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[SOMBER ORCHESTRAL MUSIC]
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
[WOMAN HUMMING]
[CLOCK TICKING]
♪ SCHLAF, KINDLEIN, SCHLAF ♪
♪ DER VATER HUET DIE SCHAF ♪
SHH, MEIN ENGEL.
SEI RUHIG, KLEINE MAUS.
NEIN.
NO. ENGLISH.
ALWAYS NOW ENGLISH.
WE MUST REMEMBER.
HMM?
OH, YOU'RE STILL SO YOUNG.
SO MUCH TIME TO LEARN.
WE'LL LEARN TOGETHER.
♪ AND IT SHALL HAVE A BELL OF GOLD FOR YOU TO PLAY WITH ♪
♪ AND TO HOLD ♪
OHH.
EVERYTHING MUST BE JUST SO.
OH, LOOK AT ME.
A MESS.
JA, YOU WILL LEARN ENGLISH.
A REGULAR YANKEE BRAT.
CHURCH ON SUNDAYS, LIKE ALL PROPER AMERICANS.
A PLACE WHERE POSSIBILITIES STILL EXIST.
AND A HOUSE WITH A GARDEN.
ONLY THE FUTURE NOW.
THE AMERICAN FUTURE.
[BABY CRYING IN ANOTHER APARTMENT]
[BABY CRYING]
[CLOCK TICKING]
I REMEMBER BEING SO SMALL AS YOU
NOT SO LONG AGO.
ONLY A THOUSAND YEARS.
THE HOUSE ON THE LINDENWEG WITH THE GARDEN.
MOTHER SO BEAUTIFUL AND YOUNG.
ALWAYS A SONG IN THE HOUSE.
WE ARE SO ALIKE, YOU AND I.
HOURS SITTING, DIGGING IN THE GARDEN.
WARM SMELLS COMING THROUGH THE BACK DOOR.
ONLY A THOUSAND YEARS AGO.
SO FAMILIAR. YOU'LL SOON SEE.
NOTHING TO BE AFRAID OF ANYMORE.
NO MORE LIVING IN DARKNESS.
IN AMERICA, EVEN THE NIGHT IS AS BRIGHT AS THE DAY.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
OH, NO.
THIS PLACE IS A PIGSTY.
NOT YET READY.
OHH.
OHH.
SHH.
[DOORBELL RINGS]
COMING!
BILLY!
[LAUGHS]
OHH.
[LAUGHS] IT'S BEEN ONLY TWO WEEKS.
IT'S TWO CENTURIES.
OH, CAN'T BREATHE.
BREATHE LATER.
A CELEBRATION?
ALWAYS.
I GET GLASSES.
ALL RIGHT.
UH, SO, UH, IT WENT WELL THEN?
ANOTHER SIX WEEKS MAYBE.
NO.
MAYBE LESS.
WHY SO LONG?
DAVIS SAYS THEY'LL MAKE A SHOW OF IT FOR A WHILE
AND THEN SWEEP IT UNDER THE RUG.
LAWYERS.
WE GOT TO PLAY BY OUR OWN RULES.
I JUST WANTED TO BE
[SIGHS] AWAY FROM HERE.
I KNOW.
ME, TOO.
MY FAVORITE.
SPARE NO EXPENSE.
OH, UH, HOW LONG CAN YOU STAY?
UM, I GOT TO SHOW UP AT 0600 DAY AFTER TOMORROW.
AND IT IS OKAY THAT YOU'RE HERE?
I'M MAKING IT OKAY.
I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO GO WRONG.
NOT NOW. NOT WHEN WE ARE SO CLOSE.
TO THE END OF BERLIN.
AND TO THE BEGINNING OF AMERICA.
MMM. PLACE LOOKS GREAT.
CLEAN AS A PIN.
[LAUGHS]
PERFECT HAUSFRAU.
PERFECT HOUSE.
THE BACKYARD.
AND THE GARDEN.
AND BABIES. LOTS OF BABIES.
SIX WEEKS.
SIX MORE WEEKS OF JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS,
THEN WE CAN LEAVE.
WE'LL BE TOGETHER?
ALWAYS.
YOU'LL NEVER LEAVE?
ONLY TO BUY MORE CHAMPAGNE.
[LAUGHS]
TELL ME ABOUT IT.
I'VE TOLD YOU 100 TIMES.
101 THEN.
OKAY, THEN.
THE HOUSES ARE MADE WITH BRICKS OF PURE GOLD,
AND THE SIDEWALKS ARE MADE OF SILVER.
NOT THE GERMAN KIND, BUT THE REAL THING.
THEY'RE SPECKLED WITH DIAMONDS
SO THEY SPARKLE IN THE SUNLIGHT.
AND THE SUN ALWAYS SHINES,
AND THE AIR'S ALWAYS SWEET,
AND THE SKIES ARE ALWAYS CLEAR.
IN AMERICA.
MMM, AND THERE ARE MARBLE FOUNTAINS ON EVERY CORNER
THAT FLOW WITH SPRINGS OF ETERNAL YOUTH.
IT'S ALL TRUE.
EVERY WORD.
I CAN'T WAIT.
ME, TOO.
ME, TOO.
OH! UH, I GOT A NEW, UH, MAGAZINE.
THE LATEST. DO YOU WANT TO SEE IT?
NO.
I LOVE YOU, BILLY.
AND I LOVE YOU.
UH, NO!
NO.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT WORD COULD FALL FROM THOSE LIPS.
IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME, EITHER, REMEMBER?
LET IT BE THE LAST.
OH, NO. NOT, UH...
NOT BEFORE WE EAT.
BEFORE.
AFTER.
MAYBE DURING.
YOU'RE A DREADFUL YANK.
I'LL HAVE YOU WITH A DAB OF SCHLAGSAHNE RIGHT THERE.
AHH, HITLER WARNED US ABOUT YOU DEPRAVED MONSTERS.
OH. THAT'S THE RUSSIANS.
*** WEAKLINGS THEN.
GUILTY AS CHARGED.
YEAH. YOU THINK YOU CAN HAVE ME
ANY TIME YOU WANT.
NO.
WE'LL SEE.
WE'LL SEE.
YOU REALLY DON'T WANT TO?
ALWAYS. JUST NOT NOW.
WOMEN. AND A *** AT THAT.
DON'T EVER CALL ME THAT.
OH. I DIDN'T MEAN--
NO! NEVER THAT! NEVER THAT!
I'M SORRY!
NEVER! PROMISE ME!
CHRISTINA.
JUST PROMISE ME!
I PROMISE. I DIDN'T MEAN IT.
AH, IT'S-- IT'S FORGOTTEN THEN.
IT DOESN'T MATTER.
IT'S JUST I SPENT ALL AFTERNOON
TRYING TO MAKE THIS PLACE NICE FOR YOU.
YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT I CAN DO THINGS.
I WOULDN'T CARE IF YOU COULDN'T SEW A BUTTON.
CHRISTINA.
I WANT YOU TO NEED ME AS MUCH AS I NEED YOU,
IN EVERYTHING.
CHRISTINA.
I'LL GET SUPPER.
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
SUPPER?
SOME REPORTER, BILLY CALVERT.
YOU DIDN'T EVEN NOTICE THE TABLE.
WHAT, YOU COOKED?
THERE'S MORE TO LIFE THAN MAKING LOVE, HMM?
I DIDN'T KNOW YOU COULD COOK.
YOU THINK YOU KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT ME.
I JUST WANTED EVERYTHING TO BE PERFECT.
[ELECTRICITY BUZZING]
IT'S THE ELECTRICITY IN THIS BUILDING.
THEY NEVER FIX IT.
BUT IT'S STILL LIGHT OUT.
IT'S THE BLACKOUT CURTAINS.
I NEVER TOOK THEM DOWN FROM THE BOMBING.
ALL RIGHT. WELL, I'LL OPEN THEM.
WAIT. NO! PLEASE, DON'T.
THE STREETS ARE RUINED.
THERE'S NOTHING TO SEE.
BUT YOU NEVER KEPT THEM CLOSED BEFORE.
I SLEEP BETTER IN THE DARK.
OKAY.
I'LL GO WASH UP.
[STRIKES MATCH]
IT'S ALL RIGHT, LITTLE ONE.
THE BOMBS ARE ALL GONE.
SHH. BE QUIET.
BE STILL.
AND IT WILL BE DAYLIGHT SOON AGAIN, I PROMISE.
[DISHES CLINKING]
FRANKS?
SOME AMERICAN.
HOT DOGS FROM NEW YORK.
WHERE IN THE WORLD DID YOU GET THEM?
SO MANY QUESTIONS.
AND FOR DESSERT, CHERRY PIE.
WELL, I WAS HOPING FOR STRUDEL.
AMERICAN HOUSE WE RUN.
IF YOU'RE GONNA BE AMERICAN,
YOU HAVE TO LEARN WHERE TO PUT YOUR VERBS.
AT THE BEGINNING. I REMEMBER.
AND YOU? YOUR ACCENT?
HMM?
IT'S VERY GOOD.
STRUDEL?
HMM?
SPOKEN LIKE A TRUE EINGEBORENER.
WELL, I'VE BEEN HERE LONG ENOUGH.
SOME FRAULEIN BEEN TEACHING YOU?
YOU'RE THE ONLY FRAULEIN LEFT IN BERLIN.
MM. [LAUGHS]
I REMEMBER WHEN THE END CAME.
I SWORE I WOULD NEVER HAVE DARKNESS
IN MY APARTMENT AGAIN.
ENDLESS NIGHTS HEARING THE BOMBS GOING OFF ALL AROUND US,
NEVER KNOWING IF THE NEXT ONE WOULD BE THE ONE.
I BECAME LIKE A LITTLE CHILD,
CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR AFRAID OF THE DARK.
I JUST WANTED TO SHOUT OUT TO THE PLANES,
"HERE I AM. IF I'M GOING TO DIE, LET IT BE WHEN I SAY."
