-Fresh apples! -Hey, look!
Come on, hurry up! Quickly!
He'll never catch us! Come on!
Come on! This way!
Martin, get the chicken!
Got it!
Get back, I'll get your ass!
Martin! Georg!
-Georg, this way! -Rascals!
Apples...
fresh apples...
rosy and red...
as the cheeks of your child.
Look, the executioner!
How many people do you think he has killed?
-Look at the sword. -How big!
Up! Upstairs!
You Bastard! Get up! Up!
Up! Upstairs! You Bastard!
-Poor man. -You Bastard!
Up!
On Your knees! Face them!
On your knees! Face them!
-On your knees! -I absolve you.
Off with his head!
Brothers till we die. Forever!
Our charges are all able to read and write, your Eminence.
The Emperor needs soldiers.
He is learned it himself, but...
Which is the boy?
-Your Eminence? -The boy...
we talked of.
The fair haired one.
Back row.
And the other one...
next to him?
The poor creature was found as a baby...
lying outside the door of the chapel...
one cold winter's night, wrapped in rags.
I want the boy with the black hair.
No! No!
No! No! Please! Please!
It's time.
It's time to go.
Can I help you?
Yeah, father.
-Georg? -Martin!
-Look at you. -Look at you.
-Are you all right? -Oh yeah, yeah, it's nothing. It's...
Well...
Prior Georg.
Prior Georg. Brother Bertram tells me that you are a Captain in the army now.
Yes.
-Congratulations. -Thank you.
I always wondered what it would be like in here.
Never allowed as kids here.
Well, you are always welcome in here now.
-Thank you. -How long are you staying for?
Just a few days, then back to work.
How does the army feed you?
You come. You must be hungry. I show you around.
Soldier, come here, soldier.
I've got something special for you!
This is a glass devil, young gentleman.
The most effective remedy against the evil eye!
Touch it!
May I see?
What can you see?
A fly!
Bound to be very effective against the evil eye.
God bless you, soldier.
Prior Georg.
Lord Waldauf...
a very learned man.
The executioner's daughter.
An Untouchable.
The butcher said that. He should never...
Go home, witch!
You'll die if you touch her!
-Go, this way. -What do you want for this one?
I don't have to sell anything to the likes of you.
How much does it cost?
How much?
You mustn't touch me! Don't you know who I am?
I know who you are.
I don't care.
-The new Prior! -He is God's servant.
Why do you kneel before him as if he was God himself?
Do not insult this man. He knows that I am not God.
We are all the servants of God.
Come...
I hope you won't forget that, Prior.
I hope the same for you...
Witches' art?
Witches' art indeed!
We were even able to ward off the plague in many houses with this.
But people avoid us in spite of that...
most of any rate.
What's this?
It's an ammonite.
My father found it near here in a cave.
Along with plantain and bloodwood...
and other things of which you have no idea.
My father...
he is the executioner, but he's a good person.
You must love your father very much.
-Don't you love your father? -I...
I have no father.
You were brought up at the monastery.
-What's this for? -Lavendula hybrida...
it has relaxing and calming properties.
Mentha piperita...
-it sweetens the breath. -So you...
Ancient recipes.
My mother taught me the arts of healing.
But she is no longer with us.
And now you will leave my house immediately.
I thought you might be able to help me.
If your head is still throbbing from the booze, then...
maybe you should just pour a pail of water over it.
I've tried that already.
And?
If you take the bandage off... then sit down here.
Devil's mark.
Is that terrible?
Rubbish!
Did the monks teach you that?
Why are they of all people so afraid of the Devil?
You must change the bandage every day...
and steep these herbs in hot water...
and...
And?
and clean the wound with them.
It will help to heal.
You have to leave.
You're off to fight in the wars again...
I don't want you to go.
I'm coming back.
I promise you.
Anna?
Anna!
Amen!
Good luck!
Did the booze made you forget that you had work to do?
Your slut of a daughter has been hanging around with the soldiers.
Don't talk about Anna like that.
-You... -I'm your successor.
So she belongs to me. You promised her to me.
You aren't having her...
as long as I live.
You are half blind.
You think your leaving hit the mark tomorrow?
Where have you been all this time Anna?
The master hadn't quite finished that father.
Thank you.
Come here.
Lord Waldauf.
Anna!
Thank you!
Thank you.
The butcher's wife would pay you more for that hand.
That's fine.
You know I am happy to do it for you Waldauf.
Da Vinci...
examines the anatomy of birds in a similar way as I am going to do...
-with this hand. -What happened to your leg?
And constructed a fantastic flying apparatus.
Ingenious, stupendous...
