Original subtitles

(EXPLOSIONS IN DISTANCE)

Tim's right. The SS are deploying right around the town.

-Have a look. -Thank you, sir.

Item on the BBC this morning might amuse you, sir.

Quote from a Member of Parliament,

''As the war in Europe is virtually over,

''will not the Prime Minister now set an immediate date for a general election?''

Yes, as you say, very amusing.

Well, luckily, the SS look as if they're fully occupied down there.

Yes, I can't see them sparing men to come up here on our account, sir.

No.

Unless of course they're going to make the castle a part of the defensive ring.

-Let's have a look, please. -Sir.

(MEN CHATTERING)

MAN 1 : You see, you've only got to try it yourself to see.

MAN 2: Yeah? MAN 1 : I mean, look,

let me explain it, the advantages.

-One, you're on the move the whole time. -MAN 2: Yeah.

Never in one spot. Taking good exercise with a good chance of some fun.

MAN 2: Oh, well.

MAN 2: Well, I have.

MAN 1 : Look, there's the other side of it, too.

Well, I've only got to go into this and you'll see my point straight away.

-Is it my turn to move again, huh? -MAN 1 : What?

The point is, wet or dry, or whether to go up or down.

(CONTINUES CHATTERING)

Major Carrington?

Major Carrington?

May I say how happy I am that the sentence was not carried out.

It's a beautiful day.

You may go.

Thanks.

All right, all right.

What about a little respect for your superior officers?

(LAUGHING) Phil! Phil!

-Wow, is it good to see you! -It's good to see you.

Hey, they treat you all right and everything?

Did you get all those messages we sent? Hey, just a minute.

Hey, you guys, it's Phil. Phil's here. Hey!

-MAN: Phil? -Hey.

-Congratulations. -Phil, nice to see you back.

-Welcome back. -Phil, Phil, what about Dresden?

-I never got to Dresden, thank God. No. -What?

Well, where did they hold your court martial?

-Glauchau. -Glauchau?

Yeah, but afterwards we went through Dresden.

I was lucky to make it back here without being lynched.

Oh, pretty chaotic I imagine.

Oh, even in the countryside.

Wires down everywhere, no communications.

Thousands of people on the move.

Crossroads all jammed.

Slave labourers, Poles, Russians, French, Italian, Dutch.

All drifting. All aiming for home.

What about the Germans? German civilians?

How are they taking it?

Pushing their lives around in baby carriages, half of them.

Everything's all churned up by bombs and wheels.

The war isn't over,

but you get the feeling that every man in Europe is on the way home.

Except for us.

Yeah, well, that's the way it was between here and Dresden.

(PLANE SOARING)

Get a load of those Mustangs.

(SIREN SOUNDING)

(PLANE SOARING)

What the hell's the matter with you? You bucking for a medal or something?

It's crazy.

Because they were yours, I just felt safe.

-Somebody's fouled up along the line. -You'd better believe it.

One can't expect every American

to know where Colditz is or even what it is.

Yeah, one can't expect it, but one would kinda like it.

Did you ever finish that Stars and Stripes?

Oh, yeah. And you get the pleasure of hanging it from the roof.

Well, that won't work.

How can you see those SS boys in town pledging allegiance to a flag?

What we've got to do is lay that thing out flat in the courtyard.

Then the next time a Mustang makes a pass, it'll see it.

And you lay down 'cause just in case next time it's a Messerschmitt that...

(PLANE SOARING)

(KNOCKING ON DOOR)

Come.

Gentlemen, I have to tell you

that I have received orders that all prisoners are to leave Colditz

under SS escort.

Kommandant, you may tell your superiors that the prisoners refuse to move.

You understand what you're saying, Colonel?

-Yes. -Are you prepared

-to accept the consequences? -Are you?

-That is mutiny. -That is self-defence.

There's not a single man who'd march out of here under SS escort.

You can tell your bosses, not a chance.

The SS are still in the town in force.

