Colditz (1972–1974): Season 2, Episode 13 - Liberation - full transcript

Tim's right. The SS are deploying
right around the town.

Have a look.
- Thank you, sir.

Item on the BBC this morning
might amuse you, sir.

Quote from a Member of Parliament,

"As the war in Europe is virtually over,

"will not the Prime Minister now set an
immediate date for a general election?"

Yes, as you say, very amusing.

Well, luckily, the SS look as if
they're fully occupied down there.

Yes, I can't see them sparing men
to come up here on our account, sir.

No.

Unless of course they're going to make
the castle a part of the defensive ring.



Let's have a look, please.
- Sir.

You see, you've only got
to try it yourself to see.

Yeah?
- I mean, look,

let me explain it, the advantages.

One, you're on the move the whole time.
- Yeah.

Never in one spot. Taking good exercise
with a good chance of some fun.

Oh, well.

Well, I have.

Look,
there's the other side of it, too.

Well, I've only got to go into this
and you'll see my point straight away.

Is it my turn to move again, huh?
- What?

The point is, wet or dry,
or whether to go up or down.

Major Carrington?

Major Carrington?



May I say how happy I am that
the sentence was not carried out.

It's a beautiful day.

You may go.

Thanks.

All right, all right.

What about a little respect
for your superior officers?

Phil! Phil!

Wow, is it good to see you!
- It's good to see you.

Hey, they treat you all right
and everything?

Did you get all those messages we sent?
Hey, just a minute.

Hey, you guys, it's Phil.
Phil's here. Hey!

Phil?
- Hey.

Congratulations.
- Phil, nice to see you back.

Welcome back.
- Phil, Phil, what about Dresden?

I never got to Dresden, thank God. No.
- What?

Well, where did they hold
your court martial?

Glauchau.
- Glauchau?

Yeah, but afterwards
we went through Dresden.

I was lucky to make it back here
without being lynched.

Oh, pretty chaotic I imagine.

Oh, even in the countryside.

Wires down everywhere,
no communications.

Thousands of people on the move.

Crossroads all jammed.

Slave labourers, Poles, Russians,
French, Italian, Dutch.

All drifting. All aiming for home.

What about the Germans?
German civilians?

How are they taking it?

Pushing their lives around
in baby carriages, half of them.

Everything's all churned up
by bombs and wheels.

The war isn't over,

but you get the feeling that
every man in Europe is on the way home.

Except for us.

Yeah, well, that's the way it was
between here and Dresden.

Get a load of those Mustangs.

What the hell's the matter with you?
You bucking for a medal or something?

It's crazy.

Because they were yours,
I just felt safe.

Somebody's fouled up along the line.
- You'd better believe it.

One can't expect every American

to know where Colditz is
or even what it is.

Yeah, one can't expect it,
but one would kinda like it.

Did you ever finish
that Stars and Stripes?

Oh, yeah. And you get the pleasure
of hanging it from the roof.

Well, that won't work.

How can you see those SS boys in town
pledging allegiance to a flag?

What we've got to do is lay
that thing out flat in the courtyard.

Then the next time a Mustang
makes a pass, it'll see it.

And you lay down 'cause just in case
next time it's a Messerschmitt that...

Come.

Gentlemen, I have to tell you

that I have received orders
that all prisoners are to leave Colditz

under SS escort.

Kommandant, you may tell your superiors
that the prisoners refuse to move.

You understand what you're saying,
Colonel?

Yes.
- Are you prepared

to accept the consequences?
- Are you?

That is mutiny.
- That is self-defence.

There's not a single man who'd
march out of here under SS escort.

You can tell your bosses, not a chance.

The SS are still in the town in force.

And fully occupied by their own defence.

And their resources aren't limitless,
Kommandant.

There are a thousand men up here
and we're prepared to fight.

Or, are you prepared to shoot us?

Let me put it another way.

Are they prepared to
order you to shoot us?

The situation has changed
a hell of a lot, they're aware of that.

Get me the Generalkommando.

Yes?

Herr General.

With regard the order for the prisoners
to march southward under SS escort,

they refuse to move.

Yes.

But, Colonel, I can't... I cannot do...

Will you take the responsibility
if I use my weapons as you suggest

and the prisoners are killed?

Well, neither will 1.

The matter is closed.

All the same, the SS may still move
into the castle

with the aim of making it a stronghold.

