1864

I grew up with Peter and Laust.

As in all memoirs, the sun was always shining, and there were only a few shadows.

Didrich was one of them. The Baron's distraught son -

- who, like Peter and Laust's father, had returned home from war, victorious.

He returned with wounds of the soul, -

- the father, Thoeger, with a wounded leg that would not heal.

I remember the time as euphoric.

Politicians, culture, and the people felt like they had been chosen by God -

- and everyone had a self-assured hubris, so they shone in the sun.

But the clouds were approaching. There was just no one who saw them.

"You windswept Danish beach"

"where ancient barrows"

"stand between the apple orchard"

"and the hop garden"

"I love you"

"I love you!"

"Denmark, my fatherland"

"How the summer nests well in the flower bed"

"more abundant than here, down to the open beach"

Dad!

Dad!

It was my fault.

If I had found the right herbs, then Dad wouldn't have died.

It was not you.

It was the Germans.

No.

Frankenstein! It's the Zombie minder!

Are you there?

Have you left the grave today?

Have you been getting pissed all night?

Good morning.

Fuck!

12! You should have been here at 12 o'clock!

- Now it is 12... 12.23. - And?

Being late is a sign of disrespect.

You should not waste other people's time by being late!

So I've stolen 23 minutes of your precious time?

- Think about what you could have achieved. - Achieved?

Travelled round the World. Techno Festival.

An appointment with the hairdresser and selling off walking frames.

Stop, we are wasting time aren't we?!

It should be served.

- After this you can do the kitchen and the toilet. - I didn't think you needed anyone?

- In this castle, one speaks politely. - What about you!

- What are you doing here? - I'm just dusting.

Don't touch anything in here.

- Is that your wife? - Wife?

This. Is this your wife?

It's just a person who has died like everyone else. Yes.

Molecules and light, it's all we have.

Just molecules which turn into something else.

Sure!

Have you finished eating?

Once people addressed me as 'Sir'. "Has 'Sir' finished eating?"

"Is there anything 'Sir' wants?" But in your case, I am probably just.. 'You'.

- Can you make such a compromise? - What 'Your Grace'?

'Your Grace' will be excellent if you can say it without tongue in your cheek.

- What were you doing in the chest? - I was looking for new bedding.

But there were only books.

A book.

It's a diary.

Handwritten.

Is that it? Is it Inge's memoir?

I have not seen this book since... Yes...

What does it say?

- There's a hell of a lot. - Would you mind reading a little for me?

What?

If I have to be in your presence -

- you might as well make yourself useful.

- Ingeborg Ahlefeldts Juhl. - Juhl.

My journey from 1851 to 1939.

I write this, so it can be remembered.

But who will read it, I do not know.

The summer of 1863

Denmark is glowing. It is one country. One people. One nation.

And the Danish people's confidence is huge. The Danes are discovering themselves.

Grundtvig and the priests are talking about the Danes being God's chosen people.

Everything has gone mad.

"Other winds are blowing gentlemen" "Other thoughts thought"

You too are one of us. They're shooting themselves in the foot.

Tjele, according to Thyra, goes to the Danish border at the Eider river, south of Schleswig.

This is a third of Denmark which belongs to the Danes. We are the chosen people.

We should not talk bloody German. Even in Schleswig.

We must protect the Danes against foreign influence.

"What God has joined together, let no man separate!"

We should be with the Danes. Yes?

This is the new stable boy.

- Stable Boy? - You know... his father.

- Oh, damn. - Laust.

Well it's just... it's Laust that we are talking about.

It was a German who made Laust an orphan. Laust will avenge Daddy.

Fight for the Kingdom of Denmark. Isn't that right Laust?

Just nod.

Yes, yes. Good. Show Laust to where he should be.

I thought one should fall to enemy bullets.

Not because you have a sore leg and collapse dead in horse shit.

That kind do not usually get medals.

There are two kinds of soldiers.

Those who survive, and those who die.

I survived. It's a question of will.

Whether you have the will to win, or to be a loser.

I survived because I wanted to.

Your father was a wimp.

You will get up and milk the cows at 4 am

And you don't finish until 8 pm.

What do you say?

What do you say then?!

- What? - What?

- What do you say? - I don't know.

Say "thank you" - you little shit.

Denmark as a united kingdom.

King, our beloved King at the head of the people.

It is Denmark's right as a pioneer... uh...

I understand nothing.

What's the matter with you?

Do you miss him? Your husband.

Wherever Johan is now, he won't care if I miss him.

- But you are wearing black? - It is expected of me.

I wish...

... that I could control my emotions in the same way.

You are as the most controlled person I have ever met.

That's why you are so boring.

Mrs. Heiberg...

I have to tell you like it is.

My father died in an lunatic asylum.

My sister died in a similar place.

My whole family has been in and out of the asylum.

I have also been in an asylum.

Just because there is mental illness in your family and you have been hospitalised -

does not mean you are necessarily mad.

When my thoughts fly...

I can not catch them, and I think weird things.

You say you lack passion.

But passion is directly related to madness.

You become crazy with it. Like confused as young love.

But any artist or a man with a message -

- must constantly keep the madness at bay.

Without madness, there is no passion.

That's why you have lost your glow, little Monrad.

You are afraid of yourself.

- Lie down. - What?

- Lie down on the floor. - No, Mrs. Heiberg, now...

Come on! On your back!

Now we will drive the damn Devil out -

- sitting in there - stuck in your soul. What do you think?

Now talk loudly and passionately about your ideals.

Come on! Speak clearly, Monrad, so everyone can understand you.

- Denmark! Denmark! - Yeah, come on now, Monrad.

- As a united... Kingdom! - Out with it!

- The King... at the head of Denmark! - Our beloved king!

- Come on, Monrad! Out with it! - Schleswig... home to Denmark!

We matured and grew older.

We grew as the days passed.

Lived while hours passed -

- and time disappeared and became time again.

In a small and a safer world.

And in 1863, I remember that it was always the sun...

...that played the key role and the clouds were just fleeting guests..

...passing by, over mother Karen's clean laundry.

Great white plumes carried peace over her sons.

Hello, Peter. Your Mum said you're off work.

Why don't we go down and look at the girls?

They eat lunch down by the river. Maybe they are paddling.

- Mum, shouldn't we go down and... - Maybe they are paddling up to their knees.

What did you say? What did you say? What?

"Are you very horny?" Yes. He thinks you are very beautiful.

What did you say? "They are only little girls"

You don't think that! They're some pretty young ladies.

What did you say? Remove their blouses? No, whatever next?

"Do they want to go riding?"

- Yes, do you want to go riding? - We would like that very much.

That will cool you down a bit.

I will pay you back. And when you least expect it.

Yes, that's fine. I love surprises.

Beasts!

Come on!

Excuse me!

Can I get a job here?

Me and my family, we need work.

- I'm sorry, what? - Me and my family work here.

My son. My son!

Come! Come!

What?

- Hand. - Hand?

Muscles. Arm. Back. The family.

We work.

What the hell is this, a circus?

- Where do you come from? - All places.

Father, can't we find work for them?

It might be difficult to get the harvest done.

We will manage without them.

Come on then.

Mint.

- Dandelion. - Who is she?

Henbane.

Not Henbane.

Wait here.

Good day.

You shouldn't pick Henbane.

No, it's poisonous.