Eltville – In the feature film, they rode into the monastery on mules, and they came to the shoot in the cold winter of 1985/86 in a BMW – by monastery resident Jürgen Bruhn (61).
He drove everyone: Christian Slater (53, “Robin Hood”), Michael Lonsdale (1931-2020, “Moonraker”), Volker Prechtel (1941-1997, “The Odessa Files”), Ron Perlman (72, “Alien “), Fahrid Murray Abraham (83, “Amadeus”), Valentina Vargas (58, “Hellraiser”). From the hotel to the monastery, to the airport, back again to Wiesbaden for sightseeing.
But how did it come about that he was a driver while shooting the film “The name of the Rose” to become? Bruhn: “I lived in a monastery with my parents. I was 23, amateur actor. When I heard about the film, I wanted to be an extra, but I would have had to cut off my long hair for that.”
Jürgen Bruhn at the wheel of the BMW in which he drove everyone. The car belonged to the film company
So the film people asked him if he wanted to be a driver of all stars. Bruhn: “Except for Sean Connery, who had his own driver from Great Britain with him.”
Bruhn with Sean Connery (1930-2020) in Kiedrich with the choir boys
His album, which he has treasured for 38 years, is full of memories. Handwritten thank-you notes, autographs, rosters, when he drove whom, photos.
To the disco with Vargas
He drove Slater and Vargas to the disco. Bruhn: “I always had to play the song ‘Money for Nothing’ by ‘Dire Straits’ on a cassette.” He drove Perlman to the city tour of Wiesbaden or to the airport.
Eberbach Abbey was founded in 1136 and dissolved in 1803. Filming took place in the hospital cellar, lay refectory, cabinet cellar, monks’ dormitory and in the basilica. The film’s location shots show Molina de Aragón in Spain
Bruhn brought Londsdale, Prechtl and Fjodor Fjodorowitsch (1905-1992, “The Executioner of Venice”) to rehearsals of Gregorian chants. Bruhn: “There they practiced for two hours for the film.” There was a football game with the crew: “In the evening Abraham threw a huge party at the Hotel Schwan in Oestrich-Winkel.”
Helmut Qualtinger (1928-1986) in Ebberbach Monastery. The Austrian actor had to pee urgently when driving with Bruhn. So he wanted Bruhn to stop on the hard shoulder of the autobahn
When Connery bruised his shoulder while filming, he was told to make an appointment with the local doctor. Bruhn: “The same day at 12 o’clock. The receptionists shook their heads and said it couldn’t be done. When I said it’s Sean Connery, all doors immediately opened.”
Fyodorovich wanted to buy a nail set in Wiesbaden
There were similar experiences with Fyodorovich. He played the monk with the milky eyes. Bruhn picked up a doctor’s assistant every day, who had to insert the white contact lenses for him. Bruhn also drove him through Wiesbaden: “He said he was there many years ago and had bought a nail set here, which he wants again.”
A thank you letter from Michael Habeck (1944-2011) who plays in the film Berengar by Arundel and is found naked and dead in the monastery
So they both went to the store. Fyodorovich looked worn out from medieval film shooting. Bruhn: “The saleswoman first shows him one for 3.95, then 5.95. Finally the most expensive. Then Fyodorovich pulled out a wad of bills. I will never forget the saleswoman’s eyes when she saw this. She couldn’t believe it.” Because he looked like a clochard.
The film crew with Bruhn (right, yellow jersey) at the football tournament
He also drove the freshly made rolls of film to the train every evening – they were developed in Munich. Bruhn: “I received the box at 5:30 p.m., and the train left Mainz at 5:48 p.m. The film people said we’d all pay the tickets.”
The screenplay shows the pre-drawn scenes in the monastery
Bruhn earned an average of 800 marks per week. But sometimes twice as much. This is how he financed his studies. What remains are the many memories of the big stars…
Bruhn’s bills from the film company for the chauffeur services
If you want to see the film on location, you can do so again in the basilica after a longer break. On September 29th, 30th and October 1st. However, you should secure your tickets early before it is sold out.
The movie trailer “Babylon – intoxication of ecstasy”
And if you pay attention, you will discover in the basilica the hollow backdrop pillar on which stood a figure of Mary to which Slater prayed as the monk Adson von Melk, so that his beloved Vargas, who played a simple village girl, would not be killed by the inquisitor, played by Abraham coming as a witch on the stake.
