He digs his teeth into his lower lip. He stands as if
nailed to the spot. His eyes sweep over the heads of
the other prisoners. pause upon the face of the man.
Although the old man is lying with closed eyes, Zoll looks
at him suspiciously. But then he looks toward the girl
again --
She smiles at Zoll and begins to push herself along the
floor toward him. This overcomes Zoll's fears. He
takes one last look at the old man, then beckons to the
girl with a movement of his head.
ZOLL
(softly)
Come. Come with me.
She hesitates and glances at the old man for the briefest
moment. His eyes are still closed, his back is to them.
ZOLL
(hoarsely, with
another gesture)
I said--come.
The coquettish smile on the girl's face has vanished. There
is fear in her eyes. She doesn't move. He takes one long
stride to her, grasps her shoulders tightly, pulls her to
her feet. He throws another glance at the old man who
doesn't stir. Abruptly, Zoll pulls the resisting girl
by the waist to the door. He throws open the door, pulls
the girl into the hall.
looks madly around. There is a door on the opposite side
of the hall. He turns to the girl, sees that she is trying
with her free hand to button her blouse. Zoll shoves her
toward the opposite door.
as the door is flung open and Zoll, dragging the girl,
COMES IN. The room is sparsely furnished, its chief
feature being a huge wardrobe closet against the one wall.
As Zoll lays his tommy gun down in a corner, the girl
suddenly breaks loose and runs toward the door. In two
bounds, Zoll is at her side. He throws her to the ground,
falls on her, panting with exertion and excitement. She
tries to defend herself, her clenched hands battle against
his face and she begins to scream. Zoll, who has ripped
her blouse off her shoulders, drags one of the blankets
over her face, smothers her screams.
stands hesitant as he HEARS the MUFFLED SCREAMS.
Then he runs to the front
door, peers cautiously out, RUNS OUT.
have just about finished eating.
KRUGER
(sitting up suddenly)
What was that?
ANSELM
What was what?
KRUGER
(overlapping)
I thought I heard a shot.
STEINER
I heard it. It was a shot, all
right...
KERN'S VOICE
(faint and far off)
Rolf -- Kruger --
ANSELM
It's Kern!
He and Kruger RUN OFF. Then the others follow.
Anselm and Kruger run in, bend over him. Steiner and
Schnurrbart COME IN.
KRUGER
He's hurt -- Kern is hurt --
Steiner looks grimly in the direction of the hut.
ANSELM
Maybe a company of Russians has
come up.
SCHNURRBART
One shot, and it's a company of
Russians!
KERN
(gasping)
The old Russian -- he ran past --
STEINER
What!
KERN
Sorry, Steiner -- I was in no position
to -- he grabbed my gun --
He falls silent, his eyes close. Steiner bends over to
examine him.
KRUGER
How bad is he?
STEINER
(getting up)
He's probably finished. Do what
you can for him.
(looks grimly
toward hut)
I think I'll have a few words with
Herr Zoll.
As he starts away, the men look down worriedly at Kern.
as Steiner comes RUNNING IN. He is about to enter the
room on the right when he HEARS WHIMPERING from within
the room on the left. He listens for a moment, then the
WHIMPERING IS HEARD AGAIN. Steiner lifts his foot, kicks
the door in.
who is fastening the buckle on his belt, whirls around as
the door flies open. The girl lies on the floor naked
and whimpering. Zoll stares incredulously at Steiner
in the doorway. For a few seconds they merely stare at
each other.
Then Steiner comes slowly into the room and slowly approaches
Zoll until he is right in front of him. The WHIMPERING of
the girl STOPS.
STEINER
I hope you had a good time,
because you're going to pay
quite a price for it.
He raises his gun. Zoll takes a step backward in terror.
ZOLL
(incredulously)
You're not going to shoot me?
STEINER
You left your post, you let a
prisoner escape, you've endangered
all our lives.
ZOLL
But Steiner, he was asleep -- I swear
it -- he was asleep.
Steiner hesitates, then his eyes fall on something.
It fills the entire left corner of the room. It is
massively built, but has no lock, the door can only be
closed by a wooden catch.
STEINER
(to Zoll, indicating
wardrobe)
Open the door.
Zoll doesn't move, his face reflecting fear. Then, invol-
untarily, he glances toward his tommy gun -- out of reach in
the farthest corner of the room. Steiner catches his Glance.
