John Hron (2015) - full transcript
The story takes place in the summer of 1995 outside of Gothenburg, Sweden, during the rise of Neo-Nazi violence that was sweeping across the country. The film "John Hron" is the true story about a teenager, his friends and family. John is caught up in defense of a student being bullied in school. As the conflict with the bully escalates it soon causes strain between John and his friends. While John is trying to win back his friends, the bully joins a violent Neo-Nazi gang. This also casts a long shadow over John's plans of a future motorcycle vacation with his girlfriend and his efforts in perusing to win the national canoeing championships. The conflict reaches to threats of murder and finally evolves to a nationwide interest. For his fearless and heroic actions John Hron becomes a well-known icon and has had a great impact on Sweden even to this day.
Based on public records and interviews,
this film relates true events.
Some events and characters are fictional,
for dramatic purposes.
Some names have been changed. Our aim has been to
comment on events - not on the people actually involved.
The peace after World War 2 has settled,
the Berlin Wall has fallen.
New winds sweep through Europe.
In late summer of 1995, extremists
murder 14-year old John Hron.
This film is about him.
We were only fourteen,
doing the second term of junior high.
I'm trying to remember
how things were in 1995.
We wore other clothes
and listened to different music.
Otherwise, not much has changed.
It was one of those hot summers,
with glaring sunshine.
And I remember John.
We were always tagging along
with John.
When he had his club competitions,
we would be there cheering him on.
Wide push-ups work your pecs.
Holding your arms together
works your triceps. Check it out.
- Come on, then!
- Quit it.
I'll work out every day leading up to
the Swedish championships. Almost.
Mom's second cousin works out every
day, and she competed in the Olympics.
Nice. You certainly don't lack ambition.
Hey, can we drop in at Maja's
on our way home to meet my father?
- Sure. Why?
- I thought I'd change.
- Into some new clothes...
- Why?
Dad prefers a more elegant style.
So perhaps you can take your jacket off.
- Get you into a nice shirt!
- No thanks!
I guess we all looked up to John.
He was tall for his age.
He wasn't afraid of anything.
And he had met this girl, too.
Her name was Angelika.
She was four years older than us
and went to senior high.
I think we all wished
that we could be a bit more like John.
Edward Balkh. I'm Angelika's father.
John Hron, Angelika's boyfriend.
Angelika tells me
you're a good paddler. Are you?
- John finished third in the SUCK cup.
- SUC.
- "Suck..."
- With juniors from all over Sweden.
The nationals are coming up.
But Sven from our club...
He's won three years straight,
so he'll be tough to beat.
I think you'll do just fine.
Do you always dress like that?
- Sure. Do you dress like that?
- Yes. But not like that.
Listen... No, I'm on my way in
in any case.
- What is it?
- Why did you say that?
What?
- Wasn't that a bit unnecessary?
- Nope.
Yes, it was!
You always take things too far.
Can I see that picture again?
You were so cute in it.
- "Cute"...?
- Well, you are! Let me see.
No! We'll take new ones soon, anyway.
Don't be silly. That picture is the cutest!
- I'm not cute! I could be your age.
- Yeah, right.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Stop it!
No, no...! Let me go!
- Ever ridden a motorbike?
- I did once.
I wouldn't mind doing it again.
Imagine a motorbike road trip.
So you like motorbikes?
- What, aren't girls allowed to?
- Sure, it's cool.
Can you find me an adjustable wrench?
Look, the knives we bought
in the Czech Republic.
I thought you sold those.
There's the accelerator...
And that's the float.
It lets the gas into the engine.
Help me tune it up?
Ouch! What are you doing?
- We're not tuning it up!
- Why not?
Okay- if you wait
till you're 15 to drive it.
- And then I can tune it up?
- I said you weren't to!
Remember
we promised you a quality moped.
I could save that money and buy
a lightweight bike when I'm 16.
- I could learn repairs and stuff then.
- Sounds good, I guess.
- Just don't be in a hurry to grow up.
- I won't be.
- What's that?
- The engine...
- Above it you'll find the driver.
- And that'd be me?
And the fuel tank's between you.
You be careful now!
I don't want you killing yourself.
You were never bored with John.
He was always thinking up things,
like having us swim across a lake
or climbing a mountain.
So we saw joining his canoeing club
as yet another adventure.
- Fredde? Sven?
- Here.
- Staffan Berg?
- Yeah.
There are some newcomers as well,
John's pals.
- Christoffer?
- Here.
- Jacob? And Johannes?
- That's me.
I've looked at our results,
and we haven't improved since last year.
Quit it!
I said quit it! Ouch!
There is a lot of trouble
at Staffan's school.
I'm going to buy a lightweight motorbike
when I'm 16.
Imagine heading down the freeway,
cruising along.
Give me those glasses.
You know
you can't have them back, right?
I'm doing you a favor.
You look like shit in them.
"Rambo" often started fights in class,
for no reason.
You look like a fucking geek.
But you can have them back if you cry.
- Can't you just give them back, please?
- I'll trade them for your wallet...
So our teachers sent him outside
to calm down, on his own.
He always found someone to harass,
and we were kind of used to it.
That's the way things were.
John had no limits either.
He was drawn to trouble.
Let's just leave, John.
- What are you doing?
- Mind your own business, jerk.
Take it easy, dude.
Gustav, Oscar...
Let's check if the school nurse
can stitch that up.
- What's your name?
- Holger.
Newcomers,
my name is Paul Milgram.
Don't forget your homework.
Chapter 27.
We'll start off with a roll call.
- Matthew Andersson?
- Yes.
- Christoffer Géntile?
- Yes.
- Flora Andreasson?
- I'm here.
- John Hron?
- Yes.
We'd been friends
since we were seven.
Strange how you can know a person
without really knowing them.
I don't know if John wanted to make
friends with Rambo or punch him.
- Did you give the budgie a name yet?
- I'm gonna teach him to talk first.
- Is that even possible?
- I don't know. Parrots can do it.
Let's record a tape
for him to listen to.
- "Shut up!"
- "Shut up!"
- "Shut up!"
- "Shutterbug up!"
What do you get up to in school?
- I needed money. And he got cocky.
- You're disgracing the family!
I'm sure he feels sorry!
Do you think I'd hit you? Well I ought to,
considering how good we are to you!
- In Slovenia, you'd be thrashed.
- Sure, he's kind as a wolf...
What did you say?
Piss off, I don't want to see you.
The 16-year-old boy found dead
in Stockholm had been murdered.
He had massive injuries and one hand
was severed from the arm.
He had been celebrating
New Year's Eve at a youth center...
Your shirt's dirty, Berra.
Do you have any friends in school?
I'll give you a t-shirt.
Try this one.
If they mess that one up
they're fucking retards.
Don't tuck it in!
Hand me your plate, Staffan.
- You'll make her beg even more, Tony.
- No, no.
- Gravy? Or berry sauce?
- Yes, please.
I'll have veg instead.
- So how's school?
- There's a guy there shoving people.
- You keep away if there's trouble, right?
- Of course.
Those who strike at others,
truly strike at themselves.
But you can't always
just look the other way, either.
- He calls himself "Rambo".
- Too many movies.
A colleague of Johan's is on disability
pension due to a whiplash injury...
He was always sitting at home
watching violent movies.
And his kid watched them too.
He wasn't old, he sat on my lap.
That couldn't have been very good.
- Checking out "The Owl"...
- Shut up!
Nobody ever tries to stop Rambo
when he goes around harassing people.
- Too right. Someone should talk to him.
- Yeah, it's about time.
- Why don't you do it, Christoffer?
- John Hron?
Hey, John!
- Do you think I'm fat?
- A little, yeah.
What...? You can't say stuff like that!
- Have you seen this?
- Yes, it's cool.
Maria and I are related.
Come on!
Yes!
I'd like to show the court
these images of Haakon's injuries.
These are the injuries to his back.
These are his shoulder injuries.
Here is a stab wound to his back.
And one more stab wound
to the side of his abdomen.
And here is a stab wound
to his shoulder.
- Thank you.
- Thank you...
Examination with Haakon Géntile.
Madam prosecutor, please proceed.
Thank you, your honor.
- Haakon, can you see your assailant?
- Yes, it's him. Bergwall.
Can you please
describe what transpired?
He tried to steal my car.
Look, Danne,
Bergwall's got his blazer on.
...and then he stabbed me.
We fell, and then he stabbed me
once more in the back.
It went deep. I sat astride him,
but couldn't grab his arms.
