A Bicycle and a Dragon (and a Stray Bullet)

Patrick watches his grandfather Jan cleaning an old bicycle. One night, he catches him sneaking out of the house with it and, despite the old man’s initial reluctance, Jan agrees to take him on a secret journey to the German-Dutch border. Along the way, Jan tells his grandson a story from his youth: forced to join the Nazi army, he was wounded in action, taken to a hospital, and eventually abandoned on the property of Dutch farmers. There, a young woman treated his wound, read him a book about a dragon, and gave him a bicycle to save his life. A tender love story and a plea against war.

Key points

2026 – Cuatrogatos Foundation Award, USA

• It sensitively addresses highly significant themes such as pacifism, compassion, historical memory, grief and overcoming prejudice.
• It offers the unusual perspective of the ‘enemy’ who did not want to be one, humanising the characters and highlighting the moral complexities of war.
• It illustrates an intergenerational bond that goes beyond the passing on of memories, becoming a space for shared learning and healing.