Central Studio of Children and Youth Films
named after M. GORKY
By commission of State Committee of the USSR Council of Ministers
on Television and Radio Broadcasting
SEVENTEEN MOMENTS OF SPRING
Part 12
Starring
Stirlitz - Vyacheslav TIKHONOV
Stalin - Andro KOBALADZE Gromov - Pyotr CHERNOV
Vasilyev - Gennady PETROV Kovalenko - Vladimir ROUDY
Pastor Schlagg- Rostislav PLYATT Kathe - Yekaterina GRADOVA
Himmler - Nikolai PROKOPOVICH Schellenberg - Oleg TABAKOV
Bormann - Yuri VIZBOR
Kaltenbrunner - Mikhail ZHARKOVSKY
General Wolf- Vassily LANOVOY Dolman - Yan YANAKIYEV
Allen Dulles - Vyacheslav SHALEVICH
Gewernitz - Valentin GAFT Guesmann - Alexei EIBOZHENKO
German Embassy Advisor - Vladidmir PAULUS
Owner of a bird shop - Yevgeny GUROV
Messenger - Paul BOUTKEVICH
Kaltenbrunner's secretary - Stanislav KORENEV
Lady in the bar - Inna ULYANOVA
Narrated by Yefim KOPELYAN
Will you help me, Ingrid?
Are you deaf? Find out what's up.
Frontier outpost.
Observation post.
Your wife's asking when you'll come for breakfast.
In 20 minutes.
The lieutenant will come in 20 minutes.
Frau von Kirstein, please.
Well, Katya...
Everything is over.
What's wrong, Katya?
It's over for your baby.
And for that guy's girl too.
You should think about the future.
There's no future without a past.
I'll leave you here in a good hotel until tomorrow.
I'll pick you up tomorrow.
Don't be afraid of anything. The most horrible is over.
Bern, Switzerland
03.18.1945 (15 hours 10 minutes)
The mansion of the USA Special Agency.
- Hello, gentlemen. - Hello.
My colleagues and I came here to head the negotiations.
I'm glad that our negotiations
will be on such a high level.
Please.
We've been greatly impressed by
the fact that the SS top-ranking officer
doesn't bring forward any personal demands.
My personal demand is peace for Germans.
Bravo. These are the words of a real soldier.
Please.
Any news?
Kesselring has been urgently called to the Fuhrer's bunker.
It's the most unpleasant news.
You think...
I don't expect any good from those calls.
According to our information,
Kesselring is going to get a new appointment.
He'll be the commander of the Western front.
I've heard about it, but the facts are not confirmed.
They will be confirmed
in the nearest future.
Can you name Kesselring's successor?
Yes.
It is colonel-general Vietinghoff.
I know this man.
Frank, bring me some water.
What do you think about him?
He's a conscientious soldier.
We can give such a characteristics to the majority
of the Vermacht generals.
Even to Beck and Rommel?
No.
They were true German patriots.
Anyway, I didn't have any direct contacts with Vietinghoff.
What about Kesselring?
Kesselring had those contacts.
How would you regard our proposal
to go to Kesselring
and ask him to capitulate on the Western front?
With the prior consent of Vietinghoff to the simultaneous
capitulation in Italy.
It's... a risky move.
Aren't we all risking here?
In any case, your contact with Kesselring
on the Western front
could give a clear picture,
whether he capitulates or not in the West.
Since he did it in Italy,
one could suppose that he would do the same in Strasburg.
When will you visit him on the Western front?
Kaltenbrunner is calling me to Berlin,
but I put off the trip because we had agreed to meet.
So you can go there, after you've arrived in Italy.
Yes.
In general, it's possible.
- But... - I understand you.
You're risking more than
all of us.
But in that situation there's no other way out.
There's a way out.
You initiated the negotiations.
Probably you're having a certain support in Berlin.
It'll help you to find a pretext to visit Kesselring.
If you're concerned about the destiny of Germany,
in that particular case, it is in your hands.
Of course, this argument cannot leave me unmoved.
Will you go to Kesselring to the Western front?
Yes.
Will he agree to capitulate?
I'm sure of it.
Will Vietinghoff follow his example?
I have to return to Italy and try to...
In case Vietinghoff hesitates,
will you be able to influence the events here?
Yes.
Of course, in case of necessity, you'll have to meet
General Vietinghoff here or in Italy.
If it seems expedient to you, we'll come into such a contact.
When will you return from Kesselring?
In a week, if everything goes well.
And I'll inform you and Vietinghoff
about the exact date of the capitulation in the West.
Stirlitz told Katya that everything was over.
Having met the pastor, Stirlitz realized that he was mistaken.
