Original subtitles

There are many things I will never forget.

The sound of marching boots.

Air raid sirens and dark nights.

And Hitler. I will never forget Hitler.

Hitler and the Nazis imprisoned innocent people for no reason.

In the Autumn of 1942 the Nazis arrested Norwegian Jews.

Where's dad?

Some managed to escape.

They went into hiding, while escape routes were being planned.

They wanted to get to a free country.

Across the border and into Sweden.

I lived in the countryside, unaware of such matters.

Gerda!

Gerda?

At ten I focused on my own little war.

Gerda where are you?

Gerda!

Porthos knew one thing for sure.

'I'm never going back to that filthy dungeon. Never!'

Gerda! Are you here?

En garde!

- Gerda! - Did you see? Porthos saved the world.

You can't save anything.

- What did you say, wretched coward? - Stop it!

- A choice had to be made. - Mum told you to stay indoors.

Death or a 400-metre plunge to escape.

Gerda!

You're imagining things, you brat.

Porthos had no time for louts. His most critical mission lay ahead.

To Kill Count Darkblood!

En garde!

- Surrender, you cowardly Count! - Gerda! Come back indoors!

Hello. Would you like a programme?

- Hi. The programme? - Thanks.

Hi. Welcome.

I'm happy to see so many of you here today.

This will be our third Christmas at war.

- Hi. You came. - You long for this to end.

But let's look at why we're at war.

The war started because certain people wanted it to.

People that are different from us. The vermin came to Europe.

They wanted money, power, property.

They wanted to steal our jobs.

Now they have lured the world into war.

- Who am I talking about? - The Jews!

The Jews don't belong in Europe.

- And certainly not in Norway! - Yes.

- Will you come to choir practise on Monday? - I can't make it.

Otto! What are you doing here in the palm of the enemy's hand?

Hi, kids. It was nice to see you, Otto.

Hi, Gerda. You're welcome to join us, young lady.

I see. Like father, like daughter.

- Bye, Otto. - Bye, Otto.

- Why were you in such a location? - Talk normally.

Mum and Dad say they're liars.

You mustn't tell them.

That's not up to you.

You can have my evening meal.

I will not give in to bribery.

You can have all the Christmas cocoa.

- All of it? - Yes

- Cross your heart and hope to die? - Cross my heart.

- Aunt Vigdis! - Hi.

Hi, sweetheart.

- Hi, Otto. - Where have you been?

- You were supposed to help out. - Outdoors.

- And you? - He was with me.

- How nice. - It's a cloak.

I can tell.

Per! - Hi, Gerda.

Will you stay for dinner?

- Yes... - No, we have to get home before dark.

- Why? - Because...

- Per has to drive. - Do I?

- For how long...? - It will take a bit of time.

- I'm not sure how long we dare to... - No.

- It's just two small sacks of potatoes. - Potatoes?

- I'll call you as soon as I know more. - Yes.

Promise me one thing, sweetheart.

- Don't ever stop wearing this. - You can rest assured I won't.

Bye.

Mum! Are you coming?

Let's go!

- Bye! - Bye!

- En garde! - Little musketeer...

Something's happened.

- What? - We have postponed the journey.

How long do we have to stay here?

- Hi! - I heard voices from the cellar.

- Hello. - Someone's down there.

It was just me.

- What's down there? - Nothing.

- Hey you. - Hi Dad.

Have you forgotten which day it is tomorrow?

- Are those Christmas gifts? - Well...

- It's Christmas food. - Oh! Christmas food!

Listen...

- Hi, Otto. - Hi.

Hi.

- Vigdis was here today. - Was she?

Well, what did she say?

Fish!

Are we having fish for Christmas Eve? Hello?

Are we having fish?

Gerda, many have nothing but potatoes.

- But... - Gerda's too little to understand.

- We'll try to get some butter. - Yes, and I've got cocoa powder.

- ...how long they have to stay. - They can't stay much longer.

- It'll be okay. - Where's the cocoa powder?

We were saving it for Christmas. It's not here. Did you drink it?

Gerda please not now.

You took it! You pigged out!

No, I promise, Gerda. It was not me.

I promise.

They've got food to spare.

- Do you know where Otto went today? - You promised.

To a Nazi rally.

- Is it true? - How do you know they're wrong?

Some things you just know.

- Johan is my friend. - No, no.

You can't see him. Do you understand?

Go to your room.

