"Fall in for roll call!" "Fall in for roll call!" "Go, go, go!" "On the double!" "Block 38, Attention!" "Left face!" "Forward, march!" "Herbert, the Americans crossed the Rhin." "Did the Americans make a bridgehead at Remagen?" "Remagen is far away." "Caps, off!" " Block 38 present for roll call." " Block 36, attention!" "Caps, off!" "Take over command." "Ready." "Camp, attention!" "Caps, off!" "What a sloppy bunch this is!" "Caps, on!" "Caps, off!" "Prisoners present for roll call." "Their asses will be in a bind soon." "Caps, on!" "Fix 'em!" "Clothing point workers to the clothing point." "Barbers to the bathroom." "Everyone else, dismissed!" "Forward march!" " Another transport from Auschwitz." " They're dragging them all to us." "You grubby kike!" "Smuggling diamonds in there?" "You Polish scum!" "Get undressed." "What are they looking for?" "Don't worry." "They won't steal anything." "Get undressed and let them clip you." "No!" "No, no." "It's nothing." " No, no, no..." " Hold up!" "Keep calm." "What's wrong?" "Polish, right?" "Jankowski." "Zbigniew from Warsaw." " Your suitcase?" " Yes." " What's in it?" " Just my old things from Auschwitz." "Move, you rotten beast!" "You're as sticky as glue." "Shirt off!" "Move it!" "Chop-chop!" "Get in there." "Andre!" "Hide it in the depot." "Get going, make it snappy!" " Got a long trek behind you?" " Three weeks." "How many marched out of Auschwitz?" " 4000." " Bring on the next group!" "Turn off the showers!" " Is Zweiling in there?" " Yes." "What the heck you got there?" "Come on." " What are you up to now?" " Cut the gab." "Watch Zweiling." "Where's my suitcase?" " Where's my suitcase?" " Keep quiet, goddammit." "Take your clothes and get out of here." "Okay, enough already." "Now get going." "Get going now." "Nothing bad?" "A kitty-cat made its way to us." "Poor little squirt." "Where are you from?" "Tell me." "Where's Papa?" "Where's Mama?" "Or are you Polish?" "Tell me your name." "Where's mamusia, tatus?" "What'll we do with the poor thing?" "If they catch him, they'll kill him." "Come on." "Make him a bed." "And what if he screams?" "Little kids get scared and scream." "You can't scream." "You hear me?" "Don't yell, or the SS will come." "He knows the score." "Little may bug." " You want to sic Zweiling on us?" " I think he's leaving." "What about their things, Pippig?" "Some good wool, Hauptsturmführer I separated it for the SS tailors." "Return the key at the gate." " I won't be back today." " At attention!" " Shady rascal!" " Is it true?" " You hid a child?" " Who is it?" "Mum's the word." " I'm out of your chicanery." " It isn't chicanery." "He'll stay tonight." "We'll get him out of here tomorrow." "Out of here?" "Sleep now." "Don't be scared." "Pippig and I will take care of you." "Quiet." "He's sleeping." "Like a real-live mini person." "A Pole brought a small child with him." "And what of it?" "I've got him in the storeroom." "And what about keeping a low profile?" "You know how much is riding on you." "If they get him, he's a goner." "Herbert, I have a son at home." "He's seven and I've never seen him." "Either I hide him or I turn him over to them." "What should I do?" "There's a trainload leaving tomorrow." "I'll make sure the Pole goes with them." "Give the kid back to him." "If he got it this far, he'll manage to get it further." "Don't you have an ounce of compassion?" "No." "I have no compassion." "A Pole was in the load from Auschwitz." "Jankowski." "He's in the small camp." "Can you put him on the next train?" " What's the matter with him?" " Nothing." "Contact Höfel." "He'll give you something for the Pole." " What?" " A child." "A what?" "A child?" "What's the story on the kid?" "There is none." "The Pole's okay, the kid's okay." "What's the problem?" " Don't ask so much, Walter." " Don't ask so much?" "You and your damn shifty dealings." "Crooked streak." "Walter." "Nobody can handle this." "Except for you." "It doesn't sit well with me at all." "What about Höfel?" "You trust me." "I couldn't give a rat's ass." "Can't we do anything else with it?" "I'll hide it, trust me." "Out of the question." "The kid has to leave the camp." "Höfel's the main reason." "He's in a precarious situation, if his cover gets blown." "Good." "Take the kid from him and hide it." "You can't just bury it, like a cat." "Someone has to take care of it." "What if he's put in the brig and gives you away?" "They'll slaughter me first." "But the child will still be there." "Then they'll haul it to Weimar." "Put it in some Nazi woman's lap." ""So, little tyke, you're from Buchenwald." "What's the name of the good soul who hid you from the nasty SS?"" "And she keeps asking." "In German, Russian, Polish:" "whatever the kid understands." "And then, Walter, there'll be no one with shoulders broad enough to cover for Höfel." "After heavy artillery shelling, the battle for the lower Rhin began." "Mainz defenders withdrew to the right bank." "Mainz!" " Using..." " How far is that from here?" "The Americans managed to cross the Rhine near Oppenheim..." " And then what?" " Keep your calm, Hauptsturmführer." "I admire yours, Commander." "The camp is overrun with communists." "It's high time you do something." "Don't lose your cool." "Bring those pulling the strings." " I'll have them shot." " Do you even know who they are?" "No." "But an organization exists." " They may even have weapons." " 30 minutes and the camp's mowed down." " The camp and the commies." " Then give the order!" "I'll guard against leaving the Americans evidence of my guilt." "You're a coward." " You're just