-and cunning at the same time... -Let me examine your leg, Sire.
An apparatus so genuine...
that it will allow men to fly up into the sky one day.
If you don't let me treat this, you won't be able to walk...
let alone fly.
I have a perfect remedy. Would you let me bring it to you?
Anna, you know more about the human body than many of the learned man.
Do what you have to do.
Waldauf.
Would you...
would you let me borrow this book?
It will be in the best of all hands.
Of course you may.
But be careful.
Johann, show her out.
Thank you.
Father Prior!
What Bertram?
The Emperor's troops have been annihilated.
And Martin?
I don't know...
Please...
help...
help me. Help!
Martin.
I don't wanna live a cripple.
Kill me.
I can't.
The Lord have mercy on thy soul.
-Suicides are denied God's mercy. -Must kill yourself.
Have mercy on me, Martin.
I beg you...
kill me...
Kill me.
Who's a good boy.
Father.
This...
is a gift...
for my bride.
I will have you even with the soldier's brat.
I'm the Executioner!
You belong to me.
No.
Welcome, welcome.
The Lord protected you.
Your friend is here, Georg.
You're alive!
Thank God!
Welcome home! Come, come in.
-It's a beautiful child. -Congratulations.
A little boy. My son.
Georg...
I want you to marry us.
I want you to baptise the child.
Martin...
this woman is an Untouchable.
If you marry her, you'll be one too.
And...
You're a Captain in the imperial army!
You'll be throwing your whole career away.
At best you could become an executioner...
because you won't be able to take on any honourable work.
Honourable? Is being a soldier any more honourable?
Oh, come on Martin!
Georg!
Anna and the child, they mean everything to me.
You'll be excluded from society forever.
What are you saying? Should I just...
leave my son at the church door, like they did with us?
No. Of course not. There are other ways to support the child.
Georg, will you marry us?
In my position as Prior...
I can't.
Martin. Martin!
Thank you.
May God bless this union.
And now, go in peace...
and from this day devote yourselves to one anothe
So is this the new executioner?
Prior Georg, do you know this man?
Yes, he grew up in the monastery which I presently head.
An orphan, brought up in the bosom of the church.
A bastard!
And where is Fabio, the assistant of the late executioner?
-He is a drunken cripple. -Fabio has experience...
and has proved his worth over the years.
The town council will decide after he has shown his skill...
at an execution.
-Do we have anybody to be executed? -Certainly, the prisons are full.
-Fine! The town council... -Will decide...
after he has proved his skill at an execution.
It's not easy to cut off someone's head.
You have to strike them...
right here.
If you don't...
and then you miss your stroke...
they'll kill you.
Kneel down.
I practice on you.
Behold the servants of God...
to be stowed our blessings upon you.
Why brothers and sisters?
Is it because you are pious...
or is it rather because you fill their overstuffed bellies...
with donations of money that you cannot afford.
Your Eminence!
You are running this monastery well, Georg.
I'm pleased with you.
But be careful.
There are rumours of heretics in this town...
engaged in evil practices.
Take him.
-Execute him. -Scum...
-you will die -Take him down.
Bring him out!
-Cut off his head! -Get out! Get out!
Get back!
Get up... get up...
Up, up, up!
Set aside. Get up! Up, up!
Move, move. Bastard, get up! Bastard, move, move.
On your knees. Kneel down.
On your knees, face them. On your knees.
Face them. On your knees, on your knees.
I absolve you.
May God have mercy on his wretched soul.
The executioner shall now perform his office.
Chop his head off!
He did a good job!
Well done!
So this is the new executioner?
Well, your Eminence, the town council has allowed this...
He performed well.
A most impressive young man.
Take him!
Anna has told me much of your studies. But this is really...
You could help me to continue these studies...
under the seal of secrecy.
In the monastery the monks would have called this the Devil's work.
Devil's work?
I have never found a devil in there.
Only the heart...
lungs, bones...
Fear, courage...
You speak of the soul, Martin.
And that is invisible.
It is nowhere, or everywhere.
God alone knows that.
So, can I count on your discretion?
Yes.
Executioner... Stop!
The execution was breathtaking.
I find you very pleasing.
Come, Dismount.
Not so high and mighty, my Lord!
You're only one of the Dishonourable.
Some wine, please!
I'll bring the wine to your table.
Should know about it. Look at him.
What are you thinking about?
Thinking about Jakob.
What the world will be like when he grows up.
I don't ever want him to become the executioner like me.
Mother!
Oh, God.
God bless you.
To gain God's grace there is no need to crawl...
before the church or its ornaments of gold.
For the Lord, God is everywhere.
