Original subtitles

When I shut my eyes and capture time -

- I'm still a young girl.

Even in front of the mirror.

But when I open them, time escapes me.

The years roll away, I lose my grip and plunge through my life.

This vast gallery of people who disappeared.

Those we came to forget -

- and those who were remembered.

Laust and I still corresponded behind Peter's back.

To this day I carry the guilt -

- which I'm sure will be buried with me.

So many lives wasted. So much time.

For in those years, the politicians plunged the country into war -

- and we were all thrilled.

For just like all young people of any generation past and future -

- we thought ourselves immortal.

So we took Death's hand with a smile -

- and followed him into Hell to the sound of music.

I shan't forget that day, when I first went away.

Me lassie dear she would not stay, of course she would not stay.

You cannot go along through warfare, strife and throng.

But if they don't kill me, dear, I shall return with a song.

I would, were there no danger, Sis, as lief remain with thee.

But all the Danish girls, you see, rely now just on me.

And therefore I will fight the enemy left and right.

Hurrah, hurrah, hurrah!

Damn!

Get an undertaker.

What I'm I'm just wondering what to tell his next-of-kin.

- If there are any next-of-kin. - What to tell them?

Well, was he 'killed in action', or did he 'pass quietly away'?

He's in uniform, armed and on horseback on his way to battle.

- 'Killed in action', I gather? - Get that undertaker.

- Who will succeed the captain? - I don't know.

Was that a good start or what?

Our captain dies from old age -

- and we all march right behind him into a backyard.

A toast to the dead captain and to our new one.

A toast with this?

Alright then!

- Cheers. - Cheers.

Well, Alfred?

- Cheers, Alfred. - Cheers.

Alright then, cheers.

A couple of days at the most. We'll take them by surprise.

Prince Friedrich Karl.

In how many battles have you actually taken part?

I think you know, Field Marshal.

Just as you know that I am grateful for my first post as general.

I remember Napoleon.

He was a general.

He was a beast, too, but a true general.

Diabolical.

Unscrupulous. Intelligent.

A Frenchman, unfortunately.

Being his adversary taught me everything I know.

You see, my dear Prince -

- experience is paramount.

But do we stick to M0ltke's plan?

Please

It's impossible to wage war from an armchair.

Mr. Moltke is in Berlin.

Even without him I will be able -

- to defeat these French monkeys.

These Danish monkeys, Field Marshal.

Yes. That's what I said.

Why shouldn't we know as much as them? That's his point.

The people are the unity. The people are the masses.

The proletariat must be the arbiters of their own fate.

- And overthrow the powers that be? - Why should one man rule thousands?

Why should the few rule millions?

Why should we be at the mercy of the whims of the few?

- What was his name again? - Marx. Karl Marx.

- What's in it for him? - Nothing. The man is an idealist.

The man is a thinker, Ludwig.

And you follow him just like you follow these mad generals?

Look, Heinz, what are you doing here?

That's what I mean. What are we doing here?

The next three years we'll be forced to kill our Danish mates.

The Danes are mad.

I don't want to kill anyone.

In that case, I'd better not walk next to you.

I have nothing against my Danish mates. They're victims like us.

Bullshit, Heinz!

"My dear Laust. I can't live with two faces.

I wish I could end it all.

Break it off with both of you.

Or come to see you and tell Peter everything.

But how?

Sometimes I wish we were all just characters in a novel -

- that you could make disappear by closing the book -

- when it all becomes too painful.

For what on earth do we need reality for?"

What a fucking mess.

- She was in love. - But she's crazy.

Exactly. She was in love.

Mom

I'm pregnant.

Don't you have anything to say?

- She's pregnant. - By Didrich?

What have you done, child?

If it's Didrich, all is well. Look at me.

- Didrich? Do you think I'm mad? - Inge!

I'm expecting a child with the man I love. Laust.

- You know what happens to bastards. - God almighty!

In your old hidebound world, but these are new times. Our times.

- Your times? - Love chooses its own course.

And when Laust is killed in the war?

When that day comes, you will stand all alone in the pouring rain -

- with a child in your arms. Freezing and alone. Freezing.

You can't stay here, you see. Here, the door will be closed.

And when you knock, you'll be so feeble that no one can hear you.

Or maybe we'll hear someone out there scratching on the door -

- but we'll refuse to believe it's you, because we don't have a daughter.

She died long ago.

I have to go down there.

Sofia's father is going south soon. I'll go with him.

- Has everyone gone insane? - I've made up my mind.

There's no changing it.

I was young and stubborn. I saw no other way -

- than to prepare for the journey south.

At about that time, Peter and Laust reached the Danevirke fortifications.

What all Danes saw -

- as an impregnable fortress against the enemy from the south -

- would prove dilapidated and completely unprepared for war.

