A NETFLIX SERIES
Kleo!
Merry Christmas!
Did my father send you?
What did he say?
You can't accuse me like this!
Ms. Straub, we're merely trying to clarify the facts.
I didn't do anything!
Do you want your daughter to see us removing you by force?
-Tell my shit father I didn't do anything! -We're taking you in.
-Let me go! I didn't do anything. -Right now!
Kleo!
Mommy, don't!
Hello, Kleo.
Do you remember me?
Do you remember who I am?
I'm your grandpa.
You're coming home with me, dear.
I have a beautiful swing in my garden.
You can swing on it all day, okay?
Kleo.
Eat. It's delicious.
What happened to Mommy?
Your mommy?
She left you and our republic.
There is another Germany, and it's ruled by bad people.
She went there.
Why?
The people there made her lots of promises that they won't keep.
It's all lies.
But your mommy has fallen for all these lies.
You know, I'm so glad you're with me at least.
Check this out.
Moss cake.
You like it?
It's my favorite cake.
Grandpa, why didn't Mommy take me with her?
Good morning, children.
My scarf is my pride.
I'm wearing it. Here, look!
I cherish it. It suits me very well.
I wear my scarf wherever I go.
It…
glows…
Well! Come on now.
I don't know.
So you didn't learn it.
Yes, I did.
Well!
You didn't learn it well enough, Kleo.
Who does know it?
-Hannah. -I wear my scarf wherever I go.
Within it, a bright blue future glows.
It's no big deal. I'm Holger.
It's not good to think about the past all the time, my darling.
Why doesn't Mommy come back?
She…
got sick in West Germany.
So sick
that the doctors couldn't help her anymore.
She…
died in the hospital.
You have to be strong now, Kleo.
Like a Young Pioneer.
Like a soldier.
Do you understand?
What?
What is it?
You wouldn't listen.
You didn't want to listen!
This is all your fault.
This is all your fault!
You're it!
Aunt Margot?
Who's that?
Kleo, listen.
You're not a little girl anymore.
You're a hard-working Young Pioneer now.
You are, aren't you?
Yes, of course.
You know that Aunt Margot is the wife of our Head of State.
And you also know that I have a special job.
Yes?
That I keep a lot of secrets
that are very important for the protection and the security of our country.
Now, about your friend over there.
We really don't know him at all.
His parents could be enemies of our country.
Holger isn't an enemy.
I'm sure he isn't an enemy.
But children sometimes talk about things at home,
even if they don't mean any harm by it.
Listen, Kleo.
From now on,
I don't want you to bring him home anymore.
-But-- -What did you promise me?
That I'll be a good Young Pioneer, and I'll protect our country.
Very good.
You see?
And so we hereby renew our vow
to our beloved homeland and the Socialist Unity Party of Germany.
We forever pledge the love, loyalty, and actions
of members of the Free German Youth.
Together with our comrades, we march on for peace and socialism.
Friendship.
Arise ye workers from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of can't
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses, arise, arise
We'll change henceforth the old tradition
And spurn the dust to win the prize
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race…
Fire!
Shall we head up to the River Oder next weekend?
Holger.
I can't.
Yes, Comrade Straub. No weekend!
But I will submit
a River Oder vacation weekend application to Stasi Reconnaissance.
In a timely and routine manner, of course.
Kleo!
You Lenin! Stop it, please!
-Everything in order? -Everything in order. Let's do it.
I'll ask Grandpa.
-Bye. -Bye. See you tomorrow, Kleo.
Bye, Holger!
Bye, Kleo.
Oh, Kleo.
Aren't you ashamed?
You wear the uniform of the Free German Youth
and fool around with him.
That was Holger, Grandpa.
If you'd done your research, you'd know this enemy subversive's family…
-He's-- -…has applied for exit visas,
one for each member, himself included.
In other words, Kleo, he doesn't want to live here anymore.
They've sold out to the class enemy, just like your mother.
You will end your relationship with this… boy… immediately.
Is that clear?
Yes.
Yes, what?
I'll end our relationship.
Very good.
By the way, that's Jorge,
a comrade from Chile.
