In 1979/80 a German school class sent out the following questionnaire. The first twenty six questions were asked of all the respondents; the last six questions, the so-called Personal Questionnaire, were formulated individually for each participant in the survey. What follows are Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s responses to these questions (the annotations are my own).
Do you find it difficult not to feel like an outsider in a group of people you don't know?
Depends on the group. In most of them, yes.
Do you consider it likely that there could be an evolutionary regression that would take us back to a very primitive stage of existence?
No.
Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrial beings?
Yes.
How do you picture your old age?
I don't expect to experience it.
What do you think of Christmas without a Christmas tree?
People who have been brought up so hypocritically that they need such symbols should just be left alone until we have a society where such things aren't necessary anymore.
How do you react to negative criticism?
Positively.
What party game do you like best?
The Truth Game. (1)
What do you think about the hostility toward children in the Federal Republic?
There is a larger problem, that of people who have been showered with too much fake love, and thereby help to preserve society in its present form.
Do you see the mentally ill as a burden to our society?
In our society there's no one who isn't mentally ill.
Do you find it difficult to show your feelings uninhibitedly to someone close to you?
No.
Under what conditions would you be prepared to make a great sacrifice?
For love.
In time of personal crisis, would you consult a psychiatrist or a psychologist?
Certainly.
What degree have you earned?
None.
Would you be willing to adopt a handicapped child?
No. (2)
Do you think other people like you?
I make it so hard for other people to like me that only a few are left.
Do you look forward to the future, or do you approach it with pessimism?
That's not an issue for me.
Who is your hero, and why?
Heinrich von Kleist, because he succeeded in finding someone who wanted to die with him.
Were you brought up in an authoritarian way? If so, do you regret it?
No.
When and why were you last embarrassed?
I'm always embarrassed when a person in uniform looks at me.
What does your self-confidence rest on?
On my skill.
What do you consider most important in a relationship between partners?
Constantly reexamining the values on which the partnership is based.
Do you see nuclear energy plants as a threat?
No.
Do you allow yourself to be influenced by other people's moods?
Depends on the moods.
What do you think is needed for a perfect Sunday morning?
Caviar, champagne, the Eighth Symphony of Mahler, "radio activity" by Kraftwerk, the Sunday Bild paper, a book so exciting you don't want it to end, a friend, a good friend, and the possibility of unplugging the phone.
In your experience, what trait or what kind of behavior has turned out to be particularly helpful in establishing contact with others?
I can't answer that like a normal person; for me it's my so-called prominence.
Are your television plays based on true happenings?
There aren't any true happenings. The true is the artificial.
Do you allow yourself to be influenced by others in your choice of a topic, or do you pick everything for yourself?
From the moment you make up your mind not to live on a desert island you no longer pick everything for yourself.
What party do you vote for in the Bundestag elections?
I don't vote anymore.
Do you believe in the things you show in your films?
Yes.
Do you like to play sports, and if yes, which ones?
Table tennis, swimming, faire l'amour.
How do you visualize your professional and private future?
There isn't any past, there isn't any present, so there isn't any future, either.
(1) There is a “Truth Game” in Fassbinder’s film, Chinese Roulette, though he could be referencing another Truth Game entirely.
(2) This is simply to acknowledge that some readers might have reacted in shock to this statement, a shock that, in many ways, both denies and privatizes the challenges of caring for persons who require continuous assistance and whose independence takes different forms than that of the abled. It is aberrant that people who are incapable of caring for disabled children are permitted to adopt them, just as it is aberrant to live in a country where disabled parents and children do not receive extensive subsidies and support from their government. And it is aberrant to believe that anyone should ever be forced to birth, raise, or adopt a child against their will and inclination.