Original subtitles

PREVIOUSLY

The SS are here, looking for Father.

- Where's your husband? - I don't know.

- That's undermining military morale. - Father, they're shooting her!

Have you seen my party membership book?

You have character and soul. I've always felt that.

- I'm getting married. - Who'd have a cripple like you?

- Are you a murderer too? - No one knew what would come.

So how did Mother know? I don't believe you!

The Russians are taking over Tannbach. We must leave soon.

Search the house!

- Where are they taking you? - Whatever happens, stay on the estate.

Anna, I think better times are coming. Fairer times.

Do you really believe that?

Every private property over 100 hectares is

- expropriated without compensation. - I'm not leaving! This is my home!

What are you doing?

We need building materials. Your sons need a house too.

Ours!

Did you really think you could lie to me and take my land?

Lothar and I will build you the most beautiful house.

- Just like the Nazis. - They're Nazis and they deserve this.

You're hiding the Striesow girl here. I can punish you for that.

Is that what you really want?

The border between Bavaria and Thuringia actually runs along here.

Right through the village.

Are we to divide Tannbach like Berlin?

- They're closing the border tomorrow. - I'm not leaving. This is my home.

GERMANY

LINE OF SEPARATION

MY LAND, YOUR LAND

JUNE, 1948

Lothar!

Thanks.

For you, any time!

Why doesn't anyone sleep here any more?

- Did Lothar barter that? - I wanted one.

- Coming back to bed? - I must muck out the stable.

Muck out the stable! You can do that later.

Stay a while.

I can't.

Duty calls.

I hate you being at others' beck and call.

See you in a minute.

Best of luck.

- Come, children. Hurry! - Yes, Dad.

Two more eggs, Administrator?

- Do you have everything? - Off we go, then.

More?

Your house is becoming a stop-off for defectors to the West.

This is a guest house.

We must make sure people stay here. Or there will be trouble.

From who, Konrad? From you?

We live in a free country.

Where my guests come from or go to isn't my business.

Quickly!

Excellent shooting, Border Guard Imhoff!

The Bavarian Border Police is proud to induct you into its ranks.

- Congratulations. - Thank you, Lieutenant Fichte.

Border Guards, prepare to depart!

Let them through.

Papers.

ID.

I brought you socks,

ham,

and schnapps.

- Razor blades. - Excellent!

Anna complains that Friedrich's chin is too scratchy.

I got in!

Now we'll keep those communists busy!

Next time you can escort me!

- Erwin, couldn't you have failed him? - Sorry, Cilly. He's my best man.

A great marksman. Lothar!

You must take something across for your mother.

Thanks.

Now let's celebrate.

Don't walk around barefoot, Christa. You'll just catch a cold.

Where's Mummy? Is no one looking after her?

Let go of my child at once.

We don't want her French toes catching a cold

and infecting my grandson. There...

Just take care of your bastard. We don't want her coming to harm.

Did you two argue again?

I'll have a word with him.

Talking isn't going to help.

Theresa...

- Theresa. - Hello, Countess. Is your husband in?

Georg, can you come here, please?

It's been a long time. Any news of Anna?

I found this.

Things can't go on like this.

Anna must be told. Without fail. Do you hear?

At last, we have something on Schober.

You promised me this was all over.

I've waited years for evidence like this. His number's up at last!

Last year in Thuringia alone,

over 150,000 illegal border crossings were reported.

- Now border police numbers... - ... are up to 5,000. I'm involved.

- But we must crack down on it! - That won't solve the problem.

Do we want Germans shooting Germans? Or women and children?

We're building a fair, socialist German state.

No more war. Get it into your twisted, Nazi, administrator head!

I'm not a Nazi.

You joined the Nazi Party at the outset.

Now it's the Socialist Unity Party.

Come on in! Our new order can withstand these candid discussions.

- Isn't that right, Herrmann? - People can change.

Think about that, Comrade Werner.

Close the door.

I can't stand those small-minded, obsessive clerks.

- What is it, Friedrich? - We'll miss our planned target again.

We have no seed, no tractors, not a single head of cattle.

- Anna and I are doing all we can. - We're all doing what we can.

The problem is the lots are too small.

And the currency collapse has made the loans worthless.

10,000 new farmers have given back their land.

Only medium-sized farms are succeeding. If they fail now too...

- That can't be the way forward. - Which is why we must change course.

OK.

What can I do?

Sit down.

Herrmann's right about one thing.

We can't let people leave in their thousands.

We must change that.

You Erlers too.

I know your brother is keeping you afloat,

but his barter trade is illegal. And it's prohibited, you know that.

It benefits them, but it harms us. Do you understand?

Of course. But everyone has survived by bartering for years.

There's too much of it. We must end it.

Tell Lothar that.

