The Danish-original war film ‘The Bombardment,’ written and directed by Dane Ole Bornedal, depicts a dismal image of the battle.
The story tells the events of the final days of World War II and the liberation of Denmark through the eyes of three children, a nun, and military officers working for the Danish arm of the Gestapo.
The catastrophic demolition of the Jeanne d’Arc School is at the heart of the storey, and it brings the entire account to a heartbreaking conclusion.
The film’s hard-hitting ambience is infused with symbolic camerawork and the brilliance of the cast ensemble.
On several occasions, the term “HIPO-pig” is used. However, if you’re curious in what a HIPO-pig is, keep reading.
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD.
Also See: ‘The Bombardment’ (2022) Review And Ending Explained
What Exactly Is A ‘HIPO-Pig’?
We’ve already seen the charming titular species, a cross between a hippopotamus and a pig, in Bong Joon-Hollywood ho’s debut, ‘Okja.’
The HIPO-pig of the movie, on the other hand, appears to have no connection to either of the creatures, as the name is largely used as an insult.
Svend, a Danish resistance worker, pays a visit to Frederik, a Danish foot soldier getting a German militia payment, at the start of the film.
Fearing for his life, Svend takes refuge at Frederik’s house, but Frederik has switched sides. As a result, he is unable to accommodate Svend in his residence.
Svend returns the ten kroner he owes Frederik and walks away with a sad expression on his face.
When Frederik walks into the house, his family gathers around the dining table. While lunch, Frederik’s father expresses his displeasure with his son’s decision to join the enemy side and dismisses him by calling him a HIPO-pig.
Frederik rises from his seat and retreats to his room. Svend is found dead on the streets shortly after in another scene.
After Frederik’s reaction to the phrase, you might be wondering what a HIPO-pig is. We surmise that a HIPO-pig is an insult reserved for Danes who switched sides and assisted the German occupiers in gaining a foothold in Jutland.
After the German conquest of Denmark on April 9, 1940, the territory’s psychogeography underwent a complex reconstruction.
The Danish authorities collaborated with the occupying soldiers because they were afraid of widespread destruction.
Gradually, the Nazi secret state militia (which wasn’t all that secretive) built Shell House or Shellhus in Copenhagen’s city centre, from which they dominated the city and most of Jutland.
Surprisingly, the National Socialist Workers’ Party of Denmark, a Danish wing of the Nazi Party, sprang up in Copenhagen, consisting solely of Danish citizens.
Danish people were also employed by the Geheime Staatspolizei, or secret police (often known as Gestapo). Around 550 uniformed Danes joined the German militia in repressing disturbances and coercing the crowds into submission, much like Frederik in the film.
However, by the time the storey took place in early 1945, the populist opposition had gained widespread support.
By August 1943, the Danish government had ceased to exist, and Copenhagen was in ruins.
The Danish population had had enough of food shortages and rising prices. During this period of transition, the most visible targets of national populist rage were the Danes who worked for the Germans.
People shunned them, referring to them as HIPO-pigs, a moniker drawn from a traditional tale about a wandering and lonely kid who ate from a pig trough. Most of these “traitors” were put on trial after their liberation.
