Original subtitles

WHEN LIBERATION COMES

based on real events

Well?

Ready?

I'm taking this end. You take another one.

- Do you see? - Yes.

- Above. - Above. Turn. Through.

And we pull.

Above. Turn. Through. And we pull.

All! We need to run and get ready. Can you handle it further?

- It's just pulling the cord. - Pull the cord.

The flag must not touch the ground. Then you will come. Don't delay.

Ruesling College. April 1945

- You are late. Where were you? - Leave me alone.

Quiet.

Beautiful.

Sounds almost perfect. Almost.

In the evening, our teacher Madsen will talk about the work of rescuers.

And he will tell about the robbers from the Funen hills.

And then we'll select the kitchen crew.

Don't run away. Liss will be waiting in the kitchen.

Have a good day.

Let's go, Søren. It's time.

Hey Jacob! Will you take this to my mother?

There's a hole in the knee. And I have a date.

- You know what? - What?

The Russians are already in Berlin.

- Is the war over? - Yes.

A man with a mustache can no longer hide.

- Is it time for classes? - Yeah.

As soon as the plaster is removed, we will play the piano again.

Damn, it's cold!

14.21.28.

- Hello. 35. - Documents.

- Dad, what is this? - Go.

- What's happening? - They've been here all morning.

- Good afternoon. - Documents, please.

Certainly. Here you go.

Here.

- Go. - Thank you.

A German warehouse in Ring was burned down by resistance fighters yesterday.

Here in Rüsling they won’t find anyone.

All!

It's incredible how Birk wears his clothes?

- Someone has been sitting in the chicken coop for a long time. - Let him get down to business.

- Looks fine. - And it smells.

It just needs to be washed.

Does it hurt when I press? Try it like this.

- German car. - Where are they from?

No, Erna. I'll open it myself.

Show me.

No!

Sit.

Erna, call an ambulance. Now!

Our Father who art in heaven.

Hallowed be your name, may your kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our guilt.

Just as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Why was Dr. Nielsen killed?

The Germans want revenge for the actions of the resistance fighters.

And many innocent people suffer.

- Can the Germans kill you too? - No.

Why do they need a college director?

Exactly?

We must be strong.

I saved it for your birthday, but...

- Looks like a Spitfire. (fighter) - Looks cool.

- Now try to sleep. - And mom?

She's not going anywhere. Good night.

Tomorrow I will return to school.

- Already? - I need a distraction.

Or I'll go crazy.

You still can't do without a pianist.

Students will be happy.

My condolences. Let me know if we can help in any way.

- Thank you, Lauritz. - He is a good man.

- Can talk? - Now?

- Yes. It is important. - Certainly.

Chaotic situation with German refugees.

Pressure on Copenhagen and Jutland led to...

That the German authorities will bring 200,000 German civilians.

Schools and colleges should prepare to accommodate them.

Your school is not the only one.

All schools and colleges must accept German refugees.

Two hundred people. There will be tomorrow.

Two hundred? We don't have that much space.

You must accept them. Thank you.

Students have eight more weeks of classes.

- Send them home. - But the college needs their money.

I want to ask if you can find another solution?

I won't debate with you.

Do I need to remind you that Denmark is occupied by Germany?

Students are your problem.

You can not do it this way. They can't just leave...

- In German, please. - Sorry.

Tomorrow at seven, the school will be at our disposal.

We can offer a gym. We will leave the dormitory for students.

Herr Commandant. We have a large gym.

It's better than the old rooms. You can place them there.

Place it wherever you want. There must be a roof over your head.

Two hundred.

On cue, let's go! Open the doors!

Everyone come out! Gathering on the platform.

- There are more than two hundred of them. - What can we do?

I'm sorry.

- There is no room for so many. - Lauritz Hansen must sign.

I'm Lauritz Hansen.

- 523 people? - Yes.

- You can’t accommodate everyone in the gym. - What do you have? There is a problem?