Can't you make some other friends?

You promised.

You promised me cocoa.

You don't get it. We're at war. Cocoa isn't important.

- You don't understand what they're doing. - Mum and dad.

Are they doing something?

- Answer me! - You must have noticed something.

Tell me!

You don't understand anything.

You don't understand. You're just imagining things.

Who is there?

Open the door! It's the Police!

- Stay here. - It'll be okay.

Keep calm.

The kitchen. The living room.

- What's going on? - The attic.

- The living room's clear. - There's no one upstairs.

Try the cellar.

- The cellar's empty! - Where are they?

- Who? - You know who.

- Where are the children you're helping? - The children?

I don't know what you're talking about.

I have nothing more to say.

Just get it over with.

You're coming with us anyway.

- Come here. - You have no proof.

Wait! Mum!

Gerda, go to Aunt Vigdis for Christmas.

And remember, the gifts are in the cellar.

Let go.

Otto, you must look after Gerda. Do you promise? No matter what.

If the two children aren't caught, mum and dad will be released.

Let's go.

Mum! Dad!

This is hard, but remember what we believe in.

One day you'll understand.

Hush!

It's empty.

Cocoa?

It's hollow.

- Who are you? - The children they're looking for.

You have to get out. Now.

- Why are they chasing you? - They're Jews.

Come, Sarah.

No! Don't go! We can hide you until mum and dad are back.

Didn't you hear the chief constable? They have to leave now.

We can find somewhere else.

Come Sarah, we have to go.

- Where? - Sweden.

How will you manage on your own?

Listen. You're a girl pretending yo be a knight. We don't need your help.

I'm a musketeer.

Aunt Vigdis lives in Halden. Isn't that close to the Swedish border?

Gerda!

- Wait! - Don't be scared, we'll find our way.

You're the Christmas gifts.

Dad told us to bring the gifts to aunt Vigdis.

We'll take you there.

Start packing!

- How will you get there? - The train. The morning train.

Are you coming?

It's dangerous. They're Jews. Johan's dad says...

- Do you believe him? He took mum and dad. - They did something illegal.

- Stay here, then. - Gerda.

Dad wanted us to help them.

- No, you can't! - Let me go!

Gerda!

It's just as well we won't be lumbered with you, fatty.

- What if he tells on us? - He won't.

That's my brother you're talking about. He won't.

- Where are we going? - To aunt Vigdis in Halden.

- She'll help you cross the border. - Dad's in Sweden. He had to flee.

- I miss daddy. - He misses you as well, Sarah.

And you, Daniel.

- I'm Gerda. - I'm Sarah.

Daniel.

Find an empty compartment.

- Excuse me? Can you help me? - Thank you.

- Please take your seats! - Gerda!

Wait!

Otto!

I knew you'd come.

I'm only here because I promised to look after you.

I can manage on my own.

- Tickets. - We're going to Halden.

Are you the Minister of Finance?

- Are you travelling on your own? - We're going to my aunt's in Halden.

No, I don't have time for this.

You should get off in Berg. There are fewer guards there.

Follow the back road to Halden. And don't trust anyone. Well...

We'll bear that in mind.

Are you hungry? So am I.

Do you want to compare hands?

- Oh, yours is bigger. - No wonder.

No thanks. We don't need your bread.

What? But you drank our cocoa.

Daniel, I'm hungry.

Otto, we'll go first.

- Hello. - Hi.

Which way?

You don't even know the way.

Why do you ask, if you've got a map?

- Is it far to go? - No.

- Do you want to sing a song? - Yes.

♪ Oh, joyful Christmas, all children's delight... ♪

- Do you know it? - We don't celebrate Christmas.

Sing it anyway.

♪ We clap our hands ♪ ♪ we sing and laugh ♪

♪ We're so happy ♪ ♪ We're so happy ♪

♪ Let's spin around ♪ ♪ Make a curtsy and then you bow ♪

Sing until we get there.

No!

Please don't take my children!

Get in.

Please!

Where are they taking them?

- Gerda and Otto? - Is aunt Vigdis here?

No, she...

She's... gone out to cut a Christmas tree.

Come in.

So you want to go to Sweden? You've come to the right place.

Have we? - I'm practically in the Resistance.

We have to smuggle you across the border disguised as sacks of potatoes.

Oh, potato sacks! So that's what mum talked about.

- Have you ever done it? - No, but I know how.

