Original subtitles

Gorky Film Studio USSR

DEFA Film Studio GDR

in association with Sovinfilm

Screenplay by lngeburg KRETZSCHMAR

Valentin YEZHOV Vladimir YEZHOV

Vladimir FOKlN

Directed by Vladimir FOKlN

Director of Photography Sergey FlLlPPOV

Production Designer Erich KRULLKE

Music by Eduard ARTEMYEV

English Subtitles by T. Kameneva

Starring Captain Tsvetov - Boris TOKAREV

Sergeant Chrishchanowitch Yuri NAZAROV

Private Kurykin Mikhail KOKSHENOV

Pinsel - Olaf SCHNElDER

Also starring Tessa - Ute LUBOSCH

Hubner - Gerry WOLFF Friedel - Walfriede SCHMlTT

Rusanov - Nikolai SKOROBOGATOV Peter - Olaf BODDEUTSCH

lrmgard - Jana LENZ Martha - Brit BAUMANN

Ralle - Stefan MARTH Felix - Andreas GUTOWSKl

Loberg Gerd Michael HENNEBERG

Flechsig - Harald WARMBRUNN

LlTTLE ALEXANDER

Stop, Kurykin. Pull over.

Park it here.

Well, girls, how you doing?

Comrade Sergeant, how about some grub?

- You starved? - Sure.

On the bank Katyusha stepped out...

Here, the very last, the sweetest.

That's it, guys.

We've run out of it.

ln an hour. ln ein hour.

Alright, then.

Everyone be here in an hour.

Girl!

You. Come here.

You. Come, don't be afraid.

Here. One moment.

All right, bitte now.

Shall we roll?

We're being transferred, Akimych.

Who's transferred?

They're sending me to Berlin, to a newspaper.

They say they need people who know the language.

So we're parting, right?

No such luck.

l did my best trying to get rid of you.

No, they say, comrade captain, you'll need...

...a driver anyway.

And without the sergeant...

What without the sergeant?

Without the sergeant, they say, the newspaper will never come out.

Yes, it's a real pity.

Comrade Captain. The new appointment calls for a drink.

What's this?

lt's their schnapps. l've tasted it personally. lt's quite drinkable.

What a bouquet! So you drink it personally, Kurykin.

Why? l like it.

Oh, she's got company there.

Yes.

Shall we go and get acquainted?

Akimych has already signed them up for rations.

Let's go, huh?

Bon appetite, Fraulein.

Thank you.

May we come in?

Are you living here?

No, we're just staying, we're refugees.

What's your name, boy?

He's scared, silly.

He's my brother Peter. And l'm lrmgard.

Shut up.

l didn't say anything wrong.

Drop it, kid.

Drop it, it doesn't suit you.

He got hit by hot tar during a bombing raid.

Kurykin, give him your forage cap. We'll get you a new one.

Sure you'll get it.

All right.

Do you have parents?

Father was killed in Russia by yours.

Do you have any idea what he was doing there?

And Mother's buried over there, by the road. We're refugees.

Stop whimpering.

So you're orphans.

No family at all?

Do you have any relatives?

Yes, in Berlin. Uncle Manfred and our aunt.

Here.

Berlin? You're lucky.

Do you want to go with us?

They have relatives in Berlin. Shall we take them along?

l'm not going. You want us to be sent to Siberia?

You silly. l'd love to go to Siberia.

But l got a lot of work here.

Let's go.

Greetings, beautiful! How can we get downtown?

Go there, straight ahead.

Get rolling, Kurykin. Thanks.

Greetings, Comrade Captain.

Are they yours?

Mine. Don't they look like me?

- Not exactly. - You don't say.

- Do you have any of your own? - Not yet.

Don't despair, we'll have some born.

lf you wish, we can let you have one.

Thanks, l'll manage on my own.

You can never do it on your own.

Kurykin!