BUT I JUST SAT THERE
THROUGH THE DARKNESS, THROUGH THE NIGHT.
I WANTED AFTER ALL TO LIVE.
EVERYBODY WANTS TO LIVE.
MONTHS AFTER THE WAR ENDED,
I BURNED THESE LIGHTS NIGHT AND DAY.
I WOULD HAVE SLEPT WITH MY EYES OPENED
IF I COULD.
TILL I MET YOU.
AH, I FORGET.
I BOUGHT TWO BEERS.
RHEINGOLD FROM BROOKLYN.
WHAT--RHEINGOLDS?
ALL RIGHT, I'LL GET THEM.
OH, NO! NO!
YOU SHOULD GET USED TO BEING SERVED.
AND YOUR MEETING WITH THE PROSECUTOR?
McCOY?
MM-HMM.
HE'S JUST A PENCIL PUSHER.
CIVIL SERVANT, YOU KNOW THE TYPE.
BY THE BOOK.
AND YOUR LAWYER?
HE FIGURES THERE'S ENOUGH PROCEDURAL POINTS
TO TIE THEIR HANDS.
DAMN THEM.
THERE'S SO MUCH TIME WASTED ALREADY.
IT'S JUST A FEW MORE WEEKS.
HA! EVERY SECOND.
YOU DID NOTHING WRONG.
I BROKE THE LAW.
WHO ARE THEY TO SAY? WHO IS ANYBODY?
IT WAS STUPID OF ME.
IN WAR, EVERYTHING CHANGES.
WELL, MAYBE IT SHOULDN'T.
I'VE SAVED ALL YOUR LETTERS, YOU KNOW.
REALLY?
POETRY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE A GREAT WRITER ONE DAY.
I'D BE HAPPY JUST TO BE A GOOD ONE.
AND NOT ONLY IN NEWSPAPERS.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WRITE
LONG, BEAUTIFUL BOOKS FOR ME.
BOOKS? BOOKS ABOUT WHAT?
DISTANT TIMES, LONG AGO.
CASTLES AND DRAGONS.
DRAGONS? DRAGONS ARE ONLY IN FABLES.
AH, FABLES THEN, JA.
NOTHING REAL.
MY MOTHER WOULD BE MAD AS HELL.
SHE'S ALREADY GOT A STRINGER JOB LINED UP FOR ME
AT THE LOCAL DAILY.
WE DO WHAT WE WANT, NOT WHAT SHE WANTS.
WELL, IT'S NOT A BAD IDEA THOUGH.
YOU KNOW, WITH MY EXPERIENCE AT STARS AND STRIPES,
I'LL HAVE A REAL LEG UP.
OH, AND SHE CAN HELP?
MY MOTHER LIVES TO HELP.
KNOWING HER, SHE'S PROBABLY MADE ME OUT TO BE A WAR HERO.
YOU ARE A HERO.
NO.
DON'T SAY THAT.
IT'S NOT TRUE.
ANYONE WHO SURVIVES.
I ONCE SAW ONE OF OUR GUYS
WITH HIS STOMACH BLOWN OPEN.
YOU COULD SEE WHAT HE'D HAD FOR LUNCH.
A MEDIC RAN OVER WITH A PLASMA BAG,
BUT THE SOLDIER JUST WAVED HIM OFF.
"I'M ALREADY DEAD," HE SAID,
AND SENT THE MEDIC OFF TO GIVE THE BLOOD
TO SOMEBODY WHO STILL HAD A CHANCE.
JUST LIKE THAT.
"I'M ALREADY DEAD."
A SIMPLE STATEMENT OF FACT.
DON'T THINK ABOUT IT.
I AM NO HERO.
YOU ARE VERY STRONG.
DO THEY KNOW ABOUT ME?
THE, UH, M.P.s?
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.
I DON'T WANT YOU TO LEAVE ME AGAIN.
I WON'T.
BEST FRANKS-- HOT DOGS
THIS SIDE OF CONEY ISLAND.
CHERRY PIE?
MAYBE LATER.
OH, WAIT! DON'T YOU WANT TO EAT CHERRY PIE
LIKE GEORGE WASHINGTON AND ALWAYS TELL THE TRUTH?
I THINK YOU GOT THAT CONFUSED.
[LAUGHS]
WHERE DO YOU THINK YOU'RE GOING?
I'M GOING TO GO LIE DOWN FOR A FEW MINUTES.
FIRST, I HAVE A SURPRISE.
WAIT--ANOTHER SURPRISE?
THIS ONE IS FOR THE EARS.
I FOUND IT WHEN I WAS CLEANING.
COME ON. YOU CAN COME JOIN ME IF YOU WANT.
FIRST...
[SLOW BIG BAND MELODY PLAYING]
WE DANCE.
OH, CHRISTINA.
OH, SUCH A GROUSE.
GROUCH.
OH. WAS IS "GROUSE" THEN?
IT'S A VERB. IT MEANS TO COMPLAIN.
WELL, THEN YOU'RE THAT, TOO.
IT'S ALSO A GAME BIRD,
A LITTLE CHICKEN.
WELL, WE HAVE UH, NEVER DANCED.
CAN I NAP FIRST?
WE HAVE ALL EVENING.
FIRST...
WE DANCE.
THEN WE NAP...
TOGETHER.
MMM.
WHY DID YOU DO IT?
THE STOCKINGS.
IT'S FUNNY.
WHAT?
ALL THIS TIME?
MM-HMM.
YOU'VE NEVER ASKED ME BEFORE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER THE REASON, REALLY.
I JUST WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.
DON'T YOU WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT ME?
I KNOW ALL I NEED TO KNOW.
MMM, AND WHAT IF I'M A VAMPIRE
WHEN YOU'RE AWAY?
I'D OFFER YOU MY NECK.
OH, SUCH A BRAVE MAN.
ALL THAT MATTERS
IS WHO YOU ARE WHEN WE'RE TOGETHER.
AND A ROMANTIC ONE, TOO.
MAYBE IT'S THE CANDLELIGHT AND MUSIC.
MMM.
SO?
THE STORY OF THE STOCKINGS?
I WAS JUST A MIDDLEMAN, REALLY.
EVERYBODY WAS MAKING A FEW DOLLARS
ON THE BLACK MARKET.
PERFUME, STOCKINGS--
ANYTHING THAT'S HARD TO GET.
THIS G.I. FRIEND I KNEW
ASKED ME TO DELIVER A PACKAGE FOR HIM,
SAID THERE WAS 80 BUCKS IN IT FOR ME.
I DIDN'T ASK QUESTIONS.
SO YOU DIDN'T KNOW.
WELL, AS MY GRANDDAD USED TO SAY,
"NOT ASKING IS THE SAME AS KNOWING."
$80.
THE KIND OF MONEY MY MOTHER MISPLACES AROUND THE HOUSE.
YOU COULD, UH, NEVER DO ANYTHING WRONG,
REALLY.
OH, YOU KNOW THAT FOR SURE?
I KNOW YOU.
WHAT ABOUT THAT BIG BLANK SPACE BEFORE WE MET?
YOU DID THINGS IN WAR.
WE ALL DID.
STORIES?
NOT REAL UNTIL THEY'RE TOLD?
CARE TO JOIN ME?
[RECORD ENDS]
BUT YOU HAVEN'T HEARD THE OTHER SIDE.
I HAD MORE SERIOUS THINGS IN MIND.
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU ALL DAY, HMM?
CHRISTINA.
I WANT EVERYTHING TO BE JUST SO.
CHRISTINA, WHAT'S WRONG?
NOTHING.
THEN WHY DON'T YOU WANT ME GOING INTO THE BEDROOM?
DON'T BE SILLY.
ALL RIGHT, THEN YOU WON'T MIND IF I--
NO!
WHY NOT, CHRISTINA?
I WANT TO DANCE.
"LET'S DANCE. LET'S EAT."
WHAT--WHAT IS IT?
[TURNS OFF PHONOGRAPH]
WHAT IS IT?
IT HAS, UH...
WHAT?
UM...
WHAT, CHRISTINA?
DID YOU MEAN WHAT YOU SAID BEFORE
ABOUT NOT, UH... NOT CARING ABOUT THE PAST?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO SAY?
WELL, WHEN I...
WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE PAST--
PICTURES OF MY CHILDHOOD,
UH, THEY ARE SO ALIVE.
MY FATHER CHASING MY BROTHER AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE
FOR SOME SMALL CRIME.
BEATING HIM OVER AND OVER.
BLOODY STREAKS RUNNING DOWN HIS BACK.
MY BROTHER BEGGING FOR MERCY,
BUT UH, MY--MY FATHER HAVE NO MERCY.
MY MOTHER SAID THE WORLD WAR HAD CHANGED HIM.
THAT HE WAS NEVER THE SAME WHEN HE CAME BACK.
WHY SO DARK?
IT'S TOO DARK.
CHRISTINA.
IT'S TOO DARK.
CHRISTINA.
THE ELECTRICITY IN THIS BUILDING,
IT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
JUST OPEN THE CURTAINS FOR GOD'S SAKE.
I MAKE THE LIGHT.
CHRISTINA.
COME ON.
CHRISTINA.
CHRISTINA!
DON'T.
CHRISTINA! STOP!
WHAT?
OKAY.
SO I TEST YOUR LOVE.
FOUR YEARS AGO, I WENT BACK TO BERGHEIM.
IT WAS WAR,
BUT THE PEOPLE ARE USED TO WAR.
WE HAD HEARD ONLY THAT WE'RE WINNING,
THAT THE RUSSIANS WERE ABOUT TO SURRENDER.
[SIGHS]
AND I HADN'T BEEN HOME IN MONTHS.
MAMA SEEMED DIFFERENT, FAR AWAY.
PAPA HAD DIED THE YEAR BEFORE,
AND MY BROTHER HAD RUN AWAY A LONG TIME AGO.
MAYBE SHE KNEW SHE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH TIME LEFT.
