Original subtitles

NOVEMBER 1918

PASEWALK RESERVE FIELD HOSPITAL

Come closer, elbows on the table.

I hear my colleagues on the front line think you're a fake.

You are a recipient of the Iron Cross First Class.

A capable soldier.

Someone like that doesn't fake it.

But hypnosis works primarily through the eyes.

You can't hypnotize a blind man. In brief...

I can't help you.

FILE ON THE ADMISSION OF ADOLF HITLER

Please, Staff Surgeon.

I want to see again.

Please.

Well...

that would be a miracle.

You're hoping for a miracle?

There are no more miracles in our...

in our modern world.

Not for ordinary people,

but a man with extraordinary willpower...

he knows no limits.

He will throw off his shackles.

He will tear down the walls of ordinariness.

Test yourself.

Do you think you have the willpower?

Then we'll try.

Open your eyes.

Try.

Did you see the spark?

I don't know.

Maybe a glow.

That's not enough. It won't do.

There's a god in every man.

That's his will.

That's the energy.

Combine all the strength within you.

You can feel this power.

You know that this power can achieve the superhuman.

Yes. I know that.

The flame.

-Do you see the flame? -I want to!

But...

-Yes. -You have to see.

Anything is possible here.

More.

More. More.

BERLIN-SCHÖNEBERG JANUARY 30, 1933, 10:45 A.M.

SMOKING

ALL THE BEST FOR TODAY!

In the current reporting, you need to let the word stand on its own.

Without bias, but in depth.

And with an awareness for the drama of the moment.

That's your line of work. I do light entertainment.

No way. You have the right voice, you're just afraid.

Besides, I have to prepare the radio play over in Studio 2.

-I could do that. -No.

Gentlemen, let me introduce your colleague Jacoby.

-Morning. -Hi.

He's the new voice of Germany.

Right.

Concentrate, study the text.

Move away from the microphone.

Too much?

Attention, attention, this is the latest radio broadcast.

It's Monday, January 30th, 1933, 11:30 a.m., dear listeners.

And we are focusing our attention

on the events currently unfolding in the government district.

Will President Hindenburg appoint Adolf Hitler, the leader

of the National Socialist German Workers' Party, as the new Chancellor of the Reich?

Thank you, may I pass?

And?

Any news?

It's all over town that Hitler is driving a hard bargain.

-What exactly? -Most of all, new elections.

As soon as possible.

He doesn't want to be chancellor by the grace of Hindenburg.

-He wants the people to elect him. -Yes.

Dr. Forster?

Hello?

Anyone there?

Hello?

POLICE HEADQUARTERS "RED FORTRESS," BERLIN-MITTE 11:40 A.M.

Department A, Ritter speaking.

Who is this?

Hello.

What's the matter?

Dr. Forster wasn't there and neither was the file.

Police, Precinct 5.

Yes, I...

I want to report something anonymously.

What exactly is this about?

Murder.

What is he doing here?

The doctor...

-Forster. -He wasn't there.

And the file?

-We turned the whole place upside down. -We'll find him. And the file.

The Führer is relying on you personally, Blank.

Write: News flash.

Berlin. The president of the Reich,

General Field Marshal Hindenburg, just now...

appointed Adolf Hitler the Reich Chancellor of Germany.

The new Reich Chancellor has decided to exercise his office

only with the majority support of the German people.

For this reason, new elections have been scheduled for March 5.

He really talked the old guy into this.

He didn't do it alone.

It was the effort of many.

Back to work, Katelbach.

I'll see you at the press ball.

I'm not sure about that. Private engagement.

But I'll be there for the afterthought in Café Mutzbauer.

Here you go. Half past two, at Opernplatz.

Hello.

Hello, gentlemen.

-Hello. -Hello.

Hello.

Who took the anonymous call?

I did, Madam... Madam Inspector.

Did you or your colleagues move anything?

No, we've been waiting for you.

Very well. Thank you.

What exactly did the caller observe?

That the doctor departed in haste. I mean down the stairs.

Where is the body?

Next door.

Let's begin.

Did you want to see me?

Well, then, have a nice day.

Constable! Constable!

-I'm being followed. -And?

That SA man. He's been following me since I alighted from the metro.

Well, he's just looking.

I'm a lawyer.

You go to him now and take his details. Or I'll take action against you.

