"You should not wait any longer, Heinrich." "The Russians will be here soon." "Try to find some good people and join them." "Your mother died yesterday." "She's dead." " But where is my mother?" " She's in the church." "They brought all the dead to the church." "Mom, mom!" " What's your name, my boy?" " Heinrich." " My name is Heinrich Habermann." " I am Mrs. Sagoreit." "The old man's name is Komarek." "He's a reliable man." "We follow him." "He's going to protect us from the Russians." "Holy lord, please take the soul of this child..." "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name." "Your kingdom come..." "Volksgenossen!" " Esteemed Volksgenossen!" " Shut up." "I used to have a mandolin." "From Italy." "I could play three songs. "O Christmas Tree", the "Horst-Wessel-Lied" and..." "I can play the harmonica, but I can play every song." " Every song?" " Yes, every song." " Do you have it with you?" " No." "At home." " What was the third song you played?" " "Es zittern die morschen Knochen"" " It must have been a huge grenade." " Which grenade?" "The one which destroyed your leg." "Yes, it was one." "Was it a whole grenade or just shrapnel?" "Shrapnel." " How old are you, my boy?" " 16." "A volunteer then?" "A military volunteer!" "16 years old!" "And already heavily wounded!" "Volksgenossen, shouldn't we follow his example?" "All of us, walking on remote paths..." "The Führer ordered total warfare." "And his soldiers will heroically fight on all fronts for people and fatherland." "Until the last bullet." "Until the last drop of blood." "But we will win the war, Mrs. Sagoreit." "Of course, my boy." "Wake up, Mr. Komarek." "It's important." "Wake up." "He's a traitor." "A traitor." "Let me go in first." ""I'm a traitor!"" "I didn't do it." "I know you didn't do it." "Do you know Lake Goldap?" "Yes, we lived there." "I know the lake very well." "I used to fish there." "It occured to me last night that I know your father." "Once I was in his blacksmith's shop." "He made an anchor for me." "Is he a soldier as well?" "He fell in the war." "Four years ago." " He died in Africa." " Sorry, I didn't know that." "The Chiffchaff has arrived, Mr. Komarek." "You heard him as well?" "Yes, very clearly." "But the Chiffchaff sounds different, my boy." "No, that's not a Chiffchaff." "That's a Willow Warbler." " Chiffchaff." " Willow Warbler." "Mr. Komarek, I know what you're thinking about." "You're thinking about the wonder weapon." "Nothing can go wrong with the wonder weapon." "We'll show them." "Heinrich, the war is lost." "It may take a little while, but it's lost." "You don't believe in ultimate victory either?" "It's not bad that the war is lost." "They deserve it." "But the fatherland, Mr. Komarek." "The fatherland." "And the German POWs embraced the Russian soldiers?" "They had just started the revolution in St. Petersburg in 1917." "They danced and shouted: "Krieg kapuut."" " We were like brothers." " But they are our enemies, Mr. Komarek." "By nature, the Russians are good people." "They are very hospitable." "Mr. Komarek, say something in Russian." "The mark is called ruble in Russia." "And the pfennig is called kopeck." "And when they like something, they say 'khorosho'." "And in case you lose a button, you can say 'pugovitsa'." "As far as I remember this means something like... trouser button." "Trouser button." "Gosh, Mr. Komarek." "This room looks terrible." "That's the fear, my boy." "Now they are all having great fear." "Go back to sleep." "I'll go look for the others and bring them here." "Mr. Komarek, we have to look for them." "We can go now." "The war is lost now, my Führer." "But you get what you deserve." "I have always said:" "Nothing is impossible except for surrendering." "And I was right. ..." "You, Heinrich Habermann saved the fatherland." "You German boy have destroyed all enemies of the Germans with your German sword." "I, your Führer, am proud of you." "You shall receive the Knight's Cross." "No, my Führer." "Mr. Komarek has to be on the picture as well." "Why are you sitting so strangely?" "I've got a stiff neck because they hanged me." "Smile, please!" "He's just sitting there and staring." "Come on, boy." "It's time to go." "They will shoot