I FOUND HER AT THE KITCHEN WINDOW,
LOOKING OUT AT THE GARDEN.
"HISTORY IS A CIRCLE," SHE SAID.
"A CIRCLE OF BLOOD AND FIRE."
IN THE LATE AFTERNOON, I, UH, WENT FOR A WALK,
AND IT WAS GROWING DARK WHEN I PASSED MY OLD SCHOOL.
IT LOOKED LIKE IT HAD BEEN BOMBED,
AND, UH, I WANTED TO GO INSIDE,
SO I FOUND A HOLE, AND I CRAWLED THROUGH,
AND I REMEMBERED...
THE OLD SCHOOL HAD NOT BEEN BOMBED.
TIME, NOT BOMBS, HAD BEEN THE DESTROYER.
I WENT TO THE THIRD FLOOR
AND FOUND MY OLD HISTORY CLASSROOM.
I REMEMBER WHERE I USED TO SIT,
LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW.
THE TEACHER POINTS TO ME AND ASKS A QUESTION.
I HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION,
SO HIS EYES FLASH WITH ANGER.
AND NOW, YEARS LATER, ALL THE DESKS AND CHAIRS
SIT IN THEIR SAME POSITIONS, COVERED WITH DUST,
JUST AS MY OLD TEACHER LAY COVERED WITH THE EARTH.
I GO TO MY CHAIR,
AND I SIT DOWN AND LOOK OUT THE WINDOW.
AND I HAD THE STRANGEST FEELING.
IF I COULD CONCENTRATE HARD ENOUGH
ON THAT LITTLE SLICE OF VIEW,
OF THE SAME ROOFTOPS AND TREES
I'D KNOWN AS A LITTLE GIRL,
I COULD TAKE BACK TIME
IF ONLY MY WILL WAS STRONG ENOUGH.
THAT LITTLE WINDOW COULD TAKE ME TO A PLACE
BEFORE WAR,
BEFORE TIME AND DEATH,
BEFORE MY OWN DECAY AND CORRUPTION.
A BLUE DAY IN SPRING.
SCENT OF HYACINTH IN THE AIR.
A LITTLE GIRL WAITS FOR CLASSES TO BE OVER.
THEN I HEARD A NOISE AND I LOOK AROUND,
AND THERE BEHIND A DESK, SITS A YOUNG BOY.
HOW DID HE GET HERE?
HOW IS IT POSSIBLE?
SOMETHING ABOUT HIM LOOKED FAMILIAR TO ME.
A SPARK IN HIS EYE.
AND, YES, IT WAS HANS SCHILLING,
AN OLD CLASSMATE OF MINE FROM YEARS AGO.
WAS IT A DREAM?
HE, AS IF TO ANSWER, SAYS,
"THE WORLD ENDED WHEN JESUS HUNG FROM THE CROSS,
"AND ALL OF HUMAN HISTORY IS ONLY A DREAM
IN THE LAST INSTANT OF A ROMAN CENTURION'S LIFE."
HE TOLD ME HE COMES HERE OFTEN.
HE WAS A BEAUTIFUL BOY,
AND I WAS SECRETLY IN LOVE WITH HIM.
AND THEN HE ASKED ME
IF I WANTED TO SEE HIS SECRET PLACE,
AND HE PUT OUT HIS HAND, AND I TOOK IT,
AND HE LED ME TO THE SCIENCE ROOM,
AND WHEN I STEPPED INSIDE,
EVERYTHING WAS JUST AS IT HAD BEEN,
AS IF NOT A DAY HAD PASSED.
HE SMILED AT ME PROUDLY,
AND HE SAID EVERY DAY HE WOULD COME
AND CLEAN A LITTLE.
REPAIR A DESK,
REMOVE THE TARNISH FROM THE DECADES.
"BUT WHY?" I ASKED HIM,
AND HE SAID IT WAS
SO THAT ONE TINY FRAGMENT OF SPACE AND TIME
WOULD REMAIN AS IT HAD BEEN.
I REALIZED HE WAS INSANE.
REALLY QUITE, QUITE INSANE.
BUT HE PUT OUT HIS HAND...
AND AGAIN, I TOOK IT.
YOU CAN TELL ME.
WE LIE ON THE FLOOR FOR A VERY LONG TIME.
YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS LIKE FOR US
IN THOSE DAYS.
CHRISTINA, IT'S OKAY.
THERE WAS NO RIGHT, NO WRONG.
IT'S NOTHING.
IT--IT WAS YEARS BEFORE WE MET.
IT DOESN'T MATTER.
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
BILLY, IT DOES MATTER.
AS I WAS ON MY WAY BACK ON THE TRAIN TO BERLIN,
I THOUGHT IT WAS A DREAM.
HADN'T I HEARD HANS HAD BEEN KILLED
IN THE EARLY FIGHTING?
YES, IT WAS A DREAM.
BUT THEN, THE FIRST MONTH PASSED,
AND I DIDN'T, UM...
AND THEN, THE SECOND MONTH.
ARE YOU SAYING...
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO TELL YOU.
I DIDN'T KNOW HOW YOU WOULD TAKE IT,
AND I COULDN'T LOSE YOU TO--
[DOORBELL RINGS]
[RING RING]
[GASPS] NO.
IT'S THE DEVIL!
WHAT?
OH, GOD, NO!
NOT NOW.
LET IN THE LIGHT.
CHRISTINA, WHAT ARE YOU--
THE LIGHT WILL KEEP HIM AWAY!
KEEP WHO AWAY?
THE LIGHT! WE MUST KEEP THE LIGHT!
[RING]
[KNOCK ON DOOR]
NO!
GUTEN TAG, FRAULEIN VOGEL.
GEH ZUM TEUFEL!
ALLES ZU SEINER ZEIT.
EXCUSE ME.
EXCUSE ME.
SO...THE AMERICAN.
WHO ARE YOU?
OH, GOD, NO.
WHAT'S GOING ON?
I TOLD YOU, HE IS THE DEVIL.
FANCIFUL IMAGINATION,
BUT THEN THAT SEEMS TO BE YOUR GIFT.
FATHER OF LIES,
CORRUPTER OF THE INNOCENT.
AND WHAT OF THE GUILTY?
GET OUT!
I'M AFRAID IT'S NOT SO SIMPLE, MISS VOGEL.
ICH BIN AMERIKANERIN.
SIE SIND DEUTSCHE.
WIR SIND VERHEIRATET.
IS THIS TRUE, LIEUTENANT CALVERT?
HAVE YOU MARRIED?
NOT THAT IT MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?
THE DEVIL KNOWS EVERYTHING.
WHAT IS GOING ON HERE, CHRISTINA?
WHO--WHO IS THIS MAN?
I'M AFRAID I HAVE THE ADVANTAGE HERE.
MY NAME IS REINHARDT.
INSPECTOR REINHARDT, BERLIN POLICE.
POLICE?
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT, CHRISTINA?
CHRISTINA?
I WANTED TO TELL YOU.
HIGHLY UNLIKELY, I WOULD THINK.
TELL ME WHAT, CHRISTINA?
I TRIED. OH, GOD, I TRIED.
WHAT, CHRISTINA?
IT'S SO HARD.
NOW YOU ARE GOING TO LEAVE ME.
LEAVE YOU?
WHY WOULD I LEAVE YOU?
I'M AFRAID THAT WE ARE
AT CROSS PURPOSES HERE, LIEUTENANT.
HE'S HERE TO TAKE US BACK TO HELL.
HEY, HEY, HEY!
NO ONE IS TAKING ANYBODY ANYWHERE.
WHAT IS THIS ALL ABOUT?
IT SEEMS THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW
ABOUT YOUR WIFE, IF, IN FACT, SHE IS YOUR WIFE.
I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO KNOW.
YES. TRUE LOVE.
VERY AMERICAN.
WHY DON'T YOU ASK HER HER NAME?
HER NAME?
ASK HER,
SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
WH--
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA.
BUT MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW QUITE ENOUGH.
CHRISTINA IS GONE!
LIAR!
TELL HIM!
HEY!
I AM CHRISTINA. I--I AM CHRISTINA.
I AM CHRISTINA.
THESE ARE WARRANTS ISSUED BY BERLIN KRIMINALPOLIZEI
DURING THE YEARS 1940 THROUGH 1942.
WARRANTS?
MM, FOR THE ARREST OF FRIEDA VOGEL,
FORMERLY OF FASANENSTRASSE 17.
FATHER'S NAME OTTO.
MOTHER'S MAIDEN NAME GERTE HENSLER.
DO YOU DENY THIS?
WHO IS FRIEDA?
SHE IS.
SO...
MAYBE YOU DON'T KNOW QUITE ENOUGH AFTER ALL.
WH-WHAT IS SHE ACCUSED OF?
TELL ME, LIEUTENANT,
HAVE YOU NEVER ASKED YOURSELF,
HOW IS THAT MY CHRISTINA CAN LIVE THIS WAY?
HOW DOES SHE FIND HERSELF IN SUCH AN APARTMENT AS THIS,
AND WHO IS-- IS GONE FROM HERE?"
HOW DOES SHE COME TO HAVE MEAT
WHEN NO ONE ELSE CAN? AND PERFUME?
ALL THE LITTLE PLEASURES OF LIFE
OTHER GERMANS DO WITHOUT.
DID YOU WANT TO KNOW?
YOU KNOW, WE ALL OF US HAVE TWO TRUTHS.
WELL, TWO AT LEAST.
THE TRUTH WE WANT TO KNOW
AND THOSE WE CHOOSE TO IGNORE.
NOTHING YOU SAY CAN CHANGE WHO SHE IS.
YOUR CHRISTINA IS NOT EVEN CHRISTINA.
TELL ME, LIEUTENANT...
WERE YOU REALLY MARRIED?
I DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER TO YOU.
AH.
YOUR FIFTH AMENDMENT, CORRECT?
IT APPLIES TO COUPLES.
