Original subtitles

It seems as if...

someone were pulling a mower on the pavement...

Don't you remember? It's the caterpillar of the light tank

We used to hear it often during the manoeuvres.

There will be a war, Captain?

I know as much as you.

There was a telephone call from the German side about an hour ago.

They asked to cancel this train.

It's an international train!

I can't do it.

Tolek! Tolek!

Captain, do you know the connection with the district has been cut.

No telephone, no telegrams!

Are you sure? Did you check it well?

Quite sure. Everything is silent like death.

It was quite the same on last Tuesday, when they cut all wires.

Lieutenant Rogalski with fourteen men of reinforcement!

Are you crazy, Lieutenant? Don't you know what is going on here?

Since a week gangs of saboteur cut the communication

and shoot at the customs officials...

A transformer has been blown up yesterday night!

What the hell shall I do with your fourteen men?

The Colonel says it is not wise to provoke Germans

by keeping troops along the frontier.

It is the decision of the Head Quarters.

Form a line! Count off!

One, two, three, four, five, six...

What the hell! Who's missing?

Frank Dolas is missing. Perhaps he took an outing

while we dropped in for a glass of beer?

Devil takes him! Are you sure he didn't stay in the train?

Quite sure. We examined the train before leaving

and he was travelling in the same compartment.

Such a son... I'll give him a lesson!

Turn left!

Detachment march!

- Isn't it as it were a holiday today? - Because of the few passengers?

People are afraid to travel near the frontier.

There was no living soul in the train from Poznan.

Did anybody come from the Office with money for our salaries?

Is this the end of the month already?

He, he, it is September the 1 st

since 3 hours...

The devil! With all which is going on here I lost the notion of time!

- Yet, you are sending this train? - What can I do?

There is no connection with the Management

and I won't stick to the orders of the Germans.

The Twentieth Regiment of the Armoured Division has reached the river bank.

It is all quiet on the Polish bank.

The Seventieth Infantry Regiment with full arms is ready for action!

The Third Armoured Division waiting for order. Everything's ready, General!

The Station Master asked the Poles not to stop the train. I was there, General.

Attention! Attention!

To all units of the Wehrmacht, Navy and Airforces.

I repeat... Start the execution of the "Plan-Weiss" at 4.45 a. M!

Signed Adolf Hitler...

Well, Gentlemen,

we are close to the most important hour in our history.

All our forces will start the attack...

within three minutes.

I wish you good luck.

The last three minutes,

- during which Europe can quietly sleep... - The whole world, General...

Yes.

Yes, Herr Obersturmfuehrer!

Yes, General?

Do your soldiers watch this train?

Maestro!

What station is this?

I took a short nap... ...in the train and...

An irregular, as God is dear to me, an irregular!

Stop! Halt!

Halt, or I fire!

My goodness,

what a mess!

HOW I UNLEASHED THE SECOND WORLD WAR

Part one: ESCAPE

Your march will be long, but it is nothing

The sun will dry your face while you walk

And count your last three bullets

And you know that you won't miss the target

The roses are red the lilac is white

No one complains though the time is hard

We shall pass the hills and drink cold water

For our field kitchen vanished in fog

Who would worry that the road is full of dust

Wet from rain or white from snow

We shall pass the hills and drink cold water

Which after a battle has the taste of wine

The roses are red, the lilac is white

You'll come where you want, though the time is hard

Lance Corporal Franz Steinhauer reports at the Watchtower number fourteen...

Corporal Adolf Mueller reports at the Watchtower number fifteen...

...so... he took the grass shears and began to cut, cut and cut...

Regimental Sergeant Major on duty!

Everything is in order?

They sing, joke and dance, like on holidays!

- Continue! - Yes, Lieutenant!

That will be quite enough for a civilian jacket.

You will cut away the collar, make flaps and you will make buttons of wood.

The supply of the current is flowing along the poles behind the barbed wires.

It is possible to stop it...

but we must find a specialist among our boys.

- Will add you two onions... - Look, these are real ink pencils.

Taking three of them you can paint your pants!

Okay, I can give you three. That's all I have got.

