1864

I write this, so it can be remembered.

But I don't know who will read it.

Denmark was under the sun -

- and no one could, in their wildest dreams, imagine -

- that the country would soon experience its heaviest and most bloody defeat.

It is the story of a forgotten time and a forgotten war.

About Laust and Peter, Johan and Didrich -

- Sofia and mother Karen Dinesen, Einar, Erasmus and Alfred -

and the destiny of others -

- who were victims of euphoric folly of mad people.

And our own faith in them.

I am Inge. I am a freight manager's daughter -

Lausts and Peter's love.

I am the last living witness.

I have the time, that disappeared.

If we just gather over here, before we move on to the history center.

Okay. It was here -

- April 18, 1864, the Danish army fought against the Prussian supremacy.

Karoline, hello. Tap Karoline on the shoulder.

Today, there is not much to see.

There are some grooves in the ground, trays, and the hint of redoubts.

But imagine if you can -

that the Prussian army was over there -

- and the Danish defense fortifcations were located in the countryside here.

Is anybody listening? Now we run all the way over there.

Dybboel Mill.

Young Danish soldiers struggled here -

- in a completely impossible and hopeless battle -

against a giant Prussian army.

Dybboel Mill.

These are the finest top leaves. I have a pound.

I will piss rich. Try it.

You'll never get rich, Zlatko.

On 18/04/1864, in redoubt, here fell Kaptsur Lundbye -

- of the 2nd Regt and many of the rank and file -

whose names are not recorded.

How stupid! There is a monument because they fell.

Oh, I fell. Give me a monument.

Idiot!

Good morning.

Noah did, just as God had commanded him.

Now, if there were two animals of everything, there were also two lice?

Noah took two of each. All living creatures.

- But what would you do with lice? - All creatures are God's work.

- But lice ?! - You are happy when you are 'lice free'

So without lice there would not be any 'lice free'.

- Damn! - That's enough!

- Are you coming, Peter? - Come on.

Peter.

And so Denmark is at war. And so they rally -

- for no soldier is so brave as the Danish soldier.

The german is on the run, and Schleswig would bend your neck.

Yes, children. Many of your fathers are down there -

and you should be proud -

- that they defended Denmark to the last drop of blood.

Peter's father is also included. Isn't that true, Peter, who chose to be late.

The german is currently eating Schleswig up like the wolf -

- enticing the lost sheep. Come on. Come with me.

But no. For here is the Kingdom of Denmark.

And it goes all the way down here. So Schleswig is in the fold.

They think that they are outside, but we'll have to change that.

- Yes, Einar. - Isn't German Schleswig the most spoken language?

Yes, but it must stop -

- because we do not have other languages than Danish in Denmark -

- and that's why God gave us the flag.

- Did it really fall from the sky? - Yes.

The good God let the danish flag with the white cross -

drop down to us Danish -

- because He loves us more than all the others.

- Hooray. - Hooray.

Are you sure?

Yes, if you just do it long enough, something will come out.

I do it at least once a day and bring it into the jar over there.

Here it comes.

See.

It's what you do for children.

Damn, I can not. Damn.

Don't worry. It will come.

Why are they ringing so many times?

It is Didrich.

You are home.

I was 12 years old in 1851, when the soldiers returned home.

They had defeated the Prussians and the Schleswig rebels -

- and now the country was overtaken with excitement.

I still remember the women crying, as they revisited their sons and men.

I remember clearly how brilliant Didrich looked -

- when he rode on his high horse and looked like a prince.

How I ran barefoot along side and looked admiringly at him -

- and the fine company, who received him with enthusiasm.

See my son. Look at him.

There we have the hero.

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Didrich.

And... Yes, it's great.

Come on. Cognac. Cognac for my son.

Come on, boy.

- Bang! Bang! - Don't shoot me!

- Satan's German! - Bang!

Mother?

Father?

Come on, boys.

How many did you kill?

We won't talk about it, ok?

You definitely beat more to death than Didrich.

- You made the fence? - Yes, yes.

Your hands are well screwed on.

Peter reads books. He goes to school. He can already read and write.

You will go to Copenhagen and study one day, perhaps?

Yes, maybe.

We might have a priest in the family.

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!

- How many did you whack? - 120

How are you?

Could you ensure respect? So your people look up to you?

If you continue your career in the military?

If you had seen what I saw...

I saw grown men being ripped apart.

Yes.

I stood with my lieutenant... Then poof -

his face disappeared.

- It disappeared father. - Yes, it's war.

Yes, but it could as well have been me.

War's bloody mess.

You know how it is to see themselves die every day?

You're alive. If your mother had lived -

- she would have been happy to see you here.

Yes, back in one piece. Healthy.

In one piece.

I am not healthy.

Pull yourself together!

Not many could see Didrich's scar on the soul -

- for who knows what sort of human hides behind the facade.

Is even the strongest of us -

- not sometimes alone in front of the mirror a weak, sobbing child -

with strange demons?

Denmark is great.

Large as the largest.

Bigger yet, but the reactionaries -

- conservatives and aristocrats have the power.

Ditlev?

Can't you see that I am working, woman?

Dearest Ditlev, we have to go to the theater.

Thank you, Emilie. Thank you.

Monrad, It's you, who is the rhetorician.

If we are to expand the Conservatives, then I must have your help

Then you must pull yourself together.

- What's up with you? - Where are you pregnant, Bishop Monrad?

We alone are responsible for collecting this country together.

Our leader procures instruments. They play music.

But right now you're as silent as an empty orchestra pit. Damn, man?

- Then you must speak up in parliament. - Do not call the devil in my presence.

We have a wonderful project. Therefore, we call upon all -

- what it takes to close the mouths of the conservative forces.

Even they love democracy.

Denmark is flag waving throughout Europe -

- showing that we are a modern, democratic kingdom for and with the people.

Should we unite as one people in one collected kingdom, we need...

Their rhetoric, Monrad. It's the devil in hell-

- They are so damn good. They and Grundtvig.

Is not God himself, speaking through priests like you?

- Please, Lundbye... - Well, pull yourself together.

They're the champion.

- What do we have to watch? - Mrs. Heiberg. 'Macbeth'.

What thou art promised, yet do I fear thy nature..

It is too full...

..of the milk o' human kindness.

To catch the nearest way:

thou wouldst be great;

Art not without ambition,

but without the illness should attend it

What thou wouldst highly, that wouldst thou holily;

wouldst not play false, And yet wouldst wrongly win,

That which cries ' Thus thou must do,

if thou have it

Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valor...

As thou art in desire. Wouldst thou have that

Which thou esteem'st the ornament of life

And live a coward in thine own esteem

Letting “I dare not” wait upon “I would”

Like the poor cat i' th' adage? It would have the fish -

but not wet feet.

Bravo.

Bravo.

Because it is your birthday, you can have this.

- And... - Save some for Laust.

Thank you, Peter.

- There you go. - Thank you.

Linnaeus: 'Flora and fauna in Scandinavia'

Yes, it is... I got it from a Swede.

Yes, it is in Swedish. Swedish is not that hard to learn.

- I have no books for you, Laust. - I do not use any.

- Are you sure? - Yes.

Maybe you can get away with it here.

It should be clean, but look for the presence of a Prussian at the end.

Come on, Peter.

That day God shone rays of sun on our world -

still infinitesimal.

I see only two dirty boys. And they just look at me -

as a pillar that rose out of the sea.