All language subtitles for Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse

Next stop:

Stadtallendorf, Vltava Street.

Hello! - Good morning!
- Hello!

Anything else?
- No, thanks.

Here you are. One Euro please.

Ilknur was talking so we're
all going back outside.

We can practice it again.
No problem.

Everyone outside.

I'll call you.

Everything okay, Ferhan?

Everything alright?

2nd try.

Who's missing?
- Ronja.

That's it?

Stefi.

Stefi's downstairs.
- Downstairs?

Can you go get her?

That's everyone, right?

Or is anyone else missing?

So everyone's here. Good.

Let's wait a minute.

Are you still tired?

Who's tired?

Let's take a dive for a few minutes.

Good morning, Stefi!

Hasan's missing, too.

Yeah, Hasan?
- Where's Hasan?

Where should I sit?
- Did you see him outside?

Nope.

Okay.

Where should I sit?
- Anywhere you want.

Mr. Bachmann and His Class

It had such a sound that no
one stayed in their chair.

Can you imagine that, Mattia?

Good morning, Mattia!
- What did the guitar look like?

Stefi, what did the guitar look like?
What color was it?

Gold.
- Yeah...

Hasan, can you translate
that for her? Black.

I understood it.
- You understood it?

So the table was in love
with this electric guitar,

and could care less about the battered,
old, red guitar over there.

I'm telling you, when the guitar played,
it suddenly stood on one leg,

and spun around in circles
and really rocked out.

Hasan's laughing, but I'm
telling you, it tried everything

to somehow get the guitar's attention.

The table was really frustrated.

What does "frustrated" mean, Regina?

Who knows what "frustrated" means?

I think, for example,

when you put something outside in the cold.

Then it gets frosted. It gets really cold.

You mean "frosted".
- Yes.

No. "Frustrated" comes from "frustration".

Like when someone's in a
really bad mood and annoyed.

Just a bad mood.

Who's in a bad mood?

The table.
- The table?

Why's the table in a bad mood?

Because the guitar didn't see it,

didn't notice it.
- Exactly.

Then it decides to play the lottery.

The table wins the lottery,

cracks the jackpot,

wins 12 million Euros.

Then what happens?

I think the table won.

And then because the table was rich,

the guitar, the black one,

got interested in the table.

They agreed to meet in secret.

At night, when no one was at school.

At night, when everything's dark here.

Maybe the guitar just used the table
because it had so much money.

That's all I can do.

Then what could a table

give an electric guitar
to impress it even more?

Flowers?

Thea Lucia?
- Flowers.

What's an electric guitar supposed
to do with flowers, Thea Lucia?

You mean painted onto it?

Here's a guitar.
Can you paint some flowers on it?

What else does a guitar need?

Jamie.
- An Amp.

Huh?
- An amp. - Yeah.

Yeah, a really big, cool tube amp.

A really big one that makes lots of noise.

Great idea, Jamie.

Yes?
- New guitar strings.

That's exactly what the
table gave the guitar.

Real...

...killer AC/DC...

...strings,

that make a totally killer
sound, glitter, scream.

They scream when you play them.

Really.
- Uh-huh.

Of course, the guitar was happy,
but still not satisfied.

The table got more and more desperate.

What did it give it the next day?

Tim, you've got a guitar.

I don't...

How do you store it?

I don't know.

You keep it in the cellar, huh?
- No.

What do you do with your guitar
when you're not playing it?

Put it on a stand.
- Right!

So how about a stand?

Yes. - What kind of "stand"
[slang "hard-on"] have you got?

To set it in.

Like this but a single one?
- Yeah.

Alright, that was the point.

The guitar doesn't just get
any old "stand" ["hard-on"].

But one with diamonds and rubies and such.

Come on, Hasan, the whole hog!

Hasan's going like this.

Hey, anyone know what a "gig bag" is?
- What?

The table also gave the guitar
a gig bag, a guitar bag.

What do think it looked like?

No.
- Then what did it look like?

No idea.

Guess.

Mattia:

It said on it, "Io ti amo Mattia".
- No, no, no...

What's that mean? Translate it.

I love you.

And in Turkish, Ilknur?

Seni seviyorum.

Seni seviyorum.

That was written on it too.

And in Russian?
- "Ya tebya lyublyu."

Say it again a bit slower.

Ya tebya lyublyu.

Oh, I can't repeat that one.

Hasan, in Bulgarian!

She can say it.

Obicham te.

I love you in Bulgarian?
- That's what she said.

Again.
- "Obicham te."

The table had had enough.
Can you imagine this, Ilknur?

It keeps giving this stupid guitar
everything you can think of.

And at some point during
the night the drums,

they jam sometimes at night.
What's "jammin'" mean, Ayman?

When it's windy,
the drums make sounds on their own.

Well, you've got a vivid imagination,
but what does "jammin'" mean?

Play.
- Play.

Improvise, like we do sometimes. Okay.

During the night,
the drums said to the table:

You're an idiot. You're getting screwed.

Those drums.

How do drums talk, Hasan?

Asshole!

Asshole!

Gettin' screwed.

Then the hi-hat kicks in:

Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!
Gotta stop it!

Play "Gotta stop it!" and
I'll play the other part.

You have to say, "Gotta stop it!".
- Gotta stop it! ugh!

Come on! "Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!"
The 8th note... come on!

Huh? What?
- "Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!"

Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!
- Keep going.

Come on!
- No.

Ayman? "Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!"

Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!
It's too hard. - Keep going!

Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!
Gotta stop it!

Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!
Gotta stop it!

Gettin' screwed! Gettin' screwed!
- Gotta stop it! Gotta stop it!

Got it? That's how they
talked to each other.

Ilknur, could you get anything out
of the story where you'd say:

Come on, table and guitar?
What rubbish! Fake.

But maybe there's something
in the story that speaks to you.

Thea Lucia?

If these were people and someone said:
This guitar is taking advantage of you.

That's somehow understandable.
It happens in lots of relationships.

Right. Carolin?

That the story

is almost like in real life.

That...

...some people don't
really think about things,

but are corrupted instead.

Yes. Beauty, money,

appearances.

I couldn't say it any better.

I'm finished.

I'm coming.

Are we going to play any music today?
- Yes.

But we have only 15 minutes left.

We've got two more hours.
- No.

Yes. I've taken over biology.
We don't have biology today.

Then I don't have the German course.
- You don't have the German course.

Yeah, I do today.
- No, you're staying here.

Okay. Good. That's it.

Recess.

Bye, Mr. Bachmann!

Recess!

Get outta here!

With milk, okay.

No sugar. How much is it?

I think €1.20.

Or €1.30.

Then bring me a roll with
mozzarella or something.

No one's from Izmir but
you still wrote Izmir.

My relatives live there, but you
didn't know that before.

Oh, Denizli. That's where I'm from.

How sweet!

We need a pot.

Ms. Bal, have we got any...
- Wait, I've got an idea.

Have we got anything to put on?

Aprons? Yes.

Here. Take one.

What do you bake?

No idea. Whatever my mom makes.

She tells you what to make?
- Yes.

So you help her in the kitchen?
- Yes.

I like that. And what about the cleaning?

Cleaning up?

No.
- Not that?

Why not?

It's women's work, right?

But today you're going to help clean
up, right? - We'll see.

Who has an idea what
celebrating with parents means?

Juggling with your little sister?
- No, let's play music.

We could do that.
- Like "Jingle Bells" or "Shalom Shalom".

So singing for your parents?
- Right, Mr. Bachmann.

Show off a bit for them.

I'd like to see your little sister.
She's new here. I haven't met her yet.

She'll be there, Mr. Bachmann.
- Really?

She's going to dance... belly dance.
- And your mom's coming, right?

So, Ayman?

My father works and my mother has
to take care of my little sister.

She can bring your little sister with her.
- I know, but she has to work too.

You just made that up.
- No, I swear.

Ilknur?
- My mother has to work.

My father has late-shift but my
brothers and sisters can come.

All of them?
- Nope.

Everyone?

How many?
- Half of them.

I mean how many if they all come?

Four.
- And you make 5?

That'd be great.
- There's 5 of us too, Mr. Bachmann!

Five of you?
We could start a whole new class.

1, 2, 3, 4, and with Cengizhan 5.

Only boy, only boy, Mr. Bachmann!
- You're the only boy? - Yeah.

Rabia?
- My mother's going somewhere tomorrow.

I forgot where. Somewhere for work.

My father... my father's not here.

My father's divorced. He's in Kirchhain.

Your father's not here?

He's in Kirchhain, working.

And you can't invite him?
- No.

So your parents don't live together?
- Right.

It'd still be nice if your
father could come. - Yeah!

We'd all be happy.
- Yeah!

You, too, right?

Give it a try. Invite him.

Regina?

My father has late shift and
my mother doesn't have time.

That's a shame.

Yes?
- I forgot that...

my brother's at Amöneburg and can't come.

Thank God we know this!

Erdzhan, are you coming tomorrow?

Yes.
- I wanted to give you an extra thanks...

- Why?
- For always laughing so nicely.

Even when I see you on the school yard.

You have a great laugh.
It makes me feel really good.

I just had to tell you.

How 'bout some more schoolwork?

No!

Okay, then let's do today's highlights.

Ayman?

Today was good because we
had music instead of lessons.

What did we do during the first lesson?

We had only one hour of classes,

and cooking was good.

And you gave me these sticks.

You've been clinging to them all day.
I had to give them to you,

or there'd be an accident.

But, Ayman, they're not for beating on
your little brothers and sisters.

I know.

I can give you only a 'C' in Math.

We'll have to try to bump you up a level.
Then I can send you to secondary school.

It'd be a shame if you went to
the lower secondary school.

No, I want to go to secondary school.

Me, too, but you've got
to do something for it.

We've got to do two things:

Prepare really well for the math tests.

And in German you have to
read more. Do you understand?

They'll throw you out of secondary
school if you can't read.

Are you sure you understand?

We can do it. We've got
six more months. Six months.

We have a social studies test
today. I had my books... - When?

I think today?
- Which period?

I think 3rd or 4th or 7th or 8th.
- You have biology 3rd and 4th.

Then maybe 7th or 8th,
but I forgot my stuff on Friday.

Then we can still practice today.

Maybe you should cut back on sports.

I have to.

But I won twice.
- Really?

Which sport?
- Boxing.

Normal boxing?
- Yes.

Classical boxing?
- Right.

I'd probably like that job, too.

But I'm probably too old and would
get knocked down all the time.

So, mate, huh...

When it's reading time,
sit down with a book,

and we can practice together.

You have to remember. That's your job.

Or I'll knock you out!

So all the gangsters are
sitting in the back row.

I have to admit,
I did the same when I was in school.

Take a seat, Ferhan.

Are you leaving again?

Good morning.

Good morning, Mr. Bachmann.

Who remembers what we were doing?

What did we just start in math?

Luck? Chance?

And our 3rd nice term is "probability".

The question-

Ayman, this is a warning.

Which rule did you break?

Didn't raise my hand.
- Do it next time. Okay.

Ayman?

I'm going to mark two balls.

And now's the question: Who's lucky?

It's all about luck, right?

I'll mix them up.

All the boys have taken a ball,

and not a single one of
them got a marked ball.

Any comments?

Hasan, what do you think?
- No idea. He's unlucky.

Who's unlucky?
- Ayman.

Ayman's unlucky.

And now, everyone, if Jamie
had been able to take a ball,

Jamie might have gotten this ball
right away. That's what we call luck.

Pure luck.

But the probability of him getting one

is less than for Thea Lucia.

Does everyone understand?

There's a formula for luck.

Mathematicians say you can calculate luck.

You can sit on the tables.
You can sit on the sofa.

You can sit under the table
like you used to do, Niklas.

In "reading hell".
- Yeah, in "reading hell".

Hasan, we discussed this yesterday.
- What?

How important reading is.
- Yeah.

I get goosebumps just thinking about it.
I wouldn't know what to do.

I'd be devastated. This is my home.
Where else could I go?

It'd be the same in Turkey.
I've got family there too.

But my kids are my real family.

And it's tough not having my kids with me.

I've got two kids: Lina and Oskar.

And if suddenly someone
said to me: Herr Cavdar,

because of your opinions or your origin,

my parents are from Turkey,

you may no longer stay here.
Or I have to flee.

I'd be extremely unhappy.

It would be an absolute disaster.

Give it some thought. I have a list here.

Which things would you take with you?

We're traveling to Turkey but I'll
tell you why we're going to Turkey.

Dad said: because you can...

