Peace

Peace

As the founders of Dutch aviation, idealist Albert Plesman and opportunist Anthony Fokker, are inextricably bound together. They cannot live with each other or without. Nevertheless, during the Interwar Period when the world is heading towards a new war, they join forces to set up civil aviation in the Netherlands.

August 1939 – January 1940

Fokker has now completely withdrawn from his companies and spends his time in his apartment in New York. He is struggling with health issues. Yet for the first time in a long time, he’s found some joy in life: he has a happy relationship with his former worker Jojo de Leuw. She manages to persuade him to take a trip to the Netherlands to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of his Dutch factory. At the anniversary, the staff has made a replica of ‘The Spider’, the first aircraft that Fokker built. After a flight in the plane, he seems like a different person. He’s suddenly reminded what excited him so much about flying and decides to build a new airplane for civil aviation.

When Plesman’s son, Hans, is called for military service, Plesman decides that he must stop the approaching war at all costs. He develops an idealistic plan to preserve peace in Europe, and travels to England to convince the Minister of Foreign Affairs of his plan. He doesn’t succeed. Back in the Netherlands, the government instruct him to order Fokker’s new airplane, as thanks for Fokker’s assistance in the rearmament of the Netherlands. It brings the two men back to the table.

Then Plesman unexpectedly receives an invitation from Hermann Göring. He travels to the lion’s den and presents his plan. Göring promises to submit it to Hitler but is disappointed that Fokker hasn’t come himself. Plesman discovers that it was Fokker who had arranged this audience for him. When he tries to contact him, he hears that Fokker has just died from complications after a routine operation on his septum.

At Fokker’s funeral, Plesman gives a beautiful speech about the man he has regarded his biggest opponent for twenty years. When Suze joins him at the graveside, Plesman breaks down. Not only for Fokker, but also for the loss of Jan which he’s been bottling up for years. Sharing their grief finally brings the couple together again. Plesman feels terrible that all his hard work will ultimately be meaningless if there’s another war.