When I was still a child,
my father taught me that
the world is a place...
from which I will simply
disappear one day.
Nothing will remain of me.
None of my feelings will outlive me.
It will be...
as if I had never existed at all.
For as long as I can remember,
my father lived for Death,
which he was very fond of,
maybe even fonder of than me.
It's Karpow.
He's brought some with him!
Well, he can dine with us.
I have to go to the laboratory.
Who will pick up your daughter?
Shall we send Paul?
He's still in the cupboard.
So, did you think it over?
Yes.
So what is the twelfth psalm?
The Lord shall cut off,
flattering lips and proud tongues.
What's going on, my dearest?
Please excuse me! The Russians are
asking to be billeted.
Of course, just a moment.
So, Paul?
Should the bodies be
taken to the saw mill?
Pardon?
Should they be taken to
the saw mill, the bodies?
Laboratory.
It is a laboratory. La-bo-ra-torium.
- Laboratory.
- So that means yes?
There is no saw mill anymore,
Mr. Mechmershausen.
Laboratory.
Very well, professor.
The twelfth psalm?
The Lord shall cut off flattering lips,
and proud tongues.
You'll not lie anymore?
I won't lie anymore.
Why isn't Papa picking us up?
Soldiers have been
billeted with us today.
That's why Uncle Ebbo couldn't come.
That looks heavy!
They caught a few anarchists.
There are anarchists here?
Is there ice in this?
Of course there's ice in it.
To keep mother safe.
I was 14 years old,
as young as the century itself.
I had never been to Poll before,
my family's ancestral home.
But now, of all times,
I encountered this abyss...
of place, time and danger,
from which none of us should escape.
The story of my father
is not my story.
But my life has
retained certain traits of the catastrophe
that papa caused.
So I have to
include him and his arts
to a certain extent.
I never thought these arts
would one day prove to be
the roots of all evils.
I thought they were,
like all forms of art,
the blossom of the world.
My dear, here you are at last!
Come in here!
Come on, grab him!
- Papa!
- Come, into the kitchen!
Millalu!
Open the door!
What's this, little Oda?
Papa's present! From Berlin.
He'll be thrilled.
- But not here.
- He asked for it.
- I said not here!
- 2,000 Werst!
She carried that for 2,000 Werst!
We say kilometres.
Come here, Oda!
Put it over here.
It's from professor Heimer.
He sends his best wishes, Papa.
Twins, that's nice.
Would you like to assist me?
Come over here, it's alright.
Do you want to suture him?
I don't want Oda to suture him.
You will be careful, alright?
We will do it very carefully.
Ebbo, I don't want Oda to do the stitching.
We will do it together.
He's your patient, Ebbo!
He's my coachman!
This is a child!
This is my child!
And this is my kitchen!
It's no place for things like this.
Have you gone mad?
Why doesn't your daughter speak Russian?
She's from Berlin.
They don't speak Russian there.
Oh well, she will learn it
soon enough, here in Poll.
Really? It feels like Berlin here,
among you Germans!
Now you're exaggerating!
We're Russians but we speak German.
- We're subjects of the Tsar.
- The Tsar's subjects, yes.
- That was a joke.
- Good.
- Good Night, Papa.
- Good night, my child.
The Balts are no longer appreciated much
in the holy Russian Empire.
Half of Petersburg spoke German once.
Am I right, Apapa?
Yes, of course.
St. Petersburg was the cultural capital.
Yes, you can certainly say that.
- The Balts were everywhere.
- Yes, that's why this country exists.
There are only five Balts
in my cadet school.
- But they are the most competent, right?
- Yes, mother.
- You know Paul has been accepted
in Petersburg? - Yes, very good indeed.
Maybe he will be the Tsar's adjutant
one day!
- Mother!
- And now he always says "mother"!
Yes. How nice.
But Oda surely still says "mama",
am I right?
I can't say "mama" anymore.
Tomorrow we will all bury Oda's mother.
We will bury my wife.
Your divorced wife.
I think it's beautiful that
your mother wanted to be buried here.
In her homeland soil!
She'll lie next to your husband, Millalu?
The question is,
will she get to the cemetery at all.
Where else?
Let's just say: La-bo-ra-torium.