LIEUTENANT, I DO NOT MEAN TO SEEM UNAPPRECIATIVE.
NO.
THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT YOU WILL LEAVE US
WITH A-- A PROPER CONSTITUTION
WITH ALL THE RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS A MODERN STATE ENJOYS.
A MUCH NEEDED IMPROVEMENT, WE CAN ALL AGREE.
I'M ONLY ASKING QUESTIONS,
AS IS A POLICEMAN'S DUTY.
IT'S A PITY YOU HAD NO TIME FOR YOUR OWN.
I DON'T NEED TO ASK QUESTIONS.
NOT EVEN HOW YOUR GIRLFRIEND, I THINK,
SUPPORTED HERSELF BEFORE SHE FOUND HER AMERICAN SOLDIER
FROM HIS WEALTHY FAMILY?
HOW DO YOU KNOW ABOUT MY FAMILY?
I'M WORKING ON THIS CASE A LONG TIME,
AND YOU HAVE BECOME A PART OF IT, HOWEVER UNWITTING.
SO WHAT STORY DID SHE TELL YOU, HMM?
THAT SHE WORKED IN A BAKERY ON THE FRIEDRICHSTRASSE
BEFORE IT WAS DESTROYED?
THAT HER FAMILY LEFT HER SOME MONEY,
NOT MUCH, BUT ENOUGH TO GET BY?
THEN HOW COMES ALL OF THIS?
ALL RIGHT, POLICE OR NOT, I WANT YOU OUT OF HERE.
YOU SHOULD READ YOUR OWN RULES OF OCCUPATION.
I DON'T GIVE A DAMN ABOUT THE RULES.
JA, THIS I KNOW ALREADY.
YOUR POSITION IS UNCERTAIN ENOUGH.
I WOULD NOT PUT IT TO A TEST.
YOU MAY BE A CONQUEROR,
BUT YOU ARE CONSTRAINED BY YOUR OWN RULES.
I HAVE ALREADY SPOKEN WITH YOUR CAPTAIN McCOY
OF MILITARY POLICE.
McCOY?
THEY TOLD ME AN INTERESTING STORY
ABOUT AN IDEALISTIC YOUNG OFFICER
WHO DREAMS OF BECOMING A JOURNALIST,
WRITING ARTICLES FOR THE STARS AND THE STRIPES,
BUT THEN HE GETS HIMSELF IN SOME TROUBLE
OVER SOME BLACK MARKET GOODS.
STOCKINGS, I BELIEVE.
MY GOD, STOCKINGS ARE BECOMING
SOMETHING OF A CLICHÉ, I FEAR.
EH, A MINOR CHARGE.
YES?
BUT ENOUGH, I THINK.
A COURT MARTIAL COULD DAMAGE
AN OTHERWISE PROMISING CAREER.
WHY WOULD McCOY HELP YOU?
WELL, WE ARE, AFTER ALL, IN THE SAME PROFESSION.
A BROTHERHOOD, YOU MIGHT SAY.
SO...OUR CHRISTINA.
IT STARTS SIMPLY ENOUGH, I SHOULD THINK.
IN THE CITIES, THERE WERE MANY YOUNG WOMEN
JUST LIKE HER, LEFT ALONE, NO FAMILIES.
MOST FIND WHAT HOMEFRONT WORK THEY COULD FIND,
MADE JUST ENOUGH TO SURVIVE.
BUT SOME--A FEW--
OUT OF NECESSITY OR...OR GREED,
OR PERHAPS JUST AN UNWILLINGNESS
TO ENDURE THE SAME HARDSHIPS AS THE REST OF US,
THEY FOUND ANOTHER WAY TO SURVIVE.
SUCH A PRETTY YOUNG WOMAN,
AND THE MINISTRY IS SO CLOSE BY.
YOU CAN SEE IT FROM THE WINDOW RIGHT THERE,
WHAT REMAINS OF IT.
Christina: GO TO HELL.
HMM?
Reinhardt: IN TIME, I'M AFRAID.
IN TIME.
AND SO OUR ENTERPRISING YOUNG WOMAN
MAKES HER CHOICE.
I SUSPECT THE FIRST IS, UM,
AN ATTACHÉ WITH THE WEHRMACHT
OR A DEPUTY MINISTER.
WITH A LITTLE MONEY, TASTES ARE DEVELOPED.
TASTES TURN INTO HABITS.
FOR SUCH A PRETTY GIRL, THERE ARE NO LIMITS.
THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS ARE DEVELOPED,
AND FROM ONE MAN, THERE COME MANY.
CORRECT, FRIEDA?
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S A SIMPLE THING
TO BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO LUXURY--
TO HAVING WHAT OTHERS AROUND YOU CANNOT HAVE.
HMM?
PERHAPS IT BECOMES ALL THE MORE EXQUISITE,
TO THRIVE WHILE THOSE AROUND YOU SUFFER.
HUMAN NATURE.
THAT'S ENOUGH, REINHARDT.
YOU BECOME ACCUSTOMED TO BEING CARED FOR
BY THE MEN FROM THE MINISTRY.
YOU CAN UNDERSTAND IT, LIEUTENANT.
STOP IT!
YOU, THE MOST UNDERSTANDING OF LOVERS.
SHUT YOUR MOUTH, REINHARDT, OR I WILL!
SHE MADE OUT WELL DURING THE WAR.
COURTESAN OF THE RUINS.
IT WAS THE PEACE SHE WAS AFRAID OF.
WHAT DO YOU WANT HERE, REINHARDT?
WHAT ANY POLICEMAN WANTS.
FATHER OF LIES.
AND, TELL ME...
IS THIS A LIE AS WELL?
HMM?
YOU'VE LEARNED SOME GERMAN?
IT'S A BIRTH CERTIFICATE.
READ IT ALOUD.
BILLY, DON'T.
WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF ALL OF THIS?
JUST READ IT.
"AN INFANT GIRL...
ENTBINDET."
DELIVERED.
Billy: SPACE FOR THE CHILD'S NAME IS LEFT BLANK.
AND THE FATHER?
JUST MAKES UP WHATEVER HE WANTS.
I DON'T SEE WHY YOU'VE GIVE--
THE FATHER, LIEUTENANT?
Billy: "UNBEKANNT.
FATHER IS UNKNOWN."
AND THE MOTHER?
LIEUTENANT CALVERT, THE MOTHER?
THE MOTHER IS FRIEDA VOGEL,
FASANENSTRASSE 17.
Billy: WHAT--WHAT DOES THIS MEAN, CHRISTINA?
CHRISTI...
WELL, WHERE IS SHE?
THE CHILD?
YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THE PHRASE...
"NACHT UND NEBEL?"
IT WAS WHEN SOMEONE DISAPPEARED,
"INTO THE NIGHT AND FOG."
LOOK FOR HER THERE.
SO IT'S THE CHILD YOU'RE AFTER?
NO. THE MOTHER.
YOU'RE NOT TAKING HER.
HAVE I UNDERESTIMATED YOUR CAPACITY
FOR FORGIVENESS, LIEUTENANT?
THOSE WARRANTS ARE OVER THREE YEARS OLD,
AND AS FOR CHRISTINA CHANGING HER NAME--
NO. FRIEDA CHANGED HER NAME.
EVEN IF EVERYTHING YOU SAY IS TRUE,
IT CHANGES NOTHING.
I WOULD THINK, LIEUTENANT, AS A JOURNALIST,
YOU WOULD BE MORE INTERESTED IN UNCOVERING THE FACTS.
WHATEVER SHE DID, SHE DID TO SURVIVE,
THE SAME AS ALL OF US.
SO THE DIFFERENCE BEING BETWEEN THE CAUGHT
AND THE YET-TO-BE CAUGHT,
IS THAT IT, LIEUTENANT?
MAYBE YOU'RE RIGHT, INSPECTOR.
MAYBE THERE ISN'T MUCH DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN YOU AND McCOY.
YOU COME INTO HELL TO ARREST HER FOR--
FOR PROSTITUTION?
IS THIS REALLY WHAT YOU THINK?
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
[LAUGHS]
BUT YOU SAID--
I SAID NOTHING
ABOUT ARRESTING MISS VOGEL FOR PROSTITUTION.
THE WARRANTS...
THE WARRANTS...
OLD, AS YOU POINT OUT.
ISSUED BY THE POLICE,
LATER VACATED BY THE MINISTRY.
MERE PIECES OF PAPER.
THEN WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM US?
"US"? [LAUGHS]
HOT DOGS, CORRECT?
THIS IS WHAT YOU CALL IT.
ODD.
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING.
I'M OLD-FASHIONED.
[EXHALES]
I BECAME A POLICEMAN
BECAUSE MY FATHER WAS A POLICEMAN.
IT WAS UNDERSTOOD.
AND DURING THE WAR, I DID MY JOB
AS BEST I COULD.
IT'S REALLY ALL I KNOW HOW TO DO.
YOU CAN IMAGINE THE FINAL DAYS,
THE CONFUSION.
THOUSANDS DYING IN THE CONSTANT SHELLING.
THE ROADS ARE-- ARE FULL WITH MILITARY,
CIVILIAN ALIKE,
ALL FLEEING TOWARD THE WEST
AWAY FROM THE RUSSIANS.
EVERYWHERE WAS TERROR...
AND PANIC.
MANY CRIMES,
BOTH GREAT AND SMALL WENT UNNOTICED
IN THOSE DAYS.
OF COURSE, THERE ARE THOSE WHO THINK
THAT IN THE MIDST OF SUCH CHAOS
IDEAS SUCH AS LAW AND DUTY
LOSE THEIR MEANING.
MANY OF MY OWN FELLOW POLICE OFFICERS
TURNED THEIR HEADS,
SEEKING ONLY SOME SMALL ADVANTAGE
IN THE COMING OCCUPATION.
I AM NOT SO SOPHISTICATED.
I COULD NOT TURN MY HEAD.
YOU STILL HAVEN'T TOLD ME WHAT YOU WANT WITH CHRISTINA.
