The story that you will see is true and takes place in 1889 in Kladno.
Rudla!
Rudla! Rudla!
Where do you want to go?
You can't have a craft job in Kladno. The only way is to work in the mines.
And can I go elsewhere?
Someone like Bacher is everywhere. People work very hard for him.
This is the situation, gentlemen.
We are very weak in the stock exchange as well as in the market.
The international competition is strong.
We must go down with price.
How? I have the orders from Vienna.
We need to improve performance at work under the same salary.
Hey, what are you saying about the new work shift?
- What a silly idea of Bacher. - My husband has that work shift.
He goes to work at 2 a.m. on Friday and about midnight on Saturday.
They must handle it.
But who can endure it? Why are you looking at me?
Your father is a metallurgist, you can't complain about it.
Rudolf is a miner, too. And he has that work shift, too.
Our salary hasn't been increased for years.
They don't let the miners sleep or eat.
Just dig and dig! Damn, living like that?!
Hey! Look at her.
- She's going! - And I'm going, too!
They don't pay more money to us.
You still pay for everything. For example, for the expenses
for funeral costs. And for a lamp. And then you don't have anything.
You know, we're the easy targets.
Why don't they let the minecarts full of coal go down?
I've rung already. I don't know where the problem is.
Why don't you let the minecarts go down?
Nobody has rung yet. I hope there aren't any empty minecarts.
So, what does it mean? Why aren't you working?
We can't work if we can't put coal anywhere.
Miners, why are you doing this?
Why aren't you working? Why are you doing this?
We'll work but give us an eight-hour work shift.
- If I could give you an advice... - We don't need any advices.
We have the application here. I'll read it to you.
Dear directors, this is a request from the miners.
Please, accept the fact that a long work shift
is harmful to our health, especially to the miners.
The salary we get causes untold misery in our families,
therefore, we hope our salary will increase soon.
We would like to get the salary on weekdays
and have the eight-hour work shift
- and free Sundays. - Absolutely right.
Kazdová!
- Karel! - So, how's your hand, Ruženka?
Better. I was worried that I couldn't sew anymore.
- Can you sew? - I'd like to sew you something
- or cook something good for you. - And it's not possible, huh?
That's the way it goes. Everybody must be a metallurgist or a miner.
I looked through the window and she had a beautiful white dress.
Are you listening to me? Mom!
That dress belonged to Liduška. She blames herself for her death.
I wouldn't care if I die.
I like a funeral with music.
All the angels sing in heaven.
- But why shouldn't they sing? - Cut it out.
Bring the meal to your dad.
All this work isn't good for Ružena.
Look, Hudcová, put her in the school.
It's just for the daughters of foremen.
She'll learn how to cook, sew and talk to important people.
- I know but only in German language. - So what?
- It would cost nothing. - And why do you care?
But you know why.
I have always liked you.
It's nice to hear it. But I don't want to do that.
Well, you can change your mind.
- Do you want a beer? - No, I don't.
I see it's not your day.
- What are you doing here? - I'm waiting for my wife.
- What do you have there? - Trickled pastries.
Here's your lunch, dad.
Stay out of me. Ask for money elsewhere.
- Without meat again? - I'm not hungry today.
Wait! I'm not hungry.
Give it to your husband.
Just laugh at me.
A woman shouldn't be honest at all.
You'd like to have a beer, wouldn't you?
- What are you doing? - I'm numbering the shareholders.
- These are the coquilles. - But I call them shareholders.
Who are they?
Well, they are men
who are nicely dressed like Bacher.
And money flows into them.
- And what do they do? - Nothing but they live pretty good.
Can my father be a shareholder, too?
It isn't possible. But the smelting works will be ours.
You're right.
- What do you want? - I'm your husband.
I have to make you a living, huh? Get out of here!
- What is it? - It's intended to spend it.
I know you don't have much money. Just take it.
Not here. Move to my house.
You should rather think about your salary.
I'd like to go to that school.
The girls learn to cook a variety of different meals there.
- And then they can eat them. - Cut it out.
It's not for my sake. I want to be able to do it when...
... when I have my own kitchen.
There will be a Hoosier cabinet and a clean tablecloth on the table.
Don't you like it at home?
What are you doing?
That's what I'd like to have.
- My head? - It isn't your head.
- My eyes? - This.
My mouth?
- How can I give you my mouth? - Don't you know?
- Where are you going? - Cut it out.
- I have scared you, haven't I? - You should be at home now.
Are you going to the pub?
Look, mind your own business. I can't go home now.
- Where are you going? - You shouldn't know these things.
I know where you're going. You're going to the meeting!
- You wonder how I can know it? - Don't talk about it anywhere.