You're a remarkable man,
your pronunciation. So Latin.
Can I see the laboratory?
No. Let's talk about something else.
Always this talk about Balts and Russians,
Russians and Balts.
I'm sick of hearing about it.
- Let's talk about the Estonians?
- No!
- No talk about the Estonians either!
- Why can't I see the laboratory?
Because of the Estonians.
You're drunk, Mr. Mechmershausen!
- Which Estonians?
- Dead Estonians!
They are "Maessajads"!
Anarchists! Criminals!
They are not exactly God-fearing people!
Did God somehow command them
to be gutted like these fish?
How dare you speak to my husband
like that? In front of the children!
You say that although you have
experienced the revolution?
That's interesting!
- His predecessor was nailed to
the church door! - Drowned!
A sack over his head and drowned.
Shall I tell you something?
People like you cause the revolution!
Do you want me to trash your arse?
Ebbo!
What was it, I wondered,
while I lived through the days of summer,
what was it,
that connected me with these people?
Their loneliness so different to mine,
their country so strange,
their company so unbearable.
Only screaming helped.
And whenever I found the time,
I screamed into my diary.
And I hated it to be interrupted
while screaming.
You are never with the others.
Leave me alone.
Your father wants me to show you
our entire property.
Nothing here belongs to him.
You're lying.
Everything here belongs to my mother.
And one day it will be mine.
You will never be the Tsar's adjutant.
Why?
You're too stupid.
- I'm not that stupid.
- And you are a liar.
Yes, that's right.
And you could leave now.
There's your present.
Your present.
We could preserve it in schnapps.
It'll keep that way.
Are you all happy here?
You will be happy here too one day.
He saw it came from a shield,
carried by a giant, huge and wild.
Roland grabbed him by the hair,
chopped off his head and a flood of...
Oda?
Oda! Come now, please!
Look at this!
I trained him!
Good for you.
No. Really!
Clever, eh?
Coincidence.
Try it!
There!
His name is Seneca.
Seneca?
Because he is so clever.
Would you like to have him?
Thank you.
And the duke said:
"I have a trusty servant, Taillefer,
who serves me well and right.
He spins my wheel and stokes my fire
and sings with a voice so bright...
I can't speak Russian.
That was Estonian.
I can't speak Estonian either.
But I can speak German.
Am I right?
Yes.
"Unfortunately
I am not in the best of health. "
Is that the correct syntax?
Good.
Did I frighten you?
I had frightened of that.
I was afraid of that.
Excuse me?
You mean: I was afraid of that.
I was afraid of that.
Who are you?
Don't you want to tell me who you are?
I am hungry.
You are one of those "Maessajads", right?
Listen!
Whoever you are,
I won't betray you, I promise.
But you really can't stay here.
My cousins are outside.
And we have soldiers billeted with us!
Your wound,
may I have a look at it?
I can tend to it.
First of all I'll get you something to eat.
What are you doing in there?
Thinking.
Thinking.
You are thinking about that chicken?
About death.
The chicken is dead.
That is a very masculine way of thinking.
Men think about the beyond.
While women...
think about the here and now.
Unfortunately that is the way it is.
Come on, sit down.
So...
Sit down.
Eat if you are so hungry.
You do know that you are
not allowed to steal here, right?
I know that I shouldn't be smoking here.
We won't do this again, right?
Eat. It's tasty.
You have a very masculine nature.
Do you know what I mean?
When I say masculine?
You would rather have had a son.
Mama told me that.
I love you.
I love you like a son.
Come now.
I will measure you.
There really is a lot of stuff in here.
Yes.
There is no room at the university.
They took your professorship away?
Did Mama tell you that too?
She was just angry with you.
Fourteen.
Can you teach me something?
Well, we could cut open a cat some time.
I'd love to.
Come, I'll show you something.
What do you think this is?
A brain.
This is the brain of a criminal!
Here you can see the path of the bullet.
The projectile smashed through
both cerebral lobes
and then ricocheted off
the inside of the skull.
And here...
- The bullet?
- The bullet! Exactly.
That is the bullet.
It hit a bad person.
Do you want to know which one?
Look! There's the little hole.
Science can deduce from the skull
to the brain
and from the brain
to the entire human being.
And right here, in this little gland,
that is where the evil lies.
