"The Danish colony of Greenland is isolated from Denmark during WW2." "The first Danes to return to Greenland after the war   are shocked by the appalling conditions." "The population faces extreme poverty and severe tuberculosis epidemics." "The UN criticizes Denmark; if Denmark can't lift the responsibility   countries such as the United States are ready   to take over the large island, full of natural resources." "So Denmark sets out to modernize and "Danify" Greenland." "Denmark wants to prove to the world   that the country can lift Greenland into the modern world." "And do so expeditiously, too." "The supreme authority in Greenland is the Governor   a Danish official appointed by the Danish government." " Miss Gertsen, come in." " Governor." " Sit down." " Thank you." "Jørgen Møller, the Department of Greenland Affairs." "Mr. Møller has come all the way from Denmark to inspect things up here." "Tell Mr. Møller about yourself." "My name is Rigmor Gertsen." "I'm a qualified nurse." "I've lived in Greenland for 12 years, these past 2 in Godthåb." " Do you speak the language?" " Greenlandic?" "I can make myself understood." " Family?" "Husband?" "Children?" " I'm a nurse." "But that doesn't make you a nun." "Governor?" "Yes." "You were put into foster care at the age of nine." "Is that correct?" "Excuse me, sir, but what is this all about?" "It's all about role models." "Our goal is, in a year or two   to make Greenland an equal part of the Danish kingdom." "One country." "One people." "One language." "Take a look at this." "A year ago we selected 22 children from deprived Greenlandic families." "Some of them orphans." "They were sent to Denmark and put into the care of good Danish families." "They've learnt Danish." "Six have been adopted by their Danish families." "This is an experiment." "They are to be the backbone of the new Greenlandic school system." "They are going to spread the Danish language and culture here." "They are to be role models." "That's the plan." "The aim is to see if the children are at all receptive to modern matters." "In four months they will return after a year and a half in Denmark." "We're opening a children's home for them here in Godthåb   where they will be raised under good and healthy conditions." "They are to be educated." "These children are the future of Greenland." "We'd like you to be the headmistress of the children's home in Godthåb." "We expect you to show commitment and boundless loyalty to us." "If I can help Greenlandic children   and do my bit to lift this country out of the Stone Age ..." "I won't let you down." "Rigmor Gertsen?" "Ellen Høgh, the children's governess." "Welcome." "If you go ahead, I'll send the children along to you." "Don't dawdle." "Go on up to Miss Høgh." "Run along now." "Go up the stairs." "Don't just stand there." "Go on up the stairs." "Run along, children." "Mum!" "Are you Dorte's mother?" "Hello." "Dorte, say goodbye to your mother." " No!" " Dorte, be a big girl now." " No." "Mummy ..." " Dorte, I'm not going to say it again." " No!" " Let go of your mother and behave." "Children, pick up your suitcases and line up in twos." " Mummy!" " Get your suitcase." "Concentrate now, and get in line, children." "In twos." "Let's go." "Come along, children." "Children, take a seat." "I haven't give you permission to eat, Daniel." "My name is Miss Gertsen." "You may call me Gert." "Welcome to Godthåb." "You're here because you're special." "And here, I'm going to make sure that you are fed and clothed." "Should you fall ill, I'm going to nurse you back to health." "Many of you are acquainted with illness." "Daniel, your parents died from tuberculosis, didn't they?" "Karen, so did your father." "Raise your hand, if you know someone who died from tuberculosis." "Karen." "Well, I am your new mother   and I've been looking forward to your arrival." "My mother lives here in Godthåb." "You may eat." "(Denmark's national anthem)" "You must watch the hair pin." "When I hold it like this ..." "Dorte?" "When I hold it like this, you must be quiet." "Quiet." "Thank you for this first day." "Now go to bed, shut your eyes   and think of something nice, and you'll fall asleep at once." "Good night, children." "Good night, I