What about the woods? Can we drive all the way?

- No. There are border pilots. - Border violets?

They'll help you the last bit of the way.

- And you know any border violets? - Pilots.

Yes, we can go to a guy called Johansen.

He knows his stuff.

There.

No one will recognise it now.

But why risk so much to help them?

- What do you mean? - They're not like us.

They're people, and we're people. People help each other.

- Can you find the quickest rout? - Yes

Can you help out?

- Do you know him well? - Yes.

Oh no. Can you get those potatoes?

Or...

- What kind of fancy shoes are those? - They're track shoes.

Dad left them for me when he had to flee.

- It was our signal. - A signal?

It meant that we had to seek help from the people at 1055 Daleng.

That's us.

Dad knew that your parents would help us.

Daniel, what is that?

Check their documents.

Documents, please. Step outside.

Border resident card?

- Where are you heading? - Towards Ørsjøen.

- Why? - To deliver goods for Christmas.

Christmas goods.

Have you just learned to drive? Drive safely.

Wait, wait. All vehicles must be checked.

- They're just children. - Get to it, soldier. Come on.

- What's in those? - It's...

Potatoes.

- There's nothing but potatoes. - Search it.

- You two, come with me. - Yes, Commander.

Have you got children?

- How old are you? - Ten. My birthday's 1st October.

I have a baby sister.

She'll turn ten next the summer.

- Has it been long since you saw her? - Two years.

Two years? I feel sorry for your sister.

There's nothing there.

Move on.

We have to walk the last bit.

- Why? - Johansen lives across the field.

- Can you help out? - Okay.

Are you okay?

Thanks.

I'll race you.

- I knew it. - Daniel...

I thought I heard someone.

- So, are you looking for Johansen? - That's right.

Well...

I'm the neighbour. I live over there.

- Do you know where Johansen is? - Yes. The Germans came for them.

- Why? - I don't know.

You look cold.

- Are you hungry? - A little.

- Very. - I've got milk and eggs.

Come with me, sweetheart.

- Don't you want eggs? - I don't know.

She's just an old lady.

Well, come on in.

Here.

- Cocoa! - Yeah, help yourselves and Merry Christmas.

There. Oh! Hot!

- How did she get hold of all this? - She's got a farm.

Butter, cheese and cured ham?

Would you like some gingerbread cookies? There you go.

- Ouch! - It's hot.

- There you go. - Thank you.

- Please help yourselves. - Thank you.

So, why did you want to see Johansen?

- He was going to help us go... - Hush!

Hush!

Oh, I see. That's it. You're Jews.

You've got nothing to fear, sweetheart.

You sit here and enjoy yourselves. I'll go get help.

- Do you know someone that...? - Everyone knows someone.

Even an old lady. Wonderful.

- I'll be right back. - Thank you!

One two Three...

- Come on, Daniel. - Four, five.

- You as well. - Six... seven.

Eight... nine... ten...

Eleven... twelve... thirteen... fourteen... fifteen...

sixteen... seventeen... eighteen... nineteen... twenty.

Ready or not, here I come!

Psst!

Bo!

- Didn't you hide? - I don't want to play.

- What's in there? - Nothing.

Hitler! She's a Nazi!

Why didn't you tell us?

There. I've got some good news.

I found someone who can help you.

- They'll be here soon. - Wonderful, they can take over.

- Why don't we do some baking? - Yes.

We found a picture of Hitler in her bedroom.

Come in here. Come on!

Come, children.

You rat!

Fast!

Open the door! They're on their way. Open the door!

- The Germans! Out! I'll take over. - Filthy Jews!

- They're coming for you. Let me out! - The sword.

Let me out! You can't get away!

Be quiet.

- Go inside. - Yes, Commander.

They locked me in! Let me out. Let me out!

Hey! Out! They are in the woods!

Sarah! Get on my back. Quick!

- Ahead! - They're coming!

Keep going. I'll divert them. Run!

- There they are! - There!

Stop!

Stop!

He made it.

They won't get far. It's getting dark.

Get the dogs.

Those little bastards!

We can stop now.

Why didn't you tell us? You saw the picture, but said nothing.

You want us to get caught.

He didn't mean it like that.

Come on, Sarah. We'll get there on our own.

How will you manage?

- We've got a map and a compass. - Those are mine.

- You can't go on alone. - Yes!

Apologize.

- Apologise now! - No! Everything's their fault.