a sorry hedger." " Coward?" "I'm practicing realpolitik, you asshole!" "Let's drink to this horror." "Take a swig!" "It'll relax you." "Well, my friends." "The jig is up." "Or am I wrong?" "Bolsheviks in the East, Americans in the West." "There's no escape." "All we can do is sit and rot." "Allied forces met little resistance." " Our rank spearhead advanced..." " Sorry ass to the outskirts of Frankfurt." "We pushed forward deep into Westerwald." "If we have to go, I won't leave a mouse alive." "Do you know the land where lemons blossom?" " I'm off to Spain by and by." " He wants to drag the rats away." "Instead of taking a dozen aside and shooting them." "That's bound to go bad." "Hit the right guy with the first try." " The leadership." "The top dog." " Krämer?" "He's one of them." "But who are the others?" "Camp elder to the Rapportführer." "Short and sweet, Andre." "I know about everything." "The train leaves tomorrow." "The Pole takes his kid with him." " There's no other way?" " Absolutely not." "Where is the camp elder?" "To the Rapportführer immediately!" "I've got to go upstairs." "So?" "You were once a functionary?" "Yes, Herr Haupsturmführer!" " Communist?" " Yes, Haupsturmführer." "And you tell me that so calmly?" " That's why I'm here, Hauptsturmführer?" " No." "You're here so you don't organize a conspiracy." "No secret organizations." "Like you're doing here in camp." "Leaves you speechless, doesn't it?" "Indeed, Hauptsturmführer." " Who started this organization?" " You, Hauptsturmführer." " What?" " You don't say!" "The organization is in no way secret." "The prisoners are running the camp on their own." "Orders from the top are being properly followed." "And you've got your people in every post." "The order was to select decent and conscientious prisoners." "Communists?" "Each inmate was presented to command and approved by you." "Scoundrels." "Criminals." "Get out of here!" "Get back, would you!" "Line up in a row!" "Aren't you humans anymore!" "You scavengers!" "I'll knock your heads in!" "Is there a Jankowski in the new batch?" " Jankowski?" " Yes." "These guys have lost their heads." "If we only had enough bowls!" " Where is he?" " Don't talk, come on." "Dig in, old boy." "Just chew with spit." "He should tell us about the kid." "He said that he's not the child's father." "The child was three months old, when it arrived in Auschwitz from the Warsaw Ghetto." "His father is dead." "And so is his mother." "They died in Auschwitz." "Both gassed." "Well, Andre?" "He wants to know where the little guy is." "We've got him in a safe place." "Nothing bad." "He's asking if the little fella can stay here?" " No question." "He'll stay here." " No." " Tell him the kid has to go." " No." "Tell him not to worry." " We can take care of child." " Cut the crap." "What is it, Andre?" "Am I Pippig or are you?" "I am." "When you're returning belongings give the Pole his suitcase back." "The train leaves this afternoon." "An empty suitcase?" "No." " He stays." " It's not up to you." "You either!" " Andre, are you scared?" " Don't talk nonsense." "Let the kid stay." "I'll take responsibility." "And if it gets out, who've they got by the balls?" "Me, the Kapo!" "Pippig?" "What are you gawking at?" "Hauptscharführer..." "Haupscharführer, I..." "Now you stay here and don't stir." "Deported to where?" "I don't know." "Do what I tell you." "He's got to get a good look at you, little baby." "With such beautiful eyes." "Such small ears." "A wee little nose." "He's tiny all over." "Uh-huh, a small polish child." "What does that mean:" "Polish child?" "A child is a child all over the world." "Goddammit!" "I don't have a choice." "Krämer's insisting on it." "Don't listen to Krämer." "You see too that the Red Army is closing in." "And the Americans." "A few more weeks and we'll be free." "And so will the little guy." "Don't try to soften me up damn it." "Come on now." "The convoy doesn't leave until afternoon." "And then put that stuff up here." "So you're rearranging?" "Yes, Herr Hauptscharführer." "To keep out the moths." "It's true." "There are moths in here." "That's the air raid warning." "Don't you want to go to the basement?" "No." "This time I'll stay up here with you." "Yesterday they were over Erfurt." "If I wish, you'll be in the brig by evening." "It's getting tense." "And what if I don't know that there are moths here?" "Did you get what I said?" "I got it loud and clear." "Get it out of here." "Höfel!" "You do want... to get out of here alive?" "Just like you." "Hauptscharführer." "He made me an offer." "Can the child stay here?" "As ransom." "If it comes to that." "Jankowski!" "Tell him to prepare for transfer when it's all clear." " What's he want?" " His things." "Should I go get Jankowski after the alert?" "Hey, Andre." "You can't just let him go like that." "Keep off me about it." "Marian." "Run over to the small camp and let him know." " Now what?" " Mr. Block elder, my things!" "I'm not "Mr. Block elder"." "You're bugging me." "The transport to the gate." "The transport to the gate." "Give me my child back." "It will die." " The transport to the gate." " Why the tears?" "You're not his father." "I am more than just his father." "Get in line, gosh darn it!" "Sometimes I think... what a callous society we've become." "Whether you liked doing it or not, the main thing is our kitty's safe." "You're afraid?" "On account of Zweiling?" "He's under our thumbs." "Damn it, say something!" " Good evening." " Good evening." "What's up?" "I have to tell you something, Walter." " Didn't you give him the kid?" " No." "How