The Night of the Generals Page #4

has not been a success.

I'm sorry, general.

I should have had him arrested.

Why? He was merely

doing his duty.

Yes.

Well...

Now, there are some officers

I should like to present to you.

Some sauerbraten, general?

Make yourself comfortable,

inspector.

This is my third restaurant

in Berlin.

That's if you count

the sausage shop I had down

by the station right after the war.

We were really on our arse then.

Now look, Germany is booming.

We made it.

Well, come along, inspector,

do sit down.

One large Munchen, please.

Now, then, you asked me

about General Kahlenberge.

Well, I don't suppose

there was anyone who knew

him better than me.

Hartmann's doing

a good job, isn't he, sir?

Yes. What?

Oh, yes! Apparently.

Of course, inspector,

as I said before,

I haven't seen Hartmann

since the war.

Don't want to see him,

after what he did.

But I'll say one thing, he had the most

extraordinary effect on women.

I don't know why.

Well, he wasn't what you'd call

really handsome.

Too skinny.

But whatever it was he had,

it worked out all right with women.

I think they must have

got together almost from

the first moment they met.

Well, things were like that

in the war.

I remember once in Paris,

meeting this girl in the Metro.

Well, anyway, you didn't waste time,

not with knowing maybe tomorrow

you'd be sent to the fronts or

the damned Allies would drop

a bomb on you.

Oh, worry, I didn't mean that

about the Allies.

After all, where would we be now

without Americans?

Nice.

I'd forgotten how nice.

Would you say there

were no girls in Russia?

Girls? I was too scared.

I'm hopeless when I'm scared.

Well, it's a good thing

I don't scare you, isn't it?

Yes, it's just that this room

makes me nervous.

Nervous?

Mm.

Oh, you have no sense of history.

Do you realize this used to be

the bed of the king of Poland.

Did it really?

Mm-hm.

It's like sleeping on the floor.

It's freezing in here.

Ah, but the king and the queen

never slept. They just made love.

They were never cold.

Do you like the war?

Do I like the war?

Good God, no. Do you?

If it weren't for the war,

I'd be on the marriage circuit now,

living on some army post,

making conversation

with dreary young officers.

Instead of making love

with dreary young corporals.

Oh, not dreary. Not at all.

In fact, the best so far.

Oh?

Do you specialize in corporals?

No.

Only heroes like you.

Just think, all this bravery

in my arms.

It must be very inspiring.

What's the matter?

You know, we mustn't like

each other too much.

Why? Because I'm a corporal

and you're a general's daughter?

No. It's because...

It's a man, a girl, a war.

Two boys I knew

are already dead in Russia.

It's funny.

In the dark,

you feel just like them to me.

And you like this war?

No. I like this.

No, no!

What's wrong?

Nothing. I thought

they were firing at me.

You're shaking like a leaf.

I'm all right now.

What's it like having people

try to kill you?

Noisy bastards.

Good morning.

Good morning,

king of Poland.

What's it like having people

try to kill you?

Well, what do you think it's like?

Terrible.

Yes.

I'm glad...

Well, I'm glad that you're here.

So am I.

But you'll be going back soon,

I suppose?

Not if I can help it, I won't.

Can you bear the truth?

Probably not.

I'm a fraud.

Impossible.

When they opened fire on us

at Voronezh, I ran away.

It's as simple as that.

Then, I've no idea how, I was hit.

It was like a door slamming in

my head, and I thought I was dead.

Next thing I remember

waking up in the hospital

and there was this general

congratulating me

on having killed 40 Russians

single-handed.

You see, they were all killed

that day, the whole company.

Everyone was killed except me,

and I suppose

it didn't look too good in dispatches,

a whole company being wiped out,

so they decided

to make a hero of the survivor.

The one who ran away.

So now what do you think

of all that bravery?

Well, that's a lovely story.

I think it's marvelous.

Marvelous?

Yes.

For once, the joke's on them.

Come, make love

to the queen of Poland.

I must say you are,

well, unexpected.

It's lucky we met.

What's lucky is right now.

You know, when this war is over...

Mm-mm. It will never end.

Well, what happened?

Did you see them?

Generals Gabler and Kahlenberge

are in conference

and cannot be disturbed.

I told you they wouldn't see you.

Where's General Tanz?

Look, why don't

we forget about this?

It's not as if we don't have

other things to do.

Where's General Tanz?

In the old city, conducting

a tactical exercise.

I don't trust him.

Naturally, in the field,

he must use his discretion.

He has no discretion.

He is ruthless.

Now, now, you exaggerate.

He will only go to phase two

if phase one should prove

to be a failure.

What is a failure?

Well, if the Poles, the Jews

try to retaliate.

What constitutes retaliation,

a rock thrown at his golden head?

Is that sufficient warrant

for the demolition of the city?

You always overstate things,

Kahlenberge.

General Tanz

is a responsible officer...

Come in.

Sorry, sir. Colonel Mannheim

to see General Kahlenberge, sir.

We'll discuss this later.

And don't worry about Tanz.

I'll take care of him.

Colonel Mannheim, sir.

You wanted to see me, general.

Yes, yes.

Yes, I did, colonel.

I wanted to see you about...

Damn it, what was it about?

Yes.

Yes, I remember now.

You have an officer on

your staff, a Major Grau.

Halt! Halt!

Major Grau to see General Tanz.

Major Grau?

Just a minute, sir.

Get me CP,

Colonel Sandauer, urgent.

Roadblock 4 calling CP.

Roadblock 4 calling CP.

Can you hear me? Over.

Get your hands up.

Hands up.

Colonel Sandauer

on the line, sergeant.

Colonel Sandauer,

there's a Major Grau here.

Wants to see the general.

My orders were...

What? Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

You may pass, major.

Stop!

Go ahead.

Well, at least you have one friend.

So it would seem.

Hands up!

Keep moving.

Keep moving.

Have them over here.

Over here. Over here.

Get back!

Name?

First name?

Profession?

Halt!

Major Grau.

Go ahead, sir.

Wait for me here.

This is Wehrmacht's radio unit

assigned to the Reich's general

government of Poland.

This broadcast is coming to you

directly from Warsaw.

A few yards from where I am,

I see General Tanz,

the hero of Leningrad.

He is conducting maneuvers

in the streets of the city.

An entire area is being temporarily

evacuated in the interest

of public order and safety.

Sector one reports

phase one successful.

Sector three,

no resistance encountered.

Thank you, Sandauer.

The soldiers, of course,

are dedicated to their commander.

He is a superb craftsman of war

and his presence alone inspires

men to extraordinary valor.

The exercise is being carried out

with meticulous precision

according to plan.

The population is extremely

cooperative and friendly.

Sector four reports

phase one operative.

Sector two,

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