Nothing was over.
On the contrary, everything was just beginning.
To Stockholm?
Yes.
- The second one is also there? - Yes, to Stockholm.
- And to Constantinople. - Yes.
Yustas to Alex. I'm in Bern.
I wait for the messenger in the bar "The Skier" every night at 10 p.m.
The form of the connection: A box of tobacco "Goldblock",
British matches with the "Punch" label.
The person should know me by sight.
The mission is complete.
I received reliable information about the contents
of the talks between the German representatives and Dulles.
Behind the back of the USSR, they are trying to achieve
a separate peace with the Nazis.
Wolf is negotiating on behalf of Himmler.
The documents are sent through the "Elbrus-2" channel.
Yustas.
- Did you get the materials? - Yes.
Yes, Comrade General.
- Alexander, come to my office. - Yes, Vladimir.
Sviridova is in charge of deciphering.
The materials will be deciphered in 20 minutes.
Ask Fomicheva to help her.
Yes. Can I go?
Invite all my deputies.
And the chiefs of the 1st and 2nd Departments.
Yes.
Hello?
Hello, Alexander.
Yes, I think it's possible.
Yes.
In 2 days I'll be able to discuss this issue.
Two days is enough for them.
Thanks. Good bye.
The supplement will be given to you.
Prepare a report to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief.
Yes.
What about the messengers?
Two of them have successfully arrived.
- What about the third one? - He's silent.
03.22.1945 (17 hours 20 minutes)
The Minister of Foreign Affairs invited the British ambassador,
Sir Archibald Kerr, to Kremlin at 8 p.m.
He didn't invite the US ambassador, Harriman, because
Carr was an experienced intelligence man
and could carry on a conversation without excessive emotions
so peculiar to Harriman.
I'm commissioned to hand you a note of the Soviet government.
Comrade Pavlov, please, read the note to Mr. Carr.
He might have some questions.
Confirming the reception of the letter
concerning the talks in Bern between German General Wolf
and the officers of field marshal Alexander's headquarters,
The Soviet government states that
it regards this case not as a misunderstanding,
but as something worse.
German General Wolf and his officials
arrived in Bern to negotiate with the representatives
of the Anglo-American command on issues concerning
the capitulation of the German troops in North Italy.
When the Soviet government stated the necessity
of the participation of the Soviet military command's representatives,
it was refused its request.
Thus, in Bern during two weeks,
behind the back of the USSR which's carrying
the main burden of the war against Germany,
the negotiations have been conducted between the representatives
of the German military command and the representatives
of the American command.
The Soviet government considers it inadmissible.
I don't have any questions, Mr. Molotov.
I shall immediately inform about this note
the government of His Majesty.
Can I pass a few books to the professor from Sweden?
Sorry, I forgot his name.
- Professor Svedeborg from Sweden? - I think so.
He is dead.
He threw himself out of the window and died.
When?
The day before yesterday. He left the house and didn't return.
What a pity! My friend asked me to pass some books for him
and take away the ones the professor had.
Call the police. They took away all his things.
If you prove it, they'll return your things.
- Thanks. I'll do that. - Not at all.
- Could you? - Please.
Flower street.
Will you stop here?
Rosie, you should eat.
This seed is good, selected for you.
Hello.
I'm listening to you.
Could you tell me the way to the nearest flower shop?
A flower shop?
It's not far away.
At the corner to the right there's a nice shop.
They always sell wonderful carnations.
Thank you.
I suppose birds sing like that only in paradise.
You think so?
I agree with you.
Look at this couple. These are the unique birds.
Stirlitz imagined the professor throwing himself out of the window.
A small, feeble, quiet man.
He imagined the horror he might have felt
during his last seconds,
if he had decided to commit suicide
here at large.
Stirlitz would never come to know how it really had happened.
But one thing was clear.
He knew that Pleischner was not a traitor.
To the center, please.
Any place there.
Preferably closer to the place where I can rent a car.
In the morning I didn't dare to speak about my relatives.
And now I can't but speak about them.
How's my sister?
Do you remember her handwriting?
Of course.
Dear brother...
Dear brother,
thank you
for the generous care you've
shown towards us.
We live in the mountains now...
We live in the mountains now
and totally forgot
about the horrors of bombing.
We live with a nice family.
The children help to look
after the cows.
We have enough food and
feel safe.
I wish God helped you
to overcome all the misfortunes
you're facing now.
Your Anna.
What misfortunes?
I had to tell her that you'd been arrested.
I visited her not as Stirlitz, but as your parishioner.
Here's their address.
When everything's over, you'll find them there.
Thank you.
Actually...
I believed you even without this photo.
