G.W. Pabst's Westfront 1918 was premièred in Berlin on 23 May 1930
at the Capitol Cinema. The original camera negative has been lost.
The restoration was based on a master positive
from the BFI National Archive collection.
Missing scenes were re-inserted using a duplicate negative from Praesens-Film.
Restoration: Deutsche Kinemathek
in cooperation with the BFI National Archive.
Digital 2K processing: Alpha-Omega, Munich.
Digital sound processing: Digimage Classics, Paris
The restoration was supported by the German Commissioner for Culture and Media.
WESTERN FRONT 1918
A NERO SOUND FILM
SCREENPLAY: LADISLAUS VAJDA
BASED ON THE NOVEL
"FOUR INFANTRYMEN ON THE WESTERN FRONT"
BY ERNST JOHANNSEN
DIRECTOR: G.W. PABST
CAST: THE FOUR INFANTRYMEN:
THE BAVARIAN: FRITZ KAMPERS KARL: GUSTAV DIESSL
THE STUDENT: H.J. MOEBIS THE LIEUTENANT: CLAUS CLAUSEN
YVETTE, THE FRENCH WOMAN: JACKIE MONNIER
KARL'S WIFE: HANNA HOESSRICH
KARL'S MOTHER: ELSE HELLER
What? What?
Come with me!
- I want a turn with her! - No.
You are all my children.
Yes, for heaven's sake!
Good Lord!
As I always say: If you mess with Prussians it's nothing but trouble.
Come on, Karl, let him have it!
That's out of the question.
Well, I don't mind. Take it.
I'm not going to melt. Washing is nothing for soldiers.
What a commotion, isn't it?
- Love me! - Don't even think about it!
What did she say?
- That you're a thicko! - Thicko!
YOU?
She thinks it's a compliment! Children,
this lady is my wife for the next fifteen minutes.
Stop it! You're spilling the coffee, you rascals!
You'd better not put any chicory in my coffee!
Bloody hell! You want some plain water instead?
Coffee, finally!
Here, Grandad.
Very good, something hot.
Get over here, love! Let's have some of that black man's sweat!
Oh, don't cry.
- Here's your coffee. - Now that's love.
Give me kisses. I fancy you.
Ouch! All right, for heaven's sake!
Leave something for us!
Oi, miss! Stop it! Bavarians aren't worth it.
Want to step outside, eh? Want to step outside?
- Absolutely! - Come here, if you dare!
Fine, let the girl go first.
Come on, Bruno! Behave!
- The Bavarian can do it. - I put my money on Bruno.
Smack him one on the bum!
Oh no!
- No, Grandfather! - Cellar! Take cover!
What's going on?
- 18, 20, 23... - Yes, yes, got it.
- ...24... - Me too.
- ".27. -‘(es.
- That was a windfall. - You cheat! You've got a trump.
Boom, boom, Mademoiselle. Your countrymen are impolite.
Impolite.
My God, this war!
This idiotic killing.
I'm so scared I could just die.
Stop trembling.
Don't be afraid.
I'm here.
lam here...
with you.
You are a good man.
Gentle man.
I loving you.
Good God, what a hole!
That's a Whopper.
More greetings from afar. Well, I'm leaving.
Just in case. Come on, step right up, gentlemen.
Very nice accommodations.
Guaranteed bomb-safe! You won't pay 20 cents!
You won't even pay 10 cents! Today only,
for the military and for girls, free of charge!
Fall in!
You can all kiss my arse.
Well, come on!
- Hello, anybody there? - Yes, what's wrong?
Hurry up! Company, fall in!
Is the mayhem starting up again?
And I had such a good hand!
Bloody hell!
What's the fuss about? Your heroic death will come soon enough.
Hello? Where's the student?
Student!
- I have to go. - No, no!
Don't go! Stay here with me. Stay here.
Squad leader, report!
I'll come back again.
Well I'll be damned! The student!
Where on earth were you?
- Attention! - 1st Division reporting!
- 2nd Division reporting! - 3rd Division reporting!
- 1st Platoon reporting! - 2nd Platoon reporting!
- Thanks. - Attention!
- Company reporting! - Thanks.
Left shoulder, arms!
Right turn. March!
Straight ahead! March formation. Smoking permitted.
I've had enough.
Time to hit the filth and sleep.
