Original subtitles

On!

Sur! Salve!

Leg! On!

Feuer!

Leg!

On!

Im Gleichschritt!

My beautiful Lyuba.

You can't come in. Please go away.

You're not angry with me, are you?

I can't see you anymore. My brother won't even speak to me.

Haven't you heard?

Half the young men in town are being shipped out to labor camps.

Your brother won't have...

Luscious, so generous.

And so ashamed.

But somehow, I don't know why it makes her all the tastier. Let's see the other

pictures, too.

What pleasure can you possibly get out of a photograph?

We've got imaginations.

You can't possibly imagine what this was like.

When we first got here, Mira, her name was.

Untouched by human hand.

This one, a real crazy one. A widow, she wanted a baby.

First woman I ever met who wanted a baby, so naturally it didn't happen.

This one, nothing.

Who's that?

Something new.

Jovanka, she's called. I met her last month.

What's taking you so long?

Well, this one requires patience, sincerity. She's a real challenge.

They tell you there is. They tell you all kinds of things.

Duty, honor, God, patriotism.

In the end, you find you can't believe in anything.

Only yourself.

Your own desires, your own satisfaction.

It's all you can be sure of.

All you want, finally, in the whole world.

You've been standing there for over an hour, just staring out.

What is it?

Nothing, Mama.

You saw the German last night?

Yes.

Did something happen?

Yes, something happened.

We were attacked by partisans.

Criminals.

I was a coward. I ran. I left him alone.

I warned you, Ivanka, not to. What did you want me to do?

Stop living?

Sit in a dark corner and wither away?

Drown myself in hate when the only hate I feel is not for the enemy, not for the

Germans, but for war?

What do you want?

What do you want?

You were with that German last night.

Yes, I was.

What did they do to him? You were making love to him. You were Yugoslav.

What were you doing?

Rewarding him for occupying our city? Killing our people?

Torturing them? Sending them to concentration camps?

What did they do to him?

What they did, they did on their own. But that wouldn't happen if you hadn't

been lying there.

One obscene act led to another.

What did they do?

We won't let women like you destroy the morale and the pride of our men.

The partisan command has ordered the punishment of all women who were

fraternized with the enemy. You punish him and now you want to punish me.

Why? Because I don't hate them the way you do? Because I wanted to live?

I wanted a few moments of love, of kindness.

It wasn't a German who made love to me. It was just a man.

A man I cared for. Who cared for me. There were five of you.

Five of you he cared for.

This is why you wanted to be free of me until the war was over.

Not because you weren't sure.

Or because you didn't want to have children at a time like this.

You wanted to sleep with a German.

Because I agree with them.

Whoever did this also attacked a German sergeant.

We want to help you.

Now who were these scoundrels?

You must have seen their faces.

You know their names.

Tell me who they are and you will be avenged.

Find out who did this or execute some more hostages.

By your leave, sir, reprisal's not the solution here.

These girls pose a real problem. In what way?

Well, if we let them go around town, they're a walking demonstration of the

power of the partisans.

If we lock them up, we're punishing them ourselves.

And for what?

For fraternizing with our own men.

So, get rid of them. Sir?

Drive them out of town, have a squad escort them to the gates and send them

on their way. And what'll become of them?

I haven't the slightest idea.

Just rest now, Sergeant. Look at me.

I'm not a man anymore.

It's the truth, isn't it?

Please, you're hurting me.

Here come his girls.

Stop it! What's going on? Get out the window!

Hold that man! Get him back! Stop him!

You!

You're too late. Do you hear you're too late? I've had them all.

Every woman in town.

And I'm not the only one. Your sisters, your daughters, your wives.

We've had them all.

You down there.

Jovanka, Yuba, all of you.

They mutilated me.

Mutilated me.

I'm a better man.

of his mother?

What are we going to do?

Where are we going to go?

We should stay together, you know.

Why?

We do have something in common.

kill yourself because of him.

You don't understand.

I understand all right. They've not only taken your hair, they left you nothing

decent to remember.

I've been punished for something I didn't do. We never even made love.

we to live for.

Who are you?

The lamb can talk.

Who are you?

Homeguards.

You work for the Germans?

Not for them, with them.

You have a preference?

you outside.

to find any convoys on this road, you're mistaken.