said." "Be quiet, Dorte." "Karen." "I've wet my bed." "Come here." "Do you think we have to stay here for ever?" "(Greenlandic lullaby)" "I don't remember it anymore." " May I sleep in your bed?" " Stop that." "You're not allowed in here." "Go back to bed." "Karen is gone." "Karen!" "Miss Gertsen!" "Mr. Omann." "Karen, what have you been up to?" "I found her in town." "Stop it, Karen." "Stop it right now!" "Pardon me, please." "I want to talk to you tomorrow, Miss Gertsen." "Stop by at 11." " Of course." " So long." "Goodbye." "Let me see the cut." "Sit still, and it'll be over in no time." "You're allowed to cry." "The brown rabbit." "How do you pick it up?" "It's so sweet." ""That's where all the nice children lived." They lived in Denmark, see?" ""They walked the red car all the way to the big city of Copenhagen."" ""What was going on?" "There were flags everywhere."" ""The five little negroes had never seen so many flags."" " Come on, Daniel." " Wait for me." "What are you doing here, when you don't speak Greenlandic?" "This country is Greenland." " Karen, what do they want?" " I don't understand them." "Go back home to Denmark." "Sit down." "It makes for a bad impression   to have your children running around half-naked in town." "It won't happen again." "Mr. Svendsen is here in his capacity of headmaster." "Not many of the children have had any schooling in Denmark." " Am I right?" " Yes." "I've warned the governor against   entering children lacking the most basic skills into a Danish school." "Neither the Danish children nor yours will benefit from this." "We have to let them all begin in the first form." "The children must attend forms matching their age." "No preferential treatment." "That was the plan." "Mr. Omann, that is a very bad idea." "You can't pass judgment on children you've never even met." "You should hear their Danish." "It's fluent." "The children must attend a Danish school, as they've been promised." "The King and Queen are due here in three months." "And Head of Department, Mr. Møller." "He expects to see 16 well-functioning children with good marks." " And he will." " If you're not up to the task, say so." " For then I'll find your successor." " That won't be necessary." "Let's give it a try then, Svendsen." " Yes, let's give it a try." " You are dismissed." "Hello." "My name is Miss Gertsen." "I'm the headmistress of the children's home." "My name is Ingrid." "I'm Dorte's mother." " Is Dorte in there?" " She's in bed." "It's the first day of school tomorrow." "After the children have settled in, we'll invite you in for coffee." "Have a nice evening." "Aren't there any nice, young men around?" " I don't know." " Don't you?" "Don't you have dances here, where you can meet someone?" " Where do you live?" " In Copenhagen." "Dorte, don't fiddle with your hair." "Line up in twos." "And off you go." " Karen, wait." " Come on." "Just keep going." "Come along." "My name's Marianne." "What's yours?" "Do you understand me?" "The holiday is over, so let's see how much you've forgotten." "Who can name the boroughs of Funen?" "Dorte?" "Stand up, when you're spoken to." "Well, Daniel?" "You don't know either?" "Well, sit down then." "Third time lucky, then." "Karen?" " Odense." " That's one." "No." "Sit down." "Marianne?" "Odense, Bogense, Middelfart, Assens." "Fåborg, Svendborg, Nyborg, Kerteminde." "That's more like it." "Well done, Marianne." "Take a deep breath." "Good." "And again." "Look straight ahead." "Again." "Good." "Turn around." "Turn around." "I just need to ..." "Nothing." "According to his medical record, he had a spot on his lung." "But there's nothing there now." "Has Daniel told Dr. Brandt about our little night-time problem?" " Daniel wets his bed and doesn't tell." " What a mess." " I've stopped now." " Let's try a bedwetter sheet." "We've got some at the hospital." "Jump onto the scales." "Marie, help me, please." "Look at the book, Daniel." "R-A-S, what does that spell?" "You can do it." "Look at the book." "What's the ostrich's name?" "Ras-m..." "Aren't you eager to see how it ends, Daniel?" "Daniel." "Aren't you embarrassed that you can't read?" "The children can't help it, if they didn't go to school in Denmark." "They were offered the prospect