...a fox near the road he has neither hand nor leg

have pity for the poor beast give him a loaf of bread with butter

Look, here's this high chimney with a tin cock on the top. Have you got it?

Yes.

Okay. The way to the Station turns left...

there are two... three... seven telegraphic poles...

about three hundred fifty meters.

- Aren't you exaggerating? - Shut up, and continue to work, old boy...

Without a map we shall be lost in he night.

Are you crazy?

A tin of canned beef is worthy thirty cigarettes

and you want to give me instead a piece of dirty sausage?

But if they seize you with Polish canned meat you'll be lost,

no matter what documents you will have...

this is a German sausage,

genuine German sausage, smell it, do you feel how it stinks?

The olderman of the camp must be previously informed about every planned escape.

The problem of the documents is entrusted to...

...perhaps to me? I've here a friend. He is a very good draftsman...

Excellent! Now the most difficult thing is...

- how to get civilian rigs. Perhaps... - Gentlemen... gentlemen... attention!

...well, so he took the shears and began to cut, cut and cut...

...and he went away? - Well... yes... he went away...

The best trick I ever played in my life was with that captain...

- What sort of trick? - This man was boring like hell...

...a perfect nuisance... and nothing could be done to change it.

Yet he had a hobby... he liked his garden and he planted there a hedge...

Once, we slipped in and stuck there pieces of steel wire... and...

Who is this guy?

He is staying in the same hut with me. But God knows who is he, where did he fight

and how did he get in this camp... better be cautious against him...

and whenever you ask him a question, he does not answer and he runs away...

Go on... go on... make order with this rubbish.

You are dawdling over three hour here. Damn you!

Wait a minute!

Have you got matches?

- No. I don't smoke. - Wait a moment.

There is a chance to get civvies. You've to help us!

Eee...

Good gracious!

I hope you won't wait till others win this war?

Eee...

They are organizing in France new units.

We'll get arms and we'll be soldiers again...

Eee... what for?

Stop your eee, blockhead!

- It's your movement or mine? - If you move...

It's a double...

If he moves to the right corner, but why...

- listen... - if he played that way...

- what will you do now... - silence, plaese... just a minute...

Who is playing? He is playing, or me?

One, two, three...

We must pour it somewhere else.

Some guy is watching me...

Haili! Haili, haila,

a ha, ha, ha, ha.

Okay! You can wind up!

Ja, ja,

Andrej!

Good, good. I've heard it!

- Does it reach further? - Yes, Yes...

Is it enough? I can, t any more.

You bloody fool! What the hell are you doing?

Oh, God. Instead of helping you stick your stupid head with silly things!

Go on! Take the pipes! You idiot!

They don't take into account that we make our overtime...

Ja, ja Andrej

because they don't stop scolding and blaming us... Damned fools, once again!

They dawdle for three weeks with this bathroom

instead of sending for specialists to town.

Say, say frankly,

- isn't a work for you and me? - Uhm...

Alarm! The trap door!

The trap door is open! The prisoner will escape! Alarm!

Three weeks will be enough... this time...

Get out... get out...

but if I catch you once more... you'll go to the arrest...

Hurry up! Hurry up!

Let him through!

In the name of all inmates of the camp

I congratulate you for the exemplary attitude!

Attention!

Long live the lance corporal Frank Dolas!

Long live the first soldier who tried to escape!

- Hip, hip, hurray! - Hurray!

- Hip, hip! - Hurray!

- Hip, hip! - Hurray! Hurray! Hurray!

There is no entrance to paradise Without a pass

- Oh, oh, oh! You pierced me! - It is a wire, my dear, hard, wasn't it?

But since there is no crowd

Let us in Peter, without a pass

It's a very unpleasant thing, but...

can you tell me...

who is the guy who refused

to help the fugitive?

Leave him in peace, boys. I'll settle this matter myself.

Leave him in peace, boys. Don't torment him any more...

Yes... yes...

Forgive me... I'm very sorry for what happened there in the bath...

the two other soldiers are sorry too...

I'll explain it to you later.

Damned bandits! What does mean all that! What?

Pigs!

Bloody gang of rascals!

Come on, come on... I need you!

Something is wrong in your plan...

I found a pole.