- You have problems? - No.

Please sign.

- Lauritz, we can't. - We must adhere to the agreement.

Let's not discriminate against students. And let the Germans sleep on each other.

Listen! Collect your things and go in that direction.

- Søren! - Dad!

I asked to be near you. Let's go.

Closer. Not enough space.

Hey? Please give it to me. This pan is for school.

Give it back to me.

- We'll give it back later. - She's not for you. Give it back.

- Do you want to starve us to death? - Stop it. Give it back!

- Soldier, she took my pan. - Give it back immediately!

Fast!

- We need more blankets. - Talk to the military.

We only provide a gym.

We placed the Germans. But classes will continue tomorrow.

Still.

It's hard to accept this situation.

But we are not the only college. This is happening all over the country now.

Just an agreement with the authorities. We take care of ourselves, they take care of theirs.

Bon appetit.

- Will there be an addition of beetroot? - Yes, it will.

- Dad, how long will the Germans stay here? - I don’t think for long.

They will return home when the war is over. Soon.

Hope.

Jacob.

Sorry to bother you, but my son is very sick.

- Should you? - I'll figure it out.

- Talk to the German soldiers. - But they are not there.

They are gone. Not a single soldier remained.

- But this is not true. - No one.

There is no food either.

You must be provided with food and medicine.

Can you call a doctor? Is there no doctor in town?

She does not understand.

- My child is very sick. - You need to go back to the hall.

Where are your friends, Churchill?

- These are pigs. - They could have burned the hall.

Who did it?

Who did it? Who did it?

- It's time to go to school. - Birk!

There's blood on his fingers. Did you do this?

- Did you kill our chickens? - No.

Five chickens is not enough to feed 500 people.

Let me go.

Let him go.

- Let's go to. - Let's go, Otto.

Sorry.

- Fine? - Yes Yes.

- Idiots. - Birk...

Well, I said it's time to go to school.

- Hello! - How are you?

- Is it true that Germans live in college? - They live in the gym. Only there.

- They look dirty. - Do they stink?

It's because of the sauerkraut.

- Magnus is coming. - Well, Magnus. Is your mom happy?

- She likes to walk with them. - Like a litter!

- I slept with one German soldier. - And spread her legs for others.

Like a mare.

- Then we’ll go play war. - I want to be in the resistance.

- You'll be a Nazi again. - I don't want.

Ten more! Hands up!

Five more!

Dad, why are you talking to the Germans?

Don't worry, was it a good day?

- It's cold, Mr. Madsen. - Just one degree. Or two.

- You don’t want to be with them - Hands behind your head.

So. Next exercise! One two Three...

Knees higher.

I don’t understand how this milk will help?

Let's give it to the youngest children.

And tonight, all the Germans will knock on our door.

- I don't think. - Birk is right.

Milk and food will arrive soon. The Germans guaranteed this.

- Yes, but now they need it. - We have an agreement with their authorities.

Liss...

Leave the milk.

This is right. Helping the Germans means helping the Nazis.

Søren!

- This is new? - This is a Spitfire.

My father carved.

You have a good father.

- This is for you. - Thank you.

- Won't you eat it? - I'll leave it for later.

Me too.

That's not what you're doing.

- Yes, come in. - You have time?

I need to help Oga and Mogens.

Listen, let's play the piano later?

See you, Søren.

He won't tell.

- Well, how are you coping? - Chaotic, but we try.

The students are great, and that’s the most important thing.

Liss shouldn't give away milk. This is not at all correct.

- I don't think she does it. - Talk to your wife, Jacob.

- This gesture may be misunderstood. - Certainly.

People should not doubt the college's position.

We all help each other here. And it all depends on the students.

- We really need them now... - I understand. Thank you.

You can rest assured. I'll talk to Liss.

Remember who took you? And others thought you were too young.

There is no need to revive these doubts.

- Thank you. - Good day.

- Why are they here? - They slept in the laundry room.

