Cross of Iron

CHILDREN SING "Hanschen Klein"

PEOPLE CHEER

GUNFIRE

MARCHING BAND PLAYS

HANSCHEN KLEIN RESUMES

BRASS FANFARE PLAYS

HANSCHEN KLEIN RESUMES

MARCHING BAND PLAYS

PEOPLE CHEER

GUNFIRE

SHELL WHISTLES

This is Regimental Headquarters calling Corporal Steiner.

SHELLS FIRE

Can you pick me up, Steiner?

Steiner, can you hear me?

Steiner.

SHELLS FIRE INTERMITTENTLY

DISTANT EXPLOSION

SHELLING CONTINUES

HE GRUNTS

MAN SPEAKS RUSSIAN ON PHONE

DISTANT EXPLOSIONS CONTINUE

MAN SPEAKS RUSSIAN

HE MIMICS GUNSHOT

SOLDIER SHOUTS IN RUSSIAN

HORSE NEIGHS

MEN SCREAM

MACHINE GUN FIRE

-Good kill!

-Beautiful.

Look, my new weapon.

Get one for yourself. Some ammunition.

-Give him a hand.

-Of course.

Look at that!

-Nothing we haven't seen before.

-Steiner.

Look what I found running around in the back.

A little Russian fledgling.

Put it down.

HE PLAYS HARMONICA

Quickly!

We go.

See if you can get Meyer.

Tell him we'll need transportation from checkpoint seven.

Right, sir.

Bring him with us.

ENGINE STRUGGLES

Push, push, push, push, push!

Come on, come on! Quickly!

All right, stop.

STRANSKY URINATES

This damned country!

Once it was a new adventure, but...

..I have a feeling that one of these days

this land will swallow us up.

Captain Stransky, sir.

-Colonel Brandt. You're welcome.

-Thank you, sir.

This is my adjutant, Captain Kiesel.

Captain, how are you?

Thank you for asking, Captain. I feel terrible. I've got diarrhoea.

How are you?

You should meet your own adjutant, Lieutenant Triebig.

He's also a new arrival.

Won't you join us in a glass of wine?

Oh, that's very kind of you, sir. Take my coat, please.

ORDERLY: Yes, sir. STRANSKY: Hmm.

HE HUMS

My respects, Colonel.

A 1937 Mosel in the southernmost corner of Russia.

Remarkable!

A bottle of Mosel is no more out of place in this region

than we are ourselves.

-Your health, gentlemen.

-I'm not going to drink to my health.

It's not worth drinking to.

To the end of the war?

Colonel, why does our presence here strike you as so absurd?

Captain, why did you ask to be relieved from duty in France?

I want to get the Iron Cross.

We could give you one of mine.

-No, no! I'm just joking.

-THUNDER RUMBLES

Actually it's exactly what my commanding officer

in France asked me.

"I can't stop you," he said.

"Since I'm convinced that without you the Eastern Front

"would collapse in a matter of days.

"Go ahead, you heroic horse's ass."

LARGE EXPLOSION

"Heroic horse's ass"! His exact words.

I withdraw my toast to the end of the war.

To heroic horse's asses everywhere.

To the patient foolish.

Colonel, I would like to make something quite clear

to Captain Kiesel.

I volunteered for this campaign

because I feel that men of quality are needed here.

It is time to destroy the myth of Russian invincibility.

Just how do we do that?

Bolstering morale,

punishing those who are insubordinate and rebellious.

Instilling a new respect for ranking officers.

Low morale goes hand in hand with defeat after defeat

followed by impending defeat.

Now you are new to our Russian front,

so I don't blame you for talking like a horse's ass.

HE CHUCKLES

EXPLOSION

Of course, sir, I'm not familiar with the Russian front yet,

but I firmly don't believe that the ideals of the German soldier even...

The German soldier no longer has any ideals.

He's not fighting for the culture of the West,

not for one form of government that he wants,

and not for the stinking Party.

He's fighting for his life. God bless him.

-Well, sir, I am a soldier...

-PHONE RINGS

and as a soldier, I feel it is my duty to subordinate my own ideas

to the principles of my country, right or wrong.

Colonel Brandt, Lieutenant Meyer, sir.

-Ah.

-HE CLEARS HIS THROAT

-Yes?

-Steiner's on his way back.

-What sort of shape are they in?

-The usual!

Very well, I see.

I want a briefing as soon as they're rested.

-Yes, sir.

-And, Meyer, Captain Stransky is here.

See that he is informed of our situation.

Yes, sir.

SHELL WHISTLES

SHELL EXPLODES

HE SIGHS

-Steiner's back.

-Of course.

Who's Steiner?

To you, in some ways, he could be a problem.

But he's a first-rate soldier.

So, we look the other way.

Anything to add to that, Kiesel?

Steiner is a myth.

But men like him are our last hope.

And in that sense, he is truly a very dangerous man.

Well, I will see.

Colonel, with your permission.

Well, what do you think of our new captain?

I feel he thinks he is on some kind of special mission,

that is, to achieve spiritual domination of his battalion,

thereby symbolising the purity of the great German Wehrmacht itself.

MEN SCREAM

Even when going down in defeat.