Remember, it's not about him. It's about what we're doing.

Fine. I'll see to it.

If you like, you can start work any time at People-Owned Property

and work for me.

Thanks, Marta.

- Bye. - Bye.

Hello.

It's been so busy today.

First Resi came, then Anna, then someone from the authorities.

He said we must keep a list of everything we sell.

And it can only be from here.

From our zone? What is there to sell?

They made an offer to Hubert. We're supposed to join the party.

The SDP or something. Whatever the new one's called.

Lisa, it's called the SUP.

I couldn't care less who they are. They've never done anything for us.

Hello.

Ah, Rosa.

This is from Erwin. He's thinking of you and would love another goulash.

- Take care! - Erwin.

That border goes right through the village!

I don't even like looking outside now. It makes me so sick.

- Hello, Hilde. - Anna, hello.

Theresa came by. Father's pressing charges against Schober.

I'm going to testify at the tribunal.

We need you and your testimony.

Do you remember what it was like with Schober?

I remember it well.

Every single word.

Hello.

Chocolate for Anna and marzipan for my favourite brother.

- Lothar, this has to stop. - What?

It's smuggling and it's illegal.

- The Administrator said... - The Administrator! It's for us!

- How will you survive without me? - I'm talking about us too!

You're putting us in danger. Don't you see?

I must go across.

They're putting Schober on trial.

De-nazification! In 1948!

This can't be for real!

The Russians are the enemy. For the Americans too.

Not the ones who did their duty back then.

Tribunal! In the district town! It's laughable!

But I swear to you,

when I find out who it was, I'll kill him.

I'll kill him.

He needs a good character reference from us.

Everyone knows he was a Nazi, you said so yourself.

Theresa, we are a family. We stick together.

There's no two ways about it. Just do it.

So when will you ask me if you can go across to testify?

I don't need to ask you, Konrad.

I only need to ask my conscience.

Wish me luck.

I'm so scared of losing her.

I don't know if I'll ever be good enough for her.

What if she stays over there with her father?

Banning what scares you won't stop it from happening.

You can't change people.

And if you want me to live here with you, you must accept me as I am.

She loves you. She'll be back.

I have a party membership book here.

Quiet please! Issued to one Franz Hubert Schober,

a party member since 1929.

Is this yours, Mr Schober?

How did you get that?

The list of people he informed against is also there.

Do you know who that is?

It's Striesow. The fine Count. A deserter!

- You killed my wife. - You betrayed your fellow men!

You're responsible! That's why you're here!

You betrayed the Fatherland!

- Calm down! - I'm warning you, Mr Schober.

Take your seat again.

I joined the Party in 1929.

It's true, but nobody, I say nobody, could...

Sit down!

...could have known what that criminal regime would do.

Here are some statements from my daughter-in-law and her parents,

and from those who remember what I did for them as farming chairman.

I have a good name.

Wagner, did I warn you that the Gestapo were looking for you,

for ignoring the drafting order.

Yes, it's true.

If that's a crime, then I plead guilty.

You are guilty.

Whitewash references can be bought on the black market for some cigarettes.

Then let's hear the witnesses. Is Mrs Anna Erler present?

- Yes, Chairman. - Please give us your testimony.

Franz Schober was a fanatic Nazi.

He bullied the whole village. He denounced people to the Nazis.

He did that before the war, according to the list.

You're not being asked. Mrs Erler...

He believed in the final victory until the end.

And he set the SS officer Vöckler on my family.

- That's who shot my mother. - I had nothing to do with the SS.

Did you witness that order being given?

No, but Vöckler's mother did. She was going to come today.

Where is Mrs Vöckler? Is she present?

- She should be here by now. - Clearly she isn't.

But she witnessed it.

"Deserting is undermining military morale."

"You must make an example." That's what he told Vöckler.

Quiet.

The Court will retire to consider its verdict.

Thank you.

Do you do the bookkeeping yourself?

Who sent you here? You work for the Land Administrator.

In theory, yes. In practice, things are changing.

The new security headquarters in Berlin

is keen to track long-standing ties in sensitive border regions.

What do you mean?

Your close relationship with Franz Schober, former Nazi Party member.

That was over long ago! I was about to testify against him at the tribunal.

That will achieve nothing. You're considered prejudiced.

You two have a son who joined the SS.

What's that got to do with it? What does my son have to do with it?

I just need your trade licence now.

Close your guest house down, or I will have it closed.

Goodbye, Mrs Vöckler.

We find that the accused, Franz Hubert Schober, was a follower.

It is the view of this Court, based on the documents presented

and on testimonies, that Schober was only nominally involved in Nazism.

Pending a special contribution to the Reparations Fund of 500 Reichsmarks,

the case is dismissed.

Anna, wait a minute!