- Take me with you. - It's not for the children.
But, Rudla, I'm almost a big girl.
And you must not look at us.
- You must not look at him. - I know him.
- Look, you could do something. - Ah.
It's not that easy. You could go in jail for it.
I'd carry it when I'm able to carry a basket of coal.
Let's go.
- We have a meeting. - Because of your request?
I think that someone will betray us.
I'll give a sign if someone walks around.
Miners! Here is a journalist from Prague.
And he'll tell us something interesting.
There are several strikes made by the working class
in Belgium or in France. Your fight is absolutely right.
It must be quite clear to everyone
that if a miner is in the mine for a long time,
he's tired from a ten-hour work shift, even if he doesn't do anything.
His work over eight hours is not effective.
And that's another thing... if you can eat
and sleep well, you'll dig in six hours as much as
- in ten or eleven hours like today. - And we must pay for the light,
- dynamite and other tools! - That's right!
And we want a weekly paycheck, not a monthly paycheck.
And why? Let's say the miners earn the money this way.
It's a bad and hard work for the first fourteen days.
It's better for the next fourteen days and they can earn more money.
When the monthly paycheck is calculated, they don't have so much money.
We can't be satisfied.
They must give us the money because of the weekly paycheck,
even in bad weeks.
If it goes like this, the miners will be dead in a while!
- What are you doing here? - You don't know, do you?
To the inhabitants of Kladno! The miners are asking! Down with the new work shift!
Call me the secretary!
- It was in the mailbox? - Yes, mister general manager.
Call me the mayor! To my office! Right now!
Who did it? Have you seen it?
- Why should I know it? - We don't know.
Move along. Move along!
The directorate wants to avoid exacerbating tensions.
It does everything to allow you to work and get a salary.
But there are certain people who want something else.
Do you know this flyer?
I know that a miner works hard and doesn't earn much money.
But you must not insult mister general manager Bacher
and fight with the directorate, it's not possible.
It's up to you to say who the leader is.
The directorate doesn't force anyone to do it but I must inform you
that the management wants to know
the names of those persons until tomorrow's work shift.
Otherwise, the directorate will take measures to solve the problem.
- You can go now. Goodbye. - Goodbye.
Come here, I'll give you something.
Here you go.
I'd rather have something else.
If I had a white dress,
- I could be a bridesmaid. - Hey, where are you all?
Come here! Come here!
There's something going on! There is mayor Hrabe! Come on!
What are you doing to me, miners?
I'm fighting for your rights but you're sticking a knife in my back.
I have promised to help you.
Violence doesn't solve anything.
The land doesn't give you coal itself, not even if you beg on your knees.
- This is a rebellion! - A rebellion?
- People want what belongs to them. - Stay out of this, you woman!
So, a woman shouldn't meddle in your affairs, huh?
A woman should only take care, huh? And she has to make miracles
for those pennies which her husband gives her!
We can't take it anymore!
This is why the men are going on strike.
- What do you want? - I was in the mine,
mister general manager. There is a rebellion.
- I would recommend... - Don't recommend me anything.
The rebellion is on the rise and there aren't many gendarmes.
- I'll call the soldiers. - From where should I get the money?
We do have the insurance company!
- Here's your meal. - Maybe I don't even need it.
If Bacher doesn't give give us what we want...
- The siren is yelling. - The siren.
It's so loud.
If there's a strike, tell me about it as soon as possible.
- Sure. Goodbye. - Goodbye.
- Mom... - Go to sleep.
I don't want to go to sleep yet.
If they find out who delivered the flyers...
Go to sleep now!
Mom, why wasn't daddy at the meeting?
Be quiet or you'll wake up Ruža.
Give me a tea!
Well?! When I come home, it must be ready!
Who is the master here?!
That's enough!
Pull out my military suitcase from the attic! I'm leaving.
- Where do you want to go? - What do you care?
That would be best!
Do you know what you're saying?
Look at this rope. Take a good look at it.
I'll hang myself with this rope.
No, I will not. You would...
- Look... - Huh?
Have a drink, you'll feel better soon.
I'm leaving tomorrow!
Take off my shoes! Well?!
You're throwing me out of the chair? You?
I work like a mule and you're throwing me out of the chair?
Get up.
- You... - Dad!
- Leave me alone! - Give me the rope!
Daddy!
Ah!
There!
Come on, that's enough.
I would like to say
who my murderers are.
Pásek and the general manager.
I've been working here
for twenty-six years.
My hand is crippled
and everything is so painful...
Mayrau (the name of the mine). I want to forget what happened. I can forgive anyone who comes to work. Bacher
So, you see... it's mayor's work.
This is how it looks when someone goes begging!
