Die Grenze (2010)

Germany in 2010. A worldwide economic crisis takes on catastrophic proportions following terrorist attacks on oil refineries. Gasoline, oil, and food are scarce and becoming ever more expensive. Panic buying breaks out in stores. Unemployment rises rapidly, violence and crime increase, and demonstrations lead to clashes resembling civil war. In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, where state elections are soon to be held, a threatening development is taking shape. As a result of the economic crisis, the far-left “New Left,” led by Franz Geri, and the far-right “DNS,” led by multi-billionaire Maximilian Schnell, have gained the upper hand in the election campaign, while the established parties have become irrelevant. Geri wants to turn Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania into a socialist state and convinces voters that this will enable him to overcome the economic crisis. This wins him particular favor among those who, in these times of crisis, long for the GDR and the Berlin Wall again, such as Nadine Manz and her family. The former police officer can no longer work in the force because of an injury, and during the crisis she is denied a job that had effectively already been promised to her. Her father, Erich Manz, is a fisherman and in debt, so his boat is seized. Maximilian Schnell presents himself as a strongman who acts decisively and tackles citizens’ problems, which he tries to demonstrate through generous relief efforts. The way he presents himself in the media draws the masses to his side, and according to the latest polls he is well ahead. In reality, however, he wants to establish a Nazi state and is therefore regarded as a serious threat to democracy. Since he can finance his party and expensive election campaign with his personal fortune, he does not have to become dependent on donors. Eventually, the situation in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania spirals out of control as the election campaign is fought with utmost ruthlessness and street battles between right- and left-wing groups become increasingly frequent. In Rostock, where Nadine Manz lives with her family, the police and authorities have finally lost all influence over events. A border running through the middle of the city divides Rostock into a right-wing and a left-wing zone, each controlled by self-recruited security forces. Since the federal government—and above all Chancellor Carla Reuer—rejects intervention by deploying a massive police force from other states or the armed forces, a political solution has to be found. In the end, they decide to support Geri’s campaign in order to prevent Schnell from winning. The chancellor’s advisers suggest granting Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania independence and thereby creating a low-wage state. They believe that, unlike Schnell, Geri can be controlled if an impoverished Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, by becoming independent, ultimately becomes even more dependent on the Federal Republic. The domestic intelligence service is tasked with planting someone in the DNS to spy on Schnell’s operations and gather evidence that can bring down both Schnell and the DNS. Agent Linda Jehnert persuades Rolf Haas to do it. He is Nadine Manz’s ex-boyfriend and was once Schnell’s friend and close associate. In return, Linda promises to help Rolf out of the personal crisis he has fallen into because of unemployment. Nadine’s partner, Robert Klaars, is among the party officials around Maximilian Schnell, but he has to keep this from Nadine and her family because they have aligned themselves with Rostock’s left-wing camp. He becomes a key figure for Rolf in getting close to Schnell. This brings Rolf and Nadine face to face again, eight years after Rolf left her. She responds by telling him to stay away from her and her daughter. At a rock concert, Schnell unexpectedly appears onstage to use the event for his propaganda. Since the domestic intelligence service had learned about it in advance from an informant, Rolf is sent in as a steward. A terrible escalation follows when police arrive and use brutal force against the concertgoers. The son of a family acquaintance of the Manzes is fatally injured. Nadine’s daughter is so badly hurt that she will remain blind for life unless she undergoes surgery by an eye specialist. Nadine cannot afford the operation, however. It turns out that the police were not responsible for the massacre. The domestic intelligence service suspects the fake police officers were Schnell’s people, and that Schnell wants to create the illusion that the state has lost control of the situation and is therefore resorting to senseless violence. Rolf manages to move into Schnell’s inner circle and become his PR adviser after Robert Klaars is exposed as a traitor in the left-wing camp and Rolf secretly frees him from captivity there. Some party officials are suspicious of Rolf, however, especially security chief Kai Jansen, who has Rolf watched constantly and warns Schnell about him. Nadine’s family, too, grows increasingly suspicious of Rolf because they do not know what he is after. Then, unexpectedly, Geri scores a triumph over Schnell by bringing up one of Schnell’s lies during a televised debate. Schnell’s parents, who are supposedly living in a care home and being lovingly looked after by their son, actually died ten years ago and were abandoned by him. Schnell is put on the spot and leaves the studio after making desperate apologies. His poll numbers plummet. He is not willing to give up the election campaign, however, and uncovers the traitor in his own ranks who leaked the explosive information to Geri. The traitor is bound and locked in a room with Rolf and a firearm. Rolf is given five minutes to shoot the traitor and prove his loyalty to Schnell and the party. He shoots the surveillance camera so he will not be watched, then frees the man from his restraints. The man takes the gun and shoots himself to protect Rolf, who can now pretend that he shot the traitor. Schnell now intends to play his last trump card to save his chances of winning. He offers to pay for Nadine’s daughter’s operation if Nadine joins the party and appears with him in the media. Rolf tells Nadine that he is working for the domestic intelligence service and against Schnell. Nadine agrees to appear at the press conference and put on a brave face, so that Rolf will not be put in even greater danger, after Linda promises to take care of the daughter’s operation and keep her away from Schnell and the DNS. Meanwhile, Rolf copies video footage from the computer network at party headquarters that proves Schnell is building a paramilitary force comparable to the SA, which was also responsible for the massacre at the rock concert. Rolf is caught, and they try to drown him in a water tank. Nadine arrives at party headquarters and saves his life. She then beats up her partner, Robert Klaars, when he tries to pressure her. Rolf sends the footage to the media, who publish it immediately. He then escapes from party headquarters and is taken to safety by Nadine’s family, who now know what he is fighting for. Rolf and Nadine, having reconciled, then fly with their daughter to a hospital in Berlin, where she undergoes a successful operation. A warrant is issued for Schnell’s arrest, but he is never taken into custody because Robert Klaars shoots him. Klaars takes over as party chairman and tries to salvage the hopeless situation with a press statement, but the end of the DNS and its officials is sealed. The far-right party becomes irrelevant in the upcoming election. Franz Geri wins the state election and puts his announced plans into action. He wins over the public with a so-called people’s share, through which people can acquire a stake in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, but he conceals the fact that buying the share also means taking on a portion of the state debt. People arrive in droves from the rest of the Federal Republic to immigrate to the new state, where they hope for a better life. Linda Jehnert foresees a bleak future for Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and advises Rolf to get Nadine’s family out of there; they have meanwhile begun to realize where Geri’s policies will lead. Since Rolf has been richly rewarded for cooperating with the domestic intelligence service, he can buy Erich’s boat back. He sails out to sea with Nadine and her family, and they all long for a place where they can live in freedom and without financial worries. In the final scene, Geri announces on camera that the borders will now be closed so that no more people can immigrate and supposedly endanger the new prosperity.