can you get mixed up with them?" "Or do you want to wait here for the Americans?" "The Jewish brat will be an ace in the hole." " They'll know I'm a good person." " And if it gets out first?" "Why should it?" "Have you lost all reason?" "Don't you understand what you've done?" "Your own people will kill you at the last minute." " What should I do?" " Get rid of it right off." "You're messing with a con man." " He's covering his back." " He's our pawn." "The shifty bastard will cover his ass with his people." " Don't make it so hard." " You're doing that." "I didn't have a choice." "I couldn't do it." "Walter, if we get out of here alive..." "I'll answer to the Party for it." "You can bank on that." "The Party is here." "It'll be cleared up here and now." "What exactly are you looking for?" "Come here." " What for?" " Sit down." "Write." "In block letters." "It needs to look as if a detainee had written it." "Höfel and Kropinsky want to put one over on Hauptscharführer Zweiling." "No one will take the kid from me." "Or do you think you can still give it to someone as luggage?" " You've got to speak to Bochow." " Keep it between us, Walter." "Now that the kid's staying here it's no longer just between us." "What a mess." " And Zweiling?" " He'll knuckle under." "And if we don't mention it to Bochow?" "Herbert should believe the kid went with the Pole." "So that's your slant." "He has to come out of the depot." "Somewhere the SS can't get to." "Block 61." "In the infirmary?" "Absolutely not!" "The nurses have been there months without getting sick." "Or should I hide it in the trash bin?" "That's it." "Case closed." " And Bochow?" " I think this is our business." "I wanted..." "I mean if you need anything there's fresh booty in the depot." "A nice cigarette case." "Or whatever..." "Taste good, Karl?" "What do you want?" "Milk." " What for?" " To drink, dumbass!" " For yourself?" " I'd drink beer, if I had some." "We have a child." "It has arms like this." "And legs like this." "How do you plan on getting it past the gate?" " You can't get it from the kitchen." " How about from SS tailoring?" "Alfred?" "Look." "Take a bottle of milk to SS tailoring tonight." "Rudi will pick it up there." "Why do you need milk?" "To rub his behind with to clear up pimples." "Prisoner 2398 from the clothes depot to SS tailoring." "What's up with the clothes?" "Wool things, to tailoring for mending." "Your pass." "Get lost." "What do you have there?" "Patching material, Rottenführer." "I asked the depot for it." "Prisoner 2398 returning to camp from SS tailoring." "Good brother." "Valiant brother." "Boy, Marian, if you only knew the bricks I was shitting." " Where did you get the milk?" " There's a cow out to pasture." "It goes moo." "It goes moo." "Did you see that?" "He laughed." "He laughed." "I have to talk to you two." "He has to go." "They're bringing it today after roll call." " You understand?" " Yes." "Hide it well for me." "No problem." "All right, come here little tyke." "Come here." "Now we'll jump right in here." "You see, just like that." "Careful." "Careful." "A spotless forceps delivery, Marian." " Let's go." "We'll tag along with them." " Okay." "SS." "Help me." "And up." "Don't fret, Marian." "The Lord doesn't forsake freethinkers." "Höfel and Kroptnsky want to put one over on Zweiling." "They've hidden a jewish child in the back left of the clothes depot." "A prisoner from the clothing depot." "What do you think about the signature?" " A snitch." " A prisoner?" " Who else?" " Zweiling." "Don't you get it, old boy?" "The ninny was in cahoots with them." "And now he's scared shitless." "You think Zweiling helped them to  If it goes bad?" "Very perceptive, Mr. Lagerführer." "The war theatre is obliging." "One week from Remagen to Frankfurt." "You can calculate when they'll be here." "They baited him with the brat:" ""Turn a blind eye, sir." "We'll do the same when the tables are turned."" "Höfel stirred it up." "We'll get him." " The Pole too." "That..." " Don't be stupid." "Don't mention the organization." "It doesn't exist, understand?" "It's only about the Jew brat." "Attention!" "Clothes depot detail on duty." "Where's the leader?" "Hauptscharführer Zweiling hasn't been here today." "Oh, yeah." "Order everyone to line up." "Fall in, everybody!" "Fall in!" "Nothing." "Höfel, step forward!" "Who's the stinking Pole Kropinski?" "Get over here." "Where is the child?" "I want to know where the Jew brat is!" "Answer!" "There is no child here." "Spit it out, Pole." "Where is the child?" "I... don't know." "I'm giving you all one minute." "Whoever tells me where the Jew brat is gets a reward." "Well?" "30 seconds more." "Then we're taking these two to Mandrill." "What happens to them afterwards is on your heads." "Get up!" "Too bad I came in so late." "What was going on?" "Höfel and Kropinski are in the brig." " There's a snitch amongst you." " Yes, Hauptscharführer." "There sure is." " They took the child, didn't they?" " No, sir." "Then where is it?" " I don't know." " It was here last night." "I saw it." "Pippig." "Find out who the rat was." "We'll send him up the river." "But you gave it to the Pole to take with him?" "Something got in the way." "You should've kept Höfel in check." "Why me?" "Why not you?" "It always ends up on my shoulders." "Walter." "Höfel was training the resistance group." "They'll break him down there." "Don't jump to pessimism." "We have to round up the committee." "Today." "Have the line checked." "Okay." "I'll inform the electrician." "Comrade." "It's a special case, we'll deal with it