"a film about an epoch of German history which today lies beyond our contemporary grasp but the conflict between fathers and sons is still of valid actuality" "The Old and the Young King The Youth of Frederic the Great" "now you stop that noise" "Her majesty the queen has a headache" "but the princess Wilhelmine hasn't got up yet" "I want to sleep." "Me too." "hasn't his royal highness, the crown prince, got up yet?" "morning children" "Good morning, your majesty well, everybody in good health?" "yes your majesty, thank God" "hey you, still got that pain in your throat?" "no is that so?" "open your mouth stick out your tongue further out say Ah again wonderful." "give me a kiss good morning Wilhelm good morning Friedchen" "good morning your majesty good morning Wilhelmine" "sit down" "where is Fritz?" "Eversmann my glasses" "today we will read the parable of the sower" "A sower went out to sow his seed" "And some fell among thorns;" "and the thorns sprang up with it..." " perdu - qu'est-ce qui vous manque?" " permettez. c'est une bagatelle - la banque au prince Frédéric some fell by the way side... and the fowls of the air devoured it." "votre altesse n'a vraiment pas de chance ce soir" "3000 francs" "your royal highness don't you know the time?" "you're on duty" "Herr von Rochow, where's the crown prince?" "didn't you search for him?" "we've been looking for him for an hour you ought to know where the crown prince again has disappeared to" "I don't, Dessauer" "I am afraid, mother, Fritz has been gambling again last night" "I hope he was lucky." "At the court of brother... the chocolate is excellent at the court of my brother, the English king, gambling is considered a noble pastime only the king of Prussia makes it a crime" " but mother, we aren't in England!" " unfortunately we aren't we're in Prussia" " but your royal highness..." " shut up. my uniform where's the sash?" "be quick close the door at last. about time too." "his majesty is already passing in review" "good. splendid. beautiful those men look well turned out wonderful my praise." "I'm glad" "I love to praise" "who's that?" "him I don't know" " a new one?" " yes your majesty just enlisted 8 feet 7 inches" "now that's a splendid guy what's his name?" "at your command, your majesty, Müller" "Müller?" "good name" "Müller, that's as good as old nobility isn't it, Rochow?" "so, how do you like it in Potsdam?" "are you comfortable with us?" "at your command, your majesty, no no?" "No." "has one ever... he doesn't feel comfortable as the king's grenadier?" "in the devil's name, why not?" "out with it, get it off your chest!" "I didn't want to become a soldier, your majesty is that so?" "so he didn't want to... look at that!" "did he take the bargain-money?" "yes or no?" "that I took, your majesty so?" "but I was drunk at the time serves him right, why did he get drunk you'll get used to us here just as you all got used to it, didn't you, children?" "yes your majesty" "at your service, your majesty" "lieutenant von Katte your majesty tell your friend, the crown prince of Prussia... that a colonel of my regiment cannot turn up at duty looking like a whoremonger if the Prussian army's youngest recruit would dare to appear before me looking like that, like a pig, making me want to vomit..." "I'd beat him out of the Prussian army with my own hands!" "he's to report to me after duty" "I won't allow it you majesty may be certain that England would be overjoyed if a marriage between princess Wilhelmine and the prince of Wales came about but I don't like him if my august brother, the king of England, doesn't agree to it straight away right now... then the king of Prussia will straight away refuse it" "and all efforts had been in vain" "England would be unconsolable, your majesty but such decisions of consequence demand time and considerations and over all these considerations time is lost his majesty the king" "I'll come again at a more suitable hour, your majesty you just stay here, Chevalier what you were talking about with my wife regards me too the Chevalier has brought us good news from England really?" "I'd be glad that would be the first time that England sent me something agreeable" "if all goes well now, we'll achieve our aim it's a polite letter only it doesn't say the main thing" "I don't know what your majesty is talking about" "I am talking about the dukedoms of Jülich and Berg now he's off again about Jülich and Berg your majesty, regarding..." "I want to see clear once and for all:" "if I get Jülich and Berg, the prince of Wales will get my daughter if not, all English relatives can get knotted so?" "your majesty..." "I see, it's no good, now I know where I am my compliments to my brother-in-law, the king of England and I'll marry my daughter to a German prince yes madam, to a German prince, the hereditary prince of Bayreuth" "Chevalier, I hope to see you soon in our Tabergie" "your majesty, say that you weren't serious that you only used this ridiculous hereditary prince of Bayreuth as a decoy against England not at all, madam." "the hereditary prince is in Berlin already and will get my consent today" " I'll die first." " just try it, madam" "I'll never give my consent to it." "I have brought up my