Are all of your subordinates so knowledgeable?

l'm ready.

lt's no good to be late. lt's already 4 minutes after 9.

l'm sorry, Tessa. The edition was delayed. Let's go.

lt'd be good to live with someone like her.

She'll feed you on time, she'll put you to bed on time.

And she'll do on time everything else.

- Me, for example... - Kurykin!

- What? - Spare us your examples.

Wait for me here.

Really, Kurykin.

l spare no effort teaching you to be cultured.

Why is it always Kurykin?

l want you to do something.

This place, Blankenheim.

l want to put you in charge of the editorial secretariat. Can you cope?

l'll try to.

Yes, please try.

But first you have to go for a day to Blankenheim.

The burgomaster there is a...

Hubner, former concentration camp prisoner.

He organized a sort of children's home.

He just called, panicked.

He asks to send there someone from the editorial office.

The connection was terrible.

All l understood is that their situation is pretty bad.

Go there. Take two barrels of bacon with you.

- l'll give instructions. - That'll be fine.

And, yes, Tessa Tenser will go with you.

She's a German working for our newspaper.

Oh, that girl...

Yes. Have you already met?

How come she speaks Russian?

Her father is an engineer.

Worked in Russia for many years.

- Any more questions? - Yes, Comrade Colonel.

We have two kids with us, they're orphans.

We've to take them to their relatives. Can you tell me where this place is?

Berlin is a big city.

l guess Tessa will be of more help to you in this matter.

We'll find it.

- Do it. - Yes.

Yes, Germans will have a lot of work, too.

Turn left, please.

No, it can't even compare to Minsk.

Turn left... You can't find anything here.

l recognize this place, it's around the corner.

- This way, please. - Will do.

There's nothing to look at here.

Listen, let's go with us.

Look, Russians!

Russians! Russians are here!

Officers. Maybe they brought something to eat.

lf only l had a machinegun. l would've talked to that officer.

- The war is over. - Not for me.

Good afternoon, friends.

Who can show us the burgomaster's house?

They're not Russians, they're ours, in camouflage.

Why have you donned that uniform? Are you a traitor?

l'm Russian.

No Russian can speak our language so well.

Want me to teach you speak Russian? Everybody will just gasp.

l ain't speaking dogs' language. You traitor.

What did you say?

You aren't speaking humans' language now either.

What is he yelling about?

Nothing. He doesn't believe l'm Russian.

And you? Are you Russian, too?

You're Russian yourself.

You ride with them. Did they take you prisoner?

You stupid.

And this one with you. Why isn't she speaking? ls she mute?

But you're talking too much.

Pinsel, shut up. Or they won't give us anything to eat.

The hell l'll shut up!

The burgomaster's coming!

Good afternoon. Welcome to Blankenheim.

We're from the newspaper.

Sergeant Chrishchanowitch. Pleased to meet you.

We've been waiting for you. How could you make it here?

Bridges are blown up, roads are impassable. We're like on an island.

We got here thanks to Kurykin.

He's an army driver.

Greetings, Herr.

Hello. Let's go to my office. We can talk there.

My bag.

The coffee mill is flying!

Coffee mill! The coffee mill is flying!

Down!

lt's the newspaper. That's how they deliver it to us.

What was it?

That's their mail service.

One of my pals at the front used to say

that it's better to lie down alive for 5 minutes than dead for life.

All right, children, run and pick it up.

l thought of a way to make them busy. They deliver it to the houses.

No one in the village is interested in anything,

but we make them learn the truth.

Usually l fly in this plane and drop the bundles,

but l had no idea they call us the coffee mill.

l'm always afraid that the plane would not come.

This paper seems to come from the new life. Even the children feel it.

Uncle, have you been at the war?

- Me? - Yes.

Yes. Why?

Have you met my dad there?

No, kid.

l didn't happen to.

Has he been killed?

l don't think so.

l'm sure he wasn't.

Do you know when he's coming back?

Soon. Now everyone will come back soon.

- Honest? - Yes.

l gotta run now.

- My name is Martha. And yours? - l'm lrmgard.

