Original subtitles

I place this mission in your hands, Mr.Baron von Bunsen.

Find me the best mentor for my daughter's education.

In that case, the only suitable tutor is Georg Sauerwein, without question!

A high recommendation indeed for a man who, as I understand it,

hasn't completed his studies.

You can be the judge of that yourself, Von Roggenbach.

I will have the pleasure of introducing him to you

in London, in a few weeks' time.

In my opinion, it is impossible to find a better tutor!

Duchess Marie, Von Roggenbach.

Mr. Sauerwein.

Your grace.

Here's the lecture room, where all the teaching will take place.

It is next to my room, so I will always be...

...close by, if you ever need help.

Here you can see out into the garden.

It is arranged to give one the impression

of free and open nature.

Princess Elisabeth. Why are you not in your room?

It is too late for lessons now.

I hate that man!

Since I can remember...

I've always been forced to read.

My mother wants me to read at least 60 pages a day.

If I oppose...

For the smallest offences, we were punished severely.

But...after you arrived,

life is more playful.

I am so glad that you are here!

I believe that a people's soul

lies in their language.

That is why it is so important to be allowed

to speak and write in your mother tongue.

If people lose their native language, they lose their souls.

My Duchess.

I am worried about your daughter's future.

You must put a stop to this.

Very good!

You've only made two mistakes!

Here, and here.

Are you finished?

He who made the wonder of the world,

will save us, has saved us.

Carmen, the song, Sylva, the forest wild,

Forth comes the Sylvan song, the woodland's child!

And had I not been born 'neath forest trees,

I would never have heard such songs as these.

It means, 'man from the forest.'

It will be my artist name hereafter.

It matches your artist name.

"Her highly esteemed gracious Majesty...the artist Queen!"

Please do not tease me!

My mother wants to marry me into one of the European royal families.

But I will only marry if I can be Queen of Romania.

But Romania is not a kingdom.

That's exactly it!

I don't want to be married! I'd rather be like you.

Or a writer...or a painter...

Or...

Good evening, Mr. Sauerwein.

Good evening...!

Today, we will concentrate on the great Italian masters...

Gastone.

In Alfredo Germont, my lady,

Behold another, who esteems you:

There are few friends like him.

Thank you, dear Viscount, for so great a pleasure.

Thank you, dear Viscount, for so great a pleasure.

You have probably noticed

that my affections for you

have grown stronger and stronger.

Are these feelings...reciprocated?

The Duchess wished to see me?

Unfortunately, we have to ask you

to leave your position here with us.

What?

Why?

There are too many new impulses for Princess Elisabeth...

...at her young age. You understand?

New impulses?

What do you mean?

Is there something about my teaching I could improve?

I am sorry.

My...counselor and I...

...have made the decision.

And we demand that you leave the castle tomorrow morning.

You cannot do this to me!

Father...

What are you doing here?

Father...

I lost my teaching position.

You lazy, incompetent boy!

You little devil!

Father!

You are going to burn in hell!

Forgive me, father...

Place your doubts in God's hands.

He always has the right answers.

God, our father, is there for us all...

For you...

For you...

And you...

You must do your duty for God and country!

I have my eye on you!

...At the library there are books in almost every language...

...not to mention all the international newspapers!

It makes me feel connected to the world!

Karla August Kocor.

Composer.

What is happening here?

Why are these trees dying?

The trees die if you cut off their branches.

Just as people die if you take their language away.

We Sorbs have almost lost ours.

What do you mean?

What about writing in my language?

Sorbs have little or no written works...

It would be a huge morale boost

if they could read something in Sorbian

and not only in German.

If I could do something for them,

I think it would be based on folk songs...

If I could write poetry that has a purpose,

that would be amazing.

Little tree in the forest, so fresh and green!

Cheeks of my beloved, blooming bright!

Listen...

What do you think of this melody?

Does it fit?

Little tree in the forest, so fresh and green!

Cheeks of my beloved, blooming bright!

Thy spring green is beautiful, o' forest,

Beautiful, o' darling, your rosy bloom,

Snowy and rosy, your flesh bloom.

Now that you have proven

that you can make people proud

of their language and culture,

I challenge you to a nearly impossible task.

Lithuania Minor has an ancient language, but it has almost disappeared.

You probably already know a little Lithuanian?

Yes...

They need you even more than we do...

...Tik tiku, tak taku, my dad was a smith.