together." " Questioning till they talk, Mandrill." " But don't kill either of them." " What should I do then?" " Cuddle them, Mandrill." "Yes." "Camp electrician requests permission to enter." "Line test, Rapportführer." " I fixed the loudspeaker in block 40." " You just tinkered with it." "Not at all, Rapportführer." "The feed keeps breaking." "War materials." " Blab your crap and then get out." " Yes, Rapportführer." "Testing." "Testing." "I count: three, three five, five six, six eight" "I repeat:" "three, three, five, five, six, six, eight." "Test completed." " You can still count to three." " Yes, sir." "I still have that in me." " Everything ready?" " Everyone's here." "You're the last one." " Knock in 30 minutes." " All right." "Light!" "Real quick." "You all know what went on today." "Where's the Jew brat?" "Think about it, Pollack." "I... not understand German." "Uh-huh." "You not understand German." "We give you will... lesson in German." "La - la - la - squeal - squeal La - la - la - squeal - squeal" "La - la - squeal - squeal La - la - squeal - squeal" "Who are the others from your pack?" "Please." "We have got to have trust in Höfel." "Are you that sure he'll tough it out?" "Are you so sure about me?" "Or about yourself?" " Who are you absolutely sure about?" " No one." "That's exactly why he should've kept out of it." "You made mistakes too." "I passed the order on to Höfel that the child must go." "Who said that?" "Is that what your heart said too?" "You erred with your head." "Höfel erred with his heart." "Each did his own thing." "I should've gotten it out on my own." "That was my mistake." "Leonid." "We're responsible for the weapons." "For the lives of 50,000 people." "That's more than the worry over a small child." "This little child arrived and made a mess of everything." "What is it?" "Boy or girl." "I don't know." "What funny people we are." "We have a child and don't know whether it's a boy or girl." "What if Höfel caves in?" "We have to wait." "Wait!" "Always waiting." "We should destroy the fascists." "I say we attack and run over to the Americans." " The whole camp." " What?" "The Americans are way too far away." "We can't do a thing." "No get together." "The whole apparatus must perish." "We can't do any more than that." "Talk, Höfel." "Or we'll let you hang until you cry for mommy." "Name two names." "Say one." "Just one." "Out with it!" "Okay." "We'll let you think about it." "But when we return..." "It'll be serious, my son." "Untie him." "Andre?" "What names do they want to know?" "Marian..." "They're coming back." "I can't take it anymore." "I'm yellow, I am." "You're just scared." "I'm scared too." "We're just poor little human beings." "Like the small child." "It's not about the kid anymore." "You don't know." "You have no clue at all." "You have to tell me." "Right." "I'm not yellow." "But I can't stand it anymore." "They want to know which comrades are part of the apparatus." "We have an organization." "We have guns." "You know we sit under a barrack late in the evenings." "Underground." " You understand?" " Yes." "I show them how to take up and draw a pistol." "How to take aim." "But you won't betray it?" "Betray." "Betray." "No." "I don't want to betray." "But when they come back." "And they hang me up." "I can't tell heads from tails." "And the names." "The names." "They're sitting there... in my throat." "I am going to hang too." "And now I know everything." "But we won't say anything." "Scream." " Just keep screaming." " Yes." "When they want to know." "Yes." "We'll scream." "Scream." "Just keep screaming." "Oh, Marian." "Oh my God, oh my God!" " Suppose you know about Höfel?" " Yes, sir." "Two men from the depot under arrest for hiding a child." " You're well informed." " I have to be as camp elder." "Oh!" "Then you know what went on in the brig last night." "No, Rapportführer." " No?" " No, Rapportführer." "Höfel is dead." "And the Pole has passed on as well." "Remove them from the rolls." "As loss of stock." "Yes sir, Rapportführer." "Those two made pals with rigor and mortis just in time, huh?" "There was a small mishap." "They confessed before final exit." " You found the child?" " The child?" "I'm very thankful to the child." "It wisened us up to the game." "Mr. Camp Elder." " Where's the child?" " I don't know, Hauptsturmführer." "Boy, you won't weasel out of this." "You, Höfel, the Pole." " I've got something in store for you." " Excused!" "Fool, I told him Höfel and the Pole were history." " I want to check your beds." " Bochow's waiting." "So you can sleep peacefully." "Both are alive and haven't squealed." "I know it for sure." "They're still alive." " Up to now they haven't blabbed." " Bury this undying distrust of yours." "It's fear, Walter." "Worries." "Why this torment?" "Up there two men are battling." "Left in the lurch, but battling." "And you're brooding about them." "We've got to try to help them." "Zweiling." " He got them into this." " That's why he should get them out." "We need to tell him:" "Hauptscharführer, How long before the Americans arrive?" "If you can finagle Höfel and Kropinski out of the brig for us, then we can say to the Americans..." "Our Hauptscharführer!" "Höfel hid two pistols in the depot." "Two clothes sacks, two pistols." "Get them and hide them elsewhere." " Why?" " Don't ask." "Can you do that?" "How?" "I don't yet know." " But I'll do it." " Good." "Listen here, one more thing." "You have to try to get Höfel and Kropinski out of the brig." "Me!" "But how?" "I'm about to explain to you how." "Pippig." "No news about who