Original subtitles

No need to be so keen, lad.

Suicide, quite slightly.

Sir?

Oh, wonderful.

Hopefully that'll be his suicide note.

Well, Sodge?

Let's get him up. Yes, sir.

On your step.

British military

occupation

ends in Iraq. So, Sandy can cover the docks, McLeod the red -tiff stuff, and

John gets a union story for his sins.

Nothing too controversial.

Underwood, the cider festival.

That's it.

Off you go.

Hey, I said no.

No one wants to hear about suicide, Stephen.

Not now.

It's bad for circulation.

What if it's not suicide?

I have a contact up at the camp.

Stephen, dear boy.

Did the police give any indication that I thought it might be anything other

than suicide?

No. Exactly.

So please don't try my patience.

War's a terrible thing, and many can't cope.

And that's the end of it.

There's no story here.

Do I make myself clear?

Yes. Right.

Thank you. Off you go.

Rose? Yes, Mr. Underwood?

Have you ever been to the Tide Festival?

Good evening, Mr. Underwood.

Late again.

I had work.

I see.

Good night.

Good night.

Despite the passing of the Polish Resettlement Act earlier this year, the

Country is witnessing a growing number of unexplained suicides.

The men are all ex -servicemen from the Polish Settlement Corps.

A coincidence?

Or could this be something more sinister?

Thank you very much.

Can I help you?

Good morning, sir.

Good morning.

Good morning, sir.

Sir, Colonel Petrovsky's arrived with the two DPs from Stowell Park.

Once we're done here, tell the corps to make an inventory of everything we're

short of. Double it and put in a written order.

Morning.

Hello.

Thank you.

Good luck.

It seems to be in order.

If you'd like to bring them in, Colonel, there are just a few signatures

required. Of course.

Colonel, perhaps you and your man would like a spot of breakfast before the

drive home.

We don't have much, but it's hot.

Thank you. That's very kind.

Jeanette, once you're finished, would you drop the Colonel's aide off at the

mess? Yes, sir.

John.

I'll talk to you later.

This way, Colonel. Colonel.

My name's Stephen Underwood.

The captain is my brother.

I'm a journalist for the Western Post.

General Janusz Piotrowski, formerly of the Polish Second Corps, acting

Resettlement Corps liaison.

Colonel, please to me.

Me, you, Mr. Underwood.

Shall we?

Colonel.

I said no, Stephen.

Please, Captain, your brother's very welcome.

I was wondering if you'd like to comment on the...

Suicide of another Polish soldier yesterday.

Sosnovich.

You don't look very surprised, Colonel.

Well, Mr. Underwood, it's always most distressing when a proud man loses all

hope. And why would that be, Colonel?

Men like Sosnovich spent the war fighting for their homeland, Mr.

which is now part of the Soviet Union, which regards them as enemies of the

state. He had just learned his entire family had been murdered.

Colonel, please.

We have no proof of that.

Clearly, he believed it enough to take his own life, Captain.

Then why do you believe it, Colonel?

Because we all seem to have forgotten that in 1939, the Soviet Union invaded

Poland in alliance with the Nazis, and with the same intent, Mr. Underwood, to

wipe Poland from the map, to destroy its culture and its people.

When the Soviets retook Poland in 1944, they allowed the Nazis to crush the

Warsaw Uprising.

They help eliminate any possible threat to their own occupation.

The recent so -called free elections in Poland are no more than a Soviet puppet

show.

Poland's true government is still exiled in London, but it is no longer

recognized by Britain or the United States. And last year, the free Polish

forces were excluded from your victory parade.

So as not to antagonize comrades, darling.

What does it tell you, Mr. Underwood?

That all is well?

I understand the world is weary of war.

We all are.

But there's no excuse for naivety.

Your brother knows this.

He still has the unenviable task of trying to persuade my fellow compatriots

return to Poland.

Knowing full well he cannot guarantee their safety.

No one has to go back if they don't want to come.

Yes, of course.

Colonel, please.

Breakfast is waiting.