This heretic should burn on the spot, Father Prior.
Mercy?
You let the Devil loose on innocent people.
People entrusted to your care?
And you talk to me of mercy.
This man has openly defied you. In public!
But your Eminence...
These Anabaptists...
-they are lost souls. -Lost souls?
They are inciting people to revolt...
against the Holy Church, against the Emperor...
But you must understand, your Eminence, the people are starving.
The harvest has been very bad and they are barely able to survive...
let alone pay their tithes...
So you are happily standing by and watch while they throw themselves...
-into the arms of sin. -No! Of course not!
Well, that does reassure me.
You know for a moment I was beginning to question your sanity, Prior Georg.
These people are heretics!
The church cannot...
and will not support such descent!
No! No!
You stupid bitch!
No... God's grace... God's grace...
Now Fabio will become the executioner.
But you tell no one.
You say nothing...
or the grace will go away.
Father Prior.
Come!
Something terrible has happened.
Please.
I saw the man who did this.
-It was a monk. -A monk?
A monk in a grey habit.
Your Eminence, it does indeed look like it was the gypsies.
The traveling people love anything that glitters and they do not pay any taxes.
Rubbish! This is the work of the Anabaptists...
and Prior Georg was too much of a coward to bring me word himself.
Write to him! I want to see these heretics burn!
-They meet by the lakes. -Yes.
And then the man in the habit he brought out the holy heart.
Go on.
It was the heretic who married the executioner.
What?
Will you help me to be the executioner now, my Lord?
Why would I do that?
For you!
Show this man out, Brother Bernhard.
For you!
Rubbish! This man is no thief. You know that!
-Fabio is lying. -I hope so.
But if he is guilty it is known that you were married by this heretic.
-But you sent me to him. -I had no choice.
Why do you call him a heretic? A truly humble...
-God-fearing and pious man... -Martin...
these people...
these Anabaptists have strike outside the limits...
of the one true Holy Church.
I've got work to do.
When the real culprit is found I will...
gladly discharge my duty. Be sure of that.
It's the same man.
Brother Bernhard!
Are you absolutely sure?
Absolutely!
The accused was seen committing the act.
But he persists in denying it.
For the last time, where did you hide the relic?
Confess who incited you to commit this sacrilegious deed.
I believe in the almighty God, but not in the Church...
whose corrupt lack has besmirched the name of God.
It's the Devil that speaks from you!
You are the Devil's man.
You pray to a heart of gold and an ancient lock of hair.
Is that what you call worshipping God?
This man is possessed.
If you confess to this act and name your fellow brothers...
the court will show mercy.
That is an accordance with the intentions of the Church. Is it not, Prior?
Yes, your Honour!
So speak and you will be spared much pain.
Torture will bring the truth to light.
You may do your work.
Executioner?
I see no sign of the Devil there.
Clean his wounds...
so he may receive his sentence in dignity.
If you have to kill me, do it.
Otherwise they will kill you and all your family.
I just don't believe it. This man would never steal the heart.
-It's ridiculous. -There's probably nothing we can do.
And Georg, Prior Georg...
I don't know him anymore. Just don't know him.
If the Anabaptist is condemned you have no other choice.
Martin, you're the executioner.
That's right.
You can't go in there!
Georg, I need to speak to you.
Now you look me in the eye and tell me you believe...
-that the Anabaptist stole the heart. -He was seen by one of my monks.
This man and his blasphemic ideas.
He is turning the people away from the one True Faith.
The Church cannot and will not accept that.
You don't believe he did it, do you? Do you?
Georg you saw him there today.
Who are you trying to please? The Archbishop?
I've bent myself over backwards...
to tolerate this Anabaptists and their teachings.
You know that.
But in this they have gone too far. This...
insidious theft...
cannot go unpunished.
This is heresy!
And what about all the others?
Will they be persecuted for heresy as well?
No!
Silence!
Have mercy. Let him go, take him away.
Have mercy.
The Anabaptist.
No! No!
The Court has sentenced the accused...
who has been found guilty of sacrilege and heresy...
to be burned to death at the stake.
No...
let him go.
-Open the gates! -Silence!
Silence!
However, since it could not be proved that the accused...
is in league with the Devil, the Court has decided to be merciful.
The accused will be put to death by the sword.
Let him go.
His fortune falls to the town.
No, let him go.
He's innocent!
He has no fortune.
No fortune?
The accused's clothing belongs to the executioner.
The heretic may not be interred in hallowed ground.
Get up, get up.
You have done well, Georg.
Why is the man not being burnt?
He is a heretic!
It's a cold day. It might have warmed us up a bit.
