Flame and Citron (2009) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

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1. 1

   Occupation and order to attack Abwehr targets

   After the Nazi invasion, Bent Flammen and Jørgen Citronen are ordered by their handler Winther to eliminate Abwehr agents. They debate against targeting Danes only to minimize German retaliation, but the mission proceeds as official instruction. The assignment sets the tone for the resistance's risky balancing of ethics and danger.

   When

   Early 1940s

   Where

   Copenhagen, Denmark

2. 2

   Lorentzen killed; Gilbert and Seibold spared

   Bent carries out the hit on Elisabeth Lorentzen, but fails to kill Horst Gilbert and Hermann Seibold. The resistance experiences the growing risk of exposure as their targets include German intelligence assets. The failure intensifies the pressure on Bent and Jørgen.

   When

   Shortly after the orders

   Where

   Copenhagen, Denmark

3. 3

   Family birthday reveals hardship

   Jørgen, his wife Bodil and daughter Ann celebrate Ann’s birthday in their car, highlighting their financial strain. Bodil reveals she is seeing another man, adding personal peril to their dangerous lives. The moment contrasts with the resistance’s clandestine world.

   When

   Evening during Ann's birthday

   Where

   Copenhagen, Denmark

4. 4

   Spex urges pause for a larger plan

   In a meeting with Spex from Danish Army Intelligence, they are told there will be no more attacks so a larger operation can be prepared. Bent and Jørgen decide to ignore the order and continue their activities. The disagreement underscores the tension between strategic restraint and bold action.

   When

   Later period during occupation

   Where

   Copenhagen, Denmark

5. 5

   Gilbert is killed by Jørgen

   Following the tension with Spex, Jørgen shoots and kills Gilbert, escalating the conflict with the Abwehr. Bent continues to be involved, but the resistance’s actions increase the Gestapo’s focus on them. The killing signifies a turning point in their campaign.

   When

   After Spex meeting

   Where

   Copenhagen, Denmark

6. 6

   Robbery to support the family

   That night, Jørgen robs a grocery store and brings the stolen goods to his family, attempting to ease their hardship. Bodil’s admission of seeing another man deepens the strain on their relationship. The line between resistance violence and personal desperation blurs.

   When

   That night

   Where

   Local Danish towns near Copenhagen

7. 7

   Winther suspects informant

   After several resistance members are killed by the Gestapo, Winther suspects there is an informer among them. The suspicion sets off a dangerous game of mistrust within the resistance. The stakes of betrayal become personal for Bent and Jørgen.

   When

   After multiple killings

   Where

   Danish resistance network

8. 8

   Ketty reveals loyalty and involvement

   Bent visits Ketty at her hotel and they have an intimate moment. Ketty then tells him she works for Winther and for Danish army intelligence, and that Winther is not working for the British. This revelation upends Bent’s assumptions about loyalties.

   When

   After the erotic encounter

   Where

   Ketty’s hotel, Copenhagen

9. 9

   Ketty named informer; death order issued

   In a later meeting, Winther identifies Ketty as the informer and orders her death to prevent exposure. Bent and Jørgen realize they may have been maneuvered by a web of lies. The trust between resistance members continues to erode.

   When

   Later stage in the plot

   Where

   Bar/meeting room, Copenhagen

10. 10

    Winther escapes to Stockholm; trap realized

    Bent and Jørgen search for Winther in a bar and discover that he has escaped to Stockholm, confirming that a trap has been set by the Gestapo. They manage to flee the ensuing pursuit and avoid capture for the moment. The chase exposes the danger of their networks across borders.

    When

    During the pursuit

    Where

    Copenhagen and Stockholm, Denmark/Sweden

11. 11

    Plan to strike Hoffmann; ambush aborted

    They decide to kill Karl Heinz Hoffmann, the Gestapo leader, and seize control of the Gestapo’s favorite restaurant. Bent aborts the plan when police approach, illustrating how close they are to discovery. The plan’s failure foreshadows the crackdown to come.

    When

    Planning phase; night

    Where

    Copenhagen, Denmark

12. 12

    Ambush causes civilian casualties and Ketty flees

    On the road, Bent, Jørgen and their group open fire on two cars bearing Nazi flags and tragically kill a father while wounding a child. Ketty flees to Stockholm fearing Hoffmann’s retaliation. The incident marks a brutal turning point in the resistance’s actions.

    When

    Ambush night

    Where

    Road near Copenhagen

13. 13

    Round-up, Jørgen dies; Bent survives momentarily

    During a general round-up of the German-allied Danish police, Jørgen leaps a fence and is shot, and later dies defending a safe house. Bent evades capture briefly but ultimately, with Gestapo closing in, his courage gives way to despair. The resistance leaders are crushed in the crackdown.

    When

    During the crackdown

    Where

    Copenhagen, Denmark

14. 14

    Bent’s suicide and Ketty’s reward

    Bent, back at his home, commits suicide with a cyanide pill as the Gestapo closes in. Hoffmann later rewards Ketty for helping capture Bent, and a letter from Bent is found, expressing his feelings and doubt about Ketty’s betrayal. The ending casts a stark light on loyalty and betrayal.

    When

    At the end of the crackdown

    Where

    Bent’s home and Hoffmann’s location

15. 15

    Legacy and remembrance

    The film closes with notes about Bent and Jørgen’s legacy, honoring their resistance work and the costs paid. Their actions are remembered in Danish history, serving as a somber reminder of the price of resistance. The narrative ends with a memorial tone that outlives the characters themselves.

    When

    Post-war

    Where

    Denmark, post-war memory