SKY WITHOUT STARS
This is the story of the worker
Anna Kaminski from Broditz. Thuringia. And the border guard
Carl Altmann from Oberfeldkirch in Upper Frankonia.
While it didn"t take place.
It could happen any time.
SECTOR BORDER
For there is a border that runs right through the country.
Through fields and towns.
A border that divides not peoples. But one people.
A strip of dead land runs from the Baltic Sea to Bavaria.
A strip that was cleared.
Ploughed and harrowed.
But on which nothing was sown.
Except discord and hatred.
Sown and harvested.
In late summer. 1952. The border is not yet visible everywhere.
It seems something temporary. And this gives hope.
It is guarded all the more closely.
On both sides.
But at the rivers. And in the woods...
The river"s the border. You"ll be in the West in 10 minutes.
The ferry boat is under the Saale Bridge.
I "ll just make sure all" s clear behind us. Wait down at the shore.
GDR BORDER
National Guard!
Sorry. Everybody. You"re out of luck. Can"t you read?
The sign says ""GDR BORDER"".
Or were you planning to take a trip?
May I see the travel permits.
And the export permits
for the clothing?
Well look here. Director Klütsch from Grimma. - Yes.
How interesting.
Come on. Come on!
So you don"t feel like fighting for peace. All of a sudden?
What"s this? Shut up! Let me through. I"m a doctor.
Help!
Then take the kids aside.
Why does he try to go over if he"s in such bad shape?
Hey! Stop!
Heini. Hey!
Why all the shooting? Let her go.
Let her go. If she really wants to. She"s a good swimmer.
- The man"s dead. - What?
Yes. Heart attack. Probably out of fear.
What are you looking at me for? Can I help it?
I can"t help it.
What are you doing there?
L"m trying to dry off.
Did you come from the other side?
Yes.
You swam? Is there another way? Yes.
The proper way. On the street. With a permit.
Here"s my passport. Please turn around.
Anything else? Travel documents. Moving permits?
They have those there as well.
"" Kaminski. Anna.
Born October 10. 1928. ""
You"re only 24?
Registered where? Says right there. In Broditz.
Don"t send me to a refugee camp!
Hold on. Miss. Who said anything about a camp?
I know all about it. It"s not my first time.
I thought they help you in the West.
And then you end up in a camp. No one made you enter illegally.
Oh no. No one forces you.
I didn"t make the border.
L"m only staying until tomorrow morning.
Why go to the West for only a day?
Are you trading goods. Or anything like that?
Oh. Here...
How much will you give me? Sorry. There"s no propaganda.
L"m just doing my duty.
Just doing your duty. Nothing else matters when you"re in uniform.
Are you injured?
Me? Your comrade over there was just doing his duty too.
Did they shoot at you? Just grazed me. Turn around!
Let me see it.
If you don "t bandage it. You" ll get blood poisoning from dirt or fluff.
My skirt doesn"t fluff!
- Does it hurt? - A little.
Quite a wound. Can you walk? I don"t know.
The next village is right over there. Oberfeldkirch.
They don"t have a doctor. But... A refugee collection point?
The people I live with will surely have something.
Can"t you get me something by bike?
Then my things will be dry. And you won"t have to turn around.
Okay.
Of course we carry Warbur products. Whatever our customers want.
My Otto takes care of it. You can have anything nowadays.
These two would be...
I"ll be right with you. Here you go.
Anna! What a... So you"re back again?
Hello. Father Friese. I... Hello. Mr. Friese.
Some salad and cold cuts. For our guests from the insurance.
Of course. Just a moment. Would you go upstairs? I"ll let the maid know.
- How is the boy? - Fine. Fine.
Wholesale is already so expensive.
Then I"ll take the small can. Alright. Mrs. Kleinschmidt.
Here we are. Kaminski is outside.
Oh my goodness! I sent her upstairs.
She"s got that typical East look.
Mr. Friese! Just a moment. Please.
Wilma? A woman is coming up. She looks like a refugee.
See her in. And make some coffee.
No. No. The good kind. My wife will be right up.
Who knows what she wants this time. Is the boy upstairs? No.
4.75. Mrs. Kleinschmidt. On this week"s bill?
Go ahead. Go on up. Me. Always me!
The coffee"s coming.