They are more likely to do this
if they think the Russians will get here

before the Americans.

Oh, I have a hunch we'll make it first.

From what I've heard in Washington,

there's a good chance
this whole Leipzig Dresden area

is going to be in the zone of
permanent Russian occupation.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Come on, it's supposed to be
the third window from the left.

Yes, I know. My God, there she is!

Really? where?

Where is she? Where is she?

Well?

Come on, George, what's she doing?

What's she doing, George?

Gefreiter Hans Baumann is really earning
his cigarettes this time.

Steady! Let's see.
- Don't joggle it.

Now to you, Chris.

Third from the left, was it?

Yes.
- Yeah.

Got it! Oh!

That's... Watch your eyes!

Hmm? What's she like?

Well, she's...
- Yes.

She's...
- She's...

Come on, let's have a go.

Look out, steady.
- Come on, take your turn.

Watch it, Simon!
- Oh, Simon.

You're miles away!

He's right.
- Huh?

American tanks.

What? What?

He's absolutely right.
American tanks, masses of them.

They're coming under fire.
Those damn Panzer fires.

They're there, that's amazing,
and there are going to be many more.

It can't be more than
a question of hours now.

Yeah, perhaps not.
- Keep it still.

Until it actually happens.

There, I saw that.
- What?

Saw the muzzle flash.

And again, and another.
- Go on, how does it look?

How was it in the town?
- Total confusion, sir.

The SS are digging anti-tank ditches.

They've got ready to blast the bridge
across the Mulde.

The local Partei chief has got together
a handful of Volkssturm.

They've overturned a few carts
at the far end of the bridge.

Maybe all this will become part
of the Russian zone.

If we live that long.

An order came from Oberkommando,
destroy and evacuate.

Secure all papers and burn them.
- Yes, sir.

And request the presence of the
senior British and American officers

at their earliest convenience.
- I'll tell him to come at once, sir.

I said at their earliest convenience.

Yes, sir.

There it is.

God Almighty! More French.

My sole contribution
to the Entente Cordiale.

Welcome to Colditz.

American!

You know there are a lot
of your bombers out there.

The Germans are all saying that
soon you will be fighting side by side

with them against the Russians.

What the hell!
- Take it easy.

Cigarette?

Surely they don't really believe that,
do they, about the Americans?

When you believe nothing,
you believe everything.

That's the mood they are in.
That, and alles kaputt.

Alles kaputt.

All finished, all smashed.

Poor old Kurty. What a shame!
- Oh!

Oh, come on, fellas. Leave him alone.

Hey, have a look at this.

Hoch Geheimes. Top secret.

You're not supposed to read that.

This stuff's years old.

Oh.

The war is over.

The war is over.

But it isn't.

Still many have to die.

The question which I have asked you here
to discuss

is not easy for me to formulate.

The possibility may arise

that arrangements will have to be made

if the occupants of this castle
pass under different control.

And do you see such an event happening
in the near future, Kommandant?

Well, only the most
short-sighted commander

could fail to take the possibility
into account.

When you say the occupants
of this castle,

do you mean us prisoners,
you Germans, or both?

If the castle had to be surrendered

to the American forces,
my concern would be...

But the Russians are nearly as close.

If we should surrender to the Americans,

what guarantees could you offer my staff

that they would remain
under American or British jurisdiction?

Guarantees?
- Yes.

None. None whatever.

Well, under certain conditions,

certain representations could be made
on your behalf

by both Colonel Dodd and myself.

Whereas we would, as prisoners of war,
remain in American or British hands?

Possibly, yes.
The first condition will be

that the defence and administration
of this castle

pass under our control
effective as of this moment.

That's out of the question.

The Reich has not surrendered

and there's still a German garrison
here in Colditz.

In that case, Kommandant,

both you and your garrison
must take their chances.

We're not asking any favours.

Just to recognise
the inevitable has come to pass.

It's all over for you Germans here
in Colditz.

Outwardly, Kommandant,
nothing must appear to have changed.

The sentries will do their rounds,
but under my command.

The armoury will remain locked,
but the key will be in my pocket.

And there will be no display
of Allied flags

or white flags of surrender?

Hardly, with the SS still in the town.

Very well. I will summon my staff.

May I take it that your staff
and garrison

will be informed of the change of state
within the hour?

