Hulda, Dr. Posse and the doll

Kokoschka noted in his autobiography that Hulda's imagination attracted his attention. Dr. Posse would lend Hulda to OK for a few hours to assist when OK would receive visitors. And as we know from the script, Hulda (called Reserl) would wear a french maid's outfit only when she worked for OK.

Kokoschka notes in his autobiography that he "had an aversion to men" (116), and Reserl would often send people away, saying: "the Captain is in bed, thinking" (116).

Dr. Posse was agreeable to the idea of the doll coming to live in his home. Reserl helped with the fantasy game with the doll. Reserl and OK called her the Silent Woman, and Reserl was commissioned to spread rumors about the doll. For instance, she worked at telling people that OK had rented a box at the opera to show her off.

Kokoschka writes about an event in which he held a big, formal party for the doll. He even had musicians come and play for the event. Reserl participated in parading the doll around the party. Everyone at the party was drunk and by the end of the night, the doll ended up headless and drenched in red wine. The police arrived the next day because of a report that a "bloody," headless body was lying in the front yard. Dr. Posse spoke to the police and helped to smooth everything over. Kokoschka was ultimately only charged with causing a public nuisance (118). OK notes at the end of this chapter that in those days in Dresden, he could get away with anything (118).

All of this information was taken from:
Kokoschka, Oskar. My Life. Trans. David Britt. New York: Macmillan, 1974.