SCREAMING

If they're the last of us, Stransky and Steiner, then God help us.

-SOLDIER:

-Medic!

Medic! Medic!

Captain Stransky, welcome to the second platoon.

-Lieutenant.

-Meyer, Captain.

I am to show you to your quarters,

brief you on our current situation.

MAN SCREAMS

-Where's my bunker?

-Down there, in front of the factory, sir.

-The second platoon is guarding your post.

-Where are they?

They're just returning from reconnaissance, sir.

-Who's in charge of it?

-Corporal Steiner, sir.

Ah.

What is so special about this Corporal Steiner?

Early in the Novorossiysk attack,

Corporal Steiner saved Colonel Brandt's life.

-Ah!

-And mine, too.

Interesting.

Corporal Steiner!

I'm Captain Stransky. I'm your new commander here.

Yes, sir.

Who's this?

Corporal Schnurrbart, sir.

And the other one?

That is a Russian prisoner, sir.

You know as well as I do

that there are orders that no Russian prisoners are to be taken.

Get rid of him.

How, sir?

Well...

shoot him!

You shoot him, sir.

I will. On the spot.

And then I'll deal with you.

No need.

I'll see that it's taken care of, sir.

I want to see you in my bunker.

One hour.

With your full report.

-Clear?

-Of course, sir.

SHELL EXPLODES

SOLDIERS CHATTER

Agh..

-You already drank most of the vodka.

-I'm using it for the cooking.

Yeah!

SHELL EXPLODES

Oh, shit.

-Corporal Steiner?

-I'm Lily Marlene.

Come here, son.

Steiner!

I want to show you what our new army looks like.

-What's your name, son?

-Private Dietz, sir.

They're sending us babies now.

Hello, child.

Private Dietz.

How long have you been soldiering?

Six weeks, sir. I volunteered, sir.

Don't volunteer for anything around here.

Just keep your eye on Kruger here, and myself.

Do exactly as we say

or you'll be wearing boots up your ass for a long time.

-Clear?

-Yes, sir!

-And don't call me sir.

-Excuse me.

Go with this foul-smelling one over here.

Put him in Schiller's bunk.

Kern...

..see if you can find a... jacket or a blanket,

something for the boy.

Get Schiller's jacket. He must have something over there.

Yes, sir! Oh, excuse me.

-STRANSKY:

-Stand at ease.

Thank you, sir.

RADIO CHATTER

-My report.

-Thank you.

I regret the incident this afternoon, Corporal.

But orders are orders.

We have enough trouble with the feeding of our own troops

without taking prisoners.

Anyway, it's very bad for security.

I've read your preliminary report,

and it gives me great pleasure to inform you that

Colonel Brandt and I have agreed to recommend you

for promotion to Senior Sergeant, effective at once.

Your promotion doesn't seem to have made much of an impression.

No, it doesn't.

All right.

I've read your report. Anything to add to this?

Russians, sir. We should be hearing from them very soon, sir.

-An offensive?

-Yes, I should think so, sir.

-Starting when?

-Soon.

-What about your platoon?

-Two killed, one missing.

Two killed, how?

Bullets. Mortar fire.

Artillery. Heavy salvos. Bad luck.

Terminal syphilis. The usual things, Captain.

The missing man, did you look for him, Steiner?

-No, sir.

-Why not?

I felt that it would be irresponsible of me

to risk the safety of the entire platoon

for the sake of one man.

You felt what?

A non-commissioned officer

does not permit a missing man in such a case. In any case!

I'll try to do better next time, sir.

-I'd like to have that in writing.

-If you wish.

You know, Corporal... Sergeant!

I have a feeling you somewhat overestimate your importance.

At the moment, I am free of any such illusions, sir.

Well, may I suggest to you

that you do not underestimate your present company?

Everything you are and may become is dependent upon this present company.

No, I will not forget that, sir.

But I may add that a man is generally

what he feels himself to be.

Of course.

Of course.

You're dismissed.

I shall be back soon, sir.

Is that a salute?

Yes, sir.

-Triebig.

-Yes, sir.

You must be careful, Steiner. He's taken a strong dislike to you.

I'll survive.

You're not dealing with just another Nazi Party type.

This one is pure Prussian military aristocracy and rich.

Hey, why are you bringing in the apples?

To eat, you overgrown idiot.

You know the ruling classes?

Come now, Lieutenant, what's left for them to rule?

Don't be naive.

Stransky will survive this war one way or another.

And he'll still have his land, his wealth...

SHELL WHISTLES

..and his status.

But he'll be very dangerous in defeat. Be careful with him.

He doesn't live in the same world we live in.

Ah, no, he's living in my world now.

Yeah, sure.

-Lieutenant?

-Yeah?

Please, would you come inside for a minute?

There's something I'd like to show you.

Kern, don't just stand there drinking, help us!

ALL SING IN GERMAN

THEY CHUCKLE

Thank you. I didn't realise that you knew.

Oh, you forget we are a reconnaissance platoon.

Happy birthday, Lieutenant Meyer.

-Yes!

-ALL:

-Happy birthday!

Explain everything to the Captain's orderly,

so he doesn't make any mistakes, will you?

And take care of your uniform. He's rather strict about it.