He stabbed me eight times,
until they could get the knife from him.
- I think it went rather well.
- Me too.
- Was this your first trial?
- Yeah. Really interesting.
I haven't seen you before.
- Von Schell.
- Rambo.
Although his real name is Pontus.
He rolls our cigarettes.
Figuring out who stole John's
bomber jacket wasn't too hard.
But as usual, nobody had seen a thing.
Sentenced for assault, Bergwall
was released after one month in jail.
- Hi, man!
- Fucking great to see you again!
Hey, Danne. Everything okay?
- Was it cool inside?
- Yeah, it was great.
How about a smoke?
I've got a lighter as well.
On my first day inside, I met this dude
called Anders. Cool as fuck!
He was doing seven years for shooting
a guy right in the forehead. It's true!
- What the hell are you after?
- You like my new jacket?
Keep it.
I have another one, as you can see.
I'm tired of being mistaken
for some fucking neo-Nazi anyway.
Apologize!
Apologize!
Go fuck yourself!
You're not so tough now, eh?
- John, are you all right?
- What the hell do you think?!
- You were standing pretty damn close!
- It all went so fast...
- Why didn't you just apologize?
- You just stood there and watched!
- You should've just apologized.
- Bystanders can talk!
Dad asked me for your phone number
yesterday. He called your parents.
Really? Why?
He doesn't approve of you being 14
and me four years older.
Oh?
Then he asked your parents to call him
if I'm ever at your house.
He doesn't think we should be together.
And what do you think?
I really don't know.
Not anymore.
It's not like we hang out very much.
- Well, I have a lot of schoolwork.
- As if I haven't?
I have had a lot of other stuff
going on as well.
Like what?
Canoeing and just tons of stuff.
Perhaps you don't want a boyfriend
who's four years younger?
- Maybe we ought to break up.
- Is that what you want?
- Is it?
- Perhaps it's better that way!
I was going to give you this.
John's an idiot.
How can he call us cowards?
"Wormwood." What's that?
That's what makes you so drunk
you piss yourself.
- Ellinore, that girl in seventh grade...
- "The Owl."
Damn, he's drunk.
So why did John call you cowards?
Rambo harasses him. John thinks
we should get our asses kicked too.
And he called Zara fat. Right to her face!
John's weird...
I've been asking around. Rambo's dad's
some grumpy fuck with a whiplash injury.
And his mom is from Slovenia. How can
you be a Nazi with an immigrant mom?
Sounds fucked up.
And what's his beef with you?
You're Swedish.
Did you read about that guy,
Andreas Gustavsson, I think it was?
He was killed by Nazis in Stockholm.
Those rats cut his hand off.
- No shit! I hadn't heard.
- Sick bastards.
They're even worse than immigrants.
We ought to beat him up with chains
or something.
Norwegian on a stroll,
happy as a troll.
You won!
So kiss it!
Hold this for me.
Can I talk to you?
- What do you want?
- For you to stop fucking with me.
- As if.
- What, we can't discuss it?
Just stop it!
Can you feel my hold?
Yes, for fuck's sake!
I'm stronger than you -
I could bust it if I wanted to.
- Is that what you want?
- No!
I ought to fucking bust it.
Do you think I don't dare?
Don't do it.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Bear that in mind next time you see me.
That I let you go.
And quit harassing
the others in school, too.
- D'you know they're bad-mouthing you?
- What, Christoffer and the guys?
"I'll break your fucking arm."
- I didn't say that.
- More or less. It was awesome!
Christoffer, did you hear
that John made Rambo pay?
Was that so smart?
His pals aren't exactly nice chaps.
You should play it neutral.
I might have
if you guys had backed me up.
What's going to happen now?
You guys'll probably keep chickening out
so I'll have to cope alone.
- Hey, Emil.
- Danne...
- Are you here for some moonshine?
- Damn right.
Let's go to the stables and sort it out.
- Are you seventeen now?
- Eighteen.
A neo-Nazi chased immigrants
with a scythe.
- He had them running like hell.
- Okey.
- Want some steroids, too?
- I'm a bit short on cash.
Really? I thought you were peddling
white power-music for that Adolf guy.
- You've got to keep its leg steady.
- Yes, mom.
- "Yes, mom."
- Shut up.
Aren't you a tough guy...?
- Be careful with its hoof.
- It's hard to see.
Here you are.
Who are those people?
It's some wog bitch
renting a box in our stable.
She pays double, but doesn't know it.
- And the others?
- Her sons.
The one in the bomber jacket looks
pretty lost. He's dressed like a Nazi.
Let's go.
It's fucking bizarre...
I mean, Slovene?
What a fucking monkey language!
I should explain a few things.
- Trying to be cocky, too!
- Thought you'd get away with lying!
- I'm trying to explain.
- We don't care!
- I want to apologize!
- Shut up, or we'll really fuck you over.
Do you know how disgusting you are?
To our friends you're a damn traitor!
- Do you understand me?!
- Yes! I'm sorry.
Don't even think of coming to
another protest or drinking with us.
I'm trying to apologize.
- You shouldn't have lied.
- You've fucking pissed us off!
- But I'm one of you...
- You're a fucking immigrant shit!
- I'm not. My mum is.
- Wait, hear him out.
My mom's an immigrant.
It's not my fault.
I hate those stinking
fucking immigrants.
I stand up for us whenever John
talks crap about us in school.
- Tell them, Danne!
- John's Swedish.
- But he hates skinheads.
- He hates us?
All neo-Nazis. He thinks we're idiots.
I've had loads of fucking trouble
with him. I'm one of you, for fuck's sake!
Do we boot him over?
Stay there!
Get your shit together now.
- Understood?
- I will.
Good. Give Göran a hug as well.
And Danne too.
- Looks great.
- Cool.
- You can borrow some more t-shirts.
- Great!
The 17-year-old boy who was stabbed
yesterday in Avesta Park has died.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested.
He admits to fighting, but claims it was
only a fist fight. The police have not yet...
- You know where to find your clothes.
- Go get them.
- Rambo can't go on like that in school.
- No.
What shall we do?
- Next time he's messing with Ivan...
- Holger.
- Right. Then we'll go talk to him.
- We don't need to sound threatening.
- I'd prefer it if there were more of us.
Nice! More money towards a motorbike.
- John! Is it true you floored Rambo?
- He was being a pain.
- Did you really do it?
- When?
- It was a while back.
- Tell us.
- Want to hear about it?
- Yes!
Rambo stole my jacket. So when
I saw him, I thought I'd talk to him.
I went up to him.
He said: "What the fuck do you want?"
I said: "Stop messing with everyone."
He got pissed, and shoved me.
I said: "Can't we talk?"
He shoved me again.
I grabbed his arm and wrestled him
down, till he floundered like a fish.
I asked, "Rambo, can you feel my hold?"
"Ow!" he said.
"Say sorry, or I'll break your arm,"
I told him. "Sorry!" he said.
I felt like messing with him, so I said:
"Will you suck my dick?"
"Yes, I will!"
But Rambo's still messing with people
in school.
Next time, let's all go up to him
and tell him to stop.
We'll tell him once for all.
You're too big for your boots.
Know what you look like
with your head shaved?
You look like the tip of a dick.
You're so damn cool
when your mates are close by.
Shut it!
Keep out of my way, 'cause I'll kill you.
Get it?
Are you back?
Is Angelika in?
No.
Do you know when she'll be back?
I see you've scrubbed the flagpole.
Do you need a hand getting it up?
Well, if you insist on being here,
you might as well pull the rope.
Sure.
Right.
You could hang your jacket a bit nicer.
- Or I'll I do it.
- I can do it.
I'll go up there.
- Ready, John?
- Yes.
Pull!
There we go. Nice work!
Maybe you're not such a girlie after all!
That's great, John! Great...
- Don't you snap that pole midway!
- It should be kept straight.
Or you'll be paying for it
by instalments all summer.
Okay, John, haul away!
You can do it.
That's great!
You have to raise it
without crossing the ropes.
Here you go.
- Is it right?
- Yes.
Go ahead, then.
When it's all the way up,
you walk around the flagpole
with the ropes tight around it
so they don't beat in the wind.
They have to be close to the flagpole.
Walk around it.
Like a sailor's hitch.
Looking good!
- It looks nice.
- If you pull that too hard...
- Hi!
- Hi.
- Are you here?
- I helped your dad get the flagpole up.
It looks nice.
I think he's done it before.
He did it fine.
