Original subtitles

The music was created using the Jewish songs:

''lt's burning'' by Mordechai Gebirtig, murdered in 1942

and ''Eli Eli'', a folk song.

STARS

l'm falling asleep.

Faster, faster!

Come on!

JEWS POLAND

They still remember.

The night swallowed them up, never to return them to the light of day.

What happened back then? Why are we looking back at these times?

But let's start from the beginning. From the very beginning.

ln those years that seem so long ago today,

we met a German corporal.

What was he doing in our little Bulgarian town?

And what was his name?

To us he was just ''The Corporal''.

We knew nothing about him.

Except maybe that he had a slight limp.

We couldn't even find out his real name.

So in this story we'll just call him Walter.

JEWlSH PRODUCT

Heil Hitler!

Hello, Corporal!

You are so cheerful, Blazhe. Getting married?

One man's wedding is another man's funeral.

Good morning, Petko.

You are all so cheerful today!

Nice weather today. lndian summer!

A nice piece of work, Petko. A good lighter.

Good, very good!

Go ahead and laugh. You'll stop when you hear the news!

Yes sir, yes sir!

Keep going! Quick, quick!

What's up? - Our people have captured Smolensk.

40,000 of them in the bag.

Water!

Our people have captured Smolensk.

40,000 of them in the bag!

Corporal!

Corporal! - What is it?

The batteries haven't arrived yet. - So what?

You were going to take care of it.

We can't finish the job.

Come back later. You can see that l'm busy.

Corporal! - Yes sir, Captain!

What are you writing?

Reports on current repairs, Captain.

You should supervise the Bulgarian personnel, Corporal.

Stop this scribbling in the future!

You... you Rembrandt!

Rembrandt... - Hey, you! Private!

Was that a compliment or an insult?

An insult for poor Rembrandt.

You will greet me here outside too!

The old man is in a bad mood again today. - The workers are in a good mood.

Bunch of slobs! - But what do l care, great Rembrandt.

What do you say, do we want to take off again?

From this horrible place?

Hey, Walter...

You know what l'm thinking about?

You can think? What a surprise!

Listen, Rembrandt,

you know they say that thinking upsets the stomach.

You know, when l look

at this paradise...

l remember where we both came from: Leningrad!

Remember where you got caught?

Yes.

And? - ''And''...

Leningrad and this quiet little island...

No. There is no war. Certainly. Just silence.

Ha! The Yanks!

They fly over and goodbye.

lt's just hard to find a girl.

And it's not like they don't want to, they just make a fuss.

Hey Walter, you know,

we need to organize something proper at the pub again.

No,

l'm happy.

Because you're a chimpanzee.

Kurt, l envy you.

Humanity has been fighting its way to the top for two million years,

just to end up right where they started from.

What a lot of wasted effort.

ln war everybody is a chimpanzee.

Over there, another little chimpanzee.

Hey! Chimpanzee!

Come here, chimpanzee!

Come on!

l'll give you chocolate.

Blasted country. Children don't know what chocolate is.

Oh hell!

What is it?

Greek Jews.

Damn them.

l need to take them over until the freight cars come.

Bye, Rembrandt! At least you can enjoy our quiet valley!

You, my quiet valley...

Water! Water!

There, take it.

Go ahead, take it.

Thanks, but l don't smoke.

Officer!

Officer, please.

A woman is in labor. - So what? Anything else?

A very difficult birth, Officer. Both of them will die, her and the child.

What am l supposed to do about it? These things happen.

You are not human beings.

Wild animals.

All Germans are the same.

From the first to the last.

All of them.

Wolves. Rats.

Look here, Jew.

l could shoot you for that.

l wouldn't even feel any remorse.

But...

l don't have time.

How are you, Petko?

Fine.

And you?

ls the doctor coming, Ruth?

He's coming.

Later.

Don't worry, Sara.

lt will all work out.

We'll be taken to Poland, to a village called Auschwitz.

They say we'll be working in the vegetable garden.

The child will live and be healthy.

Because in the end, the Germans are human too.

lsn't that right, Ruth? - Yes.

Yes... human...

Lay down, Father. Your heart...

lt's fine, Ruth.

Don't just stand here, come with me.

And now, children, let's continue with the alphabet.

Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta...

Louder! From the beginning.

No harm done.

Keep going, children!

Be quiet! Are you all crazy? Someone is dying and you're learning the alphabet?

Maybe you'll also organize a dance, with gold stars?

My God!

Everyone is crazy.

Haven't you realized we're being taken to the slaughterhouse?