Yes. Thanks. I"ll bring it down.
Oh. Anna!
- What a nice surprise! - Really?
What? It"s not our fault that things are the way they are.
L"m sorry. Hello.
L"m sorry too. I"m just so irritable lately.
We"re so busy.
So things are picking up? Yes. We can"t complain.
It "s almost betterthan" 38.
We want to take over the store next door in autumn.
- The bookshop? - Yes.
Otto wants to open a snackbar. ""Friese"s Delicatessen"".
You can imagine how busy we"ll be then.
Yes. -And you? How are you doing over there?
Better too. Not like "38. But better than "46.
Better in a different way. Really? That"s nice to hear.
Oh. Anna. It"s so sad
that our boy couldn"t live to see this all.
Oh. Our little Gerhard.
Your Gerhard.
It"s a miracle that things are going so well after all these years
with no income. And that nasty trustee in the shop.
What a consolation it is to have the boy. His son.
Yes.
Here. Let"s have some coffee. Real coffee. With cake.
- With filling. - Thank you.
How is he? Does he ask about me?
Rarely. He feels completely at home here.
And you know how kids are at that age. They forget so quickly.
Has he grown? How long has it been?
381 days.
Are you just passing through?
I want to take my son back with me.
To the East?
Yes.
Yes. I"m coming.
Grandpa said Grandma"s upstairs.
I want a saddle-bag with feathers. Just like Herbert.
Whatever you want. Now look who"s here.
- Mommy? - Go on. Say hello.
Mommy!
You little rascal. Come here. Wilma.
Get him out of his lndian outfit and into the bathtub.
No. I want to stay with Mommy.
Mommy. I have a turtle. He eats real lettuce.
And a slow-worm. But he"s dead. Look!
Come on. You vagabond. Here. Some cake.
Cake. I want a big pie.
You"ll get a big pie if you come out nice and clean.
But Mommy"s staying. Right?
Yes. Mommy"s staying.
Okay!
When can we talk about it? I have to be back tomorrow.
Not till tonight. After work.
What do you mean by ""take my son back with me""? What about us?
I am his mother. After all. And we"re his grandparents.
He"s all that"s left of our son. And what"s left for me?
You hardly knew Gerhard. Two weeks vacation. That was all.
Father worked so hard. Just for him. Oh. Stop it.
Who says he wasn"t everything to me. Even if it was only two weeks?
Not even two weeks. Just three days.
Am I responsible for the war. And for what followed?
Which was even worse. - Can I help it that I"m not your daughter-in-law?
I couldn"t marry a dead hero! I don"t like being a single mother.
Listen to you! I know. I"ve heard it all before.
We should"ve waited until after the wartime wedding.
But then there"d be no Jochen.
That would suit you best. Despite your act with the child.
But we couldn"t. And didn"t want to wait.
We loved each other. Everything else was dirt. Blood and fear.
Go ahead. Hold that bit of happiness against me. I"m glad I did it.
Nobody"s holding it against you. That"s not what Otto meant.
Mother. You stay out of it.
Anna. There"s no sense in going at each other.
We have to face the facts. This is the boy"s home.
He has everything he needs. Even when the trustee was here.
Come. Come. What"s the poor boy to do in the East?
Can you protect him? You can"t do that here either.
I beg to differ about that. That"s right.
Leave things the way they are. That way"s better.
I mean. Relatively speaking.
Why don"t you come over to the West?
We have room. And you can work here.
I have to hire someone anyway. Because of the shop next door.
You know I can"t leave Broditz. Who"ll take care of the old folks?
Grandfather is nearly 80. And Grandmother... you know.
Hans is still in the Ural. Voluntarilly.
We never hear from him.
No. I won"t have a border between me and my son.
I didn"t make the border! Otto.
Yes.
If you don"t understand. Then I"ll remind you.
You renounced your son three years ago. In writing.
We adopted him. And he has his father"s name.
You forced me. More or less. You said you could take care of him better.
You can"t use that against me!
We did what we did for Jochen. For Jochen alone.
You can"t take my child away from me just because I went to the East.
But the border will be gone some day.
You don"t really believe that. It"ll never be gone.
It"s too nice for you in the West. You"ve written us off!
Enough of this communist propaganda! She doesn"t mean it.