daughter... for the English throne, I know but don't you imagine that I don't know how you scheme behind my back and support even revolts yes madam, you have brought up the crown prince of Prussia badly" "you've poisoned his heart against me and now you try the same thing with my daughter... and your brains do not go further than the tip of your nose" "look at me, my child" "do you believe me if I tell you that I only want your own good?" "why don't you love me?" "my clothes are sticky, Katte." "I smell like a pig" "Rochow chased me about with his punishment drill you ought to be glad about it you would have deserved the solitary confinement in darkness are you Katte or are you the king?" "I am Katte and your friend" "I am telling you, today I have been ashamed to my soul in front of the king you defend him?" "I understand him" "I'm a soldier" "I haven't asked you to get reprimanded what did you expect?" "help me, Katte" "Katte, I can't stand it any longer" "I have to talk with you come to my room tonight Wilhemine will come too the king will be in the Tabergie, no one will disturb us" "I must talk with you what about?" "I want to get away are you mad?" "I can't stay here any longer, Katte" "I'm suffocating, I'm perishing so you want to flee and you are asking of me, of me, the soldier Katte... to help the crown prince of Prussia to desert?" "quiet your royal highness will be late for the audience put it on this damned uniform is a coat of death" "(speaking with French accent) your majesty, we are two cavaliers with a heart for the young people." "2000, 4000... quiet only one should talk but the truth!" " I'll tell the truth." " I can tell the truth better you crooks!" "I want to know the amount here you are your majesty" "4000 talers in one night there has been cheating at the game" "his royal highness the crown prince himself has signed this here's his name shut up!" "his royal highness the crown prince" "let him wait" "Grumbkow pay those gentlemen out of my private purse 4000 talers" "I beg your pardon your majesty." "what about the interest?" "what?" "what was that?" "excusez, majest?" ", we want a little interest interests?" "yes. you'll get them merci mille fois everyone will get 25, but on the arse then over the border, out with you!" "I can't stand that scum any longer the minister of finance if I don't put my fork into every garbage myself, nothing will get done around here!" "and now regarding your affair, minister.... how is it possible that the peasants again and again complain that... that our inspectors demand lodgings and horses for free?" "you majesty, that is... those are bad inspectors, minister abominable inspectors inspectors for "charges and allowances"" "once and for all:" "I don't want my civil servants to drive around with my peasants' horses" "I'll have them hanged, if they accept presents or bribes" "I beg your pardon your majesty, but the work is so overwhelming all those files that have to be seen to and all those court proceedings, unfortunately there are too few scribes too few?" "far too many!" "those scribblers, those mouldy feather scrapers... those shitters of ink squeezing common sense to death between their files they are a pest for our country but Eversmann, you could at least give me a hint." "what does the king want of me?" "I already told you I have no idea but Eversmann one hand washes another" "is your conscience that bad?" "who's with the king?" "the parson of the garrison church did he commit some crime too?" "and now, my dear parson, I have a little present for you a present, your majesty?" "yes. you're surprised, aren't you?" "but it has to be your sermons are too long recently I was almost late for parade, because of you therefore I brought you an hour glass an hour glass?" "yes, you'll attach it to your pulpit so that you can check when it's time to finish" "sand finished - sermon finished my humble thanks, your majesty your majesty, the chief cook our dear chief cook!" "come nearer, my dear" "we have a question to ask of him just a small matter regarding the house-keeping it's about... now where's the note?" "here it is it's about mutton cutlets" "now how was it with those mutton cutlets?" "please help my memory out a little, my dear chief cook there had been a recipe, hadn't it?" "the recipe, your majesty originates from a bourgeois home that's right." "where your majesty had been a guest one evening and had eaten mutton cutlets right and then?" "then your majesty let the housewife write down the recipe and you ordered me to serve those mutton cutlets at the royal table exactly how is it possible, my dear chief cook... that for those mutton cutlets you put 3 talers on the bill... whereas they only cost 3 groschens?" "your majesty, they cost... they cost 3 groschens." "because I checked with the housewife your majesty..." "I'll teach you to steal from your king, you... stealing from your king, you cad..." "I'll pay you back your mutton cutlets!" "come in" "we want to be alone" "come here. sit with me." "so?" "where were you last night?" "didn't you hear my question?" "I did" "don't you want to answer?" "I have been gambling" "did you win?" "so you lost?" "how much?" "how much, Fritz?" "300 talers" "how much?" "300 talers" "is