you, kid." " No, they are different!" " The enemies?" "Yes, the enemies." "Are you waiting for someone or are you all alone?" "If you're all alone you can come with us." " What now?" " If he doesn't want to..." "I'm waiting for Mr. Komarek." "I lost him." "Did you burn it on purpose?" "If you were beaten every day..." "Every day he beat me." "I would have run away." "We tried." "I and another Pole from the village." "They caught us and beat us like devils." "And then they beat him to death." " They beat him to death?" " Yes." "I'm going to Poland now." " Farewell." " You want to go to Poland by foot?" "To see my mother." "Your mother?" " I'm Woitek." " Heinrich." "Little man, come here." "German cigarette nix good." "Krieg kapuut." "Here nix comrade." "Whole village nix comrade." " German paratroopers?" " Nix paratroopers." "Khleb." "Follow me." "Me nix flag." "I haven't been on the spire." "A red flag of all things." "What a disgrace!" "Fascist!" "Fascist!" "Hitler youth!" "Only a little Hitler youth!" " I was just a little Hitler youth!" " Fascist!" "Where's a German communist in this village?" "Maybe there's one hiding here." "They are all traitors anyway." "All have been hanged." "The Volksgenosse with only one leg, he was a traitor as well." "They hanged him." "Where's your mother?" "Nix mother." "Mother dead." "Nix mother?" "Davay." "Go home." "Nix fear." "Go home." "Davay." "Nu." "Nix understand?" "It's the little boy from the village." "Heinrich." "War is over." "Fascists surrendered." "Great day." "Great victory." "We're happy." "We celebrate with you." "That's Natascha." "Sister." "Me much yearning for her." "Understand?" "Yes, Leonid." "You become big man, Heinrich." "You grow and grow." "Much learning." "Much injustice in the world, Heinrich." "Big injustice in whole world." "You know it." "Khorosho, but you also know why injustice." "Because capitalism and feudalism in whole world." "Therefore injustice." "Feudalism bad." "Capitalism bad." "Ponimaesh?" "Now we need communism." "If communism comes, injustice kapuut." "Nix injustice." "Nix exploitation." "You eat much bread." "You go in store and take trousers." "Whole world communism." "Whole world bread." "Whole world trousers." "You understand?" "I do understand, Nikolai." "Whole world comrade, brother." "Nix war." "Nix tears." "You say brother and sister." "You say druzhba." "Da, you say druzhba." "Whole world." "When communism comes, you go on the street and say druzhba." " When does it arrive?" " Chto?" " What you say?" " Communism, Nikolai." "Communism is already there." "In head." "In heart." "In hands." "You small head, small heart, small hands." "Small communism in it." "That small!" "And how big is your communism, Nikolai?" "Me small communism as well." "But when in whole world, then communism that big." "Then communism that strong." "Communism beautiful like girl in the street." "I don't have any grain." "Not one pound." "Nix grain then, Berniko?" "Not even one bag?" "That's right, tovarishch." "There not good, Berniko." "Deeper!" "Even deeper!" "Here nix commandant?" "Commandant has gone to the city." "What do you want?" "Nu?" "Davay, davay." "What you want here?" "I don't know." "Me not know, tovarishch." "Why you big blanket?" "You think bunker?" "Yes, you think bunker." "Me not know, tovarishch." "I really don't know." "But I'm not a fascist." "I've never been one." "Hopf, me know everything." "Why you lie?" "Me know everything about you." "So why you lie?" " Will they shoot me?" " Me talk to commandant." "If you tell truth, me talk to commandant." " And they won't shoot me?" " Me talk to commandant." "You have to believe me." "I've never killed a person." "But I beat Dollek, the Pole." "Yes, that's the truth." " Go on." " Yes, I beat him." "Because he stole oat and swapped it for bread, the Pole." "It would have been my duty to report him." "But I didn't." "Did you beat him in the face?" "With the fist or the hand?" "How did you beat him?" "I used a whip." " With a horsewhip?" " No, with a whip." "Go on." "Me know everything." " You mean the story with the carrots?" " Yes, tell me." "He stole again." "Of course, the Poles were hungry." "But Dollek always went over the top." "He stole a full