And fully occupied by their own defence.

And their resources aren't limitless, Kommandant.

There are a thousand men up here and we're prepared to fight.

Or, are you prepared to shoot us?

Let me put it another way.

Are they prepared to order you to shoot us?

The situation has changed a hell of a lot, they're aware of that.

(SIGHS)

Get me the Ceneralkommando.

(PHONE RINGING)

Yes?

(CLEARS THROAT)

Herr Ceneral.

With regard the order for the prisoners to march southward under SS escort,

they refuse to move.

Yes.

But, Colonel, I can't... I cannot do...

Will you take the responsibility if I use my weapons as you suggest

and the prisoners are killed?

Well, neither will I.

The matter is closed.

All the same, the SS may still move into the castle

with the aim of making it a stronghold.

They are more likely to do this if they think the Russians will get here

before the Americans.

Oh, I have a hunch we'll make it first.

From what I've heard in Washington,

there's a good chance this whole Leipzig Dresden area

is going to be in the zone of permanent Russian occupation.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Come on, it's supposed to be the third window from the left.

Yes, I know. My God, there she is!

MAN 1 : Really? Where?

Where is she? Where is she?

MAN 2: Well?

-(EXCLAIMS) -Come on, George, what's she doing?

What's she doing, George?

Gefreiter Hans Baumann is really earning his cigarettes this time.

-Steady! Let's see. -Don't joggle it.

Now to you, Chris.

-(MEN CHATTERING) -Third from the left, was it?

-Yes. -Yeah.

Got it! Oh!

That's... Watch your eyes!

BRENT: Hmm? What's she like?

-Well, she's... -Yes.

-She's... -She's... (CHUCKLING)

Come on, let's have a go.

-Look out, steady. -Come on, take your turn.

-Watch it, Simon! -Oh, Simon.

You're miles away!

-He's right. -Huh?

American tanks.

What? What?

He's absolutely right. American tanks, masses of them.

They're coming under fire. Those damn Panzer fires.

They're there, that's amazing, and there are going to be many more.

It can't be more than a question of hours now.

-Yeah, perhaps not. -Keep it still.

Until it actually happens.

-There, I saw that. -What?

-Saw the muzzle flash. -(LAUGHS)

-And again, and another. -MAN: Go on, how does it look?

-How was it in the town? -Total confusion, sir.

The SS are digging anti-tank ditches.

They've got ready to blast the bridge across the Mulde.

The local Partei chief has got together a handful of Volkssturm.

They've overturned a few carts at the far end of the bridge.

Maybe all this will become part of the Russian zone.

(LOUD EXPLOSION)

If we live that long.

An order came from Oberkommando, destroy and evacuate.

-Secure all papers and burn them. -Yes, sir.

And request the presence of the senior British and American officers

-at their earliest convenience. -I'll tell him to come at once, sir.

I said at their earliest convenience.

Yes, sir.

(BANGING ON DOOR)

There it is.

God Almighty! More French.

My sole contribution to the Entente Cordiale.

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

Welcome to Colditz.

American!

You know there are a lot of your bombers out there.

The Germans are all saying that soon you will be fighting side by side

with them against the Russians.

-What the hell! -Take it easy.

Cigarette?

Surely they don't really believe that, do they, about the Americans?

When you believe nothing, you believe everything.

That's the mood they are in. That, and alles kaputt.

Alles kaputt.

All finished, all smashed.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(BOTH LAUGHING)

-Poor old Kurty. What a shame! -Oh!

-Oh, come on, fellas. Leave him alone. -(LAUGHING)

Hey, have a look at this.

(READING GERMAN)

Hoch Ceheimes. Top secret.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

-You're not supposed to read that. -(SPEAKING GERMAN)

This stuff's years old.

Oh.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

The war is over.

The war is over.

But it isn't.

Still many have to die.

The question which I have asked you here to discuss

is not easy for me to formulate.