He smithed during the day, one plough a day,

Tik tiku, tak taku, one plough a day,

Tik tiku, tak taku, one plough a day.

I anoint you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our Heavenly Father will heal thee in body and soul,

and bless thee with the Holy Spirit,

the spirit of power, joy and peace,

Amen.

Let the children come to me, and hinder them not:

for the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

Why do you preach in German?

Everyone here is Lithuanian.

God does not understand Lithuanian!

The two of us will sway our little child together,

The two of us will sway our little child together.

Georg Sauerwein.

Vilhelmas Storosta Vydunas.

Conductor, and philosopher of life.

Are the parents of this child German?

No.

So...why did the priest speak German?

Because we pay twice as much for baptisms in Lithuanian,

and many cannot afford this!

I become more and more furious with Bismarck and my own people,

and how they oppress the Lithuanians and their language.

Let us forever be Lithuanians.

We are born Lithuanians.

God gave us this honour.

We cannot let this gift perish.

I am ready to represent your interests in the German Reichstag!

In the general elections, I intend to win the right

for Lithuanians to speak their own language.

I do it so children have the right

to learn and speak Lithuanian in school.

To be taught in a language they don't know

puts their minds and progress in grave danger.

A brutal language change leads to

stupidity, and moral destruction!

Nobody has the right to oppress, be it by open or concealed power!

Bismarck is engaged in spiritual rape!

Pig!

Jew!

Barabbas!

Traitor! Gypsy!

Well, you got a lot of the votes,

but you didn't win the election...

What's happened?

I was attacked.

By whom?

I think one of the candidates paid someone to beat me.

"This man will not be satisfied"

"with Lithuanian people merely having church services"

"and schooling in their own language!"

"Georg Sauerwein is a traitor to the German Empire!"

No more politics!

I look with sadness upon my home country,

which becomes stranger to me with each passing day.

Does this country still have a true and happy future?

It seems doubtful.

...We found the pigs in the newly washed linen at Bertine's house.

She was furious!

You should have seen it!

Come and sit next to me, Georg the German!

Thank you, my good man.

I am most grateful for your hospitality.

A rich German farmer would never invite his workers and strangers to his table!

Oh, majestic North. You are forever in my heart.

Good day.

This must be the famous Ivar Aasen, I presume?

Yes, that's me...

My name is Georg Sauerwein.

Finally, we meet!

Yes, well... You are also rather famous!

It seems you travel even more than I do, Mr. Aasen.

Well, I have been collecting samples of almost all the dialects in Norway.

You are the first person to ever write in the Dovre dialect!

I don't suppose anyone else here writes in that dialect?

No, but perhaps they will soon...

How is your work going?

I have finally achieved my goal of creating the new Norwegian language.

You have single-handedly created a new written language,

quite different from the Danish-inspired language we have used thus far.

Yes, now we can write in our own language.

We don't have to write in Danish anymore.

Norwegian is by far the best of all the Germanic languages!

I have written these poems

in order to capture the Dovre dialect's pulse and spirit.

Mr. Aasen, I have learned a lot since last we met.

All languages must be free to thrive and develop.

I give you honour for giving Norway a written language for the dialects,

but don't let it be a hindrance for full linguistic liberation!

Come, let's sing one of your new songs!

It was under the birch trees beside the steep rock,

When the snow was gone, when the leaves had sprung...

It was under the birch trees beside the steep rock,

When the snow was gone, when the leaves had sprung,

And girls with their arrows in the heart shot,

Many a boy tried escaping, but did not succeed.

Mr. Sauerwein, Mr. Sauerwein! A letter for you!

Welcome, my dear friend!

This picture is from Algeria,

where I learned the spoken language in the bazaars.

This one is from my studies in Lapland.

And here I am in a traditional Dovre outfit.

These two have blessed my life up in Norway...

She was so tiny and thoughtful!

We have barely even matured!

As a child, the pupil taught her teacher of an attitude to life,

which was far more important than the other way around.

King Karl.

Allow me to introduce you to my childhood teacher,

Mr. Georg Sauerwein.

Mr. Sauerwein does extraordinary work for minorities.

He fights for all nationalities

to have the right to speak their native language.

What impressive work!

Dearest,

there's someone I must introduce you to...

After thirty years of toil,

my teacher can receive the thanks and praise he deserves.

He overflows with wisdom.

This is a great pleasure for me.

We have decided to give Mr. Sauerwein Romania's highest honour:

The Romanian Grand Cross.

You have done a great service to humanity.