that the truth?" "yes" "come here look at me" "you can tell me the truth, Fritz did you really lose 300 talers?" "or wasn't it more than that?" "no your majesty, it had been 300 talers" "so?" "come here" "does he know this?" "why does he lie to me?" "coward doesn't he have that much honour in his body... that he can at least admit his excesses?" "there's a mirror look at yourself!" "look at yourself!" "That's the crown prince of Prussia!" "a liar, a gambler, a coward" "that's the man who one day will be king of Prussia!" "I'm asking you, say something defend yourself!" "every man has at least something one can appeal to with what can I appeal to you?" "with your honour?" "a coward has no honour with your pride as a soldier?" "you're the worst soldier in the entire army with your filial love?" "this makes me laugh with your fear of God?" "for you, the world is without God" "I can't force you to be a good son but to become a man who does his duty..." "I can force you to become that you can bet on it" "colonel Fritz you are under arrest and confined to the barracks you won't receive any visitors" "I forbid you the reading of French books and I especially forbid you the flute playing until further notice, the Prussian army's signals will have to satisfy your passion for music" "did he understand me?" "at your command, your majesty report for the arrest" "go" "what's the meaning of that noise, my ladies?" "your majesty, the hereditary prince of Bayreuth has arrived the hereditary prince of Bayreuth where is he?" "with his majesty the king" "hey, you there?" "what's he doing over there?" "what's he gaping at me for?" "he probably hasn't seen a well dressed man before in Potsdam" "I am the hereditary prince of Bayreuth" "I see what do you mean, "I see"?" "announce me to the king!" "and be quick about it!" "is that the way you appear before your king?" "put on a coat!" "presently" "impossible, the state of this court!" "Eversmann, that's a fop a provincial, your majesty" "do you like him?" " well you majesty..." " I don't" "I'll have a good look at him" "your majesty good morning, Bayreuth" "good heavens!" "yes, my dear sometimes a first impression can be wrong do I have the misfortune to displease your majesty?" "good eyes straight looking" "I like it but... what else there is... there is hanging off him... those ribbons, those bows..." "I don't like at all foppish the fashion, your majesty fashion, so what fashion is for women" "I thought he was a man thank God I am, your majesty" "I don't believe it" "I am ready to prove it a guy wearing makeup like a woman, who has curls like a woman" "and what in the devil's name is that stink?" "but your majesty, three ounces of this delicious perfume... cost me 10 louis d'or in Paris is that so?" "his subjects live in dire poverty and he buys perfume in Paris for himself" "I like that this is a son-in-law I have always dreamed about thank you, your majesty what was that?" "is he making fun of me?" "no your majesty" "I have always wished to become the son-in-law to the kind of Prussia" "I can believe that because of the dowry, wasn't it?" "I heard his little principality is deep in debt" "Prussia had been deep in debt too when your majesty took over, and... and today its finances are the best in all Europe that's right, and he can count on it that I won't endanger Prussia's finances by reckless sons-in-law" "he who wants to marry my daughter will have to be able to support her good. then I'll recruit as a grenadier in your majesty's army because I heard about his grenadiers, that the king of Prussia looks after them like a father" "well, regarding your snout (way of speaking) he even might be a Berliner" "but what is beside his snout... that I don't like might he be hiding a gallant disease underneath?" "but your majesty!" "I want to have healthy grandchildren, my hereditary prince!" "so do I, your majesty can he guarantee this?" "yes your majesty" " really?" " yes well, if his heart is in the right spot like his snout then we might become good friends" "I'll see you tonight in the Tabergie" "?" "propos being sober, be on your guard." "the king wants to have some fun, getting his future son-in-law drunk" "I'll help you, your highness." "Seckendorff, did you arrive thirsty?" "Ah, Hotham, nice of you to come good evening Leopold, again that cold pipe in your mouth?" "you are lucky that I don't spread any blue smoke around here (making fun of someone) who is spreading blue smoke?" "who isn't except myself?" "sit down children sit down where you please." "powder smoke equals everything." "good evening your majesty ah, the hereditary prince so he has already learned something in Prussia do sit down, hereditary prince over there, on the chair of honour" "the "fall-through" (diarrhoea) chair" "but I told you to have that chair repaired" "don't be angry, hereditary prince gentlemen for the whole day I had been looking for this first swig." "your heath, gentlemen" "golly, that was a draught you can wash away lots of things with this hereditary prince, I hope the little "fall-through" accident didn't harm you" "on the contrary. it seems to me some of your guest before had an attack of "fall-through" on this chair before he's right in here you