Russian vodka, German wine, chickens.

Oh, Maag, I don't know how we have stayed alive so long!

He's the best scavenger in the entire regiment.

-Cheers to all of you. ALL:

-Cheers!

Here's to the last Russian bullet.

-ALL:

-Yeah!

Here's to survival.

Ja, ja.

-ALL:

-Ja, ja!

Here's to your wife, girlfriend, women!

ALL: Ja! Women!

Here's to the women of the Folies-Bergere.

THEY CHUCKLE

To the girls of the Reeperbahn!

-ALL:

-Ooh-la-la!

THEY LAUGH AND CHATTER

Gently, gently.

Here's to Dietz's virginity.

THEY LAUGH

Play your cards right and we'll introduce you to Triebig.

All you have to do is just bend over.

ALL LAUGH Here comes the cake.

-Oh, cake!

-Captain Stransky should see this.

-Captain who?

-Here's to the cake!

-ALL:

-Cake! Here's to the cake!

Stop it! Stop it!

What are we doing here? What do you think we are doing here?

Playing birthday games? Right in the middle of all that shit!

-Come on, have a drink...

-You shut up when I'm talking!

If you want a party, OK, drink. Get drunk. OK?

-Take it easy.

-There's a bullet for you, too.

-For all of you arseholes!

-Come on!

You, arsehole. You don't touch me. You stink like a shithole.

BOTH SHOUT

Come on.

Let's not spoil everything.

This is Lieutenant Meyer's birthday.

Happy birthday, Lieutenant.

Have a good party.

-I'll have some more vodka.

-Here, fill it up.

Yeah, here's some vodka for everybody.

-I'm sorry.

-That's all right.

All right, now. Lieutenant Meyer is to have a meeting

with our illustrious new commandant, Captain Stransky,

whom you'll all meet shortly.

This is not a funeral, gentlemen. This is a birthday party.

Now let's drink. We'll have a song, what the hell.

ALL SING IN GERMAN

Thank you, sir.

Where were you stationed before you joined the battalion?

In the South of France. Biarritz.

-CHUCKLES:

-I know it well. Sit down.

Sit down. Tell me about it. It's such a beautiful country.

And being transferred must have come hard, hmm?

I applied for it as you did, sir.

As I did?

That's interesting.

And your orderly?

-We served together.

-In the South of France!

HE CHUCKLES

Ah, those French girls!

Comment elles sont delicieux!

-LAUGHS:

-Those French girls, Triebig!

I did have not much time to think about those French girls.

Really? And you, Keppler? Did you enjoy the French girls?

On occasion.

# Sur le Pont d'Avignon

# L'ont y danse, l'ont y danse. #

Let me ask you a question, Triebig. Do you like soldiering?

Certainly, I like it, sir.

But it is strange at times.

It is indeed a very different world.

A world of danger, and a world of men.

-A world without women, hmm, Keppler?

-HE CHUCKLES

-Yes.

-A world without women.

Thank you.

It's an old theory of mine.

Men can get along without women easily, easily, I tell you.

A man's true destiny is not just breeding children,

all this childbirth, and chocolate,

but to be free, to rule and to fight.

In other words, to lead a man's existence.

Women are no more than a nuisance.

Sometimes... Sometimes necessary.

I'm a soldier, sir.

If I have to, I can do without women.

Really?

And you, Keppler?

Can you do without women?

I do as I am ordered, sir.

-LAUGHS:

-I like that! I like that answer.

"I do as I am ordered." I like that.

What is your first name?

Josef.

Josef, Josef.

If it will help you, I'll put your thoughts into the right words.

You prefer the society of men to that of women

at any and all situations.

Right?

I don't understand, Captain.

Come on, Triebig.

You don't have to put up a front with me. With me of all people.

What I said was right, wasn't it?

You prefer the society of men to that of women.

Come on, we're all soldiers. There's no harm in it.

Say yes, for heaven's sake, man, say yes!

Possibly.

You said yes.

You said yes!

He said yes, didn't he, Keppler? He said yes!

You said yes. Didn't he, Keppler?

He said yes, didn't he, Keppler?

-Yes.

-Louder!

Didn't he, Keppler? Louder! Say yes, loud!

Yes.

-Louder!

-Yes!

-Louder!

-Yes!

I can assure you of this,

if you get caught,

you will be hanged slowly,

both of you.

Together.

Now get out of here.

ANSELM: Ammunition supply's running low.

Sector three needs more 9mm.

SHELL EXPLODES

Steiner's platoon all secure.

Perimeter taking light mortar shelling.

Section Z47, no casualties.

By the way, we didn't get the mail.

-That's a big one...

-Thank you.

Oh, I see.

Argh!

-HE LAUGHS

-Take your hands off my lice.

FARTING

-Merde!

-Oh, not again!

Belch before farting, that's the rule.

SHELL EXPLODES

Sector seven, no activity.

FARTING

HE SNIFFS

Get him outside.

Kern, get yourself outside. Come on, quick.

No, no, no, the Russians might think it's mustard gas.

The Geneva Convention forbids the use of mustard gas.

THEY LAUGH

Goddamn it, Kern!

