"GREENERY WILL BLOOM AGAIN" "We're buried under the snow." "It fell heavily again last night." "It's four and a half meters deep now." "And it's still not stopped snowing." "Around our outpost, the tall firs are so laden with snow they look like Christmas trees." "But for the moment the war has stopped too." "Now, instead of attacks and cannon fire everybody is battling to dig communication trenches in the snow... so the rations can get through." "And then... the ceasefire too, that we thought would last for a long time yet... has gradually returned to normality... which for us means war." "Over the last few days we've heard coming from the valley floor the increasingly angry roars of the mortars." "How beautiful the mountain is tonight" "I've never seen it look so beautiful before" "Like a resigned and weary soul" "Under the cover of this white moon" "You, who do not weep, yet make me cry" "Where are you tonight ?" "Go on." "I want you !" "I want you !" "These eyes want to see you again" "To see" "Bravo, Italian soldier !" "Bravo !" "Boys, what are we doing here ?" "Let's live it up a bit !" "Let's go and sing altogether !" "Songs are more powerful than rifle shots, they go straight to the heart." "Sing some more !" "You bring joy to our hearts !" "You're a fine singer, Italian soldier !" "The window that sparkled so brightly" "Is dark now" "A sign that my beloved" "Has fallen ill" "Her sister leans out of the window" "And what does she say to me ?" "Your beloved is dead" "She is buried" "She was always weeping" "Because she slept alone" "Now she sleeps" "In the company of the dead" "My dearest sister" "What are you saying ?" "My dearest sister" "What news do you bring ?" "The ropes..." "The ropes... have tied me down..." "Pull them off the bed !" "Get these ropes off !" "Get out of this bed, you ugly whores !" "Buddy..." "Rations !" "Mail !" " Enrico Gheller !" " Over here !" "Carlo Modesto !" " Carlo Modesto !" " He's sick." " Matteo Zanella !" " Here I am !" " Igor Pistollato !" " Here." " Vallarin Brais !" " Yes." " Daniele Furlani !" " Here." " Francesco Bau !" " Over here." " Armando De Rossi !" " He's sick." " Nicolo Maraollo !" " Here I am." " Massimo Vellar !" " Here." "Daniele Zonin." "Enrico Fabris, Giovanni Cortese." "Marco Aldrovandi." "Daniele Rela." "Nicolo Carollo." "Ermanno Fabris..." "Major, sir..." "The captain's gone down with a fever." "I requested medicines to treat this influenza, and you Territorials sent us quinine to treat malaria." "Almost half of the troops have gone down with a fever." "First these men, then everyone else." "Only the strongest are able to endure it, and wait for it to wear off." "This epidemic originated in the Balkans." "It's spreading all over Europe." "From the Balkans..." "Nothing good comes out of there." "And now we're at war with disease too." "In these conditions, over the next few days, we'll be unable to maintain our position." "Over the next few days, my dear Captain..." "The north-east sector command has issued directives for winter operations, with a word-for-word recommendation to:" ""keep the troop's fighting spirit up and don't let the men lie around idle."" "My dear Major, the only directive these men have fixed in their heads is to find their way home." "There are times when this trench becomes your real home." "And these men your only family." "You have to prevent your mind from thinking." "But instead..." "How's your family ?" "Like everyone else." "They worry about us, and we worry about them." "Sometimes, when I read their letters, it's as though they... were feeling... guilty for not being here... along with us." "So they pray." "They're always praying." "I haven't introduced you yet." "This young lieutenant has a bright military career ahead of him." "But his main interest is directed towards humanities and philosophy." "Now come on, spit it out... and tell me" "what you're hiding from me." "Headquarters, contact made." "This map was found on an Austrian staff officer who was wounded and taken prisoner." "We have evidence that our communications with this stronghold are being intercepted." "Consequently... we'll continue to use this telephone for our communications," "so that they won't think we suspect something." "We will set up a new link from an outpost further up." "Division headquarters has identified on the Austrian map" "the presence of a ruin... which is not on the Italian maps." "That's where... the outpost will be." "First question:" "who decided on the position of this stronghold ?" "It was decided behind a desk in an office at the General Staff, copying pre-existing maps... without taking into account the elevation of the land." "In 25 minutes... or rather... 24, to be precise... the link has to be ready for the new outpost." "We can't carry out this order." "It's an order from Division Headquarters." "If we refuse... do you know what that would entail ?" "It's a criminal order." "We have no choice, barring a miracle." "We can advance safely from here." "One more step and we fall prey to the snipers." "From here on it's all snow." "With this moonlight every moving shadow will be fired at." "Inform them we are close to the ruin and that the link to General HQ will be ready in a few minutes." "Yes, sir." "A joint operation is underway along the Italian front to launch a breakthrough attack along the whole line." "Perhaps because we fear the enemy will do it first." "Emilio !" "The bayonets !" "The bayonets !" "The bayonets !" "Come on, let's go outside." "Did you volunteer ?" "No." "If you're brave enough, you'll be granted some leave." "And a reward of 10 lire to take back to your family." "Is there anything you want to send home ?" "No." "You have to get to the ruin and communicate what is happening in the enemy trench from there." "You have to make your way there, to the rocks near the farmhouse." "Hide behind the rocks." "Do you wish to confess ?" "I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." "It's about 10 or 12 steps away." "You can't see it yet, but if you feel your way in the snow, you'll find it." "Proceed." "I don't want anything from the world." "AII I want is to stay here and be able to love my children." "I'II go." "I'II have a piss first." "Even animals when they smell blood shit and piss before they go to the slaughter." "Does that mean we're animals then ?" "Between here and outside..." "I prefer to die here." "Major, sir, grant me this