Shadow Country (Krajina ve stínu)

VITORAZSKO, A POOR BORDER AREA, WAS ONCEPART OF THE BOHEMIAN KINGDOM.

IT WAS THEN AUSTRIA FOR 600 YEARS AND IN 1920 IT BECAME CZECHOSLOVAKIA.

LOCALS WHO WENT TO AUSTRIAN SCHOOLS

BUT MAINLY SPOKE CZECH TO EACH OTHER TOOK IT HARD.

SUBSIDIES FOR THEIR FIELDS WERE FEW.

MANY LOST THEIR JOBS. FAMILIES WERE TORN APART.

IN 1938, HITLER OCCUPIED AUSTRIA AND THEN SEVERAL VILLAGES HERE.

IN THE VILLAGE OF SCHWARZWALD, WHICH WAS STILL PART OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA,

RESIDENTS ONCE AGAIN ASKED, "WHO ARE WE AND WHERE DO WE BELONG?“

Karel, I baptize you first in the name of the Father,

and then of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

God Almighty,

Lord God who have made them worthy to receive the forgiveness of sins,

through the laver of regeneration of the Holy Spirit,

send on them your grace that they may serve you according to your will.

For to You is glory in the holy church both now and to the ages of ages.

Start playing!

This is from us. The whole family bought it together.

Thank you.

Show us what you got!

It's a proud nation!

Stop, where are you going?

Vasili Ivanovic. The Czechs left the farm.

The Czechs? And where's your shotgun?

I've got mine.

So let's go. Quick!

Cut it out, will you?

Otto, can you stop it?

Can you all be quiet?

Could you all stop it, folks?

If you don't screw me, too, I'll tell your husband.

Those are ours. The Legionnaires!

It's a bunch of Bolsheviks! What's this supposed to be?

It's Chapayev. Famous Soviet film.

What the hell is this? I'm not going to watch this!

-Could you all please be quiet? -Don't be stupid. It's interesting!

-This is communist propaganda! -Turn it off.

No.

-Turn it off at once! -Why should I turn it off?

Because everyone's making fun of us! Stop it! This isn't a meeting!

Stop it. What are you doing?

To hell with you and your campaigning.

This is how we hang all the Bolsheviks. All the Bolsheviks and gypsies!

Yeah, and that's it.

-It's just stinky Zwettler. -Stop it!

Aren't I right though?

Settle down, Arnošt. He's young. Give him some time.

-Elen, I'm sorry. -We've ruined your baptism.

We've always had it like this and this is the way it'll stay.

Why so early? Why aren't you at work?

-They didn't want to let us go to work. -Why not?

Germans set up the border just behind the village. Past that is the Reich.

People are signing petitions already for us to join Germany.

We're Czechs, but we have a German heart. We don't give a shit about the Czechlands.

-We want to go home. To Austria. -That's right!

Don't get mixed up in this.

For God's sake, people. Most of you last time registered as Czechs.

So what's this all about?

Jarda, we didn't know what it meant.

Whoever agrees with moving the border, come and sign.

Agreed.

We'll take it to the Germans and we'll be there in a week.

Karel, come and sign it.

The Republic has also robbed you of subsidies.

You can't do this!

-To hell with you and your Reich! -Don't get involved in this!

-They've stolen a piece of our republic. -Czechs just steal from us.

-Go home! -Get lost, you Czech trash!

Let me go, let me in there!

-We're not throwing rocks at each other. -That's a bit much. This isn't the Reich!

Rudy! If you do something to the linden tree, I'll whip you!

-Give it here! -Leave it!

Give it here!

-Leave it! -Give me that!

God, what are you doing? Hide the radio!

You're embarrassing me before everyone!

-Give it here! Put it away! -Mr Stein…

-That's the Führer! -Switch it off.

I don't want to listen to that nutter! You bloody German cow!

Mr Stein, is everything ok?

I've got an offer for you if you wouldn't mind listening.

I've saved up a little bit.

I'd just…

like to buy your shop.

But I'm not selling.

