John Rabe Page #3

wants a swift victory.

A modern war.

One that shows Japan's superiority.

The advance can't be stopped.

Tonight we will attack Nanking.

Hello? Hello?

What's going on here?

- What's going on?

- The lines are down.

Then do something. Fix them.

And set up lines to the exchange.

Lives are at stake.

Send news:
Nanking has fallen.

Out of the way!

Get out of here!

Quick! Quick!

Shut up!

What are you doing here?

- Search in there.

- Yes, sir!

Two of you search that room.

Check it.

We found him.

Onwards.

December15, 1937.

Feeding the zone's 200.000 people...

...is getting ever more difficult.

Our various appeals to the Japanese...

...to allow more rice into the zone...

...have remained unanswered.

We alI hope the diplomats

will return to Nanking soon.

Rosen believes only

an international presence...

...will curb Japanese aggression.

- Forward!

- Forward!

Attention!

To the prisoners camp, march!

December19, 1937.

Bodies lie in piles before the gates.

The Japanese won't touch them.

And we aren't allowed to do so.

We Europeans

are paralyzed from the shock.

The executions are rampant.

Sometimes

with machine guns at the barracks.

At the Army Ministry.

And down by the river.

To the Fhrer of the German people.

Chancellor Adolf Hitler.

My Fhrer.

As a loyal party member

and upstanding German.

I turn to you in a time of great need.

The Japanese Imperial troops...

...conquered the city of Nanking

on December12, 1937.

Since then I have witnessed...

...atrocious crimes against civilians.

Please help to end this catastrophe,

and make an appeaI

to our Japanese allies...

...in the name of humanity.

With a German salute.

Your Highness, his wife survived.

She is in Shanghai.

You have to stay in the car.

I don't understand Japanese.

Get back in the car.

Should I get in the car?

I said back in the car!

I could get back in the car.

Take your hat off.

Take your hat off!

Damn it.

Move on! Move on!

Boss! Boss!

I'm in here!

- Have them line up.

- Yes, sir.

Everybody stand up

and get into a line!

Stand up! Go over there!

Quickly! Quickly!

Quickly!

- Ask if anybody speaks German.

- Yes, sir.

Raise your hand if you speak German.

- Front and center.

- Yes, sir.

Come to the front!

Do you understand me?

Say something.

Just say something. Anything.

Say something.

You.

Children? You.

You.

December 21, 1937.

We're cut off from the outside wod.

No post, telegrams

or calls can reach us.

Nothing works anymore.

I never thought

I'd have to put a value on human life.

weighing one against another.

Is it better

to hand over a few hundred soldiers

to protect the zone.

not knowing if it will help at all?

Or to stand one's ground?

There is no answer.

Hi.

How did your hair get so short?

Got cut off.

Where is she then?

- Who is it?

- Where's the girl?

- Is she in here?

- Who?

- There's no girl here!

- What are you blathering about?

- What did I tell you?

- You were right!

Nice haircut.

Come on then.

Just you wait.

Who do you think you are?

Not so fast.

- Spread her legs.

- Just calm down.

Just calm down.

Keep her still, will you!

Keep quiet.

Be quiet there!

Quiet! Stop there!

We're Germans.

Germans. We're Germans.

Help me out here, damn it!

Heil... Shitler.

Heil Shitler.

- That's not funny.

- We got through.

All the same,

he is the Fhrer of the German people.

And shall I tell you

what I don't find funny?

Yes, what is it?

It also concerns...

...the so-called Fhrer.

- Listen here...

- Friedrich Rosen, my father.

An ambassador and foreign minister,

forced to flee and die in China.

Simply because my grandfather,

Beethoven's best friend, no less,

happened to be Jewish.

My father couldn't die

in the country he always lived for.

That's not funny.

Nor is my position as secretary.

After years as embassy councillor.

I should be glad to even be alive.

Do you think that's funny?

Heil Shitler.

Why do we have to bury him?

It's our duty.

I hated him.

And you hated him too.

He is still our father.

Not being buried

is like dying a second time.

Well, he deserves it.

Hold the candle.

I hated him.

Forgive him.

He has orders to fill the hole

to make the road passable.

- With corpses?

- It looks like it.

Are you all right?

Yes, I'm fine. Don't worry.

An officer.

Lieutenant.

These people are hindering our work.

Come on!

Listen, we have to split up.

Run in there. Quick!

It's me, Langshu.

Ssh! It's me, Langshu.

- Quick! Help me!

- Into the stove!

- Search from top to bottom.

- Yes, sir!

Quick, get into bed!

- Wait outside.

- Yes, sir.

Onwards!

December 23, 1937.

Tomorrow is Christmas.

We're at the end of our rope.

We can't maintain

the zone much longer.

I used to say. "Never stop.

it will stop on its own. "

And that

will have to hold true even now.

I've decided

to leave our savings to the zone.

What else are they good for?

Now that Dora is no longer with us.

December 24, 1937.

I've celebrated every Christmas

with Dora for nearly 30 years.

With a Christmas tree.

And Christmas goose.

And Dora's famous Gugelhupf cake.

I don't regret staying behind.

We have saved a lot of lives.

But I haven't words for my grief.

We have been questioning

some girls from the college.

Hundreds of soldiers

are being hidden there.

We could close the security zone.

So what are you waiting for?

The zone must be cleared...

...before the diplomats...

...and the press return to Nanking.

Or the whole world will hear about it.

That's an order!

December 25, 1937.

News that Prince Asaka

wants to clear the zone...

...did not take long to get around.

Hundreds of people

have gathered outside the zone...

...to block the entrance.

They're prepared to risk their lives

to defend the zone.

Their time is up.

Clear the zone, damn it!

Reinforcements?

For what, exactly?

This is ridiculous.

Reinforcements for what?

Battle order!

- Load.

- Load!

- Aim.

- Aim!

Your Highness, let us shoot.

Aim!

Stand down.

- Stand down!

- Yes, sir!

Unload your weapons!

Order arms!

To the left!

Quick march!

December 29, 1937.

In front of the diplomats

Prince Asaka acknowledged the zone.

But this victory was the end of us.

The committee was forced to step down.

We handed over most of our photos

and films to the Japanese.

who destroyed them before our eyes.

And I...

I have to leave the city today.

But I will see Dora again.

It almost seems like a miracle.

The struggle is over.

Thank you.

Good luck.

Clear out!

Rabe is coming!

Goodbye! Goodbye!

Far more than 200,000 people...

...survived the Rape of Nanjing

in the protection of the Safety Zone.

Nevertheless the number of victims

was staggering.

Censuses revealed that at least

Until the present day

the Japanese government...

...has refused to officially acknowledge

the extent of the Rape of Nanjing.

On his return to Germany,

John Rabe was arrested as

a suspected collaborator of the Chinese.

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