(CLEARING THROAT)

The possibility may arise

that arrangements will have to be made

if the occupants of this castle pass under different control.

And do you see such an event happening in the near future, Kommandant?

Well, only the most short-sighted commander

could fail to take the possibility into account.

When you say the occupants of this castle,

do you mean us prisoners, you Germans, or both?

If the castle had to be surrendered

to the American forces, my concern would be...

But the Russians are nearly as close.

If we should surrender to the Americans,

what guarantees could you offer my staff

that they would remain under American or British jurisdiction?

-Guarantees? -Yes.

None. None whatever.

Well, under certain conditions,

certain representations could be made on your behalf

by both Colonel Dodd and myself.

Whereas we would, as prisoners of war, remain in American or British hands?

Possibly, yes. The first condition will be

that the defence and administration of this castle

pass under our control effective as of this moment.

That's out of the question.

The Reich has not surrendered

and there's still a German garrison here in Colditz.

In that case, Kommandant,

both you and your garrison must take their chances.

We're not asking any favours.

Just to recognise the inevitable has come to pass.

It's all over for you Germans here in Colditz.

Outwardly, Kommandant, nothing must appear to have changed.

The sentries will do their rounds, but under my command.

The armoury will remain locked, but the key will be in my pocket.

And there will be no display of Allied flags

or white flags of surrender?

Hardly, with the SS still in the town.

Very well. I will summon my staff.

May I take it that your staff and garrison

will be informed of the change of state within the hour?

-Yes. -PRESTON: Thank you, Kommandant.

MAX: Thank you, sir.

All right, gentlemen, what Colonel Dodd and I intend

is a complete takeover of the castle for ourselves.

-(ALL AGREEING) -But I must stress

this is in complete agreement with the Kommandant.

The action is to prevent any move against us

by the SS or any other German unit.

Now, we've all learnt from the radio

that Hitler may well be intending a last ditch stand

in the so called Southern Redoubt.

Well, we don't want Colditz to form any part of that.

What's going to happen is we're going to form working parties

to take over all the tactical positions in the castle.

The most important of those, of course, is the armoury.

Before this meeting I briefed Captain Downing

to present an inventory of the contents.

-Can we have that now, Tim? -Yes, sir.

In the armoury itself there are 250 rifles with 1 00 rounds each.

Eight assorted machine guns with 2,000 rounds each.

Three boxes of stick grenades

and in addition the duty guard has 1 5 rifles with 1 0 rounds each.

Right, thank you.

Well, there we are, gentlemen, if the worst does come to the worst,

-we can make quite a bang with that lot. -(ALL LAUGHING)

Now, what's going to happen is

the German guards will retain their rifles,

but their ammunition will be taken from them and locked in the armoury.

Now, after that I want six German guards

to be on the main gate and three each on the other gates.

George, you're in command of that, all right?

Sir.

Now, my orders are that no one, I repeat, no one,

is to enter or leave the castle without my permission.

We don't want anybody in the town

getting wind of the change of state up here.

Impress upon the German guards

it's as much for their good as it is for ours.

Yes, sir.

Now Captain Downing, Flight Lieutenant Carter,

I want you to form three working parties from the German guards

to maintain power, light,

and, with any luck, get the drinking water back on again.

Captain Randall, I want you to issue immediately, please,

to the French all the remaining blankets

and a reasonable supply of the available emergency drinking water.

Walters, Mawson,

you're to issue immediately to all prisoners half the remaining rations.

Well, unfortunately that won't take you very long.

But after that I want you to hang on as quartermasters.

I want all officers to report their states to me

within an hour in the Kommandant's office.

And, gentlemen, there's one other thing.

As far I can see it, we can standby now to be shelled

not only by the Americans and the Russians, but also the Germans.

So, the first sign of trouble, we take to the cellars.

-Is that understood? -(ALL AGREEING)

Right, thank you, gentlemen. Now, get on with it.

Come on, let's go.

