Hasenjagd - Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen
Encyclopedia
The Quality of Mercy
(original title: Hasenjagd – Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen) is a dramatization of the events surrounding the Mühlviertler Hasenjagd
, a Nazi war crime that took place near Linz
, in the Mühlviertel
region of Upper Austria
, just before the end of the Second World War. The movie's original title translates as "Rabbit chase – for sheer cowardice, there is no mercy", a reference to the name given by the SS
to the manhunt for the hundreds of prisoners who managed to escape from Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
. Nearly 500 tried to escape, over 300 made it to the nearby woods, and of those, a mere 11 managed to survive the three months till the war ended. Most were shot on the spot or beaten to death when they were found, 57 were returned to the camp. The movie attracted 123,000 spectators in Austria, making it the most successful movie of 1995.
, and afterwards the inside of barrack 20 – the “death block” – is shown. 500 Russian soldiers, who have refused to fight for Germany after being arrested, sleep on the floor. Then the wake-up-call rings. Having been put on a harsh diet, many get up only laboriously, while some are completely unable to do so any more.
Among the prisoners of war who crawl outside onto the courtyard are also the Russian officers Michail and Nikolai, whose destiny serves as the central thread in the movie. It is winter, and the men, who are dressed much too lightly, try to warm each other. Then a stone falls down the wall. There is a message is wrapped around it: Block 20 shall be cleared in a month!
The sirens which resound from the camp wake up the neighbourhood at half past three in the morning. Among the inhabitants of the area is the Karner family. The people streaming out of their houses are informed by the SS that 500 “felons” have escaped from the camp and have fled North. All available men from Volkssturm
, Wehrmacht
on holidays, gendarmerie and Hitler Youth
would have to participate in the chase. The felons are not to be arrested, but rather killed on the spot.
In the next few minutes, the attitude of many inhabitants of the region becomes clear. Fredl Karner, who is unfit for military service due to amblyopia, looks the other way when he sees three of the fleeing Russians on the very spot where the SS leader has just delivered his speech. Gendarme Binder also disapproves of the chase, as the felons would not do him any harm. The instructions to his group are unmistakable: “None of us will see or hear them, much less arrest them.” Thus, he is in direct opposition to everyone who is eagerly taking part in the chase.
Eventually, Fredl’s group also catches one of the prisoners alive. Nobody can bear the thought of shooting him, so they decide that Fredl and another man will take him to the SS. On the way, they witness the execution of a couple of captured prisoners and turn around with their prisoner. Hours later, they are still wandering around with him, not knowing what to do. Finally they decide to let him go. Fredl gives the prisoner his jacket, and the other one gives him a piece of bread, but just as Fredl starts to take off his shoes, the SS appears and shoots the Russian.
Michail and Nikolai have meanwhile hid in the church steeple with their friend Andrej. From there they watch their colleagues being rounded up. While searching for food, they are seen by the grocer Lehmberger, who shoots at them. Another passerby simply ignores them. They come to a hall which is used for movie screenings and other events. In a room above the hall, hay is stored. In that room, they hide under the hay until a peasant woman comes and takes away some of it with a pitchfork, badly injuring the hidden Michail in the process. When all is clear, they leave the storage room. On the run, they are separated from Andrej, who is shot.
Eventually they come to the farm of the Karner family. While Nikolai goes to sleep in the hayloft, Michail’s search for food drives him to the courtyard. Despite the objections of her husband and worries expressed by Fredl, Mrs Karner welcomes him and gives him a hot meal. Mitzi, the daughter of the house, brings clothes and shoes, whereupon Michail burns his workwear. Afterwards they bring clothes and food to Nikolai, who is hiding in the hayloft.
In order to protect his family, Fredl continues to participate in the chase, which has meanwhile been named the “bunny hunt”. In the meantime, Gendarme Birker has accommodated some of the refugees in the local jail. Lehmberger, however, discovers them and propels them onto the courtyard, where he shoots them in front of the helpless gendarme.
On the way to the church service, which Mrs Karner attends as usual with her youngest daughter Nanni, the two come across some Nazi soldiers who are walking in the direction of their farm. She sends her daughter back to warn Mitzi so that the two girls can hide the Russians in a better place. The house search is unsuccessful; however, this is not the case everywhere.
In the countryside, Fredl and Berghammer are on the chase. When Berghammer wanders off for a few minutes, Fredl sees a refugee hiding under a footbridge. Moved with compassion, he offers a warm drink to the Russian. However, Berghammer discovers them and insists that they take him prisoner. Despite Fredl's protests, he cannot be softened. They deliver the prisoner to the SS. When Fredl is told by the SS leader to shoot him, he refuses. Berghammer takes care of it instead. Gendarme Birker must then arrest Fredl and take him to the Gestapo
in Linz
; however, he is eventually released. Afterwards, Fredl hides with Michail and Nikolai in the attic on the farm.
Spring is coming, and the hasenjagd is nearly forgotten. Michail and Nikolai even work at the farm. Then the war ends. Nobody cares that Berghammer has discovered in the end that the two Russians were hiding at the Karner’s place. They are much more concerned about destroying incriminating files and uniforms. Lehmberger is found hanging in his store.