request." "Sergeant !" "Suspend all other orders besides mine !" "Call the roll and inform me of our losses." "Not with numbers, I want their names." "Write down the names of the fallen, one by one !" "One by one." "Emilio, you can't throw your life away like this." "What do you think we're doing ?" "They steal it before we've lived it." "You'll see... we'll survive this." "We have a long future ahead of us." "We still have all our dreams." "There was no death in our dreams." "The war will come to an end." "And when the conditions are right..." "The conditions will never be right." "And what's the point... of obtaining justice afterwards ?" "It's too late then." "I'm forgoing my rank... and taking back my dignity." "Dosso di Sopra." "Yes, sir." "Yes, sir." "They're sending another officer." "In the meantime, you take command of the stronghold." "Sir, I don't have the experience for such a responsible role..." "It's simply a matter of procedure." "In a few hours we will be assigned an officer of suitable rank." "Good luck." "What is it ?" "Animals talk to each other." "The diurnal animals and the nocturnal ones." "There's this fox, and every night it passes under that larch over there." "That larch doesn't look very healthy." "Larches are beautiful trees." "In autumn when the other trees turn a rusty colour, larches take on a golden hue." "If only it were gold." "It's freezing cold with this full moon." "I'd rather have the cold here than the warmth of the afterlife." "When they're bombing you have to keep your mind occupied." "Count numbers." "One, two, three, four and so forth." "See how high you can count." "Between the blast you survived and the next one." "They're sending up flares to tell the command tower how effective the shellfire was." "With your permission, Lieutenant sir," "I'd like to line the men up." "Out !" "Everybody out !" "Don't make any noise." "Damn !" "Get ready to fire !" "Quiet !" "Load your rifles !" "Inside !" "Run for cover !" "Run for cover !" "Christ !" "Dead !" "Dead !" "Dead !" "Dead... this one's dead too." "Berto !" "Berto !" "We're still here, Berto !" "Let us through !" "Out of the way !" " Lieutenant sir !" " Move aside !" "Lieutenant sir, Division Headquarters is on the line." "It's all my fault !" "It's all my fault !" "It's all my fault !" "Wicked God !" "Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him." "May he rest in peace." "Sentry !" "From Division Headquarters." "Absolute priority !" "They've been pounding the entire north-east front for the last two days." "Many communication links are down." "From Division Headquarters." "Absolute priority." "Thank you." "Order given for the immediate retreat along the whole north-east sector." "Give the immediate order and prepare to leave with the troops." "Lieutenant sir, I beg you to relieve me of this office." "There are situations in which rank no longer matters." "Sergeant," "I order you to take command of the retreat immediately." "Yes, sir." "These men trust you." "They'll remain buried in the snow... all winter." "They'll come for them in spring." "Some have no one looking for them." "They'll remain here in these woods... forever." "Go ahead, pray." "God can hide His face now." "Yes, that's right." "God is where you look for Him." "Yeah, I bet." "No one knows where God Almighty is hiding, not even the Pope." "He didn't listen to His son on the cross." "Do you think He'll listen to us poor wretches ?" "Over there, that rock over there." "Can you hear it ?" "It's been getting closer over the last few days." "Anyone who's worked as a miner, like I have, can never forget the sound of this drill, and is never wrong." "What is it ?" "A mine." "They're digging a tunnel underneath us." "To blow us up !" "I have worked... in France," "in Belgium." "I started when I was little more than a boy." "I have spent more time travelling the world than I have at home." "I can't even remember what my family looked like sitting around the table." "Who goes there ?" "Luca Covolo." "Giordano Carollo." "Daniele Rela." "Giovanni Cortese." "Armando De Rossi." "Daniele Furlani." "Enrico Fabris." "Nicolo Maraollo." "Oreste Zonin." "Alberto Rigoni." "Bruno Carli." "Andrea Carollo." "Giorgio Martini." "Cristiano Menegozzo." "Matteo Moras." "Marco Pangrazio." "Pier Paolo Scaggiari." "She's not even sent me a postcard." "My first leave after six months." "I went home and found her in bed with another man." "Women need men more than men need women." "It's their natural instinct." "Their natural instinct." "Nothing." "Nothing." "Leave me alone." "I've had enough." "I want to lie out there, under the grass." "I didn't hear you sing." "What are you doing over there ?" "I've been here all the time." "There's no one left in there." "They've all gone." "Are you looking for someone ?" "I'm not looking for anyone." "What about the rations ?" "I've brought the rations." "The men are waiting for their mail." "It's all they're waiting for." "Sing." "Sing a song !" "I can't." "It's an order !" "Are you refusing to obey an order ?" "You can't order me to sing." "It's not in the regulations." "Forgive me." "You have to be happy to sing." "And if your heart isn't happy, no one will listen to you." "My dear" "beloved mother." "Chance or maybe destiny has caused me to live a war that I had imagined" "but wasn't familiar with." "I find myself in a mountain outpost, surrounded only by snow" "and silence." "The Austrian trenches are so close" "I feel I can hear them breathing." "I've only just arrived here and I feel I've suddenly become an old man." "So much so that my studies, even my ideals... have lost all their meaning here... like my youth." "Beloved mother, there are young men like me" "dying every day and even those who return home will take with them the death they have witnessed," "and that thought will never leave them." "They will feel like survivors, condemned to die twice over." "But the hardest thing... will be to forgive." "If a man is unable to forgive... what kind of man is he ?" "When this war is over too, everyone will go back to where they came from." "New grass will have grown here and of what took place here, and everything we suffered... nothing will remain" "and it will no longer seem real." "Dedicated to my father, who, when I was a child, would tell me stories about the war he had fought in." "War is an ugly beast that circles the globe and never stops" "Toni Lunardi - shepherd"