Summary

Lives of Others is set in the Communist-half of a split Germany. The wall divides, poverty abounds, life is harsh. The Central Committee rules with an iron grip through the Ministry of State Security (Stasi) to stunt the bleeding of life to the West. Citizenry is monitored, speech is restricted, art is propaganda. The story is about the lives of two men who never meet: a Stasi agent and the writer he spies on. The writer is a national icon, untainted by treason, and beloved by the highest ranking comrades for his genuine glorification of the revolution. The agent is similarly ideological about the oath he has taken to protect the state and is suspicious of the writer because of his liberal friends. As the agent monitors the writer, he discovers the truth behind his mission: the writer is loved by an actress whom a Central Committee member covets, and the agent is tasked with finding or fabricating seditious evidence against the writer. Unfortunately, the writer seems to be truly sympathetic to the state that has treated him well. The writer's political ambivalence is challenged when an outspoken friend commits suicide because the state has banned him from artistic pursuit. The agent's faith in the state similarly falters as he observes the writer writhing with guilt about the state that had killed his friend but allowed him to flourish. The writer begins to write an anti-state work and the agent begins to anonymously protect him, even as the writer is ultimately betrayed by his girlfriend and the agent loses his career and livelihood in the process. The agent saves the writer from certain death and carries on an impoverished life after the wall falls. In the euphoria of new-found freedom, the writer, who had maintained his luminary literary status, researches his own Stasi file and realises his charmed life has been the result of protection from an unknown benefactor. The writer finds the agent, but does not make contact, instead, he pours himself into his art. Two years later, the agent finds out the writer has dedicated his new book to him, the unknown protector. The work is entitled Sonata to a Good Man, which is identical to the title of the music that the writer's friend had given him before committing suicide, hoping it would urge him to action, which it did, for both the writer and the agent, sending them on a trajectory to risk their lives for the freedom of others.

Love

Will Dreyman and Sieland find love together?

Awaken

Will Wiesler rebel against state oppression?

Save

Will Wiesler be able to save Dreyman?

Lecture

Wiesler teachers Stasi students how to interrogate traitors to the state.

Theater

Grubitz invites Wiesler to a performance of Dreyman's play. Wiesler is suspicious of Dreyman. Hempf asks Grubitz to surveil Dreyman. Hempf rejects Dreyman's request to help Jerska.

Setup

Wiesler sets up shop to spy on Dreyman, threatening the neighbour to keep quiet. Dreyman consoles Jerska, who remains steadfast in his rebellion.

Party

Wiesler spies on Dreyman's birthday party. Dreyman is worried about Jerska.

Cafeteria

Wiesler discovers Hempf is using the operation to try to get rid of Dreyman as a love rival. Grubitz tells him to keep going. Dreyman is worried about Sieland after Hempf forces himself on her. Wiesler hires a prostitute.

Jerska

Jerska commits suicide, Dreyman plays his Sonata for a Good Man, Wiesler is moved. Wiesler leaves a talkative boy alone.

A fork in the road

Wiesler convinces Sieland to go back to Dreyman and reject Hempf.

Rebellion

Dreyman begins to write an article critical of the state. Wiesler fires the rest of the surveillance team and alters his reports to protect Dreyman.

Publication

Dreyman's article is published. Grubitz threatens Wiesler to catch Dreyman. Hempf turns Sieland in, she becomes an agent for the Stasi and fingers Dreyman as the author. Grubitz searches Dreyman's apartment for the typewriter but does not find it.

Betrayal

Grubitz makes Wiesler interrogate Sieland, recognizing him, she reveals the location of the typewriter.

Case closed

Grubitz comes for the typewriter, Dreyman realizes Sieland had betrayed him, she commits suicide. Wiesler assures her he had moved the typewriter as she dies. Grubitz tells Wiesler his career is over, the case is closed.

Theater

Years later, the Wall falls, and Dreyman stops writing. Wiesler is still working in the mailroom. Hempf tells Dreyman he had always been monitored.

Celebration

Dreyman reads his own Stasi file and realizes Wiesler had saved him. Dreyman finds Wiesler but does not talk to him. Dreyman writes again, dedicating Sonata for a Good Man anonymously to Wiesler.