I'm a bit better at it, though.
I've changed my mind.
It's okay if you see each other...
...as friends.
He's okay. He's a good guy.
Well, what are you waiting for?
The flag's already flying.
- Bye-bye!
- In that case we'll go swimming. Bye.
Maybe I should have left things
as they were.
- Your friends should have stood by you.
- You're right.
- So what is it that you want?
- The impossible.
Nothing's impossible.
Some things are just difficult.
- Like earning a championship medal.
- Yes, that'll be hard.
You said you wanted
to go on a motorbiking holiday.
- That would be fun.
- It could happen, soon.
- How so?
- I'm saving up for a lightweight bike.
- They can do around 70 mph.
- You're kidding!
I don't have all the money yet, but...
- Can't we ride across Europe then?
- Sure, that would be cool.
And when we get to the Mediterranean,
we can sleep on the beach.
You're so screwed.
- You're going to lose.
- I don't think so.
One, two, three...
Your turn!
Mine's a straight.
What a shame! Things are moving -
three items of clothing in a row now.
So, what have you got?
Are you ready?
Right. Cards down.
- What have you got?
- A straight. Right?
Get stripping! I won again!
I got a straight again!
And I have four of a kind.
- No! You're so damn lucky!
- No, I'm skilled.
You little shit!
- Supper's ready!
- Are you hungry?
- No.
- No, but thanks for the offer.
Did you get worried?
- Here you are.
- Thanks.
- Angelika, how old are you?
- I just turned 18.
- Strictly speaking, John isn't legal yet...
- Dad!
I just wanted to mention the fact.
I know it's in Angelika's dad's mind, too.
- I've got to go.
- Let's do this again sometime.
Maybe we should skip breakfast.
No... I have to go now.
But... Stop it!
- Goodbye!
- Bye!
It felt good when I'd pulled ahead
and I realized I could win.
I was last in the early stage of the race.
But you should never give up. The race
isn't over until you cross the line.
- How does it feel, physically?
- Of course you feel it.
It's as you want it - a good feeling.
And next year it's the Olympics.
No trick - you win if you're the one
who endures the muscle pain longest.
I discussed the championships
with Niko.
Seeing you win, I felt I could do it too.
You can. I believe in you.
- I'll take it.
- I'll get the other bag.
Talk to John,
so he doesn't get any ideas.
Hey... Promise you won't have a party.
- I'd find out anyway.
- Okay.
If you do, remove my guitars
and don't use the schnapps glasses.
- I can have a party?
- No.
- No?
- Okay. Right. Good. Bye.
Take care.
- Goodbye, take care.
- You too.
You're sending him mixed messages.
First you say: "Don't have a party."
- Then you tell him how to arrange it.
- He does as he pleases anyway.
- Hi! Where is Christoffer?
- He's gone. He left earlier today.
- I thought he was going with you.
- I waited, but I must have missed him.
- Then you'd better hurry.
- I will. Thanks.
Christoffer!
John must have thought we didn't care.
But there was nothing we could do.
- Come on!
- No!
We don't want any homework.
Not over the weekend.
- Let's vote on it.
- Yes!
No, I don't think so.
- Let's arm-wrestle. I win, no homework.
- Yeah!
Come on, Paul! You don't think
John can beat you, do you?
Okay. But if I win, you get homework
for next week. All right?
Go, John!
- Go for it!
- Have you been practicing?
- Come on, John!
- Go for it, go for it!
Shit!
- Not bad. Thanks for a good match.
- No homework!
Are you coming
to the canoe club sleepover?
I haven't decided yet.
- Staffan's coming.
- Sure. It'll be great.
- The club competition sounds fun.
- There's a barbecue, too.
- It'll be fun.
- Cheers!
- Salt first?
- Of course!
- Careful with my dad's glasses.
- Cheers!
Fuck!
Drink, drink, drink!
- Here comes the beer!
- Cool.
No, no. I don't know if I should
be giving beer to little boys...
- Here are some beers.
- Hi! I can see you've run out.
- Truth or dare?
- Dare.
Kiss Holger on the mouth.
He wasn't prepared, so he fell
onto the floor with table and all.
I'm a bit disappointed in you. We agreed
to talk to Rambo if he bothered people,
yet no one intervened.
That was cowardly.
If you don't help out I won't help you
get out of your homework.
The eyebrows, too.
- Here it comes.
- No.
- Shit!
- Fuck!
- That's a pizza I'm not ordering.
- No!
- What did you hear?
- "Blind bat."
- I said: "Hi, kitty-cat!"
- So where are your friends?
They'll be here
for the competition tomorrow.
- Nothing.
- Nor me...
Great! More money for my motorbike.
It started getting heavy
hanging out with John.
We just couldn't. So Johannes, Jacob
and I stopped going to the canoe club.
Not so cocky anymore?
He looks shit scared.
- Did you know Göran stabbed a guy?
- No, I didn't.
It was silly, really.
He tried to grab me, like this.
"Let go!" I said. But he didn't.
So I got my knife out
and stabbed him in the chest.
The knife got stuck in his breastbone,
so I had to really yank it out.
He had a tight white t-shirt on...
The blood stain spread like fuck.
It looked damn funny.
And when I stabbed him in the arm,
he just looked at me with big eyes
as if he wanted to ask me
what had just happened.
- Bergwall stabbed a guy, too.
- Eight times.
- I got a month in the can.
- Just one?
They just let me go. I was going
into foster care, so they didn't bother.
One month in jail doesn't scare me.
Could even be fun.
Get down on your knees.
Down on your knees.
- I said: "On your knees!"
- Never, you hairless dimwit.
Hey! What are you doing?
Do you really think they will help you?
Do you think they'll even try?
This isn't over yet. I'll fucking kill you!
The 17-year-old boy who was stabbed
in Avesta, later died from his wounds.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested.
Now for a weather forecast...
It was John and Pontus,
and some others that I didn't recognize.
Some of them were Pontus' friends.
It looked like there had been a scuffle.
When I turned up, their attitude changed,
but I wondered what had happened.
- How many were they?
- At least ten.
- They stood in a ring around John.
- Boys will fight...
But this was Pontus and his friends.
I hear he even fights in class.
- If he's involved, it sounds serious.
- Yes, you should talk to them.
I've talked to Pontus several times.
So has the principal.
But John lacks that healthy fear
of the older students.
- No one should have to yield.
- I don't think there's any danger.
I'm glad John isn't scared.
No one should be afraid in school.
- Shouldn't we contact John's parents?
- There are guidelines for these things.
It must happen on numerous occasions,
and to the same person.
That's not really the case this time.
And how is John in school?
He is willing,
always here, always participating.
If his attendance rate is high
there's no problem
according to the guidelines.
- I still think this looks bad.
- I appreciate your concern.
Whose idea was that?
Anyone seen the flag pole handle?
Have you got the handle?
I'll have a look indoors.
Okay...thanks.
Christoffer!
Christoffer! Hi!
This is John.
He's John?
- What was her name?
- Zara.
- Why did you tell Zara she was fat?
- No reason.
Nils is such a freak.
He doesn't think before he answers.
- He's a bit like John, then.
- Yes.
If you look closely, on the atomic scale,
you can't see where you end and I begin.
Do you think that goes for everything?
Maybe.
In that case, you and I are connected
even when we're not together.
White Power! Slaughter Jews!
White Power! Slaughter Jews!
Forensics have determined
that the 16-year-old boy found dead in
a Stockholm warehouse was murdered.
He had massive head injuries
and one hand had been severed.
He was from Solna and had celebrated
New Year's Eve at a youth center...
John, tell me what's the matter.
It's nothing.
We can tell something's wrong.
It's my buddies - they aren't true friends.
What makes you say that?
There must be someone who's okay.
Staffan is a true friend. He is.
What's happened?
They said they'd come camping
at the canoe club and then didn't bother.
- They're hardly ever there, these days.
- That's too bad.
John probably considered
carrying a knife in school.
But that didn't happen.
Instead John and Tony sold the knives
at a flea market.
John saved the cash, as usual.
No ears on No ears on
No tails on 'em there be
- Nice!
- Nice...
A girlfriend over 18 can be useful.
- I'm going to have some of this.
- So you like the herring?
Down in one
Sing top me up olé
Down in one
Sing top me up olé
If you don't down it all in one
A half's no good -just spoils the fun
Down in one!
Sing topple me over olé!
I checked my bank account - I have
enough for that motorbike now.
- What, already?
- Yeah.