What type of exhaust pipe do you have and when was it broken?

I'm well-organised and without problems.

Are you equally guilty? Kruger, is that your natural smell?

THEY CHUCKLE

Listen, idiots...

I stay dirty for a reason.

If you'd been in the field for as long as I have been, you'd know why.

Explain.

I learned after Stalingrad.

Natural body oils combined with dirt can keep you waterproof.

Waterproof?

Sure.

THEY CHUCKLE

How goes it?

Quiet.

Too quiet.

Yes.

They'll wait till first light.

Rolf, what are we doing here?

We are spreading the German culture throughout a desperate world.

Didn't someone say that war is the highest expression in life

for the truly cultured people?

Yes, a foolish wise man named Friedrich von Bernhardi.

-Right!

-Yeah!

-And Von Clausewitz said...

-Von Clausewitz?

Ah, Von Clausewitz said, "War is a continuation of state policy..."

"By other means!"

Yes, by other means.

Do you ever think about your children, Rolf?

-Always.

-Where are they?

I don't know.

Take off one uniform, there's always another one underneath.

Go!

DISTANT EXPLOSION

It's all an accident.

An accident of hands.

Mine, others.

All without mind.

One extreme to another,

and neither works.

Nor will ever!

Here we stand in the middle...

..in no-man's land, you and I.

Go home.

Go home!

Steiner!

HE SHOUTS

GUNFIRE

PHONE RINGS

-Yes, sir?

-Is it a probe, Stransky?

A probe, sir? It's an avalanche!

No, sir! It's an attacking force!

ALL SHOUT

Sir, counter-fire is needed at once.

Otherwise, we'll be destroyed.

MACHINE GUN FIRE

We're overrun! Move out!

I need help!

Be calm, Stransky. You are not alone.

What do you mean I'm not alone, sir?

I am alone! I am alone!

ALL SHOUT

MEN SCREAM

Steiner is gone, Triebig is gone,

I don't know where Lieutenant Meyer is.

I don't know! Is he dead?

-Then go to your second platoon...

-Is he dead?

..salient sector and find them!

And stand by and prepare the counterattack

-as quickly as possible.

-Yes, sir! I will be counterattacking, sir!

Stay in your positions!

Hello? I will be counterattacking.

Get some more ammunition!

-Where's my weapon?

-On the wall, sir.

Get that ammunition!

SHELL WHISTLES Down!

MEN SCREAM

Keep down, you fool!

You, get over there!

Get back to your post!

-Get that phone fixed.

-Yes, sir.

Get back there, damn you!

Keep your positions!

Everybody, keep firing!

Forward, men! Forward!

I need air cover!

Fire!

We're winning. We're winning!

Where's my air cover? Where are my tanks?

SCREAMING

Shit!

PHONE RINGS

The phone is ringing! Where's the phone?

Fire!

Argh!

SCREAMING

Captain Stransky. Where is your counterattack?

We are attacking! We are defending!

We are counterattacking!

I'm wounded, sir. But I continue.

I know my duty, sir. Don't worry.

But I need ammunition!

Lieutenant Meyer!

Hollerbach! We must cover Steiner!

BATTLE SOUNDS ECHO

BATTLE SOUNDS FADE

Look at me.

Follow the light with your eyes.

Very good.

That's it. Now look at me again.

Sergeant!

All right.

Did you sleep well?

Reasonably.

Smell?

HE SNIFFS

Nothing.

Any sense of taste?

Improving.

Quite usual in concussion.

You've been like this for a week.

They should return soon.

Your records indicate multiple wounds over the last few years.

Any residual effects?

Headaches.

Blurred vision.

I can't urinate out of my left ear any longer,

but otherwise I feel rather well.

The doctors recommend that you stay with us for another three weeks

until they've completed your tests.

Then they recommend home leave.

Home.

LIVELY MUSIC PLAYS

MUSIC FADES

LAUGHTER ECHOES

Schnurrbart?

Schnurrbart?

Attention! General Von Hessel!

ALL SING IN GERMAN

Hello, soldier. How are you? Tell me, how do you feel?

This man has severe concussion, sir.

He's been highly decorated.

I want 65% of these men returned to active duty in three days.

Ah, food!

Delicious!

Take the pig, the meat and the wine into the private dining room.

Come! Eat! Eat, eat, everybody! Everybody!

Vegetables are good for you.

They're with the compliments of the High Command.

SOLDIERS SING DISTANTLY

VOICES ECHO CHAOTICALLY

GUNFIRE ECHOES

DISTANT CHANTING

HITLER'S VOICE ECHOES

MUSIC RESUMES

Everybody looks like someone else around here.

-Did I have a bad spell?

-Ja.

You were very violent.

Violent?

Violence should stop. It must stop.

You say the violence must stop?

HE CHUCKLES

CLAMOURING VOICES

SOLDIERS LAUGH

VIOLIN PLAYS WALTZ

Oh, no, I'm on duty.

-Have a drink.

-No, I couldn't.

They'll throw me out.

Do you dance?

SHE CHUCKLES

Hold my bottle. I'll hold your waist...

..and we dance.

Listen, this is ridiculous.

It's nice.

THEY LAUGH

Schnurrbart!