Or do you expect mercy from the Germans?

From the Germans...

Where is the sick person?

There, behind the chalkboard.

She needs to go to the hospital.

Take care of it here, there's nothing else l can do.

Warm water, please.

Warm water... water...

Towels... - Warm water, right away.

Children have learned here.

Yes.

And a child is being born here that will never learn.

Never?

Say...

Why were you brought here?

You know better than me, Officer.

l am not an officer, l'm a corporal.

Same thing. You're a German.

Why were you brought here?

We'll be taken to Poland,

to some village called Auschwitz. - Why?

We'll be planting cabbages, they say.

You have acted like a human being.

Take it.

lt's a very old edition of Heine.

Keep it. - What for?

Only God knows what awaits us in Poland.

Why always complain about Poland?

People are dying at the front. And you?

You'll just be working, in vegetable gardens. What's so bad about that?

Do you know that officially?

About the vegetable gardens?

Of course.

Then...

Then l apologize.

You lied.

Thank you.

Everybody says thank you.

All these thanks. What for?

For another poor little worm that was born here?

A new human being. - A human being?

lt's about time.

l finished the whole chicken.

Hocus pocus, abra cadabra.

Well, am l your friend or not?

You shouldn't be treated like a dog. Come here.

Here's to you.

So, what are your Jews up to?

Did they have their baby already?

l only let the doctor go into that hole for your sake, you...

Rembrandt.

Go ahead, eat, it's getting cold.

l'm not hungry.

''Not hungry''...

Fine...

Then let's get on with the portrait.

High time that we finish it.

l'm not in the mood today, Kurt.

lt's late.

OK. lt's your business.

Kurt?

What is Auschwitz?

A place.

A place in Poland.

They say it's not so bad there.

Where? - ln Auschwitz.

Those who have gone there

have never come back to give a report.

Well then, good night.

But you said you've been there.

What is Auschwitz? Vegetable gardens?

Some gardens.

lt's a mill.

A mill for human flesh.

Let's go to sleep, it's late.

You know what, Kurt?

There were the middle ages,

the renaissance, the golden age.

Now it's the age of general idiocy.

This is true.

Kurt?

Are you listening, Kurt?

Have you ever read Heine before?

Quick, quick!

They went down to the river.

What's going on here?

Corporal, thieves in the garage.

What is there to steal here? Junk?

You've been seeing ghosts. - Ghosts don't shoot, Corporal.

l saw two people clearly. They went over the wall.

Hello, Mr. Blazhe...

Hello, Corporal.

Hello. Do you need charcoal?

What do you want for it?

Pre-war five, now ten. - Come in.

Sit down.

Say, Petko, what's the news?

Nothing new.

l already reported on the Jewish camp.

The staff of our detachment says they must be helped.

We collected ten bags of potatoes for the children.

The German authorities have forbidden it.

The Jews are asking for quinine.

They need quinine, doctor. What do you think?

We have wounded in the forests. We need drugs too.

Today! Now!

Where from? - Where should we get them?

17 men are lying up there.

l understand, Doctor.

l'm not a doctor. l only studied for four semesters.

And up there l'm a doctor, dentist and surgeon.

And l only have aspirin.

Aspirin for wounds! Aspirin to fight malaria!

Aspirin to fight dysentery! - Calm down, yelling won't make it any better.

Sorry, comrade. l know you don't have it any better yourselves.

Do you have this damn sickness too?

Not too bad, the fever will pass soon.

So Petko, somebody needs to get the medicine.

Today.

Because we're leaving this area.

l'll see.

We'll figure something out.

One more question,

the most important one...

Winter is coming, maybe the last partisan winter.

We need guns.

Not like this. We need rifles.

Bravo! Bravo!

Here, Officer.

Hello, Corporal.

Out for a walk, Petko?

l'm going to hit that turning thing.

What's it called in Bulgarian?

''Mill''.

''Mill''...

Did you hear? There were thieves in the garage last night.

What's worth stealing there?

l don't know.

Tires? A carburetor?

You missed, Corporal.

Let me try.

You're a good shot, Petko!

Got a light?

My lighter is broken.

What a pity.

Was it a good lighter?

Do you need money?

Yes, a million Mexican pesos.

No, just two or three thousand leva.

What for? - l need medicine.

There's enough in the first aid kit in the garage.

Maybe the thieves wanted to steal medicine.

l don't think so, they wanted something valuable.

Black marketing medicine is a dirty business.

l need it for the Jews in the camp.

What are the Jews to you?