I don't know why Hilde didn't come. She gave me her word that she would.

They'll have stopped her at the border.

No, something has happened.

This is just typical!

They say the West is crawling with Nazis,

and when somebody can get convicted, they put a spanner in the works!

They're fascist communists.

- Would you like bread and butter? - No, thank you.

I'm so glad.

He tells me so much about you.

- And here she is. - Yes.

Maybe it's a beginning.

- Beginning of what? - We have so much space here.

- The house is too big for us. - Father, my life is over there.

How can you go back there willingly?

It's not all bad.

It's just slower than capitalism, where money is no object.

Anna, that's not true. It'll fall apart over there.

I believe the world must become better for everyone.

So? Is everything better here?

We just found that out in court.

Thanks.

- Hello, Anna. - Thanks, Werner. Friedrich!

I'm glad you're back.

They released him.

I heard.

Here.

You look exhausted.

Let's go home.

Norbert, there are two Russians on our side again.

- We must go and see what's up. - Walter, fancy a beer?

On alert! There are two Russians raiding the West.

They're robbing our people again, Arne. Maybe see you later.

Damn! We must make sure there's no shooting.

Let's cross into the West and bring the Russians back.

Why are they shooting?

Some training exercise. The militarists.

Easy!

I bought him. Inter-zone.

My brother forbade me from going across.

He can't replace Tassilo, but maybe this fine specimen makes you happy.

I'd rather have got three tickets south.

- This will be worthless tomorrow. - Are you mad? What's gotten into you?

The Deutschmark comes out tomorrow. But not for us.

They've pushed the currency reform through?

They want to break us.

No! We're completely irrelevant to our lot and to their lot.

They'll just let us croak.

Good boy!

- He's lovely. - What will you call him?

- Lothar? - Lothar... It's a Lothar.

Hello.

Did you think they'd convict him? The man with a finger in every pie?

I made a mess of it, Cilly.

My daughter's over there. My land is over there.

I'm cooped up here and they won't let me go across.

And who cares? No one. Anna doesn't either.

But...

I can wait. It can't last much longer.

- I didn't mean to. - Walter, what happened?

Sit down first.

He killed someone.

I thought he was a Russian.

We were trained to take out Russians.

One shot, to the neck, and done.

Arne.

Arne? Arne from school?

It was an accident.

The first few times we drowned ourselves in alcohol.

Either you'll die, my boy, or you'll survive. It's that simple.

Come home.

CLOSED

Why are you closed?

Here. Potato soup. It tastes good cold too.

What has happened?

They shoot my family.

They stop me working at Cilly's because of the damn border.

And now that gnome Hermann comes and forces me to close my guest house.

And you?

What do you do?

You're the Land Administrator.

How can a mean little Nazi do that with you?

- How do you know he's a Nazi? - They're all Nazis here.

Were. Everyone. Me too.

We believed, Konrad.

We kept our mouths shut and obeyed. And what has changed?

Now we obey Stalin and the Party.

- You don't want to understand. - No. I don't understand.

The revanchists shot one of us today. He was 22.

Revanchists, imperialists, capitalists, communists.

All agents, traitors, saboteurs.

Who's who? Germans shooting Germans! That's how far we've come!

- Hilde! - And what about me? It disgusts me.

Morning, Comrade Werner.

Herrmann, in light of your wilful actions on the Hellinger farm,

you will return to Berlin. Today. That's an order.

And never let me set eyes on you again.

The disgraceful murder by capitalist stooges

of a soldier in his youth

who defended our new democratic order is grossly unjust.

Our response can only be to say:

sow wind, and you shall reap storm.

I will fight by your side.

ATTENTION! ZONE BORDER

FOUR YEARS LATER JUNE 4th, 1952

All men to border security. Get in the truck.

- Quickly! - How will we meet our yield target?

- That's nothing to do with me! - We need to keep working here.

- Come on. Move it. - What? We're not border guards.

- Guard it from who? We're farmers. - Shut the tailboard.

Move on out!

Liesbeth!

Hello! I'm so glad you came.

- We can't wait for the christening. - They tried to stop me at the border.

But I made it.

This is Felix. Look, Felix. That's your grandma.

And you're Felix. You're so big already, so big.

- Thanks, Marta, see you tomorrow. - You're welcome.

I think he's hungry.

- Let's go inside. - He looks like Friedrich.

But he has your lovely eyes. Ah, my darling.

You have lots of luggage!

It's all presents for you. I just have spare undies.

We get the farm machines on loan.

They're at our disposal at the machine depot.

As long as you're happy.

- How are my two new farmers? - I run the farm.

I see.

Friedrich works for the Administrator.

Did he have to join the Communist Party?

Yes.

- And Lothar? - He often works over there.