of an education." "That was the whole point." "They're hopelessly behind." "Hopelessly." "Carry on." "Now, do you want me to read the rest of the story?" " Look at that cake." " Stop it." "You're smudging them." "We don't serve hot chocolate in the little gilt demitasse." " There aren't enough big ones." " So wash them as we go along." "The gilt cups are for the Governor, Danish guests and coffee." "Okay?" "Children, come here." "All of you ..." "Victoria." "Come, come, children." "Now, look at me." "Dorte." "The food is for the guests." "You get a bun each, after they've been served." " Is my aunt coming?" " No, your aunt lives in Egedesminde." "Marie has invited all your relatives here in Godthåb." " My granddad doesn't speak Danish." " You can still enjoy yourselves." "Hello." "You're early." "Karen, what's the matter?" "Welcome." "I'm Miss Gertsen, headmistress of the children's home." " How do you do." "I'm Karen's mother." " I know." "Karen, come here." "Come on." "It's not like her to be shy." " Come on." " How do you do." "How do you do, Karen." "Would you like a cup of coffee?" "Dorte." "I..." "Room." "Come." "The animals." "Do you want to see the rabbits?" "Sit down and behave yourself." "Who baked the cakes?" "Did you help?" "Are you doing well in school?" "I don't understand you, Mum." "Your big brother Svend sends his love." "Coffee?" "Stop that right now." "Behave yourselves." " Welcome." " Thank you." "May I present Mr. Lynge, member of the provincial council." "Another member of the provincial council, Mr. Chemnitz." " Mr. Svendsen." " And the world press." "I know that face." "Karen." " How do you do, sir." " How do you do, my dear." " Have you stopped running away?" " Yes, sir." "Good." "Thank you." "Karen, how's school?" "The children only remember very few Greenlandic words." "The provincial council stipulated that their mother tongue be protected." "Nobody's stolen their mother tongue." " The children speak fluent Danish." " Yes?" "Isn't that what you wanted?" "One country, one language, one people?" "Their Danish class mates have given them a splendid welcome." "Don't you agree, Mr. Svendsen?" "Do they match the Danish children academically?" " No." "We Danes just don't do enough." " Don't talk rubbish, Svendsen." "Let's not mourn their lost language." "That's the whole point of this exercise." "Are we agreed?" "Well, Dr. Brandt." "Are you making sure the children are healthy and fit?" "Yes, indeed." "Let's take a picture." "Miss Gertsen, you as well." "Can you get a nice picture from there?" "Come here, Miss Gertsen." "Don't be afraid." " Smile, Karen." " Splendid." "My mum's new husband is a policeman." "And they're going to have a baby." "Gert promised I could go to the hospital when it comes." "Did you know that, Karen?" "Have you wet your bed?" "Are you upset, Daniel?" "When are we going back to Denmark?" "Never." "And you're not allowed in here." "Don't wet your bed again, Daniel." "I miss my foster mum." "You'll soon discover, Dr. Brandt   that people in Denmark are drawing up guidelines   for a country they don't know." "As long as Denmark is willing to pay." "Oh no, not again." "Damn!" " I'm trumped." " I should've taken the trick." "Our little friend is back." " Karen, why aren't you asleep?" " Daniel wet my bed." "There ..." "Go to bed." "Good night, Karen." "I don't cry." " Pardon?" " I never cry." "Sleep tight." "Today you're doing your first test this year." "Write your name at the top of the paper." "There you are." "Your friends from the children's home have never done a test before." "It's very straightforward." "I say a word, and you write it on the top line." "I say a new word, and you write it on the next line, and so on." "The first word is "baker"." "A baker bakes buns and bread." "Write "baker"." "The next word is "Denmark"." "Denmark is our native country." "Write "Denmark"." "Karen, come here, please." "Come along." "This is Karen's test." "She made two errors." "That's the same as many of your Danish class mates." "Very good." "Sit down." "Straighten your backs and carry on with your homework." "Good, children." "How can we improve their academic skills?" "You must have an opinion." "They don't concentrate." "It's as if they don't