They are human beings too, Corporal!

And now the bottle of cognac.

Three thousand.

l don't need it.

Walter!

Bravo, good! Give it here.

Goodbye!

Hey Walter, don't forget about tonight.

The sheep has already been slaughtered, just for us.

And great girls.

WOMEN'S BATH

To our friendship!

And to your victory!

My friend...

Quiet!

My best friend...

Rembrandt.

Yes!

He's thinking deep thoughts somewhere.

Thanks, Corporal!

Walter is an idiot.

Yes, an idiot.

Nobody can drink...

from this glass.

What's your name, girlie? - Mutzi.

What? - Mutzi.

Mutzi? - Mutzi!

Are you married, Officer?

Hey, there he is!

My friend Rembrandt.

Come on! Shashlik for my friend Walter!

And wine!

Walter, l love Bulgaria!

A beautiful country.

You have no idea how good you have it here.

You don't have war!

We declared war on England and America, Lieutenant.

Yes sir!

Did you hear, Walter?

They declared war on them.

Because they're a long way off.

But you don't want to tangle with the Russians.

And you're afraid of the partisans.

We are not afraid of the partisans.

Yes!

We will destroy them! This is our war!

This is your war!

Don't make me laugh!

We were at Leningrad an entire winter.

That is a war, my dear.

Or? That is a war!

You are a real hero!

Yes. What? - A hero!

What is she talking about?

She says you're a real hero.

Bad mood, or what?

Come on, drink up! Quick!

Come on! Are you getting in the mood?

No. - ''No''...

Wait a minute... Of course!

Of course, Walter needs a woman! lt's clear.

Walter!

We must get Walter a girl.

Wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

Hey, soldier!

Get the teacher from the camp right now.

Bring her here, to the tavern. Quickly.

Quick!

Don't do anything stupid.

Go.

The medicine needs to be brought to the Jewish camp quickly.

Good night, Petko. Tomorrow morning l'll be with our people.

Mademoiselle!

l like you.

You are a beautiful chimpanzee.

But they never painted their lips red.

Today they do.

What progress in two million years.

Don't you agree, Mademoiselle?

She's really something.

Please, have a seat.

Aren't you listening, Jew?

Come here! Be entertaining!

Now be a gentleman!

Show her what we expect from a lady!

Quick!

l'm happy to see you again.

Here, drink to our health.

You don't want to. Then l'll drink to your health.

Not like that, Rembrandt. You have to treat them differently.

Good job, Rembrandt.

Come outside with me.

That's fine. l'm your friend, l renounce my claims.

Make sure she doesn't escape.

Keep your eyes open.

You will report to me later.

Yes sir, Lieutenant.

Where are you taking me?

Don't worry, nothing will happen to you.

You like to play the role of a knight?

We're all playing a role.

How's the baby that was born day before yesterday?

He died.

Maybe it's better.

Dying is never better.

l wouldn't be so sure about that.

Why?

As long as a child lives, hope lives.

lt's odd that you still believe in something.

What choice do we have?

What did you used to do?

Before they noticed that l was Jewish?

Teacher.

l was a painter.

A bad painter. And now l'm a bad soldier.

l was never good at anything.

l walked through the museums

thinking mankind was the pinnacle of creation.

And now?

Now?

Now l know that chimpanzees are much more sensible.

Look.

They're flying somewhere with their bombs.

Life will be silenced there.

Like the crickets are silent here.

But they fly over us.

And the crickets will chirp again.

And people will continue to live.

Even when there's no more hope?

There's always hope.

At least the hope that those who follow will be better people.

They will be made from the same stuff.

That...

which now separates people,

will disappear.

Like the planes that just flew past. - But they'll be back.

And fly past again. - l said the same thing.

Evil comes and goes. lt's eternal.

That depends on the people. - Nothing depends on them.

A man is not a god, just a man. - A lot depends on him.

When he truly is a man.

Do you have anyone in Germany?

My mother.

She had three sons.

Two of them never returned from Russia.

And no one else?

No.

No one.

Like in peace-time.

A date.

And he takes her back home.

And they even have a little Cupid,

who lovingly protects them.

Nothing can be done about it.

Every age has its Cupid.

You see, even ours doesn't lack poetry.

Good night.

By the way...

l don't actually hate people.

You don't hate them,

but you're afraid to love them.

Afraid?

Yes, loving someone means doing something for them

or at least wanting to do something.

Good night.

Cigarette?

Thank you, Corporal.

What can be done?

What can one do?

Sleep, Corporal.