This may well be the last time that I will have the chance to speak to you

in orderly circumstances.

I thank you for your loyalty in the past.

Your duty in hard and painful times to come

will require more of you than loyalty.

What that duty is, or will be, I cannot define for you.

Nor will there be any unifying example as in the past.

Each man must seek his own way.

(LOUD EXPLOSION)

(SIREN SOUNDING)

Each man must seek his own way

using his own individual resources in the changed world.

Gentlemen, I am leaving this office for the last time.

I suggest that we take shelter whilst this bombardment continues.

I thank you.

-Seven, eight, nine American tanks. -How many?

-Let's have a look. -PLAYER: No more than two miles away.

They're moving. Tanks being fired on, fired on from the tower.

I wouldn't blame the Yanks for thinking this was a Jerry observation post.

-(LOUD EXPLOSION) -(ALL EXCLAIMING)

Do you suppose there's an American artillery man

with his binoculars on me, watching me watching them?

(ALL LAUGHING)

Very convoluted thinking. Personally, I'm going below.

(SHOUTING)

(SINGING IN FRENCH)

(MEN CHATTERING)

I wouldn't blame the Americans

for blasting the entire castle off the face of the Earth.

To them, it's got to look like an artillery observation post.

But they must be better informed than that.

Oh, must they?

And what about young Jim Phipps' story

about how they bombed the Command Post and killed the CO?

-Funny. -What?

Even Jerry doesn't look so bad down here.

Yes.

A basement full of strangers always seems to me far more vulnerable

than an upstairs drawing room with a few chaps.

(WHISPERING)

(LOUD EXPLOSION)

One of our men was killed by a shell in the Kommandantur

and three others were wounded.

I'm sorry.

-Are you, sir? -What?

Are you sorry?

Yes, in a funny way I suppose I am.

Yesterday would have been different.

The whole thing is so nearly over, it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

(SINGING IN FRENCH)

What are they singing?

It's a French army song from the early 1 9th century.

(SPEAKING FRENCH) ''Thank you for our artillery.''

Of course then we were fighting them.

And us.

When it's all over, John,

what do you think is going to happen to Europe?

I know what we ought to do,

go right through to Berlin and finish it.

-What the hell was that? -The bridge.

They must have blasted the bridge on the Mulde.

Is that good or bad?

It's good for whom, bad for whom, I don't know.

-Who the hell's side is he on anyhow? -The winning of course.

If you'll ask me they'll blow this place to bits in the morning.

Yeah? Who will?

The Americans obviously. Who else?

Nobody's briefed them.

Plaster this place with high explosives and blow it to smithereens.

What have they got to lose? Not one of their own men certainly.

What do I look like? Chopped liver?

It all looks pretty quiet at the moment, Max.

They've found some wine in one of the other cellars.

I reckon we might as well have some dinner.

-How many bottles? -Enough to go around.

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(ALL CHATTERING)

(OFFICER SPEAKING GERMAN)

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

(CHUCKLES)

You understand there is no more frontline.

The SS are all gone. So, there's no more order in the town.

Yes.

And in contrast to the society we see all around us,

we had to evolve our own system of governing ourselves.

Simple, primitive, natural,

village, POW, democracy.

And you know who I want to thank for that? The Germans.

Thank you for you knew not what you did.

(BANGING ON TABLE)

(MEN APPLAUDING)

(EXPLOSIONS IN DISTANCE)

Half a kilometre in this direction stands a bridge.

Yesterday it was heavily guarded.

Tonight I don't know.

Best you try here.

-He wouldn't, he wouldn't. -No.

No, no, you see, on the other hand,

Phil said that if there was a continuous line,

he wouldn't go through it.

Yeah, well, the whole town is crawling with SS.

So, if it is, he'll come back and tell us.

Well, if he does make it, if he gets through to the army,

hope he has the sense to remain where he is.

(WHISTLING BATTLE HYNN OF THE REPUBLIC)

(PANTING)

(WHISTLING)

Hey you! Kraut?