And as with everything else -

- the illusion of our strength was greater than the decay of reality.

- Welcome to the barracks. - Barracks?

- Is this where we're sleeping? - Yes.

- But there's nothing here. - Exactly!

And nothing

is always a challenge.

We're standing on the edge of the very foundation of Denmark.

The Danevirke. Tyra's Wall. The work of the Danes.

For centuries it has kept the southern devils at bay, as it now will again.

- Is that understood? - Yes, sir!

You look like shit, but first things first.

First we get the camp into shape and then you.

- For your captain. - Attention!

- Damn, Dinesen. Look at your men. - Yes, sir.

Look at them!

They look like shit. You don't meet the enemy as tramps.

You meet the enemy as proper men.

Clean, proud men who command respect.

Haven't we met before?

Haven't we met before?

Answer me.

I want these men cleaned up in one hour.

Much easier in lieu of hot water.

- Dinesen! - Attention!

- Are you pissing on your boots? - Clean is clean.

- So yes, we're pissing on them, sir. - Shouldn't you see to the billeting?

- You're right. This seems mad now. - See to it that the men are billeted.

- The Prussians are heading for Mysunde. - Are we going into battle?

No. The troops at Mysunde are rested.

We aren't tired. The men are bored. We want to engage.

We could always use an extra company.

- Move them out before sunrise. - Yes, sir.

Where are the Danes?

Have they left their positions?

They're fleeing like cowards.

Good. We must pursue them -

- so that we can steal up on them and slaughter them.

We know neither their number nor position. The fog makes it impossible.

- Where are we? - South of Mysunde.

They're probably there.

They've entrenched themselves at Mysunde, but it's hard to see anything -

- in this pea soup, but you can hear them.

We can't attack them blindly. It's too insecure.

Are you insecure? Are you saying that you're insecure?

Then what do you propose, General?

The men await your command. The many thousands of them.

We can't camp in no man's land.

- And retreat is out of the question. - We can't see anything, General.

What do you propose? That we sit ourselves down -

- and pray to God Almighty for better weather?

Or do we march on like real soldiers?

We attack.

Pardon me?

Excuse me, but I'm no youngster anymore. My hearing

We attack!

This is an excellent spot.

We have a full view from here.

If they charge, we're the last bastion before Mysunde.

Yes, Captain.

They say there are 10,000 of them, and we're 2,000?

The poor buggers are outnumbered.

That's the advance guard.

They've engaged and will come running back in a moment.

And then it all begins.

Take cover!

Damn!

Come, come, come.

Goddamn you to hell, bloody devils.

They're dropping like flies.

We're holding our ground.

Their riflemen are aiming for our artillerymen. Many are falling.

But they're replaced immediately.

We're holding our ground.

Then we wait until the marsh yet again teems with advancing Prussians.

We wait until we we can almost see the whites of their eyes.

Wait.

Wait.

Wait And then again: Fire!

And the canister shots shower upon them.

Almost

Almost tearing

their bodies apart.

And then silence. silence.

They stop coming.

The German trumpets calling them to retreat.

So quiet.

Except for

Except for what, son?

The screams.

The screams of the wounded. It

Victory.

I told you so. I told you so.

Viggo?

Viggo Monrad? You make us proud to be Danish.

It was a fine tale, but I don't understand it.

Dropping like flies? Why do all those young men run to their death?

But that's what they do, dear Andersen. We all have our destiny.

Authors write down words. Soldiers bring down soldiers.

They slaughtered us.

Did you see? Did you see them standing in front of us?

Yes, I saw them!

One moment they were human beings.

The next they were only flesh. flesh.

Flesh!

So much for your Danish mates, Heinz.

Your friends.

Your friends

Come.

Come.

I still don't understand what that war was all about.

Wars can be both profitable and inevitable.

This one was neither.

No. Thousands of young Danish men sacrificed themselves in vain.

Why didn't they just ignore all those nationalistic idiots?

Everyone was aglow. They were incited. Patriotism thrived.

And the times were different. Good manners ruled.

And they paid heed to their parents.

Unlike today, where young people think they're their own generals.

Back then, young people were healthy. They had drive and hair on their chest.

Not like today's crybabies.

They took the punches without flinching.

If they had them coming, that is.

Even war was much more honorable than today's nonsense.

God almighty!

Men fought face to face until the blood flowed.

That was honorable warfare. Yes.

Unlike today, where you just push a button -

- and a robot kills the enemy 10 kilometers away.

And when it's all over, they go back to the base and watch a movie.

Unless you're lucky enough to get a few bruises and a first-class ticket home -

- where the psychologists greet you with champagne.

Young people don't go to war today.

They're just a bunch of sissies on a Sunday school outing.

- Fuck you, you old asshole! - What?

What's going on? Hello?