WHAT I WANT IS FOR HER TO COME BACK WITH ME
TO STAND TRIAL IN A COURT OF LAW.
BUT YOU ADMITTED YOU DON'T HAVE A VALID WARRANT.
I WOULD WISH HER TO COME VOLUNTARILY.
LET THE COURTS DETERMINE GUILT OR INNOCENCE.
A GERMAN COURT DECIDING GUILT.
OCCUPATIONAL AUTHORITY GIVES GERMAN COURTS
JURISDICTION OVER GERMAN CIVILIANS.
WELL, WHAT SHE SAID IS TRUE.
CHRISTINA AND I HAVE BEEN MARRIED.
SHE WILL BE AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
SHE WILL NEVER LEAVE GERMANY.
WHAT IS SHE ACCUSED OF?
[DOOR OPENS]
I TRIED TO TELL YOU.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU.
IT'S OKAY.
A HUNDRED TIMES I STARTED.
Reinhardt: TELL US BOTH, MISS VOGEL.
BUT IT IS NOT HOW HE SAID.
IT IS HOW I TOLD YOU.
THE BOY, HANS.
THE BOY FROM THE SCHOOL?
YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE ME.
HANS?
YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN HELP ME.
I'M AFRAID YOU MIGHT HAVE TO APPEAL
TO A HIGHER AUTHORITY THAN THAT.
I SWEAR IT WAS HANS.
HANS SCHILLING.
YOU ARE SPEAKING OF THE FATHER?
SURELY YOU CANNOT REMEMBER HIS NAME.
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY--
IT WAS A BOY I KNEW AS A CHILD!
MY GOD.
I THINK YOU ACTUALLY BELIEVE THIS.
IT'S TRUE, REINHARDT.
SHE WAS ABOUT TO TELL ME WHEN YOU SHOWED UP.
AND STILL YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND.
THERE'S NO HANS,
OR, RATHER, THERE ARE DOZENS.
IT WAS A BOY I KNEW BEFORE THE WAR.
THERE WAS A HANS ON EVERY FLOOR
IN EVERY OFFICE OF THE MINISTRY.
WASN'T THERE, FRIEDA? WASN'T THERE?
LEAVE HER ALONE, REINHARDT.
ALL MEN ARE YOUR HANS,
IS THIS NOT SO?
SHUT UP!
AND YOU, THE JOURNALIST.
THE EVIDENCE IS ALL AROUND YOU,
AND STILL YOU CLOSE YOUR EYES.
BETTER TO BELIEVE IN A BEAUTIFUL LIE
THAN AN UGLY TRUTH.
HMM? *** CHRISTINA,
FULL OF GRACE, AND STILL, HERE YOU ARE
READY TO BELIEVE IN THIS HANS?
A *** BIRTH IS MORE LIKELY.
GO TO HELL.
YOU KNEW.
YOU CLOSED YOUR EYES, BUT YOU KNEW.
BILLY, I WANTED TO TELL YOU.
WHY DID YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME?
SHE DID NOT CHANGE HER NAME.
SHE SWITCHED NAMES.
WITH WHOM?
ASK HER.
SO SILENCE IS HER ONLY ANSWER.
LOOK, WHY ARE YOU HERE
IF NOT FOR THE OLD CHARGES?
ON 7 SEPTEMBER, 1942,
A YOUNG WOMAN, IDENTIFYING HERSELF
AS FRIEDA VOGEL OF FASANENSTRASSE 17
WAS ADMITTED TO BERLIN GENERALSPITAL
CLAIMING TO HAVE ACCIDENTALLY SWALLOWED POISON.
UPON CURSORY EXAMINATION,
IT WAS DISCOVERED SHE WAS IN LABOR.
SHE WAS TAKEN TO THE DELIVERY ROOM,
WHERE AT 1:45 ON THE MORNING OF 8 SEPTEMBER,
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO A HEALTHY INFANT GIRL,
WEIGHT, 2.8 KILOS.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU.
Reinhardt: NO FATHER WAS NAMED.
THOUGH NO NAME FOR THE CHILD
APPEARS ON THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE,
THIS IS NOT SO UNUSUAL IN THE CASE OF ILLEGITIMACY.
HE MIXES LIES WITH THE TRUTH.
SOME WEEKS LATER, THE MOTHER APPEARED
AT THE BUREAU OF RECORDS,
AND THE CHILD'S NAME WAS DULY RECORDED.
THE CHILD WAS GIVEN THE NAME CHRISTINA.
Billy: WHAT?
CHRISTINA.
Reinhardt: YES.
MY BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL.
AN ANGEL.
CHRISTINA.
SUCH A PRETTY NAME.
I ALWAYS LOVED IT,
EVEN AS A CHILD.
A PRETTIER NAME THAN FRIEDA?
FRIEDA'S A PEASANT NAME,
A WOMAN WASHING POTATOES.
SO YOU TOOK HER NAME.
YES.
NO.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINA.
THEN WHERE IS FRIEDA?
FRIEDA?
FRIEDA IS...
MOTHER AND CHILD RETURNED TO THE FLAT
ON THE FASANENSTRASSE.
FOR SOME MONTHS, FRIEDA REFRAINED
FROM HER USUAL PROFESSION.
APPARENTLY, MOTHERHOOD HAD A SALUTARY EFFECT.
THE CHILD WAS, ACCORDING TO NEIGHBORS,
A HEALTHY, GROWING INFANT.
SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CHILD.
NEVERTHELESS,
THERE WERE SEVERAL VISITS TO A DR. MANNHEIM.
THE CHILD HAD AN EPISODE OF CONGESTION.
THE DOCTOR FEARED COMPLICATIONS,
BUT IT PROVED TO BE NO MORE THAN A COLD.
EVEN WITH THE PRIVATIONS OF WAR,
THE CHILD CONTINUED TO THRIVE.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL THE SUMMER OF 1944
THAT FRIEDA VOGEL RETURNED TO HER CHOSEN PROFESSION.
NOT ONCE.
NOT ONCE AFTER SHE WAS BORN.
HMM?
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?
WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GIRL,
I HAD A SECRET DREAM
TO BE AN ACTRESS.
I WOULD SPEND HOURS
LOOKING IN THE MIRROR,
PRETENDING TO BE ANYONE BUT FRIEDA.
WHAT A SAD, UGLY NAME
FOR AN ACTRESS.
WHAT A SAD, UGLY CHILD.
HOW COULD SHE EVER HOPE TO BE ANYTHING MORE
THAN WHAT SHE IS?
IT IS LIKE HE SAID.
JUST AS HE SAID.
BUT I--I DON'T UNDERS--
NO, PLEASE.
I CAN'T SEE YOUR EYES LOOKING AT ME.
THE FIRST WAS A DEPUTY WAR MINISTER,
A DECENT ENOUGH MAN.
COULD ALWAYS GO TO HIM WHENEVER I HAD A PROBLEM.
HE INTRODUCED ME TO THE OTHERS.
LONELY, UNHAPPY MEN.
EVEN THEN, THEY KNEW THEY WERE FINISHED.
ALL I COULD GIVE THEM IN RETURN
WAS AN ILLUSION.
WHEN I WAS WITH THEM,
I JUST PRETENDED THAT I WAS PLAYING A PART.
THE ACTRESS I ALWAYS WANTED TO BE.
YOU HAVE EVERY RIGHT.
I CAN'T ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS.
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE.
BUT I NEVER ONCE--
I NEVER ONCE WENT BACK
AFTER CHRISTINA WAS BORN!
BUT...YOU NEEDED MONEY.
PLEASE, MISS VOGEL.
PLEASE.
I WENT TO THE DEPUTY MINISTER,
AND HE GAVE ME WHAT LITTLE HE COULD,
AND HE NEVER ASKED FOR ANYTHING,
ONLY A PICTURE OF THE CHILD.
HE COULDN'T HAVE CHILDREN WITH HIS WIFE.
DID YOU TELL HIM THE CHILD WAS HIS?
HE TOLD HIMSELF.
IS THIS THE PICTURE?
HOW DID YOU GET IT?
HE WAS THE MAN WHO CAME TO US.
HE IS IN A PRECARIOUS POSITION
WITH THE OCCUPATION AUTHORITY,
HAVING WORKED IN THE WAR MINISTRY,
BUT STILL, HE COULD NOT KEEP SILENT.
I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE.
KEEP SILENT ABOUT WHAT?
DO YOU WANT TO SEE HER, BILLY?
MY CHRISTINA?
CAN I HAVE IT?
THANK YOU.
I HAVE, UH, SO FEW.
A PRETTY CHILD.
YES.
TELL ME ABOUT HER, FRIEDA.
SHE HAS MY EYES.
AH.
AND MY HAIR.
SO MUCH LIKE ME AT HER AGE.
SOMETIMES I THINK THAT SHE IS GOD'S GIFT TO ME.
A NEW CHANCE, A NEW LIFE.
AS ARE ALL CHILDREN,
BUT SHE WAS BORN IN DIFFICULT TIMES.
OH.
SO TERRIFIED OF THE BOMBING.
SCREAMS OF THE INJURED AND DYING.
IT MUST HAVE BEEN TERRIBLE FOR A SMALL CHILD.
SO TERRIFIED OF BEING ALONE.
ALONE?
WERE YOU NOT WITH HER?
OF COURSE I WAS.
THEN WHO WAS ALONE?
FRIEDA.
FRIEDA...
WAS ALONE.
YOU WERE ALONE.
IS IT THE CHILD YOU'RE AFTER?
NO!
FRIEDA, IT IS TIME FOR THE TRUTH.
THE TRUTH?
YOU SITTING IN YOUR OFFICE
IN THE WILHELMSTRASSE,
THE ONES WHO TOOK PEOPLE AWAY IN THE NIGHT!
I WAS A POLICEMAN, AS I AM NOW.
IF THERE'S BLOOD ON MY HANDS,
IT IS NOT FOR WHAT I DID DO.
