The Bridge at Remagen Page #3

towards Bonn. Thank you.

At least it'll give us a little time

to prepare our defences.

Captain Schmidt...

Oh, excuse me, Herr Major.

You must do something about the civilian

traffic. We can't get our work done.

This is Captain Baumann,

Chief Engineering Officer. Major Kreuger.

I'm glad you're here. If we don't clear

the bridge, we'll never be ready to blow it.

The most immediate problem is not

to blow the bridge up but to keep it open.

Excuse me, but is it not true the Fhrer

has ordered the bridge destroyed?

Does the Fhrer transmit

his orders directly to you,

or are you simply spreading idle gossip?

But I understood...

At this moment, Baumann, a loose tongue

is our most dangerous enemy.

Surely you know the penalty

for spreading defeatist rumours?

Please sit down, Captain Schmidt.

Baumann, you stay.

Will you brief me on the condition

of all of the units at our disposal?

The regular company,

is it fit for instant duty?

But there is no regular company.

I don't understand.

It's been transferred.

Oh.

The reserve company,

is it fully equipped?

It no longer exists.

And the 600 Polish and Russian

volunteers, can we count on them?

The so-called volunteers have vanished.

Captain Schmidt, on paper at least,

you have some 1600 men.

How many, in fact, do you have?

About... 200.

Including the bridge detail.

And the 400 militia,

the Volkssturm, the Hitler Youth?

A handful.

- Where are the others?

- Deserted.

Herr Hauptmann, do you realise

what you are saying is treason?

No, Herr Major. Only the truth.

(phone rings)

Yes?

General von Brock

is temporarily unavailable.

This is Major Kreuger. You will

convey this message to the general.

It is imperative that he send

two panzer battalions at once.

So, Captain Baumann,

I trust that in the event of an emergency

at least the explosives

are in place to blow up the bridge?

Not yet, Herr Major. It is reported that 600

kilos of high explosives are on the way.

But perhaps that, too, is only a rumour.

- Captain Schmidt.

- Major?

Those towers will give us

an excellent field of fire on the bridge.

- What is in them?

- Two heavy machine guns on each side.

That old barge, it will be very useful.

- We'll put weapons on it.

- Yes, Herr Major.

Come. Show me your defences.

With only 36 men, sir,

there's a limit to what we can do.

Sergeant Becker, I'm not asking you

to launch a major offensive.

I'm only asking that you hold off

the enemy until reinforcements arrive.

Excuse me, Herr Major. We have

heard a lot about reinforcements.

The men don't believe it any more.

I tell you, two panzer battalions

will be here in a few hours.

Do you believe me?

Yes, Herr Major.

Then you make your men believe it.

Do you understand?

That's the road

the enemy tanks will have to take.

The approaches to the bridge,

are they mined?

Heavily mined, Herr Major. Ready to blow.

No enemy tank will reach the bridge.

For the moment, these are the heaviest

defences we have against the enemy.

- A great deal depends on you.

- Yes, Herr Major.

Good.

Our best shelter -

a whole mountain above us.

First-class gun position.

Get a crew to strengthen

these gun emplacements.

Herr Major, still no answer

from General von Brock.

Keep trying. What is this?

The master switch to destroy the bridge,

when we have the explosives.

And the detonating circuit, what if it fails?

Herr Major.

Nine-centimetre cable. Heavy steel pipe.

- The circuit is tested every hour.

- What if it fails?

An emergency fuse can be lit by hand,

over there, by the rail.

If we have the explosives.

I know, Captain Schmidt. I know.

I'll go to the town

to see about civil defence.

(air-raid siren)

(all-clear siren)

You, cut up some bedsheets.

I want a flag for every window.

Rudi, check the wine cellar.

Do as Herr Holzgang says.

Greta, get a broom.

Sweep up the glass.

(vehicle approaches)

Oh, my God.

Didn't I tell you

to pack these things away?

(knock on door)

Pay no attention. Find the glue.

- At least we can try to...

- (knock on door)

Go away! We are closed!

What are you doing?

This is private property.

- You are Councillor Holzgang?

- Of course.

- In charge of civil defence?

- Yes.

I am Major Kreuger,

new military commander at Remagen.

It's charming.

It is always good to meet someone

who appreciates beautiful things.

- It must be very valuable.

- Irreplaceable.

- At least 1500 Reichsmarks.

- Really? That much?

Herr Holzgang, half of your town

has been blown apart.

Remagen may be

under direct attack by nightfall.

It is your duty to gather every

able-bodied man to defend your town.

- But there's hardly anyone left.

- Find them.

The time has come, Herr Holzgang,

for you too to make a small sacrifice.

Excuse me, Herr Major.

And what is that?

My only son. Killed at Stalingrad.

What greater sacrifice can a man make?

None, except the sacrifice

made by your son.

Bring me some schnapps, and cigarettes.

Herr Holzgang, the sheets are ready.

Greta, quick, bring it.

What are you trying to do, get me shot?

That's a military commander, you fool.

- You are Frau Holzgang?

- Yes.

You have other children?

No.

You must be very proud of your son.

Is that what I'm supposed to be?

Proud that he's dead?

No.

I'm not proud at all.

I miss him.

Germany has lost four million sons.

I pity them, but I pity most my own son.

We must learn to live with our losses.

Even your husband.

(explosion)

Put this on the army circuit. I want

the command post at the bridge at once.

(phone rings)

Sergeant Becker? This is Major Kreuger.

He's dead, Major.

(phone rings)

This is Major Kreuger.

Ja, ja.

Herr General, the Americans

are attacking the ridge above the town.

We have no forces to hold them.

Where are the panzers?

Why elsewhere? They were promised

here. This is where they are needed.

Herr General, your regrets

will not save the bridge,

but two panzer battalions might.

Spread out!

Come on, move out! Let's go!

Glover, get down.

Son of a b*tch.

- Well, I'll be damned.

- Grebs, get Major Barnes.

Yes, sir.

- You got your camera with you, Glover?

- No, sir, I sold it back to Sergeant Angelo.

When the Krauts blow that bridge,

it's gonna be some picture.

We got 'em.

We got 'em.

Hey, yeah, you. Get me headquarters.

Tell artillery to lay on the heavy stuff.

Get tanks up here fast. Start shelling

the bridge. You got it? Move!

Yes, sir.

If you wait a minute, the Krauts'll

probably save you the trouble.

Don't matter a damn.

Push 'em along, push 'em along.

OK, OK, Hartman, get on down there.

We'll send in tanks for support.

The quicker you boys

get down there and blow the bridge,

the quicker we got maybe six

enemy divisions corked and bottled.

Hartman, boy, you do that for me,

I promise you a unit citation.

Major, sir,

there's nothing my boys

would appreciate more, sir.

All right, boys. Get goin'.

Move!

Captain Schmidt, transfer

this command post to the tunnel at once.

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