It is explained in the closing credits that just nine of the 500 Russian soldiers are known to have survived (from a total of 11 escapees who survived the chase without capture). Michail and Nikolai go home. Today, they live in the former Soviet Union.
After the credits, a final scene shows a courtroom. The judge renders judgment upon the mayor of the village in which the Hasenjagd has taken place. He has been indicted for inciting the villagers to hunt the prisoners down. Due to many conflicting testimonies, the mayor is acquitted, though the court remains unconvinced of his innocence.
The Quality of Mercy
The Quality of Mercy is a phrase taken from a speech by Portia in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice. The speech begins:* "A Quality of Mercy", an episode of the science-fiction television series Twilight Zone...
(original title: Hasenjagd – Vor lauter Feigheit gibt es kein Erbarmen) is a dramatization of the events surrounding the Mühlviertler Hasenjagd
Mühlviertler Hasenjagd
The Mühlviertler Hasenjagd was a Nazi war crime that took place near Linz in the Mühlviertel, a region in Upper Austria. In February 1945, around 500 Soviet prisoners escaped from Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp in the Mühlviertel. Local civilians, soldiers and local Nazi organizations hunted...
, a Nazi war crime that took place near Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
, in the Mühlviertel
Mühlviertel
The Mühlviertel is an Austrian region belonging to the state of Upper Austria: it is one of four "quarters" of Upper Austria, the others being Hausruckviertel, Traunviertel, and Innviertel. It is named for the two rivers and .-Region:...
region of Upper Austria
Upper Austria
Upper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
, just before the end of the Second World War. The movie's original title translates as "Rabbit chase – for sheer cowardice, there is no mercy", a reference to the name given by the SS
Schutzstaffel
The Schutzstaffel |Sig runes]]) was a major paramilitary organization under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. Built upon the Nazi ideology, the SS under Heinrich Himmler's command was responsible for many of the crimes against humanity during World War II...
to the manhunt for the hundreds of prisoners who managed to escape from Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
. Nearly 500 tried to escape, over 300 made it to the nearby woods, and of those, a mere 11 managed to survive the three months till the war ended. Most were shot on the spot or beaten to death when they were found, 57 were returned to the camp. The movie attracted 123,000 spectators in Austria, making it the most successful movie of 1995.
Plot
The movie starts on a morning in January 1945. The spectator is advised of the real events on which the movie is based. The first pictures show images of the Mauthausen-Gusen concentration campMauthausen-Gusen concentration camp
Mauthausen Concentration Camp grew to become a large group of Nazi concentration camps that was built around the villages of Mauthausen and Gusen in Upper Austria, roughly east of the city of Linz.Initially a single camp at Mauthausen, it expanded over time and by the summer of 1940, the...
, and afterwards the inside of barrack 20 – the “death block” – is shown. 500 Russian soldiers, who have refused to fight for Germany after being arrested, sleep on the floor. Then the wake-up-call rings. Having been put on a harsh diet, many get up only laboriously, while some are completely unable to do so any more.
Among the prisoners of war who crawl outside onto the courtyard are also the Russian officers Michail and Nikolai, whose destiny serves as the central thread in the movie. It is winter, and the men, who are dressed much too lightly, try to warm each other. Then a stone falls down the wall. There is a message is wrapped around it: Block 20 shall be cleared in a month!
The breakout
Due to their hopeless situation, a planned breakout is carried out in one of the following days. The prisoners overpower the Kapos, construct shoes and weapons out of blankets and other items and say goodbye to those who are too weak for the escape. Afterwards they leave the barracks. While the tower guards are distracted with fire extinguishers and missiles, tables and chairs are piled up in front of the walls. Only 150 of the 500 manage to escape into the night, among whom are Michail and Nikolai. The majority, however, dies in the confines of the camp.The sirens which resound from the camp wake up the neighbourhood at half past three in the morning. Among the inhabitants of the area is the Karner family. The people streaming out of their houses are informed by the SS that 500 “felons” have escaped from the camp and have fled North. All available men from Volkssturm
Volkssturm
The Volkssturm was a German national militia of the last months of World War II. It was founded on Adolf Hitler's orders on October 18, 1944 and conscripted males between the ages of 16 to 60 years who were not already serving in some military unit as part of a German Home Guard.-Origins and...
, Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
on holidays, gendarmerie and Hitler Youth
Hitler Youth
The Hitler Youth was a paramilitary organization of the Nazi Party. It existed from 1922 to 1945. The HJ was the second oldest paramilitary Nazi group, founded one year after its adult counterpart, the Sturmabteilung...
would have to participate in the chase. The felons are not to be arrested, but rather killed on the spot.
In the next few minutes, the attitude of many inhabitants of the region becomes clear. Fredl Karner, who is unfit for military service due to amblyopia, looks the other way when he sees three of the fleeing Russians on the very spot where the SS leader has just delivered his speech. Gendarme Binder also disapproves of the chase, as the felons would not do him any harm. The instructions to his group are unmistakable: “None of us will see or hear them, much less arrest them.” Thus, he is in direct opposition to everyone who is eagerly taking part in the chase.