That's so cool!
Soon we'll be able to bike
all over Sweden - wherever we want.
Where'd you choose to go,
if we had the bike right now?
Don't know.
Where would you choose?
I don't know.
They confiscated the gun and the
samurai sword, but I got the gun back.
You got your gun back? Ooh!
Damn, I could use one of those at home.
Here, do you want some brews?
No! Don't smoke in here.
The wife is a bit sensitive.
What about the music- is it selling?
- It's doing alright.
- He's been a bit busy with Monica.
Put your back into it! It's important.
If I had been your age in the forties,
I'd have joined the German army.
- Can you sign up in another country?
- Of course you can.
Norway and Denmark
each contributed with 6,000 men.
But Hitler was disappointed in Sweden.
Only 180 Swedes volunteered.
- Is it ringing?
- Yes.
- Will he believe your bus story?
- He can't come and get me, anyway.
You have reached the Hrons. As you
can tell, we're not in at the moment.
Leave a message, we'll call you back.
And please speak after the beep.
- Tony.
- Hi, Dad. Happy Midsummer.
- Did you miss the bus?
- Yes, the last bus.
Be nice to him.
Angelika's dad says
it's okay for me to sleep over.
I knew you'd do this.
- Can I sleep over, then?
- Sure. Happy Midsummer.
- Good. Talk to you tomorrow.
- Did he say yes?
Danne, have you got a gun
I could borrow?
The one I got back from the cops
is an air pistol, just so you know.
- What the hell d'you need a gun for?
- I'm fixing to kill that guy at school.
Scram... Get out of here, we're talking!
- Are you serious?
- We can get him after the summer.
John attended a lot of canoe camps
- and the national championships.
The next day "The pride of Kode"
was in several papers.
John Hron had put
Kungälv Canoe Club on the map,
winning the bronze
at the Swedish championships.
They compared John
to his idol, Maria Brandin.
They said he had great potential.
He could be among the world's best.
Maybe even the very best.
- Nice friends you've got...
- What?
- Christoffer and me ran into Rambo.
- He's no friend of mine.
He was asking for you, anyway.
We told him that you were out of town.
Oh, I'm so happy for you. Oh, John!
Let me see. You did it!
What do the coaches say?
I'll make the national team. The Nordic
championships are our next goal.
Not bad.
- I'm going to say good bye, I mean, hi to Christoffer.
- He's over there.
- Hi.
- Hello.
I came third.
Everything okay with you?
Sure.
- The school semester is about to start.
- Yeah.
Do you want to do something
before it does? It's been a while.
I guess.
Camping?
- Sure, by Ingeltorp lake maybe?
- Yes.
Great, it's a deal.
Have you ever seen
the "milky seas" effect?
No. What's that?
It's some kind of plankton
in ocean waters.
When you stir the water,
they light up like green fire.
I saw it for the first time this summer.
- Look who's coming...
- Hi, guys.
- How are things?
- Fine, thanks. And you?
Hey, over there!
- Hello!
- Pipe the fuck down...
Rambo. What the hell is he doing here?
Good thing you came
all the way from the south. Tiring trip?
I read about you in the paper.
Congratulations.
Who are they?
It's John Hron!
It was John and his buddy.
- How many of them?
- Just the two of them.
I want to get more drunk first.
They went for John. He defended him-
self with his arms, but it must've hurt.
Then there was a lull.
- Check this out. I bought it from Schell.
- Oh?...
Beautiful.
Danne.
John! Do you know how Hitler stopped
the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto?
No.
They were a pain in the ass.
They didn't know their place.
A bit like you, actually.
So he sent in Dirlewanger,
the SS Oberführer.
When he came there, he chopped the
Poles' arms off and burned them alive.
He killed everyone he found.
They threw babies into the air
and caught them on their bayonets.
He did what had to be done.
Then things got pretty damn calm there.
Can I go now?
I think I need to go home...
What do you think, John?
Should I use the knife?
No, it will be over too quickly
if I use the knife, won't it?
You'll need time
so you can feel it.
You don't seem to realize
that you are going to die here today.
What do you think?
That I'll just let you walk away?
Soon you'll be on the ground
with several bust ribs
and at least one punctured lung.
When you lie there, gasping for breath,
blood filling your lung,
then you'll understand it's all over.
You'll cry and beg for your life.
But I'll just keep on bashing.
You'll realize nothing can help you.
Then you will understand
how pointless life is.
Say that you love neo-Nazis!
- Say that you love neo-Nazis.
- Say it!
- Hell no!
- Fucking cunt!
John, watch out!
Throw him in the lake.
- Shall we throw you in as well?
- Wanna go bathing?
Hey, he's swimming away.
He's getting away!
I've often wondered
what John was thinking...
What he was feeling,
his eyes on the other shore.
Freedom was within reach!
Call him back, you hear?!
You're the one we really want!
But sure, we can beat Christoffer
to death instead!
- Call him back!
- Now!
Call him back, damn it!
Call him back, you fucking cunt!
Don't you realize we'll beat you to death?
Bergwall, give me the knife.
Shout!
I'll slit your throat!
John!
Come back!
Help me, come back.
John, come back! Come back.
They're beating me up.
Help! Help, John!
I'm coming!
- If this gets out, don't mention me.
- No.
Me neither. Get it?
In that case our story will be, that me
and Göran walked off with Christoffer.
You're not to mention this, get it?
You don't know a thing!
Good to see you again.
Likewise, you piece of shit.
I must admit, I was a bit envious,
reading about you in the paper.
There won't be any more medals
for you now. This time we won't stop.
Do your worst. Maybe you four idiots
will make your own headlines.
What are you doing here,
all on your own?
The guys with the motorbike,
are they your friends?
- Can you give me a ride?
- Sure. Jump in.
Close the door!
Did something happen?
I told the police everything.
That we'd known each other since we
were 7, but weren't in the same class.
We used to walk to school together,
but not every day.
We weren't that close.
I...
I don't know why he swam back.
I don't think it was for my sake.
And he wouldn't do it
just because someone asked him to.
I don't know why John swam back.
So Göran jumps and kicks him.
About there. He falls on his back.
Then Göran grabbed his hair
and lifted him up.
And threw him down, there.
And then Göran starts swinging
a smoldering stick at his face.
At his body.
John is standing here, Bergwall and
Danne about there, and Göran, too.
And I was here.
I kick him in the throat
so that he falls down.
Then I walk over to the fire
and look for some hot dog buns.
And here, later,
they just throw him in the water.
In prison, Rambo had a visit
from some older Nazis
as revenge
for his having talked to the police.
No guards there at the time, I guess.
I had said that if he didn't come ashore,
we would get his friend.
Danne was released after 5 years.
He had no regrets.
He bragged about the murder
and how he founded
a Nazi organization in prison.
That was it. And then
we just rolled him into the water.
Just look at what you have done!
He told me to roll him a cigarette, so I
went over to my bag and rolled him one.
Danne came up to me,
and I gave him the cigarette.
He lit it and started smoking it.
Rambo and Danne
were charged with murder.
But Göran and Bergwall
weren't even detained.
During the trial
they were both free men.
Come on, guys. Let's get him!
Don't move! Get it?
Due to new crimes during the trial
Göran served a total of six months.
Get him!
Bergwall was released
after only two months.
There! He's not getting up.
- What the hell are you waiting for?
- Get up! Up!
- Come on!
- Get a grip!
- Is he incapable?
- Tony!
- Tony...
- What's the prosecutor asking for?
- Maximum sentence.
Does that even apply to the others -
who've not been detained?
The media told the story of the brave
14-year-old who gave his life.
Many people left their bomber jackets
at home, and let their hair grow back.
During the last year,
more than 100 acts of violence -
- related to racism,
have been committed in Sweden.
It's now commonplace that some pupils
wear Nazi symbols in our schools.
If the question used to be how far
we would let racial violence go -
- before anyone intervened, it now seems
to be completely out of control.
Last summer, a 14-year-old boy
was murdered in western Sweden -
- and this is not the only case...
I'm sure John would have wanted
you to have his budgie.
In Gothenburg thousands paid
their respects to John with lit candles.
Staffan and the others were there.
I should have been there,
but I couldn't even get out of bed.
And I couldn't sleep.
John was a good friend.
I guess we all wished
we could be a little more like him.
I know that I do, at any rate.
John Hron, 1981-1995
was posthumously awarded the Stig Dagerman prize
"...for his courage, even at the cost of his
own life, to take a stand against evil..."