have to squeeze your asshole tight shut" "that was only the beginning." "be on your guard don't worry." "I'll be careful well Seckendorff. you still don't smoke?" "no you majesty." "I have this in common with the prince of Dessau but that's the only thing we have in common" "Rochow. check out the hereditary prince say, my dear prince" "I hear you order your tobacco from Holland, your beer from Bavaria... your perfume from France." "what is there to recommend in your country?" "in particular, we have pigs, Herr von Grunzky (grunz = oink)" "Grunzky is a good one, eh?" "that there are pigs in your country, is obvious." "but our pigs have short and strong snouts not long crooked trunks sticking themselves into everything" "look at his sting, that was a good one pour another jug for the hereditary prince say, my dear prince, what does the world say about Prussia?" "the world says nothing, your majesty the world spreads lies for instance?" "I certainly won't repeat that!" "out with it, I want to know that I had been a fool the privilege of the fool for the hereditary prince of Bayreuth the lockjaw for Herrn von Seckendorff" "what's that, a lockjaw?" "that's a disease that can be healed by a slap in the face" "he showed him he won't stand no nonsense" "I like that" "one wants to get you drunk there is only one way out:" "pretend to be drunk well, hereditary prince?" "what's the matter with you?" "you're not drinking?" "he's probably afraid no shirking in here!" "to the health of the hereditary prince of Bayreuth he who leaves a drop in his jug is a coward your health" "your majesty" "I like him" "don't be sad, Herr von Katte what else does your royal highness expect of a small lieutenant whom you showed some kindness for a short time?" "be reasonable, Katte!" "please, return my portrait" "I'd rather die" "Ah Katte, dying is not that easy very often it is easier than living, your royal highness what kind of night thoughts are those, Katte?" "do you want to make me sad?" "I am so full of the joy of life" "so you'll marry him?" "don't I have to?" "you like him?" "he is so ... gay gay?" "gay we certainly aren't no, thank God we aren't" "we're as gay as a funeral" "I'd marry the devil's grandmother to get away from here and I'll get away!" "Good heavens, be careful!" "who knows who's behind the door?" "don't worry. the page Keitel is on watch so?" "did you think about it?" "I can't do it, Fritz you can't?" "no you're perfectly right there is no friendship once again the allegretto, Wilhelmine" "don't be cruel so I am cruel?" "that's superb!" "but good heavens, Fritz, try to understand me!" "the Kattes have been soldiers for 500 years" "A Katte cannot be a traitor except to myself you break all oaths of friendship you abandon me to despair but it is I who am cruel" "Fritz!" "don't torture yourself like this as you please" "I know now what to think of the Kattes' fidelity" "it's your entry, Wilhelmine what's the matter?" "why do you cry?" "I don't know" "I am so afraid you don't have to be afraid the king never leaves the Tabergie before 2 o'clock, and then he's so drunk that... that his men have to drag him into his bed" "Fritz!" "Fritz Fritz" "I hate him!" "let's not spoil the evening so please start" "say, hereditary prince, what was that about the lockjaw?" "I want to know please" "that guy has a face like a monkey's ass" "I have to slap him he's totally drunk but he can't be that drunk but I'm not drunk at all" "I know exactly what I'm saying is that so?" "then let him hold a speech the hereditary prince yes, a speech a speech is good" "you all can ... he doesn't seem to be a polite speaker" "I cannot speak" "I am so sad" "then let him hold a funeral speech on whose funeral?" "let's make it easy, on my own funeral you majesty, one shouldn't joke about such things joke?" "who says I'm joking?" "a funeral speech, prince." "but I want to hear the truth" " good night, your majesty." " don't spoil the fun, Rochow here you stay you're probably afraid of my speech, Herr von Rochow?" "take your king as example, you old shitter into pants" "silence!" "in a house of grief there reigns silence!" "God damn it" "my joyful mourners why joyful?" "I thought I had died?" "but that's why we're joyful" "Frederic the First" "King of Prussia my dear father-in-law ... well, I don't see you dance on your wedding yet possessed the rare gift... with his endearing and charming ways to conquer mens' hearts by storm." "and I asked him whether he suffered from a gallant disease he never lent his ear to an intermediary spies and slanderers would have starved to death at his court fidelity poured out of his servants' eyes fidelity out of his advisors' faces" "his avarice was bad, his hot temper was worse through the young officers he surrounded himself with... he learned about the needs and struggles of youth your health all assembled, the nation's most august thinkers they spent hours in talks about aesthetics" "about arts and science in the most charming, the most cultured surroundings according to the principle:" "Before God all men are equal he beats his subjects as well his own children as is written in the bible:" "he who loves his children chastises them that's enough. stop him." "let him go on." "yes