Rolf?

What the hell are you doing here? Lost?

No such luck, Rolf.

I got it in the leg same time you got it in the head.

Schnurrbart!

My vacation's over.

It's back to the bad side of old mother Russia.

They took us all from our hospital.

It looks like we're picking up some of your boys as well.

You want to come along or are you doing all right?

Attention, men! Prepare to leave.

Corporal! Hold this truck.

What the hell are you talking about?

That's an order, Goddamn it!

-Rolf?

-What?

-What is it?

-What?

What's the matter?

I'm going back.

I thought you were going back home.

I have no home.

My home.

Our home.

Do you love the war so much?

Is that... Is that what's wrong with you, Steiner?

Or are you afraid of what you will be without it?

Long live Germany.

I said to hold it, right?

-Steiner, I didn't mean it. You're crazy!

-Schnurrbart.

Rolf!

Son of a bitch!

-Schnurrbart!

-Hello, Kern!

-Hello, Hartwig.

-Hello, Sergeant.

-Hartwig!

-Schnurrbart, how are you?

Caught with your pants down again, huh?

Whew.

Anselm.

Welcome back, Sergeant.

-Hollerbach!

-Rolf, hello.

Good to have you back, Schnurrbart.

Kruger!

You're back too soon. I don't want to talk to you.

Leave me alone.

Get your ass out of there, you old pirate.

KRUGER LAUGHS

I missed you. I missed you! Yeah.

My, my, my! What is this?

-That's a Zoll.

-That's a Party member Zoll.

With compliments of Captain Stransky.

SS Special Action Squad.

You still a Party member, Hollerbach?

Well, Rolf, I'd dance with the party if I could find one.

LAUGHTER

Hey, silence. The Party is convinced we are winning the war.

Yeah, sure, we're winning the war.

LAUGHTER

I hope you've memorised our serial numbers,

our mothers' maiden names... correctly.

I wouldn't want the Gestapo to come

and arrest the wrong man, woman or child.

I don't care what you believe, or what you've done.

Your duty is to us, the platoon and me.

Fulfil those responsibilities or you will have a bayonet up your ass.

-Clear?

-Yes, sir.

I am playing nursemaid to the third squad, any volunteers?

HE BLOWS RASPBERRY

-Not me.

-No chance.

-Go alone this time.

-Enjoy yourself.

Thanks a lot.

What have we here, a hawk and a hare, eh? I'll take you.

Come on, have a drink.

-That's your bottle.

-Cheers, Rolf.

Ah, give me that thing. Come on.

Gentlemen.

Cheers.

Some papers for you to sign, Captain.

-I'll sign them later.

-RAT SQUEALS

Stop that! Be careful with my JJ.

Yes, sir.

Have her treated correctly.

-Sergeant Steiner reporting as ordered, sir.

-Come in.

Thank you. That will be all, gentlemen.

-Welcome back, Sergeant Steiner.

-Thank you, sir.

Please sit down. Make yourself comfortable.

MUSIC PLAYS FAINTLY ON RADIO

Well, now that you're back - and I'm glad you're back.

I think we should make a fresh start together.

But the main point is...

..the regiment feels or believes

that I deserve the Iron Cross now.

And they've asked me to produce two witnesses to the fact

that I led the counterattack

and threw the Russians out of their positions.

I have named Lieutenant Triebig and you.

Especially you.

Lieutenant Triebig has already submitted his signature.

Am I to believe this is a private conversation?

That would occur to you, wouldn't it?

All right, have some wine, a '36 Mosel.

I'll have some.

Thank you, Sergeant.

But still remember that in civilian as well as in military life

a distinction is made between people.

Is that what you meant when you said, "All you are and may become

"is dependent upon this present company?"

Well, the difference...

..is a matter of ethical...

..and intellectual superiority which is caused,

whether you like it or not, by blood and by class difference.

If I remember correctly Kant was the son of a saddle maker

and Schubert's father was a poor schoolmaster.

Perhaps talent, sensitivity and character are no longer privileges

of the so-called upper class.

But Kant and Schubert were exceptions.

We're talking about general concepts.

-Not individuals.

-But I am one and so are you.

Didn't your fuhrer say

that all class distinctions were to be abolished?

I'm an officer of the Wehrmacht. I've never been a Party member.

I'm a Prussian aristocrat

and I don't want to be put into the same category!

So we agree for once.

Good.

But he is still our fuhrer.

Unfortunately.

Oh...

THUNDER RUMBLES

That is a different question, Sergeant.

That's not up to us to judge.

Why do you want it so badly?

It's just a piece of worthless metal.

Look!

It's not worthless to me.

Why is it so important to you?

Tell me, Captain, why?

Sergeant, if I go back...

..without the Iron Cross...

..I couldn't face my family.

BOMB EXPLODES

Personally, sir, I don't feel you deserve the Iron Cross.

Incoming!

Where are you going?

I'm going to point 124. Corporal Kruger's over there.

Are you crazy? No-one could survive this kind of assault.

Get out of my way, Goddamn it. I'm going after him.

Steiner!

You get me some stretcher-bearers, damn it.

Steiner! Steiner!

HE SCREAMS

The others?

Dead, all dead.