The manhunt
At dawn, the chase starts. As Mrs Karner makes her way to church, a couple of refugees run out of the forest, the chasers close on their heels. Her son Fredl is also part of the group which kills the refugees in full view of Mrs. Karner and her little daughter. Fredl will witness many such dreadful killings in the next few hours.Eventually, Fredl’s group also catches one of the prisoners alive. Nobody can bear the thought of shooting him, so they decide that Fredl and another man will take him to the SS. On the way, they witness the execution of a couple of captured prisoners and turn around with their prisoner. Hours later, they are still wandering around with him, not knowing what to do. Finally they decide to let him go. Fredl gives the prisoner his jacket, and the other one gives him a piece of bread, but just as Fredl starts to take off his shoes, the SS appears and shoots the Russian.
Michail and Nikolai have meanwhile hid in the church steeple with their friend Andrej. From there they watch their colleagues being rounded up. While searching for food, they are seen by the grocer Lehmberger, who shoots at them. Another passerby simply ignores them. They come to a hall which is used for movie screenings and other events. In a room above the hall, hay is stored. In that room, they hide under the hay until a peasant woman comes and takes away some of it with a pitchfork, badly injuring the hidden Michail in the process. When all is clear, they leave the storage room. On the run, they are separated from Andrej, who is shot.
Eventually they come to the farm of the Karner family. While Nikolai goes to sleep in the hayloft, Michail’s search for food drives him to the courtyard. Despite the objections of her husband and worries expressed by Fredl, Mrs Karner welcomes him and gives him a hot meal. Mitzi, the daughter of the house, brings clothes and shoes, whereupon Michail burns his workwear. Afterwards they bring clothes and food to Nikolai, who is hiding in the hayloft.
In order to protect his family, Fredl continues to participate in the chase, which has meanwhile been named the “bunny hunt”. In the meantime, Gendarme Birker has accommodated some of the refugees in the local jail. Lehmberger, however, discovers them and propels them onto the courtyard, where he shoots them in front of the helpless gendarme.
On the way to the church service, which Mrs Karner attends as usual with her youngest daughter Nanni, the two come across some Nazi soldiers who are walking in the direction of their farm. She sends her daughter back to warn Mitzi so that the two girls can hide the Russians in a better place. The house search is unsuccessful; however, this is not the case everywhere.
In the countryside, Fredl and Berghammer are on the chase. When Berghammer wanders off for a few minutes, Fredl sees a refugee hiding under a footbridge. Moved with compassion, he offers a warm drink to the Russian. However, Berghammer discovers them and insists that they take him prisoner. Despite Fredl's protests, he cannot be softened. They deliver the prisoner to the SS. When Fredl is told by the SS leader to shoot him, he refuses. Berghammer takes care of it instead. Gendarme Birker must then arrest Fredl and take him to the Gestapo
Gestapo
The Gestapo was the official secret police of Nazi Germany. Beginning on 20 April 1934, it was under the administration of the SS leader Heinrich Himmler in his position as Chief of German Police...
in Linz
Linz
Linz is the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria . It is located in the north centre of Austria, approximately south of the Czech border, on both sides of the river Danube. The population of the city is , and that of the Greater Linz conurbation is about...
; however, he is eventually released. Afterwards, Fredl hides with Michail and Nikolai in the attic on the farm.
The aftermath
One after another, the fugitives are found. Most are shot, but many of the prisoners freeze or starve to death in the harsh winter.Spring is coming, and the hasenjagd is nearly forgotten. Michail and Nikolai even work at the farm. Then the war ends. Nobody cares that Berghammer has discovered in the end that the two Russians were hiding at the Karner’s place. They are much more concerned about destroying incriminating files and uniforms. Lehmberger is found hanging in his store.
It is explained in the closing credits that just nine of the 500 Russian soldiers are known to have survived (from a total of 11 escapees who survived the chase without capture). Michail and Nikolai go home. Today, they live in the former Soviet Union.
After the credits, a final scene shows a courtroom. The judge renders judgment upon the mayor of the village in which the Hasenjagd has taken place. He has been indicted for inciting the villagers to hunt the prisoners down. Due to many conflicting testimonies, the mayor is acquitted, though the court remains unconvinced of his innocence.
Awards
- Special jury prize, San Sebastián International Film FestivalSan Sebastián International Film FestivalThe San Sebastián International Film Festival is an annual FIAPF A category film festival held in the Spanish city of San Sebastián .-History:The festival was founded in 1953...
- Audience award, DiagonaleDiagonaleThe Diagonale is a film festival that takes place every March in Graz, Austria.The festival was initially held under the auspices of the Austrian Film Commission in Salzburg from 1993 to 1995 but moved to Graz in 1998. Traditional cinema venues are UCI Kinowelt Annenhof, Schubertkino, augartenkino...
, 1994 - Upper AustriaUpper AustriaUpper Austria is one of the nine states or Bundesländer of Austria. Its capital is Linz. Upper Austria borders on Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as on the other Austrian states of Lower Austria, Styria, and Salzburg...
culture award for film art, 1994 - Austrian ticket 1995