Original subtitles

DAMBACH FOREST FRANCO-GERMAN BORDER

That girl's pretty nice.

Dream on. That's Laura von Geyersberg.

The Count's sister.

Speaking of the Count, I still haven't seen him.

To the hunt!

Let's go!

I don't understand why the horses shied like that.

Well, now we've completely lost the pack.

Wait, what's that?

Here.

Jesus Christ.

It's Count Jürgen von Geyersberg.

THE CRIMSON RIVERS

THE LAST HUNT: PART I

- How was the drive? - Not too bad.

- It gave you time to take in the air. - I prefer Paris.

Yeah.

- All right, where is it? - Over there.

Last Sunday, the von Geyersbergs, German aristocracy

from the Baden-Württemberg region, organised a hunt in this forest.

It's a tradition.

They get all the region's elite together twice a year.

Party on the Saturday,

then, Sunday, they cross the Franco-German border to hunt.

Why here?

Hunting with hounds is banned in Germany.

So they bring their "sport" over here.

The body was found over here.

- When was it found? - Sunday morning.

- Where was he Saturday? - At lunch with the others.

Two French guys from the hunting party found him.

Disembowelled and decapitated.

So I see.

Who are these French guys?

They work for the Geyersberg Group, making electrical parts.

They have a solid alibi at the time of death.

- No one else saw or heard anything? - No.

They were too focused on slaughtering animals.

Forensics found no fingerprints or other traces on the body.

CHÂTEAU VON GEYERSBERG GERMANY

Laura?

They just crossed the border.

I imagine you'll be first on their list.

- What? - Nothing. I'm just looking at you.

It's been a while.

And as you won't reply to my messages, I never know how you are.

- I had stuff going on. - I know.

- Is it sorted? - Not really.

- Identified any motives? - Too many.

Professional jealousy, a vice crime...

- Maybe even a political attack. - In what way?

Animal activism is big here.

Given that the von Geyersbergs own vast areas of hunting land...

Niémans, slow down, will you?

I'm sure the victim had run-ins with local eco warriors,

but cutting off the guy's head? I doubt it.

I also considered the psycho angle. I checked both sides of the border.

No escapes, no loonies on the loose, no similar crimes.

It would have to be a first-timer.

- What do our German friends have? - Nothing, apparently.

But to them, the von Geyersbergs are untouchable. That's why we're here.

Ready to shake up high society?

Hello.

Hello?

Leo, this is ridiculous. What are you playing at?

You call and then say nothing?

- I don't want to talk about it. - I didn't even ask, Camille.

I know, you never ask.

- Shit, brake! This is our exit. - OK, OK.

Where exactly are we going?

To see the von Geyersberg family doctor, Philipp Schüller.

He did the autopsy in Stuttgart.

What do you mean? Was there no coroner?

Special measures. The von Geyersbergs assigned their own doctor.

Schengen applies to bodies too.

Sure.

Are you sure this Schüller isn't a farmer?

He lives in a scientific research community.

- We're with the French police. - I know.

I'm Philipp Schüller.

Sorry, the vehicle can't come in. It's a protected zone.

- You can park over there. - OK.

We recruit the best scientists in Europe.

- We've even won a Nobel Prize. - What's your field?

Biology, physics, genetics. We're trying to solve ecological issues.

- And you tend to the von Geyersbergs? - Sort of the same thing, no?

I'm joking.

I haven't practiced for a long time, but I'm close with the family.

To see how that kid was mutilated...

Jürgen had an extraordinary future ahead of him.

Beer?

- No, thank you. - Schnapps?

- No. -OK.

So, what exactly do you want to know?

I sent my report to the French police 2 days ago.

Yes, and you said you weren't sure about the cause of death.

That's correct.

Likely a slit throat, but due to the decapitation we can't be sure.

The killer removed the oesophagus, stomach and intestines.

- Why, do you think? - That's a hunting trick.

You do it to release gases, to prevent the organs from swelling.