have the capacity for diligence." "They must have extra tuition." "Here, every day after school for four hours." "No preferential treatment, remember?" "Nothing permanent." "Just a few weeks to teach them basic skills." " The school can't pay for it." " I'll pay." "The King and Queen are due in two months   and I've promised to present able, well-functioning children by that time." "Look, mine's almost got a dress on." " Don't bite." " Now, now." "You have to wear shoes." " Can I try some of your clothes?" " You have to wear shoes." "Mine's in the dress." "How pretty you look." "Look, you have to wear shoes." "There's no room." "As you can see, the room looks a bit different." "This is Mr. Heilmann." "He's going to tutor you every day after school." "No more playtime." "After school you have your extra tuition here   then it's suppertime, and then you do your homework." "Sit down." "Karen, come with me." "We'll leave the others to it." "Remember:" "If you do well in school, you don't need extra tuition." "Straighten your backs, sit up and look at Mr. Heilmann." "How do you do, children." "Tell me your names." "Now let's get you some clothes." " What are you cutting out?" " Clothes for her." "For Princess Margrethe?" "Remember when you came one and a half months ago?" "I'm much nicer now." "You know, my mother couldn't keep me either, when I was a girl." " Is that true?" " I wouldn't say it otherwise." "Why?" "She couldn't take proper care of me and my sister." "We were poor." "I went to live with Mrs. Christensen and stayed there   until I was old enough to live by myself." "You should be proud of yourself, Karen." "I know what it's like not to be born with a silver spoon in one's mouth." " Here you are." " Thank you." "Dorte?" "There now." "Stop being sad, Dorte." "You must want to." "You have to make an effort." "May I hear you make an effort?" "There." "Shut your eyes." "There." "I'd like to run a tuberculosis boat." "To sail around and cure tuberculosis." "We'd come to them, so they didn't have to come here." "That's a good idea." " Yes ..." " Tell Omann about it." "You have to leave before they wake up." "You must." "Straighten your back." "In you go to Mr. Heilmann." "From 1670 to 1699, King Christian 5th." " Gert." " Yes." "Can I go and see Marianne from my class?" "Yes, but be back in time for supper." "Goodbye." "Svend has caught his first seal." "Have you caught your first seal?" "Where did you catch it?" "What a big seal." "We had better invite people over for coffee." "Yes." "Say hello to your dear brother Svend." " Hello, Karen." " Hello, Svend." "Karen, this is my new husband Vittus." "Hello, Karen." " Good boy." " Let's move it." "Doesn't she have to go back to the children's home now?" "Does she know we're moving?" "Do you want to help me?" "Just to try it." "Not too close." "Mind your clothes." "And mind you don't cut into the skin itself." "Go and sit down over there." "Sit down over there." "Gert, may we listen to the radio tonight?" "No, after supper you have to do your homework, and then it's bedtime." "Excuse me." "Young lady, you were supposed to be home ten minutes ago." " I'm sorry." " Sit down." "Dorte, look." " My mum gave it to me." " Yuck." "Toady!" "Come in." " Miss Gertsen." " Headmaster Svendsen." " Governor." " Sit down." "I'm considering sending the children back home." "I have my doubts about the success of this venture   and about your capability to handle the children." "Svendsen says the children are doing poorly in school." "Mr. Omann, I thought the children were my responsibility." "You and your hurt feelings aren't the issue here." "The children aren't the only initiative requiring funds and attention." " I can use the money elsewhere." " But we can't let them down now." " We aren't letting them down." " Yes, we are." "You called it an experiment." "Don't stop it just before it's put to the test." "Karen completed a near perfect test." "She's number two in her class." "Dorte is an average pupil, so some of them are able." "Dr. Brandt says they're healthy, well-functioning children." "Mr. Omann, let the experiment continue." "Stand up straight." "Why do we have to do this?" "It's embarrassing." "Now, now." " Ready?" " Yes." "One, two, three." "We