I think you're making a mistake, Mr Stein. You are a Jew.

The Germans will be marching in soon and take it all from you. You understand?

-I do. -Better something than nothing.

Scram! Get out!

Chutzpah! Chutzpah!

-What did he want? -Don't worry about it.

-What are you going to do with it? -I'm not giving it up here.

-You may not need to get rid of it yet. -Be quiet.

You got half the cottage and part of the field. Surely that's enough for you.

Dad, please!

That campaigning of yours! The Germans won't give a toss about that.

Yes…

What's going on?

-What are you doing? -Sit.

It's nothing!

We'll pack it up again at Hanukkah!

My dear.

Whoa!

We're here.

Take it off.

-It's too small. -Exactly.

Hello.

We are a delegation from Schwarzwald.

An offer to join the Reich. At home in Reich.

Your recommendation is enough. We will then take it to Berlin.

We've always been Austria. The Czechs only steal from us.

You can see yourselves how we're doing.

Give them a piece of sausage and send them home.

I should be ashamed to be a part of this family.

-You do whatever Andula wants. -She's my sister.

Karel.

Let's leave this place.

We'll sell the farm and leave.

Maybe we can go to my parents in Dobříš.

What would I do there? I was born here and I'll die here too.

I'm scared.

I sewed you some new pants.

Show me.

I thought you wanted new curtains sewn.

This is more important now.

It won't kill you. Andula is also helping out with everything.

CZECH TRASH

JEW

Somebody painted gallows on our gate.

This is crazy. Soon they'll set fire to our barn.

So clean it off and decorate it to welcome the Germans

like everyone else should.

-For me, it's about order in the village. -I feel sorry for you.

Have you not yet realized that German Law is now recognized here?

Do you know that in Germany the Jews are being lynched on street lamps?

Good luck to you, Polda.

The swastika! It's backwards.

CZECH TRASH

-Get lost, you Czech trash! -Leave them alone.

Look, he's provoking us.

-Truth will prevail! -Don't get involved in this, idiot!

Look, he's provoking us!

Leave us alone.

What type of Germans are you? None of you even know proper German!

That's enough. Leave him alone!

-Let's go home. -We can't just let them do this.

-It's none of our business. -I think it is.

-Bastards! -No…

-Leave him alone! -You rat! It hurts!

Are you all crazy? We're neighbors!

We won't behave to each other like animals!

Rat! You pig…!

-Hello. -Shut up.

-Heil Hitler! -Heil.

-Hello. -Hello.

-Fräulein Fuchs. -Yes. Get in.

Welcome.

WELCOME

Heil Hitler…!

Hello. We warmly welcome you.

Franta. Franta. Don't even think about it. You're staying here.

Hello.

Please. Welcome.

We appeal to the inhabitants to join the resistance.

-By all available means. -"By all means“ is enough.

Yeah.

…means.

Hide it somewhere for now. We'll make more copies at night

and distribute it throughout the village.

Let's have a look at the pub now.

-You're crazy! -I don't give a shit about them.

Josef…

-I'm going with him. -Don't go.

-A beer? -No.

Have a schnitzel.

Thanks, but I don't want one.

Get lost!

Stein. Chief firefighter.

Arnošt, a beer?

Yes, naturally.

Thank you, Mrs Svitková. That's nice of you, but it's too cold for beer.

Arnošt, please, go home.

You'll do better if you go home.

-Dad, what's wrong? -Everything's fine.

Come and have a look!

Come to the yard!

Karel!

Who did this?

Who did this?

We've always been Austrian. Our father, grandfather.

It was always like this. You have to stick with the family. Write in German.

I'm Czech.

You don't know what this is about. You can be glad Karel takes care of you.

Our land's changed countries three times, still slaving away for near nothing.

Only Germans get land subsidies, so what am I supposed to do?

-We'll get by somehow. -They can also take everything from you.

-These are fucking awful times. -A final decision. I've got others to see.

We three are German.

I'm Czech.

I'd rather choose to be German. There will be bigger allotments.