Fleeing

Fleeing

We're having a fire drill and you're
the only class still in the building.

Is this a drill or is it for real?

I don't know but everyone
has to leave the building.

I didn't hear anything.

What's that mean?

Okay, everyone outside.

Slowly. Stay calm.

Take it easy.
We'll head over to the playing field.

I was born in Morocco.

I was there for two years,
then we went to Italy.

I was there for five years.

Then we came here.

That means-
- I've been here 5 1/2 years.

So you were in Morocco
for the shortest amount of time?

But still you say: That's my homeland.

Even though you were there only 2 years.

Why, Ayman? Can anyone explain this?

Ayman?

You miss your family because you
haven't seen them for a long time.

We go every year, but now we
haven't been there for two years.

So I really miss them a lot now.

I'm pregnant.

That's why I'm so sensitive.

Why?

Okay.

Cengizhan, what's it like for you?

For me?

Your family's here but your
relatives are in Turkey?

No, here.

Also here? Lots of them?
- Everyone.

So according to this theory,
you must feel at home here.

No.
- Is this your homeland?

No.
- Why not?

Because I'm Turkish.

I feel comfortable in Germany because
there's no war or anything.

But when I'm grown up I
want to live in Turkey.

With Hasan.

Hasan in Bulgaria.
- And in Bulgaria, Hasan?

You don't want to go there?
- Yes, I do.

I want to go there because
I've missed so much.

Ilknur, where do you feel more at home?
Here or there?

Turkey.
- Turkey. Why Ilknur?

Because my grandpa's grave is there.

Okay, we can't move it to here.

Cengizhan?
- Ms. Bal, 'cause of the people too.

I don't know.

It's hard to say, huh?
- Yes.

But it's okay to say it.
- What?

No insults, then-
- They're way better there.

They're Turks and I'm Turkish. That's why.

Lots of people here in
Stadtallendorf have Turkish roots.

That's true, isn't it?

He says that because in Turkey

it's different.

They're totally different Turks.

Not like the ones here.

How do you say 'homeland' in Turkish?

Homeland.'

Ilknur?
- I can't remember.

How do you say it in Turkish?

Ilknur, you said you
feel at home in Turkey.

But you don't know what 'homeland'
is in Turkish? - 'Vatan!'

Enough! Next time raise your hand.

Cengizhan?
- 'Vatan.'

Right. It's 'vatan' in Turkish.

I felt the same way at your age.

I was born and raised here.

Like lots of you.

And I often felt like a stranger
here when I was your age.

But I didn't always feel
at home in Turkey either.

That's why I always wondered:
Where do I belong?

You've been in Germany over 30 years?

35 years to be exact.

You can use colored pencils, Cengizhan.
It's faster.

Ms. Bal, is Hannover nice?
- Hannover? - Yes.

Let me think. Yes.

Ms. Bal, Stefi and Hasan love you,

but don't want to admit it.

You idiot!
- Love is beautiful.

The beginning's not like this.

And then whew! But together
it's called an "entré", a beginning.

Got it?

Shalom! Shalom!

Great! You're already hitting the note.

Shalom chaverim!

Stop! Your voice is already hitting E minor
even with all the noise around here.

You're really talented. I mean it!

Sing it again. You hit the note spot on.

Heigh ho!

Exactly!

Hitch up the cart,

Since the wind drives rain across the land,

Fetch the golden sheaves,

Fetch the golden sheaves,

Heigh ho! Hitch up the cart,

Since the wind drives rain across the land.

Fetch the golden sheaves,

Heigh ho! Hitch up the cart...

Stay seated!

Last one, right?
- This is really annoying...

Last one?
- Yeah.

All this grading's really stressing me out.

Have I got everyone here?

I'll check my list.

Dieter!

Want some help?

He's got an 'F' in English?
- Yeah.

A or B course?

I think B.

We don't really need to discuss this.

Yes, we need to discuss the F's.

But this isn't a C course.

We have to see if it balances out.

We can mark it here.

Now for our strategy:

I think Hasan's clear, right?
We'll get him into secondary school.

His was a clear case.
- Yes.

And Mattia, of course.
- Yes.

As for Stefi,
I'd argue that she's making progress.

She works really hard, she's intelligent.

But she's really struggling
with learning German. - I know.

Because they don't speak
any German at home.

I don't see Stefi in the
lower secondary school class.

But I'm a little upset with Hasan

and Stefi, I have to say.

They haven't done much lately.

But I'd... you know how it is.

Stefi's a whirlwind.

But when I think about
where she was 6 months ago,

she didn't speak a single word of German.

And-
- [OFF] What about 5b?

She'd act like she understood you.

But now she asks when she
doesn't understand something.

I'm also in favor of putting
her in a higher level.

But I don't want her to fall short
and feel disappointed.

Of course not.

But I'm telling you Stefi will
be there 6 months from now.

I know she's not there yet,

but she'll be there in 6 months for sure.

And what if we make a recommendation
and the parents totally disagree?

It's a process. For now, you can-

We'll send out a letter that says,

for example: We recommend
that your daughter Ronja

attends our secondary school here.

The parents can lodge an appeal
and say: We disagree.

We want Ronja to be sent to high school.

Then we'd have to do it.

We can skip one level but not two.

But the point is:

The next conference is in 6 weeks,

and the parents will no longer
have the power to veto.

This means six weeks later,

only the teachers can decide on
the allocation of school branches.

So if in 6 weeks the grades are-
- if the grades aren't any better

she'd get the same placement.

It wouldn't be final yet. The final
ranking comes after Easter break.

Which basically doesn't change on their
report cards, at least not that I've ever seen.

I thought such a conference
would take longer,

where it's-
- a matter of life and death.

Yeah, it's important.

Let's pull up this table, Hasan.

She was sick, wasn't she?

What?
- She was sick.

A little, but she's fine now.

Ayman asks if your mother wants tea.

Yes.
- With sugar?

Are you sure she doesn't speak French?
- Yes.

Sure?
- How much sugar, Ayman?

Ah, she's afraid of me.

Mr. Bachmann,

my big brother taught me how to play drums.

Showed you and then on the table?
- Yes.

With the drumsticks? That's good.

We even watched a video.

Really? With drums?

How's your husband?
- Good.

He works, wait here...
- I want them!

He has a job now?
- Yes, in Kirchhain.

Where?
- Car dealership. He reconditions cars.

Mr. Bachmann, do you only do music?

That's what some people
say but it's not true.

We also do math and German and art.

PE.

What's your name?
- Emanuel.

Right. I've heard that before.

Great job, Samy.

What do you think, Samy?

You could try it at home, huh?

Ulen also means rear end.

Better take a closer look.

Rear end?
- Wait a sec.

Ulenspiegel

Spiegel

Spegel...

means "ass".

And "Ulen"...

...means something like...

kiss my ass.

That's another definition of it.

Didn't know it either. I just read it.

And it's important: it's a fable character.

So write all this down, the 3 things.
I'll give you a few minutes.

Just remember them.

We've just learned 3 things.

Anastasia?

Ulen means "owls" or "wisdom".

Spiegel means "reality".

And "Ulenspiegel" means "kiss my ass"
in Middle High German.

The symbols are owls,
mirrors and the jester's cap.

Ulenspiegel was spread around in
Middle High German around 1500.

Right. - And there's no
proof that he really lived.

Great.

We can break up into pairs
during the practice lesson

and check each other again.

I really liked one of the stories:
Eulenspiegel and the Children.

I wrote a song about it.

What's so special about Eulenspiegel's
relationship to the children?

When you show the kids the mirror
they see something beautiful in it.

Adults see reality.
- And it's often harsh.

He takes the piss out of the adults.
And the kids?

Jamie? - They always tell the
truth but the adults don't.

The adults lie and the kids
tell the truth. Exactly.

And that's why children are
superior to Eulenspiegel.

Don't fall for his jokes,
for his fooling around.

That's what this text is about.

Wanna sing it again, Stefi?

Ilknur, play keyboard.

Hasan, are you feeling
a bit better? Just tired.

No, I feel sick.
- You're sick?

You can change the piece: dum-da-dum-da.

It starts on the 2nd.

It starts in C major. Play it.

Right. And now A minor.

Exactly. Right.

Hasan, would you like to play drums?

Again. 2, 3, 4. It starts in C major.

I can't do it.

Listen up...

Great, Hasan!

Grab the bass.

Now C... A.

F, G.

Once there was a man,
who traveled across the land.

Eulenspiegel was his name.

No one knew from where he came.

Fog and smoke,
they were his friends.

Two owls perched
atop his shoulders,

a mirror in his hand.

Suddenly he sat on the edge of the well,

in colorful garb.

Great. Sounds good.
Who'd like to play along?

Come on, Hasan!

I wanna sleep a bit.

Not "olum", let him sleep.

Bye, Mr. Bachmann!
- Bye!

She always comes too late.
- Traitor!

I can't help it? I'm sick.

I hear you want to become a barber.

Yeah.
- Where'd you get that idea?

I watch a lot of videos, pictures.

Because in barber shop... you're

...in bad weather always indoors,

in a closed room.
- ...in a closed room.

With other professions too.

You could become a teacher.
That's usually indoors. - Teacher?

I have to learn a lot.
My German's not so good.

Do you know what barbers make?
- Yes.

I know, for example,

a haircut is 10 or 12 Euros. That's good.

Cut 10 men. That's good.

And what if one of them stinks?

He stinks? Well, I won't do him.

I just say I don't have time.
It's full and stuff.

You can practice on me!

All right, mate!

I want to be a pro boxer, but I don't know

if I'm going to keep doing it.

A professional boxer who's a barber?
That's a novelty.

Not bad.

Or maybe amateur boxer.

Or amateur boxer, for example, sure.

Did you get it? No one's listening again.

Ayman can only think about himself,

and doesn't listen when
it's someone else's turn.

What was that?

You asked if she,

how she feels while brushing
her teeth in the morning.

And she said sometimes she
doesn't care about herself.

And why doesn't she care about herself?

Why can't she stand herself?

Anastasia,
you've got to explain this better.

I don't want to learn when I'm supposed to.

Then I don't like myself.

Why not?
- Because then I do a bad job.

Sound familiar, Ilknur?
- Yeah.

I don't know what else to say.

All I can say, Anastasia,

is that I've never felt that way.

If I don't feel like learning then I don't
feel like it. To hell with learning!

You know?

Then a teacher or someone else can tell me

I'm supposed to learn,
but I could care less.

Can you relate?
- Yes.

So how about that attitude?

But then you get bad grades.
- So what?

And you wanna succeed.

But you have. Remember the math test?

But you were upset because Regina-
now you finish the sentence.

...got a better grade.

But that was also nice.
Regina was happy for once.

Normally Regina's in that situation.

It was nice, wasn't it?

Weren't you happy for Regina?

Oh, man!

The people of today.

Anastasia, all the teachers
at the class conference agreed:

Anastasia's heading to high school.

What has Anastasia decided?
- I don't want to.

So what are you going to do when the
letter arrives? - Go to secondary.

Well that's a first.
I'm looking forward to the letter.

ALWAYS GETS ORANGE BALLS
AND IS CLEVER.

GOOD AT PLAYING DRUMS.
GOOD PAINTER. GOOD BABYSITTER.

I brought along Mr. Konrad.

Do you know what a "singing buddy" is?

Ah, Cengiz, you're so great today.
I love you!

Singing buddies are like me and Hasan.

When I sing he sings along.

Exactly!

And what's a "boozing buddy"?

Boozing buddy is when I
booze and Hasan joins in.

Mr. Bachmann, can we play this song?

I have that song!

This is about your future here at school.

Future? What's that mean?

You'll be switching to
secondary school next year.

My papa's asking-

My father asks: I can't speak much German.

How's this work?

Do you speak Turkish?
- Yes.

In Germany speak good Turkish.

Come to Germany, no
German, Turkish perfect.

Yeah, it's Stadtallendorf: more
Turkish and Russian than German.

So you speak Russian, Turkish, Bulgar-

You can get by with Russian
and Turkish here in Stadtallendorf.

Stefani's always saying:
We're going back to Bulgaria.

Then she says: I'm staying here,
my sister's going back or coming here.

What's her future?

Is she staying here? Are you staying here?

Or are you going back to Bulgaria?
- We don't know yet.

My papa said we want to stay in Bulgaria.

But we have to stay in Germany-
- Because of work?

Yes, because of work because in Bulgaria...

- ...not much work.
- No chance in Bulgaria.

You're a baker? Your father's a baker?

Yes, father is baker, me have four kids.