Oh, God. Listen to me.

We are going to leave now.

Will you get up and follow me out of here?

All right?

Three hours.

Three hours I've been here by myself.

HE EXHALES

I don't ever want to be alone again.

I don't ever want to be alone again.

You won't, you won't.

BOMB EXPLODES

MACHINE GUN FIRE

Come on.

Why the hell wasn't I told of Steiner's return to the battalion?

My apologies for that, sir.

There were more important things to do.

I want him here at once.

About a predicament of which I am sure you don't need to be reminded.

-Clear, Stransky?

-Quite clear, sir.

Now we shall see.

I don't like the tone of his voice.

I'm fed up with the whole situation.

Well, it doesn't matter any more.

I know from reliable sources that headquarters

have already written off the Kuban bridgehead.

And soon the whole Crimea will be a cul-de-sac.

Report to Brandt.

If you have the choice, Triebig, between Biarritz and Siberia,

what would you choose?

-Steiner.

-Colonel.

Sit down please, Steiner.

How was hospital?

Oh...interesting.

I recommend it.

Did Captain Stransky lead the counterattack

the day Lieutenant Meyer was killed?

Lieutenant Meyer led the attack.

Captain Stransky was nowhere in sight.

You're sure of that.

I saw Lieutenant Meyer die.

BOMB EXPLODES

Fetch Triebig.

Stay, I want you to listen.

Sir?

You signed your Captain's report.

Were you present when Captain Stransky led the counterattack?

I accompanied Captain Stransky to the field...

..and saw him calling several men around him.

Then he sent me back to the command post.

Then how do you know that Captain Stransky led the counterattack?

You've signed a statement to that effect, Triebig.

I wasn't there. I learned of it from wounded men who were returning.

Can you give me the name of one of these wounded men?

They were not staff men, just company men.

I knew them only by sight.

Besides, the smoke, the battle. We had been under fire, sir.

EXPLOSION

I want you to know, Triebig, that I have had your statement checked.

Captain Kiesel will inform you of the results of our investigation.

Our investigation so far has disclosed...

..that the men in the second company

who took part in the action declared unanimously

that the action was led by Lieutenant Meyer.

None of them saw Captain Stransky or Lieutenant Triebig.

To my mind there is nothing more contemptible

than stealing the laurels which properly belong to a man

who was killed in action.

If Sergeant Steiner stands by his last testimony,

I should be compelled to institute disciplinary proceedings

against the Captain.

And you.

Yes, sir.

Do you stand by your statement that Captain Stransky

was not with the company?

BOMB EXPLODES

Would it be possible for me to give my answer in three or four days, sir?

Did you see Stransky or not?

You may go, Triebig. You're no longer needed.

What in God's name has got into you? This is your chance!

You are the only person that stands between Stransky

and his Iron Cross.

And you could be called as a primary witness against him

in a court of honour.

My differences with Captain Stransky are a personal matter.

Now listen to me.

You know that I've always shown a great deal of understanding for you,

but I'm becoming tired of battling with your superiors.

I never asked you to.

Didn't ask me to?!

You never asked me to? Are you out of your mind?

Steiner, why are you so ungrateful?

What do I have to be grateful for, Captain?

Your tolerance?

Do you think that just because you and Colonel Brandt

are more enlightened than most officers that I hate you any less?

I hate all officers.

All the Stranskys, all the Triebigs,

all the Iron Cross scavengers in the whole German army.

Have you any idea what you're saying?

Do you know how much I hate this uniform...

and everything it stands for?

God!

Get out.

Please, just get out.

PHONE RINGS

Regimental headquarters.

Division headquarters, sir.

General Von Kellinshofe.

Colonel Brandt.

Yes, General.

Yes, sir. I didn't know it was as bad as that.

I am very sorry to hear it.

Well?

We're pulling back to the bridgehead at Kuban.

No rear guard. Not even Steiner's platoon.

We're not retreating. We're running.

BOMB EXPLODES

Captain Stransky. Yes, Captain Kiesel.

I was just about to leave.

Don't leave just yet. Now listen to me.

Regiment feels that it is unwise and also suicidal

to leave behind any rear guard platoons including Steiner's.

I want them to join the evacuation immediately.

You understand that?

Yes, Captain.

Triebig?

All real guard platoons to join the evacuation immediately.

Shall I notify Steiner's platoon?

Yes.

Give me Steiner.

Calling Regiment.

Regimental headquarters. Come in, please!

Regimental headquarters! Come in, please!

Regimental headquarters. Come in, please!

B Company, can you hear me?

Anybody come in, please!

Tanks!

Captain Stransky, can you hear me?

Kruger!

All the lines are out.

Better get 'em out! Down the tunnel!

Out!

Go into the factory.

Get everything?

Fire!

SOLDIERS SHOUT

MACHINE GUN FIRE

Zoll, grab some mines. Bring them up. Quick!

On the tracks, Zoll. Put them on the tracks.

ENGINE STRUGGLES

Hurry! Move!

Heads down.

Into the factory. Over to the factory! Move, damn it!

Argh!

Maag, they're coming in from both sides.

Kern, up above! Kruger, up on the catwalk! Hurry.