Yes...

sleep.

Yes?

Corporal, l am here to report that you are to go to the Police Chief.

Police?

Why do l need to go to the police?

ls that all?

Yes, Police Chief, l've told you everything.

Send him in.

What happened?

Why have you arrested my worker?

Pardon me, Corporal.

This man was arrested last night...

with a sack full of medicine.

For the partisans, l think.

We also found medicine in the Jewish camp.

German medicine.

Maybe you can help us, Corporal.

No, l can't help you. l'm sorry.

For the last time, who gave you the medicine?

No one. l stole it.

Who helped you? - No one.

Now listen!

The Corporal and l promise to do all we can

to make things easier for you.

Where did you want to meet the partisans?

l didn't want to meet the partisans. l went for a walk.

With a rucksack full of medicine? - l wanted to sell it.

ln the forest?

To bears?

There are shepherds there, they would have given me a whole sheep for it.

Talk or l'll shoot!

l'll shoot!

Don't worry, this is a partisan gun, it doesn't shoot.

A partisan pistol, antique.

lf the corporal finds out anything else,

we will thank him for it.

Farewell, Corporal.

l apologize...

for having you brought here.

You know, we have the same interests.

l repeat:

The German and Bulgarian authorities

treat you Jews loyally.

We expect the same from you.

This is just, very just indeed.

Last night, some swine

smuggled medicine from German army supplies into the camp.

This is forbidden!

Anyone with such medicine in their possession,

must turn it in immediately. Understand?

So, who will start?

Step up! Search him!

Two tubes of quinine.

Two days of no food for the whole camp.

Another tube.

Another day of no food.

May l nicely ask all of you once again

to hand over the medicine?

Thank you very much, Madame.

Thank you very much, Sir.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Petko!

l want to talk to you.

About what?

That's my brother, talk.

l was at the police. - l know.

Who betrayed Blazhe?

Do you think it was me? - l didn't say that.

Don't you trust me, Petko?

You're German.

Blazhe was arrested by the secret police.

Should l have told him that l gave him the medicine?

What for?

A good boy!

You lied. The medicine wasn't just for the Jews!

You wouldn't have gotten it otherwise.

Probably...

Why aren't you working today?

The police is in the garage.

Are you coming tomorrow?

No. l'm leaving town.

lt's too hot for me here.

And where are you going? - Anywhere. Far away.

Everyone has that right.

Farewell.

l did not betray Blazhe.

This is your lighter.

Here.

l found it in the garage after it was broken into.

Why didn't you tell the police?

You're a good man, Petko.

l want you to trust me.

Pardon me, Corporal!

l am not a thief.

We were not in the garage for tires.

Why then?

We wanted into the armory.

l didn't hear that.

Everyone has a right, Corporal.

Yes, everyone.

You are not a thief, l am not a swine.

Will we see each other again, Petko?

Certainly not.

You'll meet other people.

lf not Petko, then Vassil or lvan.

lt's all the same. There are a lot of us.

Who do you mean?

We... Maybe you'll understand one day.

My...

you are here very early, Rembrandt.

Schnapps.

What's wrong with you?

Nothing special.

You were splendid with the Jews today.

Truly German.

Yes.

lt's their own fault.

By the way...

l saw your Jewess again today.

Fantastic!

So, Walter...

next time it's my turn. Understand?

Hey, what's wrong?

Something like that won't ruin our friendship.

We're acting like children. l apologize.

l'm your friend and that's the end of it.

And your Jewess,

you can have her again if you want.

Today.

The Jewess.

At the Lieutenant's orders.

You can go sleep in the churchyard.

l'll bring her to you there. - Thank you, Corporal.

That's fine.

Thank you for coming.

l'm not here voluntarily.

The soldier brought me.

You still mistrust me?

What do you want from me?

Nothing.

l'm sorry about what happened in the schoolyard,

with the medicine.

Your friend is more consistent than you. He at least regrets nothing.

He and l are not the same.

You are all guilty...

of everything.

Or are you not guilty of something today?

For everything that happens daily these years?

l didn't want it to happen. - Lots of us didn't want it to happen.

But you let it happen.

You might be right.

l always have bad luck.

l wanted to help you, with the medicine.

But l just caused more trouble.

lf that's true, why did you do it?

Just because.

What do you want from me now?

Nothing.

Then why did you have me brought here?

To tell you the truth. - About the medicine?

No, about you.

You're being lied to.

Auschwitz is not a vegetable farm.

lt's a concentration camp. A death camp.

l know.

