Decision Before Dawn Page #9

as you have cleared the table.

Yes, sir.

Corporal?

- Yes, sir?

- I want to be awakened at 6:00.

Yes, sir.

Shall I clean your pistol before

I put it back into your holster, sir?

No, you put it next to my bed.

- I want it here.

- Yes, sir.

And, uh, by the way...

don't forget to remind me in the morning

to sign the order of the execution.

- Yes, sir.

- Here. I said you can take these blankets.

Thank you, sir.

- Shall I turn the lamp off?

- Just turn it down a little.

Are you there, Corporal?

Yes, sir. I'm here.

Good night.

Good night, sir.

Two battalions of the 21 st to Mannheim.

The Fifth starts in the morning.

You will be here for a while.

Get back here, Happy.

Get back here in five days.

In case of an attack...

an overdose or a delay can be fatal.

Please.

I beg you. l-

Please. Please.

- Is Herr Oberst awake?

- No, sir. I don't think so.

- Shh.

- Is he up?

No, sir.

He had a very bad night.

- What is it?

- It's me, sir. Hartmann.

- I have the morning report for you, sir.

- Give it to the corporal.

- I'll be ready for you in half an hour.

- Yes, sir.

What time is it?

- A few minutes past 6:00, sir.

- Help me.

Hm. You know,

I had a dream.

I dreamt you were the deserter I sentenced

and that you wanted to shoot me.

I had forgotten that people

like that are too weak.

They would never have

the courage to kill...

even if it is

to save themselves.

Sometimes it takes

more courage not to kill.

I would have preferred you

I had not answered me in that way.

But you just saved my life,

whatever that's worth.

And so, instead of punishing you,

I would like to do something for you.

I would suggest that Herr Oberst

remain quiet and not exert himself, sir.

- The third person again, Corporal.

- I'm sorry, sir.

How about a week's leave at home, hmm?

Would that suit you?

Thank you, sir.

I have my duty at the front.

- There's only one thing, however.

- Yes. What is it?

Maybe it's foolish of me...

but if you would have mercy on the deserter

and put him in prison instead.

Corporal, your profession

is to save lives, even the unworthy.

Well, mine is to take it,

even the worthy.

I know that it is insane to claim that we

can throw back the enemy that surround us.

But in one hour, in front of the officers

of my division, I will claim just that.

I'll do so because it is my belief...

that at all costs

we must fight to the bitter end.

That is the reason why,

now more than ever...

I must maintain the discipline

of my division.

And that is the reason

why this man must die.

Adjutant.

Give me some wine. Those pills,

they always make me thirsty.

- Shall I bring you a glass of water, sir?

- I hate water.

This is Von Ecker.

The medic you sent me yesterday, Corporal-

Uh, what's your name again?

- Corporal Steiner, sir.

- Steiner. Corporal Steiner.

I want him forwarded on to his unit

by the first available transportation.

That's what you wanted, isn't it?

- Yes. Thank you, sir.

- All right.

To our country.

- Bridge is out.

- Get the men off the trucks, quick.!

Yes, sir.

Everybody off the trucks!

The bridge is out!

You'll have to cross on foot!

Come on! Everybody out!

Line up in column of threes!

- Hurry up.!

- Everybody out.! We'll cross on foot.!

Everybody off the trucks!

The bridge is out!

- We'll have to cross on foot!

- Come on! Everybody out!

Line up in column of threes!

Hurry up!

Everybody out.!

We cross on foot.!

Everybody out of the trucks.!

Drivers start as soon as you've unloaded.!

My glasses. I've lost my glasses.

l- I can't see without them.

- Get over there.

- Here they are.

Ah.

It was very kind of you

to help me.

Huh. My name is Brandenbacher.

Ernst Brandenbacher.

Most people call me Ernst.

It's easier.

- We'd better get going.

- We'll reload on the other side.

- Come on.! Hurry up.!

- Everybody remember

the number of the truck.!

- Reload on the other side.!

- Enemy planes.!

The Amis are coming.!

Take cover.! Quickly.! Cover.!

Help me, please!

Somebody! Help!

Ah. They got me!

But you won't get away, Steiner.

By now they know

all about you everywhere.

We could have taken you a long

time ago, but I hoped that you

would lead me to the others.

I hoped to get all of you.

The rest of the bridges,

were blown up this morning.

This seems to be

the last one in Mannheim.

I'll bet it won't be long

before this one goes too.

- I heard the Americans are in Landau.

- So what? Are you afraid?

Better get your papers out.

Here comes another spot check.

Spot check.

They better call it "grave registration."

Today they take your name.

Tomorrow they notify your mother.

- Oh, keep quiet.

- Gunther, Alois- Gefreiter.

- All right.

- Schaus, Herbert- Obergefreiter.

- Go ahead.

- Bachschmidt, Hans- Kanonier.

- Mm-hmm.

- Schmidt, Albert- Unteroffizier.

- All right.

- Rothmann, Klaus- Obergefreiter.

- Go on.

- Lachner, Gert-Schtze.

Myer, Billie-

Sturmfhrer.

Schindler, Johannes-

Pionier.

- All right.

- Soldbuch and travel orders.

I lost them in an air attack this morning.

I'm on my way to my unit in Neustadt.

You lost them and not a scratch on you,

huh? Take him back to the checkpoint.

- They'll find out

what happened to his papers.

- Yes, sir. Come on.

Call the Mannheim side. Ask them

if we should stop the traffic. Next.

Come on. Keep going.

Wait here.

You said they found

an American leaflet on you?

Yes. You'd think I committed

a crime, that I was-

- No talking!

- Here's the man.

- What's your name?

- Maurer, Karl.

- I was told you lost your papers, huh?

- Yes, sir.

- You said your name is Karl Maurer?

- Yes, but that's just-

I know. I know. Get over there.

Keep an eye on him.

Come on. Get back.

Stop.!

Cut him off from the other side

of the railroad bridge.

The Mannheim

Central Kommandatur has just

received information...

that a man suspected of being

a dangerous enemy saboteur...

escaped a few hours ago from the Wehrmacht

control point at the main Rhine bridge.

He is wearing the uniform

of a corporal in the Luftwaffe.

He is about 20 years of age.

His appearance is slender,

average height, blonde, fair complexion.

As last seen, he wore a Red Cross arm band

on his left arm, a pistol belt and boots.

- He identifies himself as-

- Hey, soldier.!

What are you doing there?

Hey, we are talking to you.

- What's the matter,

are you deaf or something?

- Come on, let's see your papers.

- Halt!

- Halt!

Come on. Over here.

This way.

Where are the others?

They went around

the front of the building.

- Anyone there?

- He must be here somewhere.

Yes, I'm sure I saw him

running this way.

Lucky they didn't hit

this place during a show.

How about it?

He's not here.

- Go on! Keep looking!

- Hey, we better get out before

the whole place collapses.

Watch it. The floor's full ofholes.

- Hey, look what I found.

- Where?

- What is it?

- What happened?

- What are you doing there?

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