We will not work for such a low salary!
Let them go mining on their own!
We know that you are a reliable man.
The mines can't be left unattended, do you understand?
The miners trust you.
Go to get some people. We can't stay without coal.
Do you understand?
All these are only promises! We want the eight-hour work shift!
Shame on Bacher! Shame on him!
He wants to forget about us!
- But he'll not forget! - Let's go!
We'll tell him something! Shame on Bacher!
Get him!
- What's that sound? - Mister general manager...
I don't want to negotiate with the strikers.
I'd take dynamite in my hands and blow everything up.
Don't you understand that Bacher is waiting for it?
- Call military reinforcements! - From Prague?
No, from Cheb!
No need to send us away.
Go away!
Go away! Get lost!
Get lost! Go away!
- Don't you understand me? - Do you think I'm a thief?
- We've always taken the sludge. - Be quiet! Get lost!
Shame on you! Bacher doesn't want to give us the sludge, huh?
- We want what belongs to us! - If you don't be quiet...
So what? So what?
I know how to aim a gun. But it's just a stick.
- You wouldn't aim a gun and fire. - If you think so...
- I'd like to run away. - Where?
With you. Maybe to the seaside.
It wouldn't be good, either.
It is agreed that
all the miners can go to work tomorrow
thanks to a request by the mayor.
Signed by Hrabe, the mayor.
So, it's a mayor's work!
- And he lets it hang in here. - Shame on him.
- Shame on him! - He's too brash!
Why wouldn't he be like that? The miners are too scared of him!
- We should go to the directorate! - We'll go there but without you.
- Why? - You couldn't help us.
You're still drunk.
Stay here, Em??
I don't want it.
Mom, the miners were in the city hall a while ago.
The mayor said Bacher pays the gendarmes from the insurance company
and he wants to call the soldiers.
From the insurance company! And we give the money for that.
The soldiers will be here from our money!
- Go there! - We must not keep silent anymore!
It's not just about a work shift. There's more about it!
We have to go with the miners! One for all, all for one!
To the office.
How do you dare? You're fired!
You're fired! Get out!
Why aren't you working, dad?
What? Get lost!
They fired me because of that strike.
- This is why they fired me. - Dad...
Women, be reasonable. Where do I get it from?
It looks bad for us, huh?
You talked about the strike first.
We're hungry but we must endure it.
Karel, I'm fired, too.
Don't worry. It will not be long.
But who can endure it?
- I've never worked in the city. - But the miners must win!
I don't know how it would end.
I hope it will not happen anything wrong.
There are too many soldiers and gendarmes here.
People can do everything if they're hungry.
But what could happen? After all, we're right.
- Are you going to work? - You want the flooded mines, huh?
- No need to recruit strikebreakers. - Cut it out.
We'll sort it out with you.
Many people have been fired.
They think nothing will happen to them. But they are wrong.
But what will happen?
How will it end?
Our people are looking bad now.
Look at the miners. They can't stand it anymore.
And the metallurgists? It's the same.
- Well, good night. - Good night.
Good night.
Pull yourself together.
- What are you looking for? - The whip.
- What for? - For the strikebreakers.
- You're not going anywhere. - What are you still afraid of?
You're saying nothing. I don't want to do anything with it.
Look, I'm not feeling well.
You're not really feeling well.
Come to bed.
She should have dressed it during the confirmation process.
It would have been so nice.
It will suit you, too.
Why so much ado about a small branch of the flower?
- It's sainted, you know. - Why did he have to use the sabre?
People, is this what you like?
Do you see this sabre? Do you see it?
Bacher is to blame for everything! We should have done it years ago!
We're going for Bacher!
Do you have any orders for me, mister general manager?
I have arranged everything myself. But you can let the dogs out.
Come on! Get him!
Help! Leave us alone.
Soldiers!
The soldiers are coming!
Where is she?
She isn't at home yet?
She will not come then.
You're coming with us.
And why?
- You were there, too. - Me?
It's not true! He was ill.
- I don't believe you. - I'm telling you it's not true!
Cut it out.
- You're right, Rudla. - We've lost but we'll fight again.
The strike of the miners is broken.
The miners are going to work.
Peace and order have never been disrupted.
Don't leave me, Ružena.
You're the only one.
Em? ?? ????? ?? ??????? and Rudolf are in jail.
I can't stand it anymore!
I will not let you go, Ružena.
I will not let you go.
Mom, I have to go now.
There is no other solution.
Karel can't hide from the gendarmes.
And I'll never get a job here.
But I'll be back again.
My father had to run away, too.
And he never came back.
Mom!
Go, he's waiting for you.
You can yell but you can never silence us!