Well, we'll give it another hour.

We'll assemble on the north ridge.

Look at Mira.

Mira.

Mira.

What's the matter?

Haven't you ever seen a pregnant woman before?

Keller? Who else?

I think you should go in the water.

Oh, don't be silly. I feel fine.

If you are going to have a baby, you've got to start thinking about it.

My family had no cold.

Paul... Sergeant Keller got some for us.

All he wanted, he said, was to be part of a family again.

I was scared.

He was the first man I ever knew.

Why are you being so stupid?

It's a wonderful thing to have a baby.

It's the only thing I've ever wanted.

Is that the reason?

The only reason.

I wanted a child.

The German was tall and handsome.

If I was lucky, the child would be tall and handsome.

But I wasn't lucky.

I have nothing to show for anything.

Except this.

before I kissed him that's all I ever did I wouldn't do what he wanted

later I was sorry and I tried to see him again but

he'd have nothing more to do with

I'm hungry.

Just tell me what we do for food.

We'll take it from the Germans.

Just the five of us.

We'll hold up some more peasants.

No, we decided not to do that ever again. It's wrong.

It's better than starving.

It's not better.

That's what we try to make ourselves believe.

We have excuses for everything.

When there's no excuse for what we have done to what we have become.

Admit it.

We let ourselves be seduced by a German.

We did it for love. We did it to protect someone.

We did it in despair.

We did it in weakness.

No matter what we say or how sorry we feel about it, we did something

contemptible.

That's a fine patriotic speech, Lyuba. But I have done nothing contemptible.

Tell me, what is more contemptible than war? War that men make?

Is murder less disgusting than love?

Just because we've been branded by the partisans to prove our indecency.

Then let's act with pride, Ivanka.

Let's refuse to be outcasts, to be mock women. And how shall we do that?

By joining the partisans.

I'd rather die.

I wouldn't.

And you wouldn't either.

With Mira's baby coming, we're going to need all the help we can get.

Where are you going?

A partisan, I think.

What happened?

I saw some girls. I went down to investigate.

And they fired at me.

Why? How do I know why?

Shall we follow them?

Don't you see? They are partisans.

Do you see what's happening?

You're to blame for this.

They take away our cattle. They arrest our men. They kill and slaughter.

Go away. We don't want you here.

Get out before the Germans find you.

Out of this!

Those girls again.

What are they trying to do?

Take some of the men down there and see if you can help. We'll keep you covered.

Get back up there.

Take the prisoner. I'll question him later. No, you won't.

Why not?

Leave my prisoner.

All right, you're in charge of him. Take his pistol. Yes.

They've broken off contact.

I think they're regrouping for an attack.

Everybody accounted for? Everyone.

All right, on your feet, everybody. We're moving out.

Get away from me.

You won't say anything to Velko, will you? I won't. But don't you ever touch

me again.

My name is Bronco. What's yours?

Done it, sir.

Bronco, get back to your place in the line.

You're holding up the line. Come on, move.

A German captain.

Nobody bosses me but a general.

I'll tell you something. I just promoted myself.

at the meeting.

You'll take care of the German.

Third Partisan Brigade.

We've been discussing whether or not we should ask you to join us.

We decide these things always by popular vote.

It's been agreed that in spite of your past record, it's agreed that now you

belong with the Shoe Fight Germans. That's what matters. That's the

important thing.

There is, however, and I speak frankly, one condition.

A condition, you said. What is it? This army is unlike any other army. We all

live together here, very closely, men and women alike.

And we've learned from bitter experience that if romantic attachments develop,

love affairs and so on, this can lead to rivalries and jealousies.

It can lead to quarrels, and this is very bad for morale.

This is a matter of discipline for all of us.

We have a strict military law that forbids sexual relations.

We want you to understand that.

For one thing, the birth of a child imposes a great hardship, not only on

the mother and child, but on an army fighting guerrilla warfare.

We didn't make this rule because we anticipated having five new recruits,

but because we know what has happened in the past when there was no such rule.

Let Speckle tell them what happened in his detachment.

Three of us.

Three survivors.

All in one night.

We had women in our group.

Loose women.

But we didn't have this rule.

They went on guard duty together.

Shot where they lay in each other's arms.

The rest of you can do what you like.

I'm leaving.