It's impossible to pass by because of those bloody pipes!

- Where are you? - About seventeen meters away from the wall.

Look. I've marked it here.

...and the old man threw out the gang which tried to break into the heaven...

What is that! One cannot even enter for a prayer!

Can't you read? Don't you see what is written there up on the door?

Let's continue...

...and the old man moved his moustache and

moved his beard, but did not let them enter...

and the poor soldiers waited, waited and waited...

...and I was sure it would not work, but... oh... excuse me... wait a minute,

My goodness!

Oh, I've seen him, this guy with a beard...

Will you stop your tricks, or not? Let me see your hand!

It's him, Lieutenant. I saw a stone in his hand!

Show me your hand!

Impossible! He has swallowed the stone!

- Are you all right? - Not quite.

- Want some aspirin? - No, thanks.

I have the great honour to inform you, that you have been unanimously elected

as President of our Fellowship Arbitrary Court. Do you accept?

- Yes, I do. - Thank you.

Where is this... this first fugitive?

He is there. Lying in bed.

Lance Corporal Wachocki

of the Fourth Artillery Regiment in Tomaszow.

Lance Corporal Woydyllo

of the Nineteenth Cavalry Regiment in Nowogrodek.

Lance Corporal Frank Dolas

from Warsaw. Volunteer.

- Better you speak first. - Well...

We have organized a sort of fugitives group.

Yes... but it was Joseph's idea.

And we joined him.

Yes... he was arrested shortly after.

...and we don't know what shall we do now.

- How was he arrested? - Quite simply.

You speak of the guy with the beard?

Exactly. They took him straight from the court yard, devil knows why.

And we already had dug seventeen meters of underground passage...

The devil!

Right, dear comrade, we quite agree with you.

- Shall we perhaps fill it up? - Fill it up?

Look, I began to cut it with my pen knife,

but I think it will take a couple of weeks,

unless...

The war may finish in a couple of weeks.

It will end without our aid.

St. Peter standing at the gate reads a communiqu� in the gazette...

- What? - Shut up, for a minute, will you?

Suddenly someone knocked at the golden gate

and St. Peter asked him...

...who is there?

Not allowed in the morning, not allowed in the afternoon...

after all you must finish at last...

You are quite right, dear man,

we must finish at last...

and you will be able to pray then as long as you want...

Come in, come in, dear people, I need you to prevent...

the Nazi to enter the paradise...

It's a pure loss of time with this lousy knife...

...it's a rubbish, junk...

we must find something else...

And who was the guy they took from the court yard?

- A blacksmith from Lodz. Mobilized... - Joseph was our boss.

I am your boss now.

Hold it!

All sing... all sing...

...St. Peter standing at the gate reads a communiqu� in the gazette

- Suddenly someone knocks at the door... - Open it!

...and St. Peter asks him: Who is there... Soldiers...

My Lord...

don't you know

how to behave in the heavens?

I will remove this pole and you must continue to dig... you understand?

Yes.

No wonder,

he is from Warsaw...

Achtung...

What?

Didn't you hear? Achtung!

Oh, I see you're organizing a music hall here?

Excellent!

May we listen to?

Lieutenant would like to know what are you singing?

Well... but first you must release St. Peter...

Sure, we shall not sing without Joseph.

- Lieutenant, they say that... - I see...

that means you won't sing?

No!

...and someone knocks at the gate...

Alarm! Alarm! Help! Help! He tower is breaking!

...and when Peter fell asleep... the soldier danced with the angels...

Help! Help! Help! Hurry up! Hurry up! Aaa...

What?

Where are you taking us?

To a place from which you won't run away!

Here, this you'll ask to stamp, and that you'll hand over

to the Station Commandant.

- We'll get along. - Hurry up! Forward!

Try only to run away!

There's no camp from which I wouldn't succeed.

Shut up!

Wacek! They are our men!

- Where to are they taking you? - What are you looking for!

Go on! Quickly!

Halt! Halt!

Halt! Halt!

Why do you giggle, idiot?

We've neither documents nor clothes.

They'll catch us before we have time to stick our skulls into the window!

Why the devil did you shout: Go on?

Shut up!