STEINER
(coldly)
Don't try it. You couldn't get
there. Come on, open the wardrobe.
ZOLL
Not until you tell me why you
want me to open it.
STEINER
(in sudden fury)
Go on, go on, hurry up.
Zoll turns quickly, walks to wardrobe, opens the door a
little.
STEINER
More.
Zoll pulls the door wide open. The wardrobe is empty inside,
Steiner nods in satisfaction. He turns his head for a
moment to see that the girl's gaze is fixed upon him. He
turns to Zoll.
STEINER
If she had a gun she'd fill us
both. Get into the wardrobe.
Zoll, his eyes wide with fear, takes a quick step to the
side. Steiner steps up to Zoll, whacks him across the
face with the heavy barrel of his gun. Zoll lets out a
wild shriek, presses both hands against his nose, which
streams blood. Steiner, ignoring his cries, shoves him
into the wardrobe. Steiner slams the door shut, pushes
the wooden catch down. From within, comes Zoll's MUFFLED
VOICE -- "Steiner -- Steiner --"
STEINER
(loudly)
If you make a sound, I'll fire
through the wood.
From the side he tugs at the wardrobe until he has moved
it somewhat away from the wall. Then, he squeezes between
the wall and the rear of the wardrobe. He braces his
back against the wail and, with a mighty shove, pushes
the wardrobe over. It crashes to the floor, sending up a
cloud of dust, behind which appears the girl's white face.
For a few seconds there is silence, then Zoll begins to
SHOUT and KICK. Steiner hammers the butt of his gun
against the rear wall of the wardrobe. The SHOUTING STOPS.
STEINER
Stop the racket. And don't be
ungrateful. For you, the war is
over.
(he turns to the
girl; gestures)
You stay here.
He looks at the wardrobe with grim satisfaction, WALKS OUT.
as Steiner COMES OUT. He HEARS a woman SHOUTING from the
other room. Steiner crosses to the room.
as Steiner COMES IN. A woman SHOUTS at him.
STEINER
(looks at the
wounded woman}
How do you feel? Any better?
The woman just stares up at him. Steiner kneels, looks
at the bandage.
Anselm, Kruger and Schnurrbart come RUNNING IN, in a
state of great excitement. The former has a roll of
maps in his hand, the latter carries a walkie-talkie.
ANSELM
Sergeant -- we were rummaging through
the second wagon and look what we --
STEINER
You picked a lovely time to go
souvenir hunting. What good is
a Russian walkie-talkie to us?
What have you got?
ANSELM
A pretty goddamn good map. It's
not only got their positions in front
of Krimskaya -- it's got ours, too.
STEINER
Why, that's almost German efficiency.
He spreads the map on the table, looks at it critically.
KRUGER
What do you make of it?
STEINER
A work of art. What Colonel Brandt
wouldn't give to have this.
(looks at map again)
Their Company Three is pretty well
spread out. Right opposite is a hill
marked on our side.
(again examines
map)
The best spot to cross looks like
Number Three's spot.
KRUGER
Through a whole company?
ANSELM
And in our gorgeous gray-green
uniforms, some chance we'd have.
STEINER
It's the only chance we have. The
dark will give us some --
He pauses, as his eyes fall upon the Russian women. He
stands silent as the men look at him. Then he turns to
Kruger.
STEINER
Tell them to undress.
KRUGER
Who?
STEINER
(impatiently)
Them, the women. Tell them to
undress.
can be HEARD BANGING FEEBLY on the door.
The men are in various stages of jonning the women's
uniforms. They are grumbling.
SCHNURRBART
Where in hell is Zoll?
There is a sudden silence. The men look at Steiner, who
is searching around for a blouse.
STEINER
I don't think we have to worry
about him.
KRUGER
Has he skipped out?
STEINER
What would you have done in
his place? Hurry up, or we'll
have a Russian regiment on our
necks.
KRUGER
(bursting out)
Suppose we do sneak through the
Russian lines? Our own men
will mow us down, us looking like
a pack of damned Russians!
A silence falls upon the men.
STEINER
Don't you prefer a German bullet
to a Russian one? Where's your
national pride?
Bitter, raucous laughter from the men.
The men, the uniforms in their arms, start for the door,
with backward glances at the women. The men GO.
who are bringing up the rear. The old Russian woman
SHOUTS some thing.
STEINER
What did you say?
KRUGER
She still wants to know where
the young girl is.