are born to sun and summer but akin to wind and rain ..." "In you go." "Have a nice day." ""Fall on your knees, my rose."" ""Fall on your knees, my plum."" ""Fall on your knees   my dearest rose and plum."" ""Get up, my rose."" ""Get up, my plum."" "First I'll write:" "To play." "To run." "Who can think of a word you can put "to" in front of?" "I'll write some more examples." "To eat." "You've turned into an old lady, Karen." "Are you enjoying yourself?" "Be on time from now on!" "Sit down." "Turn to page 48, please." "Hurry up and find your seats, children." "Abel, sit down." "Daniel." "Daniel, come here." "What are you standing like that for?" "Look at me." " You have no right to punish him." " He won't shirk school again." "His face will be swollen for a long time." "We're not talking about a single day." "All teachers say the children from the children's home are tired and slack." " They did poorly in the last test." " How did Karen do?" "Fine." "But she hasn't had extra tuition." "Let's move them down to the first form." "No preferential treatment, Svendsen." "Miss Gertsen." "We are seeing the results of the experiment   and they may not be what you were hoping for." "What were you hoping for, Svendsen?" "You don't trust me." "Let Heilmann give them a test at the children's home   so that everything goes according to your wishes." " That won't be necessary." " Oh, yes." "Accept the fact that the children can't hack it." "You've given them preferential treatment from day one." "You think you know it all." "You think that one and a half years in Denmark makes the children Danish!" "You think, if they can tell coffee and chocolate cups apart, they're Danish." "You think you can create an isolated dream world with you as the mother." "It's all a facade, Miss Gertsen!" "The Danish-speaking Greenlander in a suit is still a Greenlander inside." "The children are ready to go to bed." "Who can tell me why Dorte and Daniel got into a fight?" " Dorte." " Because I called Karen a toady." "Then Daniel hit me." " Apologize to one another." " I'm sorry, Dorte." "Dorte?" " Dorte?" " I'm sorry, Daniel." "Be quiet, children!" "It's not nice to call each other names." "Particularly not Karen, who's such a good girl." "Stand still." "Do you think I'm good at my job?" "Yes." "I talked to Omann." "He's going to give me the boat." "The tuberculosis boat." "If you hadn't told me to talk to him   it never would've come about." "Thank you." "Isn't it marvellous?" "You're to write some words." "Words you know." "Words we've been over." " Why isn't Karen doing the test?" " Be quiet, Dorte." "It's unfair she never has to do what we do." "Concentrate on the test instead." "Karen cheats." "She copies Marianne in school." " I do not!" " You do too." "I've seen you." " Is it true what Dorte says?" " No." "It's all because Karen is your pet." "Come here." "Sit up here." "Do your best." "The first word is for the youngest children over here." "The second is for the eldest children." "A bee flies from flower to flower." "Write "bee"." "And for you:" "Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark. "Copenhagen"." "Karen." "Come with me, please." "Toady!" "I've looked at your test." "You don't make that many errors in school." "I do well in school." " Why do you spell better in school?" " This test was hard." "No, it wasn't." "It was just like the others." "Why do you spell better in school?" "I copied Marianne." " I can't hear you." " I copied Marianne." "With whom you share a desk?" " I beg your pardon?" " Yes." "Have you copied all the tests?" "You may go now, Karen." "Gert." "Karen." "You do know there'll be no more preferential treatment, don't you?" "Do you understand?" "Don't think you're special." "You've cheated your way to everything." "You've cheated me!" "I thought you were good, but you're just like the rest." "No, worse!" "You're just a measly copycat!" "What kind of girl are you?" "Don't think I'll ever forget this." "Never!" "Get out!" "Get out!" "What are you doing?" "Now, eat." "Here's some sugar." " Say what you've learnt in school." " What?" "Some of the Danish words you've learnt." " Gilden ogle." " What?" "Gilden ogle." "It's called a golden eagle." "Say something