Original subtitles

- I'm going to die soon. - You're never going to die.

Everything dies.

When did your wife die?

Rigmor died on October 30th, 1986 at 2:15 a.m.

The same day I stopped breathing.

It's a miracle I've been able to hold my breath for so long.

Let's read a little.

What a good idea. Thank you.

- Please help me with this. - There.

"As I wrote earlier, Peter never mentioned the war until years later.

Sofia took down his accounts, and I only heard about them years later.

For obvious reasons, Didrich never recounted his experiences."

Did rich?

- Why Didrich? - Read.

"Senderborg was burning -

- and Peter and Dinesen were caught in the middle.

As for me

Sofia and I worked like mad at the field hospital.

We worked around the clock, in part to help the soldiers -

- but also to drown the sorrow over the deaths of Peter and Laust.

The awful lie Didrich had planted in me.

Meanwhile, the child grew.

When life is at its worst, you think it can't get any worse.

Dybbwl and Als would show us all -

- that pain is white as the purest flame -

- and that it can be drawn out in an amazing eternity.

I hear you went to the brothel.

What was it like then, little virgin?

Did you come too soon? Did you come too late?

Or didn't you come at all?

In the future, Peter, if she's ugly as sin

I use this trick myself.

I shove my cock into the girl -

- and then you shut your eyes and imagine -

- that it's Inge.

Ask your brother what that's like, why don't you?

He knows.

He's been there.

"How do you know?"

Why, I know because Inge told me so.

"But then why don't I know?"

Peter

You must be the last person in the world who doesn't know.

Maybe she's ashamed to carry his child.

She's carrying his child.

Your brother, Laust, has knocked Inge up.

So while you showered her with your sonnets -

- Laust showered her with semen.

Here's to yet another bastard!

Let it go.

Let go of your anger.

I have to find Laust.

I can't let him be here.

Gentlemen, we're ready.

Never before has the Prussian frontline had so many cannons.

At 0400 hours tonight, shells will rain over the Danes -

- and this will continue without pause until 1000 hours tomorrow morning.

Then the first 12,000 soldiers will storm the Danish positions -

- or what remains of them.

Questions? Objections?

Is this war or slaughter?

That is not a question; that is stating a fact.

Thoughts, Colonel Mailer?

They will attack on the hour.

In half an hour or at 0300 or 0400 hours.

Then they will storm the entrenchments in daylight.

Collect the 8th brigade and all the reserves in Sranderborg.

Do you think I'll come back home?

- Why shouldn't you come back home? - I'm so big. An easy target.

You keep your head down.

And you have to get home to Inge.

Yes.

Tell me about her, about the two of you.

We're lying in the hay. It smells moist.

The mist is brewing over the fields.

Inge laughs, making her cheeks glow.

They always glow when she laughs.

She looks like all your dreams -

- rolled up into one living creature.

It's hard to believe that it's all part of the same world.

Her there -

- and us here in this hell.

It's just like I always say: it's all about the woman.

Gather round, every maiden fair

as I pluck a string.

I will call forth many a tear

when I start to sing.

Of a bold and brave young lad

who made every maiden glad

sadly I sing.

Hear this, every maiden fair

cry for me do not.

When you walk in the fresh spring air

across the budding heath

make a slender flower wreath.

Couple tender buds with flair

in honor of the dead.

Were a song truly heartfelt sung

touch our hearts it could.

I would sing it loud and strong

in the quiet wood.

Sing it on the mighty strand

when across the white sand

waves so softly roll.

The man into the farmyard came.

Oh see, oh see, oh see.

Three guardsman's horses all lined up

and one and two and three.

The man then asked his wife what the horses were doing there.

They are three Greek cows that my mother sent to me.

Oh well, oh well, all's well. Greek cows all saddled up.

I am a man, and I have wisened up.

The man into the hall then came. Oh see, oh see, oh see.

Three guardsman's boots all lined up, and one and two and three.

The man then asked his wife what the boots were doing there.

They are three dice cups that my mother sent to me.

Oh well, oh well, all's well. Dice cups all booted up.

I am a man, and I have wisened up.

The man into the hall then looked. Oh see, oh see, oh see.

Three guardsman's hats all lined up, and one and two and three.

The man then asked his wife what the hats were doing there.

They are three milk pails that my mother sent to me.

Oh well, oh well, all's well. Milk pails all brimmed up.

I am a man, and I have wisened up.

The man then peered in at the bed. Oh see, oh see, oh see.

Three guardsmen's heads all lined up, and one and two and three.

The man then asked his wife what the heads were doing there.

They are three cabbage heads that my mother sent to me.