He thought he had the king's arms.

No, that's too public.

No, they're only overlooked with that.

Fine.

Eight -ish?

I have to go.

Mason wants to see me.

Do you have to?

No, I do.

Come. You're still on duty.

Hardly ever see you out of uniform these days.

You hardly see me at all.

I know. I'm sorry. There's a bit of a flap on at the moment.

Anyway, good of you to come.

We've been invited to the annual ball at the Robinsons. Oh, God.

Is it that time of year already?

I know.

Tedious in the extreme, but I would really appreciate it if we could attend

together this year.

Your parents will be there.

I'd rather not, if it's all the same to you.

Might look a bit odd if I go alone.

Might set a few tongues wagging.

We must.

Splendid.

Oh, one more thing before you go.

You might be in the perfect place to do me another favour, if you would.

Laboda and Novak. Two DPs arrived in your camp this morning.

You're very well informed, as always.

Could you be a real brig and keep me appraised of their whereabouts?

Movements, visitors, friends, that sort of thing.

Why? It's probably nothing. Some vague memo from London.

Nothing to worry about. Just so I know.

I wouldn't expect you to run across town every morning.

A similar telephone call won't suffice.

I know you must be busy with your... whole repatriation commotion.

Yes.

Is that all?

Well, I should be getting back.

Oh, please, don't let me detain you any longer.

But if we could keep this just between ourselves.

Of course.

So we're happy, then?

What?

The Robinson's ball.

Yes.

You know why he married you, hmm?

He is not the monster you want him to be.

So your father has the right to sell you to the highest bidder.

They genuinely thought he would make a good husband.

They only want what's best for me.

Did they know?

Marriage isn't about love for them.

And I wanted to marry him.

I was in love with him.

Obviously, I didn't know then what I know now.

So our love is of a different kind now.

Stephen, he's my friend.

It's a lie.

So what do you want me to do?

You want me to just leave my husband, my job, turn my back on my family and run

off to London with you?

That's impossible.

I'm not sure how much faith I have in your big story, because if what the

colonel says is true, you have no proof.

And as unfortunate as they are, these suicides are still just that.

Suicides.

Nothing more.

Good evening, gents. What can I get you?

How much for this?

Four of them.

And for this?

Two pints of this special piece, sir.

Slops for swine.

Send me in, sir. Please.

Bloody scab labour.

There's talk of letting them down in mines next.

The war's over.

Send the buggers back, I say, instead of giving them our boys' jobs.

Can't go back because of the Balchies?

Well, you won't escape the Reds here, son.

Not with the Labour Party running the country.

You know nothing.

Who's asking you, Polack?

I am not Polack.

I am Russian.

What do I care?

You're all a bloody saint. Now go on.

We're going.

We're going, eh?

Don't come back.

You're not welcome here.

Oh, Bill, it's still my name above the door.

Hey, lad, what about your drink?

Mr.

Novak, it's me, Jeanette Mitchell, from the camp.

Uh, we had to get back, sorry.

He said he was a Russian.

I write for a newspaper.

I just want to ask you a few questions.

Yeah. No.

You're a Russian pretending to be a Pole. Why?

Sabota, please!

I am not pretending to be anyone.

If you saw what I saw, then you understand.

What are you saying?

They kill you like they want to kill me.

Who wants to kill you?

They all do.

Stephen.

Stephen? Oh, fine.

Please, Stephen.

What did he have?

I don't remember.

Clothes, mainly. Hardly anything.

Don't do this.

You heard what he said.

Don't you think if someone wanted to kill him they would have done so

Not if they don't know who he is.

He could be involved in the suicides.

Loboden could be the story.

Let me do this.

For us.

That's Polish.

He could be keeping it for a friend.

Rose.

Rose Miller, the type of the work.

Her family's from Poland.

She could translate it for me.

No, what about Loboda? What if he discovers it's gone?

Tell me things don't go missing around here all the time.

Are you drunk? What if he thinks it was me?

Put him off for a while.