sir." "you see, the king wants to hear the truth and where his stick doesn't reach, everybody does as he pleases anyway" "I know I know one should only speak well of the dead and that's why, my wet and joyful funeral party" "there is someone plucking at my coat" "you're all drunk" "Dessauer?" "tell the hereditary prince of Bayreuth if he thinks he has to pretend to be drunk to tell me the truth... then he still doesn't know his father-in-law, the king of Prussia." "good night" "long live the king of Prussia" "that many candles, with the moon shining so brightly" "those guys have gone off their heads and even wax which is so expensive" "I'll light them a candle myself" "do you hear this?" "doesn't your majesty hear it too?" "what is it?" "I'd say it was a flute, your majesty a flute?" "who could play a flute here at this hour?" "stop, page." "the king!" "if he sees me!" " quick. where to?" " in there" "doesn't she know that the crown prince is under arrest, Wilhelmine?" "that I expressly forbid him to recieve visitors?" "yes your majesty why is that infamous creature in here?" "your majesty, I did.." "he is to be silent." "he is to be very silent he is not to defend his sister he'll have trouble enough defending himself" "Eversmann take the princess to her room she's under arrest" "put guards on her door" "how did he get in here?" "he is under arrest in the barracks how did he get in here?" "I climbed out of the window well done, I congratulate you, princely behavior climbing out of windows like a stable boy getting to the maid why does he have me imprisoned?" "how dare he speak like that with his king has my mildness made him insolent?" "does he take my fatherly clemency for weakness?" "fatherly clemency?" "mildness?" "when he takes away everything I care about?" "is that what he calls mildness?" "what does he care about then?" "about God damned rubbish!" "did he work like I ordered?" "no!" "but music, music he wrote music away with that music away with it what did he study?" "the crown prince of Prussia?" "Father!" "Not my books, father!" "what did he study?" "did he study taxes, political economy?" "whore's literature. swinish stuff into the fire with it father, don't!" "not the books!" "into the fire with the rubbish you read the bible!" "read about German law read about who settled here and who turned Prussia's deserts into fruitful land that is your duty" "I "whistle" my duty (spit on it)" "I cannot stand the word any longer is that so?" "you "whistle" on it?" "you must be crazy, or what?" "you whistle on it with a flute?" "then the flute must go to the devil father!" "a sissy, that's what you are if my father had treated me like I treat you" "I would have run away from him ten times" "what kind of a rag is that you're wearing?" "where's your uniform?" "is it true that you called the uniform a coat of death?" "yes!" "yes yes yes yes a coat that one should tear to pieces and stamp on you... you... you nothing!" "there is no word for you now I know you you have to be watched like fire" "I won't let you out of my sight you'll accompany me to my next voyage to Southern Germany" "I'll be your guard a relentless guard you can count on it" "Fritz" "Jesus" "I hit my head against the fireplace does it hurt?" "no you heard?" "I was forced to" "and you don't want to help me" "I'll help you" "Mother I have to say farewell now where's the father?" "he is already giving orders down at the carriages my good boy" "take that thank you, dear mother when I get to England be quiet, I mustn't know about it go now" "they mustn't see you in here" "Fritz what's the matter?" "I have been refused leave damned" "Rochow is going in my place" "I'll write you where we can meet farewell, Katte" " Keitow?" " your majesty?" " what's the name of that village?" "Steinfurth, your majesty" " ride ahead and get us quarters?" " at the inn?" " nonsense let them empty a few barns for us" "what a drag it was today those roads a real bone breaking where does the crown prince sleep?" "next door, your majesty" "who is here besides myself?" "colonel von Rochow and myself, your royal highness" "I'll stretch my legs for a few minutes" "I feel worn out after all that driving" "Keitel?" "will it work?" "everything is prepared" "I've hidden the French clothes in the courtyard in a few hours we'll be away from here away from all that oppression, that confinement when shall I wake your royal highness?" "at dawn run along, they mustn't see us together good night, Keitel" "what's your business here?" "doesn't your royal highness want to go to bed?" "am I even forbidden to get some fresh air?" "the night air has its dangers, your royal highness especially when it blows over from France" "what does he want?" "say good night, your majesty good night sleep well thank you, your majesty good night" "leave the light burning" "turn off the light" "halt. who goes there?" "what's the matter?" "who's there?" "Eversmann?" "there's an officer wishing to speak with your majesty at this time of night?" "what does he want?" "a message of the utmost importance let him come in" "what's his name?" "Katte, your majesty" "Katte?" "captain Katte cousin to the lieutenant Katte of Potsdam so?" "his royal highness the crown prince has written