De forbandede år 3 - Fredens pris

At this moment it is announced that Montgomery has stated -

- that the German troops in Holland, Northwest Germany and Denmark -

have surrendered.

By the time the liberation came, our family had been torn apart.

My son Michael served in the Legion and returned from the Eastern Front broken.

He perished in the last days of the war.

Aksel joined the Communist movement and went underground.

Helene eloped with a German submarine captain -

- but when he was killed, she came back home.

Aksel dragged Valdemar and Knud into the fight -

- and Knud was killed during an operation -

- leaving behind his pregnant wife, Britta.

How can you co-operate with a Nazi?

During the war, I worked for the Germans to save my factory, Elektrona.

Your company is especially favoured.

But the resistance movement blew it up during the last spring of the war.

I'll do everything I can to prevent accusations of collaboration.

But it won't be easy.

With public opinion being as it is, I'd go and visit my Swedish family -

if I were you.

AFTER THE DARKNESS

LANDSKRONA Summer 1945

She's on the line. I didn't understand half of what she said.

- She cried a lot. - Helene? It's Dad. What happened?

- I don't know what to do... - Calm down, darling.

It never ends well when she mixes those pills with alcohol.

- What is she taking pills for? - I don't know, Dad.

Tell her not to drink while she's taking them...

I've already told her, but she doesn't listen.

- What about Michael's funeral? - You've arranged everything.

She hasn't helped out at all...

None of the vicars are willing to help. I'm alone in this.

- Then I'll have to come home. - Absolutely not.

Pardon me, Gustav is saying something. Just a moment.

You're not going anywhere. It's too risky.

Helene? I'll call you back in a few minutes.

Please hurry.

Karl, this is madness. Times have changed, but not enough.

You risk going to prison, or hanging from a noose out in the woods.

Karl, please listen to Gustav.

I have to go home. I'm going to bury my son.

Then we'll get you a Swedish passport.

I'll come with you. I'll stay with Eva and try to cheer her up.

Then that's what we'll do.

- Passports, please? - Sure.

- Thank you. - You're welcome.

Michael.

You fought.

You'd been anti-Communist since you fought in the war in Finland.

This, unfortunately, led you into bad company.

But Valdemar wouldn't be standing here today if not for you.

We'd like to thank you for that.

We miss you, my boy.

Rest in peace.

Our Father, who art in heaven -

- hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

Never ask me to do that again.

You shouldn't have given him real money, Dad.

- You should have given him newspaper. - Yes, perhaps.

How are you doing?

I'm playing the drums in Tivoli. I can't complain.

Dad? The police were here asking for you.

Again.

Well, we're taking the last ferry home.

- Good. - Your mum couldn't make it after all?

No, she was feeling very poorly, unfortunately.

She worried she might pass it on to the rest of us, so...

It was so beautiful, Dad.

Thank you for all your help, darling.

Stop.

Take the left side of the house. Get down.

We'll go to Malmö and then take the train to Gothenburg.

And then what?

From there they'll get us to Portugal and then Montevideo.

- Montevideo? Where is that? - Here. In Uruguay.

It's the capital. It's on the Atlantic coast.

Can we have a house with an ocean view, then?

You can have anything you want, darling.

I'll do a perimeter check.

The house is surrounded. Drop your weapons.

No.

Damn!

We'll get that bastard.

- I have a message for you. - Yes?

Liva wants to talk to you.

I've got nothing to say to her. You're the one who's married to her.

She contracted tuberculosis in the concentration camp.

How bad is it?

It's not good.

No, wait. Yes, it's here.

Be careful. We need to catch that ferry, so no more than 10 minutes.

Right.

DR LUND'S MATERNITY HOSPITAL

BRITTA LAURITSEN 05.08.1945

Come in.

- Could you spare a minute? - Mr Skov? Of course.

- Congratulations. - Thank you.

Oh...

Oh...

He looks like his father, doesn't he?

Little Knud is healthy and well. 4,100 grams.

Yes...

Helene told me your jazz club is closing on the first of the month?

Yes, unfortunately.

I'm happy to provide financing if you feel up for starting a new venue.

- That's too much to ask. - Not at all. We're family now.

Hopefully I'll be in fighting condition again someday. Thank you.

I'll set up a bank account as well.

Just for your everyday needs.

Thank you, Mr Skov. I don't know what to say.

It's only money.

- Oh, that scent... - Yes.

I keep smelling him too.

I'm sorry. I need to leave.

Thank you for coming.

- Are you trying to keep people up? - I'm so sorry. I was...

Passport and driving licence? Please exit the vehicle.

Yes, of course.

- What are you doing here? - I was at the theatre.

And then I got lost.

I'm going to Helsingør, to the ferry.

- Have you been drinking? - No.

- Hey. Are you with him? - Yes.

Step over here, please. Papers, please.

- You were at the theatre? - Yes.

- Which play did you see? - I don't remember the title.

It was very good.

Yes, very good.

I'm so sorry. I apologise for tooting the horn so late at night.

It was clumsy of me. We're going to Helsingør. Is it that way?

- Turn left and keep going straight. - Thank you.

- We need to get going. - Here you are.

Stop tooting the horn. People are sleeping.

Thank you. Have a good evening.

I'm glad you came.

Liva is waiting for you.

I have to run out for some cough mixture.

Hello, Aksel.

Hello, Liva.

I'm so happy to see you.

People around me... Eventually they stopped moving.

The woman in the lower bunk suddenly stopped breathing one day.

One day some people arrived...

They spoke softly and weren't afraid to touch us.

They carried us into some white buses.

And I thought -

maybe I wouldn't die after all.

- But I will. - You don't know that.

You're sweet.

There's something I want you to know.

Once I've said it, I'd like you to leave.

Do you promise?

I love Leif.

But I love you, too, Aksel.

I always have.

But being with you was too difficult.

You wanted me all to yourself. And...

I couldn't live up to that.

You can kiss me.

On my forehead.

Goodbye, Aksel.

Goodbye.

I'll give Gunnar Jensen the floor -

- so he can give us the news from the Crown Prosecutor.

Comrades.

As you know, our demands for separate tribunals for collaborators were denied.

It is completely unreasonable that the same judges who took our freedom -

- should also judge whether others have broken the law.

But, but, but...

The Minister for Justice has allowed me to conduct three trials -

- to test whether the system is sustainable.

The first case will be against the collaborator Karl Skov.

Bravo.

We'll make them pay!

That's right!

Gunnar? Let me introduce you to Aksel Skov.

We expect a lot from him. He led the sabotage of Elektrona.

You were the one who blew up your dad's factory?

It had to be done.

What does he think of the trial?

We haven't spoken in years, so that's his business.

- How's the hunt for Ove Steffensen? - We'll have him soon.

- But he's just a small fry. - Big enough to deserve his sentence.

The big fish, the politicians and entrepreneurs, are protected.

You said it yourself. The judges are crooked.

Let's take one thing at a time.

Actually, many of our comrades can't understand -

- why we don't drive out the corrupt politicians and seize power.

We're not strong enough. The police and the Danish Brigade would stop us.

We'll get a majority vote at the election in October.

- We'll be in charge. - And then it's time to clean up.

What are they thinking?

THE DANISH PARLIAMENT

We cannot have a rule of law -

- where a resistance group imprisons everyone for collaboration.

Collaborating with the Germans was in our society's best interest.

What if we only go after the biggest earners?