I thought this was supposed to be about us.

It is.

Because it seems like you want me to take all the risks.

Give me the box.

I need to do that.

Hmm.

Mr. Underwood.

I did it.

The story.

The side of Mr. Underwood.

Thank you.

I need another favor.

Of course. Anything.

I need this translated.

If you can ask your father.

What's it about?

I don't know.

Again, just between us.

As soon as you can.

Steven Underwood.

Steven.

They can't find him anywhere.

My sincere apologies again.

The truth is, Captain, Mr. Laboda has a habit of disappearing.

Mr. Novak was all too well.

He's a very troubled man.

Sometimes his imagination gets the better of him.

I'll find him.

Are you going to tell Novak what?

Do you think I did the wrong thing?

Just disappeared.

The polls have moved him again.

Find out where.

My father wanted to know where you got these from.

Why?

That they're extremely valuable and that you should be careful.

Thank you.

I don't understand what is happening.

Earlier, our train stopped at the siding.

We were met by Soviet guards in order to disembark.

There is a lot at work here.

I have been loaded into black, red and brown.

I have to stop writing now.

Yes, sir, can I help you?

I'm looking for Colonel Piotrowski.

Yes, sir, follow me.

Colonel Piotrowski.

Can I get you anything?

You don't mind?

Why would a Russian have the diary letters and personal effects of a

young Polish cadet interned in a POW camp in the Soviet Union?

And why does he think everyone wants to kill him?

I really have no idea what you are talking about, Mr. Underwood.

If you'll excuse me, I have things to attend to. I have the box.

I want to help.

No, Mr. Underwood, you want a story.

Yes, I want a story. Then we both get what we want.

Trust me, there's nothing you can do.

If you really want to help, then return the box to me.

Let me see Laboda.

Goodbye, Mr. Underwood.

Colonel.

Colonel!

Then I'll take this to the authorities and I'll tell them where I got it.

I had the diary and letters translated.

Come with me.

Which hit?

My aide will take you to see Mr. Loboda.

So you do know where he is?

Once you know the truth, you can try as you might, but I will not support you in

this any further.

I will deny any involvement, any knowledge of this at all, and you will

Loboda again.

Do I make myself clear?

Yeah. Five o 'clock. I'll pick you up and take you to him.

You come along.

How do I know I can trust you?

You don't.

And I'd like to, uh, interview Loboda.

And I'd like it recorded.

Why?

Once you have the box, I have nothing.

That can be arranged.

And, uh, I'll take those translations if you don't mind.

I expect you to pay for the damage.

Who did this?

The police.

They said they suspected you of being in possession of contraband goods.

That's ridiculous, and you know it.

I'm sorry, but with all your comings and goings lately, I really couldn't say.

This is still my house, as far as I'm aware, Mr. Underwood.

Nettie. Nettie, please.

I'm sorry.

What is it?

They've taken the box.

Then it's over.

I'm going to see Loboda.

You know where he is?

Petrovsky had them.

So how do you know they didn't take it?

Because I said I'd get back the box if they let me talk to him.

How do you know they're not lying? You have no idea who these people really

I need to know.

It had nothing to do with you.

If anything happens to me, I want you to give these to the police.

But...

Stay here.

They tell me I can trust you.

That I can tell you everything.

Yes.

You took the box.

How can I trust the thief?

I didn't mean any harm.

You put it in your paper.

I'll do everything I can Please sit down

My name is Ivan Krivozartsev.

My home is near Smolensk.

Small town.

No people talking.

I was there when they first come.

People say they were Finns.

But my friend, Kisilev, he saw their

war -cornered hearts.

They were all Polish.

Every day, they put them in Chernivoron.

Please, one.

Two spores.

In France, Bolsheviks tied their hands behind backs,

a rope around the neck.

So you strangle if you move.

They put them,

the zimli, to ground.

And they put guns to buck the neck.

One after another, bodies fall into the pit.

When Germans come, they have Poljaki too.

Prisoners. Making roads good for tanks.