Tell me, this Russian officer, is he a good man?

Yes, he's good.

Are you in love with him?

Why do you think so?

lt's showing. lt's the way you look at him.

- What nonsense are you talking? - Why did you blush then?

Does he give you sweets?

Yes, sometimes.

Next time ask him to give some for me.

l'll try to.

You're okay, you're very beautiful.

We could get a lot of good food.

But how?

We'll talk about it tonight, without this small fry around.

Alright, l got to go.

Can you believe it, about 50 homeless kids, from everywhere.

Their parents are either dead or nobody knows where.

The little ones remember only their first names, don't even know the last.

Hundreds of problems.

Lice, clothes, lodging.

lt's not so bad now, in spring, but what shall we do in the fall and winter?

lt frightens me even to think of it.

We're making do with the food somehow.

Thanks to your commandant's office, they're helping us.

What about the local population?

The local population.

They're almost all kulaks. They won't give anything for nothing.

For a couple of potatoes, they'll strip the last shirt off a refugee.

My kids for them are a lice-ridden gang to be hunted by dogs.

Besides, some fanatics are hiding in the woods,

they continue the war, the wehrwolfs, you know.

Continuing the war and robbing.

The philistines have shut themselves in their houses, like in bastions.

We'll write about this

and run the children's photos in the newspaper,

thus searching for their relatives.

That would be good.

Herr Hubner. Excuse me.

This is our Friedel.

l'm sorry, Frau Friedel.

The cook and guarding angel of our barefooted army.

Or more exact, our wild horde.

Herr Hubner, one more got sick. Herman Frenzimmer.

l'm almost sure it's typhus.

We must do something, or we'll get an epidemic.

Have you isolated them?

Just fenced off the shed's corner, that's all isolation for you.

We need a doctor and medications.

Each day new children seek shelter with us,

five new kids only in the last 3 days.

They have no clothes and, more important, no shoes.

l just don't know what to do.

Renata only shivered at first, now she's delirious.

They need good nutrition, milk. But where can we get it?

We've brought some bacon.

What's the matter with him? What's happened?

He's from Byelorussia.

The Germans have burned down their village, together with its inhabitants.

He had his father, wife and two little kids there.

We must do something.

Now.

Go to Berlin and get in touch with the troops through the newspaper.

Urgently.

l think it's typhus, too.

Yes...

lt looks like it.

But leaving right away is not so good either...

All right. Tessa, you go to Berlin with Kurykin.

But try to get back tomorrow.

And we'll stay here.

We'll try to do al least something...

Pinsel is stunning fish again.

The boys stun fish.

That rascal found ammunition somewhere, and l can't catch him.

Ah, Pinsel. We've already met him.

Yes, a difficult boy. Raised by the HitlerYugend.

This is something new.

Oh God, it's a baby!

- Where did you find him? - By the Hoffmanns' fence.

- At the end of the street? - Yes.

The refugees must have abandoned him. What do we do with him?

What can we do? We'll keep him.

Don't be afraid. Now now. They scared you , they yell.

Oh, them! What's now?

That's all now.

Comrade Captain, look, he likes him, rascal.

Good for you, little fritz!

To the hell with all them.

- What's your name, little man? - Who ever knows!

What's your name?

We'll have to name him.

Let's name him Gunther, like my brother.

Gunther is a good name.

Maybe he's a girl?

Let's look.

- What? - There we go.

A boy!

Then let's name him Vasily, after our sergeant.

You yokel! Why Vasily? He's German.

- What's your name, boy? - Alexander.

Great. We have such name, and you, too.

We'll name him Alexander, after his godfather.

- You mean both of them? - Yes.

You'll be Big Alexander, he'll be Little Alexander.

Keep your paws off.

lt's done.

Wait, you'll get it soon.

Ralle, look.

Pinsel, look who's coming.

Hey, you!

Yes, you. Come here.

Come on.

What's up?

Why did you grab a bundle of papers on the road today?