a letter to lieutenant Hans Hermann Katte which by mistake had been delivered to me" "As soon as we reach the Rhine, I'll flee across the border to France, where I hope to meet you, my dear Katte." "Til we meet again, yours ever, your friend Fritz" "your royal highness" "it is time" "Herr von Rochow" "yes gentlemen. my eldest son wants to leave me the crown prince of Prussia wants to desert which bastard has been trying to spread those lies to his majesty?" "read this" "Good God" "may I ask what business your royal highness has here?" "I want to take a short morning ride my dear Herr von Rochow in that dress?" "let go of me, Rochow!" "then you'd have to cut off my hand, your royal highness your royal highness, I implore you turn back upon my word of honour, I won't tell the king." "send an urgent messenger to Berlin lieutenant von Katte is to be arrested for high treason apart from that, we'll wait till we are on Prussian ground the French border is close by, your majesty" "Rochow!" "Rochow!" "your majesty where is the crown prince?" "already in his carriage" "I thank you, Rochow you shall guarantee with your head to bring the crown prince back to Prussia" "show him the letter" "does your royal highness recognize the handwriting as your own?" "yes I do" "why did your royal highness want to desert?" "because the king doesn't treat me like a son, but like a slave" "I'm certain his majesty had only been thinking of your own good he couldn't have because he doesn't know me he couldn't possibly know me, living in a world of his own is that so?" "he doesn't know you because I don't like his musical books and his flute playing and what about my world?" "my world is Prussia!" "and not France!" "and not Rome!" "those Herodots, Tacitus, Livius... they cannot help us what do they know about East Prussia and Pomerania?" "What use is their fine language to me in the army?" "or in agriculture?" "in your eyes, you perfumed ape, my grenadiers are just scum, I know that but a little Frenchman a little comedian those are his idols but I am telling him:" "He who wants to rule this country one day..." "He will have to work, to economize, not to idle the grenadiers are important not the dancing masters go on with the questioning" "didn't your royal highness consider.." "what grave misfortune this disastrous step might have brought to the whole country?" "political entanglements perhaps even war" "I hadn't considered anything but that I couldn't stand that stuffiness, that brutality..." "YOU, always YOU this isn't about yourself this is about the country!" "not about a coward!" "without honour" "I have as much honour as you have, your majesty" "I only did what you would have done in my place long ago" "What?" "I?" "Adding insolence to your foul behavior?" "I'll turn you over to the hangman" "I'll take away your throne and electorate you can't do that you are being presumptuous, father are you telling me how to act, you scoundrel?" "kill me, your majesty but spare your son" "to a war tribunal with him in chains to Küstrin" "the lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte is sentenced to life-long imprisonment in the fortress" ""is sentenced to life-long imprisonment in the fortress." "Köpenick near Berlin, 25 October 1730"" ""Lieutenant von Katte is sentenced to death Köpenick 1." "November 1730"" "your majesty the Major General von Katte let him come in" "don't what nonsense get up" "your majesty my heart is filled with fears he doesn't have to explain, my dear Katte does he imagine it looks different in here?" "of course I know why he has come to me we both have worthless sons let God hear our laments they have committed crimes which might have endangered the whole country they must be punished certainly." "but with death?" "your majesty he's my only son!" "stop. now let me talk" "I myself ordered his death, he knows it does he imagine, I did it out of revenge?" "or out of thirst for blood?" "no." "I did it because that criminal action demands such a severe punishment it is better that a lieutenant Katte dies... than to let what is right and legal leave this world." "now he is going to say:" ""equal right for both of them!"" "I wholly agree" "Fritz has deserved death as much as your son." "if I have decided after all... to let him live..." "I certainly didn't do it because of those interfering Englishmen and Frenchmen no because I believe that I couldn't answer for it before God." "because a crown prince... belongs to the whole country he doesn't belong to me alone his royal father who has only one thing to worry about that the boy will turn out an honest man." "so that he will be able to shoulder the cumbersome, heavy duty one day." "In order to achieve this" "I have decided to punish him even harder and more severely than your son." "what could be more severe than death?" "I'll tell him" "I'll order that the lieutenant von Katte is to be executed before Fritz's eyes so that he himself will have to watch where such acts of high treason will lead to." "if this last means fails then by heaven my son too will die by execution" "but if it doesn't fail... then the lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte's death will have provided a king for Prussia." "and now he