Brother Against Brother (1913)

Old Potowski, scion of a lineage of princes, lives with his family, and is a man who loves his country above everything and devotes himself with passionate fervor to his patriotic sentiments. He tries to implant in his sons the same views, and finds in his older son, Ivan, a true adherent, love of his native country and hate against the neighboring country. On the other side of the border between the two Slavonian countries lives the peasant, Sumi with his wife and daughter Katjuscha. The sons of Potowski, Ivan and Gregori, become acquainted with Katjuscha, who often comes across the border, and they are charmed with her. Katjuscha flirts with both of the brothers, but loves only the younger, Gregori, who is more to her liking. She is often frightened by the hot, ungovernable temperament of Ivan. Gregori resolves to get the permission of his father for a union with Katjuscha, but receives to his and Sumi's great grief a rough refusal from Potowski. "Never," says the old man, "shall I give my consent to the marriage between my son and the daughter of the country which is our sworn irreconcilable enemy." But Gregori, who does not understand this passionate hate for the neighboring country, leaves his home and marries with the permission of Sumi, Katjuscha, and establishes a new home there. Two years are gone. The already long expected war between the two neighboring countries breaks out. Ivan gets ready for the war. But first he writes a letter to his brother Gregori, who lives in the enemy's country, to fight for "home and hearth" and to forget all grudges for the sake of the native country. Old Potowski also cannot bear the thought that his son should in these times belong to a hostile country and even perhaps should enlist under its banners. He overcomes his pride, steals over the border and sees Gregori, who lives with Sumi. With eloquent words he describes to him the political situation and conjures the son to listen to the voice of the native country which calls her son to its defenses. Gregori fights a hard and bitter battle with himself between love of his native land and love for his wife and family. As he cannot hear the thought to fight against the friends and relations of his wife and his child, he remains, and refuses to follow his father. The old man gets incensed, raises his hand, and in greatest bitterness he curses his son who forsakes his native country when it calls. During a forced recruiting he narrowly escapes through the presence of mind of his wife. The picture now leads us into the war where death rages over the battlefield and the thunder of cannon unite with the groaning and moaning of the wounded. Gregori, who manages for a long time to remain neutral, cannot escape his fate. One fine day he is seized by a patrol and compelled to show the roads. It is just near the place where Ivan and his regiment are encamped. The patrol is discovered and must flee head over heels. But Gregori is taken prisoner, led before the chief of the regiment, and without further ceremonies sentenced to death. Ivan comes out from the tent, and now the brothers face each other. Ivan shudders with what impends: To be forced to kill his own brother. But the martial laws are inexorable. He is commanded to execute the sentence of death, and he must obey. As the bullets of the soldiers kill his brother, he feels the curse of war. The thought of having murdered his brother lays heavily upon his conscience; repentance and horror take hold of him with terrible force, and in wild despair he throws himself over the dead. He sees and hears nothing that goes on around him; he notices neither that the enemy suddenly rushes up. His arms relax at once; his heart is pierced by a bullet; he falls backward beside his brother. When Katjuscha finally arrives upon the battlefield, the fighting had ceased; she finds the two brothers lying side by side, and hears with terror the self-accusation which the dying Ivan stammers forth. Her grief and pain cannot be expressed. When the day dawns she is still lying upon the hill, where friend and enemy are lying in eternal rest.