PROGRESS FILM VERTRIEB PRESENTS
A FILM FROM THE VEB DEFA
STUDIO FOR NEWSREELS AND DOCUMENTARIES
CAMERA
MUSIC - SOUND - EDITING
PRODUCTION - DIRECTION TECHNICAL CONSULTANT
SCENARIO
DESIGN
WITH TÄVE SCHUR
PETER BOSSE AND THE 5 PIONEERS
KARIN, KLAUS, HENRIK, MATTHIAS, GERD, ETC.
LOOKING FOR TÄVE
Our story started with a technical glitch.
During a program about Täve Schur, the image was suddenly gone.
I know Täve will win this stage.
The problem is not with our TV.
Image interference.
That's for sure.
Be quiet, it'll soon be back .
In the leading group entering the Wroclaw stadium,
a white jersey: Gustav Adolf Schur.
Our Täve whom we all know.
Used to winning,
combative and always a good comrade.
Wherever Täve appears,
he is both recognised by sports veterans,
and revered and greatly admired by youth.
As steep as the famous Meerane Wall
was Täve's rise
to Road Giant.
1955, first climax.
He won the Peace Race.
2 years later in Warsaw,
a team victory for our Republic's colors.
But victories
demand efforts.
Usually, the decisive moment happens somewhere on the road.
A fall would be a hopeless setback for some.
But Täve doesn't give up.
He needs to catch up with the main group,
to slow them down.
Egon Adler,
one of his teammates, has pulled away.
Well done to this marvelous
next generation rider.
Young cyclists clinging to Täve's rear wheel
will never be last in any race.
One of them might even become a Peace rider one day,
greeted by thousands in the Czechoslovak Republic,
in Poland,
and in our Republic.
Täve's tireless training zeal
and his pugnacious participation in countless races,
were rewarded with a victory
in the Amateur Road World Championship
in 1958.
Thus the name
"German Democratic Republic"
has gained even more recognition on the global sports scene.
Matthias, turn the light on.
Now, come with me. We need to discuss our trip.
- I want to be a world champion. - With your rickety old bike?
I rode it to Kalbe once.
Täve rides 10 times as much daily.
- Täve... - World champions don't train anymore.
- Do you think he stays home and sleeps? - My brother saw Täve for real once.
Guys! There's an idea!
Maybe Täve is home.
- Think you can visit him? - Yes, I can.
- You can't. - I can.
Peter, can Klaus visit Täve?
- If he does, I'll go too. - Me too.
A visit to Täve?
What could I do?
So Magdeburg would to be the goal of our long-awaited biking tour.
But we had to bring him a gift. What should we take?
The dinghy?
Or that?
Would Täve like it?
That is, if Täve was home, in Magdeburg...
But our champion is actually studying in Leipzig,
because he wants to become a coach.
A good one, of course.
Theory and practice, as great races
still await.
Hello, Täve!
Pioneers are coming to see you.
Aren't you lucky!
I'm going to the Diamant plant today, then to Magdeburg.
My father will let you know where I am.
See you soon!
I couldn't have guessed then
that we would take a day off 15 km from our goal.
But the group insisted:
we had to test the airworthiness of our gift.
Will Täve like it?
Will he fly it at once?
Onward, Pioneers! The world champion awaits.
Meanwhile Täve was at the Diamant plant in Karl-Marx-Stadt.
The workers, to whom he owes his success,
always listen to Täve's
improvement requests.
Only the test bench
will prove him right.
After a 10 km ride, we faced a mountain challenge,
a customary occurrence in each Peace Race.
I wondered how the group would behave as a team.
Gerd never looked back to Karin. He wanted to win, him alone.
Klaus let himself fall back to encourage Karin.
He could be at the front like Gerd now.
But he curbs his ambition. It's the team that matters to him.
They catch up together.
I was very happy with Klaus.
He behaved like a true Pioneer.
After an unintentional stop, we rode on. Soon we'd see Täve.
School race in Magdeburg,
like Täve 10 years ago.
That first wreath
could be the start of a racing career,
as it was for Täve.
In his bedroom, his first ribbon has the place of honor.
Täve's father could tell
the story of each ribbon and cup.
How happy Täve was when he came home after winning the Peace Race in 1955!
INTERNATIONAL PEACE RACE - 1955
PRAGUE - BERLIN - WARSAW
DEAR TÄVE, I'M SO HAPPY YOU ARE WORLD CHAMPION.
If all cups and awards
were here, Täve's room
could be a victory museum.
What a pity we couldn't meet Täve!
But at least we know now
where to find him.
Father Schur nearly forgot to show us Täve's old steed.
He would chase after the bus each day on this
till he overtook it.
With that old thing?
We can do it too.
Täve is coming to meet us,
with boys from his former company's sports association.
Training outside of the town starts with the ABC of bicycle racing:
each rider is his own mechanic.
And that's where we finally found Täve's trail.
He knew we were coming but our gift was still a surprise.
And I believe he was just as happy as we were.
We told him about our work as Pioneers and how we got the idea
of a cycling tour.
"You really did a mountain challenge?" asked Täve.
"It was just a little hill."
And you drove off just like that?
"Well, now I know how team racing works."
Come with us. Get your bikes.
Our tour bikes were no match for Täve's world champion machine.
Imagine that: gear shift on the handlebars,
and all that.
But even the best bicycle
won't ride itself.
And the best racer would be nothing without his teammates.
Guys, I suggest we practice team racing now.
What's important in team racing,
is for everyone to do his best,
so we build a collective.
You can only achieve great successes in a team.
Henrik and Klaus agree.
We all look forward to our tactical training session
with Täve.
The next generation trains for tomorrow's great missions.
As one of the greatest sportsmen, Täve Schur helps us
perform and build character strength.
It is worth emulating his example.
The future is waiting for new world champions.
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Subtitles: Élisabeth Fuchs