Yes.
- Thank you, Kommandant.

Thank you, sir.

All right, gentlemen,
what Colonel Dodd and I intend

is a complete takeover of the castle
for ourselves.

But I must stress

this is in complete agreement
with the Kommandant.

The action is to prevent
any move against us

by the SS or any other German unit.

Now, we've all learnt from the radio

that Hitler may well be intending
a last ditch stand

in the so called Southern Redoubt.

Well, we don't want Colditz
to form any part of that.

What's going to happen is
we're going to form working parties

to take over all the tactical positions
in the castle.

The most important of those,
of course, is the armoury.

Before this meeting
I briefed Captain Downing

to present an inventory of the contents.

Can we have that now, Tim?
- Yes, sir.

In the armoury itself there are
250 rifles with 100 rounds each.

Eight assorted machine guns
with 2,000 rounds each.

Three boxes of stick grenades

and in addition the duty guard has
15 rifles with 10 rounds each.

Right, thank you.

Well, there we are, gentlemen,
if the worst does come to the worst,

we can make quite a bang with that lot.

Now, what's going to happen is

the German guards
will retain their rifles,

but their ammunition will be taken
from them and locked in the armoury.

Now, after that I want six German guards

to be on the main gate
and three each on the other gates.

George, you're in command
of that, all right?

Sir.

Now, my orders are that no one,
I repeat, no one,

is to enter or leave the castle
without my permission.

We don't want anybody in the town

getting wind of
the change of state up here.

Impress upon the German guards

it's as much for their good
as it is for ours.

Yes, sir.

Now Captain Downing,
Flight Lieutenant Carter,

I want you to form three working parties
from the German guards

to maintain power, light,

and, with any luck, get the
drinking water back on again.

Captain Randall, I want you
to issue immediately, please,

to the French all the remaining blankets

and a reasonable supply of
the available emergency drinking water.

Walters, Mawson,

you're to issue immediately to all
prisoners half the remaining rations.

Well, unfortunately
that won't take you very long.

But after that I want you
to hang on as quartermasters.

I want all officers to report
their states to me

within an hour
in the Kommandant's office.

And, gentlemen, there's one other thing.

As far I can see it,
we can standby now to be shelled

not only by the Americans
and the Russians, but also the Germans.

So, the first sign of trouble,
we take to the cellars.

Is that understood?

Right, thank you, gentlemen.
Now, get on with it.

Come on, let's go.

This may well be the last time that
I will have the chance to speak to you

in orderly circumstances.

I thank you for your loyalty
in the past.

Your duty in hard
and painful times to come

will require more of you than loyalty.

What that duty is, or will be,
I cannot define for you.

Nor will there be any unifying example
as in the past.

Each man must seek his own way.

Each man must seek his own way

using his own individual resources
in the changed world.

Gentlemen, I am leaving this office
for the last time.

I suggest that we take shelter
whilst this bombardment continues.

I thank you.

Seven, eight, nine American tanks.
- How many?

Let's have a look.
- No more than two miles away.

They're moving. Tanks being fired on,
fired on from the tower.

I wouldn't blame the Yanks for thinking
this was a Jerry observation post.

Do you suppose there's an American
artillery man

with his binoculars on me,
watching me watching them?

Very convoluted thinking.
Personally, I'm going below.

I wouldn't blame the Americans

for blasting the entire castle
off the face of the Earth.

To them, it's got to look like
an artillery observation post.

But they must be better informed
than that.

Oh, must they?

And what about young Jim Phipps' story

about how they bombed the Command Post
and killed the CO?

Funny.
- What?

Even Jerry doesn't look
so bad down here.

Yes.

A basement full of strangers always
seems to me far more vulnerable

than an upstairs drawing room
with a few chaps.

One of our men was killed by a shell
in the Kommandantur

and three others were wounded.

I'm sorry.

Are you, sir?
- What?

Are you sorry?

Yes, in a funny way I suppose I am.

Yesterday would have been different.

The whole thing is so nearly over,
it doesn't make a lot of sense, does it?

What are they singing?

It's a French army song
from the early 19th century.

"Thank you for our artillery."

Of course then we were fighting them.

And us.

When it's all over, John,

what do you think
is going to happen to Europe?

I know what we ought to do,

go right through to Berlin
and finish it.

What the hell was that?
- The bridge.