Sweden's national anthem
Based on public records and interviews,
this film relates true events.
Some events and characters
are fictional, for dramatic purposes.
Some names have been changed. Our aim has been to
comment on events - not on the people actually involved.
Subtitles Svensk Medietext AB
Some subtitles by GLIMMER FILM DISTRIBUTION
this film relates true events.
Some events and characters are fictional,
for dramatic purposes.
Some names have been changed. Our aim has been to
comment on events - not on the people actually involved.
The peace after World War 2 has settled,
the Berlin Wall has fallen.
New winds sweep through Europe.
In late summer of 1995, extremists
murder 14-year old John Hron.
This film is about him.
We were only fourteen,
doing the second term of junior high.
I'm trying to remember
how things were in 1995.
We wore other clothes
and listened to different music.
Otherwise, not much has changed.
It was one of those hot summers,
with glaring sunshine.
And I remember John.
We were always tagging along
with John.
When he had his club competitions,
we would be there cheering him on.
Wide push-ups work your pecs.
Holding your arms together
works your triceps. Check it out.
- Come on, then!
- Quit it.
I'll work out every day leading up to
the Swedish championships. Almost.
Mom's second cousin works out every
day, and she competed in the Olympics.
Nice. You certainly don't lack ambition.
Hey, can we drop in at Maja's
on our way home to meet my father?
- Sure. Why?
- I thought I'd change.
- Into some new clothes...
- Why?
Dad prefers a more elegant style.
So perhaps you can take your jacket off.
- Get you into a nice shirt!
- No thanks!
I guess we all looked up to John.
He was tall for his age.
He wasn't afraid of anything.
And he had met this girl, too.
Her name was Angelika.
She was four years older than us
and went to senior high.
I think we all wished
that we could be a bit more like John.
Edward Balkh. I'm Angelika's father.
John Hron, Angelika's boyfriend.
Angelika tells me
you're a good paddler. Are you?
- John finished third in the SUCK cup.
- SUC.
- "Suck..."
- With juniors from all over Sweden.
The nationals are coming up.
But Sven from our club...
He's won three years straight,
so he'll be tough to beat.
I think you'll do just fine.
Do you always dress like that?
- Sure. Do you dress like that?
- Yes. But not like that.
Listen... No, I'm on my way in
in any case.
- What is it?
- Why did you say that?
What?
- Wasn't that a bit unnecessary?
- Nope.
Yes, it was!
You always take things too far.
Can I see that picture again?
You were so cute in it.
- "Cute"...?
- Well, you are! Let me see.
No! We'll take new ones soon, anyway.
Don't be silly. That picture is the cutest!
- I'm not cute! I could be your age.
- Yeah, right.
- What's that supposed to mean?
- Stop it!
No, no...! Let me go!
- Ever ridden a motorbike?
- I did once.
I wouldn't mind doing it again.
Imagine a motorbike road trip.
So you like motorbikes?
- What, aren't girls allowed to?
- Sure, it's cool.
Can you find me an adjustable wrench?
Look, the knives we bought
in the Czech Republic.
I thought you sold those.
There's the accelerator...
And that's the float.
It lets the gas into the engine.
Help me tune it up?
Ouch! What are you doing?
- We're not tuning it up!
- Why not?
Okay- if you wait
till you're 15 to drive it.
- And then I can tune it up?
- I said you weren't to!
Remember
we promised you a quality moped.
I could save that money and buy
a lightweight bike when I'm 16.
- I could learn repairs and stuff then.
- Sounds good, I guess.
- Just don't be in a hurry to grow up.
- I won't be.
- What's that?
- The engine...
- Above it you'll find the driver.
- And that'd be me?
And the fuel tank's between you.
You be careful now!
I don't want you killing yourself.
You were never bored with John.
He was always thinking up things,
like having us swim across a lake
or climbing a mountain.
So we saw joining his canoeing club
as yet another adventure.
- Fredde? Sven?
- Here.
- Staffan Berg?
- Yeah.
There are some newcomers as well,
John's pals.
- Christoffer?
- Here.
- Jacob? And Johannes?
- That's me.
I've looked at our results,
and we haven't improved since last year.
Quit it!
I said quit it! Ouch!
There is a lot of trouble
at Staffan's school.
I'm going to buy a lightweight motorbike
when I'm 16.
Imagine heading down the freeway,
cruising along.
Give me those glasses.
You know
you can't have them back, right?
I'm doing you a favor.
You look like shit in them.
"Rambo" often started fights in class,
for no reason.
You look like a fucking geek.
But you can have them back if you cry.
- Can't you just give them back, please?
- I'll trade them for your wallet...
So our teachers sent him outside
to calm down, on his own.
He always found someone to harass,
and we were kind of used to it.
That's the way things were.
John had no limits either.
He was drawn to trouble.
Let's just leave, John.
- What are you doing?
- Mind your own business, jerk.
Take it easy, dude.
Gustav, Oscar...
Let's check if the school nurse
can stitch that up.
- What's your name?
- Holger.
Newcomers,
my name is Paul Milgram.
Don't forget your homework.
Chapter 27.
We'll start off with a roll call.
- Matthew Andersson?
- Yes.
- Christoffer Géntile?
- Yes.
- Flora Andreasson?
- I'm here.
- John Hron?
- Yes.
We'd been friends
since we were seven.
Strange how you can know a person
without really knowing them.
I don't know if John wanted to make
friends with Rambo or punch him.
- Did you give the budgie a name yet?
- I'm gonna teach him to talk first.
- Is that even possible?
- I don't know. Parrots can do it.
Let's record a tape
for him to listen to.
- "Shut up!"
- "Shut up!"
- "Shut up!"
- "Shutterbug up!"
What do you get up to in school?
- I needed money. And he got cocky.
- You're disgracing the family!
I'm sure he feels sorry!
Do you think I'd hit you? Well I ought to,
considering how good we are to you!
- In Slovenia, you'd be thrashed.
- Sure, he's kind as a wolf...
What did you say?
Piss off, I don't want to see you.
The 16-year-old boy found dead
in Stockholm had been murdered.
He had massive injuries and one hand
was severed from the arm.
He had been celebrating
New Year's Eve at a youth center...
Your shirt's dirty, Berra.
Do you have any friends in school?
I'll give you a t-shirt.
Try this one.
If they mess that one up
they're fucking retards.
Don't tuck it in!
Hand me your plate, Staffan.
- You'll make her beg even more, Tony.
- No, no.
- Gravy? Or berry sauce?
- Yes, please.
I'll have veg instead.
- So how's school?
- There's a guy there shoving people.
- You keep away if there's trouble, right?
- Of course.
Those who strike at others,
truly strike at themselves.
But you can't always
just look the other way, either.
- He calls himself "Rambo".
- Too many movies.
A colleague of Johan's is on disability
pension due to a whiplash injury...
He was always sitting at home
watching violent movies.
And his kid watched them too.
He wasn't old, he sat on my lap.
That couldn't have been very good.
- Checking out "The Owl"...
- Shut up!
Nobody ever tries to stop Rambo
when he goes around harassing people.
- Too right. Someone should talk to him.
- Yeah, it's about time.
- Why don't you do it, Christoffer?
- John Hron?
Hey, John!
- Do you think I'm fat?
- A little, yeah.
What...? You can't say stuff like that!
- Have you seen this?
- Yes, it's cool.
Maria and I are related.
Come on!
Yes!
I'd like to show the court
these images of Haakon's injuries.
These are the injuries to his back.
These are his shoulder injuries.
Here is a stab wound to his back.
And one more stab wound
to the side of his abdomen.
And here is a stab wound
to his shoulder.
- Thank you.
- Thank you...
Examination with Haakon Géntile.
Madam prosecutor, please proceed.
Thank you, your honor.
- Haakon, can you see your assailant?
- Yes, it's him. Bergwall.
Can you please
describe what transpired?
He tried to steal my car.
Look, Danne,
Bergwall's got his blazer on.
...and then he stabbed me.
We fell, and then he stabbed me
once more in the back.
It went deep. I sat astride him,
but couldn't grab his arms.
He stabbed me eight times,
until they could get the knife from him.
- I think it went rather well.
- Me too.
- Was this your first trial?
- Yeah. Really interesting.
I haven't seen you before.
- Von Schell.
- Rambo.
Although his real name is Pontus.
He rolls our cigarettes.
Figuring out who stole John's
bomber jacket wasn't too hard.
But as usual, nobody had seen a thing.