- She's on my chair! - Sit down, Søren.

- And what else? - There will be nothing more today.

Why should we help them?

- Just. - We can share the porridge with them.

They are Germans. We are at war with them. Remember this.

- What are you watching? - All! Eat.

Eat everything.

Liss...

- Where are they from? Let them go. - Let them finish first.

- Should we leave? - Return to the hall. Everyone, go.

- Jacob! - I spend.

- Go, quickly! - Søren.

- I told my mother that they need to leave. - Let's. Fast.

They can eat a little. They are orphans.

No milk, no oatmeal. Don't do this behind my back.

- Go back to your sister. - Why?

Do as I say. Go.

- Did they die today? - When she appears, it's fast.

- What appears? - Diphtheria. It's spreading.

Great risk for children and the elderly. Without treatment, many will die.

- We need to isolate the sick. - Where are your own doctors?

I am a doctor, but I have no medicine. We urgently need an antitoxin.

Do you know who can help us?

I regret. But we are a school, not a pharmacy.

It's clear.

Then we will dig more graves.

Fifty or a hundred. Or more.

They are not our problem.

The Germans refuse to release our prisoners from the camps.

The Germans have a priority of doctors only for their soldiers.

So we are alone with this problem?

If our doctors help, they will support the German war machine.

Do you hear what I'm saying, Jacob?

- I understand. - Fine.

The position of the medical association will not change.

Maybe Dr. Nielsen's clinic has an antitoxin?

Maybe. But I won't ask Birk.

- You can talk to Erna. - Useless.

We will not help a Nazi doctor.

Maybe ask Larsen for help? He has good connections with pharmacies.

Neither German nor Danish doctors...

Neither Danish pharmacies will help us. Nobody!

We need to do something.

Faaborg

It's very nice of you to take care of our refugees.

But we have 60 thousand wounded from the Eastern Front.

Our hospitals in Denmark are overcrowded.

It is necessary to prevent sick people from infecting healthy people.

I am responsible to my students.

It would be different.

But the Danish Medical Association broke its medical oath and refused to help.

Herr Commandant, I am not involved in politics.

I don’t think your hospitals can do without doctors and medicines.

More than 250 thousand refugees arrived here in Denmark.

Be glad you weren't given more.

You can go.

What did he say, dad? Will they help them?

Dad, are we going home?

No. Let's go.

No one at home. He and his wife left.

They helped German refugees.

Fortunately, this was discovered. Visit Dr. Esgreen.

He is a good man. He only helps his own people.

- Thank you. - Please.

- Let's go home to mom. - Dad?

Open?

- Doctor Christiansen? At home? - You can not do it this way.

- If someone comes? - We won't be long.

Door.

- So what is next? - We need to help the college.

How?

If the Germans get sick, they will have to send the students home.

Now... The most important thing is to get the medicine.

- But we will help the Germans. - Now we are helping ourselves.

Need antitoxins. Antitoxins.

So.

All. We were lucky.

Dad.

Give me a robe.

- Christiansen? - Lie down here. Fast!

Are you here? Dr. Christiansen?

Sorry, doctor. I'll wait until you finish.

Just a moment please. I soon.

All. Listen.

I'll come later. Run to the town hall and wait for me.

Understood? If I don’t come by three o’clock, go to your mother.

Understood?

That's all for today. Hello to mom.

- Dad... - Come in.

Søren.

- I returned as soon as I could. - Dad.

They deceived the Germans. We won today.

That's it, let's go home.

Ready?

I don't feel like playing today.

This is a beautiful song. And it will lift your spirits.

What happens to those who help the Germans?

Depends on what they did.

- Is it the freedom fighters who decide? - Yes.

Have you decided to help the German?

- What if I know something? - What?

About my father.

What about him?

I'll tell you if you promise to help.

Certainly.

- Are you deceiving us? - What are you about?

When I was running around Faaborg looking for a cure for the Germans.

Jacob, we all know.