They must have blasted the bridge
on the Mulde.

Is that good or bad?

It's good for whom, bad for whom,
I don't know.

Who the hell's side is he on anyhow?
- The winning of course.

If you'll ask me they'll blow this place
to bits in the morning.

Yeah? Who will?

The Americans obviously. Who else?

Nobody's briefed them.

Plaster this place with high explosives
and blow it to smithereens.

What have they got to lose?
Not one of their own men certainly.

What do I look like? Chopped liver?

It all looks pretty quiet
at the moment, Max.

They've found some wine
in one of the other cellars.

I reckon we might as well
have some dinner.

How many bottles?
- Enough to go around.

You understand
there is no more frontline.

The SS are all gone.
So, there's no more order in the town.

Yes.

And in contrast to the society
we see all around us,

we had to evolve our own system
of governing ourselves.

Simple, primitive, natural,

village, POW, democracy.

And you know who I want to thank
for that? The Germans.

Thank you for you knew not what you did.

Half a kilometre in this direction
stands a bridge.

Yesterday it was heavily guarded.

Tonight I don't know.

Best you try here.

He wouldn't, he wouldn't.
- No.

No, no, you see, on the other hand,

Phil said that if there was
a continuous line,

he wouldn't go through it.

Yeah, well,
the whole town is crawling with SS.

So, if it is,
he'll come back and tell us.

Well, if he does make it,
if he gets through to the army,

hope he has the sense
to remain where he is.

Hey you! Kraut?

We got a copyright on that.

It's in public domain.

Who are you?

United States prisoner of war.
- Identify yourself.

Carrington, Phillip.

Major, US Army.

Serial number 0246-9731.

Just stay right where you are.

Can you hurry up?
I'm freezing.

So bloody quiet I can't sleep.

Nice going, Major.

What rank are you, soldier?
- PFC.

Is there an officer around here?

There's Captain Andrews a couple
of hundred yards down the road.

How about running me down to see him?
- Just walk right in front of me, Major.

First time in four years I don't know
what's going to happen.

What are you going to do?

I got this scheme selling army surplus
after the war

because there'll be all these depots.

I don't know. The army is the only thing
I've ever been trained for.

How about you, George?

I'm going to start from scratch.
Train as a zoologist.

You mean there's money in bugs?
- That's entomology.

There's Phil.

You didn't manage it?
- Yes, I got through.

And?

Well, the SS have left the town.
It's being defended by Volkssturm.

Volkssturm? What the hell is Volkssturm?

Civil defence.
Our artillery's got the word.

They were ordered to level anything
that shows resistance.

They want us to put out a flag.

Why didn't you stay over
on the other side?

We could have met you
at the Starlight Roof.

I told you.
They want us to put out a flag.

Come on, let's get it.

Sir.

National flags are being displayed.
Also, white flags.

They have broken their agreement.

There's a column of tanks
on the far road.

Tanks and half-tracks heading east.

I haven't actually seen an American tank
enter the town.

Of course they could be bypassing us.

What are you talking about?

No, really. If they think this place
is going to be heavily defended,

they may decide to flow on by.

I mean pockets of resistance are
often left to stew in their own juice.

Not if they're strategic.
- For heaven's sake, Chris.

We left the Germans in charge of
Le Havre all last autumn and winter.

Don't tell me Le Havre isn't a hell of
a sight more strategic than this place.

You always look on the bright side
don't you, Downing?

Well, I'm just trying to guard against
being let down. That's all.

Do you actually believe it?

Not until I walk through those gates,
I don't.

He's through the gates now.
- All right.

Well, what are you waiting for?
Come on, let's just pack up and leave.

All right.
- I'm not packing anything.

I'm going to walk through there
with my hands in my pockets.

Hold on. Where's Colonel Preston?

Right! Right!

Hey! Hey! How are you? Hey, mate!
How are you doing, sir?

Hey, soldier. What happened to you?
- Hey, let me down, fellows. Let me down.

Let him down.
- What outfit are you with?

Headquarters Company, Third Battalion,
273rd Infantry Regiment.

We were kind of getting driven up here,
sir, by our own fire.

This looked like the safest place
in town.

Safest place in town.

There's no guard on the lower gate,
so we forced it open.

Atta boy!

Harrity, 9th Armoured Division.
How are you?

Harrity.