He'll be staying with us for a while.
Show him around.
Hi. How are you?
I'm Jorge.
Kleo.
Nice to meet you, Kleo.
I don't speak Spanish.
No problem. I'd be happy to teach you.
You know, Kleo, your grandpa is a good man.
He knows what's right.
Do you understand?
My grandpa is a good man.
He knows what's right.
This is a declaration of commitment
as an unofficial employee of the Ministry of State Security.
I've just come from the GDR's Order of Merit awards ceremony.
Just like you now,
Comrade Ramona was at a crossroads in her life,
and she decided she wanted to become
a true fighter for workers' and peasants' interests.
As a mark of his particular appreciation,
Comrade Mielke presented her with the Golden Makarov.
I have followed Comrade Ramona's development very closely for years,
and that's why I know she has a bright future ahead of her.
You have just what it takes as well, Kleo.
You can be just as good.
But you have to want it.
-Good morning. -Good morning, comrade.
Kleo Straub.
I'm Andi.
DECLARATION OF COMMITMENT
Have a seat.
Your grandpa told me a lot about you.
Great guy, your grandpa.
Would you like one?
The Ministry has decided…
I will be your commanding officer from now on.
In other words, you can come to me with all your concerns and problems,
whatever they might be.
It's important we completely trust each other.
We're a team now.
Actually, I don't smoke.
Okay.
Kleo, in view of everything I already know about you,
I'd like to ask you whether you'd be available
to do special missions for the Firm above and beyond your usual duties.
Yes.
Comrades, welcome to the "Else Project,"
the Minister's Task Force for Special Issues.
Here you will be trained as agents capable of carrying out
diversionary acts in the area of operations,
individual acts of terrorism, acquisition of technical items,
capture of individuals, reconnaissance, destruction, appropriation.
You will learn how to disrupt and destroy structures,
how to remove people through acts of hostage-taking,
detention, abduction,
forced flight, disappearance…
Fire!
…and to eliminate individuals through shooting, stabbing, burning, blowing up…
Fire!
…strangling, beating, poisoning, suffocating.
As a loyal agent, you report directly to the Comrade Minister.
And if he tells you,
"Go there and shoot him in enemy territory," you'll do it.
And if you are caught, you will stand before the judge and say,
"Yes, I did it in the name of my proletarian honor."
Any mission given to you must be carried out,
even if it leads to your death.
Very good.
You remind me of Comrade Ramona,
our best agent.
Ramona? Never heard of her.
The attempted assassination of President Reagan?
It wasn't a mentally ill student, as they've said.
It was our Comrade Ramona.
Trained by me and passed with distinction.
One question.
If the mission was so successful,
why is the American President still alive?
It was never the plan to kill the President.
Why are you asking?
Are you questioning the Comrade Major or the government?
What?
Instead of paying tribute to Comrade Ramona's achievement,
you make subversive comments.
Comrade Straub,
just because
you're Comrade Major-General Straub's granddaughter,
it's not your place to publicly rebuke your comrades.
You have to toe the line. Is that clear?
-Yes, Comrade Major, sir. -Repeat it.
I have to toe the line.
Louder!
I have to toe the line!
You really think you're something special.
DIPLOMA STRAUB, KLEO JENNIFER - VERY GOOD
Anyway.
What are you looking at?
You've no distinctions.
I'll show you.
Here's Channel One news.
Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.
Karl Friedrich Konrad, leader of the "Konrad" paramilitary group,
was found dead in his car this morning.
Initial investigations suggest Konrad was assassinated.
Konrad's goal was to establish a Nazi state
in the Federal Republic of Germany.
Good girl.
Dear comrades,
in the name of the German Democratic Republic,
today I take pleasure and pride in presenting you, Comrade Kleo Straub,
with the National Silver Order of Merit medal
in recognition of your special achievements
in the development of a socialist society
and strengthening of the German Democratic Republic,
and for special bravery
in operations on enemy territory.
Kleo?
Kleo!
Hey.
Easy now.
You were pretty lucky.
The doctors say it's not serious, but all the same, you need to rest, okay?
What happened?
The guy you met in the café shot you.