EDITORIAL OFFICE

So this is the first suggestion?

No, I want to know who I am dealing with specifically.

Actually, I don't want to know.

We won't print this guy's first name on page one. That'll be the day!

I thought so.

Alright, something like that.

Short and not so sweet.

-Excuse me, Mr. Editor-in-Chief. -What is it?

We should include the mug shot. The police insist.

Squeeze it onto the police page and don't interrupt us with the small stuff.

And on such a day to boot.

I also have an advance review of The Testament of Dr. Mabuse.

A masterpiece, Fritz Lang, Rudolf Klein-Rogge,

definitely front-page material.

Katelbach.

Tempo editorial office.

Hello, please put me through to the editor-in-chief, Mr. Heymann.

Our editor-in-chief is very busy right now. Would you...

It's a matter of the utmost urgency.

I really can't disturb him right now, that's...

I have salient information regarding the new government.

-Excuse me, sir? -Potocnik!

There is someone on the line who... who claims that...

I will make shashlik of you if you are pulling my leg.

We have mutual friends from our time at university.

-Dahlem Circle. -What was your name again?

Forster, Edmund.

Medicine. You took journalism. New faculty.

You were saying?

I have information of extraordinarily explosive power.

Explosive for, against, about what or whom?

The new Reich Chancellor.

Keep talking.

We need to meet in a safe place.

Come here. To our office.

Out of the question. Public.

Lots of people.

Anonymity, you understand?

Come to the press ball, then.

As anonymous as it gets.

Understood. Thank you.

Institute for Suggestive Therapy.

This is Forster.

Professor.

I need your help.

OPERNPLATZ BERLIN-MITTE 2:15 P.M.

Ah, Reinhold.

-And? How was the dentist? -No big deal.

A decayed molar.

No surprise, given my sweet tooth.

Did I miss something today?

Well, the change of government.

-That was impossible to overhear in town. -And a murder case.

There is a main suspect, too.

-I see. -Dr. Forster, Edmund.

An anonymous caller allegedly saw him hurry away from the crime scene.

They did?

The newspapers have been notified. Can you duplicate this for tomorrow?

Sure, no problem.

Institute for Suggestive Therapy.

It's me. Strelow wasn't alone.

He was accompanied by his SA brigade.

-You didn't hand over the parcel? -No. It was impossible.

I see. I need to see you.

Can you sneak into the press ball without drawing attention?

I'll try.

Very well. Thank you, Gereon.

About this awakening Germany,

about these masses of people from all walks of life, from all strata of society,

marching past here, workers of the brow and the fist,

all class distinctions have been erased...

It's a wind like there might once have been in 1813.

-So the king called and everybody came. -I can't stand this.

-It must've been like that. -There's supposed to be new elections.

Which won't make anything any better, I'm afraid.

And now a little lemon balm spirit and you'll be your old self tomorrow.

Well, the new... I meant to say as good as new.

Stop, stop, do you want to kill me?

Cuddles up against the stomach walls.

You'll see, your cough is history faster than my deplorable adage.

I have to go soon.

You stay in bed and let it take effect.

The people heard that Hitler was appointed Reich Chancellor,

that Hitler and Hindenburg had agreed...

About time.

I'm sorry.

If only you knew what's going on out there.

Half the city is out and about.

Yes, I know.

But now I'm here.

How do I look?

Forbidden.

And Jacoby still has tickets for the press ball?

Apparently.

They are waiting for us.

-We really need to hurry up. -Yes?

-Yes. -Well, we'll hurry up.

Go on, get dressed up.

You've got lipstick there.

I hope it's mine.

How would I know where you've been all day long?

Have you heard?

Hitler is chancellor.

Yes.

PRESS BALL, UNTER DEN LINDEN 6:40 P.M.

So? Do you have the report?

-It didn't work out. -What?

Why?

The doctor, Dr. Forster,

has... disappeared.

Quite a lot going on.

-It's embarrassing. -I'll take care of it.

-Please excuse us. -It's my fault.

We're late, too.

-Together, please. -Let's blend in with the crowd.

The young woman was lying dead in a back room of the office.

On a bed, just wearing a nightgown.

The doctor was seen leaving the building hurriedly.

Thank God, there you are.

That's him.

-You won't believe this. -What?

-That's him. -Who?

