Germany Year Zero Quotes

Edmund: Is he your brother?

Christl: Who? Jo? No.

Edmund: You're always together.

Christl: So? What about it?

Edmund: Wherever he goes, you're right behind.

Christl: And that makes him my brother?

Eva: Did you get the Number 2 Card?

Edmund: No, they kicked me out because I'm not fifteen yet.

Il padre: I knew that would happen. Still, I'm glad you're not going anywhere. That's too much work for a boy your age.

Edmund: But it would have meant more to eat. For Karl-Heinz, too.

Il padre: Did you hear that, Karl-Heinz? You know that poor Edmund, at his age, can't support all of us. He's still a child. But you, what do you do? You keep hiding. You didn't even register for a food card.

Eva: You're so selfish. You don't care about getting food. You only care about eating it.

Karl-Heinz: Didn't I tell you to send Edmund to work?

Eva: You don't do anything. You just hide, and yet you want to eat and drink. You don't ask where I go every night. All that matters is that I come back with a couple of cigarettes for you.

Karl-Heinz: Did I smoke them?

Eva: No, but you know that cigarettes are like money.

Karl-Heinz: Should I thank you for that? Nowadays everybody does it.

Eva: They do worse things, too.

Karl-Heinz: You see?

Eva: Then tell me to sell myself!

Il maestro: Weren't you one of my students?

Edmund: Yes, Mr. Enning.

Il maestro: My memory's good. What's your name?

Edmund: Edmund Koeler.

Il maestro: Edmund Koeler. First desk on the left. You've grown up. How is your father?

Edmund: My father is sick, very sick.

Il maestro: Didn't you have a brother in the Wermacht?

Edmund: Yes, Karl-Heinz. He was in the military, but he's home now.

Il maestro: Then he must be out of work, like me.

Edmund: You're not teaching anymore?

Il maestro: I didn't share the ideas of the people in power about teaching children.

Frau Rademaker: His sister goes out every night, too. She's really shameless. You shouldn't let these people near our daughter.

Herr Rademaker: One of these days I'll kick them out.

Edmund: What have you got against my sister? Why are you always mad at us?

Herr Rademaker: You shut up! Get out! Take the scale and don't come back without the money. Is that clear?

Edmund: Yes, Herr Rademaker. I'll come back tomorrow morning.

Edmund: Your friend is in the work service?

Il maestro: He clears the ruins.

Edmund: No mandatory labor for you?

Il maestro: Luckily, no.

Edmund: My brother thought he'd have to. He stayed away.

Il maestro: They all should stay away, those that share our ideas. Remember? Long ago, your father falsified a document to get you out of Hitler Youth. But you said right away that it was false. You knew your duty. I should have reported your father for that, but I didn't because I like you.

Edmund: Where are we? I don't know this area.

Jo: Well, you look out for yourself.

Edmund: I live in Alex. How do I get back at this hour?

Jo: You don't have to go back home.

Edmund: Where am I supposed to sleep? I don't know anybody here.

Jo: It's up to you. Everything around here's empty.

Edmund: By myself?

Jo: [pointing to Christl] With her. Why not? She's your type.

Il maestro: What do they teach you in school now? Democracy?

Edmund: I don't go to school anymore.

Il maestro: Why not? You don't like the new teachers?

Edmund: I have to work now.

Il maestro: Work? Why?

Edmund: There are four of us at home, and we only have three food cards.

Il maestro: Poor Edmund. Why doesn't your brother have a card?

Edmund: He never registered. He fought in the streets until the Allied troops arrived.

Edmund: It wasn't my fault. I was with other boys.

Il padre: Enough! I don't want to hear any lies!

Eva: He didn't mean any harm, Papa. He wanted to get something to eat.

Il padre: I'll do without.

Karl-Heinz: Me, too. I'd rather die of hunger.

Eva: Easy for you to say.

Il padre: I can't stand it anymore, here in this bed.

Herr Rademaker: Tell me the truth. What did you do with the money?

Edmund: What money?

Herr Rademaker: The money for the scale. Did you give it to your father?

Edmund: I swear that's not true.

Herr Rademaker: You're not going to cheat me, boy. I know you'll do anything for money. You got into my house ...

Edmund: The housing superintendent sent us here.

Herr Rademaker: Yes, and I have to put up with it. Your father is a pain, always complaining. Why doesn't he die and give us some peace?

Edmund: I have no work, and neither does Eva. My brother still won't report and get his card.

Il maestro: I understand, but what can I do?

Edmund: My father needs treatment. Can't you help me? What can I do?

Il maestro: There's nothing you can do. Times are hard for everyone, worse for weak and old people. You've done all you can.

Edmund: But what if he dies?

Il maestro: If he dies, he dies. We all die sooner or later. Would you rather die yourself or let an old man live?

Karl-Heinz: Who gave you money to buy cigarettes?

Edmund: It was a gift.

Karl-Heinz: From who? Those bad boys you go stealing with?

Edmund: It wasn't boys. It was a girl.

Karl-Heinz: You should be ashamed of yourself.

Edmund: Why? Everybody does it.

Karl-Heinz: That's not a reason.

Edmund: Her name is Christl. She's all alone, and she sleeps in a basement. She's a nice girl. I like her. She gives cigarettes to all her friends. You should have a woman to take care of you.

Karl-Heinz: A woman? That's all I need. Like this bitch of a life wasn't enough.

Edmund: Don't talk like that! Have courage!

Karl-Heinz: I had courage. A soldier can lose everything but his courage. But now I'm not a soldier anymore. I'm less than useless, another mouth to feed.

Il medico: His heart is very weak. His whole condition is bad.

Eva: What can we do?

Il medico: He needs nutritrious foods, vitamins.

Eva: How can we do that, Doctor?

Edmund: With the cards we have, we can't get more

Il medico: Yes, I know. It's the same all over. The best thing would be to get him into a hospital. But they are all more than full.

Karl-Heinz: Couldn't we at least try, Doctor?

Il medico: Cases worse than his have not been admitted.

Edmund: Eva, they're cutting the power.

Eva: The power? Why?

Edmund: They discovered someone was stealing it.

Eva: Who?

Karl-Heinz: Someone.

Edmund: Rademaker says it was us.

Karl-Heinz: As usual.

Eva: So that's what he was screaming about.

Karl-Heinz: That black marketer. One day I'll smash his head.

Eva: You're such a big talker, but when it comes to helping us, you do nothing.