else." "Say "marmelade"." "Mammalaye." " She shouldn't laugh at you, Svend." " No." " Hello." " Hello." "I'm sorry." "She was asleep on the floor, when I woke up." "I was going to send her back, as soon as she'd had breakfast." "Karen." "Karen, come here." "Wait." "We're moving to Sukkertoppen." "There's plenty of work there." "And then Karen will stop coming here." "But will you tell Karen   that I don't want her to run away again?" "Your mother wants you to stop running away from the children's home." "Get in." "I have to cancel the children's performance for the King and Queen." "They can't hack it." "Their schooling is a failure, and so is the entire experiment." "Otto, sit down." "You too, Konrad." "Victoria, sit down." "They aren't role models." "They don't deserve to meet the King and Queen." "Do you remember your promise to me?" "16 well-functioning children with good marks." "Those were your words." " I was wrong." " They will perform, Miss Gertsen." "I promised Mr. Møller." "Your children aren't the only issue here." "Don't you talk to me about failures." "There will be consequences." "For me." "For Greenland." "It's your responsibility, too, to find a way out of this mess." "Of course, sir." "Sorry, Karen." "I didn't see you sitting there." "Who wants to sleep in my bed tonight?" "Come along then." "Are you coming?" "Kirsten's from Egedesminde." "Petrine Jakobsen." "BIRTH CERTIFICATE" "Abel, Abel, Abel ..." "Where's he?" " Abel is from Christianshåb." " Do you think they'll let you?" "It was the Governor's idea in the first place." "I think   if we send the children home with a little bag of money   we can help their families and give the children a future." " But we don't have any money." " We will have, if the home is closed." "There'll be lots of money left over." "I must write a letter to Daniel's Danish foster mother." "Come in." "I've made a list of the children's relations." " It's possible to send them all back." " Not now, Miss Gertsen." "I do realize it won't happen tomorrow, but by Christmas, I'm sure." " Take Dorte ..." " We can't send them back home now." "They don't speak Greenlandic and won't get on in a Greenlandic school." "Pack all that away." "The children aren't going anywhere." "Don't bother." "The Governor and I are agreed on the matter." "Come in." "We're almost done." "The next lot we send to Denmark will return to their original environment   as soon as they return to Greenland." "How many can we send this time?" "Several thousands." "How long can they be away without losing their mother tongue?" "Three months, maybe a year." " We'll just have to feel our way." " But ..." " What about my children?" " They're staying put." "We'll begin by moving them down, as we should have done from the start." " That's it?" " Yes!" "So scrap your extra tuition, and put your funds to better use." "Your adorable children represent hope." "A new age." " You're covering up this failure?" " Shut up!" "I won't fire you, because I don't give a damn who looks after those children." "I just want clean children marching in step through town, and that's your job." "Do I make myself clear?" "Do I?" "Gert." "There's no need to call the experiment a failure." "In many respects the children are a success." "They're healthy and well-nourished   which is more than you can say for the Greenlandic children." "Denmark needs good news from up here." "I hope you have the sense to support the children's home in public." "We hope to get more appropriations." "Please excuse us now, Miss Gertsen." "We have a few matters to deal with." "No pushing and shoving." "Make way for each other." "Your mum is moving away without you." "Let's practice our bows and our curtseys." "On three." "Ready?" "One, two, three." "Mummy!" "Mummy!" " Karen, stop it." " Mummy!" "Mummy!" "Come here." "Stop it." " Let go of me!" " Karen, stop it." "Mummy!" "Let go of me!" "Mummy!" "Let go!" "Your Majesties." "Good citizens of Godthåb." "Ladies and gentlemen." "The new Greenland." "In Denmark I was born 'tis where my home is from there my roots and there my world extend you Danish tongue as soft as Mother's voice is with you my heartbeats oh so sweetly blend..." "Subtitles:" "Helle Schou Kristiansen Dansk Video Tekst"