We have different opinions. And agreements are what count in the West.
Father... - Good night. I"m going to the ""Crown Prince"" for a beer.
Oh. I might not see you again.
You"re leaving early. All the best.
When do you have to leave?
One and a half hours. Before it gets light.
You can relax a little. I"ll prepare the couch.
Jochen. Wake up.
Wake up. Jochen. Come on.
Are you leaving again? Yes. And you"re coming with Mommy.
You"re coming with me.
Where are we going?
Show me what a big boy you are and get dressed nice and quick.
I can do that by myself. Where are your things?
There.
I want to stay with Grandma and Grandpa! Quiet!
Georgie. What is it? That girl climbed out the window.
It"s none of our business. Come on.
- Be quiet. - What is it?
Burglars.
I heard a window slam in the living room.
Elsbeth!
Where"s Anna?
The child!
Otto. She took the child with her!
OBERFELDKIRCH
Does a border guard live here? I don"t know his name.
Without a name... Guards live in all these houses.
Or customs officials.
The one who lives here is named Carl Altmann.
Slim. Dark hair. Pretty big? He has a bike.
He has a bike too. This is your house?
He won"t be back until 8. He"s on night shift
at the Unterfeldkirch border crossing.
They"re opening the border.
What did I tell you? Six. On the dot.
As if nothing happened. Pure harassment.
You don"t understand. It"s not harassment.
It"s unforeseen technical problems.
Look at the queue. What"s it to you? You have two days off.
Stupid border!
Sometimes I wonder about you.
Without the border. You and I would be out of work.
Get some sleep. You could use it.
Another flat tire. These streets are in awful shape.
Yeah. Well. I gotta go.
Are you coming tomorrow night? Sure. Willi.
It"ll be fun. There are 6 of us.
Lilly and her Yank. Me and Hilde...
I told her to find someone for you. We"re going to Coburg.
We"ll have a drink and shake a leg. Hilde"s got her place all to herself.
Morning. Ms. Kaminski.
Morning. Mr. Altmann.
Well. - The coal man told me your name. Could I...
Willi Becker from Neukölln. Carl keeps no secrets from me.
How can we get to Broditz? I have to be there in an hour.
That"s not even 8 km from here. I"ll take you part of the way.
But I don "t have papers. -And you" re asking the police. Of all people?
Well. I can"t help you. You must understand.
You can"t get me any documents? He"s not being stubborn. Miss...
But this side and that are as far apart as America and Asia.
Mommy. I"m tired. The most he could do is look away.
I mean officially.
Come with me. We"ll see what can be done.
Willi will surely help you. Thank you.
How"s the leg? Sorry about not waiting.
But why?
L"m suspicious as well. Usually.
As long as it"s better. Yes. Thanks.
A proper bandage on it?
- Good bye. - Come on.
This is my Cadillac.
See that hatch behind the wheel?
When I open it. In you go.
You have to be clever. Like Hopalong Cassidy. Right?
In the hatch. Keep your trap shut until we"re on the other side.
Mommy"s in the other hatch. Heading East. Into the rising sun.
May I? This way. All right.
Hey!
Hey. Get your papers stamped later! Go to the barracks first. - Yes. Sir.
Pull down the tarp and close the hatches!
G"day. Willi. G"day. Eric. Whad"ya got today?
Machine guns for the revolt. And two American spies in the hatches.
No problem. Take care. Willi. You too. Erich.
LONG LIVE THE PEACE MOVEMENT
EAST - WEST
Mommy. Mommy! Grandma. Grandma!
What is it? Where"s my Grandma?
I don"t see her. Does he have to pee?
No. He"s lost his Grandma. Bring him to the police.
Now don"t cry. Little sweetie-pie.
Come on. She"s found herself a young one.
Hey.
What"s with the kid? He was crying for his Grandma.
His Grandma? Why"s that?
Don"t worry. Miss. I"ll take care of him.
Where"s the nice man?
I don"t know. I got out of the box and everybody was gone.
Hey you! Don"t you want to take my address. In case of a reward?
I would"ve seen it if he got out on the road.
He got out on the other side! I"m going back.
Be sensible. You can"t get out of here or get in there. And I"m late.
I could pick you up tomorrow. Six o"clock at the construction site.