If I'd arrived a second later…
Well, I saved your life. That's what happened.
The red suitcase belonged to Erich Mielke, the Minister.
Okay, what?
-Wait. -I've seen the suitcase twice already.
You need rest, I just told you. What are you doing?
Once at a medals ceremony four years ago,
the man carrying the case was Mielke's aide,
and he was the one I eliminated at the Big Eden.
I'm 100% sure. Give me my pants.
Yeah, I--
Okay, but Mielke and his aide are now dead because of you.
Yes, but I saw the suitcase again.
A woman who was walking out of Reconnaissance HQ
a few weeks ago had it with her, and I think she was Mielke's secretary.
And I also know where to find her. Shoes.
Where?
Has Mielke had his funeral yet?
Thanks.
Kleo, we've got another problem.
What is it?
How did this happen?
I…
Kleo?
Kleo!
Kleo?
I'll take you to the hospital. Hey!
Shit.
Put the gun down!
Shit! Kleo? Oh shit.
-You saw Uwe's accomplice? -Yeah.
What did he look like?
-What do you mean? -And he's still alive.
"Still alive?" Yes, he's still alive.
What do you think I am? A serial killer? Yes, he ran off.
Great. Really great.
What's great about it?
I killed someone.
I didn't want to, I--
But if I hadn't, then he'd have--
Was it your first time?
Yeah, it was my first time.
Our agreement still stands. No killing.
Who was he anyway?
Uwe Mittig.
An ex-comrade.
An asshole.
He got what he deserved. Don't worry about it.
What will we do with him now?
Right, you can't park here. Please move.
Wake up, buddy.
Dear comrades,
dear family,
today we bid farewell to an elite fighter
for the high and noble goals of the working class and working people.
To our Minister for State Security in the German Democratic Republic,
retired Army General Erich Mielke.
An anti-fascist from the very beginning,
an avowed internationalist,
a devoted communist.
A great man is leaving us,
but the truly great
always leave us much too soon.
Minister Erich Mielke is dead
And we're at his funeral
I'm at the--
My condolences.
Back already? What--
How did our target react to the information about the suitcase?
Fine. Really.
Yes, I'm afraid there was a slight problem…
Yeah. I haven't gotten around to it yet.
-I see. -Yeah.
There was a shooting in the East.
The victim's name is Uwe Mittig. Ring any bells?
No.
We met in his garage.
Yeah.
He was an ex-colleague of Kleo Straub's. She ever mention him?
I would have already told you if she had. Yeah.
Yes, you would have.
-Yeah. -Okay.
Call me once you've spoken about the suitcase.
Yes, of course.
By the way, about my contract, maybe we can--
Our comrade had his life taken from him
as the result of a treacherous murder
perpetrated by a dishonorable man or woman who betrayed our common cause.
I swear to you, great working-class hero,
no, we all swear,
we will not rest until those who betrayed you,
who betrayed our common cause,
who betrayed the high and noble goals of the working class,
have been brought to justice.
We will achieve this objective with gun in hand if necessary.
Heads up, not hands up.
Please.
Kleo?
Aunt Margot.
Well, look at you. On the loose again?
And you, still on the loose.
What are you doing here?
Paying my last respects to the Comrade Minister.
You see, I don't believe you.
His death smacks of your methods.
Mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs?
You all taught me these methods.
Aunt Margot? Duty calls.
Still ready?
And one, and two, and three, and four.
And forwards, back, to the side.
And one, and two, and three, and four.
That's her.
-Who? -Lobrecht, the woman with the suitcase.
Her over there?
Let's go after her.
You tell me you love me, and what happens? This woman!
Shit, I need to piss!
Fuck's sake, I'm gonna kill him.
She's not from the Water Authority. You think I'm stupid?
Kleo.
The woman's name is Kleo.
Anja, I…
I haven't been security at Pralina for long.
I know.
You were with the carpool.
No.
I worked for the Ministry of State Security.
What?
I was a "Scout for Peace" at Reconnaissance.
Commanding Officer in Division 18, Special Issues.
I was in charge of a few unofficial agents.
We carried out missions in non-socialist economic areas.
I don't understand.