Here, Regimental Sergeant Major... they fled here.

I've shot at them twice! Twice!

Haven't you seen in which direction?

There must be somewhere there... Perhaps there behind?

No! There behind is the engine-house.

If they were there we would have seen them!

Let's search the cars. They can be in this train only!

Other compartments are locked.

No, no! Not there! There is a bull!

It roars since noon...

In our village one bull fled through the fence...

Look! A bull! That's a real bull!

I would prefer to be killed on the battlefield

than with the horns of this stupid beast!

- Help! Help! - Shut up!

We must stay here till the next station.

I'm sure the cattle won't go far...

Oh, here's the engine driver! Ask him!

Herr, Herr, come, come!

Is it far?

Strassberg? Oh, it's very far. Perhaps seven hundred kilometres.

Maybe even more. Eight hundred! Eight!

Eight hundred kilometres.

They won't see me, any more.

You do what you want but I go back.

I take my things and cheerio!

Hey! Haven't you seen two fugitives

in Polish uniform?

We nichts verstehen, Mr. Soldier. We are Poles. Polen...

Oh, I see! Poles? Now everything is clear! Hands up!

But, wait a moment, Mr. Soldier, we are from this train... watching over the cattle, understand?

Shut up! That's you who helped them to escape! Your documents!

We left our papers and clothes in the train!

- The train is going! - Halten sie! Halt!

We can't, Mr. Soldier, the train is going!

I can't any more. My hands got stiff.

Wait a minute. I'll help you!

Don't move. Let's pretend we're dead.

You, fool, have you ever seen a bull?

Mhm...

I'm not a peasant!

When I see a black beast with horns it's a bull to me.

Come on,

come on, blackie...

come on...

You can always rely on me.

Documents,

rags...

I was born under a lucky star, my dear.

Oh, God!

That's true. I was born on Sunday, got it?

Andrzej Grzyb, born in 1923...

- in Zawada, near Wojciechow... - Waclaw Janczak, born in Dabrowa...

I'm sure this Strassberg is not far from France...

- look, don't sleep... - No. I don't.

What's your name?

Joseph.

And my name is Frank.

Are you angry with me?

- Why? - You remember what happened in the camp?

Better learn by heart your new name.

You are a fine guy.

Frank...

Andrzej Grzyb, born in 1923...

- Frank... - Yes?

And if we succeed, what you think

- will they give us arms in France? - They must!

And where is your rifle?

I wrapped it in rags and I hid it in the ground.

And you?

Oh, I'll find some rifle,

even if I had to seek it at the end of the world!

- Here are the stinking lazybones! - The cattle starves and they do nothing!

Get up and quickly to work!

When the old Gulke will see you, he'll drive mad! You damned fools!

- Strasburg! As God is dear to me! - Strassberg, not Strasburg!

We are in Austria.

Will you stand so long? Are you waiting for an invitation, eh?

You lazybones!

Oh, we had only to bring this cattle here

and then go back to Poland.

Oh, it's written here, look... Our job is fertig... over...

I don't care for your documents. You have to work here, you lousy idlers!

Hurry up to your work or I will talk with you in another way!

Good morning, Mr. Gulke, do you need some help?

- Who are these guys? - Workers from Poland.

They arrived with this transport.

They don't look like workers. Look at their hands.

You know, you are quite right.

They are too insolent. One of them even tried to talk back.

I must watch him.

One has to have a slight idea about geography before organizing an escape.

Strasburg is in France!

They are peasants.

Yes, you understand, Mr. Gulke, I have red edges on the uniform

and such a beast won, t respect authority!

Joseph! Joe!

Don't leave me alone! I'm so lonely, so sad!

I made a mistake! It's a human thing.

I'll be more careful from now on. I promise you!

And that is a friend?

And you are against me, too?

...gets three cows from Poland,

Frantz Winkler gets one cow from Poland,

Arthur Recknagel - two,

Liselotte Spek gets two cows

for her two sons in Wehrmacht...

Long live our Fuhrer Adolf Hitler!

Today we get Polish cattle,

tomorrow the French one and after tomorrow that of the whole world!

Hurray!

Help! Help! A bull from Poland! Help! Help!