SHOUTING IN RUSSIAN

Quick! Down the tunnel!

Anselm! The grenade! Come here!

Throw it!

-Shit!

-Jesus Christ!

Steiner, let's go!

It's clear.

Dietz. Cover for us.

Hurry! Move!

-Captain Pucher reporting, sir.

-Ah, yes, Captain.

You have your orders?

And a letter for you, to be delivered personally.

Thank you.

You can guess what this is, can't you?

-A transfer.

-Exactly!

Our Stransky is to report to Paris within a week.

Captain Pucher, my orderly will see to your billeting.

But don't unpack everything. We might be going away.

Captain.

Stransky.

Without Steiner to contradict him,

he'll get his Iron Cross and strut all around Paris.

The arrogant, unbloodied bastard.

Stransky in Paris, and Steiner...

..God knows where he'll be.

It seems there's...

What, 22, 23km between...

..here and Anapa.

Marshland. Wilderness.

It's the same trap behind the Russian lines.

Again shit, again shit, again shit...

Here take your gun. Again shit, again shit, again shit...

We'll try the road.

RUSSIAN SOLDIERS SING

STAMMERS: Hey, we'll never get over this road.

Shh!

What's your hurry, kid?

We'll get out of this mess in time for the next one.

Steiner! Steiner, it's clear now.

(Let's go. Move it, move it!)

Anselm, move your ass!

-BRANDT:

-The cattle cars or whatever they're sending

are due to arrive at 1200 hours,

provided, of course, that the Russian sappers

have not blown up the track.

-Any questions?

-No, sir.

Dismissed.

Carry on probing and aggressive actions all along the front.

DOOR SLAMS

They're not listening.

You, too.

I beg your pardon?

HE SIGHS

Who needs a railroad track?

When we break out of here,

we'll push on with a blitzkrieg through Stalingrad

and up to the outskirts of Moscow.

What will we do when we lose the war?

Prepare for the next one.

Do you think he'll get through?

Steiner?

I don't see how he can.

Anselm, go bring Zoll in.

-What is it?

-Bridge.

Just bring what you need to kill with.

-It's a game.

-A game?!

It's a kid's game. It's bad luck to step on sunlight.

I thought perhaps if I miss the beams

we would all come through this all right.

Come on.

SOLDIERS SPEAK IN RUSSIAN

Agh!

SPLASH

WOMEN SPEAKS RUSSIAN

THEY SPEAK RUSSIAN

FLIES BUZZ

SHE SOBS

SHE SPEAKS RUSSIAN

HENS CLUCK

Come on, come on. Over there, get in that corner.

Jesus Christ!

Get these weapons out of here!

Kruger, upstairs! Schnurrbart, perimeter.

Check the other buildings.

Come here. Get in that corner. Get in that room.

Come on, pretty rabbit.

HE CHUCKLES Don't hide from me.

Check the radio. Get that body out of here.

Anselm.

-Stay there!

-Get your hands off.

Anselm, stop it, damn it!

HE LAUGHS

WOMAN PROTESTS

-Anselm! Anselm!

-Leave me, Steiner.

Wait. Stop it!

GUNFIRE

Stop your fucking silly game! This isn't a brothel!

This is a war!

-Rolf, look what I found.

-HE LAUGHS

I said get that body out of here.

SCHNURRBART: Everything clear out here.

What is this?

It shows their basic positions in front of Anapa.

-HE CHUCKLES

-Good.

Means we're halfway home.

Thank the ladies

and tell them to take their clothes off.

And what shall we do with the bodies?

Who's going to keep them warm?

Tell them we want their tunics and trousers.

-They're going to die anyway.

-Do it!

-They are going to die anyway.

Let me... Let me eat one.

KRUGER SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN

WOMEN GASP

KRUGER CONTINUES

THEY WHISPER IN RUSSIAN

Major.

Major!

She's dead.

-Dietz, Zoll, watch them.

-Ja.

The rest of you, put these uniforms on.

SHE SHOUTS IN RUSSIAN

Come on, go over there with the rest of them.

Pick up your weapons.

Up, up, out!

SHE SHOUTS IN RUSSIAN

Get that uniform and take it inside.

Oh, shit.

GERMAN SOLDIERS TALK OUTSIDE

SHE SPEAKS RUSSIAN

Ah, go over there.

-Agh!

-Come on, pick it up.

You want to play? All right.

That's a nice little girl.

That's it.

Come on. I'll give you something to play with.

-I'm going to be busy for a while.

-Uh-huh!

Come on.

CHICKENS CLUCK

How would you like it, huh?

That's nice.

Ah.

Ngh!

HE GASPS

BOTH SOB SOFTLY

HE MOANS

Steiner!

Oh, Dietz.

Jesus Christ.

Dietz.

Oh, God. God.

Don't...

..hurt the girl.

MOANS

Do you believe in God, Sergeant?

I believe...

God is a sadist...

..but probably doesn't even know it.

ZOLL SCREAMS

Zoll!

Argh!

Stupid man!

ZOLL SOBS

Steiner! God!

Take the women outside. With me.

Come on. Go!

Move out! Come on!

All of you get inside. Inside!

SOBS: Steiner!