squealed?" "There won't be either." "The rat camouflaged himself too well." "But we know why he did it." "He wanted to get in good with the Lagerführer." " Why?" " No need to ask that question twice." "Just take a look at the front." "You mean he wants to keep a hole open to slip through if it turns bad." "Of course." "We would like to say:" "Zweiling is a good guy." "He got Höfel and Kropinski out of the brig." "It can't be so hard for you to speak with the commander." "You know what value he puts into politics." "Get out!" "And zip your lip out there, you hear?" "Hauptscharführer, one doesn't discuss the like." "Let Höfel and that other fella go?" " How did you figure that?" " Without a Kapo I got a mess." "Too bad." "Even worse is that it's got to do with you too." "We stroked Höfel and the Pole a little." "Both put the blame on you." " You can't believe that." " I don't believe anything." "There are a few trifles." " Who can prove that I..." " How can you prove you didn't." "You were in cahoots with them." "How you get your head from the noose is your problem." "You understand." "We want to know who's behind it." "If you had just killed the Jew brat." " Now your own are after you." " They want their organization." " Then do it." " I don't know any of them." "What's your plan if they win?" "I can work, I can cook, and you?" "You've no skills." "Should I feed you?" " Who should I specify?" " How should I know?" "You've got plenty of big mouths, informers and the like." "That's a thought." "Of course I have somebody." "I'll add him to the detail." " Name?" " Maximillian Wurach." "You were once a soldier?" "I did something stupid." "Stealing from a fellow soldier, huh?" "In Sachsenhausen." "You pulled quite a job over there." "What do I have to show for it?" "I was supposed to be discharged." "Now I'm sitting here." "On secret orders." "Assigned by the commander himself." "We need to uncover a secret organization." "That's your mission before your discharge." "What are you doing here?" " Where's that from?" " Keep out of it." "You can talk to us, unless you're a crook." "You got a screw lose?" "They're from Höfel." "Hammer." " Why in sam hell hide them here?" " An officer's ass is the best cover." "Not to the dogs." "You're right, Walter." "The Party has to keep it safe." "The Party is..." "Yes, yes, yes." "Yes, yes, when they get here." "When they get here... scream." "I'll scream." "The Party put Walter in charge of protecting the child." "Scream!" "When we have the child, we'll have the Party." "Where's the child?" "You dog!" "You'll drop dead before he does." "He can't croak on us quite yet." "Search the whole camp for the kid." "Good man, how do you propose to do that?" "The camp's a city." "Guys playing keep away with the kid." "And we run around lame as eunuchs." "We've got the wrong guys." "Those birds won't sing." "We've got to squash the entire command." "I'll drag the whole depot to the Gestapo." "That's going too far." "If the commander gets wise?" "Hah!" "And this guy wanted to be commander himself." "Depot detail present and accounted for." "Uh-huh." "The new Kapo." "You are an older man, a sensible man." "How could you get wrapped up in this stupid business?" "Rapportführer..." "I've..." "I don't know a lick." " For sure not." " If you have and know will emerge." " I really have no clue." " Quiet!" "They all know where the child is." "The chain keeps getting longer." "It only takes one of them." "We have... to break the chain." "The child has to be taken away." "And there has to be no one who knows where the child has been hidden." "Turning up at 5 to 12!" " Comrade..." " You too, Santa." "Nice gig up there, huh?" ""Caps on." "Caps off."" "The more these recreants flinch, the bigger you feel, assholes." "There's no time for courtesies." "Please pay special attention to two." "One's got moxie, the other's a coward." "Just your bag of tricks." "Philosophically, a human being choosing between life and death ends up choosing life." " What's that malarkey?" " His name is Rose." "You dog!" "If I meet my Maker in the 11th hour, you're to blame." "August." "Are you off your rocker!" "No, no, no!" "What the hell is this?" "Calm down." "You're just making it harder." "I have nothing to do with it." "Absolutely nothing." "August." "You're not a bad guy at all." "About the child..." "don't worry, you're clueless." " But I know..." " No!" "You don't know anything." "Not a thing." "So there's nothing to tell." "I don't want to die at the end." "I don't want to die!" "God damn!" "Heavens to Betsy!" "Think about it a second." "You think they'll axe us five minutes to the whistle?" "They're not that dumb." "It's our chance, if we stick together." "They'll kill us." "Pippig, to questioning." "Well, August, are you Pippig or am I?" "I'm Pippig." "Where'll you hide it, if need be?" "Nowhere." "No one comes in here." "No doctors and no SS." "Boy, you really have a clue." "They just made off with half of the depot detail." "They need only beat it out of one person." "And they'll be on the doorstep." "Sniffing in every corner." "What then, huh?" "Where to?" "You should've thought of that earlier." "The kid isn't a toy, godammit." " In here." " You playing with a full deck?" "When the SS comes here." "The kid goes in." "Top on." "Bandages on top." "All good." "Yes, sir, Mr. Investigator, yes." "I'm harmless, Mr. Investigator." "I only did my job." "Nothing else." "Oh, How long I've been in the camp?" "Eight years." "How I endured it?" "Dear old Investigator." "Still sitting in the police prison, I first heard about