- Surprise attack! - Wake me when the enemy gets here.
Alarm!
Alarm! Alarm!
Come on, Grandad. Get up!
There's going be an attack.
- What's going on? - The gas masks!
Quick! Otherwise they'll all suffocate!
There won't be much of them left. It was a direct hit.
Out.
Good God! You're bonkers!
There's hardly any oxygen as it is.
- The ceiling's coming down! - Prop it up!
Quick!
Fast!
Don't give up!
It came from over there?
Bloody hell! Friendly fire!
Direct fire further forward!
What is it?
Shit!
Runner, go!
Artillery is shooting its own position!
Direct hit on artillery observation.
Runner! Runner!
To the battle orderly of the neighbouring company!
Their shells are falling short. Medic!
Now...
I can't breathe anymore.
I... I'm through.
Hello? Karl!
Karl!
But this is water!
Help!
Karl!
Messenger dog!
- Good boy. - Send message, go!
Well, I'm a...
This is unbearable!
- Hey! What's the problem? - The front trench is lost.
Boys, are you mad?
Volunteer runner to regiment headquarters.
Well?
Volunteer runner.
Student!
Are you mad?
Far from it.
Ru go.
To regiment combat headquarters.
OK, boys, get back in the dugouts.
- What is it, August? - Oh, it's nothing.
Lieutenant Richter!
What about the cables? Aren't they finished yet?
I already sent out all the linesmen.
- It's hopeless, First Lieutenant. - Your Excellency!
All the cables to my trenches have been shot to pieces.
Message from the 3rd Company.
- Artillery Commander! - Artillery Commander!
Damn it all, Major, they're shooting my regiment to smithereens!
TRUDE REGIMENT DUGOUT
Your fire is falling short!
Listen to me!
Please move your fire forward!
No!
Understand?
From "Trude" regiment dugout.
Yes, I'll connect you to the adjutant.
Captain Wolzow? Yes.
Hey, what's wrong with your connection?
Well? Eat up!
Thanks.
- Bessancourt? - Keep going straight.
Oh dear, he's in bad shape.
Jacqueline!
Monsieur Georges! Did something happened to you?
_ NO, no, no _
No.
- Is the student back? - No.
Heavy losses, for just one night.
- The men? - Repairing the trenches.
How's the morale?
The men on furlough are back too.
- Whose turn is it now? - Karl.
Hello! Tell Karl to come here!
- Karl! - You know,
I don't even like sending them on furlough any more.
They just ruin the morale out here when they return.
Yes.
And they say they're starving something terrible back home.
Three lilies, three lilies
are planted on my grave, la, Ia, Ia!
There came a proud horseman
and broke them off
Stay! Don't go!
But I can't let my comrades win the war on their own.
Oh what a calamity!
This war is mad!
People all mad!
Stay.
But your battalion is fighting on the front.
Yes, what about it?
- And you're here? - Is this the 5th?
The military policeman!
- Is this the 5th? - Yes.
You had a deserter last week.
He was caught last night.
Yes, that's right.
The orderly room is across the way.
They'll drop him off at midday. Ready your guns.
Thank you very much, comrade.
Take care, comrade.
It'll be OK.
When we march
out through the German gates
my dark-haired maiden
you stay at home
So, my maiden, wave, wave, wave
Under the green linden tree
sits a little finch, finch, finch
that sings, maiden wave!
Are you leaving?
Furlough!
Man, you lucky dog! Oh, man!
At Brussels train station you can buy heaps of sausages!
- And bacon and eggs! - And schnapps!
I'll buy it all! They'll be gobsmacked back home!
Man, and my girl still looks young and fresh.
Finally somebody to love again!
Life really looks different this morning.
You can't know what it means. You don't have a girlfriend.
I do now, since yesterday.
Good evening.
Dear comrades,
let me introduce to you our very, very beloved young lady,
Forget-me-not.
Tip-top, eh boys?
- What an angel. - You've got it good here on the front!
- Ye gods, look at that! - I'm on fire!
- Isn't that sensational! - Shut it, you.
- Who are you lot anyway? - 1st Battalion replacements.
You enlisting brats think it's always like this.
- You're in for a nasty surprise. - So what? It's great!
Just you wait, boy. We take positions tomorrow.
- Shut up! - Quiet!