STEINER
Tell her when we're gone, to
look across the hall.
Kruger speaks to the woman. The wounded woman moans.
Steiner, his face expressionless, bends, lifts the
bandage. inspects the wound.
KRUGER
How does it look?
STEINER
(getting up)
She's a goner. Very soon now.
The wounded woman, looking up at them intently, speaks in
low, halting tones. Steiner looks inquiringly at Kruger,
who shrugs.
KRUGER
She says how do we like it now
that they have us on the run?
Steiner is silent a moment.
STEINER
Have you got an answer to that?
KRUGER
No.
STEINER
(grimly)
Then, let's go.
He stalks OUT, followed by Kruger.
are donning whatever clothing the men have left behind.
Others have draped blankets around themselves. Three
women are bending over the wounded woman. From the ex-
pressions on their faces we know that the end is near for
their wounded compatriot.
She is peering out cautiously. After a few moments. she
turns and says something in Russian to the other women.
Several come hastening to the window, look out.
In the b.g., we SEE the men walking off. with Steiner in
the lead, they DISAPPEAR into the woods.
They turn and their faces express grim satisfaction.
Then, a large woman, evidently the leader, looks through
the open door, across the hall to the door beyond. Her
face sets. The women follow her gaze.
is lying flat on the floor. The CAMERA MOVES UP CLOSER
to it.
is lying on his stomach, his head resting on his arms,
his mouth to a small crack in the planks. After a moment,
he raises himself up on one elbow, listens carefully. He
thinks he hears something -- but evidently he is mistaken.
He lies flat on the floor again. Then he reaches for his
glasses which are lying by his side. He inspects them;
they are broken. He shakes his head in anger. He presses
his mouth to the crack again, breathes. The neat is
intense. He wipes the Perspiration from his face. Finally
he opens the buttons of his shirt, pulls down his trousers
and turns over on his back. He lies still and quiet for
a few moments, then an expression of great fear comes
into his face. He calls out!
ZOLL
Steiner -- ! Steiner -- Kruger -- !
Schnurrbart! I'm in here -- !
There isn't a sound, and Zoll's fear grows.
ZOLL
(yelling)
Steiner -- do you hear me! Let me
out! Schnurrbart -- it's Zoll, I'm
in here -- !
His shouting has become frantic. He pounds on the door.
He crooks his body and beats his heels against the bottom
of the wardrobe. He digs his hands into the crack of the
door and pulls until his fingers are bleeding. At last,
he lies still, punting for air. Then, his expression
freezes. There is the SOUND of softly advancing FOOTSTEPS.
The wardrobe begins to move. Twice, Zoll is jolted against
the wood -- and suddenly there is DAYLIGHT.
are grouped around the wardrobe, the door of which has
been smashed open.
Stunned, he pulls himself up to a half-sitting position
and blinks in speechless terror at the crowd of mocking
faces that are bending over him, at rows of breasts
bulging out of dirty underwear. Suddenly, dozens of
hands reach into the wardrobe, grip his hair, his clothes,
his limbs, pull him up and hurl him to the floor of the
room. As he starts to defend himself, his arms and legs
are pinioned, his clothes torn off, and a rain of merciless
blows beat down upon him. Russian CURSES fill the air.
as the blows rain on him. Just above him is the face of
the young Russian girl he has raped. Her hair hangs in
tangled strands over her forehead, her eyes gleam like
green glass lighted from within. She does not strike him
or curse him as the others are doing. She only stands
stooped above him, staring at him in silence. And as
Zoll looks into her face, the blood runs down his fore-
head, bubbles out of his nose and mouth. He jerks and
writhes under the kicks and punches.
as they beat Zoll, who is hidden from the CAMERA.
Suddenly, there breaks from him a SCREAM that no longer
resembles anything human. The scream paralyzes the women.
For a moment, they stop the beating. Several hold their
hands to their ears. Then, one woman shakes off the
paralysis. with both feet at once, she jumps on the
bellowing, twitching, bleeding body. The others spring
on him, too, stamping, screaming and kicking.
as they jump up and down mercilessly on Zoll's body.
at the spectacle. Gradually, the kicking and jumping
stop. The women turn, file slowly OUT of the room. Two
of them have their arms around the softly weeping young
girl. When the last have walked PAST the CAMERA, it
STARTS to MOVE SLOWLY TOWARD the battered body in the
center of the room.