That's allowed? I don't understand why you're all up in arms here then.

There were so many police checks on the way here.

I don't understand why they made that border. It's one country.

- You have no idea, Liesbeth. - Really? Why?

Everyone is scared of another war. May I?

What war, Anna?

People want to live, be happy, eat, go shopping, make their fortune...

I don't think anyone will turn up for a war.

Who puts it in your heads?

I brought you something.

I hope you like it.

Is that for me?

- Will you try it on? - Liesbeth, it's beautiful.

- Did you make it? - Yes. Try it on! I can fit it later.

Border guards,

your task is to prevent saboteurs,

spies and SS bandits from infiltrating the German Democratic Republic.

You will prevent border crossings by any means.

Use weapons if necessary. Do you understand?

Yes, sir!

Take combat positions. One man every 50 metres. Move it!

You will clear a strip 10 metres wide along the border running here.

- Grab tools and get to work, men. - What? The whole forest?

We're not doing that! That would be disgraceful.

This will all be gone by this evening! That's an order!

Get to work!

Comrades,

here you can see the control strip.

It's 10 metres wide and it's being cleared,

ploughed, raked, and no one is allowed to enter it under any circumstances.

Behind it is a 500 metre protective zone.

It, too, is absolutely out of bounds.

I've heard the Americans are digging trenches. Is it true?

That may be a rumour.

But they are provoking us. Every day.

They have shot down Stalin's offers of a unified, neutral Germany

and have instead formed the European Defence Community

as a military alliance against us.

Hey, you! Watch out!

Damn it, you can't do this! This is Fichte's property, isn't it?

No, it's Bräuer's, the mayor's. But he left last week.

The wood belongs to the state now.

It won't grow back in 50 years!

Timber!

Next to the protective zone is a 5-km-wide restricted zone.

Tannbach is here. Right on the demarcation line.

Which we'll have heavily guarded, to make any infiltration by...

by enemy forces into GDR territory... To make it impossible.

- Comrade Werner! - Comrade.

Thanks.

I am Party Secretary Seiler.

Comrades, regarding Operation Vermin,

this is no longer just a Party matter,

but also one of the Ministry for State Security,

the People's Police and the Border Police.

The Ministry representative in charge is High Commissioner Adolf Herrmann.

Good day.

Some of you already know me, and I'm very glad to be back.

Main objective for now is to secure the border in the restricted zone.

We won't tear down Tannbach, although it's right on the border.

In line with Order 38/52 and the 26th of May decree,

besides securing the border, we will also crack down

on spies, saboteurs, state enemies, and vermin in our border area.

Border crossers and smugglers in particular pose a threat

to anti-fascist, democratic order.

They and their families will be expelled

or forcibly resettled.

Stop. Get down.

All clear.

Come on. Keep going.

Quickly, kids.

Careful.

What are you doing over there? Building fortifications, or what?

We're protecting ourselves from your superiority and your fascists.

Yes, and your damn communists.

Come on. But you're still my friend.

Come across and we'll open a ham and sausage shop.

Maybe not ham and sausage, but we'll find something.

- See you later. - Take care of them.

We did it. Come on.

Comrade Werner, good luck.

Operation Vermin? That's pure Nazi language.

Now Herrmann of all people is a lieutenant with State Security?

Opportunists are the obedient servants of power.

I hate grovellers like that.

How can you let someone like him return?

Where are the socialists and democrats to come from then?

Your mother's here.

- Mrs Erler! - Hello, Land Administrator.

From America?

Hello, Mrs Erler.

- Are they really mobilising? - What will they mobilise them with?

With pitch forks and hay carts?

Soon we'll expand our little carpentry workshop, Sonja.

We'll buy everything that they chop down over there.

- No one will sell to you. - But to Günther, the wood merchant.

He knows them all. Every German housewife dreams of a new kitchen.

And they'll get one.

Damn!

Everything's going wrong today.

Because you weren't prepared for your mother?

I don't know if I can make it. It will be difficult.

That Grotewohl has issued an order for the whole border region.

- He's head of the People's Police. - You needn't go on.

I won't do that to my father. I haven't seen him for 4 years.

And whatever I think of him, Felix is his grandson.

I want him baptised and to have a faith, if I can't go to mass any more.

- Hello, Greta. - Hello.

Liesbeth thinks it's all propaganda anyway.

Oh yeah? It's not propaganda. They're boosting their forces.

Who is?

Your people or our enemies?

- Is Felix asleep? - I put him to bed.

- Hello, Friedrich. - Mother.

My boy!

God, I've missed you!

I was longing to see you.

Is that why you never came?

- I wrote. - He's... We're glad to see you.

- Here's to you, Liesbeth. - Thanks.

What about my letters? You never replied.