First, Germans did not look.

Only Poljaki look.

Then I tell what I saw.

Book and letters I took from dead men.

Young men.

Why would this?

Why did it happen?

How many?

To date, over 4 ,000 bodies.

But there are three times that's still missing.

Mostly officers, reservists, lawyers, teachers, priests.

Stalin knew these people would never capitulate to Soviet rule.

The Poles know all about being occupied by foreign powers, and these were the

best of my country.

They would fight for their freedom with everything they had.

Stalin murdered them so Poland could never again rise from the ashes.

And the British?

They knew about this?

Of course they did.

The British and Americans just wanted the whole affair to go away.

They needed the Red Army to keep fighting the Germans.

They feared Stalin would make peace with Hitler.

Now Stalin has half of Europe under his boot and they can do nothing.

My country is occupied and no criticism of Stalin is tolerated.

My people are good people.

You must know what happened.

You must know murder.

We need the evidence, the diary, the letters.

Proof the murders were committed in 1940 by the Soviets and not by the Nazi in

1941 as everyone believes You

did bring the box

It was

stolen from my room

Yes. But now... Why?

Fine, I'll be five minutes.

What the bloody hell are you playing at?

Middle of the night.

We've got porn. It better had be.

I need to know about political catching.

Why? Polish soldiers were taken there in 1940.

I need to know what happened to them.

Has Petrovsky put you up to this?

No.

Then look it up in the papers.

I need to see the official papers.

And I can't help you. You know that.

In my position, I can't be seen fraternizing with journalists, even

provincial ones.

Tom, please.

This could explain a suicide.

Over 4 ,000 Polish soldiers were murdered.

Stand down.

It was the Germans.

The Nazis. End of story. You know about this. That's the official line. Yeah,

but you know that's not true.

I believe what I'm told to believe.

So you're going to bury your head and let them get away with it? It's my job.

I'll go home.

You went to war to free people from oppression so that they had the right to

choose their own destiny.

And you're going to stand there and do nothing?

Go home, Stephen.

Stop trying to be something you're not.

I did that.

You went to war and I stayed.

I did what I was told.

For the first time, I have something I believe in. Don't be such a child.

The war is over.

Do you really want to start another one just to appease your own sense of

inadequacy? You didn't have to serve. Be grateful.

No.

I couldn't, sir.

Because of this.

Philip Edwards.

Disillusioned socialist type I met at Cambridge.

Now works in the archive at the Foreign Office.

If it's in there, he'll know where.

This is my transport docket.

And this should get you through the gate.

You can improvise.

Now get out.

Oh, and Stephen, the accident.

It was my fault, and I know you could have lost your eyesight.

I am sorry.

Did you see him?

Yeah. Where is he?

There's only one farm in the area that grows this.

I'm going to London.

I need you to hold on to those translations.

Don't go.

You've let this get out of proportion.

In spite of everything that happened.

You must realise I do still care about you.

Then please just leave him alone.

It's your Stephen that is making life difficult for you. He dragged you into

this, not me.

He knows where he is, doesn't he?

You must understand, this isn't about you and Underwood anymore.

You're involving yourself in something very sensitive and potentially very

damaging. Is Stephen in danger?

If he's told you where they're hiding the Russian, you have to tell me now.

You tell me what you know, and you can continue to see under it.

As long as you don't draw attention to yourselves, I won't say another word

about it. It will simply blow over.

I don't think either of us want any scandal in our lives right now.

And I think we would both do whatever we could to ensure that doesn't happen,

wouldn't we?

You can't keep me here.

My friends will come.

They will look for me.

No one is going, Ivan.

Just do what you have to do.

You can do it.

Who are you?

A friend.

From home.

This is now my home.

Go home, Ivan.

Where does your heart lie?

After all that you were forced to go through by the fascists, you

could have become a hero.

Here I have prepared a testimony for you.

Here is the true truth.

How the Poles were building roads in Smolensk.

And at that time, the Germans surrounded them and killed them there.

In the summer of 1941.