ZOLL SCREAMS

Now we're even.

THEY SHOUT IN RUSSIAN

ZOLL CRIES

There's one other thing you could do for me.

There's a man here that I would like to get out quickly.

I spoke to you about him before.

If there is a chance that he could leave with your headquarter staff,

I will be most grateful. Thank you, sir.

They're rolling up both flanks.

It's chaos.

That need no longer concern you.

SHELLS EXPLODE

You're to report at once to General Headquarters.

You're being evacuated.

I can't leave the Command, sir.

While I'm still in a condition to issue orders,

those orders will be obeyed.

I'm prepared to disobey that order, sir.

You've been around Steiner too long.

Come, listen to me for a moment.

For many of us Germans, the exterminator is long overdue.

But I have decided that you are worth saving.

SOLDIER SCREAMS

But I'm part of all this.

There are better people than me.

Most of them are being killed out there.

There's nothing wrong with you except that you smoke too much.

You're a brave man. Braver than you think you are.

One of these days there will be a need for brave civilians.

Had you thought of that?

In the new Germany, if such a thing is allowed to exist,

there will be a need for builders, for thinkers...

MACHINE GUN FIRE

-Poets.

-SOLDIER SCREAMS

I begin to see now what your job is to be.

I will make this my final order to you.

You will search out and contact all of these, um...

..better people, you call them?

And together you will take on the responsibility

that goes with survival.

Now you must leave.

Please leave.

Braun, take Captain Kiesel to the railhead!

Go.

Steiner, how do we get through the Russian trenches?

It's only a matter of time.

They'll be building them for a thousand years.

-If not here, somewhere else.

-LAUGHS:

-Not Germany.

HE CHUCKLES

Germany.

Do you think they'll ever forgive us for what we've done?

Or forget us?

We'll make it. We will make it.

With your help.

To tell you the truth I'm...

I'm beginning to enjoy it.

Well, you want, uh...

to be sitting in some mud hole some place,

waiting for the top of your head to be blown off?

At least here we're free.

BLOWS INTO HARMONICA

Steiner.

Steiner?

MAAG PLAYS HARMONICA

ALL SING "Im Feldquartier Auf Hartem Stein"

Sing it!

ALL CONTINUE SINGING

SOLDIERS SPEAK IN RUSSIAN

THEY SPEAK IN RUSSIAN

Go! Go!

SHELLS WHISTLE

SHELLS EXPLODE

Here, Sergeant. Here's your weapon.

Then all we have to do is hope our own artillery doesn't get us.

-Or the land mines.

-HE LAUGHS

Two hundred metres to go.

-Anselm.

-Yes?

-Try to raise somebody on that radio.

Tell them we're coming in at dawn.

We need a password. What's, uh...

What's the password? Uh...

Reconnaissance Patrol with several Russian prisoners

and no shooting.

Password, Kruger, Goddamn it!

"Demarcation."

Why not? "Demarcation."

"Demarcation." Sign it Steiner.

Captain, special password "Demarcation." Signed Steiner.

Coming in with prisoners.

Looks like a trap.

My thoughts exactly, sir.

He may have been captured.

-Wolf.

-Sir?

Did you recognise the voice?

No, sir, it was in code.

Good code, "Demarcation."

Triebig...

if in the dark...

..you saw half a dozen men, some in Russian uniforms...

..advancing on you...

..could anyone blame you if you opened fire?

No.

Will you check the situation for me and, uh, take care of it?

You do like Biarritz, don't you?

You do like the South of France, don't you?

SHELLS FIRE

Come on.

SOLDIER SCREAMS

Oh, shit!

-Kern.

-Ja.

You and I will carry the weapons.

The rest of you make sure your hands are clearly placed

behind your heads.

SCHNURRBART: I'll go first, Sergeant.

No, Goddamit, Schnurrbart.

There might be some asshole who didn't know what the message is.

No, I go.

Rolf!

You've been responsible for all of us.

This time I'm responsible for you.

-LAUGHS:

-Take us in.

Sir, look here.

Welcome, Sergeant Steiner.

My passage home.

Steiner!

Demarcation! Steiner!

SCHNURRBART: Steiner, we're coming out!

-Demarcation!

-SCHNURRBART: Demarcation!

Steiner's coming in!

Demarcation!

SHELL EXPLODES

SCHNURRBART: Demarcation!

Barrage!

Russians right in front.

Schnurrbart, move out!

Stand by to fire.

Go, go!

Fire!

MACHINE GUN FIRE

Demarcation!

It's Steiner!

It's a trap. Fire!

SOLDIERS SCREAM

No!

Goddamn it!

HE SCREAMS

Sir, they look like prisoners.

Steiner!

There are German soldiers with them.

-Stop it!

-Stop it!

Those fucking idiots.

We're German soldiers...

Fire!

Stop it!

Stop it!

No! No!

Keep firing!

Stop, Goddamn it!

KERN SCREAMS

Fire!

Oh, my God!

It's Steiner!

You, stop!

Go get my men, go!

-Stop it!

-Stretcher-bearers.

Bloody Nazi swine!

You...swine!

It's all Stransky's orders!

I had no part in it.

We're sorry.

He's dead.

I had no part in it!