Well, you must have been too candid about socialism.

I see.

It doesn't matter.

Thank you for inviting me to the christening.

- I'm so glad you did. - We're glad you came.

Operation Vermin. Fighting smugglers, saboteurs, terrorists.

Forced resettlement.

How do you like my dress? You haven't told me yet.

Very practical for our life here.

You're being unfair. She was so looking forward to seeing us.

- She's spent a fortune on us. - I know.

She's just too much for me.

This Operation Vermin affects us directly. Lothar, you and me.

- We're in danger, don't you get it? - Every week it's something else.

We're not postponing the christening. Sort it out.

- But that's not the point. - Then what is?

- Lothar and his smuggling. - You're to keep your mouth shut here.

- I'm so bad at that. - I want my father to come.

You know, in New York it's irrelevant what you believe or think,

whether you're Jewish or Catholic, or have a button on your cheek.

You'd like it there.

I promised I'd stay with him.

You're both so German.

Do they argue often?

No, not really.

I see. Like with us. He wants to save the world, she wants a life together.

Mr Erler! Come here, please.

Just so you're informed as well.

The following persons must vacate their homes within 48 hours:

Lothar Erler, Liesbeth Erler...

Why is my family on this list?

- What does it have to do with us? - Show me.

Lothar, Anna, my son, even my mother, and she's only visiting.

I wasn't shown this list.

Is it because of the christening? For holding it over there?

My wife wants to go to her church. My mother's come from America.

- I'll kill that Herrmann! - You wait here!

Gentlemen, this list never existed. Do I make myself clear?

This is the work of a total amateur.

- Do you want to resettle them all? - Why?

This list was compiled using data from the passport

and registration office, and the criminal and uniformed police.

And the Stasi.

Half of Tannbach is on the list. Are you beyond salvation?

Do you want to erase the whole village?

Hilde Vöckler, suspicious due to negative attitude.

Meaning what exactly?

Kinship with reactionaries in the West.

And Anna Erler?

Comrade Werner, please. She was born a Striesow.

Her father was a big landowner and is now at large 2km away in the West.

She's an Erler. Anna Erler is a competent new farmer.

And is her mother-in-law an agent with the CIA?

- I don't know. - And the baby?

That's kin liability, Herrmann. Himmler introduced that.

Extermination, to the last family member. Is that what you want?

You're walking on very, very thin ice.

You too, Comrade Werner.

The best villains in all the land are still informers.

See you tomorrow at the District Committee.

No way.

I don't want to see that list again.

- Well? - Come into my office.

Forget the list. He'll have to answer to the District Committee tomorrow.

Thank you.

- The christening. - The border passes.

You have 3 hours to get there and back.

If you're one minute late, you're illegal border crossers.

The decree says that they and their families are to be forcibly resettled.

Then I can't do anything for you.

Come, I'll show you something.

Lisa, you must drink something. Here. I promised Resi.

- Hello, Lisa. How are you? - Hello, Anna.

- Lovely dress. - Thanks. Isn't it any better?

The christening is tomorrow. I need chocolate icing.

You're in luck. I have some here.

- Do you know what they're doing? - No.

Konrad told me to go to his. About a resettlement order.

What resettlement order?

I thought you might know through Friedrich.

He mentioned some border decree.

Ask the Land Administrator. You two are...

Friends, yes.

Thanks. Bye, Lisa.

1,378 kilometres.

From the Bay of Lübeck in the north to Czechoslovakia in the south.

It'll be a gigantic protective bulwark.

We have to, so we can establish socialism undisturbed,

or we'll end up like Korea.

I haven't had scrambled eggs and fried potatoes for ages.

The worst thing is the homesickness.

So far away, constantly thinking of home,

without knowing what it is any more.

What about you? Are you in love?

- What kind of work do you do? - German-to-German trade.

Anna and Friedrich are my family now, since you left us.

I didn't leave you. I couldn't stand it here and you wouldn't come.

You still left us.

And he's never understood that.

The Land Administrator isn't here.

Yes. I'll tell him, Mrs Vöckler. You're waiting in the co-op.

Goodbye.

- So, what's been happening? - Mrs Vöckler was here.

She waited all that time for you.

Did she say anything?

No.

By the way, von Striesow got his hands on everything.

He used a front man. That Günther.

- Sorry, who did what? - I'll take care of it.

I could barely survive in the beginning.

At times, I had no money to pay the rent.

Bit by bit, I started getting jobs from Americans, and Germans too.

Interesting people. Scientists, artists. It almost felt like home.

- Hearty people can make it there. - This is comfy. Want to try?

Why don't you two come and visit? Look at that terrible capitalism.

Because people are different.

Because Friedrich and I have other ideals. Can't you accept that?

I'm still glad you're here.

Goodnight.