I know that for certain.
And because I know that,
well, that's why they
took away my professorship.
Papa?
When we have cut open the cat,
can we stitch it up again afterwards?
Of course we can.
- Shall we do that then?
- Now?
I think I'd like to become a doctor,
like you.
Unfortunately women cannot be doctors.
I won't become a woman.
Alright, I will go and get a cat.
Nobody was allowed to set foot
in my father's laboratory.
It was like the castle of a mighty wizard,
protected by ancient curses.
And as in every secret place,
it contained an even more secret place,
unattainable,
completely forbidden.
Of course it has to thaw first.
I can show you the microbes though.
It all starts with microbes.
And it all ends with microbes.
Come over here, little Oda!
Here!
Schnapps.
Schnapps?
Yes.
It's for you.
That's very kind of you,
Miss Oda.
How do you know my name?
I took the liberty of spying.
You read my diary?
Of course I did.
You shouldn't read other people's diaries!
I am an anarchist.
Anarchists can do anything.
What's your name?
Whatever you want.
I mean, what should I call you?
Whatever you want.
Mueller?
What?
Mr. Mueller!
No. No.
Schmidt?
No. No. No, definitely not Schmidt!
Schnapps!
Just call me Schnapps!
Schnapps and Oda. That fits well.
You'll catch your death here.
I have an idea, Mr. Schnapps.
Oda is not here.
Oda!
Soire!
Soire!
Soire!
Quiet!
Chloroform!
The incorrect treatment of bullet wounds
leads not only to
inflammatory complications,
but can create such a disorganisation
within the human body,
that the muscles transform
into a kind of pulp,
and the inner organs
decompose due to gangrene.
Therefore bullet wounds should always
be treated by a certified doctor.
What are you reading?
Bullet wounds.
Papa gave it to me.
Why on earth is she interested
in bullet wounds?
Why are you interested in spring fashion?
I wanted to find out if the heir apparent
could have been saved.
- The heir apparent?
- Heir apparent. Sarajevo.
The assassination.
My girl, why do you know so little?
If the war comes,
then just save me, will you?
My God, girl! There won't be a war.
And anyway, I would save you.
Come, Oda, in position.
Right! Let's all take up our positions!
Everybody listen to me now!
Apapa, you go to the centre!
Yes! The whole boat...
A bit more to the right!
Beautiful, Milla!
Attention!
Say clementine!
Don't be scared!
I am a nurse. I know what I'm doing.
It was the shortest
week of my life.
But it was the longest week
in my father's life.
Ill-tempered
he awaited the arrival
of a Viennese professor,
who was supposed to
promote his career.
- Do you know where Oda is?
- No.
I wanted to do that!
You are a very young nurse.
Do you think I'll cut your throat?
- How old are you, Oda?
- Twenty.
You lie and you steal.
And people who lie and steal
also cut throats.
Have you already cut
someone's throat?
No.
Have you already asked other
people this question?
Moustache please!
Please!
- Have you ever cut someone's throat?
- Eh?
Not yet.
Have you ever cut someone's throat?
Have you cut someone's throat?
Quite often in the past.
But not as often as your father!
How can he dare
to claim something like that?
- Don't get upset now, my dear!
- He is a real problem!
- You're scratchy. - Yes I am scratchy.
My shaving gear has disappeared.
That is a nice cane.
Nice cane! Nice cane!
Yes, it's a nice cane!
What an idiot!
Why are soldiers residing here?
- Residing?
- Yes, residing.
You speak good German, Schnapps.
Did you go to university?
I was in Siberia.
Do they teach German in Siberia?
The officer of the camp
was from Riga.
- So he taught you German?
- Yes.
That's nice.
You were friends with that officer?
No.
I killed him.
That was just a joke.
Tasty.
Why were you in Siberia?
I wrote books.
You wrote books?
You're an author?
You're a real author?
- Tell me what you wrote!
- You tell me why they are here!
What has happened to my friends?
Scissors, paper, stone?
- What?
- Scissors, paper, stone.
The loser has to talk.
You know "Scissors, Paper, Stone", right?
Schnick... Schnack... Schnuck!
Come on!
Schnick... Schnack... Schnuck!
What's wrong?
What's wrong with you?