Why did you get pinched-looking?
I'm a bit tired.
Well... any other news?
There's some news but...
to accept it...
Either one should stop believing the whole world,
or become a cynic.
The Americans started to negotiate with the SS. They believed Himmler.
- Information? - What?
What information have you got? Where did you get it?
Which documents can prove it?
If you rely on rumors,
we can become the victims
of a well-fabricated lie.
I'd like to believe that Mr. Dulles is not
negotiating with Himmler's people but...
Did you read my morning's information?
And now this...
Give it to me.
Here it is.
German Embassy.
- Hail Hitler. - Hail Hitler.
Standartenfuhrer Stirlitz.
I've heard about you.
I received an enciphering...
I need a separate room and a tape-recorder.
Please.
General, I'd like to introduce my colleagues.
- Mister Glenn Allen Howard. - Hello.
- Mister Harold Barkin. - Hello.
- Mister Deckueller. - Glad to meet you.
- Mister Jack Madison. - Glad to meet you.
My colleagues and I came here to head the negotiations.
I'm glad that our negotiations will be on such a high level.
Please.
We've been greatly impressed by
the fact that the SS top-ranking officer
doesn't bring forward any personal demands.
My personal demand is peace for Germans.
Bravo. These are the words of a real soldier.
Please.
Any news?
Kesselring has been urgently called to the Fuhrer's bunker.
It's the most unpleasant news.
You think...
I don't expect anything good from those urgent calls.
I need to send a coded message to partaigenosse Bormann.
Please.
The negotiations
between the personal representative of X with Y
are in full progress
in Bern.
It's necessary
to take up urgent measures
and call the representative of X to the bunker
under any pretext.
Your devoted NSDAP member.
Ernest, I have a request.
It's a personal and sad request, Ernest.
I'm all attention.
General Wolf is a traitor.
It's impossible.
Did I often make mistakes?
And don't say a word to Himmler.
The Reichsfuhrer is too touchy, and we know about it.
Tomorrow, or it's better today
I want to have general Wolf
in the Reich.
And not only in the Reich
but in Berlin.
And not only in Berlin but in the Fuhrer's bunker.
And let your people bring him there.
In handcuffs.
Without shoulder-straps.
Of course, Kaltenbrunner didn't say anything to Himmler.
That was the Reichsleiter's order.
He ordered to recall Karl Wolf from Italy allegedly
for a meeting with the Fuhrer.
In the huge machinery of the Security Department nothing happened
without intent attention of the two competitors:
Gestapo and Intelligence, Mueller and Schellenberg.
Kaltenbrunner's radio-operator, recruited by Schellenberg,
told his secret chief
about the top secret cable sent to Italy.
Follow Wolf's travel to Berlin.
At the airport, on Kaltenbrunner's order,
a prison car with armored doors together with thugs
from the Gestapo prison, were waiting for Wolf.
- How was yourjourney? - Very well, thank you.
I'm glad to see you.
You look fine.
The Reichsfuhrer ordered me to meet you. Please.
The thugs didn't risk arresting Wolf.
The only risk they took was to follow Schellenberg's car
and report to their chief about it.
You failed me!
How did Bormann and Kaltenbrunner
find out about the negotiations?
How did Mueller's bloodhounds nose out about it?
Reichsfuhrer,
you should remember that I had to prepare
all the details of this operation.
Everything's fine with the cover operation.
For Wolf, I made up a legend
according to which he was exposing the plotters
who were seeking a separate peace in Bern.
We'll discuss the details here.
To my dictation, Wolf will write
a report how we,
the SS service,
exposed this plot
of our enemies.
So write down, Wolf.
I beg your pardon.
The Fuhrer asked you to wait.
He has a meeting with the Reichsfuhrer.
Bormann realized that he'd lost the game.
General,
I'm informed about everything.
Thank you for your courage and loyalty to the Fuhrer.
Bormann is speaking. Call Mueller.
The Fuhrer is waiting for you, Reichsleiter.
Top secret. Personal.
From I.V. Stalin
to President Franklin Roosevelt.
I don't speak about honesty and reliability in my letter.
I've never doubted your honesty and reliability,
as I've never doubted the honesty and reliability of Mr. Churchill.
I'd like to point out that during our correspondence
we discovered a difference of views,
as what the ally can do
and cannot do
with respect to the other ally.
We, Russians, think that
in the present situation on the fronts,
when the enemy is about to capitulate,
any meeting with Germans on the issues of capitulation
of one ally
requires the participation of the other ally in this meeting.
In any case, it's necessary
if the ally is aiming
to participate in such a meeting.
Americans and Englishmen are of different opinion
and consider the Russian point of view wrong.