bag of carrots." "Did he have to steal a full bag just because he was hungry?" "Then you beat him again with the whip?" " How often did you beat him?" " Three times." "I beat him three times, but I'm not responsible for his death." "Is he dead?" " Yes, he is dead." " Oh, Hopf!" "Oh, Hopf!" "I have nothing to do with it." "Dollek tried to escape during harvest." "With another Pole boy from the village." "Woitek?" "Was that his name?" "I don't know." "It was the Pole boy of the fisherman." "Oh, Hopf!" "You killed him!" "It was not me." "I didn't beat him." "Not that time." "Who beat him to death?" "I don't know." "People from the village." " But you reported him!" " No, the fisherman reported him." "But if he hadn't done it, it would have been my duty." "I was the inspector." " You really didn't do it?" " No, it was the fisherman." "I swear it was the fisherman." "You have to believe me." "You have to promise that you won't try to escape." "I promise, tovarishch." "Really." "Will they shoot me?" "Tell me, Hopf, this violin you have, does it still work?" "You mean the cello?" "Yes, of course you can play it." "It works very good." "You don't even have to put it under your chin." "You just put it on the ground, hold it with the left hand and with the right hand you hold the bow." "Like a bladder fiddle?" "Sure, but it's a cello." "Ok." "I just wanted to know." " Nikolai, he confessed everything." " Who confessed?" "Hopf." "The inspector of the manor." " Where inspector?" " In the bunker." "He didn't report Dollek." "Heinrich." "What have you done?" "Inspector not bunker." "Inspector work." "You sleep." "We have to till the fields." "Understand?" " Yes, Mr. commandant." " Please." "Nu, Berniko." "Me sometimes think you are a little bit feudalist." " Me think that." " No way, tovarishch." "How much land you have?" "What's all this fuss about?" "This is not a manor." "How much land?" "Just under 180 morgen." "You say 180?" "Where does one get so much land from?" "It has always been our land, tovarishch." "Nu good." "If you not feudalist, why you not red flag." "A flag?" "I'll tell the women." "How big is it supposed to be?" "At least that long and that wide." "But, kid, where am I supposed to get the red cloth?" "You just need a small flag, mother Griepsch." "If you don't have a flag, it will look like you don't support communism." "God forbid." "You always give me such a big ration of meat." "Tomorrow I'll put the liver aside for you." "The whole liver?" "Much angry, much angry." "You not understand?" "Hitler yesterday." "The red flag today." "Commandant from town." "Captain Nowikow." "Much rant with Nikolai." "He didn't like it, Mischka?" "You, pugovitsa." "Pugovitsa." "Politics very difficult." "Poshli!" "You immediately tell the people to take down the flags." "Understand?" " Yes, Mr. Nowikow." " Wait." ""We are searching for the Bolshevik in hiding." "Please come to the commandant's office."" "Can you tell me who's the Bolshevik in this village?" "You know how to scare people..." "I'm an old woman, kid." "I try to stay out of politics." "Ok, you want to stay out of politics." "But that's not right." "You think so, kid?" "I've first witnessed the emperor, then the democrats then came Hitler and now you." "So you don't believe in Bolshevism?" "If I had a spoon of sugar, I'd make a perfect rhubarb soup for us." "But one doesn't have a spoon of sugar." "I'll get you some sugar." "But I have to know who's the Bolshevik here." "We need him desperately." "For so many things in the village." "Well, it's not like we had none." "But he went to Spain." "Is he dead?" "How am I supposed to know?" "Some say yes and some say no." "Later they said he had become a Russian general." "But he fell in the war." "Albert should not have gone to Spain." "But apart from that he was a decent person." "Good-natured." "He made the chain for my goat free of charge." "Have you found the German communist here in this village?" "There was a communist, but he went to Spain." "He became a Russian general." "A general?" "Yes." "Albert." "But he went missing in the war." "We need a communist now." "The village needs a mayor." "There is another Bolshevik." "I meant to tell you earlier." "He was in the