What happened here?

We'll put it in the barn tomorrow.

8 years.

No...

It's 7 years ago. We cried and cried and ranted at dear God.

And now he's back,

from the war we should never have lost.

But we'll patch him up again, our Gustl.

He needs some proper food, then he'll be fine.

And what's this? My furniture, my things! Where will the children live?

He got upset.

It was always his room. You must understand that.

And he's right.

Easy now. Everything's fine.

Everything's fine, Gustl.

I want you to pay me off.

I'll leave again.

What are you saying, boy? I provided for you long ago.

Why would you want to slave away on the farm?

Look.

Straight from the factory in Jena.

I do the sales in the West, so to speak.

- Smuggling? - Yes.

I like the people in the East. They're grateful and reliable.

Affluence is ruining people's morals over here.

It's very simple.

You take 100 Deutschmarks,

exchange it at 1:10 for 1,000 Ostmarks,

buy from our friends, and sell the goods for 1,000 Deutschmarks.

And so on and so forth.

Only printing money is easier.

Even hard-liner communists don't mind a bit of cash.

They'll save their own arses before they save the red flag.

I'm just exploiting a little currency difference.

Father, that doesn't interest me.

Have a good sleep first,

then we'll see.

I'm so glad you're back.

What will become of us, Heini?

Become of us? The farm belongs to me, you and our children.

Will you enforce that?

I'm appalled at myself, Theresa.

I don't feel anything any more.

It's like it's been flushed out of me.

It hurt for years,

thinking of him,

imagining him lying on the ground,

frozen among thousands of bones.

But now that I've seen him,

I think, "Why aren't you dead, Gustl?"

"Why didn't you stay where you were?"

And that's when it happens.

That's when you strike down your brother, like Cain did Abel.

Resi, I just want to stay human.

Lothar, what are you doing?

I'm leaving.

Via Berlin. Before they come for me.

What about the christening?

- To hell with it. I read your list. - Lothar, you're a godfather.

I know I put you in danger. You tell me that every day.

The Administrator can't help any more. I certainly can't.

Because I'm a border crosser?

Because I'm a criminal?

Tell them I'm not your brother! Tell them I'm Jewish!

That always goes down well in this country.

Have you gone mad? Stop it!

That's enough. Stop.

We'll go to the christening tomorrow,

then we'll go our own ways. Understood?

Understood?

OK.

- I'll follow you across tomorrow. - We can't do that.

It's too dangerous.

We'll go without you.

Once we're back, we'll celebrate together.

Then go to Berlin with Liesbeth.

Lothar belongs with us.

I know.

That isn't going to change either.

Promise me that you'll protect him.

- I'll try to. - Promise me.

OK, I promise.

I love you.

I love you too.

The planks go over there.

Hurry up, everyone. We need it finished.

Fichte, the farmer?

If you've come about the butter,

the cows have hardly given any milk recently.

As set out by the May 26th decree, you are deemed a security risk

and will be resettled within the GDR immediately.

Us, a security risk?

Movable stock, live or dead, must remain in the border location.

But not household items. You can take those.

Sign here. And your IDs.

Sign!

Your border passes, please.

No, Lothar Erler isn't with them. Right.

They're sealing it! I don't believe it!

They're sealing the border!

In order.

Carry on. You have 3 hours.

All members of the Tannbach community,

as per the special demarcation line decree, we inform you

that all cross-border traffic and entry into the restricted zone

is prohibited and will be punished.

In case of non-compliance with border strip regulations,

firearms will be used.

Felix, "the happy one".

We pray for this child,

because it's growing up with love

that will one day transcend the border,

which cleaves this family, this village,

indeed the whole country.

Dear Anna, dear Friedrich...

All members of the Tannbach community,

as per the special demarcation line decree,

we inform you that

all cross-border traffic and entry into the restricted zone is prohibited

and will be punished.

In case of non-compliance with border strip regulations,

firearms will be used.

Dear Anna, dear Friedrich,

"Blessed are the pure in heart",

Matthew 5, chapter 8 is your baptism motto for Felix.

We hope for his life that he has heart,

that in the knowledge of his own shortcomings

he will take his purity as the gift of God.

In these days of brute force, it is important for us all

that our conscience and our heart judge

what is good and right, in God's promise...

"Blessed are the pure in heart"...

There's someone there!

"...for they will see God."

Don't shoot. That's Lothar!

Felix Lothar Erler,

I baptise you in the name of the Father,

and the Son,

and the Holy Ghost.

Amen.

Good work, Welke.

Holy Mary!

What have you done?

He...

He's on your side.

On our side?

Have you lost your mind?

You can't die.

We're both leaving soon. And opening our shop.

Right, now leave.

Go on, go! Get out of here!