Heil Hitler!

This man is suspected of hostile intentions against the Reich.

His case is handed over to you.

You state you're a Pole and you came here to work in the country.

Yes...

And your documents?

Herr Baron, the gentleman who owns the bulls, has torn my documents.

Well, your name and Christian name?

Grzegorz Brzechishchkiewicz...

Brzechishchkiewicz...

Grzegorz...

Pshe... shchi... bzie... shch... ps... ps... bzie...

- Brzeshchikiewicz... - Shut up!

Hans!

Hans!

Type it at once!

- Name and Christian name? - Grzegorz Brzeshchikiewicz...

What?

Witness Herbert Gulke.

Have you the documents relating to this cattle transport from Poland?

Unfortunately not. All documents have been destroyed by the bull...

Who could remember that. But I have something which will surely interest you.

His personal belongings which he left on the way.

What?

D... by... cy... wi... ch...

Born?

Chshonshchijevoshice. District Lenkolovy...

From which camp did you fade-out?

Altdorf am See. Stalag sieben acht.

- Your real name? - Frantsishek Dolas.

You blockhead!

You wanted to cheat Gestapo?

Helmut!

Take him away!

To the Commandant of the P.O. W camp in Altdorf am See.

The Secret Police Office in Oberbaumburg informs

that the prisoner Frantsishek Dolas...

...was shot down while he tried to escape.

Please cancel his name on the list of camp prisoners.

Attention! Attention!

The passengers train from Steinberg to Ludwigsfelde

moves from the platform one, track two at 21 hours 30.

I repeat:

The passengers train from Steinberg to Ludwigsfelde

moves from platform one, track two at 21 hours 30!

Bandage it!

May I?

There is no paper.

And the door?

What? Do you think I'll shut it for you?

A Polish prisoner of war, who fled from the camp.

Oh, they are all swines. I would put them all to a concentration camp!

- I must... again... - Can't you hold out?

It's not my fault...

I eat turnip, turnip and again turnip since three months...

Oh, I can't hold any more.

We won't leave this warm wagon because of this lousy guy!

Enough?

Help! Help!

Come on, come on, all of you!

The bandit has locked the door from inside!

Stop the train!

Pull the brakes!

Avalanche!

Who are you?

Did you flee from the German army, or you're lost the way in the mountains?

Good gracious! It is Yugoslavia!

A Polish prisoner of war fled yesterday night from the train.

The trails lead to this region.

- We have got information... - Your information is false,

Herr Obersturmfuehrer.

Herr Obersturmfuehrer, they have broken the Pact one hour ago...

Herr Obersturmfuhrer! Da!

We suggest to hasten,

They want to close the frontier.

Fir the frontier will be closed in five minutes.

Hurray! Hurray!

This is an original passport, Lieutenant.

Don't worry about control.

Thank you, Colonel.

You must only remember the new name. Please.

When you arrive to Split you must find the ship "Attica" at once.

It sails off at seven.

You will hand these documents

to the Colonel in Cairo. They are strictly confidental!

I'm sorry,

but I'm not yet familiar with those underground methods.

And will you assure the General that I am going to keep the transfer unit

up to the time of the German invasion...

...then I'll join the underground and await orders.

Thank you.

I had even no opportunity to know you better.

Service is service, Colonel.

Good bye, Miss Lieutenant.

- A demonstration? - At three o'clock in the night?

Is that... eer, was that the Polish Embassy?

- Good morning! - Just a moment, gentleman,

it must be some mistake...

A Pole... a Pole...

What is the matter, gentlemen?

Please, please, keep quiet... please get out of here.

What do they talk of?

They speak about some hero.

Here you are.

This is for you.

Good bye.

Long live Poland!

That's too much! A dead body in this situation?

- Good bye! - Good. Okay. Good bye.

He probably died on the way.

Not of wounds anyway.

Of brandy. Plum brandy. Montenegrian Slivovic, I recognized the smell.

Attention!

Attention!

I report that it's me who unleashed this war, Colonel.

Unwillingly! Quite unwillingly!

Is it far to Beograd, Mademoiselle? Weiter?

Don't make a fool of yourself!