In Bulgaria no chance.

Stefi, what do you want to be?

What kind of a profession?

Bakery saleswoman?

Do you want to become a nurse or a doctor?

I want... uh... to sing,

but I want doctor a lot.
- No chance.

Good guess, huh? Medicine?
- Yes.

She'd really like to become a singer.
- No way!

Sure!

Grab the guitar there.

Ah, no, Mr. Bachmann!

I can't now!
- We'll do it in Italian for your father.

I forgot.
- Yeah, right. You know it.

Just sing la, la, la.

She can do it.

My father said that you

is a good, emotional teacher.

Lots of fun and stuff.

Hey, Mr. Bachmann, I can't.
- Just do it!

Which part?
- The middle one where you-

That's the part. Sing it again for me.

I love it! It makes me
feel like I'm on holiday...

...at the Black Sea or something.
Sing it again!

Hello.

I'm Dieter Bachmann, the teacher.

Come on in.

You can sit over there. Give your
mom the comfortable chair.

There's a nice rocking chair.

So at first it was like:

she hardly said a word but just laughed.

I liked that,

that she laughed.
But she didn't say a word.

But now she raises her hand
and participates in the lessons.

And...

...what's it like for you? Tell us.

At first, it was like-I was so shy
and didn't want to say anything.

But now that I've gotten to
know everyone and like them,

I raise my hand more and
dare to say something.

How did you suddenly become so courageous?

Because I'm not afraid to talk
in class anymore and get laughed at.

You were afraid?
- People used to laugh at me.

At your other school?
- Yeah, so I was afraid to raise my hand.

Why did they laugh at you?
- I don't know.

The change to 7th grade is in summer.

She'd be placed in secondary school.
- The thing is-

What?
- We might move during summer break.

Again.

That blows my mind.
- Hers, too.

Me, too. The problem is-

May I say something in German?
- Shit?

That's shitty.
- Yeah, but what can I do?

I can't just stay here so she can go to
secondary and make something of herself.

I know she won't make it here.

It was really bad with her at first.

You don't think she'd make it here?

Not in these surroundings.

Here?
- No, not here in your class.

Has nothing to do with your class.
From her way of life, where we live now.

Your living conditions are not in order?
- Right.

But she got better and better.

Now, but she was really bad at first.

But she just explained that she
was really afraid. I could tell.

It's called school phobia. She was
afraid of getting her ass kicked.

She was really scared.
- Yeah, I could tell.

But she got over it really fast.

And now she's doing really well here.

Would you like to stay
right here at our school?

Yeah, sure, but we've got a problem.

The three of us want to be alone.

Our old family back together.
Just us. That's all.

And it's not possible in Stadtallendorf?
- No. This Stadtallendorf...

...I can't describe it.

I feel really bad for her.

I remember what she was
like when she came here.

She was really small.

And really frightened.

And now she's sitting here all confident.

She trusts her classmates and teachers.

She feels really comfortable here.

She used to feel totally out
of place, hassled and bullied.

Rabia also has a father.
- I know.

And as far as I know,
he lives in Stadtallendorf.

No, in Kirchhain, but he works here.

My daughter isn't-
- Your father means a lot to you?

Yes.

And you love your father?
- Yes.

And you're happy you get to see him?
- Yes, of course.

And if you move away, you wouldn't
get to see him as often?

Right?
- Yeah, I know.

Cheer up!

Time!

Don't stop. Hook, punch and turn.

Right in the middle. Come over here.

1, 2, middle. Not in the back.

Got it? 1, 2, 1, 2.

And you keep pausing.
1, 2, 1, 2, then you pause.

You have to hit like this.

I mean it's good when you're here.

But you've got to bite the bullet
and work out on your own.

I show you how every Friday.

You know what works.
You have to do it on your own.

But Tuesdays, Wednesdays,
the sandbags are always taken.

There are always two sandbags
for you. You can spar a bit.

We'll spar and when we're
tired we'll call it a day.

When it gets lighter out
we'll start running outside.

Punch. A bit faster.

2 -1 -2. To the front. Only to the front.

10, 9, 8, 7...

6, 5, 4...

3, give it your all, 2, 1.

And stop!

Somehow it doesn't turn me on.

Doesn't turn me on.

Play something that turns us.

What do I mean by "turn on"?

I don't know.

I say such things but you
have no idea what I mean.

Take me along. - Yeah,
take you along and keep up the tempo.

Play together.
- Yeah, so it's fun.

Take you along and have fun.

Take me with you and show me
some fun. I have a break now.

Can I talk to you about it?
- Yes.

Because I'm interested.

Then you suddenly get furious.
- Yeah.

And then?

What does "furious" mean?

Ah, I could tell.

I see.

What...

...am I supposed to say?

For example, you punched
Abdurrahman in the face once.

I didn't him in face.
- Where then?

I just hit him here.

And that knocked him down?
- Yes.

He's always saying stuff like:

Come, try to hit me, asshole.
And stuff like that.

What else can I do?

And you want him to stop?
- Yes.

And because he wouldn't
stop you knocked him down?

Have you done that to anyone else?
- No.

Sure?

Because I've gotten some complaints
about how aggressive you get.

It'd be great if you came
on the class trip with us.

Yeah, I asked for permission.
- And?

They said okay.
- They did? Great!

Bye!
- Bye, Erdzhan.

You really like it here, huh?
- Yes.

Why did you stick around?

Tell me the truth: Why
did you stick around?

You know Allah says
you're not allowed to lie.

Because I don't want to go outside.

Aha. Too cold?
- Yes.

When I look back,

the worst part was always
feeling like the only one.

Do you feel the same way?

You're the only one who got an 'F'.

No.
- Who else?

Hasan, Stefi, Mattia.

That's great, huh?

I was always the only one with an 'F'.

But we didn't learn, Mr. Bachmann.
- I got a 'C'. - You nerd!

We have a few more, Ilknur.
You're not alone.

I have a suggestion.

We're going to learn English
vocabulary with Ilknur and Stefi.

Then I'm going to ask the teacher
to let you re-take the vocabulary test.

What? Everyone else too?

No, only these four.

Let's see: Who got an 'A'?

Ah, Anastasia! Who got a 'B'?

Ilknur, you get Anastasia.

Stefi, Rabia got a 'B'.
You can learn together.

Jamie, you take Hasan.

Tim, you take Mattia.

Practice the vocabulary now.

I'll test you in twenty minutes.

Jamie?

Honestly, I think this is bullshit.

I mean we learned. Mattia had
an excuse. He was sick.

But the rest of us learned.

And if they didn't it's their own fault.

Hey, we got an 'F'!

Not a 'B', not a 'C',
not a 'D', but an 'F'.

It's your own fault.

Wait a minute.
You can speak your mind, but-

Hasan, Stefi and Mattia have been
here in Germany for barely a year.

I'd like to see you, Jamie.

You're all here from the German course,

and really just joined our class.

Since this semester, only a few days.

Up to now, you weren't being graded.

And they were exempt from grades, Jamie,

because they come from another country
and speak neither German nor English.

That's why I think it's fair

when they still get a second chance.

You can learn now,

then we'll check the results.

We'll keep an eye on you. Study hard.

I'll check it.

Then we'll see if it gets better.

I think we should stick
together as a class,

and help those kids who are struggling.

So they learn the vocabulary.
- Okay.

Jamie, I'm not going to force you
to practice with anyone.

I can also do it with Hasan.

No, I'll do it. - Or you,
Cengiz. You got a 'C'. That's okay.

How's that, Jamie?

You and Ilknur have been friends
since elementary school.

That has nothing to do with it.

I don't get it.
Why don't you want to help her?

I'm not going to help
if it's her own fault.

It's not her fault.
There are some problems,

and I'm telling you as an adult,

it's not Ilknur's fault
that she's struggling right now.

Yes, it is.
- Do you understand?

You don't understand.
- I'm sticking to my opinion.

She's got other problems we
don't need to talk about here.

That's why she's so bad.
And you've been friends for years.

You could help her. What's wrong
with practicing vocabulary together?

I'm sticking to my opinion.
- What?

I'm sticking to my opinion. It sucks.

Okay.

Stefi?

Here in the class no one know how hard is,

because everyone was born here.

Jamie. Everyone. Rabia. Thea.

You know how hard it is?
You have to learn German,

English, make social studies poster.

I can't... I speak German but not so much.

I've still got to learn vocabulary.

German. I've got to
learn English vocabulary.

It's too hard for me.

But you always say your, well, yeah.

Thanks, Stefi.

It's too hard.

Ayman, when we talked
to your dad yesterday,

you said something that really touched me.

Yeah, we came here,

and there was a bench
in front of our house.

And because it was summer I was outside.

My parents were carrying
furniture and stuff inside.

And there were other boys around.

And they asked me some questions.

But I didn't understand anything.

And it felt...

...strange because...

...I tried to explain
something but couldn't.

We just made hand signals and stuff.

And the one boy laughed at me.

And I didn't like it.

And how was it later on?

It was still hard, especially at school.

We had to learn several
languages and that was hard.

But after a while, I learned German.

Then it got easier and easier.

Can you relate to Stefi and Hasan?
- Yes.

Yes?
- Yes.

Now you're really good at school
and you're heading to high school.

How can you help those

who are now where you were five years ago?

Maybe practice with them.
German, for example.

Now say a little bit about your father.

I didn't realize until yesterday
that he emigrated from Morocco

to Italy because they couldn't find
work and had nothing to eat.

He lived there 20 years,

learned proper Italian,

worked there as a truck driver.

Then when things got
worse with work in Italy,

he decided to emigrate
again, this time to Germany.

So what you're going through,
Hasan, he went through twice.

A new language, a new culture.

Ayman, when you were
telling me this yesterday,

you were really sad about how
things were when you arrived here.

How that boy laughed at
you, and also later on.

It took a long time before you
felt like they accepted you.

And I think we're a class,

and I'd really like to see us
help one another the best we can.

Because... also...

your father, Jamie...

...you want to go there soon.
Where's he from?

Transylvania.
- Right, Transylvania.

Where's that?
- Romania.

Your father grew up in Romania

and was a Transylvanian
German living there.

Then he came here for much the same reason

that Ayman's father left Morocco for Italy.

Or why Hasan's parents came to Germany.

Or why Mattia's parents
came here from Sardinia.

Raffaele, are you also from Sardinia?
- Yes.

My father comes. He works.

And my mama...

Anastasia, where are your parents from?
- Kazakhstan.

You were born here, but both of
your parents are from Kazakhstan.

And your mothers are sisters.

You have Kazakh roots.

You told us your grandpa still lives there.

Not anymore.
- Why not?

Did he die?

I'm sorry, Regina.
We have to comfort her real quick.

Today's a...

Thea, you can comfort
her, but I want to ask you

where your mother's from.

My mother's from Brazil.

Your mother's from Brazil.

Martin, where are your parents from?
- Russia.

From Russia. Where?

I don't really know.

From Russia and not from Kazakhstan,
Azerbaijan? - I don't know.

So we want to learn English
so we get better at it.

Hey, this isn't a good work environment.

Silentium.

Only whisper, if at all.

Otherwise I don't want to hear anyone.

Learn!

Come to me if you need help.

I've never seen two students eavesdrop
on each other while learning vocabulary.

Delivery service!

Anyone hungry? We have an extra meal.
- I'm hungry.

Ilknur, dig in.

I'm hungry!
- Come here.

I've got some change. You can
buy yourselves another meal.

I don't eat meat.
- Fine. Then go get yourself something.

Thanks, Mr. Bachmann.
- Have some salad.

Thanks a lot, Mr. Bachmann.
- You're welcome.

What's this?

Hmmmm...

Do you eat spaghetti at home, too, Ilknur?

Sometimes.

Carolin, aren't you hungry?
- No.

Did you already take your shots today?
- Yes.

How often?
- 2 or 3 times.

But everything's okay, right?
- Yep.

Who cooks at home, Carolin?
- My grandma.

With us it's either me,
my father or my mother. - Really?

Who's the best cook?

That's what I figured.

If you're such a good cook, Ilknur?

Then you and Stefi

could cook for the whole class on our trip.

But we have to go shopping.
- Sure, we'll go together.

My mom taught me to cook when I was 9.

What does your dad do?

He works at Fritz Winter.

It's right at your doorstep.
- Yep.

What does your father do, Carolin?

He works on a construction site.

Which construction site?

At the new indoor swimming pool.
- Cool!

And your mom's a teacher?
- Yeah.

Music, right?
- Yeah.