- Especially in Pirsch. - In what?

A method of stalking.

You get close to the prey to see if it's a worthy victim.

In Pirsch, you can only kill a male in perfect health.

An "armed male" it's called.

That means big tusks on a boar or big antlers on a stag.

How dignified.

It's not my thing.

I prefer to track game with my dog.

I'm also a specialist in hunting dog breeds.

Count von Geyersberg was found with an oak branch in his mouth.

- Isn't that the ritual of "the bite"? - Exactly.

A final offering to the slain animal.

Are the missing organs symbolic too?

No, that's another rule of the Pirsch. They buried them.

What do you mean? How do you know that?

They were found near the body.

Have you not spoken with your colleagues, Commissioner?

- I'm calling Strasbourg. - It's no use. They're pissed at us.

Let's hope the Germans are more help. Who's next on the list?

Jürgen's sister. Laura von Geyersberg, 35 years old.

She and Jürgen took over the business when their parents died.

So there could have been some rivalry?

Maybe. Or maybe she's next on the list.

And the rest of the family?

Three brothers in the previous generation.

Kurt, Jürgen and Laura's father,

died of cancer after his wife's suicide.

Dieter died young, leaving two boys, and Frantz, who is still alive today.

He has no wife or kids.

That covers all of the von Geyersbergs in the region.

The Countess chooses to live alone in the family's hunting lodge.

- Gentlemen. - Good afternoon.

Drive on.

Hello. I'm Laura von Geyersberg.

Commissioner Niémans and Lieutenant Delaunay.

I called earlier today.

The Glass House.

My great-grandfather was a great lover of Bauhaus.

He had it custom built in the 1920s.

What do you want to know?

- I've answered all of your questions. - Not mine.

- Sorry. - No, you're not sorry.

My job doesn't rid me of all compassion.

When was the last time you saw Jürgen?

The same as everyone else, Saturday afternoon.

He stopped by briefly during lunch.

He hated those sorts of social events.

No word from him after that?

Nothing.

Were you not worried?

He had a habit of disappearing, but never for more than a day.

Also, I knew he'd be at the hunt. He wouldn't miss that for the world.

Was there anyone in his private life?

You've surely heard about his exotic tendencies.

But just because he frequented Stuttgart's S&M nightclubs

doesn't mean someone would cut off his head.

Contrary to what you might imagine, it's a harmless environment.

And you?

Are you also partial to "exotic tendencies"?

It's clear you're not from around here.

I don't tend to get asked such direct questions.

That's not an answer.

No.

I don't visit those sorts of clubs.

My tastes are more classic.

Did Jürgen have any enemies?

Our family is worth a billion euros.

That gives rise to jealousy, rivalry, and all kinds of aggressive impulses.

But did he feel threatened?

No. Not particularly.

As neither you nor Jürgen have children,

who inherits your wealth in the event of your death?

The Group could end up in the hands of our cousins Ludwig and Max.

But that would surprise me.

All they think about is girls and hunting.

That's a full-time occupation.

What about your uncle Frantz?

Him?

He's a hermit. He lives alone and has never had an interest in the business.

Where were you Saturday night?

- Am I a suspect? - Everybody is.

So? Where were you between Saturday night and Sunday morning?

- I was here. - Alone?

No.

With one of my regional directors.

Did you catch his name before he left?

Good old French arrogance.

Let's just say he was the most attractive one.

Ask your French colleagues. That's the first thing they checked.

Each one of our rifles is unique.

Do you hunt?

That depends on the prey.

Were you and Jürgen close?

We were like twins.

We had the same feelings, the same thoughts at the same time.

With a strict father and a suicidal mother,

we were all the other had.

With Jürgen gone...

I've lost everything.

Do you know why his body was displayed like that?

You mean the Pirsch references?

I don't know.

My family doesn't practice that method.

We prefer to hunt with horses and hounds.

Pomp and circumstance is par for the course.