may decide himself" "I'll graciously listen to him" "I shall try to imagine... we're at war... and my son had fallen on the field of honour." "Count Feldenleder one more request" "I have a portrait which is very dear to me would you send it together with my letter to the crown prince?" "you can rely on it, Herr von Katte" "on the orders of his majesty the king" "I'll have to attend your execution, Katte" "God alone knows what a heavy task this is for me my obedient thanks, colonel" "I am not complaining about my fate" "I shall die for a master whom I love" "I am glad to hear that you are so firm, Herr von Katte because a heavy ordeal still awaits you" "you'll see the crown prince" "that is the most beautiful consolation he could have granted me colonel" "I thank his majesty the king for that favour" "colonel Fritz what's the matter?" "what do you want so early in the morning?" "I am ordered to make the colonel Fritz... step to the window." "what are you doing?" "you wouldn't want to kill him?" "say it isn't true!" "say that this is only a cruel show to subjugate me, to force me" "I capitulate, do you hear" "I'll be obedient, but tell me it isn't true the lieutenant Hans Hermann von Katte has been sentenced to death but Katte is innocent!" "you are murdering an innocent man commander, I beg of you, I implore you... have the execution adjourned" "I want to see the king let me through all these proceedings are happening on the orders of the king but I alone am guilty" "I'll do everything he asks of me" "I'll renounce the throne, my own life but mercy for Katte too late" "Katte" "Katte" "I am guilty of your death" "I am your murderer forgive me, Katte forgive me" "I have nothing to forgive, my prince if I had a thousand lives..." "I'd sacrifice them to you with pleasure" "Katte" "Katte" "Lord Jesus" "I command my soul into Your hands" "Katte your majesty, the death sentence for lieutenant von Katte has been executed" "did he stand firm?" "till the last moment did he let himself be bound?" "no your majesty" "let them fire an honorary salute over his grave" "you said that you forgave me, Katte why do you always stand there, staring at me?" "every night you are standing there every night the cold awakes me the cold coming from your hands" "when I am dreaming..." "I see your death when I am awake... guards. guards." "what's that shooting before my window?" "whom did you murder today?" "speak up no one has been shot, sir." "an honorary salute for the lieutenant von Katte an honorary salute?" "on the king's orders an honorary salute?" "first he murders him, and then... the king does not murder" "his will is the law and who doesn't bend to his will he'll have to destroy a country breaks apart which isn't ruled by one will" "you too will be king one day and will demand obedience" "do you realize how hard you are, commander?" "As hard as the duty you shall have to embody one day." "your royal highness" "I'll write my subjugation to the king." "my most gracious father and king" "I beg your pardon, your majesty shouldn't I take the prince back now?" "he'll disturb your majesty let him stay here he doesn't disturb me" "I'll fetch him more often from now on" "why are you so shy?" "come here" "what does he want?" "your majesty, a letter from Küstrin by special messenger" "I know no other master than my most gracious father whom I must serve humbly and obediently." "And if you find one fault with me, do with me what you want." "your son Fritz" "father may I go on playing?" "yes my boy, you may" "so, now run along back to the nursery" "Hudelmeyer" "Hudelmayer quick, write a letter, to Reichmann in Küstrin the commander my dear Herr von Reichmann as my son has now subjugated to my will" "I wish to grant him more freedom in the future at first, he is to work on the Rominten estate so that he may learn how much toil there is for the peasant to earn all the groschens that make up a taler" "in order to economize properly with it." "once he has mastered that" "I'll send him to the oppressed Oder province so the he may learn about his people's suffering on the spot." " say, is this his headquarter?" " yes your majesty where is he?" "over there, at work in such a weather?" "he doesn't care about the weather have him called here" "so this is where he lives yes your majesty" " did he make those drawings himself?" " yes your majesty in the last years, just by building dams and canals, the crown prince has reclaimed more than 150 square kilometers of good wheat soil" "how does he look, Hobogen?" "he looks well, doesn't he?" "much changed, your majesty so much the better so much the better" "is that his step?" "have a look" "your majesty" "so there he is" "It's been a long time since I saw him last a very long time" "I have heard a lot of good about him" "I wanted to have a look in person" "I recognize my gracious father's goodness" "let's sit down" "I have trouble standing on my feet" "I'm suffering from the gout" "I tell you, this pain is mean" "I regret that your majesty is suffering it's of no importance" "I have had to be very strict with you, Fritz hard even" "your majesty had been perfectly right" "are you really serious?" "perfectly serious, your majesty" "you haven't always thought like that