IT IS FOR WHAT I DID NOT DO.
NOW YOU ATONE...
HERE. [SCOFFS]
IT IS TIME FOR BOTH OF US.
HE HAS COME TO TAKE MY CHRISTINA AWAY!
Reinhardt: SPRING OF 1945, BERLIN WAS UNDER SIEGE.
THE RUSSIANS WERE SHELLING THE CITY...
UNMERCIFULLY.
CHILDREN OF 11 AND 12 WERE GIVEN WEAPONS
AND SENT OUT TO DEFEND THE CITY.
THE STORY OF WHAT OCCURRED
AT FASANENSTRASSE 17 WOULD NOT BE TOLD
FOR SOME MONTHS.
IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER THE SURRENDER
THAT THE MAN FROM THE MINISTRY
CAME TO US, THE POLICE, WITH HIS CONCERNS.
HE TOLD HIS STORY TO A TIRED OLD DESK OFFICER
WHO WAS HARD PUT JUST TO FEED HIS OWN FAMILY,
BUT I HAPPENED TO BE STANDING NEARBY.
IF I HAD LEFT JUST A FEW MOMENTS EARLIER...
HE TOLD OF A MOTHER AND A DAUGHTER
WHO HAD DISAPPEARED SOME MONTHS EARLIER.
NOW, THERE'S NOTHING SO REMARKABLE IN THIS.
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS WENT MISSING
DURING THIS TIME.
BUT SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, THE SADNESS IN HIS EYE,
I COULD NOT FORGET.
SO I MADE INQUIRIES.
I FOUND OUT WHAT I COULD,
BUT IT PROVED TO BE DIFFICULT.
THE BUILDING IN FASANENSTRASSE
WAS DESTROYED.
MANY TIMES, I FELT LIKE GIVING IT UP,
BUT I COULD NOT LET IT GO.
AND THEN ONE DAY, I MET A MAN.
JOSEF STROMBERG.
OH!
STROMBERG.
ANOTHER LIAR.
JA. A NEIGHBOR.
HE KNEW THE MOTHER AND THE DAUGHTER.
SOMETIMES HE WOULD GIVE THE CHILD A SWEET.
HE SPOKE OF THE CHILD'S
FRIGHTENED CRIES IN THE NIGHT
DURING THE SHELLING AND THE BOMBING,
AND THEN ONE NIGHT, THE CRIES STOPPED.
HE'S A LYING OLD ***.
THE SUPERINTENDANT OF THE BUILDING,
HE HEARD THE CRIES AS WELL,
AND HE REMEMBERS THE NIGHT THEY STOPPED.
Christina: ALL OF THEM,
THEY BRING US WAR AFTER WAR,
AND THEN TO EASE THEIR OWN CONSCIENCE, THEY--
AND HE NEVER SAW THE CHILD AGAIN.
AND A FEW NIGHTS LATER,
THE MOTHER DISAPPEARED AS WELL,
AND SOON AFTER THAT,
THE BUILDING ITSELF WAS DESTROYED,
AND AROUND IT, MUCH OF BERLIN.
DUST TO DUST. I DON'T MISS IT.
EVENTUALLY, THE FIRES WENT OUT.
IT WAS OVER.
PEOPLE BEGAN TO EMERGE INTO THE SUNLIGHT,
TO RETURN TO THEIR LIVES.
THIS IS HUMAN NATURE.
SATAN TRIES TO CONVINCE THE DEAD
THAT THEY ARE STILL ALIVE.
EVENTUALLY, A FEW SOULS CAME FORTH,
JUST A HANDFUL WHO REMEMBERED THE CHILD
WHO WAS NEVER SEEN
AGAIN.
HE DICTATES THE STORY,
AND WE BLINDLY PLAY OUR PARTS.
THE CHILD WHO DISAPPEARED, NOT TO RETURN,
BECAUSE IN THE DARKNESS OF THE NIGHT,
IN THE SOLITARY DARKNESS...
THE MOTHER PUT AN END TO HER CRIES.
MEDIEVAL PRIESTS FILLED THEIR EARS
WITH MOLTEN LEAD...
PUT AN END TO HER CRIES FOREVER.
TO DROWN OUT THE DEVIL'S LIES!
FRIEDA, YOU MUST TELL ME.
I'VE WONDERED ABOUT THIS FOR SO MANY MONTHS.
HOW DID YOU DO THIS?
HOW DID YOU PUT AN END TO HER LIFE?
DID YOU PUT A CAPSULE UNDER HER TONGUE?
DID YOU SQUEEZE THE LIFE OUT OF HER
WITH YOUR MOTHER'S HANDS?
TELL ME! TELL ME!
STOP!
NOT UNTIL I KNOW!
OKAY.
WO IST DANN DAS KIND?
I WOULD NEVER HURT HER!
WHERE IS SHE?
SHE IS ALL I HAVE!
AH...
WILL YOU TELL ME, CHRISTINA?
WHERE IS SHE?
IN THE LAST FEW DAYS OF THE WAR,
IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EVEN FIND SOMETHING TO EAT.
THE STREETS WERE RUINED.
THE ROADS WERE BLOCKED.
AT ANY MOMENT, YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED,
AND THE NIGHTS WERE WORSE.
THE DARKNESS IN HER ROOM WAS LIKE THE SPACE BETWEEN STARS.
I TRIED TO READ HER CHILDREN'S STORIES,
BUT WITHOUT LIGHT,
I COULD ONLY SAY THE ONES I REMEMBERED AS A CHILD,
AND WHEN THOSE WERE FINISHED, I HAD TO MAKE UP NEW ONES.
A BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS ESCAPED THE IMPOSSIBLE DANGERS,
FINDING HER PRINCE,
VANQUISHING DEMONS.
SOMETIMES IT WORKED,
AND I WOULD HEAR HER BREATHING SLOW,
IMAGINING HER THOUGHTS
TRAVELING TO OTHER WORLDS AND TIMES,
AND FINALLY SHE WOULD DROP OFF TO SLEEP IN MY ARMS,
AND I WOULD LISTEN TO HER BREATHING.
THE EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF THE WORLD.
ALL I WANTED WAS WHAT ANY WOMAN WANTED.
BERLIN WAS FINISHED.
WE WERE ALL FINISHED,
BUT BERGHEIM WAS ONLY A FEW MILES SOUTH.
MAYBE THERE, WE COULD HAVE ANOTHER CHANCE,
SO I PACKED SOME OF CHRISTINA'S THINGS
IN A BLANKET,
AND WE WENT OUT INTO THE NIGHT.
SHE WAS SO BRAVE.
THERE WERE SHELLS GOING OFF ALL AROUND US,
FIRES EVERYWHERE,
BUT GOD PROTECTED US.
AND ON THE SECOND DAY...
WE ARRIVED.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND NOW WHY I HAD TO DO IT?
I WENT TO A...
OLD CHURCH
IN THE CENTER OF TOWN.
IT WAS WHERE I HAD MY FIRST COMMUNION.
CHRISTINA AWOKE,
AND SHE LOOKED UP TO THE STAINED GLASS.
"ARE WE IN HEAVEN, MAMA?"
I TOLD HER TO BE STILL AND GO BACK TO SLEEP,
AND I PUT HER IN A PEW AND COVERED HER WITH A BLANKET.
ARE YOU SAYING YOU LEFT HER IN THE CHURCH?
I NEVER FORGET HER FACE.
I TOLD HER THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE FOR A LITTLE WHILE,
BUT, UH, SHE KNEW.
"WHY ARE YOU LEAVING ME, MAMA?"
ALL I COULD SAY WAS, "SHH. SEI RUHIG."
"SHH. BE STILL."
I WAS CERTAIN THAT I WOULDN'T SURVIVE.
I HAD BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH ALREADY.
EVERY DAY, THEY WERE COMING CLOSER.
EVERY NIGHT, A BOMB TOOK ANOTHER BLOCK.
I HAD SEEN TOO MUCH.
I HAD--I HAD LIVED THROUGH TOO MUCH.
I WAS A PART OF IT, AND IT WAS A PART OF ME,
BUT I COULD SAVE MY DAUGHTER,
THE ONLY INNOCENT PART OF ME LEFT.
I DIDN'T EXPECT TO LIVE
ON THE ROAD BACK TO BERLIN.
I ACCEPTED GOD'S JUDGMENT.
BUT AT LEAST I KNEW CHRISTINA WOULD LIVE.
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
WAR ENDED.
JUST LIKE A DREAM.
MORNING CAME AGAIN.
THE SUN DOESN'T KNOW NOT TO RISE.
AND I GOT FRANTIC.
I HAD TO FIND HER.
SO I TRIED TO GO BACK TO BERGHEIM,
BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.
THERE WERE OCCUPATION TROOPS EVERYWHERE.
ROAD BLOCKS--
IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND A SINGLE CHILD.
MISS VOGEL--
BUT I NEVER GIVE UP.
I MUST KEEP LOOKING TILL I FIND MY CHILD.
MISS VOGEL, WHAT YOU ARE SAYING IS IMPOSSIBLE.
YOU THINK I'M SO EASY TO FOOL?
I KNOW YOU ALREADY.
PERHAPS IN YOUR MIND...
IN YOUR MIND, IT HAPPENED THIS WAY.
I SPENT MONTHS LOOKING FOR HER
AFTER THE PEACE.
TRIP AFTER TRIP TO BERGHEIM.
THE OLD CHURCH, THE ORPHANAGES--
I NEVER GAVE UP.
AND I, TOO...
I DON'T GIVE UP.
Billy: DON'T SAY ANYTHING, CHRISTINA,
NOT ANOTHER WORD.
IT'S OKAY, BILLY.
EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED.
LISTEN TO ME.
LISTEN TO ME. HE HAS NOTHING.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND?
NO PROOF.
HE'S ONLY HOPING--
CORRECT.
HE IS CORRECT.
