Original subtitles

Polish Television presents

PLAYlNG FOR HlGH STAKES

A MEETlNG

written by

music by

as captain Kloss

starring

photography by

production manager

directed by

- Your German is excellent, major. - l repeat the question :

Where did Ring hide the records of the ''East'' centre?

- l don't know. - You'd better start talking.

He arrived at Bischopsfelde and l gave him some petrol.

We know that already.

Where did he stay in Bischopsfelde?

He has a relative there, who is a chemist. His name is Ring too.

- Where did he go next? - l don't know. l real ly don't know.

You said Ring had left someone in Bischopsfelde. l don't mean relatives.

''l left a dog that will keep guard there.''

That's what he said.

Take the captive out.

- And what? - He real ly does't know anything more.

We must get these records.

They also contain the names of agents left in Poland.

Nowak has come back. He's searched all Bischopsfelde and the vicinity.

Some bodies of murdered men have been found in the lake.

This may be a hint. lf we go on searching so eagerly.. .

that Ring's man may destroy the records and that's it.

l understand. There's only one possibility, colonel.

l've thought of that. Do you feel equal to that?

lt's very risky. Your cover is blown with them.

Bischopsfelde is now ours.

You have to contrive a detailed version.

You ran along the Oder river. You hid in the woods.

lt must be very precise. Lieutenant Nowak is at your disposal .

Step back from the window.

Yesterday they found some guns at the Possners' . They search houses.

l wish they would come at last.

We're sitting here like rats. Like terrified rats.

Mr. Schenk you said you'd get something to eat.

Mr. Schenk said he'd certainly find something. Didn't he, Berta?

- Yes, he did. - l' l l fetch some potatoes.

But be careful . Let no one see you.

Are you scared too?

What's wrong with you, Mr. Mil ler? What's happened?

Oh, it's you, my dear. You have to hide me.

Quickly.

Your uncle was there. He shot at me, lnga.

What are you talking about?

After al l l've known him since he was a child.

You have to know about that.

That's why l've dragged myself here.

But don't tell anyone about that.

How was it?

They arrived at the landing-stage by the lake.

First they shot dead those who were in a boat with that chest.

Don't tell anyone about that, lnga.

- Don't leave me, lnga. - l' ll be right back.

l wish it would finish once and for al l.

Cool down. You' re a grown-up girl.

Miss Elken is right, lnga. We have to wait.

Wait. ..

You al l talk the same. You're cowards.

You too. Who removed the Fuhrer's portrait from the wall?

Who burnt ''Mein Kampf''?

l'm going to run your father's pharmacy till he returns and to survive.

Germans are cowards. They can shoot at criples only.

lf your father heard that, or your uncle.. .

Don't mention my uncle! Don't you ever mention my uncle to me.

- What's happened, lnga? - Leave me alone, please.

Don't be afraid. l won't tel l anyone who you are.

l'm a nurse from Stuttgart. My papers are in order.

Open the door, Schenk.

This girl will bring disaster upon us.

lf you were selling pil ls al l through the war you are safe.

Who are you? What do you want?

lf Russians caught me, they wouldn't ask such questions.

How long have they been here?

There are Poles here and they are looking for men like you.

You' ll get this poor child into trouble.

Don't worry about me, please.

Oh, l see.

Who are you?

- What's your name? - Wilhelm Schenk.

- You are German, aren't you. - Of course l am.

Show me what a German salute looks like.

Drop it. Suppose we invited you to stay in this house.

- On whose behalf are you speaking? - Do you want to drive him out?

- No.. . - Then keep quiet.

But we'd like to know who we have the pleasure of speaking to.

And who are you?

Sturmfuhrer Anna Maria Elken. The last service assignment - Gorlitz.

Captain Hans Kloss.

Recently a counter-espionage officer at the HQ of 1 75th division.

- A group of the ''Centre'' Army. - You're very well-informed.

Why have you been working your way through here?

An investigation?

We got surrounded. We struggled out.

To the Oder - in uniforms and then everyone on their own.

- And you've came here by accident. - l couldn't go any farther.

l saw the name of Gustav Ring on the sign-board.

Colonel Helmut Ring and l served together.

- Do you know my uncle? - He's a great man.