your heart had been full of hate against me from now on, your majesty will find me his most obedient son" "I have selected a wife for you the princess of Brunswick-Bevern" "I am sure your majesty had made the best choice" "I hope you'll have a good life with her do you object to this marriage?" "I don't object, your majesty of course you must have a household of your own now" "I present you with the estate of Rheinsberg there you can set up your establishment as you see fit and live as you see fit my obedient thanks, your majesty and you'll carry your sword again and you'll get a regiment of your own" "my obedient thanks, your majesty are you glad?" "at your command, your majesty" "command?" "obedient thanks?" "don't you have anything... else to say to me, Fritz?" "your majesty, when you had my friend the lieutenant von Katte executed you imagined that you had taken Katte away from me you were wrong his blood-stained shadow hasn't left me a single day since then" "I always have him before my eyes even now, he stands between your majesty and myself" "then let us both get back to our work it'll be the best for you and for me" "the crown princess seems to be delighted by her husband's latest composition" "I wonder if she had a part in it?" "just between ourselves, she is tone-deaf but she is a clever woman who knows how to treat a husband who has far less interest in the delights of matrimony than in the sour-faced goddess of politics" "a scene worthy to be painted by you, master Pesne all Europe's envoys pay homage to the rising sun" "I thank you." "beautiful, really beautiful the envoys flatter the crown prince that means sunset for the king" "your royal highness" "I hear the king has fallen ill wrong alarm, my dear Pesne" "I won't be deceived by that any more the king has the health of a bear, he'll survive all of us don't you want to visit him in Berlin all the same, your royal highness?" "only under the most sovereign orders" "you permit me, sir?" "a menuett" "No!" "I don't want you to fetch him!" "if he doesn't come on his own, he can stay away" "I can perfectly well do without him since I've had to live without him..." "I might as well die without him." "your majesty shouldn't think about dying all the time of course I'm thinking about it" "and you all are thinking about it you're sitting around me... like vultures, counting my hours, but... perhaps your calculation will turn out to be wrong him too, the one in Rheinsberg... he who already sees himself rise as Prussia's new sun" "receiving envoys whom the scum are flattering as if I had already died" "I haven't died yet" "I'm still here" "I'm still living" "I am not dead!" "I am still master and king your majesty, I beg of you... yes I know... it's of no use" "over" "it's over" "I want to die in Potsdam your majesty, the strenuous journey near my "tall guys"" "near my blue children" "Knobelsdorff, do you know the latest, just between ourselves" "I've just heard from the crown princess he secretly starts to reinforce the regiments" " who?" "the crown prince?" " yes he has already enlisted 1.500 men in Hannover for his Ruppin regiment so he's his father's son after all only that he lets the whole world dance to the tune of his flute, not of his stick" "so much more pleasant what are the gentlemen talking about?" "about the differences between the flute and the stick, your royal highness are you referring to the stick Prussia's intellectual problems are being solved with in Berlin" "the stick which will enter into Prussia's history as the present king's only claim to fame fortunately Prussia's history isn't recorded by fools, but by their deeds it seems necessary to point out that the deeds of my royal father whom I honour deeply" "place him among the greatest rulers of all Europe" "I admit that they are too great to be understood by mean spirits music" "what was that?" "a bonmot, sir" "the king is arriving from Berlin" "silence are you mad?" "the king is gravely ill" "thank you, my boy thank you" "what a reunion" "my blue children" "Guys, I am so glad... to be with you again." "we will never let you go now, your majesty" "yes, I shall stay in Potsdam forever now." "his royal highness the crown prince will be furious if you disturb him nonsense. out of my way" "stop the music the dance is over" "I think a royal messenger from Potsdam what happened to the king?" " the king is said to be ill." " the king is said to be dead." "the end is near his heart fails him it mustn't be before the crown prince arrives by all means, you have to ..." "I'm afraid he won't be able to see him his conscience is drifting away" "the crown prince thank God" "his royal highness the crown prince has just arrived" "father" "father" "can't you hear me any more?" "there you are at last" "you have come my son" "my dear father" "I want to be alone with my son" "I guess I have been strict with you don't say that" "you had been right it had only been" "love" "I am giving you my whole heart for this" "I knew it, you are my son" "now I lay my country into your hands young king" "don't speak any more, father" "the generals" "Generals" "This is your King." "Make Prussia great." "farewell and I thank you" "subtitles written and translated by serdar202"