Sentenced for assault, Bergwall
was released after one month in jail.
- Hi, man!
- Fucking great to see you again!
Hey, Danne. Everything okay?
- Was it cool inside?
- Yeah, it was great.
How about a smoke?
I've got a lighter as well.
On my first day inside, I met this dude
called Anders. Cool as fuck!
He was doing seven years for shooting
a guy right in the forehead. It's true!
- What the hell are you after?
- You like my new jacket?
Keep it.
I have another one, as you can see.
I'm tired of being mistaken
for some fucking neo-Nazi anyway.
Apologize!
Apologize!
Go fuck yourself!
You're not so tough now, eh?
- John, are you all right?
- What the hell do you think?!
- You were standing pretty damn close!
- It all went so fast...
- Why didn't you just apologize?
- You just stood there and watched!
- You should've just apologized.
- Bystanders can talk!
Dad asked me for your phone number
yesterday. He called your parents.
Really? Why?
He doesn't approve of you being 14
and me four years older.
Oh?
Then he asked your parents to call him
if I'm ever at your house.
He doesn't think we should be together.
And what do you think?
I really don't know.
Not anymore.
It's not like we hang out very much.
- Well, I have a lot of schoolwork.
- As if I haven't?
I have had a lot of other stuff
going on as well.
Like what?
Canoeing and just tons of stuff.
Perhaps you don't want a boyfriend
who's four years younger?
- Maybe we ought to break up.
- Is that what you want?
- Is it?
- Perhaps it's better that way!
I was going to give you this.
John's an idiot.
How can he call us cowards?
"Wormwood." What's that?
That's what makes you so drunk
you piss yourself.
- Ellinore, that girl in seventh grade...
- "The Owl."
Damn, he's drunk.
So why did John call you cowards?
Rambo harasses him. John thinks
we should get our asses kicked too.
And he called Zara fat. Right to her face!
John's weird...
I've been asking around. Rambo's dad's
some grumpy fuck with a whiplash injury.
And his mom is from Slovenia. How can
you be a Nazi with an immigrant mom?
Sounds fucked up.
And what's his beef with you?
You're Swedish.
Did you read about that guy,
Andreas Gustavsson, I think it was?
He was killed by Nazis in Stockholm.
Those rats cut his hand off.
- No shit! I hadn't heard.
- Sick bastards.
They're even worse than immigrants.
We ought to beat him up with chains
or something.
Norwegian on a stroll,
happy as a troll.
You won!
So kiss it!
Hold this for me.
Can I talk to you?
- What do you want?
- For you to stop fucking with me.
- As if.
- What, we can't discuss it?
Just stop it!
Can you feel my hold?
Yes, for fuck's sake!
I'm stronger than you -
I could bust it if I wanted to.
- Is that what you want?
- No!
I ought to fucking bust it.
Do you think I don't dare?
Don't do it.
I'm not going to hurt you.
Bear that in mind next time you see me.
That I let you go.
And quit harassing
the others in school, too.
- D'you know they're bad-mouthing you?
- What, Christoffer and the guys?
"I'll break your fucking arm."
- I didn't say that.
- More or less. It was awesome!
Christoffer, did you hear
that John made Rambo pay?
Was that so smart?
His pals aren't exactly nice chaps.
You should play it neutral.
I might have
if you guys had backed me up.
What's going to happen now?
You guys'll probably keep chickening out
so I'll have to cope alone.
- Hey, Emil.
- Danne...
- Are you here for some moonshine?
- Damn right.
Let's go to the stables and sort it out.
- Are you seventeen now?
- Eighteen.
A neo-Nazi chased immigrants
with a scythe.
- He had them running like hell.
- Okey.
- Want some steroids, too?
- I'm a bit short on cash.
Really? I thought you were peddling
white power-music for that Adolf guy.
- You've got to keep its leg steady.
- Yes, mom.
- "Yes, mom."
- Shut up.
Aren't you a tough guy...?
- Be careful with its hoof.
- It's hard to see.
Here you are.
Who are those people?
It's some wog bitch
renting a box in our stable.
She pays double, but doesn't know it.
- And the others?
- Her sons.
The one in the bomber jacket looks
pretty lost. He's dressed like a Nazi.
Let's go.
It's fucking bizarre...
I mean, Slovene?
What a fucking monkey language!
I should explain a few things.
- Trying to be cocky, too!
- Thought you'd get away with lying!
- I'm trying to explain.
- We don't care!
- I want to apologize!
- Shut up, or we'll really fuck you over.
Do you know how disgusting you are?
To our friends you're a damn traitor!
- Do you understand me?!
- Yes! I'm sorry.
Don't even think of coming to
another protest or drinking with us.
I'm trying to apologize.
- You shouldn't have lied.
- You've fucking pissed us off!
- But I'm one of you...
- You're a fucking immigrant shit!
- I'm not. My mum is.
- Wait, hear him out.
My mom's an immigrant.
It's not my fault.
I hate those stinking
fucking immigrants.
I stand up for us whenever John
talks crap about us in school.
- Tell them, Danne!
- John's Swedish.
- But he hates skinheads.
- He hates us?
All neo-Nazis. He thinks we're idiots.
I've had loads of fucking trouble
with him. I'm one of you, for fuck's sake!
Do we boot him over?
Stay there!
Get your shit together now.
- Understood?
- I will.
Good. Give Göran a hug as well.
And Danne too.
- Looks great.
- Cool.
- You can borrow some more t-shirts.
- Great!
The 17-year-old boy who was stabbed
yesterday in Avesta Park has died.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested.
He admits to fighting, but claims it was
only a fist fight. The police have not yet...
- You know where to find your clothes.
- Go get them.
- Rambo can't go on like that in school.
- No.
What shall we do?
- Next time he's messing with Ivan...
- Holger.
- Right. Then we'll go talk to him.
- We don't need to sound threatening.
- I'd prefer it if there were more of us.
Nice! More money towards a motorbike.
- John! Is it true you floored Rambo?
- He was being a pain.
- Did you really do it?
- When?
- It was a while back.
- Tell us.
- Want to hear about it?
- Yes!
Rambo stole my jacket. So when
I saw him, I thought I'd talk to him.
I went up to him.
He said: "What the fuck do you want?"
I said: "Stop messing with everyone."
He got pissed, and shoved me.
I said: "Can't we talk?"
He shoved me again.
I grabbed his arm and wrestled him
down, till he floundered like a fish.
I asked, "Rambo, can you feel my hold?"
"Ow!" he said.
"Say sorry, or I'll break your arm,"
I told him. "Sorry!" he said.
I felt like messing with him, so I said:
"Will you suck my dick?"
"Yes, I will!"
But Rambo's still messing with people
in school.
Next time, let's all go up to him
and tell him to stop.
We'll tell him once for all.
You're too big for your boots.
Know what you look like
with your head shaved?
You look like the tip of a dick.
You're so damn cool
when your mates are close by.
Shut it!
Keep out of my way, 'cause I'll kill you.
Get it?
Are you back?
Is Angelika in?
No.
Do you know when she'll be back?
I see you've scrubbed the flagpole.
Do you need a hand getting it up?
Well, if you insist on being here,
you might as well pull the rope.
Sure.
Right.
You could hang your jacket a bit nicer.
- Or I'll I do it.
- I can do it.
I'll go up there.
- Ready, John?
- Yes.
Pull!
There we go. Nice work!
Maybe you're not such a girlie after all!
That's great, John! Great...
- Don't you snap that pole midway!
- It should be kept straight.
Or you'll be paying for it
by instalments all summer.
Okay, John, haul away!
You can do it.
That's great!
You have to raise it
without crossing the ropes.
Here you go.
- Is it right?
- Yes.
Go ahead, then.
When it's all the way up,
you walk around the flagpole
with the ropes tight around it
so they don't beat in the wind.
They have to be close to the flagpole.
Walk around it.
Like a sailor's hitch.
Looking good!
- It looks nice.
- If you pull that too hard...
- Hi!
- Hi.
- Are you here?
- I helped your dad get the flagpole up.
It looks nice.
I think he's done it before.
He did it fine.
I'm a bit better at it, though.
I've changed my mind.
It's okay if you see each other...
...as friends.
He's okay. He's a good guy.
Well, what are you waiting for?
The flag's already flying.
- Bye-bye!
- In that case we'll go swimming. Bye.
Maybe I should have left things
as they were.
- Your friends should have stood by you.
- You're right.
- So what is it that you want?
- The impossible.