- What do you say? - You misunderstood.

Jacob, there's a war going on. We don't want German children to die.

But we don't need a reputation as a college that is loyal to Germans.

Nobody should doubt.

I want to protect students from infection.

I understand the concern for students. And I share this.

But we need to be tougher. For all of us.

You will be fired if this continues.

- I understand. - I hope so.

Goodbye.

Søren.

Have you spoken to Birk?

Look. Did you talk about what happened in Faaborg?

I only speak the truth.

Me too.

Look at me.

Are you silent? Look at me.

- Look at me! - Stop.

The war will soon end and everything will be as before.

- We are helping them in vain. - People will understand what we are doing.

It's useless.

- Do you think this will work? - I'm sure.

Look at him.

- You are a traitor! - Crap!

- Jacob! - Stop! Stop!

Stop!

The kids are going skiing...

Let go!

- What are you doing? - Let me in!

- Where did you take it? - This is medicine. From my dad.

But don't touch my family. Do you understand?

- Hello. - Not ashamed?

- Sorry, that? - Not ashamed? Help the dirty Nazis.

- What are you about? - You don't belong here.

You can't do that. Do you understand? Not in front of my son.

You must apologize. We must apologize!

Let's go.

I promised to visit Palla.

I forgot to take the book.

Yes. Certainly. Go.

Listen. Søren and Karl will be Nazis.

- Why? I was last time. - And what? Now you're a Nazi.

Why?

That's what I said. Now you're a Nazi.

Hand forward.

Here. You have thirty seconds.

One two three four five.

Here he is!

- Hold your hands! Pick it up! - What are you doing?

- Let me go! - Don't move.

To the tree! Carl, you have a rope. Lars, hold him.

- Press him. - Let me go!

- Tie him up. - Around the chest.

- Hold your head. - Let me go!

- What are you talking about? - Stay calm.

- Everything will be fine. - Let me go!

Now it is clear that you are a Nazi, like your father.

- Nazi pig! - German pig!

- You smell like sauerkraut! - Just like from my father.

- I'm not like my father! - You are a traitor, Søren.

Bjorn, take off his pants.

- No need. Bjorn! - Do you want to pee in your pants?

Let him stand here.

Now the cowards.

- More cowards, Bjorn! - No, Bjorn.

Bjorn!

German pig!

Palle!

Help!

- Help! - What is it, Gisela?

Help!

Here. Take my jacket. You'll warm up.

Take it.

- Stay there. - Dad, what's there?

Stay there. Understood?

Be with your sister.

- What's there? - I don't know.

Let's. Cut the rope. Over there. Cut it off.

Where are her children?

Did they see this?

He has already been buried.

No, not him. Other. Two little girls.

They're dead. All her children are dead.

What are you speaking about?

About how both girls died last night.

- Why weren't they given the antitoxin? - Dali.

It means they didn't give enough.

Please understand that these medications are not enough.

As long as we're all around, it's useless.

Patients must be isolated to slow down the infection.

What are you doing, Jacob?

It wasn't just her children who died. I took their list.

Look.

Two years. Six months. Three years. Five months.

In total, eighteen Germans have already died here.

And half of them... Children.

More needs to be done.

- What? You gave me milk. - Yes, sure.

- In two weeks everything changed. - Yes, many children died.

I'm afraid of what will happen to us.

- We'll just be fired. - Do you think I'm afraid of this?

I'm afraid of what will happen to our family!

What will they do to you? They are throwing stones at our windows!

The stone could have hit our children!

I'm scared too, but how many more will die? Five? Six?

- Another 20 or 30? - I don't know!

I have to think about the safety of my family.

- What will the children say? - That we are doing the right thing.

Thank you for being here. I'm glad it was so fast.

Our stay was special.

We have been faced with difficult trials.

Our German guests took over our gym.

The fact is that the Germans do not have enough space for their sick.

And we decided to open the entire school for them, starting tomorrow.

This means your studies are ending.

