Vice-Lieutenant Charles Eismayer from the Guards was long regarded as a tough instructor. He later came out of the closet and married his former conscript. His life can now be seen in the movie “Eismayer”. Militär Aktuell spoke to the retired soldier.
Mr. Vice Lieutenant, how does it feel to have your life made into a movie?
Shit! (laughs) Normally, only the stories of famous people or deceased personalities are made into films – and neither is the case for me. When I saw the movie for the first time, I was shocked by all the strong language. But my comrades said: “That’s you!” But I’m still pleased because the film contains the core message that the armed forces need to open up on the subject of homosexuality. Young soldiers today must be able to come out without any problems in every unit and every company.
You have a reputation for having been an extremely strict instructor. Why is that?
I spent a long time with the hunting squad, completed the basic course and worked as an instructor. Despite your low rank, you enjoy a lot of authority among the trainees there – some of whom are even officers. I maintained the attitude that “only performance counts” during my time with the Landwehrstammregiment 21 and the Guards. I never cared what the fathers of the recruits were, even if they might have included a general.
How difficult was it for you to come out in the barracks?
I squirmed inside for a long time. But after Mario (note: husband Major Falak) came out at the military academy, I naturally followed suit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vab0XGlsgwg
What did your comrades say and how did they react?
What can happen to a vice lieutenant? Nobody could pee on my leg anymore. The outing was a positive success! Some people already suspected it, but no one said it. It certainly made my everyday life and work a lot easier, as I no longer had to hide when Mario came to pick me up. And I didn’t have to put anything away at home when I had visitors. I should have come out much earlier, because you waste far too much time waiting forever.
How much of the plot corresponds to reality and how much is fiction?
I often met the director beforehand and we chatted for many hours. He said that the story couldn’t be filmed 1:1 because the audience also wants to be entertained. But around 80 percent of the movie is real. The marriage proposal on the Vienna Ferris wheel never happened because we got engaged in Dubai. But that wasn’t possible in the movie for budget reasons. The fall into the stream on the Seetaler Alpe didn’t happen either. Mario wouldn’t have reacted like that because he’s brave. And I never masturbated in the barracks. “Eismayer” by director David Wagner, with Gerhard Liebmann (as Charles Eismayer), Luka Dimic (Mario Falak) and Julia Koschitz (Christina Eismayer). Austria 2022, 87 minutes.
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