Do you have a lot of visitors, Ilknur?

Yes, every day.

Our neighbor comes over every evening.

She and my mom have been friends
since she was 30 or 20 or so.

They're best friends.

And my youngest sister comes every night.
She always wants to belly dance.

How old is she?
- One, almost two.

She's almost 2 and wants to
belly dance all the time? - Yes.

Where's she get this?
- From my mother.

She belly dances all the time too?
- Yes.

While cooking and cleaning or what?

Not while cooking but she hops around.

Is there music playing?

We did that once here too.

You had the guts to do it with Cengiz.
It was great.

I liked it.

Cengiz?

Come sit down next to me.
You can be my assistant.

For the next 15 minutes, concentrate.

Repeat fractions.

Then you can practice for
another 15 minutes, and that's it.

We'll take a break.

Then we'll do German. We have
to practice grammar again.

The next test is about tall tales.
We've already done a lot.

I lost my cell phone.

That's good. Forget about the spelling.
Mattia?

I losst mine cel fone.

I subject.

Okay.
- But...

...predicate?
- "lost".

Lost predicate.

My...
- How do you ask about it?

Who or what did I lose?

What's this?
- Accusative object.

Accusative object. Great!

Ayman, did you get it?

Dictate a sentence.

Ferhan!
- Cuckoo!

Wow, Ferhan's upset.

Cengiz.

Stefi always hits Cengizhan.

Stefi hits...
- Read it out loud. Cengiz.

Stefi hits with 'i'.

That doesn't matter.
- "Stefi hits Cengizhan."

... "always" hits Cengizhan.
- What are the parts of the sentence.

What is "Stefi"?

I don't know, Mr. Bachmann.
I'm bad at this.

Stefi is this creature here. Regina?

An animal.

Subject. Exactly! Ilknur, what's "hits"?

Hits is predicate.
- "always hits".

Predicate. "Cengizhan"?

Accusative object.
- Add a dative to it.

"... hits Cengizhan...

...with...

...with the guitar."

What is "with the guitar"?
- Nothing.

With whom does...?
- Cengizhan is kaput.

There's an exercise in the book.

We won't do it now because
we did so much math before.

We'll do it tomorrow.
- While we're eating kebab!

That's it. Take a seat.

Mr. Bachmann, I love my class!

Now for the last task.

If you solve it without screaming,

then you may go home.
- Hey, Ayman, do it!

You're the only one we trust.

A pizza as big as a truck tire. Okay?

Now I'd like to know

how much does each of you get?

Thea Lucia, how many are
there including the sick ones?

19 not including you.

19 not including you.
- No, 20.

19!

Anastasia, how much do you
get if there are 19 pupils?

I'm still figuring it out.
- Okay.

Then you've got lots to calculate.

Martin, do you know?

But, Martin, we don't want
them to beat you up outside.

Carolin, stand up.

Say really loudly how
much of the pizza you get.

One-nineteenth.
- I love you!

Everyone stands behind his chair,

and cleans off his desk.

Then we'll have a moment of silence.

Mr. Bachmann, this sucks!

Cengizhan! Quiet down!

I'm the only one who has
something to say here.

Everyone behind his chair.

Mattia, explain this to Raffaele.
It's new for him.

One minute silentium. Absolute silence.

If anyone talks or interferes like Stefi,

then we'll extend it. We're about to start.

What's the big deal?

Stefi, we're extending it because of you.

Are you ready now, Stefi?

One minute of silence.
I'll tell you when to start.

And if someone talks, then the
whole class does another minute.

We'll do it until it works.

Okay.

I'll say "go" in a sec,
but I haven't said it yet.

We're going to go down the
stairs just as quietly.

We'll exit the school grounds
behind the special ed building,

because everyone else has
15 more minutes of class.

I'll look out the window.

And if I see anyone walking
across the school grounds,

I'll grab him.

Go down the stairs like normal
people, no screaming,

and exit the school grounds
the shortest way possible.

Martin, your former classmates from
elementary school will show you the way.

How was your 1st day?

Do you think you'll survive here?

Raffaele?
- Except if I...

How was your day?

Crappy.
- Translate please, Mattia.

Bene? Molto bene? Un poco bene?

Molto bene.
- Un poco bene.

Oh, molto bene?

What does "molto bene" mean?
- "Very good".

Why don't you ask us about our day?

You're taking the floor again.
Maybe I'll add time.

Yes, Cengiz?
- My day sucked.

I thought it got off to a good start.
We can discuss it tomorrow.

Okay?

And we're going to leave here as usual.

Bye! Take care.

We're extending...
Mr. Bachmann was too loud!

Cengiz, go home!

They came from the countryside:

unskilled agricultural workers
or small, independent farmers.

But the unsocial distribution of land
no longer fed them and their families.

The personnel manager came to Istanbul,
where thousands wait years for a job.

Poverty drove them from their villages.

They heard there are
well-paid jobs in Germany.

And sometimes Germany seems like
the promised land for earning money.

Zafer Aygün, Ali Öztürk,

Hasan Ali Barutcu

Izzet Özyön,

Ahmet Aktaş,

Mehmet Özver,

Sabri Çetin.

They arrived full of hope mixed with fear.

Fear whether their papers are in order.

Fear of work and their employers,
fear of the strange surroundings.

Plus they didn't speak German.
This made them helpless.

They were used to hard work from home.

But it was agricultural work, nature.

They lived according to the
rhythm of summer and winter.

On weekends, the workers sometimes
try to escape their loneliness.

But the fact that they meet in
their hostel basement

shows how they remain in their ghetto.

Do you know anything
about Islam and Muslims?

Well, it's a religious state, huh?

You know there are Turks here in Allendorf?
- Yes.

Have you heard about the Turks who
work here? - They're upstanding.

They're devout.

Have you ever been inside a mosque before?
- No.

The first time?
- Yes.

The Turkish were brought
to Germany to work.

- Guest workers.
Yes, guest workers and

the others came here because of
war or poverty, I think.

That's right. At some point people
came here from other countries.

Abdu interjected something.

I think it was 1960,

around 1 million guest workers
came to Germany.

And who are these guest
workers usually? Alpi?

Is there a guest worker in your family?

Yes, my papa.

He's from Turkey.

What's hanging at the top left?
Can anyone recognize it?

Regina? - I think it's the
cross where Jesus was crucified.

How can you tell? It's really hard to see.

I can see a cross with some figure on it.

Why did a cross hang in
classrooms back then?

Maybe there weren't any
Muslim kids in that class,

or maybe only a few,
and they didn't mind.

And that's why it was in the classroom.

Who would mind if there
were a cross hanging here?

With Jesus.

Ilknur, why would you mind?

Because I don't believe in such things.
- But the others do.

It would bother Ilknur because
she doesn't believe in it.

Jamie?
- I find such things, well,

stupid, I'd say, because I'm a
disbeliever. I don't believe in anything.

I don't mind if there are believers
here, so I think it kinda sucks when

they have a problem with it.

Ilknur, don't you want to say anything?
- No.

Cengizhan, you raised your hand.

You'd also have a problem
with hanging a cross here?

Why?
- It makes me feel uncomfortable.

That some teachers take trips to church
and Muslim kids have to go along.

It's really stupid.

Ilknur, are Muslims not
allowed to enter a church?

Is entering a church forbidden?
- Yes.

Who says this?

She!

Who says that, Ilknur?

My old mosque teacher.
That's what she told us.

I don't believe this, Ilknur.

No idea.
- You should... we'll talk about it later.

Unfortunately,
you've got some things a bit wrong.

So this is a very recent picture.

It's not hard to see where we are.

Who said 'Teich' [pond]?
- I did.

Raise your hand and then-

You said something really
important: 'Teich'.

This is almost the same angle we just had.

Forced laborers lived
down here by the pond.

And that was...
- Forbidden!

It looked like this.

Why were these people kept there?

Cengizhan just said it's forbidden.

What do you see there?

This man's flag.
- What's it called?

The swastika.

Concentrate.
- What should I say?

Thea? - They were held there
because of Adolf Hitler.

So they would work for him
and build bombs and such.

There were a lot of these
camps in Stadtallendorf,

that were involved in the
production of ammunition.

Is that a bomb?

That's ammunition.

Where exactly were the factories?

Where were those factories?

Cengizhan?
- DAG.

Excellent. D A G area.

How can you recognize
these factories today?

Carolin, you've seen such buildings before?

These houses have trees on their roofs.

That was camouflage.

This is the "Münchmühle"...

Mem - o... What?
- Memorial.

Does anyone know it?

Back then it wasn't called
Stadtallendorf, but, yes? - Allendorf.

Allendorf, exactly.
A small half-timbered village.

1500 inhabitants.

Most of them were farmers.

Things changed dramatically around here

when the Nazis took over.

That was in 1933.

Shortly thereafter,
this piece of forest was chosen

as the site for two large
explosives factories.

Here you can see the different
factories with their abbreviations.

The WASAG, Westfälisch-Anhaltische
Sprengstoff AG,

marked in green.

And marked in yellow,

DAG, which stands for Dynamit
Aktien-Gesellschaft [Dynamite Corp.]

When the war broke out, workers
from all occupied countries in Europe

were brought to Germany as forced laborers.

In these two factories,
almost 17,000 people

from 22 countries were put to work.

And here you see those
countries, Belarus,... Do you...

Ukraine.
- Ukraine, exactly.

And Italy.
- And Italy.

Luxembourg, Belgium, Denmark.

Here you see women,

they had to fill this hot TNT,

the explosive,

into the bomb shells.

They stirred the hot explosive
to get rid of any air bubbles.

You see how they stood
over the bomb openings.

That means they inhaled those vapors.

As you can imagine,
this wasn't exactly healthy.

There were thousands of people,

and they all had to sleep somewhere.

So they built various
camps for this purpose.

The Nazis brought foreigners to Germany

but were prejudiced

and didn't treat them well.

Children and teenagers were also deployed.

70 children and teenagers
from Poland and Russia.

Here's one of them.

His name is Adam Koslowski.

And when you look at this card

you'd think he was a criminal.

Because of the fingerprints and
the ID number he's holding.

It's very important to note

that all the children and teenagers

were from Poland, Russia and Belarus.

No French or Dutch children.

Only children from Eastern Europe

because in the Nazis' view
they were at the very bottom.

REFUGEES, DEPORTATIONS, IMMIGRATION

Here's the 2nd room of our exhibition.
It's about the postwar period.

It shows how the people needed
work to be able to live.

So they decided to repurpose

the DAG facilities.

Instead of producing explosives,

they would produce other
products for everyday needs.

What was destroyed or lost in the war

was later produced by various
companies here in Allendorf.

This part is about the companies
that are still flourishing here.

Ferrero.
- Right, Ferrero.

Ferrero.

They weren't called
Ferrero back then, but...

Assia.
- Assia, exactly.

Assia is Italian for Hesse.

In this large picture you can see how
harsh the working conditions were

in the company shown here.
Which company is this?

Yes?
- Winter.

Right, the Fritz Winter company.

People had to work very, very hard there.

In the 1950's, a lot of them didn't
want to work there any more.

Better jobs were available elsewhere.

So the company owner,
Winter, went to Istanbul,

and hired Turkish workers there.

Is it spicy? I think it's Jamie's.

Jamie, you wanted spicy, right?
- We have 3 lahmacuns.

Hey, Jamie!

There's no meat in falafels, right?
- That's rice.

Why are you guys ragging
on me the whole time?

Mr. Bachmann, I'm stuffed.

Then take it home to your little sister.

Why's she crying?

Stefi, go over to Ferhan.

Mr. Bachmann, Ferhan's crying.

Take your seats!

I want 2 minutes of total silence!

What happened, Ferhan?

I'm here. What happened?
Do you know what happened?

She was fighting with Stefi
but I don't know what about.

Where's Stefi?
- I know what happened.

Did you understand the Turkish...

Did I ask you?

Hey, I'm looking at you!

Did I ask you?

I said no talking!

Mr. Bachmann, I just said Ferhan's
going to this new mosque.

No yelling!

And she's crying, what did I say...
- We don't yell around here!

When I ask you something you may
answer calmly, but I haven't asked yet.

First I want Ferhan to
tell me what's going on.

Ferhan, can you tell me?

Huh?

Just tell me.

Very softly. I'll hear it.

What's wrong?

I know Ferhan.
She's like a snail when she's upset.

I didn't...
- I'm not talking to you!

Then she's like a snail, retreats and...

She insulted me!

Get out!

I'm going home.

Come over here! Come sit in this chair!