On your knees, face them.
-Stop it! -He is a heretic!
What's wrong with the executioner?
Maybe he's not so fond of doing those nice things with the whip that you do.
I absolve you.
Keep still. You won't feel a thing.
That's all I can do for you.
Please, forgive me.
The Lord God will forgive you.
Looking around I have the impression the heretics...
have succeeded here rather than you...
Prior.
I hoped you'd bring credit to me and to the Church.
And what have you brought me?
Disgrace!
It is proved that the idle servants of this Church...
have not lived the word of God in humility.
They have sought only that which is their own, not that which is God's.
The monasteries of these blasphemers must be burned...
likewise the churches and altars...
and all the spawning-grounds of the Antichrist.
Heretics!
Therefore...
What are you studying which such zeal, brothers?
A book...
It's a book that his Eminence paid me copy, for you...
Father Prior.
Another writings of these heretics...
Pure nonsense!
And he also...
gave me these two missives.
I see you perform your duties as messenger very conscientiously...
Brother Bernhard.
The Emperor feels you are not fit for your task.
I beseeched him to show leniency.
And the Emperor was inclined to be merciful.
So...
now you have a final chance.
The bookseller is selling this work of the Devil in his shop.
His Imperial Majesty has decreed that this has to be made public at once.
Put an end to all these heretics and their followers.
Otherwise your days as Prior...
are numbered.
Burn them all.
Move.
Any person giving shelter to Anabaptists...
will be put to death.
The naming of an Anabaptist...
will be rewarded by His Imperial Majesty...
by the Grace of God, Prince of this realm...
Ferdinand l, with 50 Gulden.
The naming of any person giving shelter to an Anabaptist...
with 30 Gulden.
Open the door!
Now! On your feet.
Get up!
The town has a right to the bookseller's fortune!
-He's a heretic! -And I don't care what he is.
The town needs money.
The Emperor has confiscated all the income from our saltworks.
As a heretic he has offended against the Holy Roman Catholic Church.
Then the Holy Roman Catholic Church will just have to find itself...
-another wealthy heretic. -Or a wealthy witch.
-What about the whore, Margaretha? -What?
For years she lived at the town's expense because we were forced to support...
the bastards of the Church and the nobility.
Has it affected you so grievously that she has banned you from her bed?
I wouldn't have anything to do with a witch...
in contrast to yourself.
And it is well known that the maidservant of this woman...
has been seen with the Anabaptists...
on several occasions.
Please, gentlemen!
She is the illegitimate offspring of the sovereign!
Defending a witch, Prior?
Rather stressing the fact that his Majesty, the Emperor...
might lose his patience if no quick and tangible results are delivered.
And if he should send us his Spanish inquisition...
the God have mercy on us all!
Absolutely!
-Welcome, Your Grace! -Ferdinand sent me, Prior.
He harbours doubts about the jurisdiction at Hall.
We hope the Emperor and His Eminence...
may be relieved of their doubts. Make your report!
It is not as you fear, Your Grace.
The family of a heretic has already been seized...
and they have as good as admitted their guilt.
One family? There are dozens of families!
One family!
Are you trying to make a mock of me, Prior?
This town is crawling with Anabaptists.
Where are the Anabaptists?
Down the lake.
Get up! Get up! Leave! You have to leave now! Leave!
The soldiers are coming! Get up!
To the hill! Run!
-No. -Come on!
Should we burn those?
The others are already dead.
Please?
Where have you been, you stupid girl?
If I see you with these Anabaptists...
I'll have you flogged in front of everybody in the court.
-Take your hands off me! -She was baptised today.
You know much.
You would be advised to confess.
Confess and pray.
I don't give a damn for your advice.
Control yourself, whore.
What you say to me, you say to God.
I shit on your God.
Some women only give themselves to God...
when the Devil has finished with them.
Now...
put your pretty white hands together...
and pray.
Pray, damn you!
Now repeat after me.
I swear by Almighty God...
I swear by Almighty God.
The Emperor's a whoremonger and the archbishop...
We don't need Ferdinand's Spanish torturer in Hall!
Get out of our town, you dog!
-You Spanish bastard, get out! -Get out!
Silence the people!
Silence!
Guards!
The proceedings against Margaretha von Fry are opened.
Frau...
von Fry.
Your maidservant has been accused of heresy.
Now, since we can no longer examine her...
what do you know...
about the Anabaptists?
How dare you!
-I am the daughter of Ferdinand. -Hang her!
Hang her!
-Hang the whore! -Hang her!
This "lèse majesté"...
does not answer the question.
What do you know about the heretics in this town?