Come on. You have to be at the factory.
Can"t you call the West German police from Broditz? The phones still work.
Unterfeldkirch border police station. Border Officer Henning speaking.
Henning? Hold on. Stay on the line.
What is it? From Officer Hilgenfeld.
A six year-old boy was kidnapped and taken into the East.
- Abduction. - Send it on.
Yes?
Hold on. I"ll ask.
- Hey! - Yes?
Did a child turn up around here? No. Unless Altmann heard something.
We"re not aware of anything like that.
Actually. We"re looking for a child as well. But I"ll make a note.
Name. Please? Hello? Hello!
Thank you. Mr. Hüske. Not at all.
- Kaminski! - Mr. Hüske?
You called in sick yesterday. Yes.
Are you feeling better? Yes. Thanks.
Well. I"m happy to hear it.
I can work overtime.
Go back to your workplace. Comrade.
When can I go back to Mommy? Drink up first.
Then we"ll both get some sleep.
- But you promised. - Yes.
Yes.
Would you rather I brought a lady?
That I could"ve understood. But this?
Lost children should be brought to the police.
But I am the police. You know what I mean.
Why are you doing this?
Sometimes you do things without knowing why. Just like that.
You"re old enough to know better.
Another cocoa? No. He"s already had four cups.
Wake us later in the afternoon. All right.
Will we go by bike again?
Can I sit on the handlebars again? No.
We can"t go by bike.
We"ll have to go on foot.
SECTOR BORDER
Are we taking the train? No. Trains don"t run here anymore.
Are they Russians?
Tell me. Were they Russians? No.
- National guard? - No.
Robbers? No. They weren"t robbers.
You"ll show me a Russian?
FRIENDSHIP HOUSE
Sweets. Candies...
Please. Mister. Buy me some candy. I want some candy.
L"ve no money. Money"s different here.
Is this a different country? No.
Excuse me. Neighbour. Where"s the weaving mill?
Past the railroad bridge. It says ""VEB Clara Zetkin"".
Kaminski. Anna. Unskilled worker or specialist?
I don"t know. Probably unskilled.
The address is Eisenacher 84a.
Over there under the bridge.
But she"s not home. She"s working overtime.
Can she come to the gate?
It"s very important. This child...
It"s me again. Can Kaminski come to the gate for a moment?
A man and a child. From out of town. I think.
I can wait if it"s a problem...
- She"s coming. - Thank you.
Come on.
I don"t like it here. I want to go back to Grandma"s.
Could I get a light. Comrade?
Thanks. I just smoked one.
You"re not from here. Are you? No. Oh.
But not far from here.
Jochen! Jochen! You!
I was so worried! Where were you?
I called over there. But nobody knew anything. And I couldn"t go back.
How did you find him? My God. I haven"t even...
I "m sorry. I" m just so happy.
How did you manage this? With your job and all?
L"m off until Monday. And I figured I"d find you by then.
Now I"ve found you today already. Thank God.
Should I drop him off on Eisenacher Street?
You know my address too?
It"s my job to find such things out quickly.
If I want to know.
Well. I guess...
But why?
I "m sure you" re busy. And I...
I"d better go back tonight.
Out of the question. I"m off work in half an hour. And then you"ll come
with us to Eisenacher Street. Number 84a.
Yes. Right under the railroad bridge.
And this is my Jochen. Grandfather.
Isn"t he a big boy? How about a ""good evening""?
So. You"re Jochen.
And you want to stay with us.
I see.
Well.
And who"s this?
Mr. Altmann. He helped me bring the child over. My grandfather.
Good evening.
L"m sorry that you"ve found us so unprepared.
But we weren"t expecting such a late guest.
My wife has already gone to bed. Won"t you have a seat?
Thank you.
Dinner was at the usual time. Anna.
I worked overtime. Hüske knew that I crossed over.
Well... well.
L"ll make some dinner. You went shopping?
I heard there were fresh eggs from Poland.
Mommy. I"m tired.
Mommy will make your bed. Right after we eat.
You take care of your guest and the child. I"ll do it.
You might be surprised that I run the household.
But my wife is...
Well. ""Sickly"" is the right word.
My granddaughter works all day in the factory.
My pedagogical work has to wait. For better or for worse.