I only said in front of Cengizhan,

"Cengizhan, you and Ilknur
go in Fatih Mosque.

And Ferhan goes in new mosque."

And she says,
"Why do you only talk about me?

And such.

I'm not like a...

...the one...

...a ..." I don't know
what it's called in German.

Go inside, Jamie!
- "Victim" or something like that.

That's what she said?
- Yes!

And I... I didn't insult her.

No, I never said you did.

Could you now calmly talk
to Ferhan and Ilknur?

It's a misunderstanding.
You didn't insult her, right?

What you said triggered
something inside of her.

Do you understand?
- Yes

Something that had nothing to do
with what you wanted to say.

Would you do that for me? Talk to her?

You've got the chisel now
and he's gonna hit it.

Is it swollen?
- Yes.

Where?
- Here.

But only here, right?
- No, here...

Go upstairs and hold it
under cold, running water.

Okay?
- Okay.

Wait a second!

You'll have to do it on your own now.
- Me?

Yes. Like this.

Ayman, you're doing it wrong.
Come over here!

Come here!

Come here, Raffaele! Raffaele!

If you take the chisel...
Hold this.

Give me a hammer.

If you hold the chisel...

...up here then you'll hit your hand.

But if you hold it down
here that won't happen.

Ayman! You're doing it right but
you're working the top edge.

Look at me.

It's better to hold the chisel at an angle.

That's really good!

That's still a work in progress, right?
- Yes.

It's not such a nice stone.

Yeah, it's got some flaws.

It's got a lot of clay in it.

But this one's quite nice, huh?
- I don't know.

When adults work intensely on something,

like you chiseling your
stone very intensely,

then that inspires others
to work like that too.

No, that's not true.
- It's not? - No.

I used to join them [students], but then
they were too afraid to do anything.

I know that from school.

When I play something
complicated on my guitar,

it doesn't encourage them at all.

But like with any learning process, it's
also about finding your own way, right?

Yeah, it's the most important
thing, I suppose for teachers too.

I studied to become a teacher in Berlin.

I started studying sociology, but
didn't know what I'd do with it,

so I switched to teaching.

But why did I become a teacher?

In the end it was because,

my wife and I,
we were together for 15 years,

we had two children,
and she didn't have a steady job.

Someone had to make a living,
so I was the one who did that.

That's how I got into teaching.

I kinda resisted it for
a pretty long time...

...because...

...the school as an institution

alienated me right from the start.
It still does.

I couldn't imagine,

that I wouldn't get chucked out.

You were like the E.T. among teachers.
- Yeah, in a way.

But, yeah...

When I was in my mid-40's
I thought about quitting. I can't do this.

When you have the feeling

that you can't really shape anything,

but are always at odds,

that you practically have
to chain down the kids

so they don't toss you into the mud.

It also had a lot to do with my past.

I didn't want to be such a
teacher, such a person.

But at some point it went click,

and I realized that

the dressage I had to do day after day

was now only about 10% of the work.

And the rest, like when we were here,

is somehow meaningful.

And now I get a lot in return.

From some a lot, from
others less or nothing at all.

But on the whole...

Sometimes I get a bit uneasy because
I feel like I should push them harder,

we should be doing more math and German.

Then I have an attack and feel horrible

because I'm not working with
the kids but against them.

Just shoving things down their throats.

And in the end it's pointless.

But this happens sometimes.

Because I wonder what are they
actually learning from juggling,

or playing drums all day?

That's how I do it with my courses too.

The first thing I do is
lower their expectations.

Some people come with a Käthe
Kollwitz figure and say:

I'd like to carve this in stone.

Then I ask them who they think they are,
that they could carve such a figure

after watching for an hour or so.

What about anatomy and all that?

So I bring them all the way down,

and teach them how to
carve edges and stuff.

What I never liked about sculpting
is that you're always alone.

And I think that's also the
reason why I stuck to teaching.

Working with the kids
does me good. I enjoy it.

Mr. Bachmann, I need to go home!

Go get that note.

So, while Virat's still here

I wanted to really begin this project
describe an image.

What kind of project is this?

They're basically making a picture
using collage techniques.

Mr. Bachmann, Leonie's crying.
- Huh?

Leonie's crying.
- Yeah, go... I'll be right there.

Ah, here! Martin!

Look!

Not just one picture. You should combine
several and also draw something.

I have two pictures. - Then make
something and we'll talk about it.

Do you have to leave it as it is?

No, you can also change it.

How do you do that?

Well, you can draw a teacher here.

A real one.
- Or cut one out.

Who fell over because it was too loud.

Like happens to me once a week.

But you don't fall over
because you're strong. - Sure.

Mr. Bachmann, I'm really fond of you.
- We're talking about the picture here.

Stick to the point!
- Look this is our principal...

Looks just like him!
- And here in his eyes are cameras

and he's always checking
what they're doing.

A surveillance camera?
- Exactly.

Ronja, look!

Look.

Oh, Rabia...

So what would you like to see now?

Where's all this leading?

That I can keep going to
school without any problems.

That me and my mother...

I mean, my brother...

That my brother, my mother and
I can live together again.

That I can see my dad.

That we're close. That I'll stay
with my mom and visit my dad.

Keep going to school here.

I want to be an interior designer.

I've had a headache the past few days.

I understand. I would too.

That's why I fall asleep so much
because I can't sleep at home.

You can sleep a bit here.
Go lie on the couch if you want.

You want to? Go lie down on the couch.

What a nice idea, Ilknur.

To go around and show everyone that.

Hasan, go out and ask Cengiz
if he's got the story.

He can come back in.
- I've got my story but not the picture.

Well, I don't have it. I'm positive.

Hey, I'm gonna throw out everybody
who's not paying attention!

It's Ferhan's turn.

You guys back there had your turn, Jamie.
- I'm listening.

Put the pen away.

Mr. Bachmann, is it okay if
I hold it in my hand? - Yes.

But face the audience, if possible.

My title is: The dogs and the cats.

Once upon a time there was a dog.
She had baby cats.

And then the owner...
- A dog that had baby cats?

Baby dogs!

And then the owner said to the children

that the dog had baby dogs.

Then the bab...

Then the children quickly ran and

put them to a box. And took them home.

And the cat was looking so sad
because the children find the dogs cute.

But the cat thinks that the children
like the dogs more than the cat and then...

then one child looked to cat and
saw that the cat was looking sad

and went to cat,

said that it love cat and
then the cat said, "Meow."

Then child take

the cat to his hand and
brought the cat to dogs.

"These are ours new baby dogs.
They look very cute, don't they?"

said the child, then the cat meowed again.

Then the cat and the children
and dog were all happy.

And then dog said,
"bow-wow", meaning it barked.

Hmmm. Yeah, quite good sto...

Did you raise your hand?

May I say something, Mr. Bachmann?
- Yes, Ilknur.

So, everyone should really listen now.
Cengizhan and the others too.

First, raise your hand and then talk.
Second, respect childrens too.

Third, if you don't have any respect,
then you can read some books.

They have a lot of information
about respect, okay?

Yeah, take this to heart!

You can go right back out. Go!
If you don't wanna participate.

I'm not a puppet.
You can't play around with me!

No one wants to play with you!
- You're playing with us.

Yeah, yeah, we'll see!

Anastasia, what do you think
about what Ilknur just said?

Good.
- Excuse me? - Good.

I agree.

But that goes for you back there a bit too.

You weren't listening to Ferhan either.

Ayman, I know you want to say
her language wasn't always correct.

But that's okay.

Do you have any ideas?

How can we improve the story?
I liked Ferhan's story very much.

It was also very detailed.

She just made a few
grammatical and syntax errors.

Any ideas how you could help her?

Couldn't you imagine sitting
down with her and... - No!

No? Why not?

Why not?
- I don't know, I can't.

Why not?

I don't know.

I'll wait for your explanation.
We've still got two whole hours.

Then we'll just wait two hours.
But I want an honest explanation.

That's part of it.

What am I supposed to say?
- You know what you want to say.

Just say it! You can be honest.
- Eh, what?

I'll tell you my opinion too,

but just say it. Why can't you
help Ferhan revise her story?

I mean, you're quite good in German.

Just because she's a girl?

I don't get it! What has Ferhan did to you?
- ...because we're not so dense.

Then why don't you help...
- Let him talk, Ilknur!

You think we're bullying her
cause we don't like her, huh?

But there's always some reason or other.

Okay, I'm not doing it...
You know, I like her but...

...no contact, so...

But I don't think it's very brave of
him [Ayman] to just say he won't do it.

I don't want to either.
- You're trying to explain why,

but you didn't. I don't like that.

Ilknur said I can't stand Ferhan.

That's not true. I like her okay.
- Some people are like that.

Shhh! Let him talk!
- Some people, not me.

I don't know...

Thea Lucia said you can't
just because she's a girl.

No.

It depends on the situation.

Sometimes I can help a little
when I know how...

...to do it myself. But...

...here I also have problems and...

I didn't really understand the story.

Then you don't know how to help.

You feel overwhelmed?
- Yes.

I don't quite believe you
but I'm gonna take it seriously.

How long have you been here at school?

17 years. My longest relationship.

With the school!

Let's see how you survive separation.
A lot a people are leaving now.

It'll be interesting to see who
makes a row when you're gone.

You think somebody has to
take over my role? How 'bout you?

I can't fill your shoes.

The kids grow up so fast.
Just look at that picture.

Of Elias?
- Of Elias and Hannes.

When I look in the mirror in
the morning I think,

Oh God, old fart, old fart!

But I think all the kids in
Stadtallendorf are brave.

I used to give swimming
lessons at the old pool.

They all dove from the 3m
diving board. Totally fearless.

You had to make sure they didn't
break one another's neck.

They would've jumped from
the 10m platform too.

I'm one of them too.
- Yeah.

Well...
- I have...

You've been Germanized.
- Germanized? Yeah.

Though I'm the only Turk, you know?

Yes.
- The only one with Turkish citizenship.

You have dual...
- Yes, I also have Turkish...

Everyone's always saying, "I'm Turkish!"
but they're German citizens.

I've never really
understood dual citizenship.

I became a German citizen before '98.

Because of my dad back then.

Because he was persecuted. - Yeah,
at some point they sent him a funny letter:

You may now become a Turkish citizen again.

He didn't want to?
- No. Why would he?

I'm your dad's age.
I somehow heard about it back then

from some students in Berlin.

They said students

were shot in bed in their dorms.

Yeah, Papa tells some
crazy stories sometimes.

How the police stormed the dorms
and clobbered everyone.

Yeah.

Yes.

And now we have a similar situation here.
- Hmm.

That the police run
around and beat people up.

The whole Gezi Park demonstrations.
- Hmm.

And now...

Vacation in Turkey? I don't think
it's going to happen this year.

Even though I'd like to but...

I've never been to Turkey.

I'll take you with me someday.
You'll like it.

You have a house there, right?
- Yeah, we'll go together. - Nice.

On the Black Sea. - And there aren't
any jerks around there? - No...

Right on the Black Sea?
- Right on the Black Sea.

I've never had to face discrimination.
It's always been the others.

Like you: "Caraway Turk" or "German-Turk",

or whatever. Now I've been
discriminated against. - How?

I'm the oldest one in the kids group!

I come to the parent-teacher conference
and not a bloody soul wants to talk to me.

I had the feeling

they think it sucks that I'm
such an old father.

It was different with Elias.

Now I sit there,

and everyone behind me is
at least 20-25 years younger.

And they look at me like

some kind of extinct dinosaur or something.

It's the opposite with us.
I'm the youngest.

I don't see you as some 60-year-old.

I was surprised to hear you're leaving.

Huh? Dieter's leaving already?

Why's he retiring?

That was the 1st time I thought:
Oh, Dieter's over 60.

I'm not over 60. I'll be 65
in two weeks, you joker!

Have you ever noticed how
people you see every day,

you no longer see what they look like?
- I know what you mean.

That's why being with a beautiful woman is
overrated because you don't even notice it anymore.

Only for you to embrace love.

Through the night and
the thickest branches.

So all your fears disappear,

And when a song leaves my lips,

then only for you to embrace love.

Through the night and
the thickest branches.

So all your fears disappear,

Through the night and
the thickest branches.

So all your fears disappear,

So all your fears disappear.

Oh, Hasan, superstar Hasan!

Is that F?
- Yes, you can...

With the 2...

Press down the 2 with your index finger,

then place your little finger here.

And when a song leaves my lips,

then only for you to embrace love. Okay?

Can you add some suspense to the title?