Why shouldn't l have?

The burgomaster gives us grub for it. You're a stranger, Russians feed you.

Want some fish?

Yes, l do.

Go and ask your lvan for it.

What did you say?

Don't mess up with him, Pinsel.

- Take your boots off! - Maybe something else, too?

Pinsel, you'll get it coming from the Russian for it.

Shut up! Take his boots off him, quick!

Do it, l said!

Done.

Here, you can walk in mine.

l liked your boots when l first saw them.

And remember, l didn't force them from you.

l took them as booty, as l won over you in battle.

Army traditions are above all.

But if you loosen your tongue, l'll blow your brains out. You got it?

Easy, up, up.

Why, it's sat in right.

Look, Comrade Captain.

What's the matter with him?

Are you all right, Herr Hubner?

That's the concentration camp.

Those guys knew theirjob of beating.

We Germans do everything thoroughly.

Why say that? Go inside and take a rest.

l'm sorry.

Really, l think l'd better lie down for a couple of minutes. lt'll pass.

Oh God, how hungry you are! lt's just awful.

Felix, let's go to Flechsig's today, l'm craving potatoes.

Sure.

Frau Friedel, the porridge isn't burnt, is it?

- You can give me your portion. - Go to hell.

Then shut up.

l don't see Pinsel here.

lf he doesn't come, give me his portion.

Why you? l'm his friend, too.

He likes me as much as you.

He bashes you as much as him.

And for Elsa, too, please.

Oh, yes. Let it stand here for a while.

Here, take it to her.

Here, Elsa, eat.

And what are you doing here?

Beat it from here now. Let your Russians feed you.

Why are you so evil?

You see we're having it bad, and you're making it still worse.

l know you can be good. We'd better be friends.

Do you want me to kiss you?

l couldn't care less about you.

Frau Friedel, l'm here.

Go and stand in the line. The little ones eat first.

And you better shut up.

We know only too well how you get your food.

Stand in the line. You're no better than the others.

Why should l wait?

l've delivered two bundles of newspapers around the village today.

ln fact, l'm entitled to a double portion.

All right, pour it for him. Come on, pour it.

Eat, boy, enjoy it. They can wait.

Let them wait, those who've sold out to the Russians.

As you were!

- What's that son of a bitch doing? - Wait, Akimych.

Come here. Come here, l said.

Did he take your boots, Peter?

No, we just made a voluntary exchange.

ls that true?

Yes.

Well, l guess it's fair.

lt's no good if one has everything and the other nothing, right, Pinsel?

How about the fish? Was it good today?

Don't come near. Don't come near me, l said!

Drop the gun.

You make one step, l'll shoot!

- Get up. - Give it here.

You know what one gets for this, you scoundrel?

Let's get out of here.

Come on, shoot, you stinking lvan! l'm not scared of you!

Ah, that's what you mean.

What do you think?

You think it's easy to shoot at a human being?

Want to make a try?

Here, try it.

Here l'm standing before you. Stinking lvan, as you said.

Shoot.

Sit down.

Let's talk.

Sit down here, l said!

- Where did you get it? - l found it.

Of course.

You know why we bother ourselves with your whole gang?

And why l'm here at all? Do you know?

Yes, l know.

lnteresting.

You came to take vengeance.

On whom?

You know, you better go and eat your porridge.

And take my advice: stay away from guns.

l'll keep this pistol.

l got another.

l'm no good at pedagogy.

So lf l see you with a gun again, l'll bash you real good. You got it?

You may be sure of it. Go.

Did you really think l could shoot you?

l got scared.

Alright, go.

Why are you standing? The soup will get cold. Come on, move.

Children!

Children, may l have your attention for a minute?

When you finish your dinner, don't go away. l have to take your pictures.

What for?

We'll run the photos in the newspaper

and thus will be searching for your relatives.

Wait! Wait!

And who's going to eat?

Where're you going?

Maybe uncle Manfred...

Children, Frau Tessa said, after the dinner.