I THINK EACH OF US IS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
THAT IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE FOR US TO FIND.
HOW TO LOCATE A SINGLE LOST SOUL
AMONG THE MILLIONS.
WHY MAKE THE ATTEMPT?
A MOTHER'S LOVE?
A POLICEMAN'S DUTY?
AH, HE IS CORRECT.
I HAVE NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE ANY MEANING
IN A COURT OF LAW.
A FEW UNCERTAIN WITNESSES,
A HANDFUL OF DISCONNECTED FACTS,
BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW, MISS VOGEL.
I KNOW YOUR SECRET.
BUT WITHOUT PROOF,
IT'S JUST A STORY AMONG STORIES.
DO YOU HEAR WHAT HE'S SAYING?
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU HEAR WHAT HE'S SAYING.
HE CAN'T DO ANYTHING TO YOU.
I SEE YOU HAVE LEARNED SOMETHING
FROM YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE LAW.
YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT ME.
DON'T COME HERE AND JUDGE.
I JUDGE NO ONE.
I WILL LEAVE THAT TO YOUR COURT.
I DON'T DENY THAT I MADE A FEW DOLLARS
IN THE BLACK MARKET.
A LOT OF MEN IN THE SERVICE DID.
A LOT OF MEN DO IT.
THIS MAKES IT ACCEPTABLE?
MY ARREST WASN'T ABOUT THE BLACK MARKET.
WHAT ARE YOU SAYING, BILLY?
I WAS WORKING ON AN ARTICLE FOR STARS AND STRIPES,
AND I GUESS I RUFFLED A FEW FEATHERS.
IT WAS A PIECE ON THE RECONSTRUCTION.
THIS WAS, UH, WHEN YOU WERE IN FRANKFURT?
YEAH.
OFFICIALLY, THE POLICY IS COMPLETE DE-NAZIFICATION.
NO ONE WITH LINKS TO THE PARTY
CAN BE A PART OF THE NEW GERMANY.
THE MORE I LOOKED,
THE MORE I SAW THE RULES BEING BENT.
A PETTY BUREAUCRAT HERE, A MINOR OFFICIAL THERE.
QUIETLY, WE WERE PUTTING BACK IN PLACE
SOME OF THE SAME PEOPLE WE'D FOUGHT SIX MONTHS BEFORE.
THEY WERE, AFTER ALL,
THE ONES WHO KNEW HOW TO KEEP THINGS RUNNING.
ADD TO THAT THE GROWING PROBLEM WITH THE RUSSIANS,
AND IT'S A MATTER OF SHIFTING PRIORITIES.
ENEMIES BECOME ALLIES.
WITH THE TRIALS UNDER WAY AT NUREMBERG,
IT BECAME POLITICALLY AWKWARD.
MY EDITOR ASKED ME TO KILL THE STORY.
I TOLD HIM TO GO TO HELL.
THAT IF HE DIDN'T WANT THE STORY,
MAYBE THE TIMES DID.
TWO DAYS LATER, I WAS ASKED TO DELIVER A PACKAGE.
I WAS SO STUPID. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.
BY THE TIME I GOT OUT OF THE STOCKADE,
MY NOTES WERE GONE.
SO, UH, LIEUTENANT,
WHAT PREVENTS YOU
FROM WRITING THE STORY NOW?
Billy: TO WHAT END?
WILL IT CHANGE ANYTHING?
AND, OF COURSE, IT WOULD NOT INGRATIATE YOU
TO THE POWERS THAT BE AT YOUR TRIAL.
SO YOU TRADE SILENCE FOR A LIGHTER SENTENCE.
HUH?
WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THIS BEFORE?
I DON'T KNOW.
IS IT BECAUSE I'M GERMAN?
SO, THE WORLD IS COMPLEX.
Billy: NO, IT'S SIMPLE,
AS LONG AS YOU UNDERSTAND THE RULES ARE FLEXIBLE.
HMM, AND WE ALL MAKE OUR COMPROMISES, YES?
THERE IS NOTHING LEFT FOR YOU HERE, REINHARDT.
LET IT GO.
I CANNOT.
NO ONE IS INNOCENT ANYMORE.
EXCEPT THE DEAD.
Christina: AND THE CHILDREN.
"SUFFER THE CHILDREN."
ISN'T THAT WHAT GOD SAID?
"AND FORBID THEM NOT TO COME UNTO ME."
CHRISTINA, I THINK YOU SHOULD--
BILLY, YOU DON'T LISTEN TO ME.
I'VE BEEN TRYING TO TELL YOU
EVER SINCE YOU CAME HERE TODAY.
TO TELL ME WHAT?
SOMETHING WONDERFUL HAS HAPPENED.
LAST WEEK, A WOMAN FROM THE RED CROSS CALLED.
THEY FOUND A CHILD WANDERING THE STREETS
THE LAST DAY OF THE WAR.
HUNDREDS AND HUNDREDS OF SUCH CHILDREN WERE FOUND.
YOU HAVE NOTHING TO SAY,
COMING IN HERE WITH A LIE ON YOUR LIPS,
ASKING FOR THE TRUTH. WHOSE TRUTH?
YOU WILL ANSWER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE.
NOT TO YOU.
NEVER AGAIN TO MEN LIKE YOU.
HOW MANY HAVE YOU TAKEN
INTO THE NIGHT AND THE FOG?
I TOOK NO ONE AWAY.
BUT YOU SAW IT GOING ON AROUND YOU.
I CANNOT CHANGE THE PAST.
BUT THE PAST CHANGES US.
Reinhardt: I THINK THAT IS TRUE.
AND WE ALL HAVE OUR SEPARATE VERSIONS.
YOUR CHRISTINA, SHE CERTAINLY HAS HERS,
AND--AND I HAVE MINE,
AND YOU, TOO, LIEUTENANT,
YOU HAVE YOUR OWN, UH, ROMANTIC PAST.
THE ASPIRING JOURNALIST SEEKING TO EXPOSE EVIL.
QUITE A COUP.
QUITE A FEATHER IN YOUR HAT.
TELL ME, WHY IS IT SO EASY FOR THE JOURNALIST
TO EXPOSE ONE CRIME AND TO IGNORE ANOTHER?
IT'S A WORLD OF CRIME, REINHARDT.
"GOD IS DEAD."
ISN'T THAT WHAT YOUR NIETZSCHE SAID?
"AND WE HAVE KILLED HIM."
Billy: IT'S EASY TO TALK
ABOUT VERSIONS OF THE TRUTH
HERE IN THE LIGHT AFTER THE PEACE.
WE CAN ALL AFFORD TO BE PHILOSOPHERS
IN THE DAYLIGHT.
JUST AT THE END OF THE WAR,
I WAS SENT WITH A GROUP OF REPORTERS
TO A SMALL TOWN IN POLAND.
I DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME.
THE CAMPS HAD BEEN LIBERATED,
AND WE WERE SENT IN TO DOCUMENT
WHAT HAD BEEN FOUND.
WE HAD ALL HEARD THE STORIES,
BUT I--I DON'T THINK ANYONE BELIEVED THEM.
NOW WE'D SEE FOR OURSELVES.
SOME OF THE MEN WERE SICK.
SOME WERE CRYING.
BUT I...
I FELT...NOTHING.
IT WASN'T REAL.
THEY, UM...THEY TOOK US TO THIS SHED,
THIS, UH, STOREROOM OF SOME KIND.
AND IN THE CENTER WAS THIS MOUND.
IT SEEMED TO SPARKLE FAINTLY IN THE DARK.
AS I CAME CLOSER, I COULD SEE WHAT IT WAS.
WRISTWATCHES.
A MOUNTAIN OF WRISTWATCHES.
THOUSANDS OF THEM, TAKEN FROM THE DEAD.
NOW I UNDERSTOOD.
TIME HAD STOPPED.
SO, INSPECTOR REINHARDT,
I DON'T CARE WHICH VERSION
OF THE TRUTH IS THE RIGHT ONE.
NOTHING--
NOTHING CAN BALANCE THE SCALES
AGAINST THAT MOUNTAIN OF WRISTWATCHES.
LIEUTENANT CALVERT, I'M NOT A COMPLICATED MAN.
WHEN I WAS YOUNG, I THOUGHT THAT TO GO TO WAR
WAS A NOBLE THING,
THAT IT WAS A DUTY
TO SOMETHING LARGER THAN ONESELF.
THIS IS WHAT MY FATHER THOUGHT,
AND HIS FATHER THOUGHT BEFORE HIM.
THIS IS A STORY MEN TELL THEMSELVES.
AND THE LAST SIX YEARS ARE MAYBE THE RESULT.
IN THE SHADOW OF SUCH CRIMES,
ONE SMALL LIFE COULD SO EASILY BE FORGOTTEN.
YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES I IMAGINE
THAT IF I LET IT GO FOR JUST ONE INSTANT,
IT WILL VANISH BENEATH AN OCEAN OF DEATH.
A LIFE NEVER LIVED.
MAYBE THAT WOULD BE MERCIFUL,
I DON'T KNOW.
BUT I CANNOT LET IT GO.
Billy: I WILL MARRY HER, REINHARDT.
BILLY....
WE WILL LEAVE GERMANY TOGETHER.
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
WE CAN LEAVE GERMANY TOGETHER,
THE THREE OF US.
I FOUND HER.
THE WOMAN FROM THE RED CROSS
BROUGHT HER TO ME.
I TRULY WISH THIS WERE SO.
SHE LOOKED LIKE AN ANGEL,
EXACTLY THE WAY I LEFT HER.
WHERE IS SHE, CHRISTINA?
SHE'S BEEN HERE THE WHOLE TIME.
THEN IT SHOULD BE A SIMPLE MATTER FOR US TO SEE HER.
I'LL NEVER LET YOU SEE HER.
I KNOW WHO YOU ARE.
WILL YOU LET ME SEE HER, CHRISTINA?
SHE'S SLEEPING NOW.
