devotion, becoming a focus of Walter's new social scheme. Ernst rapes Andrée in the coal cellar at Walter's suggestion, exposing the group's cruelty.

Walter's house (coal cellar)
7

Walter plagiarizes and reads to followers

Walter writes a poem and plagiarizes from Stefan George. He uses Andrée's money to tailor a suit and wear a wig, presenting himself as a serious artist. The readings turn into a cult of personality around his inflated self.

Walter's reading space
8

Audience vanishes; Urs and disciple remain

Andrée's savings run out, and Walter's audience stops returning since he is paying them to attend. Only Andrée remains loyal, joined by a young man named Urs who promises to bring his brother. The fragile artistic enterprise teeters on collapse.

Walter's reading space
9

Cruising and disillusionment

Desperate for inspiration and money, Walter goes cruising in a public toilet and meets a gigolo. He cannot go through with sex, and the gigolo cannot help with his readings. Walter declares Stefan George dead as his grip on reality falters.

Public toilet (cruising spot)
10

Visit to aging parents and revelation

Walter visits his aging parents to extract their meager funeral savings. Andrée discovers that their wealth and education were only a pretence. The revelation shocks Andrée and deepens her disillusionment with Walter.

Walter's parents' home
11

Creative revival and Lana confrontation

With the crisis easing, Walter resumes writing and reads to Andrée and Urs. Money remains a problem, so he confronts Lana again to extract savings through coercion. Lana's protectors beat him in front of Andrée, shattering her faith in him.

Lana's apartment
12

Publication and Luise's hospitalization

Walter finishes his book No Celebration for the Führer's Dead Dog and the publisher approves, praising its power and size. He returns home to find Luise hospitalized, and he has neglected her health. When he arrives with the two remaining disciples, Luise has already died.

Home and hospital
13

The confrontation and shooting

Walter calls the policeman to accuse Ernst of Irmgard's murder. Ernst overhears and shoots Walter with a real gun; Walter collapses. The policeman arrives with Irmgard, who pretends to be dead, and the gun turns out to be blanks.

Walter's apartment
14

The final twist and laughter

Irmgard pours a bucket of water on Walter and helps him stand. Walter asks if this is paradise, and the policeman and Irmgard laugh as they realize the prank. Walter joins in the laughter, ending the scene with a strange sense of release.

Walter's apartment

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 12:32

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Satan’s Brew Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Satan’s Brew

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