Do you remember?

You and others were forced to retreat with Nazi fears against your will.

to falsely accuse Soviet Russia of these

monstrous crimes.

No, it's a lie.

You know, no one believes in it.

Just sign the statement.

You're a fool.

A pig ignorant fool.

Do you honestly think anyone cares about you?

Do you think the Poles care?

No one cares about you or what you have to say.

Mr. Underwood?

Yes?

I slept with your brother in Austria.

He's a good man.

And a dress and a map.

What you want is all very hush -hush. It's been shelved.

X marks the spot, if you like.

Things aren't the same anymore, Mr Underwood.

During the war, we knew what we needed to do. We knuckled down and we did it.

didn't question anything.

It was all very black and white.

But now?

Now nothing seems to make any sense.

Makes you wonder who's really in charge.

Can I buy you a drink?

No.

No, I can't stay.

If there's ever anything I can do for you. No, please, don't worry.

Anything to relieve the tedium.

Sometimes I wonder if I'll end up buried in that archive.

out my eyeballs in dust.

Not that anybody would notice.

My regards to your brother, and good luck.

Captain Underwood, will you be requiring an escort, sir?

On the evidence that we have, it is difficult to escape from the presumption

Russian guilt.

How, if Russian crime is established, can we expect Poles to live amicably

by side with Russians for generations to come?

This document is explosive.

If it was to fall into unauthorized hands...

the reaction on our relations with Russia would be serious.

In handling the publicity side of the Katyn affair, we have

been constrained...

by the urgent need for cordial relations with the Soviet government, to appear

to appraise the evidence with more hesitation and lenience than we

should do in forming a common sense judgment.

We have, in fact, performed.

Use the good name of England.

Like the murderers use the little conifers to cover up a massacre.

Let us think of these things always and speak of them never.

To speak of them never is the advice which I have been giving to the Polish

government, but it has been unnecessary.

Affliction and residence in this country seem to be teaching them how much

better it is in political life to leave unsaid those things about which one

feels most passionately.

I've seen the papers.

A report by Owen O'Malley, the British ambassador to Poland.

You were right. I knew all along.

Ethan Krivosadseff is dead.

He was found yesterday hanging from a tree in the evening.

So you see, Mr. Underwood, I doubt anyone will ever be given the chance to

those papers.

Why, uh... Why didn't you hide them sooner?

They wouldn't let us.

It was only when you took the box that he reconsidered.

He approached the Red Cross, joined our troops in Italy, where he met Mr. Novak.

On a drunken night, that slip, he was there at Katyn.

When it happened.

No others made it to the West.

He was the only one to escape the area when the Soviets recaptured it.

He was an embarrassment to the Soviets.

for the British.

He's sensible to the Americans.

They approached him at Nuremberg and they almost sent him back to the Russian

sector.

Did you tell anyone you had seen him, Mr. Underwood?

I had nothing to do with it.

What is it?

Who did you tell?

Excuse me.

Sorry, I can't let you in.

What is it?

I need to talk to my brother.

Captain Underwood's been reassigned.

And Lieutenant Mitchell?

Don't know.

Foreign office archive.

Archive, how can I help you?

Philip Edwards, please.

Wonderful, sir.

I'm afraid Mr. Edwards is on leave.

When will he be back?

May I inquire as to your reason for calling?

Sir?

Western Post, come get your Western Post.

Western Post, come get your Western Post. Fresh off the press.

Mr. Hamilton, can I talk to you?

I'm sorry, Stephen, but you don't work here anymore.

Excuse me?

Lovely idea.

To give the festival to the typist. Oh, right.

She's has great promise.

But that's why she'll be doing your job from now on.

Now, that's a month's pay.

Clear your desk.

I have a story.

I don't want to hear it.

The British government has covered up the murder of over 15 ,000 Polish

and men by the Soviets in 1940.

They sold out a whole nation.

Their own allies.

A country they went to war to protect.

And it doesn't end there.

Yesterday evening, the last witness to that massacre was murdered right here in

Bristol.