- lt seems you said it too soon. - Well...

l'm sorry, but l think you'll have to take pictures first.

Here's a cradle for you.

A cradle, understand?

Well, almost a cradle.

We had them like this in our village.

And this is...

This is a real cradle.

What?

We do verstehen this very well.

Akimych.

Akimych, are you here? But why...

Why don't you answer?

Why, l... answer.

Go to the burgomaster.

ln a jiffy. One foot here, the other there.

Where's there?

- Who? - The foot.

There, at the burgomaster's.

Pardon.

Bride and groom! Kiss!

Little rascals.

Children's shoes -

that's what the army can't help us with.

Akimych suggests to go around small private factories.

They just must have something left.

There're cities here, on which not a single bomb fell.

No bombs fell on my Dresden either. Almost.

We all believed that we were...

protected by the Sistine Madonna.

But when the Americans began bombarding, l thought

that the Doomsday came.

l lay for almost...

two days

under the debris.

Tessa...

What is it, Tessa?

Please, don't cry.

Tessa.

Smile.

Smiling is much more becoming you, Tessa.

l guess l...

will never get over it.

Hey, stop.

Captain, do you know where we are? We can't find our way.

- Where are you heading? - To Berlin, blast it.

Just can't get on the right road.

Just a minute. Tessa, go with them.

Right now?

Yes, go. We'll need Kurykin here.

l can give you a guide to Berlin.

Shall we take her along, guys?

Sure, why not?

Smoke break for 5 minutes.

Kolia, sonny, run and fetch some water. See a water fountain over there?

Can't leave it here...

What do you want, kid?

He asks if you've been at the war.

l happened to.

- What? - He says: did you see his dad?

No, l didn't.

- Will he come back soon? - Yes, kid, soon.

Kolia, what's the matter?

lt's no way to fix up the chain.

Hey, who fixes the chain that way?

l say where did you see the chain fixed that way?

Have you never seen a bike? Some experts.

What? May l?

Alright, boy, let me do it. l say, move over.

Are the tires good?

The tires, l say, are they good?

Uncle Misha!

- What? - Give us a pump to pump up the tires.

Alright. Take it in the box there.

Go bring the pump, boy. You know what a pump is?

What?

Yes, we need a screwdriver.

Oh, l got one!

Here, hold it.

Kolia, will you ever bring the water?

Felix, come on, run and get it. You won't get mangy for it.

Here.

Try to get back as soon as possible.

Bring a doctor. And we'll take care of the shoes.

See you soon, lgor.

See you, Tessa. Come back soon.

You wanted to say something, Pinsel?

Are you leaving already?

Yes. Why?

Take my picture, too. Please.

Yes, of course.

But where've you been before?

l was busy.

l see you've got a new hair style.

That's how l wore it before.

Get in the car, guys, we're going. Where's Kolia?

Running about with the boys.

Kolia!

Come here!

Comrade Major, just 5 minutes! lt's my turn now.

We got no time, come on, quick! Or we won't get to Berlin before dark.

Alright, some other time.

Gosh, the screwdriver! Thanks. Bye.

You exchanged boots voluntarily again?

Sure. As for me, l gave them back voluntarily.

lt's not my fault that this fool can't take a joke.

Army traditions are above all.

So, those Flechsigs are the richest ones here.

They have a lot of everything - bread, milk, sausage.

They even have chocolates.

- Chocolates? - Yes. Want a chocolate?

Of course.

You'll get it. Only you have to listen to me.

The Flechsigs have a son, he's already big.

He's 1 7. He's a little bit lame, but it's alright

His name is Herman. We were friends with him.

You understand? And he brought me all kind of food.

l'll have you meet him tomorrow, and he'll be bringing you everything.

But only if you share with me, all right?

Did you have a quarrel?

No, it's nothing. The old Flechsig caught us.

He beat Herman, and said he'd kill me if he sees us together again.

Why?

An old fool. Was afraid we'd have a baby.