Hey! Stop that! What are you doing?
It's my turn. Now go away!
Not again!
Have you ever seen anything like it?
Now I'd like to do a little...
Wait, I want to play along.
That's nice. Let's play together.
He fell down! He can't even sit on a chair!
- Let's keep playing- - Keep playing?
Yes, why not? We'll play again.
You'll see.
- OK, one more time. - OK.
Oh, come on. Why don't you play?
I was just fooling around. Let's play something new.
So, we'll play something new.
So, gentlemen!
Hello, how's it going out there?
- We're persevering. - When will you finally reach Paris?
Come to the tavern like old times!
It's a miserable life. Money can't buy you a thing.
The back door's your only chance. This way you'll starve for sure.
The child's better off at home than out in this cold.
Alone? These days, Mother's in the factory all day.
What's going on here? Get to the back of the line!
What's wrong with the old cow? Don't push to the front of the line.
- Leave the woman alone. - Yes, my Adolf is dead.
- Oh? - You think you're the only one?
That's no reason to push to the front. Get on back!
Let me through.
- Look at all those packages! - You're amazed, eh?
- Of course! - They've got it cushy.
Isn't that your son Karl?
- Where? - There.
I can't leave the line.
I've been standing here since morning.
Oh.
Well, you can just keep on kissing.
Well?
Why aren't you kissing?
I said, kiss!
Take off the blanket!
The blanket!
Well?
One.
- Two. - Don't shoot! Don't shoot!
Kiss her! I said to kiss her!
Kiss her!
Don't shoot!
Willi!
An enlisting order?
Who is that?
YOU?
You too?
Tomorrow morning.
Now get out!
I'm dog tired.
As neat as pickled herrings.
I've been gone two days.
It's horrible what they put you through.
'CDC
- It's not my fault. - Stop it.
Make some coffee.
What's this?
SOLD OUT
There's nothing left.
Did he really come home?
Well?
- What's wrong? - Mother!
Karl! Karl! Are you really here?
It's OK.
- Look at everything I brought you. - Yes, yes, yes.
And... what's wrong with you two?
- I should've just stayed out there. - Karl!
Don't say such horrible things!
What's wrong with you two?
Oh, Mother!
It's not my fault.
In times like these...
The butcher's boy from downstairs,
sometimes he brings me something.
You know how it is, Mother.
How are we supposed to survive?
Of course, the boys out there have no idea.
When one starves, then the others starve too.
They stick together.
All for one!
Bring him his coffee.
But what is a woman to do
in this horrible town,
all alone?
Stay, have a cup of coffee with me.
- How was it? - It was alright.
- Although it's taking a little too long. - No, I have mine already.
It's good.
Taste it.
From a farmer in Vaudin, for 3.50 marks.
To think that's where my friend the student fell in love with a...
Well, what about your friend?
He'll marry her.
I stood in the aisle for the whole journey.
Go on, make up his bed.
You've been away from home for too long.
18 months,
and exactly nine days.
Women shouldn't be left alone.
No, no. They shouldn't.
Was that my fault?
Was it anyone's fault?
Won't you two come over for lunch tomorrow?
This is a time of adversity, Mother.
Just say one kind word!
Stop it.
Why can't you just finally make peace out there?
Hark, what goes on at the manor?
What hears my blackened ear?
An innkeeper from the vole?
A cascade rushes in the dale
Quiet, what approaches the manor?
A horseman from his steed dismounts
and upon the gates does pound
Good God it is my son
But where is my mother dear...
The twelfth!
With her tears for me so sincere?
Your mother, she was good
but she lies resting in the ground
So the son took up his sword
and pierced his father's heart
Oh, son! Oh, son!
Please spare me
Your mother died for you
Then he raised his sword again
and pierced his very own heart
Now the manor stands empty
Everyone rests in the cemetery
Who are you writing?
I'm writing to my mother, of course.
You old blockhead!
Dear homeland
I greet thee
I greet thee from for away
From for away I greet thee
Dear homeland
I greet thee
You! Relief. To the siege-trench.
I greet thee
from for away
Dear homeland
I greet thee
- Comrades! - Shut up! You'll see your mother again.
- Go! - I'm coming.
I'm going!
Go!
Man alive, they got Fritz too!
Medic!