The last six weeks haven't gone as planned.

Listen! I ask for silence, please!

According to tradition, when school ends...

We sing our anthem. I know you like it.

So... Birk.

Birk.

A college that helps Germans? We will not have new students.

Two more died yesterday. Something had to be done.

- My warning was clear. - But a lot has changed.

But not for us. For them.

- Neither Danish nor German doctors helped. - Enough, Jacob! Our doctors are not to blame.

I would lock them in the gym. But you are collaborating with these Germans.

This is not cooperation! I can't look at people dying.

When the war is over... You will regret it.

And pray that it passes.

This is crap.

Take it away.

Are you deaf, pig? Remove the icon.

Birk.

Soon you won't be able to hide behind the soldiers.

Birk. Stop it.

You're digging your own grave.

No mercy.

This is no mercy. This is mercy.

They killed my father.

He would have done the same.

My father was not a traitor.

You're working with a Nazi! And he went far.

Are you threatening us?

We have a war here! We are at war now!

All forces for the freedom of Denmark!

All Danish people must fight. Each in their own way. Do you understand this?

And what are you doing?

All this is not a struggle for freedom.

There's no excuse. There's no excuse.

Birk.

Birk!

These are emotions. He will calm down.

Søren? Søren!

- Do you like Germans or what? - Come on, Søren! Come on, Søren!

Come on, Søren! Come on, Søren! Beat him!

Hit!

- Hurts? - Very little.

- Well, okay. - Everything will be fine.

- Why do you need a weapon? - Which?

What the British dropped.

I have to distribute everything to the resistance fighters in our area.

Kill who shot your father?

Yes. And in five years we will take revenge.

- Real? - This is Colt.

Keep it going. Heavy?

They need to be distributed to all fighters.

I can. The Germans don't touch children.

Good morning.

- No. Don't touch. - Good morning.

Stop.

Documents, please.

It's good that the patients are recovering.

Yes. Thank you. Otherwise, many would have died.

Who knows.

Heinrich, I have a family that I care about. Remove the icon.

I was loyal to my fatherland.

In the First World War he fought in the trenches.

At the age of 41 he lost his youngest son. The eldest at 42.

I haven't seen my wife since the Russians kicked us out.

And I don’t know if she’s still alive.

If I take it off, everything will be meaningless.

Maybe this has... meaning.

Søren? Stop.

- What are you doing? - Nothing.

- Where are you going? - I'm just riding.

What's here?

What?

Crazy? They'll shoot you.

Children are not touched.

Hate you!

Søren. Stop it! Stop!

Birk!

Birk!

What are you doing?

A? Did you give Søren a weapon?

- Stay away from your son! - You're not the best father for him.

Nonsense!

You don't understand your own son.

Stay away! Understood?

Søren will prove that he is not like his father.

German troops in Holland...

West Germany and Denmark capitulated.

This is London. We repeat. Montgomery announced...

German troops in Holland...

West Germany and Denmark capitulated.

Raise!

German litter!

- Went! - Mother!

- Run! - Mother!

Let go. Mother!

- Let's go to college. - You're not going.

Come out. We've arrived.

Run! Let's go! Go.

Hold it! For all!

- He is not guilty. - Heinrich, return to the hall.

He only helped the sick.

Shut up. Are you deaf, Nazi?

Heinrich, go back inside.

- I'm not afraid. - Heinrich, come back.

Birk.

Henry. We need help!

Well, come on! Pick it up.

- Get up! Back! - German pig! Get up!

Get inside!

Sit down! Sit down!

Jacob. You didn't do anything.

Dad...

Isn't it possible to bury in a cemetery? How about other people?

There should be no Germans near us.

They should have their own place. Understand?

Come on, help us.

We all need food.

Where is my husband?

Sent to an internment camp. To Funen.

- I don’t know which one. - I heard you were promoted.

This is temporary.

What if the Germans get sick again?

Hot food works wonders. Right, Søren?