It's not for me.

Ivanka.

Wait.

You say you think we have nothing to do with them.

What does it matter if they have a rule about it?

Ivanka, please, we need... Please.

If I stay you accept me as I am.

Directed mostly against the men to keep them from molesting the women.

You're protecting her virtue, despite her record of weakness.

Ivanka, listen to me.

From now on, we're going to be fighting side by side. We've got to forget the

past. We've got to be friends now.

No.

I'll fight at your side till the war is won.

Yes, if we live that long.

But I'm not going to forget the past.

And we are not going to be friends.

We'll be friends when you can feel something, something personal, love,

hate, anything.

We'll be friends when you can see more in what you did to me than an object

less so.

When you can feel in your own heart what shame means.

Very good.

The battalion commander is here with Mirko. They've been waiting for you.

I was watching you when you were firing at the Germans.

You're the prettiest rifleman I ever saw.

Why are you blushing?

Partisans don't blush.

You're wounded.

own hometown.

Velko and Mirko will brief you on the details of the operation later.

Two of you, however, will be left behind.

That's what I want to discuss at the moment.

I understand one of you is pregnant.

Well, you, of course, will remain in camp.

And you are wounded?

Yes, but it's not serious.

Well, you'll be responsible for the

negotiate a prisoner exchange our people in town are working on it and if you

don't

Make sure there's no trace.

You're under arrest, both of you.

In utter callous disregard of orders, these two deserted their post

at a time when the security of this entire detachment was entrusted to them.

This could have been a...

as if peace was just around the corner.

We have hard, bitter days ahead of us.

And without discipline, we'll all be destroyed.

Death is the only punishment for this kind of a betrayal.

It is in every other army. We have to make an example.

An example that will never be forgotten.

What about my record?

Does it mean anything?

I've fought in more battles than any of you.

How many acts of disobedience does it include?

How many acts of willful brutality?

Does it include the mutilation of a German sergeant?

When he knew that the partisan army is opposed to individual terrorism. Yes!

And I would do it again if I had the chance.

From the day you joined this detachment, you've been a troublemaker.

You show nothing but contempt for our rules and regulations.

I don't deny your bravery in combat.

But your irresponsibility is part of your record.

It's for the girl I can think of nothing, please honorate her.

She's not a child. She knew what she was doing.

We pay for our acts.

All of us.

Danica did nothing.

Those who punished her punished an innocent girl.

She's not on trial for her past record.

Nor is Bronco.

They're charged with dereliction of duty in a combat situation.

Now, does anyone else want to speak?

What is there to discuss?

They've admitted their guilt. I say, let's get it over with.

Put it to the vote.

Go on, put it to a vote.

Just a moment.

What they did was wrong.

But what was the cause of it?

Why did it happen?

Because they were forbidden to be lovers, openly and honestly.

So they became lovers in secret.

They made a mistake because they were human.

And because the rule you made is inhuman.

Is that your defense that the rule was to blame?

What's been proved is how badly the rule is needed.

What will you gain by executing them?

They are valuable fighters.

We need them.

Belko is right about one thing.

There are bitter days ahead.

We may all perish before this war is over.

If they must die, why can't they die facing the enemy, as they lived?

So that their death has meaning.

How could we ever trust them again?

And those you can't trust must be destroyed.

They betrayed us once.

they'll do it again no life must be precious to us we can't treat each other

our own people the way the enemy does all right

is an automatic sentence of death.

Decisions arrived that democratically are binding on all of us, regardless of

personal opinion.

In that spirit, the firing squad will be composed of the following fighters.

Milko.

What are you waiting for?

This should be easy for you.

Aim.

You're shooting the man who mutilated your German lover.

will be responsible for the start of the action in the square.

The second brigade will remain here.

It will attack and destroy this checkpoint after the action in town

starts. And this will then be the exit points for all.

The first brigade will fight a rear guard action, giving you a chance to

reform and get away.

If the Germans pursue you, You will continue retreating over the mountain.

Or you can get support from battalion headquarters.

Good luck.

I'm hungry.

I was just thinking.

So how can I go on hating them?

Perhaps your baby will grow up to be a good German.

Are there good Germans?

Some. How can you tell the difference between a good German and a bad German

if they both invade your country?

I grant your point.