Nothing's impossible.
Some things are just difficult.
- Like earning a championship medal.
- Yes, that'll be hard.
You said you wanted
to go on a motorbiking holiday.
- That would be fun.
- It could happen, soon.
- How so?
- I'm saving up for a lightweight bike.
- They can do around 70 mph.
- You're kidding!
I don't have all the money yet, but...
- Can't we ride across Europe then?
- Sure, that would be cool.
And when we get to the Mediterranean,
we can sleep on the beach.
You're so screwed.
- You're going to lose.
- I don't think so.
One, two, three...
Your turn!
Mine's a straight.
What a shame! Things are moving -
three items of clothing in a row now.
So, what have you got?
Are you ready?
Right. Cards down.
- What have you got?
- A straight. Right?
Get stripping! I won again!
I got a straight again!
And I have four of a kind.
- No! You're so damn lucky!
- No, I'm skilled.
You little shit!
- Supper's ready!
- Are you hungry?
- No.
- No, but thanks for the offer.
Did you get worried?
- Here you are.
- Thanks.
- Angelika, how old are you?
- I just turned 18.
- Strictly speaking, John isn't legal yet...
- Dad!
I just wanted to mention the fact.
I know it's in Angelika's dad's mind, too.
- I've got to go.
- Let's do this again sometime.
Maybe we should skip breakfast.
No... I have to go now.
But... Stop it!
- Goodbye!
- Bye!
It felt good when I'd pulled ahead
and I realized I could win.
I was last in the early stage of the race.
But you should never give up. The race
isn't over until you cross the line.
- How does it feel, physically?
- Of course you feel it.
It's as you want it - a good feeling.
And next year it's the Olympics.
No trick - you win if you're the one
who endures the muscle pain longest.
I discussed the championships
with Niko.
Seeing you win, I felt I could do it too.
You can. I believe in you.
- I'll take it.
- I'll get the other bag.
Talk to John,
so he doesn't get any ideas.
Hey... Promise you won't have a party.
- I'd find out anyway.
- Okay.
If you do, remove my guitars
and don't use the schnapps glasses.
- I can have a party?
- No.
- No?
- Okay. Right. Good. Bye.
Take care.
- Goodbye, take care.
- You too.
You're sending him mixed messages.
First you say: "Don't have a party."
- Then you tell him how to arrange it.
- He does as he pleases anyway.
- Hi! Where is Christoffer?
- He's gone. He left earlier today.
- I thought he was going with you.
- I waited, but I must have missed him.
- Then you'd better hurry.
- I will. Thanks.
Christoffer!
John must have thought we didn't care.
But there was nothing we could do.
- Come on!
- No!
We don't want any homework.
Not over the weekend.
- Let's vote on it.
- Yes!
No, I don't think so.
- Let's arm-wrestle. I win, no homework.
- Yeah!
Come on, Paul! You don't think
John can beat you, do you?
Okay. But if I win, you get homework
for next week. All right?
Go, John!
- Go for it!
- Have you been practicing?
- Come on, John!
- Go for it, go for it!
Shit!
- Not bad. Thanks for a good match.
- No homework!
Are you coming
to the canoe club sleepover?
I haven't decided yet.
- Staffan's coming.
- Sure. It'll be great.
- The club competition sounds fun.
- There's a barbecue, too.
- It'll be fun.
- Cheers!
- Salt first?
- Of course!
- Careful with my dad's glasses.
- Cheers!
Fuck!
Drink, drink, drink!
- Here comes the beer!
- Cool.
No, no. I don't know if I should
be giving beer to little boys...
- Here are some beers.
- Hi! I can see you've run out.
- Truth or dare?
- Dare.
Kiss Holger on the mouth.
He wasn't prepared, so he fell
onto the floor with table and all.
I'm a bit disappointed in you. We agreed
to talk to Rambo if he bothered people,
yet no one intervened.
That was cowardly.
If you don't help out I won't help you
get out of your homework.
The eyebrows, too.
- Here it comes.
- No.
- Shit!
- Fuck!
- That's a pizza I'm not ordering.
- No!
- What did you hear?
- "Blind bat."
- I said: "Hi, kitty-cat!"
- So where are your friends?
They'll be here
for the competition tomorrow.
- Nothing.
- Nor me...
Great! More money for my motorbike.
It started getting heavy
hanging out with John.
We just couldn't. So Johannes, Jacob
and I stopped going to the canoe club.
Not so cocky anymore?
He looks shit scared.
- Did you know Göran stabbed a guy?
- No, I didn't.
It was silly, really.
He tried to grab me, like this.
"Let go!" I said. But he didn't.
So I got my knife out
and stabbed him in the chest.
The knife got stuck in his breastbone,
so I had to really yank it out.
He had a tight white t-shirt on...
The blood stain spread like fuck.
It looked damn funny.
And when I stabbed him in the arm,
he just looked at me with big eyes
as if he wanted to ask me
what had just happened.
- Bergwall stabbed a guy, too.
- Eight times.
- I got a month in the can.
- Just one?
They just let me go. I was going
into foster care, so they didn't bother.
One month in jail doesn't scare me.
Could even be fun.
Get down on your knees.
Down on your knees.
- I said: "On your knees!"
- Never, you hairless dimwit.
Hey! What are you doing?
Do you really think they will help you?
Do you think they'll even try?
This isn't over yet. I'll fucking kill you!
The 17-year-old boy who was stabbed
in Avesta, later died from his wounds.
A 15-year-old boy has been arrested.
Now for a weather forecast...
It was John and Pontus,
and some others that I didn't recognize.
Some of them were Pontus' friends.
It looked like there had been a scuffle.
When I turned up, their attitude changed,
but I wondered what had happened.
- How many were they?
- At least ten.
- They stood in a ring around John.
- Boys will fight...
But this was Pontus and his friends.
I hear he even fights in class.
- If he's involved, it sounds serious.
- Yes, you should talk to them.
I've talked to Pontus several times.
So has the principal.
But John lacks that healthy fear
of the older students.
- No one should have to yield.
- I don't think there's any danger.
I'm glad John isn't scared.
No one should be afraid in school.
- Shouldn't we contact John's parents?
- There are guidelines for these things.
It must happen on numerous occasions,
and to the same person.
That's not really the case this time.
And how is John in school?
He is willing,
always here, always participating.
If his attendance rate is high
there's no problem
according to the guidelines.
- I still think this looks bad.
- I appreciate your concern.
Whose idea was that?
Anyone seen the flag pole handle?
Have you got the handle?
I'll have a look indoors.
Okay...thanks.
Christoffer!
Christoffer! Hi!
This is John.
He's John?
- What was her name?
- Zara.
- Why did you tell Zara she was fat?
- No reason.
Nils is such a freak.
He doesn't think before he answers.
- He's a bit like John, then.
- Yes.
If you look closely, on the atomic scale,
you can't see where you end and I begin.
Do you think that goes for everything?
Maybe.
In that case, you and I are connected
even when we're not together.
White Power! Slaughter Jews!
White Power! Slaughter Jews!
Forensics have determined
that the 16-year-old boy found dead in
a Stockholm warehouse was murdered.
He had massive head injuries
and one hand had been severed.
He was from Solna and had celebrated
New Year's Eve at a youth center...
John, tell me what's the matter.
It's nothing.
We can tell something's wrong.
It's my buddies - they aren't true friends.
What makes you say that?
There must be someone who's okay.
Staffan is a true friend. He is.
What's happened?
They said they'd come camping
at the canoe club and then didn't bother.
- They're hardly ever there, these days.
- That's too bad.
John probably considered
carrying a knife in school.
But that didn't happen.
Instead John and Tony sold the knives
at a flea market.
John saved the cash, as usual.
No ears on No ears on
No tails on 'em there be
- Nice!
- Nice...
A girlfriend over 18 can be useful.
- I'm going to have some of this.
- So you like the herring?
Down in one
Sing top me up olé
Down in one
Sing top me up olé
If you don't down it all in one
A half's no good -just spoils the fun
Down in one!
Sing topple me over olé!
I checked my bank account - I have
enough for that motorbike now.
- What, already?
- Yeah.
That's so cool!
Soon we'll be able to bike
all over Sweden - wherever we want.
Where'd you choose to go,
if we had the bike right now?
Don't know.
Where would you choose?
I don't know.
They confiscated the gun and the
samurai sword, but I got the gun back.
You got your gun back? Ooh!
Damn, I could use one of those at home.
Here, do you want some brews?