We got a copyright on that.

It's in public domain.

Who are you?

-United States prisoner of war. -Identify yourself.

Carrington, Phillip.

Major, US Army.

Serial number 0246-9731 .

Just stay right where you are.

CARRINGTON: Can you hurry up? I'm freezing.

(SIGHS)

So bloody quiet I can't sleep.

Nice going, Major.

(SHIVERING)

-What rank are you, soldier? -PFC.

Is there an officer around here?

There's Captain Andrews a couple of hundred yards down the road.

-How about running me down to see him? -Just walk right in front of me, Major.

First time in four years I don't know what's going to happen.

(COUGHING)

What are you going to do?

I got this scheme selling army surplus after the war

because there'll be all these depots.

I don't know. The army is the only thing I've ever been trained for.

How about you, George?

I'm going to start from scratch. Train as a zoologist.

-You mean there's money in bugs? -That's entomology.

(SPEAKING GERMAN)

There's Phil.

-You didn't manage it? -Yes, I got through.

And?

Well, the SS have left the town. It's being defended by Volkssturm.

Volkssturm? What the hell is Volkssturm?

Civil defence. Our artillery's got the word.

They were ordered to level anything that shows resistance.

They want us to put out a flag.

Why didn't you stay over on the other side?

We could have met you at the Starlight Roof.

I told you. They want us to put out a flag.

Come on, let's get it.

(ALL CHATTERING)

(MEN CHEERING)

OFFICER: Sir.

National flags are being displayed. Also, white flags.

They have broken their agreement.

There's a column of tanks on the far road.

Tanks and half-tracks heading east.

I haven't actually seen an American tank enter the town.

Of course they could be bypassing us.

What are you talking about?

No, really. If they think this place is going to be heavily defended,

they may decide to flow on by.

I mean pockets of resistance are often left to stew in their own juice.

-Not if they're strategic. -For heaven's sake, Chris.

We left the Germans in charge of Le Havre all last autumn and winter.

Don't tell me Le Havre isn't a hell of a sight more strategic than this place.

You always look on the bright side don't you, Downing?

Well, I'm just trying to guard against being let down. That's all.

(MEN APPLAUDING)

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

(ALL EXCLAIMING)

(CONTINUES SPEAKING FRENCH)

(WHISPERING IN FRENCH)

(SPEAKING FRENCH)

(ALL CHEERING)

Do you actually believe it?

Not until I walk through those gates, I don't.

-He's through the gates now. -All right.

Well, what are you waiting for? Come on, let's just pack up and leave.

-All right. -I'm not packing anything.

I'm going to walk through there with my hands in my pockets.

Hold on. Where's Colonel Preston?

(CHEERING CONTINUES)

(PLATES CLANKING)

Right! Right!

Hey! Hey! How are you? Hey, mate! How are you doing, sir?

-Hey, soldier. What happened to you? -Hey, let me down, fellows. Let me down.

-Let him down. -What outfit are you with?

Headquarters Company, Third Battalion, 2 73rd Infantry Regiment.

We were kind of getting driven up here, sir, by our own fire.

This looked like the safest place in town.

Safest place in town.

There's no guard on the lower gate, so we forced it open.

Atta boy!

(SINGING)

(WHISTLE BLOWING)

(ALL CHEERING)

Harrity, 9th Armoured Division. How are you?

Harrity.

That's a name I won't forget. Mine is Dodd.

Boy, what a day! It was touch and go, I'll tell you.

Hey, we nearly shelled this place with incendiaries.

-Colonel. Major Carrington. -Major.

-How are you? -Captain Nugent, Colonel Harrity.

Captain. I was just telling the Colonel here we almost set this place on fire.

We could feel the heat. How's it going down there?

There was some resistance. It's not over yet down there.

Well, gentlemen, what do you need? Food? Cigarettes?

You just gave us what we need.