Was your wife...

that this pain is like a cramp.

But it can't be the baby.

It's not due till next week.

You ever delivered a baby?

Ever seen one delivered?

No. Have you?

I read about it.

Oh, you'd better lie down.

Lyuba, I don't want to have the baby yet.

I want to wait for Maria.

Professor. University.

What did you teach?

Philosophy. Ah.

Philosophy.

And you?

What did you do?

I was nothing.

I worked in a shop.

I waited mostly.

Waited for the right young man to come in.

But he never came.

It was a ladies' dress shop.

The war will be over soon.

It'll be over very soon for me.

What do you mean?

You'll shoot me.

I?

You or your friends. You'll have to.

You just can't keep on holding me. But they're working on a prisoner exchange.

Oh, yes.

No, truly.

They tried to arrange it with your colonel.

Are they? You don't believe me?

I believe you.

I saw my baby all grown up. It was her wedding. She was a beautiful bride,

Leoboy, and we were all there. And we were beautiful, too.

We had chiffon dresses and long, long hair.

You're a baby yourself.

She is beautiful, isn't she?

But the strangest part... You know who she was marrying?

Captain Reinhardt.

But he wasn't a German officer anymore.

I mean, the war. There was no war.

He was just a nice young man. A doctor.

Be quiet now.

Please come back!

Please!

Please stop!

In just 30 minutes, we shall hear the voice of our beloved Fuhrer speaking

from the Berlin Sportpalast.

After that, we shall have the free beer.

Meanwhile, in honor of General Jaeger, his staff, and our other illustrious

visitors, we shall now show some motion pictures.

In the south, west and north, Timoshenko's armies have been pushed

together more and more.

The great hour of the tanks has come.

In endless columns, they roll forward.

Lena guns and ammunition over here. How many minutes?

Four set it for four minutes for general Yeager in this

Mailer.

See you later.

Later.

I'm changing your orders.

Changing my orders?

Why?

You won't be needed here. I want you to cover the road into the forest.

The road into the forest? Away from here.

Those are your orders.

Oh, no.

The wound will be coming through. There'll be stragglers. What are you

trying to do?

Save my life?

And ask Milan and all the others to give up theirs?

First, you thought I wasn't as good as they were.

Now, do you think I'm any better?

Torpedo, go!

Torpedo, attack!

In ever-new waves, the German and Italian fighter jets attack.

Torpedo attack!

. .

.

. . . . .

The doors are filled.

... ... ...

From the second brigade.

We retreated along the river.

Where are the others?

The others?

There are no others.

The Germans got us from every side.

We had to try to cross the river.

There may be some wounded behind.

Why did you leave them?

To make sure that they're killed too?

We should go back. No, you can't go back. The Germans will just kill the

rest of you.

They may have already crossed the river. You come with us.

Everybody up. We're moving out.

And abandon them.

Those who may still be alive.

Our own people. Human beings. Like Milan. Like any of us. We have no time.

On the go.

You want to... You command them.

But what do you care about them?

Nothing. Nothing at all.

You're insane.

We're all insane.

All we can do is hate and kill. Listen to me. Are we any better than the

Germans? Will you listen to me? I don't want to. Stop it. I don't want to.

Yes. We have become savages.

But isn't that what we had to do to survive?

Do you think we could win? Could we ever win with decency, with gentleness?

They made us into savages.

Savages who destroy them.

Later, we...

I hope that somehow we can go back to where we were, to our homes.

It can never happen. We can never go back.

It will happen, Ivanka.

It must happen.

The Germans are crossing the river.

There's a girl he was gonna...

your guns and ammunition.

Come on, get up. I don't think I can walk. Yes, you can.

Others are walking and some of them are worse off than you.

Come on, little mama.

I can't carry both of you.

Five minutes, they'll have the range.

We'll never make it.

I don't know if I set up a machine gun here.

I might be able to slow them up long enough for you to get everyone through

the pass.

From there on, you'll have battalion support.

We can't spare you for that.

This is my job. Your job is to get the people through.

I'm staying with you.

There should be two of you on that gun, Velko.

Here, hold it.

Set that up right there.

Will we be able to stop them?

For a while.

If only we could stop them, now where they are.

And stop wars the same way.

Or is it hopeless?

There will never be peace.

Because people will never change.