revolution in St. Petersburg." "Why didn't you tell me?" " He went missing as well." " Then, go look for him." "Look for him?" "Maybe he did not go missing." "Mr. Nowikow, I'll get him." "I'm looking for a tovarishch." "Staryi tovarishch." "Old man." "He wears a vest made of cat fur." "Man with vest made of cat." "Ty ponimaesh?" "Cat!" "Nix man with meow in village." "Comrade, you can tell me where old man?" "Can you tell me where is a cat?" "No!" "Mr. Komarek, where are you coming from?" "I've been looking for you everywhere." "Everyone in the village listens to me." "I'm the tovarishch." "They do everything I say." "I've been the tovarishch from the beginning." "The lake may be a little smaller than Lake Goldap." "But otherwise it's khorosho." "It has a lot of fish." "They are eagerly waiting for us, Mr. Komarek." "Mischka, Leonid, Nikolai and mother Griepsch." "Everyone." "Nu, Berniko." "These people are hungry." "As you command, tovarishch." "What shall I give them?" "How about the piglet with the black dots?" "And a bag of grain?" "Shall I get it?" "The last piglet?" "Your offer is well-meant." "Just give us a few chickens." "That's it." "But be quick." "And one more piglet." "And one more bag of grain." "And a few more chickens." "Kid, kid, Mischka left last night." "They've been looking for you everywhere but they had to leave last night." " Back to Russia?" " Yes, back home." "There are refugees in the castle now." " But the commandant's office?" " Yes, it's still there." "Nobody was allowed in there." "They gave me the key for you." "They told me to send their love to you." ""Heinrich, long live world communism." "You understand?" "Best from Nikolai."" "It's from Nikolai." "He was the commandant." "Everyone liked him." "Mr. Nowikow?" "..." "Mr. Nowikow, Mr. Nowikow!" " Salud compañero." " Salud, Mr. Nowikow." "That's Mr. Komarek." "I've been riding the whole day." "I found him in the seventh village." "Now you mayor!" "You communist?" "Mr. commandant, I can't accept this office." "I have been a fisherman for my whole life." "I haven't been a communist." "He was in St. Petersburg, Mr. Nowikow." "He was in the revolution." "Whatever, you're mayor!" "Why don't you give up, old man?" "As an in-migrant you won't succeed here." "Unless you are backed by strong people." "Or unless you have a big farm." "Or both." "Just give up and go look for something better." "I didn't ask for this job." "But I'm going to do it until I am replaced." "Listen, people." "Everyone has to deliver eggs, milk and grain." "We will distribute it fairly." "The mayor, Mr. Komarek, made a list of the things everyone has to deliver." "Everyone with too many eggs, too much milk and grain is a feudalist." "Down with the class enemy!" "Are you Russian, or what?" " It doesn't matter what you are." " It does!" " Say that you're German." " I am German." "Say that you spit on the Russians." "I'm counting to three." "One." "Two." "Three." "You pig!" "Those mean pigs." "It's nothing." "Shove off!" "Get lost!" "Balloon head!" "Can't you hear?" "Get lost!" "Esteemed women and esteemed men." "Esteemed women and esteemed..." "Just say comrades." "Comrades?" "Comrades and esteemed friends..." "That sounds good." "Comrades and esteemed friends." "You have to criticize them." "Tell them that everything will get better." "But you need a fierce tone." "Comrades and esteemed friends..." "Now that the storm of war is over..." "Now that the storm of war is over" "The storm of war is over." "I'm not here for some nice words." "Nice words you'll find in the bible as God gives you an immortal soul." "What has this to do with God?" "It has nothing to do with God." "He didn't avert the war." "But he didn't start it either." "The feudalists and capitalists started the war." " The war is over." " Yes, it is over." "But how do we behave?" "As if we were at war." "Not like people who love each other." "Everybody's just caring for himself." "That's how feudalists and capitalists think." "That's how people think who are heartless and characterless." "Dear comrades and friends." "We have to fight against this." "Against the capitalist character and the class enemy." "So that we don't have to fear each other anymore." "The bread is