I don't know what happened
to your friends.
I will ask.
I will ask.
- Something occurred a few weeks ago.
- What?
With the anarchists.
Yes.
What happened to them?
Well, they were all shot dead.
And your father bought the bodies.
He bought them?
Everybody knows that.
You're lying.
Pardon?
You're lying!
Is something wrong, my little Oda?
What's the matter?
Nothing. Good night.
Your friends survived.
I saw how they were killed.
They were only wounded.
My father is a doctor.
He's a very famous doctor.
He operated on them.
And now your friends will stand trial.
Really?
Yes.
You're not telling the truth.
I am telling the truth!
- No.
- I swear.
How long were you underwater
out there in the reeds?
A long time.
But didn't you need to breathe?
No.
- You're fibbing!
- I'm not!
You can't stay underwater that long!
- I asked.
- The famous doctor?
You're not telling the truth! So don't
accuse me of not telling the truth!
My heart beats slowly.
It only beats forty times per minute.
That's why I can stay underwater long.
Can I feel it?
- Have you got a clock?
- No.
It makes no sense without a clock.
Count up to sixty!
That is one minute.
You have to count!
I have to?
Please.
Do you think I could become a writer?
I would love to do that.
I write poems too.
Do you think I could become a writer?
No.
Why not?
You don't bring things to an end.
Whoever tells a story,
must be like a wolf.
Must search until he finds.
You didn't even count my pulse.
Yes, I did!
Please teach me something!
Leave it!
Show me something!
How do you tell a story properly?
What's important?
I thought you liked me a little bit.
Well...
You start with the hands.
- With the hands?
- Yes.
"I am the left!"
And I am the right.
And this right hand...
is a small drop of water.
A single, tiny drop of water.
The left hand, however,
the left hand is a black chicken.
The black chicken...
is walking about...
among the cabbage heads.
It walks and walks...
and suddenly sees the drop of water
on a leaf and wants to peck it off.
But this drop of water
houses intelligent life.
And what
are those intelligent beings
in the drop of water called?
They are microbes.
The microbes are highly educated,
charming,
or simply ingenious.
But the black chicken doesn't know this.
It circles the drop of water
stupidly and greedily.
There's chaos in the drop of water!
The microbes are trembling with fear.
Flee!
Let's flee, they scream.
And they flee...
to the very end...
of the drop of water.
But the black beak
is coming ever closer.
Then the socialist microbes say:
"Let's team up!
Let's try to make the drop
fall off the leaf!
Let's all head in that direction!"
"No!" the liberal microbes yell.
"We'll all do as we please!"
"No!" the capitalist microbes scream.
"Our factories will be empty!
No! No! No!"
And the most stupid and
most reactionary microbes yell:
"Long live Tsar Nicholas!"
Here.
Bride!
Or...
No.
Redskin.
No?
Yes.
Napoleon! Write!
- What?
- What would Napoleon write?
- I don't know.
- You do. Feel it! Feel his hair!
His clothes! Feel them!
Yes!
You write what you feel!
I feel...
I feel:
Josphine. Yes.
Josphine,
the empress.
You have to be Napoleon!
Not Oda! Napoleon!
You don't feel like Napoleon.
You feel like a cretin.
That's wrong! Napoleon! Yes?
Yes, that's better.
Good!
Yes, sit down!
Sit down!
Fetch your book and start writing!
Concentrate!
A love story
between Napoleon and Josphine.
Nice to see you again!
Lausanne,
am I right, my colleague?
Paris.
Paris.
That was the last time.
Oh well, you don't live so badly here.
- At the arse-end of the world,
if I may say. - That's true.
- But it's a beautiful arse.
- Yes, that's true.
- Shall we go inside first?
- Everyone in Dorpat is asking about you.
Why are you not attending the congress?
My husband was not invited.
I am ready.
Then read it out loud.
Desert hot the summer breeze,
ivory skies,
distant blue haze.
Heavy perfume wafts from the trees,
stars are dying where the cattle graze.
And the moon is smiling like a doll,
to light the shimmering shadows
of our sublime nights here in Poll.
To welcome all our blithe tomorrows...
Poll?
Yes.
The estate is called Poll?
Yes. What do you think of it?
What?
The poem about Napoleon?