Buchenwald." "Buchenwald." "It sounded so..." "No, it wasn't at all like that." "Buchenwald." "Sludge." "Sludge." "Nothing but sludge." "Worst of all were the roll calls." "Early mornings, still the dead of night." "Climb down from the straw bag and jump into wet clothes." "Out of the shack." "Report to roll." "Forward march." "One, two, one, two." "Squish, squash." "Squish, squash." "Squish, squash." "Parade ground." "A sea of sludge." "And then stand, Mr. Investigator." "Pouring as if from overflowing eaves." "Standing." "Swaying." "Freezing." "Details, fall in." "Exit the camp." "Left, two." "Squish, squash." "A song:" "There is a tiny village in the midst of the wood." "Covered by sunshine." "And the last house on the heath sits a granny as old as the hills." "I had to mention that to you, Mr. Investigator." "Come and help." " Hey." " Wipe my face off for me." "With a cigar." "Put a rag on it." "A wet one." "Don't fret, August." "He won't do this to you." " Did you take the rap?" " You must be out of your mind?" "Listen here." "We're not in this cell for no reason." "The pig knows what..." "What a docile soul you are." "You're supposed to shit your pants when you see me." " Give me something to drink." " Yes." "Fucking bullshit." "He'll try it out on you his nice little tour." "Stay on your toes, August." "What should I do?" "Keep your trap shut." "Not a damn thing more." "Rose, to questioning." " You don't know anything." " Come on." "You don't know anything, August." "You don't know anything." "Well, my friend, have a seat." " Mr. Rose was your name, right?" " Yes, sir." "You got mixed up in a hell of a story here." " How long have you been in camp?" " Eight years, sir." "Eight years." "My goodness." "You Buchenwalders are strange." "Being beaten to pulps for a kid." " Sir I..." " Yes, I know." "You're not involved in this." "I don't care what you do up there." "Your Kluttig is a bureaucrat." "He runs to me, "Help, there's a child in the camp!" "It's not registered." "The human resource inventory doesn't tally."" "As if it that even mattered." " Do you smoke cigars?" " No, no, no..." "What then, my friend." "What then?" "Hey, you weenies." "Get your Jew brat in block 61 in the small camp." " Move!" "Up, up and out your bunks!" " A search!" "Get up!" "Where's the child?" "Come on." "Get him out here." "There's no child." "Where is there a child?" " Nothing here, Hauptsturmführer" " Guttersnipes!" "We'll talk later." "Where is the child?" "O Buchenwald I cannot forget you." "For you are my fate." "He who leaves you is first able to assess it." "The dogs must've gotten wind of it during the night." "Who took the kid?" "And where to?" "Be happy that it's gone." "Now the chain's been broken." "It's good that way." "Finally something concrete." "Zweiling just brought it by." "The whole company." "With Krämer heading it all." " Are these names right?" " It's 5 to 12, Mr. Lagerführer." "There's no time to think about it." "46 names." "Even if only half are in the organization." "Kill them." "The whole mob." "If our diplomat friend doesn't bite, we'll pull him before a judge." "My dear friend, what are doing behind my back?" "Looking for a kid, you mess with whole camp." "We've never been friends." "That won't change, Standartenführer." "But I'll give you a tip:" "Stay out of my shit." "Take a gander at that." "A telex from Reichsführer SS Himmler." "An evacuation order." "Evacuation, not liquidation of the camp." "You got it?" "Or do you want to ignore the order?" "I won't stick my tail between my legs." "Aha, you want to go out with a bang?" "This isn't Goebbel's Office, it's the Ettersberg." "They've reached Kassel." " If we fire, they'll retort." " We'll fire again!" "At whom, if I may ask?" "The Americans?" " You don't even know what you want." " I know exactly what I want." " What is this?" " The men heading the communists." "There are quite a few heads." "I don't agree with what you're doing." "But undoing your actions would show our weakness to the camp." "Shoot them." "Without fanfare." "And in complete silence." "Why did you cross out Krämer?" "I need an experienced elder or I can't manage the evacuation." " He's the ringleader!" " Akin to a general, right?" "How do you handcuff a general?" "You deprive him of his officers." " Our diplomat is being very prudent." " Oh yeah." "Diplomat number two." "Who was just boasting:" ""As long as I'm wearing this uniform..."" "Yeah." "For how much longer?" " I'll stay who I am to the end." " Me too." "Only under different circumstances." "How many days do we have?" "Ten, five, three?" " Be on your toes, learn English." " I've been after them for weeks." "I'm having them shot." "At the quarry." "In front of everyone? The letter will go through the proper channels." "The 46 prisoners report to signpost five tomorrow morning." "For dismissal." "Home's the motto." "Car, escort." "Woods, salvo." "Good night." "Nine captives, one corpse from Gestapo Weimar." "Thank you, Untersturmführer." "March!" "Block elder." "At attention!" "Caps, off!" "Block elder present." "At ease!" "I released them into camp." " Did you see that." " Yes." "Nothing will happen to you." "Nothing at all will happen from now on." "I give you my word of honor." "The camp will not be evacuated." "If I am still alive when the Americans arrive," "I'll surrender it duly." "Foreign stations are saying that the conditions here have improved since I took command." "In my eyes the public's knowledge of this is gratification enough." " What the next days bring..." " Marian?" "We're not being... evacuated." "Then