Berlin Express Page #2

Good night. Good night.

You'll take every precaution.

Yes, sir.

'There he was, his first German.

You can't knock it out of your head.

'You've licked him in two wars

'and you're still not sure

you have the upper hand.

'You could be wrong, though.

'Maybe he IS a right guy.

Then you find yourself

'rolling over the former enemy

border and the doubt is back.

'You're in his territory now.

'The trees look the same.

The sky is the same.

'The air doesn't smell

any different.

'All at once,

'the vestibule was chilly

and his own compartment

'suddenly seemed inviting and warm.'

What do you want?

Nothing now. I won't even ask

what you're doing here.

I'm just going to hope.

This is no longer your compartment.

Who said so? The United States Army.

For what reason? All over Europe,

people have been shifted.

I'm to be a casualty of the war?

Well, that's too bad.

I hoped we'd cement relations

between France and America.

At least half of the Allied army

offered the same...

touching proposition.

What about the other half?

They were in the Pacific.

OK, madame, or is it mademoiselle?

Do you know where they moved me? No.

In case there isn't any vacancy -

Non.

Is this what you Americans call

sweeping a girl off her feet?

You know what? I don't get anywhere

with girls back home either.

You've been transferred

in with me. With you?

I know. I feel the same way

about it, but there it is.

It must be to do with

the gentleman who had bodyguards.

He moved only a moment ago.

Why can't I take this?

I'll get your things.

That isn't available, Mr Lindley.

It's empty.

We're keeping it that way.

BRAKES ARE APPLIED SUDDENLY

Was machen Sie hier

so spat in der Nacht?

Mein Rad ist kaputt.

This bloke could have been killed.

Would you pardon me, please?

You'll be OK now, Dr Bernhardt.

Excuse me.

I don't mean to be personal.

Who do you have to know

to get something to eat?

Something to eat?

I have some sandwiches.

But why not? I would be honoured

if all of you would join me.

No. And you?

No, thank you.

It would give us a chance

to know one another.

And for what good purpose?

For mutual understanding.

I overheard you a short while ago

outside my compartment.

I feel you could use some.

Are you Dr Heinrich Bernhardt?

Mm-hm. We'll take those sandwiches.

Permit me to bring them to you.

Head of a fact-finding commission

to unify Germany, right?

That's him, if he can swing it.

All right, everybody. Stay in your

compartment until further notice.

Can't sleep either, eh?

What do you think happens next?

Whatever it is, it will delay us.

Of that you can be certain.

The world's full of peacemakers

fighting among themselves.

This one was different, I think.

I know a few things about him.

He fought for peace all his life.

A fine tribute he received -

a grenade.

KNOCK AT DOOR:

Lindley? Perrot?

When we reach the station,

go to the special bus.

Special bus? The passengers

of this car are under arrest.

You'd better start packing.

Do you see the delay? It begins.

We're in Frankfurt now.

'Or rather,

what's left of Frankfurt.

'The biggest ghost town

you ever saw.

'A community of hollow shells,

chipped and battered

'by Allied bombs,

according to a methodical plan,

'a plan that would cancel out

the city as a tough enemy centre,

'and still retain some choice spots.

'Like the Hauptbahnhof,

the railroad depot,

'which served the occupation forces,

'and experts in restoration

'who would enter

this strange new world.'

GUARD'S WHISTLE

'Specialists in military affairs,

clerical workers,

'statesmen, prosecutors, judges,

'educators, nutrition experts,

'as well as others

'you couldn't quite classify.

'This was a world of rubble,

'under strict military control,

with a system of economy of its own.

'There was no such thing as

the dollar, the franc or the pound.

'A person's bankroll

is their special occupation money

'and their supply of cigarettes.'

What do you want to do?

Create inflation?

'In this headquarter city

'for the American occupation zone,

there were no casual sightseers.

'No-one was here without a purpose.

'There were other modern touches

in this ancient city.

'The architecture, for instance -

new lines, new shapes,

'generally referred to as

early 20th-century modern warfare.

'So universal is the destruction,

it blends into a continuous pattern.

'But there is more than the physical

loss of stone and steel -

'the loss of human dignity.

'Commerce is conducted from cases

holding prize possessions,

'to barter for

the necessities of life.

'Everything from diamonds

to diapers was here.

'The choice business offices

are in the sun.

'And don't forget the social world.

'Bulletin boards with cards seeking

the whereabouts of lost friends,

'relatives, displaced persons.

'These are features some don't see

'when they have other things

on their minds.'

Has anyone the remotest idea

where they're taking us?

'Only the army.

You approach the entrance gate

'to the United States army compound,

'undergo

the ever vigilant inspection,

'and proceed to something

you won't forget.

'The IG Farben building.

'monument to German

ingenuity and might,

'former administrative home

of the Farben industries,

'manufactories of the tools of war.

'The boys in the Allied bombers

saw this spot wasn't touched.

'Where munition makers

worked to conquer the world,

'here would be ideal offices

for the enforcement of the peace.

'Here would be headquarters

for USFET -

'United States Forces'

European Theatre.

'Here the American soldier

'is helping form

the history of the world.

'To keep the peace in Germany,

'to make it possible for people

to resume their place in society,

'the army is on constant duty.

'No city is more important

than Frankfurt.

'Clearing house and main hub

for the entire American zone.

'This was Congress,

'the White House and Department

of Justice under one roof.

'Here policy was made and executed,

'work permits granted,

travel orders rewritten, checked,

'and enemies of the government

were called to account.'

Please be seated. Have a chair.

Please have your papers ready,

your travel orders,

passports, visas.

If German, your registration cards.

You'll all be called soon.

Until then,

you will not discuss the case.

I wonder how long they'll hold us.

Me they will not hold long.

I am travelling under Soviet orders.

Explain that to the Americans.

Are those your orders?

Don't worry. He'll show you that.

I will hold it.

The authentic signature of Hitler.

Name-dropper. And only

for ten packets of cigarettes.

Not his,

so he pretends not to be impressed.

It is a national characteristic.

10,000km of red tape.

The Americans could learn

from the French zone.

It's in a class by itself. I've

seen them all. Even the Soviet?

Even the Soviet. Then you saw

how a zone should be managed.

You had a permit, of course?

No, I sneaked in as a British spy.

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