there." "We need honesty and respectability." "We must get to know each other." "I don't want to bore you with my speeches." "I'm not a speaker." "I haven't spoken many words in my life." "Words are like... rotten fish." "It was a nice speech, Mr. Komarek." "We must have another meeting." "I didn't inform them about the deliveries." " Did you really find the speech..." " It was a very fierce speech, Mr. Komarek." "If we had that communism, do you think they would really listen to such a speech." "Of course, Mr. Komarek." "They would be keen on listening to a speech." "We'll have a meeting with a speech every evening." " And everyone will be there?" " Everyone, Mr. Komarek." "And the speeches will be much longer." "Two or four hours maybe." "We could have a break in between and serve some refreshments." "Jelly, Mr. Komarek." "Maybe a speech will be a ceremonial event then." "The men will wear black suits and bring along their wives." "Yes, and the women will wear white dresses." "Why don't you have a wife, Mr. Komarek?" "Things just didn't unfold that way." "I once knew a girl who had an umbrella made from white silk." "And why didn't you marry her?" "Her smile could make you dizzy." "Then why didn't you marry her?" "Things just didn't unfold that way." "I know a girl as well, Mr. Komarek." "Her name is Sabina." "Mr. Komarek, she's here now." "Things have unfolded that way now." "Where?" "Where is she?" "But she's in the mirror." "So what?" "You just have to go into the mirror and you'll be with her." "The communism is in the mirror." "That's why things have unfolded that way now." " I'm afraid." " But, Mr. Komarek." "You just have to go to her and bow down." "First you say "Hello" and then "You are going to be my wife." "Things have unfolded that way."" "Hello, you are going to be my wife now." "Things have unfolded that way." "Now music should be played." "How about a waltz?" "I know a girl as well, Mr. Komarek." "Her name is Sabina." "Where did you get the cup, Otwin?" "Did Sabina give it to you?" "As you can see, my dear." "As you can see, my dear." " Has she been here for long?" " Half the day." "Half the day?" "And what did she say half the day long?" "She sat here on my stone and watched over my shoulder." "She always said:" "You're painting very well." "Anything else she said?" "Of course." "A lot." " Did you talk about me, Otwin?" " No, we didn't talk about you." "Do you think she likes you?" "She says I'm the best painter." "She just says it because you are painting the pictures." "Nevertheless, she doesn't really like you, Otwin." "She just pretends to do." "She does like me." "She doesn't like me either, Otwin." "I know she doesn't really like me." "Nobody likes me." "It's different with me." "Everyone likes me, except for Sabina." "She used to like me." "But that was a long time ago." "If I didn't have these stupid ears, do you think she would like me then?" "We only got one can of milk for delivery to the city." "Nobody gave some milk." " Did the commandant's office call?" " Yes." " Mr. Nowikow said it was very important." " Was he angry again?" "If we don't deliver ten milk cans tomorrow..." "They don't have any more milk for the children in the city." "Did he say I should come with a blanket?" "Yes, he said so." "He was very angry, Mr. Komarek." "But he's going to wait until tomorrow." "10 cans of milk?" "The cows don't give any milk and he wants 10 cans." "The cows do give milk!" "The farmers butter every day and the hoarders from the city get as much as they like." "Because they pay 200 marks for one piece of butter." " The cows have udders like that." " Yes, udders like that." "I talked to them." "No, they promised..." "I talked to them..." "What?" "No." "They promised me that..." "Do you want me to harness Olek?" "It's a long way to the city." "I don't like the telephone." "Every time someone calls you get into trouble." "And sometimes you don't even know what they want." "I talked about the blanket on the phone, but I didn't mean it." "Telephone machine." "Works good but has no heart." " He's not in the bunker then?" " Nix bunker." " Then it was an error." " Nix bunker." "I thought..." "There's no other mayor who works as hard as Mr. Komarek." "He's