That's a name I won't forget.
Mine is Dodd.

Boy, what a day!
It was touch and go, I'll tell you.

Hey, we nearly shelled this place
with incendiaries.

Colonel. Major Carrington.
- Major.

How are you?
- Captain Nugent, Colonel Harrity.

Captain. I was just telling the Colonel
here we almost set this place on fire.

We could feel the heat.
How's it going down there?

There was some resistance.
It's not over yet down there.

Well, gentlemen, what do you need?
Food? Cigarettes?

You just gave us what we need.

As soon as we get some trucks organised,
we'll get you guys shipped out of here.

All right?

Well, looks like it's finally happened.
- Yes, it does.

I suppose you'll be all packed.
- Pretty much so, yeah.

What are we going to do now, sir?
Just walk out of the place?

I think we can do better than that
unless of course you're keen on walking.

I'll see if I can get some transport
out of those chaps.

Except for the Major here
who paid a previous visit,

we've been here six, seven months.

In the case of the British,
some of them as much as five years.

Colonel Preston. Colonel Harrity.
- My pleasure, sir.

How do you do?
- If there's anything you fellows need,

within reason, just say the word
and I'll try to make it available.

When it becomes available,
I think we'd all like transport.

Yes, sir. That'll be the first order
of business.

Now...

what about these guys?

What do you want me to do with them?
They treat you all right?

Or is there anything I should take care
right away?

In what terms?
- Justice.

Quick. Clean. Simple. No red tape.

No, Colonel. What they did was normally
nothing more than their duty.

I request that they be confined
and remain in American custody.

Well, they would anyhow,
but any special reason?

Within the limitations of their duty,
they cooperated these last days.

Saved many lives.
- Well, that's all I wanted to know.

Well, I imagine they're waiting
for some formal kind of procedure.

Do you want me to take it, Colonel,
or do you want to handle it?

John?

I think they should surrender
to the American First Army.

All right.

You're the senior officer here?

Kommandant.
Prisoner of War Special Camp, 4C.

1,500 officers and men unhurt.
Nominal roll herewith.

Colonel Harrity, 9th Armoured Division.

I'm ready to accept your surrender.

I surrender
on behalf of my officers and myself,

on the understanding
that we will, as prisoners of war,

be treated according to the terms
of the Geneva Convention.

Yes, sir.

Lieutenant.
- Sir.

Excuse me. Excuse me, gentlemen.

Sir.
- Take charge of these people, will you?

Oh, and I don't want them
in any POW cage.

Just keep them with us under guard

until we can ship them back to Corps.
All right?

Sir.

Sergeant.
- OK, Lieutenant.

Let's move 'em out.

Well, Kommandant.

In four years, this is the first time
we've said goodbye.

A lot has happened to us.

This reversal of our positions
would seem the least important.

Anyway to me.

In those years,
we have both lost something

which is more precious than freedom.

Your wife. My son.

You have shown me the way
that one can survive

both imprisonment

and loss.

Thank you.

You have won a great victory here.

You, yourself.

One never thinks of it like that.
There's no victory in imprisonment.

I'm quite sure you would not think of it
that way, Colonel Preston.

Goodbye, Kommandant.

Goodbye.

Colonel.

All right.
Get those prisoners loaded up.

Form a packing convoy.

I'll see what I can line up
in the way of transport.

But do me a favour, will you, Colonel?

Don't go leaving here
in groups of twos and threes.

There are still
a lot of crazy guys around

in this part of the world,
so keep together, huh.

Be seeing you.

Let's go, lieutenant.
- Good luck to you, boys.

Come on, Simon. That's one thing
you're not going to be needing any more.

Where did you liberate that from?
- The Waterworks.

I'm taking it back to England.

Okay, fellows.
Hold it down. Hold it down.

Well, Colonel, we got 20 trucks
lined up outside

ready to take you to an airfield
near Chemnitz.

How long would it take your men
to get ready to leave?

About a minute and a half.

We're off!
- Wait.

It's funny I don't feel like
saying cheerio to this place.

In fact, we will probably never say
goodbye to it completely.

I bet we have nightmares.

Well, you'll soon be seeing your wife.
- Yes, sir.

We will see you at the airfield,
Colonel.

And on the plane to England, sir.
- Thanks a lot.

See you later.

Would you now please board
the transport?

A bath won't be long now.