Because of that, they refused Russians
to take part in the meeting with Germans in Switzerland.
I've already written to you and repeat once again,
that under the same circumstances
Russians would never refuse Americans and Englishmen
to take part in such a meeting.
I consider the Russian point of view
as the only correct one
because it excludes
any possibility to evoke distrust.
I assure you
that my informers
are very honest
and modest people
who carefully carry out their duties
and don't intend to insult anybody.
These people many times proved their loyalty at work.
Stirlitz was going to that night bar "The Skier"
for already several nights.
Here he had to meet a messenger.
But the messenger won't come tonight.
They will meet only tomorrow.
- I'll get your pram registered. - All right.
In Paris you'll get it by your luggage receipt.
Please.
Here it is.
I'll take it.
- Look after the babies. - Yes.
Anything else? I'll do it.
- No, thank you. - Fine.
Sour cream and a coffee, please.
- With milk? - No, just black coffee.
- Thank you. - Please.
I left my cigarettes in the car.
This travel by car has exhausted me.
Me too.
Stirlitz noticed the messenger long ago.
But he couldn't get rid of the drunk lady
who was pestering him from the moment he came in.
You should listen to me, you should believe me.
We, mathematicians, are taken for dried-up persons.
It's a lie! A lie!
In love, I'm Einstein!
I'd like to tell you that I want to be with you.
Wait for me outside. I'll come to you.
- Honest? - Yes.
I'm going... going.
Swear it.
May you drop dead! Go and write down a couple of formulas.
- All right! - Go.
He suggested it many times.
I've been waiting for you for a long time.
I had to travel through Spain.
First of all, I'd like to say...
- Please. - Thank you.
Understanding the present situation and its consequences,
the Center doesn't insist on Yustas'
return to Germany.
But if Yustas feels his position is strong,
the Center will be interested in his return
to Germany.
Comrade Yustas has to make
a final decision.
That's the last straw!
I'm listening to you.
I'd like to tell you
that the Command applied
to the USSR Supreme Soviet
about conferring on comrade Yustas the title
of the hero of the USSR
for exposing the operation "Sunrise Crossword".
If Yustas thinks it's possible
to return to Germany,
he'll have a liaison:
Two radio-operators based in Potsdam and Veding.
The places are safe.
They were closed two years ago.
So the Center would be interested
in Yustas' return to Germany.
Do you have some time?
What do you mean?
Do you have some time?
If you have 10 minutes, I'll write a short note.
I've got 10 minutes. I'll manage to catch a train for Paris.
- I'd like... - I'll write in French.
With my left hand, without address.
They know the address in the Center.
I'm afraid to talk to you.
You're a clairvoyant.
You're kidding...
Yes, I see.
I've got a couple of minutes.
You're right.
You shouldn't carry it through three borders.
Sorry for having taken your time.
03.24.1945 (16 hours 33 minutes)
Today, on the 24th of March
Stirlitz is returning to Berlin.
The Great Patriotic War will be over in 45 days.
The war which saved the world from Hitlerism,
the war in which the Soviet Union lost
20 million lives.
But it'll happen on May 9th, 1945.
On the 20th of November,
in Nuremberg there would be the first trial in the history of mankind,
the trial over the military criminals.
The main counts of the indictment were: The crime against the world,
military crimes and crimes against humanity.
The fear ofjust revenge made Hitler, Himmler and Goebbels
commit suicide.
But the majority of Hitler's accomplices would appear
in Court of History
on the 22nd of November
and receive a deserved verdict:
Execution through hanging.
On 24th of June in Moscow, in Red Square
there will be a parade of the Soviet Armed Forces
devoted to the victory over fascist Germany.
But at present neither Stirlitz,
nor any one else in the world could know about it.
Today,
on the 24th of March
the world hasn't been liberated yet.
That's why Colonel Maksim Isayev
is returning to Berlin.
He's going there to work.
Pain, my pain, leave me
At least for a while!
Like a blue-grey cloud,
Go to my home,
From here to my home.
My country, show yourself
In the distance.
My country, my sweet country,
I'd like to reach you so much,
at least some day.
Very far away, very far away
It's raining during sunshine.
Right near the river in the garden
The cherries are ripe on the trees.
Somewhere far away in my memory,
It's warm, like in my childhood,
Though my memory is covered
With so many layers of snow.
Thunderstorm, appease my thirst,
Until I'm drunk but not dead.
Now again, as if for the last time
I'm looking to the sky,
As if seeking for an answer...
Pain, my pain, leave me,
At least for a while.
Like a blue-grey cloud,
Go to my home,
From here to my home.
The End