always everywhere..." "He made all these lists." "Only for the sake of justice." "If you ask me, I'd say our fish trap is very nice." "It's just a makeshift solution, Heinrich." "It's made of wire." " What kind of fish will we catch?" " How about some eels?" "Eels?" "Maybe it would be best if we put the fish trap in shallow waters." "In shallow waters?" "Yes, eels are wandering during these nights." "What do you think, Mr. Komarek?" "Will we catch a centner of eels?" "Once we caught two and a half centners of eels." "But it was good night." " Two and a half centners?" " Yes." "But only if it's a good night." "A thunderstorm!" "They are wandering, Mr. Komarek." "They are wandering." " Did you properly tie the sack?" " Yes, I did, Mr. Komarek." "It was just the corner, Mr. Komarek." "But I tied it." "It was probably half a centner." "Gosh, Mr. Komarek." "Look what we have." "Were there no hooks, nets or yarn in the coffer?" "No, only the gramophone and 12 records." "That's nice, isn't it?" "Yes, my boy." "It's very nice." "These eels are not so bad after all." "Yes, nine very nice eels." "Smoked eel has always had its value." "And today?" "A smoked eel." "This black marketeer from the city, do you think he is reliable?" "They say there's nothing he can't get." "It's not honorable... but if we had proper equipment we could support the refugee women." "Oh, Mr. Komarek." "I think we're doing very well." "It's not bad, but I would paint a big steamboat." "That is a big steamboat." "It's looks so small, as if the sea is going to swallow it." "It's very far out on the sea." "It's the only boat on the sea." " It looks like it's sinking." " Maybe it is." "You don't know." "I would paint it to look like it's not sinking." "Have you ever had a friend?" "Mr. Komarek." "I've never had a friend." "Do you want me to recite a poem?" "But I wrote it myself." "A spring poem." "Ok." "Recite it, even if you wrote it yourself." "Wind of spring." "Not yet mild." "But I find a green bud in the coarse bark." "You wrote it yourself, Otwin?" "It's a nice poem." "Nevertheless, we can't become true friends." "Because you don't belong to the working class." " But that's not my fault." " No, it is not your fault." "Can't we be friends anyway?" "This black marketeer is very unreliable." "Yes, I wonder where he is." "We'll have to eat the eels all by ourself." "What would you expect from a black marketeer?" "He sold a carpet to Otwin's mother." "It was almost eaten away by moths." "He stuffed the holes with wool." " Do you know what I think?" " No, I don't know." "It would be best if I went to Berlin." "You?" "No." "You can't go to Berlin on your own." "It's too dangerous." "I'll take Otwin with me, Mr. Komarek." "That's a different matter then." "You two boys won't attract so much attention." "You should try to get three layers of cotton... and 50 hooks." "If we had taken the train, we would have been home by now." "But there were controls." "We could have been arrested." "Then it might have taken us days, maybe weeks or even years to come home." "If we have justice, Otwin, everyone will have bread." "As much as they want." "And warm blankets." "If a child is tired, he can lay down in a bed." "And nobody gets beaten anymore." "If you need a new coat, you just go to the store and pick one." "It doesn't cost any money?" "Money doesn't exist any more." "It's communism." "And where will they put all the money?" "It will be burnt on the highest mountain." "That's it." " All the money?" " Even the 10 Mark bills." "You caught a cold, Otwin." "But we'll be at home soon." "Will they beat you again when you return home?" "I don't care." "Do they beat you with the hand or with a cane?" "With the hand or the big wooden spoon." "Does the mother beat you as well?" "Usually the old one." "But I pretend..." "I let them beat me at first and then I pretend." " You start to cry?" " No, I pass out." "148 hooks, Mr. Komarek." "This "margarine king" as you call him, does he run a shop for fishing gear." "He doesn't run a shop." "But he can get you everything." "Because he's the king, Mr. Komarek." "It's amazing you got so much yarn in good faith." "Because he's a man of honour." "He said:" "Here's the yarn and here are 