Come on, lads! Get Fritz back! Go, go, go!
Go on, go on!
I have to go at half past ten. Then I'll be right on time.
There's coffee left over.
I'll get more on the way.
- You're happy to go. - Yes.
I just can't wait to get back to the trenches.
Three more minutes.
To see the student and all my other comrades.
Strange, isn't it?
But that's how it is when you've lain in the dirt together for so long.
Please forgive me.
Sometimes it makes you wonder...
You were as cold as a rock the whole time.
How you had such tremendous luck.
- If only you'd at least scolded me. - Help me in the strap.
But there's no talking with you about it.
So...
I'm ripe for the trenches again.
Well then, goodbye.
You're just running away?
What am I supposed to do? I'm human. I'm your wife, after all!
Stop that. There's no changing it.
You can't go like this!
There's no time left.
Oh, don't cry. Come on.
Here. So, don't cry.
If this keeps up, in two weeks there won't be a soul left alive here.
Don't go! Wait!
What's wrong? What do you want, girl?
I don't want to go! I can't!
Where is my friend, the student?
Yeah,yeah. I'll give him the message.
Right, chop chop! Get moving!
I'll be in Bayaume! Do you understand?
In Bayaume!
To the depot!
Since midnight the whole sector
is coming under heavy fire.
One moment, Major.
Where are the impacts now?
In the rear, Lieutenant.
In the rear, Major. Yes, sir.
It's none of our business.
They're shelling the division cantonment.
There's no harm in giving them a little taste as well.
Jesus! Karl is back!
Hello, you dandy!
Hiya!
Well, how was it back home?
How do you think it was?
Nice of you to come back just in time for this mess.
- Is the Lieutenant inside? - He's on the phone.
- How long has this been going on? - This is the third day.
Yes sir, Major!
Major, I repeat:
All messages confirm the suspicion
that the enemy will resume the attack in the early morning.
Yes sir!
Do you hear that?
Just keep on going. Aim towards the back. Let him have it!
His Excellency himself?
Yes sir, Your Excellency!
If I'm alone in the dugout? Yes, right away.
Yes, sir.
Yes, sir!
Hey, get out of here.
- Hello, August. - Hello, Karl.
No, no, later.
Where's the student?
Heads down!
So where's the student?
Out there.
Since when?
Since last week.
- That's him. - No, that's a Frenchman.
- But listen to his screams. - He's been screaming for days,
but nobody can get to him.
- I'll go. - But it's a Frenchman.
They should go and get him themselves.
- What if it is the student? - But I saw him.
I crawled past him back when I was on patrol.
Where was he shot?
He wasn't.
He's lying in water.
This is unbearable!
Come on, Karl.
He'll stop eventually.
- I'll get him before the day is done. - My friend, save your own skin.
Look how bad it's become.
But we can't just let him rot out there.
Come on...
Here comes the lieutenant.
- Who's this? - Reporting back from furlough.
Oh, it's you.
We need four dependable men to entrench at the front.
In front of the barbed wire. I'll send gunners in after you.
The important thing is that you catch the French in the flank.
Who will volunteer?
I will, Lieutenant.
I thought as much.
You can show us how fresh you are after your visit home.
- Who will go with him? - Can I choose them myself?
Very well.
Will you come?
Do I even have a choice?
I can't let you go all by yourself.
There he is lying there, the student.
Oh God!
Calm down, man! We're heroes after all!
My friend, if we were heroes, we would've been home long ago.
Watch out!
Go!
They're coming!
Pull the pins, man!
Yes sir, Your Majesty!
Hooray!
I'm blind! I'm blind!
Careful! Careful! Don't push!
Freshly operated!
MY legs are gone!
But you have arms, sonny! Think of your girlfriend!
Careful!
Coat!
Gloves!
Start the anesthaesia.
Instrument!
Swabs!
Where is the student? Where is the student?
Just say one kind word.
I'm your wife, after all.
Hush, my child. I will come back to you.
But it's not my fault.
Forgive me.
We are all in adversity.
- All alone. - I know.
I know that. Not you...
Everything!
Everyone!
We are all...
guilty.
- I can't go on. - Cigarette.
I have five children at home.
Anesthaesia.
There is no more ether.
I want to go home.
'CDC
Comrade.
Not enemy.
Water!
End?!