Or there'll be a bloodbath here!

Go on, go on!

To his enchanting mother.

To Friedrich.

To the mother-in-law. And to you, my darling.

Here's to life, despite orders to fire and barbed wire.

So, I hope you enjoy it. You've earned it.

We hear how little there is on your side.

- There's enough for everyone. - I think

in political matters we're all too far apart. Let's leave that today.

It's very simple really.

Without the Americans and the Marshall Plan, we'd be as poor as you.

I'm not used to eating this much,

and our border passes expire in an hour and a half.

Are you all mad? Putting up with it even for another second?

- Father! - No, Anna. That's enough.

Felix and you will stay here until we know what's going on over there.

It's better if we come later. I'll walk with Felix.

OK?

OK.

The gunshots earlier. Did we kill someone?

One of ours. To the north, by the stream.

- Damn. Do we know who? - News blackout. We don't know.

I have to arrest you, Friedrich.

- Me? For what? - Suspicion of fleeing the Republic.

- Go. - Are you mad? I'm here!

- Michi! - I want to stop hunting people.

- Comrade Werner! - What's he charged with?

- Attempting to flee the Republic. - Un-cuff him right now.

- Why am I under arrest? - I'll tell you.

A state of emergency's been declared.

The resettlers are resisting.

- Who ordered my arrest? - We'll find out.

Mr Erler, I'm sorry, a regrettable...

When your brother was shot on the border we had no other choice.

- We just said... - What did you say?

My brother is dead? You shot my brother?

- You shot my brother! - I didn't shoot your brother!

- My brother is dead. - We would never shoot someone

- who helped 863 people escape. - You fucking swine! I'll kill you!

We keep that sort alive!

We don't shoot Germans.

The shots came from the other side.

- The guys in the West shot him. - Impossible.

Impossible.

Lothar knew everyone over there.

They were his friends.

They use external troops there too now. And they don't hesitate.

He was coming to the christening.

Because I wanted him to.

It's my fault.

You can't go over there. Take a look at that. It's a prison.

Don't exaggerate, Father.

Friedrich is waiting for me.

You can pass.

Are you coming, Liesbeth?

I won't come with you. I'm not going back there.

Please, get Friedrich and Lothar and come to me in Berlin.

You won't come now?

If you go now, we'll only ever see each other over that fence.

I don't want to lose you again.

You're my father and you always will be.

Bye.

- Thank you. - Thanks.

Are you finished back there?

- Mrs Erler? - Yes.

- Where's my husband? - He's safe. Please come with us.

Now that we're somebodies again

we'll show them over there how it's done. Cheers!

Cheers, my lad.

- To the future! - How can you stand it here?

I feel so oppressed. I can't breathe, just like then.

...that I'll put pressure on all parties in Upper Franconia

so the injustice of your displacement and dispossession will be redressed.

I can't believe he's still plying his trade here.

...the reconciliation. And ultimately,

not everyone was criminal that fought and served their country faithfully.

My wife is waiting.

Heil Hitler, Major!

We were always grateful to the Major for alcohol and double food rations.

Let me remind you, Major! Obergefreiter Schober.

300 civilians arrested from the surrounding villages.

We waited for your order. 100 for every German soldier killed.

50 for each one wounded. As ordered.

- All partisans. - What is this? Go away.

300 a day was good. Very good.

A whole village. Wiped out.

You're drunk.

The more, the better!

Shut up! Don't badmouth the army. They were fine men, just like you.

Except for the cowards and deserters.

The women first! Then the kids, because they had no mothers.

Have you lost your marbles?

Quiet!

Cilly, pour us more beer.

I'd like to see to my child now, please.

I understand, Mrs Erler.

But first I have a few questions about your brother-in-law, Lothar Erler.

What he said is true.

I didn't have the strength. I didn't have the courage.

There is no excuse.

Time doesn't heal wounds.

You said that.

The guilt stays with you.

Once again, my brother-in-law never incited anyone to flee the GDR.

Wrong. He was even paid to by those imperialist aggressors over there.

- Why didn't you inform us? - Because it's not true.

He occasionally bartered food and household goods.

- I'd like to go now. - Food.

Do you know what those are?

They're lenses from Jena. Some of the best in the world.

Highly sensitive technical equipment, also used for military purposes.

Or for espionage.

Your brother-in-law smuggled it across and sold it,

among others, to former Nazi farming chairman, Franz Schober.

I know who he is.

Franz Schober didn't only get your mother killed,

he got your brother-in-law Lothar Erler killed too.

And he still is a Nazi.

A revanchist. A warmonger.

He put his police accomplices in the West onto Lothar, and they shot him.

He had Lothar shot?

No, but his friends did.

Those militarists want to start another war, don't you understand?

And we're a small, new country. We must protect ourselves.