100 hooks." "And you give me 10 smoked eels." "If you bring 20 eels, you get 200 hooks and four more layers of yarn." "What if you brought him 30 eels?" "I'd get 500 hooks, Mr. Komarek." "With 500 hooks we could run a proper fishing business." "And if we have enough money, we could lease the lake." "Good horse must work." "Raboty." "Understand?" "Harvest." "You understand?" "Good horse must make harvest." "Here." "Document." "With official stamp." "I need another horse." "It's Mischka's horse." "It's not your horse." "It belongs to Mischka." "Look at me, Otwin." "It's me." "When you saw the sea, was it serene then?" "Yes, it was serene." "It was blue and a little green, but it was serene." " Could you see the horizon?" " Yes, I saw the horizon?" "The sea was yellow around the horizon." "The sun was shining." "And I could see a little white steamboat." "I really wanted to see the sea." "And now I won't." "Why are you saying that?" "You'll be better soon." "Next summer, we harness Olek and go all the way to the sea." "Do you still feel a sting?" "We have to get a doctor." "We really have to get a doctor." "There's nothing a doctor could do." "Only the strong survive." "There are supposed to be people who beat and torment their children until they are dead." "Wait, Otwin." "We will take avenge." "Mischka might come back for example." "All of a sudden he could be here." "And then we will take avenge." "You, Mischka, me, Woitek and Mr. Komarek." "When we have the communism, everyone will be punished." "And then the man from the village will return." "The man who went to Spain." "Who became a Russian general." "They will be shivering!" "Hopf and your father." "And everyone who tormented their children until they were dead." "And we will spit on all those who called you balloon head." "Are you alright?" "Are you ill?" "There was a general in this village who also went to Spain." "They say he was a blacksmith." "But he became a general because he was the best freedom fighter." " I haven't been a general." " But you were in Spain?" "Yes." " Did you fight in Madrid?" " Yes." "Did you fight with a machine gun?" " No, I didn't have a gun." " You fought without a gun?" "We didn't have enough guns." "You went through a lot in your life, right?" "Well, I managed to stay alive as you can see." "And now you returned." "Yes, I returned." "But I don't know if that was a good idea." "You mean because we don't have communism yet." "All those years you think somebody is waiting for you." "And then, when you finally return... someone else is sitting at your table." "And you know you don't have the right to curse him." "You don't have the right to curse anyone." "What's really cursed, are the times." "Damned times." "So you just leave." " Heinrich?" " Yes?" "Would you come here for a minute?" "Heinrich, Albert and I want to stay together." "Do you understand?" "Albert will go to the city and we thought you might want to come with us." "Grandfather Komarek as well." "So we can stay together." " But the fisheries..." " Mr. Komarek is an old man." "He deserves to have his peace and quiet." "Mr. Komarek, have you heard the news?" "The Spaniard is going to town and might become minister or something like that." "And he'll marry Ms. Kirch." "And we will go with them." "Who lives under our roof should not be meddling in our affairs." "The boy has to go to school." "You know that, old man." "I'll teach him what he needs to know." " And you shouldn't send him to Berlin again." " I don't send him." "If he's going, it's his own choice." "I wouldn't let him go there again." "Without yarn we would not have been able to fish and you would have starved to death." "But, grandfather." "Mr. Komarek, why don't we fish?" "I'm tired." "You know what?" "We'll go home now and you can get some rest." "What I don't understand:" "Why is it so bad that the Spaniard wants to marry Ms. Kirch." "What do you think about an engangement party, Heinrich?" "I mean we probably have to celebrate their engagement." "Yes, Mr. Komarek." "I think so." "We have to celebrate it." "We need a big feast then." "What do you think?" "Maybe a few eels." "Hurrah for the engaged couple!" "Salud compañero!" "Salud my son." "Subtitles by kjartan"