A Time to Love and a Time to Die

(Car horn)

(Brakes screech)

Ernst!

I thought it was you!

Don't you recognise

your friend anymore?

Binding. Oskar Binding, of course!

Who else! Where have you come from?

-Russia.

-Russia!

I'd say that calls for a celebration.

Come along to my place.

I have a first rate cognac or

anything else you want. Anything at all.

Come. For old time's sake.

-I could use a drink.

-Ah!

You've worked your way up in the world.

District Leader Binding. Not bad!

Just goes to show you

anything can happen.

Me, who couldn't even get

a passing grade in History.

Political leader

to keep the Mayor straight!

Come on.

Cosy, isn't it.

And all mine, a milkman's son!

Who would have thought that l,

Oskar Binding, would be...

an art collector!

What would you like to drink?

Brandy? Cointreau? Vodka? Gin?

Kimmel? Wine? What?

Anything, it doesn't matter.

What's bothering you, Ernst?

Anything I can do?

If there is, tell me, you know

I've got quite a position here now.

(Distant explosion)

Maybe you can help me, Oskar.

My parents are missing.

They were bombed out,

I can't locate them.

How terrible. I'll see what I can find out.

What else?

Nothing else.

It's as good as done. Come on,

make yourself comfortable.

Take off your coat.

-Frau Kleinert. Brandy glasses.

-Yes, Herr Binding, brandy glasses.

-Where are you living now?

-At the old barracks.

A furlough in barracks?

You must come and stay here with me.

-Thanks, but I can't.

-Of course you can, look.

Here you would have

your own room and bath.

How long's it been since you had real

soap and all the hot water you want?

Seems like I've never had them.

Well you have them now.

(Sergeant) Hertz.

(Hertz) Here.

-Hobermeier.

-Here.

Well, how do you like it?

-lmmerman.

-Here.

It'll do!

-Shroeder.

-Here.

-Here, let me take that.

-Thanks.

-Gr?ber.

-Here.

Say! You've acquitted yourself well!

-Heller.

-Missing.

-Rainer.

-Missing.

They hand those out

to make us look good.

That how you got that little ornament?

-Holzmann.

-Missing.

-Steinbrenner.

-Here.

-Russia?

-Africa.

-Riess.

-Here.

So you were there too?

Isn't that something.

Hahn.

Missing.

Second company reporting, sir.

-Herr Binding?

-Yes.

31 present,

87 killed, wounded or missing.

-The brandy glasses.

-Thank you.

-Lieutenants Kleiner and H?sser, dead.

-Right, Sergeant.

Combined First and Second Platoons,

Fourth Company reporting, sir.

29 present, 42 killed, wounded

or missing. Lieutenant Vogel's missing.

And if you want a woman, Ernst,

or several women if that's your taste,

There's a chance some of the men

were cut off and will get through later.

this is the place for it.

Let's hope so.

They're around here like flies,

begging for favours.

Get your men into some kind

of quarters. Won't be here for long.

Offering everything they have.

Sergeant Muecke, dismiss the battalion.

Even if they no longer have it.

You should have seen

the one in here yesterday!

(Shouts) Battalion dismissed!

A beautiful creature

from the old aristocracy,

with long red hair and a superb figure.

Pleading with me on her knees

to get her husband

out of the concentration camp.

But it isn't all fun.

You've no idea how lonesome it gets

for a man in my position.

What's the name of this village?

-lf you stay here...

-I'm sorry, I can't.

I don't know.

It had a name

when we were first through here.

You see, everywhere I've been

for news of my parents

It even had people...and houses.

I've given the barracks as my address.

I understand, but remember,

you always have a home here with me.

We've been through here so often, it's

a wonder they don't make us pay rent.

And if you need anything,

one has connections you know.

The first time we were coming through

we were making 1 00 miles a day.

It was the great advance.

That's very good of you, Oskar.

And now it's the great retreat, huh?

Is that what you mean, Gr?ber?

Not at all. If old school mates

don't stick together, who will?

What I mean is...

now we're here again.

Can you really get someone out

of a concentration camp?

In retreat.

That's what you're saying, isn't it?

Don't put words in his mouth,

Steinbrenner.

It's easier for me

to get them in than out.

But naturally I didn't tell that

to the red head.

The only one talking about retreat

around here is you.

You remember Professor Pohlmann?

All the rest of us know

that everything is perfect.

Of course.

I intend to drop by school to see him.

We're gonna annihilate

the enemy this year for certain.

Don't. Remember, he's the reason

I had to quit school.

We annihilate them every year,

sometimes twice a year.

He couldn't get it through his head that

my work with the Hitler Youth

Immerman, one of these days you're

going to talk yourself straight into hell!

was more important than

his lousy examinations.

It might be a pleasant change.

Well, when I became Party Adviser to

the School Board, I returned the favour.

Sergeant Muecke said you're to quarter

in the cellar over there.

I had him put in a camp!

Naturally that meant that he was

kicked out of his teaching post.

Thanks for getting Steinbrenner

off my back.

He had me kicked out,

so I had him kicked out.

Watch yourself, the Gestapo didn't

put that dog here for nothing.

That's justice, eh!

If he turns you in as an alarmist

you can kiss your furlough goodbye.

And he's still in the camp?

No, we only left him there for

a few months to teach him a lesson.

What furlough? I've been waiting for it

for seven months now.

You know my soft heart.

The last I heard,

Or is it seven years?

he was living in the back of

the bombed out Jahnplatz Art Museum.

I felt so sorry for him

I let him stay there.

(Howling wind)

Binding, what are you doing?

Sacrificing my favourite bath salts.

-Hey, lmmerman.

-Yes? What now?

Lilac. The perfect finish

to a gentleman's bath.

Finish is right. Holy jumping Jupiter!

Looks like spring is coming.

That's the one sure way to tell.

The sun digs them up.

To your parents...and our friendship.

I'll put a couple of men on it

first thing in the morning,

What's the matter, Hirschland?

in a few days

we ought to know something.

Still not used to

the boulevards of Russia?

-How about another drink?

-All right.

And a bottle to take with you.

Three weeks he's been with us

and everything still surprises him.

(Sighs)

Ha! I know.

Spring at home means

leaves on the trees, flowers.

That comes much later here. First,

you've got to get a good taste of mud.

Leave him alone, Sauer.

There was a message for you,

I tore it off.

This isn't to be used to make dates.

It's a German uniform.

Dig him out!

Here.

"Ernst, if you want to see me,

I'll be home after 7 '."

And careful with the shovels.

-Oh, he won't feel it anymore.

-He's one of ours!

Elisabeth!

He won't feel that anymore either.

Thanks.

Must be one of the January dead.

Remember that big snow storm?

Couldn't find anyone afterwards.

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