THERE IS NO CHILD HERE.
SHE'S SO TIRED.
MISS VOGEL,
WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME IS IMPOSSIBLE.
LISTEN TO ME.
THIS, UH, TOWN WHERE YOU LEFT HER--BERGHEIM,
WHERE YOU MET THIS HANS.
IT'S THE TOWN WHERE I WAS BORN.
THIS TOWN DOES NOT EXIST ANY LONGER.
IT WAS BOMBED, IT WAS DESTROYED,
BURNED TO THE GROUND IN THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE WAR.
NO.
DO YOU HEAR ME?
FATHER OF LIES!
BERGHEIM NO LONGER EXISTS.
FATHER OF LIES!
THEN LET ME SEE HER!
NO!
[*** GUN]
YOU'LL NEVER SEE HER.
CHRISTINA, NO!
YOU DON'T BELIEVE ME, BILLY?
EVEN YOU?
MISS VOGEL--
NOT ANOTHER WORD!
NOTHING EVER CHANGES WITH YOU.
SIX YEARS, YOU COME HERE
LIKE IT'S A FINE MORNING.
WHERE WERE YOU
AND YOUR NOBLE BELIEFS AND DECENCY?
WHERE WERE YOU?!
NO ONE WILL EVER TAKE HER FROM ME AGAIN.
NO ONE IS GONNA TAKE HER AWAY.
I DID NOT COME TO TAKE A CHILD.
I CAME FOR THE TRUTH.
TRUTH?
Reinhardt: I SIMPLY NEED TO KNOW.
Billy: WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE TRUTH?
WITHOUT EVIDENCE, WITHOUT A BODY?
ONE SMALL DEATH, AT LEAST.
IT CAN BE COUNTED,
REMEMBERED. IT'S SOMETHING.
THIS IS NOT MUCH OF A GUN.
TWO BULLETS, YES?
TELL ME, FRIEDA,
WHO IS THE SECOND BULLET FOR?
YOU TELL ME THAT SHE IS THERE.
PLEASE, LET ME SEE HER.
YOU WILL NEVER SEE ME AGAIN.
NO.
PLEASE, FRIEDA, JUST OPEN THE DOOR ONE INCH.
IT WILL BE ENOUGH.
SHE'S SLEEPING.
[WHISPERING] I WILL BE VERY QUIET.
SHH!
BE STILL!
FRIEDA, YOU CAN'T SHOW HER TO ME, CAN YOU?
YOU CANNOT OPEN THE DOOR,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW THE BED IS EMPTY.
IT WILL ALWAYS BE EMPTY.
WHO ARE YOU?
AND IN FRONT OF US,
YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE LIE.
ENOUGH, DAMN YOU!
JA, ALL OF US ARE DAMNED
FOR WHAT WE DID, WHAT WE DID NOT DO.
STOP IT!
PLEASE, FRIEDA,
HER CRIES KEEP ME AWAKE AT NIGHT,
JUST AS THEY... AS THEY KEPT YOU AWAKE,
EVEN IF I AM THE ONLY ONE TO HEAR THEM.
PLEASE...
GO AWAY!
TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED.
PLEASE, FRIEDA.
YOU TOLD ME YOU TOOK HER AWAY IN THE NIGHT.
I BELIEVE YOU DID.
PLEASE.
Christina: I TOOK HER AWAY.
PLEASE...
IT WAS THE ONLY THING I COULD DO.
SHE WAS SO SMALL,
AND SHE HAD HAD ENOUGH, AND IT WOULDN'T STOP.
SO YOU TOOK HER AWAY.
I CAN--I CAN STILL SEE HER FACE
IN A SLIVER OF LIGHT,
WHITE SKIN, BLACK EYES.
THERE IS A CRACK IN THE CURTAINS,
WHICH IS A VIOLATION IF I GET CAUGHT.
AND I THOUGHT,
HOW STRANGE. THE MOON IS STILL THERE,
SHINING IN ETERNAL SILENCE.
AND ANOTHER BOMB... CLOSER.
AND I PUT MY HANDS TO MY--
NO, I PUT MY HANDS TO CHRISTINA'S EARS.
JA.
SHH. BE STILL.
BE STILL.
IT IS QUIET ON THE MOON TONIGHT.
AND I LOOK AT HER,
AND HER MOUTH IS OPEN, AND SHE IS CRYING,
BUT I CAN'T HEAR THROUGH THE EXPLOSIONS.
AND HER SMALL HEAD SHAKES BACK AND FORTH.
"MAKE IT STOP, MAMA."
"MAKE IT STOP."
SHH.
MAMA TRIES.
MAMA TRIES.
AND I THINK, I AM SO BIG AND SO HELPLESS.
HOW MUCH HARDER FOR HER, SUCH A SMALL ONE?
"MAKE IT STOP, MAMA. MAKE IT STOP."
SEI RUHIG, SHH.
MAMA TRIES.
AND I...
I TOOK THE PILLOW,
AND I....
GO ON, FRIEDA.
[SOBBING] AND I...I...
I LOOKED DOWN,
AND THE PILLOW WAS OVER HER FACE.
HOW DID IT GET THERE, I WONDER.
AND I LOOK AT THE MOON
THROUGH THE CRACK IN THE CURTAINS...
AND I PRESS.
I PRESS.
BUT THE MOON IS STILL THERE.
STILL SHINING.
AND I FELT HER HANDS GRAB FOR MY BELLY.
SUCH SMALL, SMALL HANDS.
AND I PRESSED,
AND I PRESSED,
AND I PRESSED.
UNTIL THERE WERE NO MORE CRIES.
SCHULDIG.
SCHULDIG.
SCHULDIG.
SCHULDIG.
SO...[SIGHS]
SCHULDIG.
THE UNKNOWN BECOMES KNOWN.
WHAT IS SHE SAYING?
Christina: SCHULDIG.
SCHULDIG.
GUILTY.
Christina: SCHULDIG.
[SOBBING]
MISS VOGEL, WILL YOU COME WITH ME?
NO!
YOU THINK I DON'T REMEMBER YOU?
OH, I REMEMBER!
HOW YOU USED TO COME HOME, HATEFUL AND ANGRY,
MY BROTHER AND I NEVER KNOWING HOW TO ACT!
"BE QUIET AND OBEY!
LOOK AT THE FLOOR!"
YOU THINK I DON'T REMEMBER?
I REMEMBER!
CHASING PETER AROUND THE KITCHEN TABLE,
BEATING HIM WITH YOUR BIG LEATHER STRAP,
UNTIL HE BEGGED AND HE BLED!
MISS VOGEL, IT WAS NOT ME.
Billy: CHRISTINA....
[GASPING]
YOU THINK SO MUCH CAN HAPPEN AROUND YOU,
AND YOU DON'T BECOME A PART OF IT?
YES.
I HELD HER IN MY ARMS,
AND I TOOK BACK THE VERY LIFE I GAVE TO HER.
AS WAS MY RIGHT!
INTO WHOSE WORLD WOULD SHE GO?
YOUR WORLD?
[LAUGHS] OH!
I DIDN'T THINK THAT WE WOULD LIVE TO SEE MORNING.
BUILDINGS WERE BEING DESTROYED,
ONE AFTER ANOTHER.
THERE WERE FIRES EVERYWHERE.
DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?
BUT THE ONE THING I WOULD NOT ALLOW,
THE ONE THING THAT I COULD NOT RISK
WAS THAT I WOULD BE THE FIRST TO DIE.
I COULD NOT LEAVE MY CHILD ALONE.
AND SHE WAS SO SMALL, AND SO FRIGHTENED.
AND SHE CRIED, AND SHE CRIED,
AND SHE WANTED TO GO,
BUT THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GO.
THERE WASN'T A TOWN, A VILLAGE, A CITY...
NOT A CHURCH, NOT A SCHOOL,
NOT A RIVER, NOT A PARK, NOT A STREAM,
NOT EVEN A BLADE OF GRASS!
THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GO!
THERE WAS NO ESCAPE!
SO I...
I TOOK A LITTLE PILLOW,
AND I PUT IT ON HER FACE,
BECAUSE DARKNESS WAS THE ONLY WAY OUT FOR HER.
AND THE DARKNESS WELCOMED HER.
DON'T YOU SEE?
I SAVED HER.
SHE IS THE ONLY ONE OF US WHO ESCAPED.
Reinhardt: YES.
I SEE.
Billy: LET HER GO, REINHARDT.
THERE'S NO MORE FOR YOU HERE.
UNTIL THIS MOMENT, I WAS NOT SURE.
YOU GOT WHAT YOU CAME FOR.
PERHAPS.
ALL I FEEL NOW IS IMPOSSIBLY TIRED.
IT'S ONE LIFE AMONG 50 MILLION.
TAKE ONE LIFE, YOU DESTROY A UNIVERSE.
WHERE DID I HEAR THIS?
THE WAR IS OVER.
JA.
SO I DO MY JOB.
DO YOU SEE?
IT IS POSSIBLE TO KNOW
AND NOT TO KNOW AT THE SAME TIME.
JA, IT'S TRUE.
I CLOSED MY EARS TO TOO MANY CRIES.
IN THE END, ALL THAT CAN BE SAID OF A MAN
IS THAT HE DOES WHAT IS EXPECTED OF HIM,
WHAT HE EXPECTS OF HIMSELF.
NO!
YOU WILL NOT TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME AGAIN.
CHRISTINA?
Christina: JUST MAKE HER STOP CRYING.
MAKE HER STOP CRYING!
SHH, STOP CRYING!
CHRISTINA?
NO! MM-MM.
YOU WILL NEVER TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME AGAIN!
SHH!
BE STILL!
[MUFFLED GUNSHOT]
[GASPS]
[GUNSHOT]
[DISTANT BELLS CHIMING]
[CLOCK TICKING]
[WATCHES TICKING]
[CLOCK AND WATCHES TICKING, BELL TOLLING]
[SOMBER PIANO MUSIC]