The Physicists by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Short summary

5 seconds

Finding his discoveries dangerous, the physicist Mebius destroyed them and declared himself insane. But his discoveries were copied by the mistress of the asylum. Now she will rule the world.

1 minute

The madhouse, under the direction of Dr. Matilde von Zand, houses three physicists. They are a scientist who calls himself Newton, a physicist who thinks he is Einstein, and Mebius. «Einstein» and «Newton» murder their sitters. Some time later, Mebius commits the same crime.

«Einstein» and «Newton» confess to Mebius that they are physicists working for the secret service. Their task is to persuade the scientist to work for them. But the physicist explains that his discoveries are dangerous to mankind and he destroys his works.

The scientist declares himself insane. Mebius convinces the physicists to tell their intelligence services that he is indeed insane.

Matilda von Zand appears. She tells him that all of Mebius’ conversations have been recorded, all of his discoveries copied. The physicist has given up world domination, and the world will now be ruled by von Zand.