The Poll estate!
Why are you so angry?
It's a horrible poem!
Stupid girl, stupid little emotions!
I'm sorry.
Here! Read this!
- Did you write it?
- A German wrote it. Read it!
I am a prole, so that's my fate.
This isn't a love story.
Read it! Read it from the beginning!
I am a prole, so that's my fate
to feel like a crawling worm.
I am a prole. I love to hate.
For me hate is a heart-warming term.
We have no house and we have no cash,
we live like cattle and swine,
we carry the world on our backs,
while you wear top hat and tails
when you dine.
We may be a pitiful clan,
born only to bow and to scrape.
But we bear our name for a reason:
We exist only to procreate.
Endowed we are with spermatic cords
to reproduce in millions.
To ensure that you, you barons and lords
will be comfortably fed by your minions.
Come in.
I like your idea a lot.
The disposal of burdensome
children is no crime,
nor an immoral act, that's quite clear.
- It is a practical act.
- This is colossal!
And the conception of good children
should not be the result
of a random drunken night.
And what is up there?
Excuse me.
My dear friend,
you really have some
very interesting specimens here.
Excuse me, gentlemen!
And?
Thank you ever so much
for the donation.
I mean, how did you like it?
You have a very nice forest here.
Could I apply for a professorship?
- You could try, I guess!
- In Vienna?
You turned that saw mill into a laboratory?
Yes.
If you turn that laboratory
back into a saw mill,
then that forest there
will make you very happy.
Best regards!
Two?
- No.
- One?
- One day?
- I am endangering you.
Your family will be in trouble
if they find me.
There's a picnic on Millagi beach
the day after tomorrow.
Stay just one more day!
I have to leave now!
But everyone will be gone.
And in the meantime I can organise
the things for your journey.
A journey is something else.
What do you need?
Day after tomorrow?
You can get me everything?
Do you know what I'd really need?
But why do you need a gun?
You have to do something difficult.
Can you imagine
what will happen if they catch me?
I thought you liked me a little.
I do like you.
But you never have time.
I don't even know if you like me at all.
A lot.
Really?
Your hand, Paul!
What do you think is going
through your dead father's head now?
Leave the hand there, Paul!
Mr. Mechmershausen!
Three chickens,
one chamber pot, two towels,
a chess game, shaving gear, a cane...
- That wasn't me!
- And we should believe you?
We are supposed to believe a boy
who lies and steals?
A boy who steals a gun?
Why did he steal that gun?
I don't know.
Are you involved in this in any way? Oda?
No!
Shut the door.
Shut the door!
But his fingers.
Shut that door!
Or do you want to swap places?
Shut the door! Now!
Will you be coming to the soire?
Yes, later.
You used to enjoy them.
Yes, in the past.
Do you love him?
Who?
Do you think I'm blind?
Yes, you are blind.
You open countless skulls. But you
have no idea what makes a human being.
What would that be?
We can change.
Your son will play
and my daughter will sing!
You know what happened to my friends?
What's all this about?
Sit down.
But we don't have time,
we have guests.
But you know that, darling!
Nobody changes!
Nobody changes, you understand?
Everything stays the same!
Do you understand that?
Yes!
Ebbo, don't!
- It is my right!
- Stop it!
It is my right!
Nothing changes!
You are not planning to kill me.
You don't hate me.
Don't hate me.
I am going to gag you. When they
find you, you say it was a hold-up.
- You're leaving?
- Yes.
You promised you'd
only leave tomorrow.
Don't cry!
You will suffocate if you cry!
Stop it!
Stop it!
- Will you take me with you?
- What?
- I could look after you!
- What?
I can cook and sew!
I wouldn't ever complain!
Take me with you!
I would go everywhere you go,
no matter where it is!
I have nobody left.
I am alone.
I can't take you with me, Oda.
You are not twenty.
You are not even fifteen.
You are not from this country
and you are not a nurse.
And you are a little miss.
Definitely you're not alone.
Take me with you!
They are all gone tomorrow.
All the soldiers, all of them will be gone.
You can leave tomorrow.
Tomorrow.
Leave tomorrow!
Come, Oda!
Thanks for not betraying me.
I would never betray you.
Right! This is how it's done!
Beautiful.