What? A baby? How come?

You think Herman brought me everything just for nothing?

We were like husband and wife.

Like husband and wife? How old are you?

Fourteen. But l told Herman l was 16.

And how old are you?

Twelve. l'll be 13 soon.

Well, it's all right.

Tell him you're 15.

Or even 16.

Look, you've got such beautiful long legs.

What's the matter?

Hey, where're you going? What a fool!

Milksop! Go on, eat your bran stock.

- Come on, l'll show you something. - What do you want?

Let's go. You think l'll cheat you?

What is it?

Chocolate? Where from?

Americans were driving on the road. l bartered an iron cross for it.

l took only a small bite.

- You want it? - lt's for me?

- Will you kiss me a hundred times? - No.

All right, then. 50.

Only once, and on the cheek.

All right, 10 times. You offered yourself.

No.

As you wish. l'll enjoy it myself.

Oh, God.

Pinsel, dear, what is it? Chocolate? Give me a piece.

Lay off.

Just a little bit, please.

Here, and lay off.

Give me some more. l'll do anything for you.

Lay off, l said.

What shall l do for you?

Please.

Run naked around the shed, then you'll get it.

At night.

l myself can do it at night. Now.

- You'll give all of it? - All of it.

You're lying!

Where did you fall out of, Pinsel?

He's going to crash down from there, that'll be a riot!

Here, take it, l just kidded, you fool.

Thank you.

We should give it to the little ones.

They forgot the taste of chocolate, and l still remember.

Here, give it to them.

You may do with it whatever you like.

Want to go with us tonight?

Where?

There's some business. Don't be scared, you won't be sorry.

All right.

Ralle and l climb over the fence, you stay here and receive the sack.

All is quiet. Come on.

Give me your hand.

Damn, it won't switch on!

Danger! l got an electric shock!

Bastards! Damned thieves!

l'll teach you for stealing!

Ralle was killed by electricity!

Pinsel, are you crazy? Why are you hollering?

Flechsig killed Ralle with electricity.

What did you say?

Ralle was electrocuted!

Let's go, quick.

Where's the burgomaster?

Where's the burgomaster?

What's happened?

l'll show him how to cover up thieves!

What have you done with the boy?

For how long are you going to harbor this band of thieves?

What band?

Children, run for the Russians. You stay here.

What Russians? Keep your hands off.

lrmgard, run and bring the Russians. You stay here.

Keep your hands off, l said!

Beat them!

Children, stop it! Pinsel, you're going to kill him!

Hurry! They're fighting!

Guys, on your feet!

Stop it!

Stop it! Stop it now!

What's going on here?

The children say that Flechsig killed Ralle with electricity.

l didn't kill anybody. They're thieves, they were getting into my house.

You killed him!

Yes, we went there to get potatoes. They feed them to their pigs.

- He has an electric wire on his fence. - He switched it on on purpose.

l heard it myself. He was mad because it wouldn't switch on.

They boys got into his yard,

and he switched on electricity and killed Ralle.

- Bastard! - Stop it, we can always shoot him.

Herr Officer, they constantly steal from me.

l was protecting my property. l thought they were wehrwolfs.

Shut up, you louse!

For bandits, you'll open your granaries wide. Where's Ralle?

He fell down into the yard.

Get out of here! And you go, too!

They're going to shoot them.

lrmgard, tell them to shoot only the father. Herman isn't guilty.

Leave me alone.

Everybody stay here.

Where's the child?

He's behind the screen. The boy fainted.

l gave him some milk and put him to bed. He's all right.

l'll never do it again.

Didn't l tell you that you were going to get in trouble?

How vile one should be to do that to hungry children!

He really deserves being shot for doing such thing.

Don't shoot, Herr Officer.

Get up. Get up now!

Spare my son, Herr Officer, and do with him whatever you like.

Why don't you say something?

Why are you keeping mum, idiot? Say something!

Forgive me, Herr Officer. l'll make up for my guilt.

l wonder how you're going to do it?