As soon as we get some trucks organised, we'll get you guys shipped out of here.

All right?

-Well, looks like it's finally happened. -Yes, it does.

-I suppose you'll be all packed. -Pretty much so, yeah.

What are we going to do now, sir? Just walk out of the place?

I think we can do better than that unless of course you're keen on walking.

I'll see if I can get some transport out of those chaps.

Except for the Major here who paid a previous visit,

we've been here six, seven months.

In the case of the British, some of them as much as five years.

-Colonel Preston. Colonel Harrity. -My pleasure, sir.

-How do you do? -If there's anything you fellows need,

within reason, just say the word and I'll try to make it available.

When it becomes available, I think we'd all like transport.

Yes, sir. That'll be the first order of business.

Now...

What about these guys?

What do you want me to do with them? They treat you all right?

Or is there anything I should take care right away?

-In what terms? -Justice.

Quick. Clean. Simple. No red tape.

No, Colonel. What they did was normally nothing more than their duty.

I request that they be confined and remain in American custody.

Well, they would anyhow, but any special reason?

Within the limitations of their duty, they cooperated these last days.

-Saved many lives. -Well, that's all I wanted to know.

Well, I imagine they're waiting for some formal kind of procedure.

Do you want me to take it, Colonel, or do you want to handle it?

John?

I think they should surrender to the American First Army.

All right.

You're the senior officer here?

Kommandant. Prisoner of War Special Camp, 4C.

1 ,500 officers and men unhurt. Nominal roll herewith.

Colonel Harrity, 9th Armoured Division.

I'm ready to accept your surrender.

I surrender on behalf of my officers and myself,

on the understanding that we will, as prisoners of war,

be treated according to the terms of the Geneva Convention.

Yes, sir.

-Lieutenant. -Sir.

Excuse me. Excuse me, gentlemen.

-Sir. -Take charge of these people, will you?

Oh, and I don't want them in any POW cage.

Just keep them with us under guard

until we can ship them back to Corps. All right?

Sir.

-Sergeant. -OK, Lieutenant.

Let's move 'em out.

Well, Kommandant.

In four years, this is the first time we've said goodbye.

A lot has happened to us.

This reversal of our positions would seem the least important.

Anyway to me.

In those years, we have both lost something

which is more precious than freedom.

Your wife. My son.

You have shown me the way that one can survive

both imprisonment

and loss.

Thank you.

You have won a great victory here.

You, yourself.

One never thinks of it like that. There's no victory in imprisonment.

I'm quite sure you would not think of it that way, Colonel Preston.

Goodbye, Kommandant.

Goodbye.

Colonel.

COLONEL: All right. Get those prisoners loaded up.

Form a packing convoy.

(VEHICLE ENGINE STARTING)

(MEN CHEERING)

I'll see what I can line up in the way of transport.

But do me a favour, will you, Colonel?

Don't go leaving here in groups of twos and threes.

There are still a lot of crazy guys around

in this part of the world, so keep together, huh.

Be seeing you.

-Let's go, lieutenant. -Good luck to you, boys.

(HORN HONKING)

Come on, Simon. That's one thing you're not going to be needing any more.

-Where did you liberate that from? -The Waterworks.

I'm taking it back to England.

(ALL CHEERING)

Okay, fellows. Hold it down. Hold it down.

Well, Colonel, we got 20 trucks lined up outside

ready to take you to an airfield near Chemnitz.

How long would it take your men to get ready to leave?

About a minute and a half.

-We're off! -Wait.

(MAN SPEAKING FRENCH)

It's funny I don't feel like saying cheerio to this place.

In fact, we will probably never say goodbye to it completely.

I bet we have nightmares.

(ALL SINGING)

-Well, you'll soon be seeing your wife. -Yes, sir.

We will see you at the airfield, Colonel.

-And on the plane to England, sir. -Thanks a lot.

See you later.

Would you now please board the transport?

(ALL CHEERING)

MAN: A bath won't be long now.