- Miss? - Fuck off!

What highly improper conduct.

Improper? Improper conduct?

What fucking language is that, huh?

Speak proper Danish, for fuck's sake!

I apologize if I've in any way

Oh, now I remember.

You had some family.

A brother.

Oh no.

Oh fuck!

Schau, du Plat, how would you take the Danevirke?

The casualties would be many. Our fortress is one of Europe's strongest.

I see. Are we talking about the myth of the Danevirke or the actual Danevirke?

The Danevirke is, in principle, impregnable.

Well, if I were the enemy, I'd simply bypass the position.

The Danevirke's flanks are protected by water.

Colonel Moller, how long has the frost lasted?

A month and a half.

I want you to prepare a plan of retreat for the evacuation of the Danevirke.

The Danevirke is the symbol of Denmark's sovereignty and will to defend itself.

Copenhagen will consider it a moral disaster.

We are not here to put on a show to elicit the audience's applause.

To the south, the enemy stands 60,000 strong.

The Danish army is about 30,000 strong.

To the east, the Schlei is frozen. So are the wetlands to the west.

This renders the flanks vulnerable. The enemy can encircle the position -

- and the Danevirke will no longer be a stronghold.

- Still, we will fight. - I beg your pardon?

Well, no matter the pressure -

- I do think we can and ought to be ready -

- to lose one third of the army if need be.

Excuse.“

Excuse me, Prime Minister, but you think

- You think we should sacrifice - Precisely.

- Sacrifice 10,000 men? - Yes.

Yes, yes, yes.

That would fatally reduce the army's fighting qualities -

- and leave Denmark wide open.

Yes. I see. Well

Well, that won't do. It was

It was more of a euphemism. euphemism.

To illustrate the degree of self-sacrificing spirit we must have.

I'm utterly confident that you know what is necessary.

Thank you.

In that case, I advise the evacuation of the Danevirke.

A strategic retreat to Dybbral.

The enemy expects the battle to be fought here, but we are gone.

At least that will give them a moral defeat, and we will gain time.

Hopefully, we can meet them with greater strength at Dybbml.

My thoughts exactly. Let us give them the moral defeat -

- and then a good beating in Dybbal.

Your Majesty. I have a matter to discuss with you.

Could I have your attention for a little

As you know, I have a son at the front.

A wonderful boy. Viggo. Lieutenant.

My wife and I are very proud of him. And he's proud.

Ready to give his life for Denmark just like any other young Danish man.

My wife weeps, but deep inside she understands.

I could have gotten him an armchair back in Copenhagen, but no.

Viggo must go, even if it may cost him

Indeed. It's his duty -

- as it is our duty as parents to be ready to sacrifice our children.

What are we talking about, Monrad?

You have a son old enough.

Should the king show himself ready to sacrifice his own son

That would boost morale. The king gives his son.

That would be Danish.

Then no one would question your commitment.

Abraham Isaac. Isaac.

Do you understand?

Not that anyone wants it to come to that. Of course not.

But one must show the will to sacrifice him.

Do you understand?

- I will consider it, Monrad. - Thank you, Your Majesty.

Evil, loathsome Prussian.

A big bunch of cocky bastards.

As you can see, he's armed with a big, bad, sharp bayonet -

- and he's going to tear you apart.

Unless of course you manage to reload. Come.

- Come on, Peter. - Ready?

Begin as if you've just fired a round.

Go, Peter!

Bang!

I want it to be fine, like. Not stiff, you know?

But nice and proper.

If you think my wording is clumsy, just correct it.

My dear pumpkin.

"My dear, enchanting Lisbet.“

Enchanting'. Much better.

I don't sleep well without you.

"The nights are sleepless and empty without you."

When I can't press myself -

- against your big, wonderful, fat, white body.

"When I can't lie close to your fair, soft body."

Sleeping alone is shite.

"The nights are so painful on my own."

A big kiss for you.

And a slap on your behind from your husband Erasmus.

"Lots of kisses and caresses -

- and a slap on your behind from your husband Erasmus."

The slapping business It's not too much, is it?

It's a perfect slap.

I wish I had learnt to write, but all I learnt was to lift a grain sack.

- Without grain we'd die. - Mail!

Christensen? Nielsen?

- Thanks. - Christensen? From Skagen?

- Jensen? Qrbaek? - That's me.

- It's from Inge. - Mail!

- Which Jensen was it? - Laust. Laust Jensen.

"My dear, beloved Laust. Thank you for your wonderful letters.

I share every dream with you, but I miss you in person.

Not just in dream and spirit, but in the flesh.

Right here. Your flesh in mine.

Like the night you made me yours for ever.

And what are we going to do about Peter?

We have to tell it to him like it is.

But when?

You know how sensitive and delicate he is -

- and I'm afraid he might not be able to bear it."