Oh well, oh well, all's well. Cabbage heads all nosed up.

I am a man, and I have wisened up.

The man then saw beneath the covers. Oh see, oh see, oh see.

Three guardsman's cocks all lined up, and one and two and three.

The man then asked the wife what the cocks were doing there.

They are three carrots that my mother sent to me.

Oh well, oh well, all's well. Carrots all eyed up

What are you doing?

Listen! Listen to me!

You shouldn't be here. You must go.

- But I can't. - Listen!

You shouldn't be here. You should be with Inge.

- Understand? - Desert?

- Go! - I can't, Johan.

- Get out of here! - I can't!

What's the matter with you? Stop!

- I'm staying here. - Get out of here.

Johan, I'm staying here.

Stop!

Stop. Listen!

Listen to me! Dig holes!

Dig deep holes. Hide like rats!

- No matter what, stay down there. - What's going on?

We have to dig holes, Captain.

When the bombardment begins, it's our last resort.

Losing heart, are we, Sergeant?

I implore you. Be a leader to your men!

Unless we dig holes, we will die.

We Will die!

DiQ-

- Dig, then! - Get a move on!

- Dig, damn you. - Dig!

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven

Pardon me, ma'am. ls one Lord's Prayer not enough to satisfy the Lord?

My husband died in the first war and left me alone with three sons.

They're all now in this war.

The first one died at Sankelmark, the other at Dybbal.

What else is there for me to do but to sweep and pray -

- that this mad war doesn't kill my last boy too?

What else should I do?

I think you should

be ashamed of yourself.

When this is over, they will attack. We must prepare for the storm.

- Colonel Mailer, are you ready? - Am I ready?

8th brigade. We will march to the front and wait at a distance -

- until it's our turn to repel those cursed Prussians.

Officers, collect your men.

Officers, organize!

Left turn!

I don't want to go up there. Hell no!

It's suicide. We're going to die.

I don't want to go up there.

I don't want to die. Dear God, I don't want to go up there.

Shut up, pansy!

I don't want to.

Let's turn back, friends. Don't go up there!

Don't go there like willing sheep to the slaughter. We're going to die.

- Don't! It's suicide. - Fall in.

I don't want to die! We won't do it!

Pull yourself together, man!

Pull yourself together. Do you hear?

- I don't want to. - Forward march!

8th brigade.

Halt!

The 8th brigade will wait here.

When the bombardment stops, they will storm the entrenchments.

We will wait, and then we will repel the cursed Prussians.

This is it.

Fire!

Pull yourself together, man! Collect your men!

Take aim. Fire at will!

Round up the men and let's get out of here!

Round up the men, damn you!

Stay in formation!

Erasmus?

Erasmus?

Stay in formation!

Why the hell don't we advance?

- Where's Colonel Mailer? - With du Plat, I imagine.

I'm awaiting orders from higher ranks to advance.

There aren't any higher-ranking officers around.

Erasmus?

Erasmus!

Erasmus!

No!

Retreat! Retreat! Cover me!

No, no, no!

Die, swine!

Spare me! Spare me!

Spare me spare spare me.

Dinesen, for God's sake!

- Damn it! - They're being slaughtered up there.

Stay in formation!

- Forward! - Lieutenant Dinesen!

Forward!

Forward for Denmark!

Take aim and and fire!

Retreat!

Laust.

I have to find Laust.

Here.

Die, damn you!

Go, Mailer! Get your men to safety.

Get a move on, man!

Didrich, damn it. You can't just sit here. Come on.

Laust.

Laust.

- Laust. - Peter?

Laust.

Shoot! Shoot the swine!

- Laust. - Peter?

It wasn't meant to be like that.

Far too often, endings are wrong.

And they don't sound the way you want them to.

The aftermath was a haze.

I remember being picked up by lgnazio -

- and then we fled north.

Me with my child in my arms and terror in my body.

In London, the Prussians tried to offer compromise and peace.

But again the Danish politicians turned them down -

- as if reality couldn't penetrate their illusion.

They ordered the army to continue fighting on Als -

- where Danish soldiers marched into the Prussian hail of bullets -

- and fell like beads on a string.

All soldiers in a war die or sustain wounds -

- if not to their body then to their soul.

Peter as well, who now found himself in a field hospital in Austria -

- slowly trying to become human again -

- along with hundreds of shell-shocked soldiers.

Men who had experienced the worst.

Men who had experienced their own death -

- but who by some miracle were still alive.

Their soul dies, while the body insists on staying alive.

And those two states are incompatible.

Subtitles: Helle Schou Kristiansen Dansk Video Tekst