Well, you certainly have a vivid imagination.

What did they say to you, Frank?

I beg your pardon?

That you lose your job.

Lose the paper.

Be disgraced.

And it's your patriotic duty not to print this.

If you don't leave right now, I'll have you thrown out.

Keep your money.

I resign.

Oh, Mr. Underwood, I'll be wanting to redecorate in the very near future, so I

have to ask you to vacate your room.

But as I'm not one to throw anyone onto the street, I will of course allow you

time to find suitable alternative lodgings.

Two weeks could be more than enough, I'm sure you'll agree.

And you have a visitor.

I didn't think this would happen.

What did you do?

Stephen, I didn't want you to be safe.

What did you do?

Mason asked me to watch Loboda and tell him everything.

You told him where he was?

Why didn't you tell me that Mason wanted him watched?

I didn't think it would stop you. I thought it would make things worse.

Worse?

He's dead.

I found him hanging from a tree.

I know.

And if I could undo what I've done, I would.

I didn't think Mason was capable of something like this.

I still don't.

What did they do with John?

They took him to London.

You won't be able to see or speak to him.

They're posting him overseas.

I didn't give him these.

They mean nothing now.

I want you to leave.

Stevie.

I want you to leave now.

An inquest before our sovereign Lord the King in the parish of Flaxporton in the

county of Somerset on this, the 3rd of November, 1947.

Before one of the coroners of our said Lord the King for the said county of

Somerset, touching the death of Ivan Krivosertsev, known as Michael Laboda,

upon the view of his body.

Have the witnesses been sworn in?

They have, sir.

Well, let's get going then, shall we?

We're about five, I'd say.

I was down Long Orchard.

I, uh, works there, you see.

And by the rail bridge, coming back up from Carthouse Farm,

I see this gentleman hanging from a tree.

Apple tree, it were.

He was hanging about...

eight feet up from a leather strap.

It appeared to me that the deceased had placed the strap around his neck,

climbed the tree, secured the other end to the branch, and jumped off.

We untied this and lowered him to the ground.

He was already cold and stiff.

We searched the body, and in a wallet we found three letters.

one of which was marked Secret Service.

Carry on.

We then took him to the mortuary at Long Ashton.

I knew him well.

We had been friends since 1945.

He was happy.

He was proud of who he was and what he had seen.

He did drink a lot, but he could stand a lot as well.

I do not know any reason why he should hang himself.

May it duly be recorded here on presentation of all inquiries under oath

that I, as appointed coroner of the county of Somerset by the office of His

Majesty the King, am deliberating the probable cause of death of Michael

also known as Evan, because that sets to allege a verdict of suicide

by hanging.

These proceedings are duly closed.

Surely you're not going to accept that.

I have to accept it.

This is now just another suicide that no one will want to hear about. What about

the letters in his wallet?

We have not been allowed to see them.

Why weren't they read out?

I'm very sorry, Mr. Underwood, but maybe if you'd not become involved, there

would be no need to know.

Look, Colonel, I'm sorry, but I did what I thought was right.

Did you?

Really?

We still have this.

Testimony is worth nothing without the man.

Even if it's not accepted in the courts, it still brings the story out into the

open. That's all you need, isn't it? Yes, Mr. Underwood, but there's nothing

more I can do.

We've been told in uncertain terms that the newspapers have been strongly

advised never to raise the subject again.

My apologies. I have to go.

He did not deserve this.

He was a good man.

I'm so very sorry, Colonel.

I truly am.

Don't you dare walk away from me.

You are just as much to blame for this impossible situation.

You did what you thought was right.

And so did I.

This is not finished.

In that moment, when Stephen died, my life was changed forever.

Everything I had believed in was shattered by the revelations he had

and I was determined to finish what he had started.

To finally print Stephen's story, and the testimony of Michael the Boder, the

last witness to the countless Polish soldiers who had died at Katyn, whatever

the risks, and however long it would take.

They would not be forgotten, and their testimony would live on.