Lidice

When future generations ask what we fought for,

just tell them the story of Lidice.

Frank Knox - USA Navy Secretary

The priest was here today. For some honey.

-What did he say? Did he damn you? -No...

He said that war is coming.

We'll all be damned, hey?

Use the garden as an exit.

Enjoy the cake which, in the name of the entire village

and the Lidice football club, l am pleased to hand over.

But l would rather pass on this honorary duty to our Deputy Mayor.

František...

Go on.

Who d'you think you are, you tramp?

Shut up, you squirt.

How dare you?

-You calling me a squirt, you wanker? -Don't even talk to me!

You don't care they all know, you enjoy it all.

Why be silent? Talk to me.

Get lost! Just go home!

Go home!

You bastard! l'll kill you!

Call the doctor!

-Dear Lord, let him rest in peace. -And everlasting light be with him.

-Let him rest in holy peace. -Amen.

Anežka, think of the Lord.

Heck, l imagined our last joint bit of business slightly differently.

Lads, you are really off to England?

What about you? Won't change your mind?

Jaruš would murder me.

With a bit of luck, others might do it quicker.

'least you'd fight for your country.

What about you, Karel?

Now when my brother is dead and dad locked up

l can't leave mum on her own.

l passed him the knife.

Eda was drunk and up for a fight, he was oblivious of everything.

And František swiped at him with that knife.

Does the accused wish to say anything in his defence?

The accused, František Šíma, is guilty

of stabbing his son, Eduard, with death the consequence.

Thus, he is guilty of manslaughter and is sentenced to hard labour

for the duration of four years.

-How is it going, gents? -Finishing off, sir.

l pleaded for someone from the trade, with a minor crime,

and you put in here a murderer! A son-killer!

They brought in another one,

he killed two girls and threw them into a pond.

Better than stabbing your own son, isn't it?

-What's the other one like? -Which other one?

Well, the one with the girls. This one is really awful.

Stays mute, gapes... One doesn't know what's running through his head.

You've failed to notice you are in jail, haven't you?

-l've noticed. -You think l'm giving you a choice?

You think you are on a school outing?

You're banged up on a wing with other hardened criminals,

so, behave accordingly.

lt seems that there are still worse crimes.

Petiška, Šíma, out! Take your belongings.

This wing has to be cleared for the Germans.

Run-of-the-mill, clearly less dangerous offenders

such as murderers and the like, are off to the B wing.

Here, they say, it will be reserved for 'real rogues'.

Politicals. Off we go. Come on.

-May l take the picture? -No!

Prisoners, stop, stand still!

Rise!

Quickly! Quickly!

Prisoner 2037.

Your new colleague, Kowalski.

Petiška, you over there.

l hope you'll have no complaints here about bad company.

l imagined it slightly differently.

Most things will be done differently to what we imagined.

A local legend. Top-class forger.

Ripped off touts by the million.

But the jury just couldn't work him out,

as he gave all the winnings away to orphanages and poorhouses.

A right crackpot.

Not all of it. l kept my working expenses.

How did they catch you?

One orphanage director was petrified by the cash and she reported it.

-And whatever happened to you gents? -Nothing much of interest.

l have a few safes to my name and Síma here is a murderer.

Hmm, that is a somewhat alternative method of applying God's teachings.

Sit down, Šíma. Sit!

No-one knows l am here.

Shouldn't have come.

František...

No hanky-panky, Šíma! One more minute.

No newsprint.

So, l don't have to lug it back.

Please, read it.

A little bit late for that, don't you think?

What about Karel?

Have you seen him?

l tend to stay out of the way these days.

Zvolský said your old lady is a right goer.

Crikey, you kill her kid and she brings you eggs.

And a Bible. You're a right weird family.

May l?

Here. Gospel according to St.John. Chapter three, verse sixteen.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son,

that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

You bastard!

l'll kill you!

What is it?

Can't expect a pure breed here.

Your mother's maiden name was König, correct?

Your superiors weren't as fortunate in their predecessors.

Supposedly you speak good German.

l'm offering you the job in charge of the local gendarmes

with your pay being tripled.

May l think it over?

No. You are a strange nation. You've no wish to help yourselves.

But l can have my own lads?

ln fact, you must. We won't carry out your police duties for you.

So, my congratulations.

Your first task will be to gather all the church bells.

Your dad worked over there tapping the hot metal.

l visited him a few times here. As a small kid.

How is he doing in there?

Writes?

lt's forbidden now.

Really? Strange. Jára, who strangled his mother-in-law

keeps writing all the time, mainly asking for grub and cigs.

Attention! Special announcement.

Today, in the early hours, units of the German armed forces

have crossed the borders of Bolshevik Russia.

Panzer divisions are easily cutting through chaotic Russian defences...

That's for your mum.

What is it?

Doesn't have to know it's from me.

lf you took care of the bees you and your mum would have honey.

You enjoyed it as a small kid.

Karel!

You should pop by to see your dad.

The priest asked whether you'd help him again at Mass.

You used to enjoy playing the organ.

Seidl family have different chickens.

No idea, they must have these too.

Shouldn't you be studying?

And shouldn't we go and visit dad?

l think we have enough of other worries for now.

Who knows if they allow visits. lt's wartime. Other rules apply.

As a rule, he still remains our dad.

Yippee!

Come closer, so we have a memento of your three goals!

Come and stand down here.

Fine, a little further...

Nobody understands that, in fact, l'm helping them.

lf one of us didn't do it we could be a lot worse off.

Thank you. Finished.

You think l get a kick out of being here?

A public gathering demands some official supervision.

l'm here because of them. For them to have a good time.

You get it, don't you?

You're in the picture, when they all gape at you like this.

Those two could make a couple.

With such shame l wouldn't even stick my head out.

Marie! The chickens are laying well.

Horák and Stříbrný have legged it, now you have a bigger range to fill.

-Will you dance with me? -Now that you've finished playing?

The girls are waiting for me.

Go on then, don't linger.

l have to get a little more drunk.

Then l will ask you again.

No more for you.

When l get sozzled l don't feel so shy.

But, there again l just jabber nonsense then.

Be glad. You'd be married with a kid like me.

Ungrateful louts!

You hate me too, don't you?

-We're just musicians. -We just feel ashamed for you.

And a little bit scared of you. Just a bit...

Lads, you know how much l'm afraid?

Nothing left to joke about.

The Leader and Reich Chancellor has appointed, to replace the ill

Reich Protector, Konstantin von Neurath,

in the post of Reich Protector, SS-Obegruppenführer Heydrich.

The Acting Reich Protector has taken up his post.

At Prague Castle he was welcomed by the State Secretary, K.H. Frank.

Thereafter, the Acting Reich Protector carried out

an inspection of army, SS armed units and police units.

Which bugger is responsible? You want to get us all locked up?

Look... that one on the left.

She's beautiful, hey?

Come on, follow them.

Just you watch.

Girls, can l talk to you for a minute?

l need you to help me out with something.

lt's simple. A kind of a secret errand.

l need you to sort something out in Lidice.

To hand over this button. But no-one must find out.

Give it to the Horák family, the farmstead behind the church.

Tell them that Pepík is all right, OK?

lf it's that important, than fine.

Don't look over there. My mate is passing on a signal.

See you.

Come on, let's go. Don't stare.