Grenadier Wordelmann (1980)

The story takes place in 1780 in Wust, Brandenburg. The farmer Schmitzdorff had served as a grenadier in the Seven Years’ War, and when he returned, he married a woman who already had three daughters. After his wife dies, he wants to marry his stepdaughter Sophie. When the local pastor refuses to allow it, Schmitzdorff decides to ask the King of Potsdam in person for permission. In high spirits, he sets off, but cannot find a way to gain admittance to the palace, and then learns that the king is not even there. So he stops at the inn “Zur Patronentasche,” where the king’s grenadiers spend their free time. He tells them his story, and the more beer and wine he drinks, the more sorrowful he becomes. He loves Sophie and is nearly distraught that he is not allowed to marry her. Grenadier Wordelmann, a personal grenadier of Frederick II, sees this as a chance to get money out of the Kossät. He promises Schmitzdorff that, for a fee of 10 thalers, he will intercede for him with the king. Schmitzdorff returns to his village, hoping he can rely on the grenadiers. Sophie, who lives with her sister, sneaks over to her stepfather’s house at night and asks him to tell her what happened. Days later, Schmitzdorff wants to know whether Grenadier Wordelmann has made any progress. But when Wordelmann tries to put him off, Schmitzdorff grows impatient. Even so, he pays another three thalers so Wordelmann will finally get to work. Wordelmann, however, has no intention of obtaining permission to marry; instead, he spends the money entrusted to him on drink. But he has a plan to keep Schmitzdorff satisfied: he will simply arrange the wedding here in Potsdam with the garrison preacher. So Schmitzdorff travels with his bride Sophie to the inn “Zur Patronentasche,” which has meanwhile been set up as a makeshift church. Schmitzdorff does not suspect that neither the preacher nor the ceremony is genuine. He only wonders why he has not yet been issued a marriage certificate. Even so, he gladly pays for the splendid wedding celebration at the inn with the grenadiers. Before long, Grenadier Wordelmann has to answer to his captain, who has heard about his escapades. The captain assigns him to wait on the officers, but Wordelmann regards this more as a promotion than a punishment. Schmitzdorff, too, has reason to be happy, for his marriage certificate arrives by post. At least, that is what he takes it for, since it is no more genuine than his marriage. The deception comes to light when the village magistrate asks to see the certificate. He advises Schmitzdorff to report the people who have obviously swindled him; otherwise, he will be held responsible. But as a former soldier, Schmitzdorff does not want to report a fellow serviceman. The magistrate is therefore left with no choice but to bring Schmitzdorff before the authorities. After four months in custody, Schmitzdorff is sentenced to three years in prison, and Sophie has to spend three months in the workhouse. In addition, Schmitzdorff’s belongings are sold to pay the court costs. When news of this reaches the grenadiers in Potsdam, Wordelmann realizes what he has done. For his amusement, he has ruined a man’s life. He visits Schmitzdorff in prison to apologize, and is astonished to hear that Schmitzdorff does not hold it against him. In the end, Wordelmann too has to answer for misusing the king’s name, the church, and Prussian law, but his military punishments are nowhere near as severe as Schmitzdorff’s sentence.