Are you also such a great man? Do you also shoot at criples?

- What are you talking about, lnga? - You mustn't talk like that.

Then you should know that he shot at a German.

- That's a lie. - He shot at a German by the lake.

- Who told you that? - Who is that German?

l' m both your uncle and your father now... so talk!

- What do you want from me? - Leave her alone.

Don't butt in. These are family matters.

l said: enough of that investigation. She' ll tell you when she wants to.

Besides lnga won't repeat that to anyone. Right?

Right.

- l'm sure you are tired. - l haven't slept for three nights.

l' l l show you to my father's room.

- Thank you. - l thank you.

Not at al l. You have to control yourself.

l'd like to tell you one more thing.

The man you were talking about is in danger.

Why?

He told you about some shooting and a chest, didn't he?

How do you know? Were you there too?

No but if anything should happen come to me.

They were going along the highway near Waldhof, captain.

Kamienski started shooting. Then the Germans came out of the forest.

He didn't expect them at all .

- ls the major in? - He' l l certainly throw you out.

As long as l don't get another order l'm going to stay in this hole.

Our southern wing is empty. They've broken through our lines.

lt's the armoured group of Field Marshal Schorner.

How did he get here? l have no idea. Contact the division HQ.

What if the HQ have moved to another place?

But l need to receive some orders.

And l want Kamieniecky to maintain Waldhof.

- He won't. - lt's you.

Why are you still hanging about? l need cannons - calibre 7 6.

What do you want?

To get through to the division commander.

So do l. Do you know what's going on? l'm saddled with Schorner's tanks.

- lt's very important, sir. - Nothing is important now.

Retreat to the north together with the HQ. March off.

- Captain Kloss. - What have you been doing here?

Let's not play blindman's buff.

Do you want to play the role of an honest German?

More clearly.

Suppose captain Kloss...

instead of getting killed or rotting in captivity. ..

gets to a neutral country with his wallet ful l of money.

lnteresting prospects.

Suppose someone offered you buying some papers. ..

of no value to your boss at the moment. ..

belonging to colonel Ring, who's hidden them somewhere here.

- How can you be certain of that? - Stop pretending, Kloss.

l owe this information to lnga. Ring sent you here, didn't he?

You know where it is.

You can make a lot of money, Kloss. A lot of dollars.

Let's go.

- You won't profit by kil ling me. - Move on.

Faster!

Keep moving.

- You like shooting at people's backs. - No talking!

lnga, for goodness' sake!

- Are you mad? - What's happened?

- You killed him. - What are you talking about?

That poor criple.. .

l found him yesterday as l was going to fetch the potatoes from the cel lar.

He asked me to hide him. And l was stupid enough to tell you.

- One of you did that. - Poles did that.

lt was not Poles who were shooting by the lake. lt was my uncle.

Anyone of you could have done it.

lt was my uncle who sent you here to keep watch on the pharmacy.

You also knew my uncle. You killed Mil ler.

You left home this night. l saw you leaving.

- This girl has gone crazy. - Oh, God. How stupid l was.

There's no justice now. There're Poles here.

Let them be. Now l know what Germans are like.

lt had to come to this.

Hands on your necks, Huns.

Which of you is Kloss? But no shuffling.

l am.

lt shows immediately that you're a real Hun. Search through his pockets.

A real arsenal .

Who is the ownner of this house?

l' m just a chemist's assistant. She is the mistress of the house.

lf l find another one here again.. . l' ll teach you.. .

You're lucky we aren't German. You would dispatch everyone for this.

Someone gave him away. Someone must have given him away.

- They've got a hel l of an advandage. - They do but you' ll see in two days.

There' re Germans on the outskirts. Kamiensky is moving northwards.

Go to Bielecky. Tel l him to take his position at the edge of the forest.

- We won't maintain the town. - l know we won't.

- Major. - What are you still doing here?

- What about Kloss? - l haven't received any information.

- About Kloss? - The guards found this note last night.

''A German intel ligence officer - Kloss, is hiding in the pharmacy.''

l told them to bring this Hun here and if they don't manage. ..

- to shoot him on the way. - lt's treason, major.

- What did you say? - That Kloss is our man.

