Decision Before Dawn Page #8

Do you know what you're getting into?

Hello.

Are you calling Dr. Maurer? Hello?

Your father

is at the base hospital in Wrzburg now.

Up on the Berg.

The hospital is next to the factory.

Your main objective

is to locate the 11 th Panzer Corps.

Say, Corporal Steiner.

Here is a message about your transportation.

You've got to report to the Marktplatz.

Thank you.

Could you help me, Corporal?

I have to talk to you.

It's shorter this way.

Will you follow me?

Look, it isn't any of my business

who you are or- or what you've done, but-

What are you talking about?

I know its hard to make you believe

I'm telling the truth.

But you must trust me. You must.

- What is it?

- Last night, you know

who sent me to your room?

It was Scholtz.

He ordered me to watch you.

Look out.

Thank you, Corporal, for helping me.

I can carry it myself.

Hey, Steiner, I'm afraid

I have to get back to Nuremburg.

But the truck over there

is going your way.

It's all fixed.

The driver knows all about you.

Sorry about last night. I had a couple

too many. Have a good trip.

All right.

Here, pass it around.

- Didn't you say it was Scholtz

who ordered you to watch me?

- Yes, it was.

Well, if he did,

why did you tell me about it?

I'm not quite sure why.

But last night, for the first time,

you made me realize what was happening to me.

- That I can't go on like this.

That there is some reason-

- All right.

Let's suppose you are telling the truth,

that Scholtz is suspicious of me.

That still doesn't prove he's right.

I don't care if he is right or not.

All I know is they're after you.

Look, Karl, I know these people.

I know them too well.

If you need money, here,

I have this ring. You can sell it.

Hilde, the Corporal here

said this may help keep you warm.

No, thank you.

Do you know that man over there?

- Which one?

- In the corner with the glasses on.

- Halt!

- No, I don't.

- Halt.!

- What's the matter, sir?

Everybody off.

Oh, I mean except the ladies.

Karl, be careful.

I didn't lie to you.

You think you can still see

what you're shooting at?

Yes, at your orders,

Herr Oberleutnant.

- All right, Sergeant, take them away.

- Left face. Forward, march.

Take the women to the village and have

the truck inspected by our ordinance.

Yes, sir.

All right, let's go.

Detail, halt.!

Left face!

- Eighteen more.

- Get all your papers out and stand by.

Twenty-seven all together,

Herr Oberleutnant.

All right, men.

You are about to be processed to see

which one of you will fulfill our needs here.

This is an emergency measure

taken by order of the commanding

general, 11 th Panzer Corps.

Those of you who will not be selected will

be allowed to proceed to your regular units.

At ease. Carry on, Klinger.

Say, isn't that a medic back there?

I'm talking to you, lancer.

Come on. You heard

the lieutenant. Move out.

Soldbuch.

Come on.

- What unit are you going to?

- The 20th Flak, sir. Attached

to the 16th Infantry Division.

- All right. Get him to the

colonel's quarters right away.

- Yes, sir.

- What about my unit, sir?

- They'll have to get along

without you, I guess.

Come on. Follow me.

Leutnant Bulow said this man

is to report to Oberst Von Ecker.

- Oh, yes. Gutterman.

- Yes, sir.

Take this man upstairs to Major Hartmann.

He knows all about it.

Yes, sir.

- Hartmann, give me his file.

- Here it is, sir.

The court-martial convened

upon my orders yesterday...

has found you guilty

of willful desertion...

and has therefore recommended

that the extreme penalty be imposed...

that you be hanged

by the neck until dead.

I can't see any reason why their

sentence shouldn't be carried out.

I beg you, sir. My wife and children

were bombed out.

I had to find a place for them

to keep them alive.

So you took it upon yourself

to stay with them and neglect your duty.

But that was my only mistake,

sir, after 20 years service.

Today, it's more than a mistake.

It's a crime.

You, Leerback, should know that better

than any of the others.

Yes, sir. But you can't let them

kill me for that.

I beg you, sir. Not just for myself,

but for my family, my children.

I'm sorry. In these times,

the discipline of our troops...

is more important than

our personal destinies.

- That's all, Leerback.

- Sir, I beg you to reconsider.

- I'll do anything. Anything you ask.

- Stop it.

You're supposed to be a soldier.

Act like one. Take him away.

Come with me.

Take your coat off.

- The medic is here, sir.

- All right.

The Luftwaffe is about the only uniform

we haven't collected here as yet.

At ease. Your name and unit?

Corporal Steiner, sir, 20th Flak.

I was on my way to Mannheim

to rejoin my unit.

There's a tray on the table

next to my bed. Bring it here, please.

Yes, sir.

- Will you read the labels aloud?

- Yes, sir.

"Five ampules of digifolin,

one c.c. in case of emergency.

"Nitroglycerin tablets,

1/10 of a gram.

Alcohol." That's all, sir.

- You are a medic. Do you

know what this is for?

- Yes, sir.

It's used in case of a severe attack

of angina pectoris. A heart disease, sir.

Pretty good. Well, then you know

what's wrong with me.

Unfortunately, I had to send my orderly

to Darmstadt to get more of this stuff.

As you see by the prescription,

it's important that in case of an attack...

the dose be exactly one c.c.

and be given immediately.

- An overdose or a delay can be fatal.

- Yes, sir. I can see that.

Well, that will be all

for the moment.

You better make yourself comfortable.

You will be here for a while.

Would Herr Oberst like me

to serve his dinner now?

I had hoped you wouldn't

remind me of it.

But I suppose a man has to eat,

even when he has no appetite.

- Put some blankets on the windows.

- Yes, sir.

Hartmann.

And there's a candle on my desk.

Bring it here, please.

- At your orders, Herr Oberst.

- About our forward echelon, have they left?

Two battalions of the 21 st

started for Mannheim an hour ago, sir.

- The Fifth will be starting in the morning.

- Fine.

Will you be sure to remind

the commanding officers...

that despite their being

in GeneralJaeger's area...

- they are still under my direct command.

- Yes, sir.

And that they will not take orders

from anyone but me.

Yes, sir. I'm sorry to bother you, sir,

but about the deserter.

Have you signed the order

for his execution?

No, I have not.

Thank you, Hartmann.

- There's a bottle of

Niersteiner in the locker.

- Yes, sir.

And there must be another glass

around here. There by the window.

I don't enjoy

drinking wine by myself.

I don't care for any,

unless Herr Oberst insists.

I do insist.

Furthermore, you needn't stand

at attention all the time.

And for heaven's sake,

stop addressing me in the third person.

Yes, sir.

Go ahead. Don't make me

repeat things.

Not bad.

Does Herr Oberst- Uh, do you

wish anything else, sir?

Nothing.

There's an extra blanket

on my bed.

You can go to sleep as soon

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