just maybe... we won't die." "It's great that you're back, fellas." "Where did you leave Pippig?" "Two men with a stretcher to the gate." "Two men with a stretcher to the gate." "File in!" " Stop!" "Where should I put them all?" " Where should I put them." "Get in!" "A wire." "I just got word of it." "Evacuation." "Some Scharführers from our work unit were saying that the Americans have advanced to Eisenach." "If that's true, then everything is clear." "Executing 46 of us is meant to prepare the evacuation." "If 46 comrades are shot, the fascists will think the committee has been eliminated." "But we're still here." "We can save people." "A lot of people." "Because 46 are dead." "For us, for the entire camp." " Isn't that a good plan?" " No." "Our misfortune began with the child." "Now it's mysteriously disappeared." "Did one of you make off with it?" " Pribula?" " Me?" "I'm asking myself where it is." "Leonid?" "I didn't make off with the child." "We have to make a decision, comrades." "Is there any way to save the 46?" " Right, Leonid?" "That's what you meant?" " That's what I meant." "We can hide the whole bunch in the foundation pit." "No." "There's a pile of sand." "It can be taken with a shovel." "It needs to be spread out." "Over the whole camp." "One here." "One over there." "And if the fascists do manage to find one of them?" "We won't hand over a single one." "There's no shying away anymore." "If they find even one of them, we have to defend him." "If need be with guns." "That's why it's called a revolt." "Shall we vote?" "Thanks." "Take care, boys." "Don't be afraid." "Everything's fine." " Any problems?" " There all hidden." "Block 39." "Attention." "Caps, off!" "Block 38" "One is missing." " Where is he?" " No idea." "Block 27." "In section four two are missing." "Fall in, present and march." "They know the score." "The 46 prisoners summoned, report to signpost five." "The 46 prisoners summoned, report to signpost five!" "Be forewarned." "The rest will be found!" " Everyone back to the barracks." " Forward march!" "There we have it." "All he does is stir up the camp." "Will Bolshevism succeed us?" "Of course, what else is there?" "One thing is sure." "When the allied foreign ministers met, they agreed to try war criminals." "Maybe I'll be lucky and skim by." "Maybe I'll grow a full beard." " Maybe I'll be a forester in Bavaria." " That's a good idea." "But if they get me?" "I'll always be the Commander of Buchenwald to them, and if they find a graveyard here..." "We have to beat Kluttig to the punch." "Order the elder to have the prisoner police seek them." "Listen to this, Max." "An order from the commander." "The prisoner police are to look for them." "Make it a very thorough search!" "Of course, Walter." "But who knows if we'll find any?" " Are you nuts!" "We need an SS company." " Rip it apart!" " Do a night search." " Call out the dogs!" "Quiet!" " Quiet, gentlemen." " Quiet!" " Schwahl is in charge." " You and your diplomacy." " They're having a field day." " Wait." "Near Mühlhausen and in the Thuringian Forest enemy advances are being reported." "Our Eisenach and Meiningen forces are blocking the main intersections." " Between Schlüchtern on the..." " Evacuate!" " What about the 46?" "Your the head!" " Heads or tails, everything goes." " Camp elder, assemble the prisoners." " Let him yell." "Mill about." " Mill around." " Camp elder!" "Assemble the prisoners now." "Krämer's acting on our orders." "Delay." "Each protect his group from losses." "Go!" "I'm running to the open," "I am going to bury myself." "No you're not." "You're coming with me to the block." "Assemble the prisoners!" "Hitler is an asshole." "He botched up the war on us." "In a few days the Americans will be here." "Assemble them immediately!" "Keep them on to the very end." "Before I take off, I'll be back." "Alarm!" "Get in the blocks!" "We decided on an uprising." "If one out of the 46 is found." "But we shouldn't revolt, if thousands will find death." "I can't comprehend it." "Pribula, the decision was done in desperation." "I'm glad we were spared that, but we had to act." "Today we must act too." "How?" "By hiding 4000 people from the SS?" "The evacuation we can only..." " What is it in German?" " Delay." "Delay." "Maybe tomorrow the front will be so close we can actively resist." "Until then every hour is an asset." "Andre." "If Mandrill sees you at the window," "He'll kill us." "He can't." "We have nooses around our necks." "Brother, you have to come over here." "Gone." "Everything's gone." "Gone." "Andre." "They've forgotten us here." "They've forgotten us." "Now we'll suffocate." "Suffocate!" "Suffocate!" "Suffocate!" "Suffocate..." " A transport of 10,000 tomorrow." " Can't we stop it?" " The Americans can't be far." " Listen." "I have to pass on the order." " But I won't organize another one." " Rheineboth." "Attention!" " Joint Chiefs?" " I relayed your order to the elders." "I'm sure they got it loud and clear." "Take advantage of the alarm." "Stall for time." "The Americans aren't even close." "Our defense line is intact." "Disturbing, General, isn't it?" "Tomorrow morning, eight o'clock." "Ten thousand." "Or God have mercy on you, my son." " What now?" " What should we say?" "Get out of here." "Go to your blocks." "Wouldn't it be better if you disappeared?" "Whether it's 46 or 47 makes no difference anymore." "To the contrary, my boy." "Our 46 are coming out of their holes." "No one's looking for them anymore." "And bring the child here." " Why?" " Why?" "Because it should be here." "It'll march with us." " Or