Yes.
- Then read us your title.

Once upon a time there was a man and a cat.

That raises expectations. And then...
- I have one, too! - Stefi!

Big Love.
- Oh, that sounds exciting!

"Once upon a time in a village,

there were two lovers.

They loved each other
so much until one day,

then the witch said there was
no true love in the land.

Then one day,

the witch went home.

And she told them the witch

would one day put poison in their food.

Then one of them would
become ugly and they separate.

They were really frightened.

Day came.

She put the poison in the food.

Then it was mealtime.

They came to the table. And so one."

You've been here less than a year and you're
already writing such a great story in German.

And now as a challenge, just like in math,

the first one to present
his story and picture

will get a half a grade bonus point.

Do you have to write the story on a poster?

Yes.

Looks like "chocolate".
Shocked is with 'ck'.

Not 'chocolify'.

The Brave Dog

Oh, no! It doesn't fit.

But she kissed him and
he was back to normal.

Okay.
- Happy end.

Happy end, yes...
- You can also write it in red.

A grade and the reason, Rabia!

A 'B' because the poster is very beautiful.

And the story is also very beautiful.
And because it's with love.

She also didn't make language mistakes.

It's pretty good for German.

I'd also give her a 'B'
because I think nobody else

wrote a love story besides Stefi.

Her poster also matches well.

Like the color. And the story is also good.

What grade would you give yourself and why?

I don't know. This is...

Just be honest, like you always are.

A 'C'.
- A 'C'?

Why?

Your poster is beautiful.

What could you've done better?

Yes, poster is beautiful but I...

...read... the story so...

Yes, but you haven't been
in Germany very long.

I mean, 6 months ago we only
communicated with, "Huh, huh!"

Do you remember?

And now you speak German and
understand everything. Almost everything.

I think it was better than a 'B'
because I'm always keeping in mind

where Stefi was six months
ago and where she is now.

That's why she's getting an 'A–'.

Grading's something you have to learn.

Quite honestly.

It's something I always
struggle with as a teacher.

Saying, "That wasn't so good."
Do you know what I mean? - Yes.

Ferhan, do you understand
what I'm talking about?

No.
- Me neither.

As a teacher,
it's hard for me to tell someone:

You get an 'F' because
you didn't get anything.

Because I'm so fond of you.

Do you know what I mean?
I'm fond of you,

and everyone else kind of too,
so it's hard for me, okay?

I'm also fond of Tim...
- You're right.

So I have to do something
hard, but I do it anyway.

I have to give two different grades.
Jamie said something self-critical:

He's not so good at explaining things.

There's room for improvement, right, Jamie?

Where you can also improve, Jamie,

you collaborated with Tim.

I believe you have a...

Listen up!

...you have a certain
responsibility for your partner.

We still have to work on
making you more self-confident.

I don't think it's such a
good idea to work with Jamie.

I think it's better if
you choose somebody else,

like Mattia,
who's also really good at math.

Any questions?

Who understood the whole story?

Half of it?

That was a very long story, right?
- And beautiful.

It was really long.

So it was a lot more
demanding, right, Rabia?

May I say something good?

No, but you can ask questions about
the story. - I don't have any. - You?

No, something good.
- Why?

I understood everything.

Then retell the story in your own words.

There were two brothers.

One was called Werner, the other Walter.

They called themselves the W-Brothers.

It was Friday and it was hot,

and they were bored.
They didn't know what to do.

And so they built a... what's it called?
A soap bubble racer.

And they shoved off.

Then they crashed into
the neighbor's fence.

They heard a loud bang.

At first they thought they'd died,

but they were in a different world.

And then this woman was being sued.

And because she asked the one their names,

they said it too loudly
and got all involved.

Everyone chased them.

They drove away again,

and crashed into another
wall to get back home,

but they entered another world.

After two minutes they
noticed they were in paradise.

They were afraid they'd
never get back home,

so they sat down beneath a
heart-shaped tree and cried.

Then they slowly rode off.

A giant... uh... tornado next to them...

...passed by.
- Yeah, passed by.

But they didn't care.
A flash of lightning... uh...

...struck next to them,
but they didn't care.

Eventually they hit another wall

and were happy to be back home.

And then the one just wanted to go to bed,

and the other one watched a little TV.

Thea Lucia, did he miss anything important?
- No.

I'll never say to you again
that you can't listen.

I've said it a few times
but I'll never say it again.

I have to admit, you paid closer
attention than I did. Great.

Evaluation.
- Cengiz?

I really liked your story.

I almost fell asleep.

So when I go to bed at night,

I'll have my mother read it
to me and I'll fall asleep.

It was really nice. Perfect!
- Was that an insult or a compliment?

What's insulting about that?

Never mind. Let's continue.

Easy with your lead! Control! Yes!

Always stay in control!

Straight, straight from the center!
Stay in the center!

Fight from the front!

He keeps jumping back.

Jab, jab, punch!

Stand still... and go!

Feint, feint and hit!

Stay calm!

That's enough!

Hasan!

Hasan.

Clear the ring for round 2!

Stay nice and loose in the center!

Yeah, he should learn to box
and not beat around the bush.

This is how he'll learn to box.
That's good!

Right to the stomach!

Nice and straight, nice and straight!

Stop!

You won. They threw in the towel.

And now for the official results.

Hugo Dangschat has given up
the fight so the official results are:

The winner by default:
Hasan Ismail BC Marburg.

Good job, Hasan!

In the 2nd round you were
following the tactical route,

and didn't just hammer away at him.

You could've knocked him
out in the 1st round,

but this way you got to box a little.
And that was good.

Thanks!
- You did it right.

Rabia, are you going on the class trip?
- I don't know yet.

Yes, you're coming.

Who do want for a roommate?

Ilknur.
- Ilknur.

Hasan!

Tell me about your daily routine.
- After school I go to home,

I eat something,

chill a bit with cell phone.

When it's time I go to training.

After training I shower, play a bit
with my phone. Then I go to bed.

But when I don't have training,
when I go from school to home,

then I stay home for about half an hour,

and then I go out with friends.

Is that a nice life?

For me?
- Yes.

Shitty life!
- Okay.

What would you like to change?

No idea.

Maybe a pretty girl?

I mean a nice one.

Beautiful and nice, Mr. Bachmann?
There's no such...

...such, such...

girls.

They're pretty but not nice because this...

You know better than me.

But what do you think of your mom?

I think my mom is very nice.

Your father was lucky then, wasn't he?
- Yeah, sure!

You could also find a woman like your mom.

Yeah, I don't wanna get married now.

I have not that on my mind.

When would you like to get married?
- I never want to!

Never. Why?

Because it's too stressful...
- When you have a wife he has a problem.

When you have husband you get problems.

Ahhhh!

She flipped it around.
- Same thing.

Okay,... Stefi...
- Can I say something? - Yes.

Man and woman are so...

How do you say?
- They don't match.

Yes, because

the man is, I think, very nice because...

...because the man goes to work so early
then he comes too late,

Then he makes a shower,
he eats, then he sleeps.

And what does wife do all day home alone?

She does what she wants!

And the wife, what she is...

She's got kids,
he doesn't look at the kids...

What do you say to that, Hasan?

Raising kids isn't easy either.
- Yes! It's very stressful.

Stefi, first Stefi!

But when man has respect...
- Hey, Hasan, listen to Stefi!

When wife and husband has
respect for each other,

that doesn't work.

But you say yourself, "When you have".

But when you don't have?
- Of course that's so!

Hey, Cengiz! - When you have no
respect of course you have stress.

But where does that
respect come from, Stefi?

Stay here.
- From loving.

Yes, but love might last one or two weeks.

Then life's normal.

We go to school at 7, get home at 3.
It's the same.

But you're not tired. You don't have
to lift 20 kilos or some such thing.

All you have to do is write.

But his father does.
- But the woman can work too.

Yeah, your father-
- ...has to do heavy work.

We don't do anything here.
We're lucky to have Mr. Bachmann.

The others work non-stop.

And what do we do?

My parents share the load.
- Your mom and dad both work, right?

What does this mean?
- That women don't do all the work.

Men help too.
- Your dad also cooked and went shopping.

What's your ideal woman, Cengiz?

Well, she should have brown hair.

Now he's looking at Stefi!
- Uh, brown eyes...

Okay, not so...

As tall as Stefi?
- No, much...

She should be as tall as me.

And...

...no idea.

Should she cook for you or will you cook?

I'll cook!

You'll cook for her? That's good.

Will you go to work or
sit on the couch at home?

I'll just sit around.
- You'll just sit around.

And she should work?
- Yes.

It's Tim's turn now.

How do you imagine your dream woman?

Uh, dark hair,
- Yes?

Blue eyes.

Ohh! That's special!
- Blue eyes?

That's rare.

Ilknur!

Do you care if your husband goes
shopping and empties the dishwasher?

Yes.
- Yes? So it's a criteria?

What would you do if he doesn't do this?

If he doesn't go shopping, empty the
dishwasher or look after your baby?

What would you do?

Eh...

Would you thrown him out?
- I'd slug him.

You'd slug him.
Right, I forgot all about that.

A dream man or dream woman or whatever,

it always turns out differently.

We've got some philosophers among us.

It always turns out
differently than we expected.

Stefi!

I don't care. He just has to love me,

and I have to be happy with he.

Have you ever been in love?
- Yes, in Bulgaria.

And?
- No, he's an idiot.

Yeah, but I was little.

So you could imagine loving an idiot?

No!

An idiot like Cengiz, for example, no way!

That's an insult.
I'm going to kick you out.

But I'm not lying. He's an idiot.

I don't want such insults here.

But I didn't insult he.

Are you mad at me?

I didn't throw you out

because you're looking
at him so affectionately.

And since we now know you love
idiots, it's okay.

Rabia, won't there be a
man in your life later on?

Don't know.
- Do you want to live alone?

I'll work a lot. I don't know yet.

You don't know? Have you ever been in love?
- Nah.

What now?
- It's your turn! You have to tell!

It's your turn!

Okay, then ask!

Eh? I already asked!

What do you wanna know?

How many girlfriends did you have?
- Eh?

How many girlfriends?
- 300 or so.

Like stars in the sky.

On a clear night.

Yes, Stefi?
- I have a question.

How many years was... uh...

...your, your... first love?

How old were you?

The first...
- Four years old?

Uh, the first time with a girl... uh...

I see!
- I was...

...17.

Oh ha, Mr. Bachmann!
- I don't mean that.

What?

And 14, 15, 16, only ...?

17!
- Oh, okay.

You still have some time.

They say...

My ex-wife was a psychologist.

She had a professor who researched

at what age teenagers, children
have sex for the first time.

And he found out that intelligent children,

he does intelligence research,

do that very late.

So the more intelligent you are,
the later you do it with a girl or a boy.

That's his...

- ...decision.
- The exception proves the rule, right, Ayman?

So, children with a high IQ

normally have sex later

than those with a low IQ.

So, cleverness.

So you say the smart ones, uh, do it later?
- Yes.

Take me, I'm stupid. So I can do earlier?

Well, I'd say you got it right,
but maybe you're not all that dumb.

Would you like to come in?

What can I do for you, Ferhan?

Ferhan!

I'm going to see her after school.

I know, but is she a
hoca at the mosque here?

Are there more hocas?

Your sister's a hoca?
- Uh-huh.

From the mosque?
- No, not from the mosque.

From the mosque is another man and woman.

Then what is your sister?
Where is she a hoca?

Well...

Kids come on Saturday and Sunday.

Then...

they go to my sister because Koran.

So she teaches the Koran?

There's this thing,
some kind of little notebook

with the letters.

In Arabic.

First they have to do this then Koran.

Okay, stop.

Next task.

Read what it says here.

Which word belongs in the sentence.
Underline the correct word.

Exactly.

Can I take Ferhan with me?

I want to go along. Please!

Please, Mr. Bachmann.

Please!
- Enough! Sit down!

Sit down please.

Here's my Latin test. I got into the class.

Nice.

Oops, I wrote my name wrong. Pusmaz.

But I don't like my last name.

Hasan!

Pusmaz is my mother's
and my papa's last name.

It comes from Turkey and
means to defend yourself.

Defend yourself like in boxing.

Nice. Next!

It's your turn.
- It's my turn. Bachmann.

It's a German name.

Has a really strange history.

You wanna hear it?

So there was the Third Reich, Hitler, etc.

1932-1945.

My grandma's name was Kowalski.

Kowalski was a Polish name.

And Hitler just...

...wait, that was 1937-38, and he said:

We want to abolish all Polish names.