Peter

Damn!

Hi, Peter.

What's the matter?

Is it mother?

Liar! You damned, deceitful bastard!

I hope you suffer a rotten death! You damned traitor!

I'm sorry, Peter.

Go on, punch me. Punch me!

I said, punch me!

Again. Go on, Peter. Again!

And again. Punch me!

No!

Peter, we're brothers.

Not any longer.

Hell, you know what they say. The little drama is always the greatest.

Dinesen. We've got some extra men, so we'll form an extra platoon.

Make 222 Johan Larsen color sergeant and replace him with Laust Jensen.

You will be in charge of a raiding party and move behind enemy lines.

Du Plat wants us to call them chasseurs.

Take the brother with you. We'd better separate them.

The theme from 'Yorkscher March'.

I love it. The enemy will be scared stiff.

Piefke. Excellent!

- Field Marshal? - Not now!

Yes, now.

How dare you? Who are you?

Field Marshal Moltke.

There is only one field marshal here.

- Precisely. - Piefke.

We've wasted a lot of time.

We should have attacked the Danevirke long ago.

Prince Karl Friedrich will take over the command as of today.

It is a great honor -

- to meet you on the battlefield, Field Marshal Wrangel.

Berlin thanks you. You are hereby discharged.

If you wish to leave everything

in inexperienced hands

then be my guest.

But I warn you

I warn you!

You cannot defeat Napoleon -

- by storming him.

You have to wear him out.

- In your opinion? - Yes.

I'm the only one here -

- who has faced the French.

The Danes, Field Marshal.

- What about them? - The Danes, not the French.

Is it not completely immaterial -

- where they're from?

The enemy is the enemy!

All in favor of retreat?

- Copenhagen is going to give us hell. - Monrad gave us his support in the end.

Monrad is an idiot.

You ought to be wise enough to keep the truth to yourself.

Colonel Muller, wire Copenhagen our decision.

Make sure that neither Monrad nor Lundbye can countermand us.

- Yes, sir. - Gentlemen

Evacuate.

Now!

The High Command has decided to save equipment and lives -

- based on the assessment that defending the Danevirke is futile

futile and and that Dybbral is a far more secure position -

- for the Danish defense. Finished?

- Are you finished? - Yes.

What?

Therefore we must insist that this decision is unacceptable.

- The government wants - Excuse me.

- Now what? - They just

Speak up, little man.

The connection has been cut.

It's a cursed situation.

We must arm ourselves with patience until we engage.

Unfortunately.

But such is the decision of the generals.

A handful of volunteers will stay behind to destroy the cannons we can't bring.

That may entail certain death.

- As soon as the Prussians realize - I volunteer!

As soon as the Prussians realize that we are gone, they will do their utmost -

- to capture and slaughter the rear guard.

I volunteer.

No. No!

We'll make it. Won't we, men?

Yes, sir!

Get a move on!

Peter Peter! Peter!

Well, what do you see?

Danish bastards.

Heinz I'm afraid.

Before Mysunde, I thought it was going to be a picnic.

I don't want to be here anymore.

There's only one way, and that's forward.

- I have a family. Awife and children. - Shut up!

Everyone here has a family. Everyone!

I can't handle it. lthought I was tougher

So toughen up.

I thought you were against the bigwigs who have forced this upon us.

I don't know what this war is about.

It's about killing them if you want to survive.

So pray to God and to your damned rifle and pull yourself together!

Why do they want a ceasefire?

- Why should we acknowledge it? - And let them gain time?

We're sending a negotiator to settle the terms.

That way we will see their positions. What do you think, Manteuffel?

You'll make it, Peter.

Everyone knows you're barmy, Johan.

Let them come, for all I care.

Don't say that. You have commitments.

- To whom? - Those that come after you.

- Those that come after me? - Yes. Your children and grandchildren.

Thank you, Messiah, but I've lost faith in you.

Hello. Can we offer you a drink?

So, little girl.

Did you run away from home?

Aren't you a little young to be in a place like this all alone?

I happen to like being alone.

You look like someone with social issues.

I don't think I have that many social issues.

If we can do anything for you, just say so.

How would you like to jerk us off out back?

There's 200 in it for you.

How about a blowjob for 1000 instead?

500.

Oh no, you don't. Come here.

Hey! Where the fuck are you going?

What the hell do you think you're doing?

Fucking bitch!

"Dear, young Miss Claudia.

I'm afraid I don't know your surname.

I apologize for offending you late this afternoon.

I did not intend to.

I know how hard it is to bear the loss of someone -

- you hold close to your heart.

My conduct was both stupid and clumsy.

I humbly beg your pardon -

- and hope you can forgive me my

Horsemen approaching!

Subtitles: Helle Schou Kristiansen Dansk Video Tekst