Then run double-quick, for God's sake!

Then run double-quick, for God's sake!

Fol low me, quickly!

What are we waiting for, Franek? Let's shoot him.

- Hey, you. Stand by the wall . - You're making a damn mistake.

- Take me to your commander. - Stand there.

- Franek, he speaks like a Varsovian. - He's been taught to.

- l have to execute the order. - Boys, l am. ..

Halt! Who let you, for God's sake?

Don't shout. Such was the order. My papers and my gun.

Give them back! Wait for me at the entrance of the nearest building.

- Off you go! - Yes, sir!

- Major. - Fine protection indeed.

- We have to retrat from here, major. - l'm staying.

Report that the American intelligence service is also interested in Ring.

The records are definitely somewhere by the lake.

l just have to find out where exactly.

- Wel l, scram now. - l' ll stay with you.

l told you to scram . And these two are to be sent to the rear.

And they mustn't breathe a word about that.

Tanks!

Your papers are in order.

Go to Field Marshal Schorner's HQ.

- Yes, sir. - Why were you hiding here?

l was trying to get to Dresden. But l couldn't go any farther.

- You were in 1 75th division? - Yes, l was, sir.

l had a few friends there. Do you know Brunner, for example?

l do. Sturmbanfuhrer Herman Brunner. We worked together.

- What happened with him? - l don't know.

Get changed,please.

Do you have any friends here?

l've been hiding out at colonel Ring's family.

l know Ring.

You've got a few hours. We won't stay here much longer.

What's the situation like?

Our group is going to relieve besieged Berlin.

The Fuhrer promised to send Wunderwaffe to fight the enemy.

- Aren't you glad? - l can't.

- Someone's come in. - You must have misheard something.

Nobody is in. Neither Schenk nor Miss Elken.

Today is a great day. Only that captain hasn't lived to see this.

- Maybe he's survived. - Are you sorry for him?

Put the gun away.

Have you already reported about that?

Have you told them? Don't move!

How long have you been col laborating with the Yanks?

You, Hitler's viper!

- Thank you, lnga. - They released you?

- l ran away. - She wanted to kill you.

Leave us alone. Everything is all right.

What do you mean? l heard what you said.

- ''You col laborate with the Yanks.'' - lnga.

Why have l been waiting for you? Murderers and spies.

Colonel Ring has arrived.

- You've played this game badly. - l didn't expect you to come back.

- Go ahead. Report to your superior. - lnga will do that.

You denounced me to Poles, didn't you?

l did. l knew who you are from the start.

Hello, lnga!

- l'm back earlier than l expected. - Don't touch me.

Are you crazy? What's happened?

You shot at Miller.

- ls he alive? - You had him finished off last night.

O. K. l' l l explain that to you later on.

How can you say it's O.K.? He told me about everything.

Who's that?

Captain Kloss. He's just talking to an American spy...

Sturmfuhrer Elken. l've just saved his life.

Go to your room and don't come out.

l've already had the pleasure of meeting you, colonel.

Have you alredy started the interrogation, captain Kloss?

- Yes, l have. l'd like to report. .. - Just a moment.

Are you German?

l'm an officer of the American intelligence service.

Great.

They placed them in the SS. How could we possibly win this war?

Why did you come to Bischofsfelde?

l was instructed to get acquinted with colonel Ring.

My superiors expect you to be reasonable, colonel.

Give me a cigarette!

You hid the records somewhere by the lake.

Shut up!

Do you want to give these documents to Poles?

No one will find out where they are. And you will die.

The Poles will find both you and these papers.

But l can give you a chance. lf you give the records to us...

you' ll receive the guarantee of security.. .

and so wil l your officer.

Berta, where's Schenk?

He's been out since morning, colonel .

Lock her in the store-room and guard her.

A private prisoner?

- lrony? - No, just a statement.

l've heard a great deal about you, Kloss.

- How did you really get here? - l was working my way through here.

But here in this house?

l thought that colonel Ring's family wouldn't refuse to give me refuge.

- ls that all? - That's al l.

Let's suppose l belive you.

l think colonel, that at present you wouldn't like to get rid of me either.

l'm not going to.

You were lucky Kloss.