Your German colleague.

I'm Chief Inspector Nikolas Kleinert from the German police.

Commissioner Niémans, Lieutenant Delaunay.

When were you going to tell me you'd arrived?

- We've only just crossed the border. - Don't lie to me, Commissioner.

You're talking to the Countess and you've already questioned Dr Schüller.

News travels faster than the investigation, I see.

You're in my district now. I call the shots around here.

Nobody calls the shots for me.

Either way, you're too late. We got the guy.

Thomas Krauss, an anti-hunting activist. He just confessed.

- Can we question him? - Tomorrow, under my supervision.

Why tomorrow?

Provisional measures are in place for a psychiatric assessment.

Doctors' orders.

- What's his motive? - He says it was a humanitarian act.

And that, if he were free, he would piss on his grave.

- How's that for a motive? - Too simple.

Don't tell the Countess. The federal prosecutor will inform her soon.

Sure, I wouldn't want to make waves.

Tell me, does your muzzle ever get in the way of your work?

You answer to the CBCO, what is that exactly?

A new central office brought in to help out with unusual murders.

Basically, we're here to piss you off.

I want your reports by morning.

What reports?

From your questioning of Schüller and Laura von Geyersberg.

All questioning on German soil must be validated by my department.

Those are the rules.

I see pleasantries still aren't your strong point.

Why bother?

- I think you caught his eye, though. - Come off it!

- So, how was your first encounter? - Stiff.

Do you know why the firemen let the Reichstag burn in 1933?

No.

Because a sign said: "Don't walk on the grass."

Your rooms are ready. It's a tradition in our family.

Hospitality.

I even invited my cousins for dinner.

That way you can question them without having to travel.

Hello.

You did well, my dear.

That's very wise.

Yes.

OK. See you tomorrow.

- Did Kleinert tell you the news? - You already heard?

Not a leaf moves without my knowledge.

You're happy to use Pinochet's words?

Until questioned, Krauss is just a suspect.

- But he confessed, didn't he? - A confession means nothing.

Do you know him?

He's an enemy of the family, but I can't imagine him as a murderer.

So why do you think he confessed?

Provocation or aspirations of martyrdom.

Krauss abhors hunting. Unfortunately, he doesn't understand it.

Without hunting, nature wouldn't survive.

It provides balance.

Life is born out of blood and death.

No, thank you.

But there are ways to go about it.

Like in love, right?

Here's the family.

If Krauss did this, we'll take care of him.

Excuse me?

That son of a bitch has attacked our family.

We're going to kill him.

- Wine, Commissioner? - No, thank you.

If I get drunk, I'm not sure how I'll react to statements like that.

It's our land. We hunt animals, we can hunt men.

I'm afraid times have changed. It's not the Middle Ages.

The days of lords ruling their land are over.

We have courthouses now.

Max is joking, Commissioner. No one here is above the law.

- More venison? - No.

I killed the deer myself.

Lieutenant?

- You don't care for venison? - No. I prefer my animals alive.

Our family has hunted for generations.

What my brother means is that we are used to settling our own affairs.

You can understand that, surely?

- Cops are hunters too, right? - Yes. But our prey can defend itself.

My brother never got that chance.

Enough stupidity for one night, right?

Yes. But check their alibis tomorrow.

- Are you tired? - No.

See what you can find on the VG Group.

Structure, annual reports, managers, shareholders.

Check the role of the two cousins.

- Then we just need Laura to say... - Laura?

Already on first-name terms?

She's not my type. Too classic. I prefer nosy little redheads.

And what's your plan while I'm up all night checking accounts?

I'm going to do some research on the Pirsch.

Is that OK?

The Pirsch hunter respects his prey.

He protects the animal and its environment.

The hunter must always analyse his prey and may only kill the alpha male.

Killing game that is too young or too weak is not Pirsch.

That's why we train our dogs to recognise the right prey.

Do you hear that?

He's coming to kill you!