The doctor from today, from the building.

-Are you sure? -Yes. His name is Dr. Forster.

Do you have your badge on you?

-I always have it on me. -I don't.

-Talk to him, okay? -Yes.

You go up on the left, I take the right.

Alright. But inconspicuously. I'll get Gräf.

-Give me a head start. -Will do.

I need your help. Look up there.

Forster.

Come with me.

This gentleman is in danger of his life.

-You are accused of a crime. -No, they want to silence me.

We need to leave right away.

I don't believe this.

-He was still here a minute ago. -I'll look over there.

Gereon?

LIEBENBERG CASTLE 9:14 P.M.

A HITLER REICH CHANCELLOR

It's 9:15 p.m. Dinner was scheduled for eight o'clock.

But he's not here yet.

Alfred. We thank you with all our heart.

I won't play another piece.

He was going to be here at eight.

Come now, dear Nyssen.

New responsibility, new obligations.

You mean you can forget about the old obligations?

Alfred, he will come. I've known Mr. Hitler to always be very dependable.

As long as he still needed our money, yes.

Let's just start anyway.

It's well known that the Führer doesn't care much for food. Nor for this here.

Dear Göring, tonight is not about filling your gullet.

It's about Mr. Hitler explaining to his supporters, or rather, patrons,

how he will now that the hour has come lead Germany to a place

where we can all see it.

I personally handed him a ten-point plan.

I'd now like to know the stages in which he will implement it.

Now that he is in the position we put him in.

-Excuse me for a second. -Of course.

Alfred, that wasn't very diplomatic just now.

It's the only language these upstarts understand.

Gentlemen, feel free to call me if Mr. Chancellor does show up after all.

Madam, we really should start... before everything is overcooked and tasteless.

Please, we are serving.

If I may invite everyone to the table, dinner is served.

Thank you.

Rath was up there in the gallery.

With Dr. Forster. And someone else.

-Suddenly, he was gone. -And?

I looked everywhere. He must have arrested him.

The doctor.

He must have taken him to headquarters, right?

I assume so.

No, he's not here.

Notes?

Well, we'll have a look.

Hold on.

Nothing!

Nothing!

I'm sorry, Miss Ritter.

Yes, goodbye.

Well, actually, tonight we wanted to hear from Mr. Hitler

how Germany's future becomes the new reality.

But now the most important visionaries, of all people, are absent.

Maybe you, dear President of the Reichstag,

dear Hermann Göring, would you like to say a few spontaneous words

befitting this great occasion?

What can I say?

It won't remain the way it was.

We need to clean out the pigsty which the system has left for us, and fast.

There is no justice to be done here.

We just need to destroy and extinguish, that's all.

I spent two years in Moscow.

For two years, they've been preparing me for exactly this day.

The position of General Secretary Stalin and Chairman Thälmann is unambiguous.

An escalation in this situation would be absolutely wrong.

Comrade Völcker!

The position of the leadership in Moscow is not critical in this situation.

They are 2,000 kilometers away.

The battle must be fought here and now, directly, and in the street if necessary.

Colleagues, friends, companions,

I fear that all this here will take a lot longer than most of us think.

But we are not powerless.

Each one of us has a choice

to never give even the smallest concession to those who are now grabbing for power.

What we need is a strong, a vehement sign of lots of votes.

A call for common sense ahead of the elections in five weeks.

We need to mobilise everybody and his brother.

In the next days, we will replace all chiefs of police of the Reich

with men we can rely on.

The esteemed retired Rear Admiral von Levetzow

will be Berlin's new Chief of Police.

The political police will be separated from the administrative branch

and replaced by a Secret State Police Office.

It will be led by Councilor Wendt.

SA units will be assigned to assist police officers as auxiliary police

to put an end once and for all to the expected riots

by radical left-wing groups during the elections.

Police officers who, in the line of duty,

are required to use their firearms will have my personal backing.

The elections in five weeks' time must be won.

And we can't have the red pack raining on our parade. Right?

Bravo.

Back to the dinner. Let's not let it get cold.

Gereon?

I'm sorry, I must have made a mistake.

Whom are you looking for?

Gereon Rath. We had arranged to meet and I was late.

-I have to pick something up. -What do you want to pick up?

Nothing. Excuse me.

Subtitles by Stephanie Geiges