- What do you think about this? - l don't think anything.

- l' m a German officer. - Stop playing the fool.

Do you know what documents those are?

- Do you want to hand them to Americans? - This a chance for us.

Do you believe in American guarantees?

l don't believe in anything but this is some chance.

This is treason.

Colonel Ring.. . l bet l' ll pull the trigger faster than you.

All right.

Sit down.

Treason.

l don't like such strong words. You didn't say that, Kloss.

O. K. l didn't. l understand that you have to parley with me.. .

because l happen to know quite a lot.

- But you have to give me a guarantee. - Speak more clearly.

l' ll cooperate with you, if you tel l me where these documents are.

lf the circumstances were different l'd have you executed.

We' ll get them out together.

lf you don't tell me where you've hidden them. ..

the American agent wil l be handed over to the commanders of Schorner's group.

- A bluff. - No, it isn't.

l must be certain that you won't leave me stranded.

- The word of a German officer. - You must be joking, colonel.

The documents are now in the old boat house.

Even the Americans knows that.

>From lnga? Miller told her about everything.

- Does lnga know who killed him? - No, she doesn't.

- And you? - l do.

- Where are the documents? - Al l right.

ln the boat house, to the right of the entrance, under an old boat.

Proofs.

This time you're joking, captain Kloss.

Berta. .. bring Miss Elken here.

We'd like something to drink.

Sit down, please.

Can l have a cigarette?

lt's very simple. We' ll load the baggage on a truck. ..

while our units are still here and we' ll go westwards.

l believe we' l l easily manage to get to the boarder of the American zone.

We' ll wait there. l' l l arrange everything else myself.

Do you have a car and guards?

Slow down, Miss Elken.

What about the guarantees for us?

Deliver the records and surrender to Americans.

l must be absolutely certain of that.

No one is certain of anything, Mr. Ring. Neither am l .

- Besides, you have no other choice. - We may fight to the very end.

For Fuhrer and Germany.

l can destroy the records and do away with you.

lt won't pay.

Berta, bring another glass, please.

Where to, captain Kloss?

We' ll all leave in an hour's time. The truck will be waiting for us.

Have you already arranged a truck?

- Don't worry about me. - You needn't worry about me either.

- When did lnga tell you about Miller? - Yesterday!

- Did Schenk hear that? - Yes, he did.

- And Kloss? - He did too.

Lack of confidence?

Kloss will not see this boat-house.

Berta. ..

Haven't you seen Berta?

- You have to run away, lnga. - l don't trust anybody now.

Do you know why Miller died? He knew too much.

He saw them carry the chest and bury it by the boat-house.

- lt's not true. They sank it. - You also know too much, lnga.

Leave now so that nobody can see you. Get hidden somewhere.

- l'm not going anywhere. - They are criminals, lnga.

- Germans? - Yes, Germans?

lf l am to hide from Germans then where shal l l go?

There are stil l some honest Germans left.

They don't murder or conspire with Americans: they fight!

Off you go!

- Who to, madam? - To some officer. l'm lnga Ring.

To Sturmbanfuhrer. This way, please.

Sturmbanfuhrer, another woman wants to see you.

Now l know. You killed Mil ler.

No!

Kloss, where are you?

- lnga! - Drop the gun !

- You're crazy, captain. - l said: drop it!

Hands up!

You miscalculated. lt's not so easy to get rid of me.

- The truck will be here any minute. - You're not going anywhere.

- Where is lnga? - She's safe.

- Hands up! - What's going on here?

You wanted to do away with me. Hands up, Miss Elken.

Captain Kloss has gone crazy.

lf you know where the records are shoot him.

There're my men on the truck. And only l know where the records are.

Mr. Ring has forgotten about Berta and Schenk.

- Do you want to send us to the Gestapo? - Don't move!

You behaved properly, Kloss.

But you turned traitor, Ring!

Miss Elken. .. l've always known who you are, you dirty swine!

That's how traitors end and those who know too much.

Miller, Berta, lnga. lt's your turn now.

To the car quickly.

Quickly!

- Do you know where the chest is? - Yes, l do.

- l know it will get to the right hands. - What do you mean?

Can't you guess?

This game is already over, my dear al ly.