Herr Officer.

Tomorrow l'll slaughter three of my best pigs.

The children need meat.

Oh, you're full of sympathy. And how many cows do you have?

Yes, milk. Ten liters every day.

No. Twenty liters. l'll be bringing it myself every day.

All right.

Just a minute.

Akimych, what do you think...

To atone for his guilt, he offers three pigs

and 20 liters of milk every day.

Comrade Captain, this vermin isn't even worth one pig,

and here we have three, and milk.

lt's just right.

Guys, we have to do it quick, the children will be waiting.

Only you don't interfere. Stay in the car, l'll do it myself.

But you don't know the language.

l know itjust enough. Besides, l've got the bacon.

l wish we had money, the more, the better.

Money is just paper, but the bacon...

You know what l could get in Germany for bacon?

Almost anything.

Just write it for me on a paper, for it to look cultured.

The rest l'll do myself. But it should be cultured.

All right, you'll have it cultured.

Well, that's it, then.

Here it is.

Can l come in?

Everything's all right.

May l?

Sit down.

l am... just a moment.

One moment.

Pleased to greet you on behalf of the Soviet Military Administration.

l'm flattered.

You've been highly recommended to me,

and l would like to discuss with you

the question of purchasing from your firm

a batch of children's shoes.

What?

Wait a bit.

Read it yourself.

Are you crazy or what?

Give it here.

lt's written clearly here.

Well?

No?

Not at all?

Then how about bacon?

A barrel.

Fifty kilos.

Give it here.

Will be enough.

And you say nichts.

Akimych, do you have any shame?

- Captain, you promised. - All right, l'm mum.

So what?

Don't get it.

Businessman?

Akimych, give me a piece of bacon.

Why?

You're doing your business, l'm doing mine.

- How much? - This much.

Really? Maybe you want it that much?

- Come on, don't be stingy. - Easy.

Businessmen...

Okay.

Good.

The bacon is just great!

Time to clear out. Where's Kurykin?

He was somewhere around.

- Captain. - l'm not here. Let's go.

We need four more glasses.

Come on, four more glasses.

Sure.

Home.

- ls it for me? - Yes.

Captain.

Not bad, huh?

A bit flimsy for the war, butjust right for peacetime.

High quality.

The bacon is great, too!

And for this...

Akimych...

Did l say 'no'?

From all my heart, Guten Tag.

And the bacon is for all, understand?

Nichts understandish.

What do you mean, nichts? One moment.

The bacon.

Ten kilos.

Humanism, understand?

Understand.

lt wouldn't be a sin to drink to that.

l'm very happy if l could be of use to you.

lf anything, don't bear any grudges.

Where have you been?

Where l had to be. Are we going?

Go, go.

What's up, Kurykin?

Stand still.

Have you gone absolutely mad?

Would you like to wet the shoes, so that they wear long?

- ls that your schnapps again? - l still feel sick from it.

Why schnapps?

Since you're so delicate,

Kurykin went to great pains for this special occasion.

- Champagne! - That's something!

Where from?

l don't like those who're stingy with bacon. l bartered it from a German.

French one.

Your belly is too hot to keep champagne there. Can you open it?

- Sure thing. - Come on, it's your treat.

Kurykin!

l know. l know.

Wait.

lt's no way for friends to act, Kurykin. Could leave us at least a sip.

Just look at him, he gobbled it all.

Thank you very much for your treat.

l've been teaching and teaching you...

French champagne is always a bit playful.

Let's go.

Come on, Pinsel.

l could do that kind of work all my life.

See, we're running out of meat. Bring more.

Friends, we'll have a feast today! A real sausage soup.

Now you'll get well in no time.

And how is Renata?

Frau Friedel gave her some milk, and she fell asleep.

Let her sleep.

Don't disturb her.

Girls, the soup is ready.

The soup is ready!

The soup is ready!

Look here.

Herr Flechsig.