Right, children! We're ready! So I want
to hear "clementine" in a moment, OK?
We're at war!
We are at war.
Do you know what this means, darling? War.
Yes, Aunt Milla.
Everything will change.
You're very pale.
I'm not feeling well.
Can I go back home?
It's only one.
We'll nick another one on the way.
Nick?
Steal, rob, nick!
- You are a child, Oda!
- I'm not a child!
Who would have thought that
we Germans would be shooting at Germans?
No, who would have thought that?
As always?
Not anymore.
Nothing is as always.
I mean between us.
There is nothing between us anymore.
What happened to your eye?
What did he do to you, the professor?
Nothing.
Stay away from me.
What is this? It is a disgrace.
Or is this one of your
experiments, professor?
I beg your forgiveness.
A mistake! We will
fetch another barrel.
What kind of behaviour is this?
- What's it got to do with me?
- Silence! Fetch a new barrel, you idiot!
Quickly!
Not "quickly"!
There will be no more "quickly"!
There will be
no more German spoken here anymore.
That's the enemy's language.
Understand?
Of course.
Let's go.
Come on, get going!
Play on! Come on everyone, play on!
- Have we got everything?
- Yes.
Good.
Chloroform.
Who is this man?
What do you know about him?
Why was he in the saw mill?
I helped him.
Yes?
Helped him!
We have to shoot him.
What?
We have to shoot him!
If we don't shoot him, somebody else will.
And if that's a Russian,
he'll have to shoot you too.
And shoot me. Shoot all the others.
So I can't imagine you helped him.
Surely you didn't help a "Maessaja"?
Surely you didn't help an anarchist?
Why?
Why did you do this?
She's a nurse.
She likes to help.
The swine!
The swine speaks German!
- Swine!
- Stop it!
Stop!
Get my things out of there!
My things!
Leave now!
- Why?
- Go!
Why should I leave?
Do you want to watch?
Do you want to see this?
I'm saving your family.
I'm saving you. Understand?
Go!
Go!
You hid a "Maessaja"!
That's what I'll say.
You hid a "Maessaja"!
Not me! You!
I will run out
and scream that you hid an anarchist!
I will if you hurt him!
I will say that!
I will say all that
and I will swear.
And nobody will believe you!
You're just a little caretaker
who loves Estonians and hates my father!
And who sleeps with my father's crazy wife!
I will destroy your life!
I swear to God!
Are you in there?
Are you in there, Mr. Mechmershausen?
You are in there!
Go away!
Did you do this?
Did you burn down my laboratory?
Go away!
We'll be in soon!
- I'm going to fetch the Russians!
- No, don't!
No, nobody is allowed in!
Who did you shoot at?
Who did you shoot at?
- At a leg.
- At which leg?
It doesn't matter which leg!
A leg is a leg!
There are loads of legs out there!
And they all want to come in!
I can help.
- Help?
- Maybe.
What do you mean?
Have you got another gun?
Untie him.
My dear Ebbo, we need to talk.
I am injured.
Millalu.
I know that this may not
be the right moment.
But we have to talk about our future.
What about our future?
It is over.
Let her go!
She is a child!
- Damn it, she is a child!
- No.
She isn't a child.
She is...
She is...
She is Napoleon!
No!
Come away!
Oda, he did it for you!
He did it for you!
He did it for you!
Oda, he did it only for you!
Only for you!
When we go out there...
Do you hear me?
When we go out there,
you say that he threatened us.
Do you hear me? Oda!
Do you hear me?
They are gone!
They are gone!
They are gone! They are all gone!
To the front.
All to the front.
Oh remember!
Death is like a seed so rare
hidden in you and your daily toiling,
like hazelnut and
bright apple star,
as velvet plum enfolds it
until morning.
Oh remember, there's
no escape route,
it lives in you as in
the sweet fruit.
When I was still a child,
my father taught me that
the world is a place,
from which I will simply
disappear one day.
Nothing will remain of me.
None of my feelings
will outlive me.
It will be
as if I never existed at all.
Dearest Oda!
For the first time I now see
what it's like when you sleep.
Wake up and write a poem for me.
I am looking forward to all your books.
I'm sure you'll have a wonderful life.
I'm always with you.
Schnapps.