- What's our fault? - That we're out here.

- I never asked for your help. - That mum and dad got caught.

- I don't want help from someone like you! - The war is your fault.

- Daniel! - Stop!

Stop! Ouch!

Come on, Gerda.

Gerda?

Your cloak.

It's just an apron.

We're just kids. Nothing is our fault.

We've only got each other.

We've only got each other.

I'm sorry.

I don't know how to use them.

It feels like ice is growing inside me.

Look.

Thanks.

- Have you got a fireplace as well? - No, just random stuff, really.

We can't get there tonight.

But there's a cabin four kilometers ahead.

Are we there soon?

Look.

Daniel.

Thank you for helping us.

- With the map and stuff. - Its nothing.

Yes, it is.

That's the last of it.

Merry Christmas.

- It's Christmas Eve. - We don't celebrate...

- Merry Christmas. - What about breakfast?

There will be food for thought.

- I'm still hungry. - Even sardines would have been nice.

In Sweden they've got cinnamon rolls. Buns with cinnamon in them. Imagine that!

That made it worse.

- Sugar! - Can we cook something with it?

If we had butter, we could have made caramel.

Or eggs, for Norwegian eggnog.

- Nice. - It's almost like lemonade.

Can someone tell me a bedtime story?

- Gerda can. - Ugh...

- What's that evil Count called? - It was just a game.

- An evil Count? - And the three musketeers.

Come on.

- There were once three musketeers... - Wait! You must wear this.

Put it on you.

Once upon a time there were three musketeers.

One was brave.

The other was smart.

And the third was proud.

They had a trainee that they all cared for.

Together they fought a real meanie. His name was Count Darkblood.

His companions were a gang of vicious bandits.

They attacked the musketeers with bow and arrow-

sharp knives, two-edged and three-edged swords.

- There are no three-edged sword. - Hush!

But they stayed together, the four. If one was in danger, another would help

He would clobber the bandit on the head. Or chop his leg off.

- Look out, Daniel! - Take that!

- Bandit! - Take it!

- Otto! Watch out! - Get them!

Leave my brother alone!

I'll shoot you in the bum!

If the third one had a sword to his neck-

the fourth one would rip the sword from the enemy's grasp.

He threw him to the ground. And they won.

They took the bandits out one by one.

Should we spare his life?

- He's been really mean. - Mercy. Mercy!

- One for all! - All for one!

Follow the dogs!

Keep going!

We are here, and we're going there.

That lake... That's Sweden.

Keep going! Follow the tracks!

What was that?

Move!

- Search the cabin. - Yes, Commander.

Open the door! Look out, we're coming in!

They are gone.

Maybe they went another way.

- The kids! - Run!

Come on, soldier!

We just have to pass those trees. Then we're there.

I think it's broken. Take Sarah with you. Take Sarah!

Move!

Come on, find the kids.

- They are just children. - They are Jews.

Keep going.

Wait!

Wait!

What are you doing? I'll divert them.

- No! - Find somewhere to hide. Run!

Otto!

The tree! Let's hide there.

Spread out.

- Is there anything down there? - A fox.

- It ran off. - A fox...

Come here! The children!

The boy is here!

Shoot him! Fire!

Shoot him!

Otto!

Otto!

Otto!

Otto! Otto!

Gerda.

- Are we in Sweden now? - Yes.

Otto!

Otto!

Can I run again? And jump?

Yes. In a month I think you're absolutely fine.

But no running for now, okay?

- Thanks! - Thanks.

- You see? I told you so. - Cinnamon rolls.

There's cinnamon inside the rolls.

Still in one piece?

It's just an apron.

It looks like a cloak to me.

It does?

It's also a cloak. A storyteller's cloak.

Take your shoes off.

You've grown.

- Bye, Gerda. - Bye.

For a long time, we didn't hear from Sarah and Daniel.

But we thought about them every day. Otto and I would talk about them.

And then, finally, the peace came.

Many returned home, but not all.

And we... We waited and waited.

We were close to Femsjøen near Halden.

During the night it started to rain.

- You've got a book of jokes, haven't you? - Yes.

- I know one. - Not that crude one.

- What did one dried fish say to the other? - I don't know.

"Long time no sea."

That was funny.

773 Norwegian Jews were deported by the Nazis during the Second World War.

More than 1000 managed to escape to Sweden.

This movie is dedicated to those who escaped...

those who helped them

and those who never returned.