And you take it so calmly? Even a chimpanzee is afraid of death.

l'm not a chimpanzee.

Yeah, and what remains of your crickets

and your beloved good people?

They're singing.

Ruth, you must save yourself. You must escape.

And why me?

l've never been able to think about all the people.

But l must help you. lt's very important to me.

To you?

Yes.

A person sometimes needs to prove to himself that he is not a swine.

Help me do that.

You already have.

l will find people. They will hide you.

l can't abandon my people:

Father, the children.

l have no right.

lt is war.

lt always tears people apart.

You must have the strength, Ruth.

Where should l flee to?

ln this strange country?

To whom?

Maybe to the stars?

That's the only quiet place now.

lt's all the same to them,

whether there's war or peace on earth,

whether people are happy or unhappy.

Or whether there are any people at all.

There, the Great Bear.

Orion.

The Gemini.

They also live in the constellations.

Each star

in its own constellation.

Because they're cold

and afraid of being lonely.

l have no constellation.

You will find one.

People are always searching, and finding.

They say that every person has a star in the sky.

Yes.

And when he's torn from his place,

he perishes.

You too have a star on your breast.

And when it's torn from its place,

the person perishes.

This cannot be.

This cannot be.

You must escape, Ruth.

Perhaps,

but wouldn't it be cowardly to flee alone?

Think about it.

l'll be back.

Think about it, Ruth. lt would be a useless sacrifice.

Perhaps.

lt's time for me to return to camp.

My God! My God!

Why have you left me?

My God! My God!

Why have you left me?

We have been burned

in fire and flames.

Mockery and ridicule

wherever we go.

But no one

could force us

to turn our backs on you, my God,

and from your holy Torah,

from your commandment.

My God! My God!

Why have you left me?

My God! Why have you left me?

Save me! Oh, save me from danger!

Like our ancestors from enemy law.

Hear my prayers and my tears...

Traitor!

Why did you say that?

Hear, oh lsrael, our God, the only God,

the only God...

Don't...

Don't cry...

lt's just their desperation, Ruth.

Desperation makes people evil.

You must understand them.

Desperation unites them.

They're afraid of traitors.

But l've done nothing bad. Nothing!

Why did you have to say that?

l know that.

But l'd still like

to see him again.

That mixed up,

strange,

good person.

That's some weather out there.

What are you doing?

Of course... Scribbling some nonsense again,

and my portrait is still not finished.

Hey, Kurt? - Yes.

When will the Jews be transported?

You've got a crush on her, it's clear. - What nonsense.

So when?

Tomorrow.

Are you sure?

Absolutely.

l have the transport orders in my pocket.

Where are you going? - To the garage.

But it's late. - l still have things to do.

l need to talk to Petko!

He's gone.

l must see him!

He left town!

Where can l find him? l need him urgently.

Come in.

Can you hide someone?

A Greek Jewess?

For how long? - A long time.

Till the end of the war.

The girl? - Yes, you know her.

Just the girl...

And the others?

And the others, Corporal?

So you don't want to help me?

When should it be?

Tonight.

OK,

then we'll see.

Open up. - What is it, Petko?

Don't worry. He is not a bad person.

JEW'S APARTMENT

Hello. - Hello.

What is it, Petko?

One of your people will escape from the camp tonight.

Can you hide her?

That is dangerous, Petko.

You know our situation.

l can't take her to my place.

We'll take her somewhere else in a few days.

You don't have to be afraid of him.

Fine.

But the neighbors can't find out.

Thank you.

Petko will bring her here tonight.

l'll bring her soon.

l'll wait.

Hey, Soldier. - Yes!

Lieutenant Muller has ordered me to pick someone up.

There's no one left in the camp, Corporal.

What? Where are the Jews?

They were transported to the train station an hour ago.

REMBRANDT! l LlED TO YOU.

lT'S BETTER THlS WAY.

COME TO THE PUB! WE HAVE ROAST PORK. KURT

Faster, faster!

Come on!

She said that evil will go

and won't be back again.

She's gone

and the evil is still here.

Because it is stronger than man.

ls there a force against it, Petko?

Yes.

Yes!

You said you need guns?

Yes, Corporal.

To us he was just ''The Corporal''.

We never found out his name.

That's why we called him Walter.

But they still remember.

lt burns, brothers, it burns!

Help is in your hands!

lf our town is dear to you,

take the buckets, quench the fire!

Quench it with your very blood!

Prove that you can do it!

lt burns, brothers, it burns!

Subtitling by SUBS Hamburg Jeannette Gustavus