And everyone who had a Polish name,

Hoslowski, Szimanski,
Kowalski, so with "ki",

on a certain date, July 1st, they had to

go to the registration office, and choose
a German name beforehand.

Müller, Meier, Schmidt, etc.

My grandpa wasn't there.

He'd been drafted and gone
to war. It was just starting.

He was in the barracks.

So my grandma went to the
registration office with my father.

Then came the name Kowalski.

Every other person in the Ruhr Valley
was called Kowalski, like Müller now.

Polish heritage.

Because around 1900, they came from Poland,

what's now Poland.
Back then it was East Prussia.

They were the first guest workers
to come to the Ruhr Valley.

So she was standing in front of
this man, and he said to her:

Have you chosen a name?

My grandma just went, "Uh ..."
and was about to say something,

and he said: For heaven's sake!
I don't have time for this.

Your name's Bachmann!

My grandma just stood there
and was afraid to say anything.

So that's why my father's side
of the family is called Bachmann.

What does 'Bachmann' mean?

That's another unbelievably
Cengiz question!

And Tim's going to answer it for us.

I don't know.

Ah, come on! Hasan, what does
Bachmann' mean? What's a 'Bach' [stream]?

Bach'? A well.
- Ah, come on!

Do I have to eat my hat?
What's a 'stream'?

You don't know what a stream is?

A stream!

I piss in the stream!

What's a stream?

A toilet!
- Oh, oh, oh!

A river.
- A little river. A mini river.

A little bit of flowing water.

So what's a 'Bachmann' [stream
man], Mattia?

What's a 'Bachmann'?

The river man? - Right. The river
man who lives along the stream.

What did we make with our stones?
Some spirals.

You can make a big,
beautiful spiral around your name.

No! Please!

Who let go? Cengiz is out.

No. Jaime, please!

You're out!
- Can we play another round?

Who won?
- Carolin.

Everyone, upstairs!
- No, another round!

Mr. Bachmann, did you see my name?

You can play it yourselves at recess.

Ilknur, you're such a radiant woman.

You have such beautiful hair and eyes.

You're always beaming.

It's great. You're becoming a woman.

You're enjoying it just like Stefi.

Now you suddenly want to
dress totally differently.

If you wear a headscarf
you have the feeling-

Does anyone have a headscarf
you could try on just for fun?

Do you have an extra one with you?
- No, but I can give this one.

What?
- I can give this one.

What?
- What do you mean 'give'?

That? Then where are you going to go?

Then let her try it.

Ilknur, you wear a headscarf at the
mosque, right? So you know how it goes.

Something like that.

But I'll close it with the scarf.
- Then do it.

What do you think, Ferhan?

She looks beautiful.

Honestly, it looks good somehow.

I have a photo of me with scarf.

Ilknur, you look 5 years older.
- I know.

Do you remember when you
told us about your grandma?

You told the whole class:
I don't want to look as old as you.

So, we had...

When I wear a headscarf I
look like my great-grandma.

Regina!

Rabia, would you like
to try a headscarf too?

No, thanks!

Thanks, Ferhan.

But Rabia, you wanted to wear a headscarf.

What's your mother say about it?

She said: Wear one if you want.
I won't stop you. I won't force you.

When my parents were still together,
my mother wore a headscarf.

But my mother quit wearing one after
they got divorced. - Oh, really?

Since when?
- Where she was 16 or so.

She got married at 17 and had me at 20.

I'll sing a song now.
- Yeah!

Dream yourselves into the song.

Mattia, can you go fetch Hasan?

Dream!

Anton was a farmer boy,

handsome and young of years,

he herded year after year,

his wild sheep.

Along came Jakob from the fortress,

young and born and bred,

and gladly helped Anton

fetch the sheep.

The day drew to a close,

and night fell over them.

Jakob and Anton are no longer,

no longer alone.

Who was yelling?

Who was it?

They fell into each other's arms,

lovingly seduced.

Then they leaped far into the river,

and couldn't get enough,

as the water god watched
over them untroubled.

Tim, do you want me to send you outside?

One day they were spotted,

Jakob's father came on horseback,

and saw the young nudes in the river.

Embracing intimately.

The father promptly commanded

Anton be hanged.

Jakob was beside himself,

and plunged into the waters,

never to be seen again.

And his curse still rings today.

I'd like to hear if anyone
understood what it was about.

Of course.
- Ayman, explain the world to us.

How did it start?

All I understood was
naked men at the river.

That's all you ever understand!
- And...

Something was happening,
but then the day was over.

And... what happened then?

Great explanations!

I'm just saying what I understood.

Someone arrived on horseback. The father.

Somewhere.

What else?

I forgot the rest.

Did anyone understand the lyrics? Carolin?

Ayman, pay attention or you're
going to end up in the corner.

Turn around and listen.

Mr. Bachmann, may I go get some fresh air?

No, you can wait.

Tim, what's it about?

What's up with the two boys?

I don't know.

Anastasia?

I think they fell in love with each other.

Exactly.

Wake up, Ilknur!

If I told the story that
way, there'd be two girls:

a farmer's daughter and the
daughter of the lord of the castle.

The same story: they fell in love.

Does that happen, Ilknur?

What do you make of it?
- It's completely normal.

Who thinks it's bad?

When two boys or two girls kiss each other?

Disgusting!

I'd rather do it with a girl than a boy.

The main thing is they love each other.

Rabia just said something
really important, as always.

You've got the final word.

Lovely!
- Say it again.

The main thing is they love each other.
- I wanna say something too.

No, Hasan. Think about what Rabia said.

Stay seated. We're going to discuss this.

Rabia said something really beautiful.
- Sex ed.

And I want Ayman to think it over.
- Can we go now?

No. - I'm gonna die if I
don't get some fresh air.

Check out my voice.

Okay, 20 minute recess.

How 'bout half an hour, Mr. Bachmann?

That isn't a normal loving.

What's normal? Is that for you to say?

No because boy and girl is different.

Girl with girl and boys:
that's not love. It's...

What?

No idea.
- You love Ilknur too.

Yeah, as a friend not as
a lesbian or whatever.

Is that so bad?
- Of course!

Why? Explain it to me.

Because it's disgusting?
- Why disgusting?

Because girl and girl...

What's disgusting about it?

The two.
- But why's it disgusting?

What's so disgusting about
two people loving each other?

What's disgusting about it?
- But girl and girl...

I'm trying to understand what's disgusting.

It's all disgusting to me.

I don't understand. Explain it to me.

The two are disgusting for me.
- Why?

Because it's disgusting for me.

That's like saying the dog has
a tail because it has a tail.

Is that normal for you?
- It's not about me. It's about...

I have male friends who love a man.

And I have female friends who love a woman.

And I consider these people
completely normal just like me.

And I find it perfectly okay.

I'm just trying to understand.

You can't even say why.

No, it's not normal because...

For me it's not normal,
they're people, but...

...not like me.

Of course. There are all kinds of people.
- No!

Are you afraid because
they're different than you?

Try to explain.
- I find it disgusting.

You have a feeling of disgust inside
you or are you just saying this?

Because you heard it somewhere?

I don't know.
- Now that's better.

But, Mr. Bachmann, you said:

They're human beings like me.

They're something different.
They don't think like you.

Like a teacher, so smart.

They think like-
- How?

Not good.

I'm going to recess.

Rabia, could you imagine what happens
in the story happening to you?

That you suddenly love a woman?

I've never really thought about
falling in love someday.

I only read about other
people falling in love.

I always say I don't want to
get married or love anyone.

I just want to work and stuff.

You don't find it disgusting?
- I read books about such things.

I read a lot about this stuff.

And what you just said was really nice.

You've already formed your opinion.
- Yes.

Just imagine your best friend

loves another girl.

I wouldn't find her disgusting.

I'd think it was nice and
would wish her good luck.

You're an unusual girl, Rabia.

It's great.

Leonie, what do you think?
- The same.

I'm really glad to hear that. Ferhan?

Wouldn't you like to find out
what the Koran says about this?

I'll ask my sister.
- Good.

That's a good idea.
You can tell us tomorrow, okay?

Regina!
- What?

When women love women and men men.

Who cares?

I'm going to perk you up!

I'll show you a trick.

It's called rolling your ears.
Massage your ear lobes.

Then roll your ears to the inside.

Ferhan, you can press your palm like this.

Ferhan!

Poor Ferhan's offended again.

Are you rolling them to the inside?

Like this.

It stimulates your brain cells
and circulation in your brain.

And it makes you feel good.

You get two.

1 or 2?

1 or 2?

Why?
- Ferhan, 1 or 2?

Three.
- Three. Cengiz says three.

Who doesn't have any yet?

Thank you, Mr. Bachmann!

Thanks!

Mattia...

...and Ayman, please hand out the tests.

I'll leave a few here.

Go ahead and start.

Ferhan, take off your coat.

You're gonna melt in here.

Come over here and take
your test next to me.

Ferhan, come here please.

What's today's date?
- The 10th.

Let's start with:
Where does Alina's mother work?

It's at the top.

You need a question mark here.

Now you answer.

Exactly. Super!

Mattia? Not here.

Listen up: Mattia...

...got the top score.

We're all proud of him.

So, Carolin...

I'm your fan, you know.

You don't say much during German.

But when I ask,

always really interesting answers.

In high school, you just have to try,

sometimes, you can put a note on the desk,

to speak up once a day.

All the teachers recommended
you go to high school.

But you have to realize it
might not work out again. - Yes.

It would be your 2nd try,
but you might still lose in the end.

If you keep that in mind and don't

take it to heart, then it's not bad.

Right, but I want to give it a try.

Brave girl. Great!

Hasan, you now have a 'D'.

And I'll give you a 'D+'
because you're improving.

You're getting better and better. Okay?
- Yes.

And did you understand everything
about secondary school?

You're on probation.

We both know if I gave
you a 'C' now it would be

kind of a lie.

But we're on good terms
and you know what I mean.

You're getting better all
the time. Understand? - Yes.

It's like a draw in boxing.

Are you crying now?
- No.

I could also skip the grade and
give you a grade exemption.

No, you don't need to.

I think you've got a lot of potential.
You're intelligent.

At first I wanted to send
you to high school. Remember?

When you memorized the
Sorcerer's Apprentice. Amazing!

But when I asked you now you
couldn't remember a single line.

I think you'd be better
off in secondary school.

It'll be up to you in the future.

It's a shame.

I kept telling you to learn English.

But it's too late now.

But I can still improve.
- Yes!

During the first year you can-
- improve and...

...improve, then you'll automatically be
moved up to secondary school.

Stefi!

You'll be in a secondary school class.

Then you can go to English or German
remedial lessons during lunchtime.

But that's not enough,
not for you either, Hasan.

English remedial at school
is not enough for you two.

You need after school
tutoring once a week, too,

or things will look pretty grim.

It's important.

It's also good to learn
some English song lyrics.

You're really fast at
that, strangely enough.

You're getting a 'D' for now,

but I know you're a lot smarter.

It's your best grade ever.

What would you give yourself in German?

A 'D'. What else?

What do you mean: What else?

A 'D+' with this test.

So what I find good...

It'd be nice if you'd look at me.
I'll take off my glasses.

I like how you raise your hand so often.

We just talked about your grade
in German. What are you getting?

A 'D+'
- Right.

++'.

Now let's work out the
grade average together.

Next to your grade or wherever you
have room on the first page,

write down this average.

Come here, Ilknur.

Everyone do the same
thing on scratch paper.

Calculate the average like we did recently.

Do you know why I think grades are unfair?

Look, you're sad now.

You've been working hard lately.

You've done really good work.

And I think you're making great progress.

So when I have to give you
a 'D' in German, then...

your feeling's correct.

It doesn't reflect how hard
you've worked in German.

You've done a great job reading the texts.

You were the first one finished.
You had a great time, right?

You're doing much better.
You're doing a lot more.

But your final results in spelling,

unfortunately I have to compare
with the other students.

And when you have more time

you do better and better.

And you'll get better grades too.

Everyone from my prep course failed.

3, 2, 1 points. Everyone.

But they get one more try, right?

One more, yeah.
- Then they have to re-take the whole exam.

Crazy! Just for failing one shitty section.

I know all about this. I failed
the political science part.

In the first state examination.
Then I had one more chance.

If I'd failed that, I would've had
to re-take the whole thing.

I was shitting bricks.

Yesterday was the last
placement conference.

And a couple of colleagues had the idea

to take two more students,

Anastasia, Carolin,

Regina, Chantal and Ronja

Thea Lucia and of course Jaime...