You killed him. Heinrich was the only doctor.

He had to obey.

He's a Nazi, damn it!

He's a Nazi.

Like I said, we need food.

Get out, Birk. Get out.

Go away!

Søren.

Birk.

I'll stay.

- This is your room. - Thank you, Erna.

I can't vouch for Birk.

Find another place, quickly.

We'll go to my sister in Aarhus when Jacob returns.

- Will Søren and I sleep? - I don't want to live here.

Me too.

Dad will be back soon.

Well, come on... Did you help the Germans? Do not lie. Answer!

I did not do anything!

Hello.

Yes.

- Where is Gisela? - Gisela?

In gym. I don't think she'll make it through the night.

I do not understand what are you talking about.

Stop!

Give them to Gisela.

Quiet.

Thank you.

Expensive.

Quiet.

Quiet.

Søren?

Everything is fine.

Hello Søren.

Be with dad.

- What did they do? - A couple of scratches.

Did you take care of your mom? And my sister?

- I heard you returned recently. - Yes, a couple of hours ago.

- How's school? - Well, Birk can handle it.

- It got even worse. - I disagree.

- There is more space behind the fence. - They're dying like flies.

- Good to have you back. - Lauritz.

Perhaps there is a way to bring everything back again.

Do we want to stay?

We want to stay.

Jacob, this is going to be very difficult for me. So hold on...

And never help the Germans again.

- It's clear? - Yes.

Fine.

- Good luck. - Good luck.

- Are you sure about this? - Well... What should I do?

What do we have to live on? I'll never get a job again.

Understand?

Gisela? Gisela?

Come on, come with me.

Let's go.

Come on, Gisela.

Do not sleep. Wake up.

Come on, Gisela. Count.

82, 83...

Let's! 84.

Let's. 85.

We're going to the hospital, to Ring.

You shouldn't run alone.

Is it dangerous. Fighters are everywhere.

- Let's go home. - Take her to the hospital.

- It was closed. Already. - And the hospital in Odense?

Nobody will help the German.

You saw everything yourself.

No need to go to Odense. Get in the car.

Get in the car.

- Get in the car. - She's going to die! If you leave her!

She is ill! Look at her!

Take me to Odense.

Dad! Now!

She will go to Odense! He will go!

- Can you do it faster? - And I’m going so fast.

Gisela. Hurry up. Wake up. Open your eyes.

Look at me. And count, okay?

One two three four.

- Five six. - Søren.

Lower it.

- Good afternoon. - Where are you going?

To the hospital in Odense. My sister got sick.

Need faster.

Get out of the car.

- Whats up? - I think there are Germans in the car.

You can go.

Thank you.

Just drive faster.

- How can I help you? - We have a sick girl in the car.

- What is she sick with? - Diphtheria.

Can't breathe and has a high fever.

- Where are you from? - From Rüsling.

- From college? - Yes.

- Is she German? - And what?

- She's a child. - I could be fired.

- What's happening? - They want to help the German.

It's a girl.

- Take me to a German hospital. - But they are closed.

- There are other hospitals. - All closed.

I ask. Now this is not possible.

- Do you have children? - My answer is no.

There are doctors in Ring or Svendborg.

This is Gisela, and she is dying.

- I can't. - I won't leave here.

- Rules of the Medical Association... - She's sick!

Dies.

Help her.

But I...

Dies.

Fra Sorensen, we need a bed.

Let's go.

Gisela. Wake up.

You must leave here. Clear?

I hope you find a good director.

And worthy.

In 1945, 62 refugees from Rüsling College died, including 27 children.

At the end of the war, approximately 250,000 German refugees arrived in Denmark. 10,942 of them died within a few months of liberation. 6,540 were children.

From the autumn of 1945, refugees were gathered in camps throughout Denmark. The largest camp was at Oxbolleyren. More than 35,000 people lived there. The last German refugees left Denmark in 1949.

Translated by Nike 2023