You think I don't know who you are?

You think I won't defend myself?

I've trained him to kill you, brother.

He'll get you before you can attack me.

Liquorice obeys me.

He's coming to kill you.

Liquorice, Liquorice...

He's coming to kill you...

What happened?

Are you hurt?

- There's blood on your face. - It's the dog's.

What are you doing out here?

This is still my land.

My brother and I used to come here together.

I wanted to gather my thoughts.

Is this your dog?

No.

He was wearing paramilitary clothing with a WWII cap. And a balaclava.

- Or a mask, I'm not sure. - Are you serious?

- You're sure he meant to attack you? - Maybe he just wanted to play catch.

- Where was the Countess going? - I don't know.

She's back at home now. She's in shock.

Sure, I bet she's not used to French police methods.

It has a tattoo.

- But I don't know the breed. - We should send it to Schüller.

- Why? - To identify the breed.

He's an expert.

This dog shouldn't be here. We need 24-hour surveillance.

Just so we're clear, Commissioner:

I give the orders around here.

I couldn't care less,

as long as they match mine.

Battue hunters use dogs to drive the animal towards them.

- So the killer has a new game? - Maybe.

Perhaps Laura gets a different ritual. It's definitely revenge, Camille.

Revenge with a hunting connection. That's the angle.

Maybe the von Geyersbergs were involved in a hunting accident.

- Niémans. - Yes?

You didn't even look at the dog's body. Do you have a phobia?

No. I'm just more of a cat person.

KARLSRUHE DISTRICT GERMANY

No Camille today?

No, sorry. My natural charm will have to do.

- Where is he? - In the cell.

- He hasn't spoken since yesterday. - Good, he's saving himself.

I'll give you 10 minutes.

In my presence.

Coffee?

I'm running a bit late, but may I take a croissant?

Of course.

Has there ever been a hunting accident involving your family?

No, not that I can think of.

There are always few trigger-happy guests.

But Jürgen would always settle such things perfectly.

He has a real talent for...

I still can't quite believe that I'm alone now.

I don't even have children.

Do you have kids, Lieutenant?

- Are you married? - No. I'm not married.

One moment!

Do I really have to put up with them all day?

- It's for your own safety. - I can defend myself.

I don't doubt it.

All right, Krauss, we're here to get your official confession.

So, tell us your little story, and we'll write it down.

You sign it and then you get locked up for life. That sound good?

I did it.

- I killed him. - How?

I came across him in the forest.

- Was he on foot or on horseback? - On foot.

- Were you following him? - No.

I went to stop the hunt.

Right.

You against a pack of dogs and armed men, are you serious?

When you have faith, you can move mountains.

OK, sure.

How did you kill him?

- Quickly, answer. - I slit his throat.

Then I cut off his head and gutted him.

Very good.

You had the tools for that?

I had knives and a machete.

- I threw it all in the river. - You'd have to be a pro to do that.

When you're not bullshitting, what's your job? Butcher? Doctor?

- Why the branch in the mouth? - That's the ritual.

- After they murder the animal. - Not always.

- Why imitate Pirsch? - Respect for my enemy.

Decapitated and gutted, that's respect?

That's what Pirsch hunters say, isn't it?

Well done. Full marks.

What did you do with the entrails?

- The entrails. - I threw them in the water too.

- And the clothes? - Burned.

And you must've had a motive.

Avenging nature.

The von Geyersbergs are an offence to God, to the universe.

And they treat their fellow men just the same.

One day, this sort of scum will kill the world!

He's lying.

Everything was on the news except the buried entrails.

We've wasted a lot of time. I'm sorry. He really screwed us over.

- We're back to square one. - No, not square one.

We've got you, me and Camille.

Thanks for letting me lead the interview.

It'll give you one more report to write.

Number three's just arrived.

I'll organise Krauss' transfer and be right with you.

I checked all the facts:

hunting society archives on the French and German side.