No! Don't smoke in here.
The wife is a bit sensitive.
What about the music- is it selling?
- It's doing alright.
- He's been a bit busy with Monica.
Put your back into it! It's important.
If I had been your age in the forties,
I'd have joined the German army.
- Can you sign up in another country?
- Of course you can.
Norway and Denmark
each contributed with 6,000 men.
But Hitler was disappointed in Sweden.
Only 180 Swedes volunteered.
- Is it ringing?
- Yes.
- Will he believe your bus story?
- He can't come and get me, anyway.
You have reached the Hrons. As you
can tell, we're not in at the moment.
Leave a message, we'll call you back.
And please speak after the beep.
- Tony.
- Hi, Dad. Happy Midsummer.
- Did you miss the bus?
- Yes, the last bus.
Be nice to him.
Angelika's dad says
it's okay for me to sleep over.
I knew you'd do this.
- Can I sleep over, then?
- Sure. Happy Midsummer.
- Good. Talk to you tomorrow.
- Did he say yes?
Danne, have you got a gun
I could borrow?
The one I got back from the cops
is an air pistol, just so you know.
- What the hell d'you need a gun for?
- I'm fixing to kill that guy at school.
Scram... Get out of here, we're talking!
- Are you serious?
- We can get him after the summer.
John attended a lot of canoe camps
- and the national championships.
The next day "The pride of Kode"
was in several papers.
John Hron had put
Kungälv Canoe Club on the map,
winning the bronze
at the Swedish championships.
They compared John
to his idol, Maria Brandin.
They said he had great potential.
He could be among the world's best.
Maybe even the very best.
- Nice friends you've got...
- What?
- Christoffer and me ran into Rambo.
- He's no friend of mine.
He was asking for you, anyway.
We told him that you were out of town.
Oh, I'm so happy for you. Oh, John!
Let me see. You did it!
What do the coaches say?
I'll make the national team. The Nordic
championships are our next goal.
Not bad.
- I'm going to say good bye, I mean, hi to Christoffer.
- He's over there.
- Hi.
- Hello.
I came third.
Everything okay with you?
Sure.
- The school semester is about to start.
- Yeah.
Do you want to do something
before it does? It's been a while.
I guess.
Camping?
- Sure, by Ingeltorp lake maybe?
- Yes.
Great, it's a deal.
Have you ever seen
the "milky seas" effect?
No. What's that?
It's some kind of plankton
in ocean waters.
When you stir the water,
they light up like green fire.
I saw it for the first time this summer.
- Look who's coming...
- Hi, guys.
- How are things?
- Fine, thanks. And you?
Hey, over there!
- Hello!
- Pipe the fuck down...
Rambo. What the hell is he doing here?
Good thing you came
all the way from the south. Tiring trip?
I read about you in the paper.
Congratulations.
Who are they?
It's John Hron!
It was John and his buddy.
- How many of them?
- Just the two of them.
I want to get more drunk first.
They went for John. He defended him-
self with his arms, but it must've hurt.
Then there was a lull.
- Check this out. I bought it from Schell.
- Oh?...
Beautiful.
Danne.
John! Do you know how Hitler stopped
the uprising in the Warsaw Ghetto?
No.
They were a pain in the ass.
They didn't know their place.
A bit like you, actually.
So he sent in Dirlewanger,
the SS Oberführer.
When he came there, he chopped the
Poles' arms off and burned them alive.
He killed everyone he found.
They threw babies into the air
and caught them on their bayonets.
He did what had to be done.
Then things got pretty damn calm there.
Can I go now?
I think I need to go home...
What do you think, John?
Should I use the knife?
No, it will be over too quickly
if I use the knife, won't it?
You'll need time
so you can feel it.
You don't seem to realize
that you are going to die here today.
What do you think?
That I'll just let you walk away?
Soon you'll be on the ground
with several bust ribs
and at least one punctured lung.
When you lie there, gasping for breath,
blood filling your lung,
then you'll understand it's all over.
You'll cry and beg for your life.
But I'll just keep on bashing.
You'll realize nothing can help you.
Then you will understand
how pointless life is.
Say that you love neo-Nazis!
- Say that you love neo-Nazis.
- Say it!
- Hell no!
- Fucking cunt!
John, watch out!
Throw him in the lake.
- Shall we throw you in as well?
- Wanna go bathing?
Hey, he's swimming away.
He's getting away!
I've often wondered
what John was thinking...
What he was feeling,
his eyes on the other shore.
Freedom was within reach!
Call him back, you hear?!
You're the one we really want!
But sure, we can beat Christoffer
to death instead!
- Call him back!
- Now!
Call him back, damn it!
Call him back, you fucking cunt!
Don't you realize we'll beat you to death?
Bergwall, give me the knife.
Shout!
I'll slit your throat!
John!
Come back!
Help me, come back.
John, come back! Come back.
They're beating me up.
Help! Help, John!
I'm coming!
- If this gets out, don't mention me.
- No.
Me neither. Get it?
In that case our story will be, that me
and Göran walked off with Christoffer.
You're not to mention this, get it?
You don't know a thing!
Good to see you again.
Likewise, you piece of shit.
I must admit, I was a bit envious,
reading about you in the paper.
There won't be any more medals
for you now. This time we won't stop.
Do your worst. Maybe you four idiots
will make your own headlines.
What are you doing here,
all on your own?
The guys with the motorbike,
are they your friends?
- Can you give me a ride?
- Sure. Jump in.
Close the door!
Did something happen?
I told the police everything.
That we'd known each other since we
were 7, but weren't in the same class.
We used to walk to school together,
but not every day.
We weren't that close.
I...
I don't know why he swam back.
I don't think it was for my sake.
And he wouldn't do it
just because someone asked him to.
I don't know why John swam back.
So Göran jumps and kicks him.
About there. He falls on his back.
Then Göran grabbed his hair
and lifted him up.
And threw him down, there.
And then Göran starts swinging
a smoldering stick at his face.
At his body.
John is standing here, Bergwall and
Danne about there, and Göran, too.
And I was here.
I kick him in the throat
so that he falls down.
Then I walk over to the fire
and look for some hot dog buns.
And here, later,
they just throw him in the water.
In prison, Rambo had a visit
from some older Nazis
as revenge
for his having talked to the police.
No guards there at the time, I guess.
I had said that if he didn't come ashore,
we would get his friend.
Danne was released after 5 years.
He had no regrets.
He bragged about the murder
and how he founded
a Nazi organization in prison.
That was it. And then
we just rolled him into the water.
Just look at what you have done!
He told me to roll him a cigarette, so I
went over to my bag and rolled him one.
Danne came up to me,
and I gave him the cigarette.
He lit it and started smoking it.
Rambo and Danne
were charged with murder.
But Göran and Bergwall
weren't even detained.
During the trial
they were both free men.
Come on, guys. Let's get him!
Don't move! Get it?
Due to new crimes during the trial
Göran served a total of six months.
Get him!
Bergwall was released
after only two months.
There! He's not getting up.
- What the hell are you waiting for?
- Get up! Up!
- Come on!
- Get a grip!
- Is he incapable?
- Tony!
- Tony...
- What's the prosecutor asking for?
- Maximum sentence.
Does that even apply to the others -
who've not been detained?
The media told the story of the brave
14-year-old who gave his life.
Many people left their bomber jackets
at home, and let their hair grow back.
During the last year,
more than 100 acts of violence -
- related to racism,
have been committed in Sweden.
It's now commonplace that some pupils
wear Nazi symbols in our schools.
If the question used to be how far
we would let racial violence go -
- before anyone intervened, it now seems
to be completely out of control.
Last summer, a 14-year-old boy
was murdered in western Sweden -
- and this is not the only case...
I'm sure John would have wanted
you to have his budgie.
In Gothenburg thousands paid
their respects to John with lit candles.
Staffan and the others were there.
I should have been there,
but I couldn't even get out of bed.
And I couldn't sleep.
John was a good friend.
I guess we all wished
we could be a little more like him.
I know that I do, at any rate.
John Hron, 1981-1995
was posthumously awarded the Stig Dagerman prize
"...for his courage, even at the cost of his
own life, to take a stand against evil..."
Sweden's national anthem
Based on public records and interviews,
this film relates true events.
Some events and characters
are fictional, for dramatic purposes.
Some names have been changed. Our aim has been to
comment on events - not on the people actually involved.
Subtitles Svensk Medietext AB
Some subtitles by GLIMMER FILM DISTRIBUTION