Who did I forget?
- Ayman.

These 8 kids will be together
in a high school class.

What do you think about that?

I think it's a really cool idea.

But I've already signed
up for the iPad class.

We'll have to change that.

We can change that.

We'll have to talk it over with your mom,

but it would be great to be
together in the same class.

Carolin, what do you think?
- It's cool.

But I don't know yet if

I want to go to high school.

Heigh ho! Hitch up the cart,

Hitch up the cart,

Since the wind drives rain across the land,

Fetch the golden sheaves,

Heigh ho! Hitch up the cart,

Since the wind drives...

There's enough room for you, too, Ferhan.

Ferhan, Ilknur...

...Stefi.

In there. Open up.

It's a normal...

Open this.

I emptied it out.
You can put your stuff in there.

Pull down and turn. Exactly.

If you want, you can open this
and get some fresh air.

Super nice!

I'm so old and ugly here
with two lovely girls.

Come on.

They're not ugly.
- "They're"?

I mean "you're" not ugly.

Erdzhan.

Crazy!

I'd like to chat a bit in Bulgarian.
- I forgot it.

I love Bulgaria ever since I met you guys.

Me too.
- Unbelievable.

I too.
- You too.

All three of you are somehow special.

We've already got coffee.

Have you ever ridden before?

Would you like to try?

Wanna go next?

No?

Press your left foot in,

move your right hand out...

...and rotate your hip and follow me.

You can do under the belly.
- I already did.

Great!

That's good enough.

Give me your cell phone til tonight.

Martin, Tim are playing the most.

There's no signal anyway.
There's nothing else to do here.

If it breaks, you're payin' for it.
- Turn it off.

Music please!

We're dancing!

Hey, Stefi! Not now. Quiet! Listen up!

So, everyone...

Gather around me so everyone can hear.

Jan, who lives here, just told me

we should quiet down and not make
any more noise after 10 o'clock.

Rabia!

Class trips are strenuous.

Some are so homesick that
they really get sick.

He's not listening again!
- Because you're-

You're not here, Stefi. It's just us guys.

Jamie's spoken from the heart.

He's here physically and mentally,

but emotionally he's with
his family and his new dog.

It's boring.

You say it's boring.

We're not allowed to do what we want.

If we laugh it's: "Off to your room!"

That's not true.

All I can say is you're not being honest.
That's not being honest.

I just don't feel like it.

Like what?
- I don't know.

Now that's more honest.

Tell us more.

Reach inside your gut, your feelings.

When you laugh like that
you don't take yourself seriously.

I'm just following my gut feelings.

I'm just not into this class trip.

Hasan, you just told me you don't know
why you're in a bad mood.

It could be an age thing.
Mood swings are part of it.

Could be. Laugh one minute,

cry the next.

But I don't cry.

They're fighting upstairs.

Who?

Like Ayman and Mattia.

Oh, Ayman and Mattia got in a fight?

Yeah, Ayman choked him.

Why didn't you come down and tell me?

They wanted to settle it themselves.

It's the first time I've ever seen
Mattia cry. He was really sad.

Mattia's the kind of guy,

when he likes something,

he doesn't show it.

He laughs when he finds something funny.

But when he's sad,

he just sits down somewhere
and keeps talking,

and you don't notice it.

It's great what you're saying, Jaime.
I'm learning a new side of you.

That's a great description.

What you said about Mattia
is really sensitive.

He's having a really hard time.

Now I understand a bit from your stories.

It's great!

Really! I thought you were

such a tough guy.

Great how you... I think you like Mattia.
- Yeah, a lot.

Then you could help Mattia

when he gets in a tight
spot like now with Ayman,

or when something's weighing on him,

maybe something at home,
or maybe he's just homesick like you.

I'm sleeping here, man!

We're sleeping here!

Get your fat...

Get up, dude! We're sleeping here.

If you can't think of anything,
I'm sending you home. Got it?

If you want to be their friend there are
other ways of showing it. Right?

The three are really nice boys.

Physical strength isn't everything.

And you cried.

Yeah, I always cry when I'm nervous.

You were afraid, weren't you?

Not afraid, just really nervous.

I'm speechless.

I know both of you. I don't understand
how you could do that to Mattia.

What do you have to say?

Because...

...we were having fun and he...

...because it hurt, I went after him.

And now I realize that was a mistake.
- You squeezed his throat somehow.

He didn't do it like that.
- How then?

Like this.
- From behind?

Yes.

Then I had it wrong. I thought
you had him by the larynx.

I've never been this sorry before.

Upstairs I just...

It's your decision now.
- What?

Can you...

...can we set this aside for now?
- Yes.

He already apologized 1000 times.

I want to leave it at that.

Do you only eat at Mama's?

You eat bread with jam and cheese!

It's good.

She said this is hen.

The other one's hen too.
- I think you're right.

They don't have pork here.
- Ayman, put the cheese someplace.

Hey, German! We're in Germany.
- Excuse me.

I don't excuse you.

Come over here.
- It's gonna lick me.

And what if he licks you?
You'll get wet, huh?

Then you can wash your hands afterwards.

What if he bites?
- He doesn't.

Are you sure?
- Absolutely.

Ayman, he's never bitten me.

Is it a man or woman?

It's a guy, a man. Go ahead and touch it.

Can I touch him?
- It's his turn.

Go ahead!
- You go to the front.

I'll take the front.

Yeah, just like that.

He's starting to relax with your hands.

You have magic hands.

See, he stopped licking me.

He's enjoying your caresses.

Look: relaxation.

Great!

I'd like to know what it looks like

where you come from in Bulgaria.
Is it a village, a city?

Did you live in a hi-rise
or on a farm like here?

Did you have tomatoes and
peppers in your garden?

What was it like?

I was in city.

In big city.

I live in a block.

Not in a house, but a block, 4th floor.

My mom has flowers but no tomatoes,

because our veranda is too small.

What's the city called?
- Varna.

Varna?

You'll have to show me in the atlas.

Okay, now it's Chantal's turn.

Why were you together with Gunda?
- No idea.

You and Gunda were together?

I totally missed that.
- But only two days.

Oh, two days.

I thought I knew what was up in our class.

But I missed those two days.

Mattia!

Hasan!

Happy birthday to you!

Happy birthday, dear Hasan,

happy birthday to you!

Stefi! We need you.

Through the night and
the thickest branchwood,

So that you know no fears,

Tell a little piece of truth,

Look how the desert lives,

Create a little bit of serenity,

And look how the veil lifts.

A desert made of cement and asphalt,

But it lives and opens a gap,

Which shows you new things,
Shows that old things will vanish,

Even if your pain reaches up to the sky,

And when a song leaves my lips,

It's only to convey love to you,

Through the night and
the thickest branchwood,

So that you know no fears,

So that you know no fears.

Yeah!
- Thanks a lot!

Then I'll go to a guitar shop in Giessen
and get us another guitar for here.

Mr. Bachmann!

If you need this guitar, maybe I can
bring it. - No! Keep yours at home.

Why?
- It's yours for home.

The flowers, everything gets
damaged here. The guitar too.

Yours stays at home. It's only for you.

The guitar told me it never wants to
come to school again. Remember?

You pour a lot of your
heart into your playing.

Yeah, but thank God Jaime's here.

Yeah, Jaime's great too.

He gave me a lot.

But you make it into your own thing.

I couldn't play like that.

Sorry!

Go kick it around some on the playground.

No big deal. Go kick it outside,
not here in front of the door.

Jaime! 15 minutes on the playing
field, not down there.

Or my colleagues will get upset.

So, whole family so nice?

Mine?
- Yeah.

You mean my father and mother and all?
- Yes.

Other people like my neighbors
and friends found my parents nice.

But I didn't find them the least bit nice.

Why?

My father worked.

People used to work Saturdays as well.

Til noon.

Not like Fridays later on.

Then he came home...

...and got drunk.

He drank a whole case of beer
by himself over the weekend.

I'm talking to Hasan now.
I'll be right with you, Regina.

Or is it urgent?

My mother

cleaned all day Saturday
because she worked all week.

She was a hairdresser,
then a clerk later on.

She got drunk at night too.

So they were both drunk.

So when I was your age,

I quit spending weekends
at home. I played soccer.

There were other people like me
who didn't like to go home.

It was okay during the week.
They didn't get drunk.

But they had an alcohol problem,

and were really unpleasant
when they got drunk.

Now you know something about me.

Excuse me, Ms. Bal. I love you.

Ebru, you wanna sit down?
- Is it okay to stay? Thanks!

May I stay here?

I think in two years we'll definitely

see one another again on a regular basis.

I hope you...

- get home safely.

...with your new teachers in
7th grade that you- - ...behave.

I just spoke to a few students

about how lessons have been since I left.

Unfortunately, school's not
always a picnic. - School sucks!

You have to behave like
the teacher expects you to.

You're the ones who get graded,

so you should really do
what your teachers say.

Good luck in 7th grade.
- Thanks!

I wish you all the best.

You're a great class.

Thanks! You're also great!

You were a real pain a lot
of the time, I have to admit.

See, you guys were a pain!

Cengizhan sure did his part.

But not us, Ms. Bal.

Who was it?

But I've really taken you to heart
in such a short time.

Not me.

Rabia, are you staying here
or are you planning on moving?

We're moving close by.

Nice.

You didn't want to move
away, did you, Rabia?

I put up a fight!

Remember your first days here?

You didn't know anyone
and wanted to move back.

Now you say you fought to stay.

You're like family to me.

We'll see one another tomorrow
but I might miss some of you.

So I just wanted to say goodbye.

You may now go home.

Just in case we don't see each other again.
- Oh, Jamie, aren't you coming tomorrow?

See you tomorrow!

I'll definitely be home... with the baby.

Bye, Ms. Bal!
- Ah, Thea, you're such a sweetheart.

Cengizhan.

Cengizhan, stay out of trouble, okay?

Bye, Ayman. Take care.

Good luck! You're on the right path.

Hasan... you're not crying, are you?

We'll see each other again, right Hasan?
- Yeah.

I'll eat lots of ice cream.

There's a good chance you'll
see me at the ice cream shop.

Bye, Miss Bal!
- Bye!

Good luck!
- You too!

60 cents.

Mr. Bachmann, I...
- You have to feel it.

I hate feeling.

Take your time.

Look: nice and easy.

Mr. Bachmann!

I hate this!

Tell me when you're done.

Na, I'm not doin' it.

Think about making your teacher happy.

It doesn't work!

Damn!

Look!

It's all in the touch.

Cool!

Yeah.

Now your turn.

Now I'm happy.

How nice.

Nice, huh?

Nice. Very nice.

You can add:

Mr. Bachmann happy.

Okay.

Girls, move the tables to the back.

Wanna try, Cengizhan?

Wait, I'm the master here.
I do this every day.

Damn hot!

Like this.

Watch closely.

How's it work?

Push! Push!

Martin? Do you want it?

He's lonely.

Poor fella.

Dump him out into the bin first.

Come right back up.

Chantal, take the bowl.

I find...

...it quite...

Who can finish the sentence?

I find it quite...

empty.

I found it a bit strenuous.

Not physically, but

cleaning out everything was like

an end, a final end.

Yeah, it sucks.

It really sucks.

For me.

Because we had good time here.

We did good things...

...in this room.

All these report cards,

this is my final word,

are nothing but snapshots.

Do you understand, Ferhan?

This isn't really you.

You're all completely different people.

These grades don't reflect
who you are at all.

They're only snapshots

of kind of unimportant
things like math and English.

What's much more important is that
you're all terrific kids and youngsters.

You're all really honest.
Remain true to yourselves.

It's not so important whether good or bad.

So, my dears...

Bye!

The tables!

Thanks!

Bye, Mr. Bachmann.
- Bye, Mr. Ayman.

That's really nice, Tim.

Thanks!

Here.
- Look, I was in your room, right?

Bye. Martin, Tim, come give me a hug.

We'll do a pack hug. You know that?

Now open your present.
- Okay!

Maybe it's not so nice.

You said Bulgaria...

Oh, a Bulgarian hat! I'm gonna
wear it the rest of the day.

Did you knit it yourself?
- No.

Ah, it's nice.

Come, Bulgarian.

Let's take a look in the mirror.

Ah, it's my new favorite hat.

Look!

It's great, huh?

I'll never take it off again.

I'm adopting you, Hasan!

Once upon a time there
was a Mr. Bachmann...

English translation and subtitles:
Rick Minnich & Jonathan Rahner