We have to pull together.

So, again...

Did you know about it?

Did your husband?

Would you help us in the future?

I see. Then please tell him, or leave him a note

that he can reach me at the co-op.

Goodbye.

Come on.

- Rosa! What are you doing here? - You can have them, Friedrich.

You can have our farm as well. 400 years old.

You won't find anything like it now.

They're getting rid of us.

Take the animals. I'm giving you them.

I just hope they do well with you.

Goodbye, Friedrich.

Rosa, I'll bring them to you as soon as you have a new home.

I promise.

I'll sign nothing for you.

I'm the miller. I belong here.

My family has fed this place for generations.

Refusal will be punished with 3 to 8 years in jail.

Are they sending us all to Russia?

I'm a socialist, you fools. This is a misunderstanding.

You're making a big mistake.

Beat it!

They won't do anything to someone like me.

And certainly not to you and the children.

You'd better come to ours.

Once the resettlement is over, you can probably move back here.

No, Friedrich.

I won't hide.

The people have 48 hours to pack. Not 24 or less.

They made short work of it in other districts.

We've been a democratic country for 3 years, dammit!

Good morning!

Commandant, what an unexpected pleasure. What brings you here?

The Soviet Control Commission is dissatisfied.

The resettlement is badly organised. There have been tragic incidents.

Thousands of people on the run. It must stop. Immediately.

It is damaging the reputation of the USSR.

Your activities are damaging the reputation of the USSR.

And I needn't tell you what that means.

Friedrich, get Prantl back here fast.

They're coming for us.

- Get the children, quickly. - Yes.

Come out!

Or we'll break down the door!

Haven't you learned anything, Prantl?

Once a fascist, always a fascist.

Come on, farmers. Let's get the stubborn mule.

Break the door down!

We were assigned to border security. Not to this, Hubert.

We're not doing that!

Kratzer is one of us, Prantl.

To you, it's Commissioner Prantl. Now move it!

Break it down! Forced evacuation!

That's an order.

- Stay there. - Right!

Careful.

Prepare to enter. Anyone who refuses will be arrested.

Go! Three men break down the door!

Just go!

- Come. - Go. We'll catch up.

I'm not going without you.

Lower your weapons! Don't shoot! Move away!

What's going on here? Lower your weapons.

Lower them!

All right. The state will thank you.

You farmers go home now. Back to your fields.

I'm grateful to all workers and the People's Police.

The order has been cancelled by the Land Administrator.

Prantl. You will answer to the Administrator in one hour. Understood?

Move out!

Egon, you must come with me. The Administrator will find a solution.

I'm so sorry.

Where's your wife?

Let's go.

I never stopped thinking of you.

I just managed to stop them.

- Kratzer's safe. - Thank God.

I can't believe it's come to this.

You were right. We have to protect ourselves.

They cut all the lines, the swines.

Nothing works any more. It's a prison.

- My daughter is locked inside it. - It always calms down eventually.

They're building a wall. Open your eyes. They're locking themselves in.

Trude and little Karsten just made it.

They were going to flatten Kratzer's mill.

I don't understand it. Their own people!

Someone should bomb them. Send in US tanks so we can get our people out.

Don't get so wound up.

- What was the camp like? - It wasn't a camp.

We had to report to the Americans

and prove it wasn't us, but them, that killed Lothar.

- Which Lothar? - Our Lothar!

Those bastards. Shot him in the back!

- What happened to Lothar? - Come back!

- What happened to Lothar? - Stop.

What happened to my son?

Stop!

Murderers.

- Murderers! - Calm down.

Don't touch me! You kill your own people!

Look, Friedrich. Look! They'll shoot you!

Look, Friedrich. Please come with me.

Please. You can turn your life around if you got something wrong,

if you made a mistake. I was often wrong.

I probably got it all wrong.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Friedrich,

- but please come with me now. - No, Mother. You're wrong.

Your West shot Lothar. In the back. On his way to the christening.

You killed my brother, you swines!

Get it into your head.

Please.

Come with me.

I went to your house.

Where were you?

I phoned you. I was at Lisa's.

I waited for you.

I thought we...

Mrs Vöckler.

- I must go now. - Hilde, I...

That's the last one. Hilde Vöckler.

Move on out!

- Are they all being resettled? - Some are.

The others are getting locked up for inciting refusal.

I've been recalled to Berlin.

In July, each regional state will be divided into districts and areas.

There will be no Land Administrators.

The idea of a better world isn't bad.

Even if our misdemeanours tarnish it.

New orders need time.

Sadly, setbacks are part of the process.

But if you don't believe in it or fight for it,

you can't win.

Goodbye, my friend.

I'm proud of you.

I believe in this here.

I believe in everything that we've built together.

This is our home.