No accidents involving the family in the last 20 years.

- Krauss? - A nutcase and a liar.

Camille.

Did you manage to get some sleep?

A few hours. Thank you.

Come this way.

So, Krauss is out of the picture.

As the saying goes: good intentions make for bad suspects.

I wouldn't put it like that, but I agree.

So, what now?

The classic question: who stands to gain from the crime? The cousins?

No. They were partying until dawn.

And they're not in line to take over the Group.

Old Uncle Frantz? Is he into orgies too?

Oh, please!

Mr von Geyersberg is confined to a wheelchair.

He also has no interest in the business.

His legs may not work, but that doesn't stop him.

What else?

The hunt, Pirsch, the dog, the rituals surrounding Jürgen's death:

it all comes back to hunting.

Maybe we're reading too much into the rituals.

It could be a reference to the family's professional methods.

The von Geyersberg are tough bosses.

But I can't see a bitter employee decapitating the Count.

No. We need to look into the family's past.

What do we have on the guy from last night? His cap and mask?

Nothing yet.

Yes.

OK. We're coming.

Does he ever say where he's going?

No, I'm afraid not.

This was an easy one. It's a Rötken.

The breed disappeared from Europe after a dark history.

- It was eradicated after WWII. - The proof?

- Schnapps? - Summarise, Professor.

Have you ever heard of the Black Hunters?

The Sondereinheit Dirlewanger?

- Exactly. - What is that?

In '41, Himmler put together a special brigade made up of prisoners.

I found a few books

here in our library.

These guys were not selected at random.

They were all hunters.

Experts in tracking prey through the forest.

- Was this the mask you saw? - Yes.

For 4 years, they served under Oskar Dirlewanger.

The Black Hunters were guards for Jews working on the Eastern Front.

They tracked down partisan fighters in the forest.

They killed and raped tens of thousands of civilians.

We don't really need a full history lesson, Professor.

- What about the dog? - That's just it.

They were all experienced hunters.

The first thing they did when they got to Belarus

was to train a breed of dog they found there. The Rötken.

In a few months, they turned them into deadly weapons.

Animals trained to kill, to stay silent on command,

or to rip your throat out just like that.

When the Black Hunters were eliminated, so were the dogs.

None have been seen in Europe since.

So Nazis are rising from the dead and attacking with ghost dogs?

Well, I know it all sounds a bit far-fetched. But look.

Excuse me.

This dog bears the emblem of Dirlewanger's special brigade.

Some say he was killed at the end of the war.

Others that he fled to Syria or Egypt.

But another story is that he hid here in Baden-Württemberg.

- Protected by the von Geyersbergs. - Why the von Geyersbergs?

A big family of German industrialists.

They were extremely close to the Nazis during the war.

Commissioner!

I've thought of someone who could help you.

Werner Reus? The guy's completely insane!

But he's the best dog breeder in the region.

If any Rötken have been imported, he'll know.

- Also, what shall I do with the dog? - Keep it chilled. It's evidence.

Reus' farm is 20km away. Do you want to follow me?

Camille will go with you. I have something to do.

Where are you going?

To talk to the old man.

Have you worked with Niémans for long?

A few months.

But I've known him for years. He was my teacher at the academy.

I can't see him as a teacher.

- He's a bit weird, isn't he? - He was perfect.

He led several brigades in Paris, then was wounded on a case in Grenoble.

That's when he became an instructor.

He could've returned to a position of responsibility.

Let's just say he had problems with his superiors.

- What a surprise. - Don't be fooled by appearances.

He's the best there is.

Why are you so loyal to him?

Hello.

Hello?

It's not my boyfriend, before you ask.

I wasn't going to.

My mistake.

But now you know I'm unattached, Inspector.

I'm not, unfortunately. A wife and two kids.

Married at 22, like a good provincial civil servant.

I saw your ring.

I hope you like the Glass House.

It's perfect. The Countess is an excellent host.