What are they going to think of Poles?

Oh, all these slavish languages are alike!

We haven't much time.

- We are arriving. - Where?

Let's stop here for a moment.

I feel terribly thirsty. I would like to drink something.

No, no... It's too dangerous.

It may start any moment!

It won't. I promise I'll never talk as I did today.

- Let's drink something. - You will drink on the ship.

What ship?

I must go to Beograd!

You won't! That's enough!

It's you who made the Montenegrian destroy the German Embassy!

Come on, come on, don't protest.

I promised to the Colonel that I'll bring you along.

It was an order and I must execute it.

Clear?

- Quite clear. An order... - Oh...

Which Embassy? What Colonel you are speaking of?

I don't remember anything... anything at all...

I'm not surprised. When they threw you in the train you were completely drunk.

Trava! Trava!

Trevora! Trevora!

- Hey! Hey! Stop! Stop! - Polonia di Beogradi.

Dona, Abano, abano odi glivola, glivola.

It's of joy.

Whenever I succeed in escaping from the Germans I do that.

They must have scared you. I hope we shan't see them here.

But they will come here too.

When I crossed Hungary,

I saw many troops concentrating at the frontier...

Impossible!

Quite possible.

We are releasing our transport unit in Beograd.

Where are you going? What do you want to do?

What are you doing?

You're a soldier and it's your duty

to join our troops.

My duty is to be there where I'm neede!

- What's your name? - Elisabeth!

And I'm Fr... fr... fr... Frank!

Silence!

Tisina.

Better get out of here. He noticed you.

I have money...

I got it from your soldiers.

Take it from her.

But who are you? A Turk?

A Pole...

Polish soldier... I fled from the Germans. Understand me?

From a prisoners of war camp ...bu... bu... bu... bum!

...war... bu... bum...

Dimo, it is a Pole. He is a soldier.

He didn't hit anybody today and therefore looks for a brawl...

Help me! I want to join your army.

You understand? I want to join your a-r-m-y! To enlist! To e-n-l-i-s-t!

I understand.

You want to keep away from war?

I'll try to find for you some job.

Why not?

Sixty dollars is not bad.

This is a Turkish ship.

Yes, sailing to Hamburg. No kidding.

Sick in other ports.

Nobody is willing to sail to Germany here...

This guy will stay on the ship.

My name is Dolas, Frank Dolas.

You health!

Damn, how terribly strong!

The waiter told me you could help me.

I would like to enlist. To join your army. I'm a soldier...

I'm sure I might be helpful...

The Germans will be here any moment...

To the Navy? No, I want to the Infantry. You understand? Infantry.

Okay. Let it be Navy. I'll manage somehow...

Frank Dolas... Do-las...

Long live Yugoslavia!

Where to? A Pole won't go with you! Get out!

Leave him. It's not time for quarrels.

How are you?

- Where are you going? - To Famagusta, Cyprus.

You'll be able to join your army from there.

Let him eat, and give him some work!

- Come on! Come on! - Who is he, Luka?

Listen, Drago, this is a help for you!

Cheerio!

- Oh! I see you're good for this job! - Sure!

You did you think, that there are no boilers in Poland?

Does not matter.

It's out of work since twelve years.

When the hand of the manometer drops below the red line

the captain will come here.

I see.

The best thing then is to jump in the sea!

Funny that you wanted to sail on board of this washtub!

It was your man with the beard who brought me here!

I wanted to join your army!

Captain! A ship on course!

A commercial steam ship.

- What distance? - About five or six miles!

- Action stations! - Action stations!

- Periscopic depth!

- Zero, zero five! - Yes, Sir, zero, zero five!

Dive at once!

Yugoslavian...

small...

- Shall we attack her? With guns? - We can't come to the surface...

to many British planes...

send the torpedo number 1.

Will you manage it?

But don't touch it, otherwise it will blow up... rums... booms...

Good gracious!

No... no!

What a bloody mess I made again!

Let's get away! Hurry up! Faster!

The boiler is going to explode any moment!

Nobody was left there?

- Are you the last one? - No...

Where's that Pole?

Come back!

Well done!

Shall we send another one?

Not necessary.