die with us." " Come clean, Leonid." " Did you take off with the kid?" " No." "I didn't take off with it." "Do you know where it is?" "Yes." "I know." " You hid him here the whole time?" " I did." "The unit didn't know." "I took him from block 61." "Leonid told me." "There you are, Otto!" "Your youngest buddy." "Make a human being out of him again." "Where are the deportees?" "Camp elder, assemble them immediately." "Assemble immediately." " What's this?" "My men are impatient." " Yes." "Don't make things harder." "Standartenführer." " They won't assemble." " Then use the dogs." "Call detail and block leaders." "Kowtow to the Americans and leave my troops the mess." " Shoot the lot's my slogan." " I'm in command!" "Better to die together than wait." " Go keep your groups intact." " But thousands are being herded out." "We'll discuss it later." "Now go." " Does the thing work too?" " Built it myself." "Comrades!" "Don't forget:" " We still have 21,000 people here." " Should they be sent to slaughter too?" "Stop your yelling!" "This isn't a union rally, it's a camp." "Hand out the guns, Bochow!" "So you want to take up arms, do you?" "Let me speak, goddamn you!" "You know better than I how many guns we have." "It won't be enough to tackle 6000 SS men." "And the Americans have been stalled at Gotha." "I don't know if you're all communists." "I am one." "Listen up good now." "So you get exactly how I intend this." "We've hidden a small child here in camp." "On account of him two of ours are in the brig." "On account of him Pippig got himself beat to death." "And on account of him lots of you have risked your hides." "If we'd have given him up at the gate, Pippig would still be alive." "But in that case they'd have killed the kid." "But that wouldn't have been so bad, huh?" "Would you have turned it over to the SS?" "You see." "That's how hard deciding over life and death is." "You think it's easy to send the doomed to the gate?" "What should I do?" "Should I tell Kluttig:" "I won't do it, blast me away." "What a great idea!" "He would honor my memory." "But I defer the honor." "And send people to their deaths, in order to save people." "Do you understand that?" "Tell me, did we send Pippig to his death to save the child?" "Should we have let the kid be killed to save Pippig?" "Come on, tell me." "Who can give me the right answer?" " Bochow!" " Yeah." "Comrades." "They've advanced past Langensalza and Eisenach, on to Erfurt." "Hold it!" "What's gotten into you all?" "Resistance groups, stand at the ready." "Man the armories." "For the whole military apparatus:" " Alert phase two." " Bochow!" "Comrades." "This may be our last night." "They say the Americans are 12 km from Weimar." "Fight!" "Camp elder and all block elders to the gate!" "Go on." "Come on." "God, man, let go." "Keep your cool." "Gentlemen." "We have to go." "The camp has to be empty by noon." "By noon." "Is that clear, General?" "Yes, sir." "At exactly that time the camp will be ready to march." "Pass it on to everyone:" "The camp will not report." " To the blocks." " Move it, everyone to the blocks." "Do you know what we've just done?" "Bet it all on one horse." "If they shoot!" "What about you?" "I'm staying here at my post." "Do you have a wife, Walter?" "My wife was executed five years ago." "Eight days ago I completed my 11th year of internment." "Herbert." "We might not get the time or chance to talk again." "I want to live." "Not bite it right before the end." "Don't get me wrong." "One gets curious about what's to come." "And if it was worth it." "Camp elder!" "Assemble the prisoners." "Assemble the prisoners!" "Camp elder, Assemble immediately!" "Where are the prisoners?" "Assemble!" "Assemble immediately!" "Assemble immediately!" " Why don't they report?" " Fear of the low planes." "At attention!" "So that's how it is." "Free up the door!" "I'll give you another half hour." "If they haven't reported, I'll clear it out with force of arms." "You son of a bitch!" "Order to open fire 15 minutes after the troops have pulled out." "Are you crazy?" "Call it off immediately!" "Weimar's under attack and you want to evacuate." " Blow every last ass to smithereens!" " No!" " You'll get us all hanged!" " I'm out." "You sissy!" "You need a bullet in the head." "A souvenir." " Is it critical?" " Uh-uh." "No Kluttig can kill him." "What's going on?" "Alert." "What's wrong with me?" "You got a small hole there." "In three days he'll rant and rave again." "So that's how you're going about it." "Get out." "The snitch." "Take a gander at Zweiling." " My honor is called fidelity." " I was never a true SS man." "That was a relief." "I knew nothing about that." "We didn't mention it to you." "Enemy alert." "Get the guns." "When he comes to us..." "Kick him right in the stomach." "It'll knock the wind out of him." "Mandrill, it's high time." "Salvo." "Move." "Outside." "What's going on?" " Andre!" " Andre!" "Herbert, we hear you." " Here!" " Here!" "Krämer's gone." " Asleep at the wheel!" " Want him to bleed to death?" "Where's the little guy?" "You have him, don't you?" "You have to get to the infirmary" "Nonsense." "Come here." "Let me stay here, boys." "I'm fine." "Comrades, can you hear me?" "Comrades!" "We're free!" "Free!" "Free!" "Herbert!" "Leonid!" "They forgot us, those darned fellas." "Forgot to take us too." "Aha, now that you could be laughing, little man." "Stop." " You're trampling each other." " Let them run." "Herbert!" "Hands off!" "Andre!" "Marian!" "Now everything's okay." "You little rugrat." "You caused us so much worry." "Don't be afraid."