I love Laura very much. I think of her as my own daughter.

Did you feel the same about Jürgen?

He was more capricious. But yes. I loved him too.

Those two were inseparable.

A united front against my brother Kurt.

What do you mean?

Kurt was always very hard on them. He wanted to toughen them up.

He was particularly harsh with Laura.

- He didn't like her? - To the contrary. She was a girl.

She had to prove herself more than any of the others.

But he made them co-directors of the Group?

No, that's not correct. Jürgen inherited the business.

But he was very loyal to his sister. He placed her by his side.

And why not you?

No.

I've never had a taste for business. Or if I do, it's one of disgust.

To be honest, I've never had much of a taste for anything.

OK, let's go.

The von Geyersberg are all hunters. Why not you?

It's not my idea of a relationship with nature.

I used to hunt. And that's how I ended up in this.

I was young.

Kurt, my brother,

wasn't yet the world-renowned shooter he would become.

Or perhaps he already was.

What are you saying?

That he hurt you intentionally?

What are you doing here? Are you interrogating my uncle?

- We were just talking. - A simple conversation.

With my status, such down-to-earth conversations are rare.

If you'll pardon the pun.

- What are you looking for? - Your brother's murderer.

Don't be angry, darling.

Go inside.

You'll catch a cold.

I thought you'd found the culprit, Commissioner.

You were right. Krauss is no murderer.

I think someone is seeking revenge on your family

for something connected to hunting.

So you interrogate a man who's been in a wheelchair his entire life?

He was just telling me about his accident.

Your family's been through a lot, hasn't it?

Come with me.

I see your breeder isn't big on hygiene.

He sets the dogs loose when the health inspectors call.

Hi, Werner.

So you're the cause of all this racket.

This is Lieutenant Camille Delaunay from the French police.

The female scent. It's not good for my babies.

It gets them all riled up.

Can we talk for a minute?

What about?

A Rötken's been found on the Countess' land.

Impossible. There haven't been any Rötkens in Europe since WWII.

You've never heard of any being bred in the area?

I've been doing this for 40 years. I know of every pup born in the region.

- There are no Rötkens around here. - The body's at Schüller's facility.

Enough! Shut the hell up!

Come with me. The smell is driving them crazy.

Are you in heat or something?

Jesus Christ.

Well?

There was this incident about 20 years ago.

It's the only time I heard their name.

Tell me.

A Roma community turned up in the von Geyersbergs' forest.

The Count sent men with dogs to drive them out.

- Which one? Kurt, Frantz or Dieter? - Kurt. Dieter was dead by then.

- And Frantz stayed out of that stuff. - Carry on.

I don't know exactly what happened,

- but a young girl was attacked. - By the dogs?

Whatever the breed, it was trained to kill.

But you know what they say: Like master, like dog.

All right, we're done. I don't have all day.

Are these Roma still around?

Go take a look.

Otto von Geyersberg.

He had a huge estate in Germany at the turn of the century.

He liked to raze entire villages to expand his forest.

Or rather, his hunting grounds.

The grand Karl. Very close to the Nazis.

They say he used to organise hunting parties with Jews as the prey.

A nice fellow, wouldn't you say?

And here he is.

Kurt. My dear father.

Behind the smile he wouldn't hesitate to open fire on any strikers.

If you're looking at revenge, the list of suspects is long.

Half the region hates us. The other half is scared of us.

And no one will cry over our graves.

Do the Black Hunters mean anything to you?

Just legends.

We've been hearing those old rumours for generations.

Apparently, my father hid the bastards and employed them in his factories.

It's all nonsense.

The dog sent after you was a Rötken, a species trained by these hunters.

- It didn't attack me. - It was meant for you and you know it.

So you're chasing ghosts, is that it?

It's a genuine threat, Laura. I'm not joking.

Find the killer, Niémans. And be nice.

Don't bother my uncle again.

PALATINATE FOREST GERMANY

Subtitles by MehrAzar