How he shitted his pants when he saw the Russian's machinegun.

No, children, we're not starting dinner until the Russians come back.

Who will go and invite them?

Let Pinsel go. He was the cheekiest.

Stop that bullshit.

All right, today l'll treat you all, too.

Treat us to what?

You'll see.

l'm going with you.

No, my dear, you'll go invite the Russians.

Hi. Where're you hurrying?

Why?

Oh, such nice fish! Did you really catch it in this lake?

Where else?

Come here. Why are you scared?

l'm not scared.

Beautiful. You smoke it yourself?

Who else?

May l try a little feather?

Not enough salt, though it's not bad.

You smoke it with sawdust?

With alder twigs.

Cherry sawdust is the best.

Are you living here?

Temporarily.

Who are you?

Germans. And you?

What do you mean? l'm a German, too.

You see? l told you he's one of us.

There're Russians in the village.

Really?

How many?

Three.

l guess we have to split, guys.

And what are you doing here, under the Russians?

We have something like a children's home here.

Got sold out for a plate of soup, and you say you're a German.

Gunther, the boy brought us fish, and you're cursing him.

The fish is not for you.

For whom then? You're not taking it to the Russians, are you?

Delicious, isn't it?

All right, eat it. l gotta go.

Wait.

Let's sit and talk. My name is Walter. What's yours?

l got to go, really. The guys are waiting for me.

l said, sit for a while.

Stop. Pull over, Kurykin. Let's make it a surprise.

- Ralle, it's a surprise, understand? - Yes.

Why are you sitting here? What's your name?

Elsa.

Don't you want to take off your coat? lt's hot.

No.

- Are you waiting for someone? - l'm waiting for my mom.

When she'll be coming by the road, she'll see me at once.

Come with us.

First you'll have your dinner, then you can come back and wait.

All right?

The Russians have come!

Dinner! The Russians have come! Everybody sit at the table!

Hi.

Herr Hubner, come to the table. Why don't you?

What happened? You don't look yourself.

No, nothing, nothing.

You're not ill, are you?

Don't pay any attention to me.

Three pigs for such a horde are only enough to whet their appetite.

When l'm dressing a pig, l put everything to use.

- Only teeth and shit are left. - Smart guy, Kurykin.

Children!

l have a toast.

But we have no wine.

l think that milk and sausage soup are better than any wine.

So, listen.

Just a minute, Herr Captain. Comrade Captain.

Children.

May nazism be damned.

May the nazi be damned forever and ever.

Children.

Remember, when there's a war,

children die.

The children who didn't do any wrong to anybody.

l, an old man, am entreating you.

Children, never again...

let anyone turn you to a dumb herd they'd turned us into!

l'm entreating you, don't let them turn you into a herd!

Remember what l said!

Herr Hubner,

we're having such a merry celebration, and you talk about serious things.

Children, we have a surprise for you.

We've brought you shoes.

Kurykin, bring the car in.

Cheer up, children! Everyone look at Kurykin!

There comes the surprise!

Hubner, take the children inside!

Everyone, down on the floor!

Where're you going?

Down!

Let me go!

Let me go, Herr Hubner!

They killed Ralle! Herr Hubner, don't you see?

They killed Ralle!

Where're you going? Come back!

You killed Ralle! You killed Ralle, bastard!

Get out of the way, milksop! Out of the way, l said!

Fire! Take them by surprise!

Come on, cover me, and l...

That's it.

Now you can add three more lvans to your credit.

Holy shit...

Captain!

You alive?

How is it?

lt's over, Captain.

Drop the gun!

Drop it!

What? lt hurts? A bullet is no candy.

Oh, damn...

Come on.

Oh, shit, those bastardly milksops.

You...

Akimych.

Akimych!

Akimych.

Oh, guys...

Akimych...

Give me your hand.

Petrenko, don't unload yet.

Why is it so quiet here?

Where're your patients?

And where are...

all the rest?

They're on the glade.

Uncle, have you been at the war?

The End