The mayor...
the judge...
and the Prior, they are all heretics!
The Prior...
a heretic?
Take a look at the Prior's devout breast and see if he also has it...
the Devil's mark.
Here where the Archbishop has one.
Well, Georg.
Did he take you too...
your own father?
As I wager you do with your novices, you sodomite!
-Burn her... -Burn...
Silence the mob!
Silence!
Whether this woman is a witch or not...
shall be determined under torture.
Take her away.
Is it true Georg?
Does he have the same mark as I do?
Does he?
Prior Georg!
Some liquid to wash down the element?
The witch can neither talk nor humiliate you any longer.
Although this does not replace the relic...
it may help to soothe your pain.
Brother Bernhard, please take this away.
So he sat out to seek his fortune.
Did he take his magic sword?
Off course he did and...
after six days...
What do you want?
Speak!
The executioner and his wife...
they gave shelter to the heretic.
He baptised their child.
And the heart...
she has hidden it in her witches chamber.
May you have your men search for it there. Your Honour!
What!
Martin is hand and glove with the Anabaptists.
The Prior is a good friend of his and is known for some time.
-But for some reason... -What are you talking about, you liar!
Did you know about this, Prior Georg?
Your Grace...
this is nonsense.
That man is lying because he wanted to become executioner.
But the town council and His Eminence, the archbishop...
decided to appoint Martin.
Could it be that the executioner is innocent...
and is merely under the...
devilish influence of his wife, and you along with him?
Isn't that something we should investigate?
Prior Georg.
Your Honour...
you will find no heart there.
We will see!
Yes. We'll see.
Mother...
where are we going?
We are just going to stay with a friend for a while, Jakob.
Forgive me, Anna. I have put you both in danger.
No, Martin!
You have done exactly the right thing.
I love you...
very much.
-Do you believe in God? -Yes.
What kind of God lets people do things that...
Enter the house!
Take the boy!
-Run, Jakob, run! -Save the boy, Your Grace, I beg you.
Your honour is restored, Prior.
Well, only half-restored.
You! You come here!
Where is Martin?
The archbishop has taken him away.
And where is my son?
Out!
Speak! The executioner's boy.
Where is he? Where is he?
Clean this house!
No! No!
Jakob, don't be afraid.
You're safe here. Come here.
Why have you brought him here, this executioner?
The man is a danger to the people of Hall and to all of us.
A danger?
The people admire him as a rebel.
And there is a rumour going around that he is your own...
flesh and blood.
Rumours flourish were reason withers!
That may be, but it is also being said...
that he carries the same mark as you.
And the woman?
Well, she is condemned as a witch...
whether she confesses or no.
Only her child, the little bastard, is still at large.
Bring the executioner. I want to see him.
Please! Set my wife free.
She has committed no crime, nothing.
You are obviously unaware of your situation...
executioner.
You're trying to make demands of me?
I'm not making demands.
I'm asking for justice and fairness.
I'm asking myself what would have happened...
if I brought you up instead of that coward, Georg.
If you had become a man of the cloth...
how would you have dealt with those who would destroy you...
and the Church.
I could never serve this Church.
If you knew that you owed your life to me...
I don't think you would be so ungrateful.
That's why you brought me here...
father!
God protect you...
Martin!
Prior Georg...
put that back on!
What do you think you are doing?
Jakob! Jakob!
Listen to me. You are save here.
You must stay in the monastery.
OK?
You wait outside with the horse, Jakob!
Where is Anna?
You must understand...
-Where? -I couldn't help her.
-Where? -It was out of my hands.
Where is my wife?
She is to be burned in the stake.
You cowardly lying dog!
You put her there! You put her there!
You knew he wasn't your father!
You never told me! Why?
He is a pious man...
I admired him...
I admired him..
Martin, I can still safe the boy. I can help safe the boy.
Save the boy!
Like you were saved by the Archbishop?
No!
I wouldn't do that to a child!
I wouldn't do that to a child, Martin!
You must listen, I would never do that to a child.
Martin, you must listen to me. I would never do that.
I would not do that. Please...
-Let go! -Please! Martin!
Martin!
Filthy Inquisitor...
get out.
Get out of our town, Inquisitor!
Damn the Inquisitor!
Get back!
Set my wife free! Set her free!
Untie...
the girl!
Set the woman free!
Set the woman free, now!
Ride away, Anna! Far away.
Don't look back. I beg you.
Go!
I beg you, Anna!
It doesn't have to end like this, Martin.
You are free to go.
If God allows people like you to exist he will forgive me this sin!
Don't do this to me.
I'm your father!
Take that!
I love you...
very much.
Father said you mustn't look back.