We killed people, Anja.
Unofficial agents killed people on my orders.
Kleo was one of them.
And yes, we were in a relationship.
But it's over.
You are my future, and you have to believe me.
So what does she want from you?
I still have contacts in the Firm.
I've been trusted with an important mission.
I'm protecting information which could change the course of world events.
And Kleo…
Kleo is a danger to this mission.
She's dangerous.
But she'll soon be out of our lives.
Please don't worry.
I'll take care of it.
I love you.
-Andi? -Yes?
I need some toilet paper.
I'll get you some.
Comrade Lobrecht, better leave that alone.
Where's the suitcase?
I know you. You were at the funeral, right?
Correct.
And you were also there when I was awarded
the Order of Merit for special bravery in enemy territory.
Do you remember?
I knew someone would come about the suitcase eventually.
Where is it?
The Minister always kept it close by.
"This suitcase must be defended with your life," he always used to say.
And what the Minister said was sacred to me.
But,
your boss, the Comrade Minister,
he's dead now.
It's not about the individual.
It's about the community, the cause, and above all,
about the preservation of socialism.
"Socialism."
Yeah, I mean, Ms. Lobrecht, look around you.
The Wall was torn down by your own people
because they wanted freedom, the Deutschmark, and Western goods.
Trabbi cars are trashed for fun
because they don't mean anything to anyone anymore.
Gorbachev is already negotiating
with the British, Americans, and French about reunification.
It must be incredibly painful to accept,
but everything you believed in and dedicated your life to
will no longer exist in a few months.
There's nothing left to defend.
Socialism is just as dead as your boss.
In fact, from the very beginning,
socialism was just one of history's crazy ideas.
-Sven, how can you say such a thing? -What? I just-- Wait, no!
I swore to the Minister I would defend the suitcase with my life.
Always forwards, never backwards.
No!
This one's on you.
Oh no.
Sven, help me up.
Help you up? We need to leave.
Help me up!
Okay. I'm coming.
Come on.
Right. One, two, three.
The suitcase!
The suitcase.
Okay, come on, go.
Thanks, Ms. Lobrecht.
Geike?
Petzold is lying. He's double-crossing us.
The whole thing seems to be about a red suitcase
the Stasi assassin is after.
But I think Petzold is in cahoots with her.
We need him.
We need to try and tie him to us.
Anne?
Yes, that's an extremely valuable piece of information.
Thanks. I'll stay on it.
We should recruit him.
-Just a moment. -I…
Here's what I suggest.
You come back to Pullach,
we analyze all the information we have,
then we develop a strategy together.
What…
I don't think it would be right to take our eyes off the two of them now.
Don't worry about that.
Come back and we'll plan our next steps.
Is that a direct order?
Min, please.
"In matters of war, always control, never be controlled."
I'm sorry?
Okay, ready?
Are we really sure we want to know what's inside?
-Yes! -Okay.
Newspapers?
What?
All this effort just for a few newspapers?
No. It can't be.
Sven, someone must have swapped the contents.
Perhaps when the mob stormed Stasi HQ.
And put newspapers in it?
Why? It makes no sense at all. It…
Shit.
What?
Look at the date.
The newspapers have been in here for years.
Since '87.
Look here.
A few days before your Big Eden job.
This suitcase was in Mielke's safe the whole time.
But it isn't the red suitcase, it's just an old red suitcase.
Who had access to it?
Mielke's aide, Frey.
The guy I eliminated at the Big Eden.
He put the suitcase with the newspapers in the safe
and offered the original one to the West.
The Firm found out, and I was meant to stop the handover.
You did stop the handover,
but the suitcase wasn't returned to Mielke.
So, where is it?
I have no idea.
That's it, then.
Our trail ends here.
Whatever's in this original suitcase must be so explosive
that people are still dying for it,
still prepared to kill for it.
They'll continue to do so.
What is this…
Oh fuck, was this all for nothing?
We must have overlooked something.
Shit.
Kleo?
This is the guy.
The guy with the gun who was there when Uwe tried to kill you.
Uwe's accomplice. It was him.
Who is this?
Subtitle translation by: Anton Hill