That"s just a product of these times.
Like many other things.
Mommy. Yes. Dear. Get some sleep.
I don"t want him to know what happened... I understand.
Is your grandfather still employed?
He hasn"t been for a while. But he still corrects papers all night.
Oh. The young zealous teachers aren"t good enough?
No. He corrects schoolwork from 1937. When he was still a teacher.
He thinks he marked the wrong mistakes.
Everyone tries to cope in his own way.
But who"s successful?
We have the possibility. At least. But the adults? Funny...
I"m already 29. But I still call them ""the adults"".
On the one had we"re still children. On the other we"re so old.
The only thing we aren"t is what we really are.
Do your parents live in the sector as well?
The lived in Dresden.
Grandmother was visiting when the attack came.
Father was on holiday.
Grandmother was the only one they dug out alive.
She"s been a bit strange ever since.
""Sickly."" as Grandfather says.
He"s asleep.
Yes. Children are lucky. They make do with everything.
I don"t know where my parents are.
They were in Silesia until the end.
Father worked at a sawmill. Close to Grünberg.
With a big wood yard.
It smelled so good. Of sap and wood shavings.
I never heard from them again. At least you still have hope.
Yes.
That I have.
Father. Are there people in the house?
It"s me. Anna and the child. There"s someone else too.
Just a moment.
Where is Father? In the kitchen.
But there"s someone else.
I have a visitor. You"ll see him tomorrow. Sleep now.
Gerhard"s come back? Has Gerhard come back?
He"s not coming back.
They"ve all come back. Erna Prefke"s husband too.
""They"re opening the prisons."" I read.
""Freeing all those living in captivity.""
Gerhard"s not coming back. He"s dead. Sleep now.
They always say everyone"s dead.
Gerhard is dead. The children in Dresden are dead...
Maybe I am too.
Father"s just not telling me.
It"s probably better I leave tonight.
I don"t want to cause you any problems.
Your grandparents would prefer it too.
Your friend with the truck wanted to pick me up tomorrow.
He could take you in the hatch.
I won"t fit in there. You"re... but me?
I don"t want you to risk anything else for me.
But maybe you have other plans tomorrow. On a Sunday.
This month"s revenue is twice what it was last year.
If it weren"t for those taxes!
Why didn"t you tell the police that Anna is Jochen"s mother?
Sometimes I wonder about you!
The police is doing hardly anything as it is.
What do you think they"d do if they knew that?
We"ll tell them when the boy is back. By the way.
Remind me to order more premium canned goods.
Those beans that sell so well are running out.
It"s a sin. You and your big words!
What will people say when they hear...
What will they say? That we treated the child badly.
So badly that its mother took it under cover of darkness.
People always think that the mother is right.
I understand you. Otto.
But now that the little room"s empty. I can understand Anna too.
Don"t be like that.
Why did little Gerhard have to die. Eight days before the end?
Yes. Well... You"ll have to get used to it.
- Life goes on. - Yes.
It "s like God" s punishment.
What are you saying? You"re really mixing things up today.
What did we do? Were we worse than others?
Certainly not. But not better either. And we haven"t changed.
Injustice occurs. And we still tolerate it.
You go to church too much. The week"s passed like a day.
Tomorrow"s Sunday.
Halt. Red Chief. Or your scalp"s mine. Well. Well!
You have to say: "" Who are you. Paleface.
L"m not afraid.""
Who are you? I"m not afraid.
L"m the Sheriff of Arizona.
You have to say: ""Peace be with you.""
You gave you that suit? My other grandpa.
My real one. - Come on. Jochen. Don"t disturb your grandfather.
Good morning. Morning. That"s not my grandpa.
Mister. Will you give me a saddle-bag for my birthday?
That"ll be hard to get here in the land of the red warriors.
I have to get it from the other side.
I noticed that there are no flowers in your garden.
We have to eat. There"s no time for other things.
And no room either.
- Sleep well? - Very well.
At first I couldn"t sleep. But then... And you? Morning.
The same. Yes. Good morning.
It"s so peaceful here.
Why shouldn"t it be?
Please. May I ask East and West to the table.
Will we wait for your grandparents? Grandfather had breakfast at five.
Grandma hardly comes out.
See. My child? I was right.
It is your Gerhard.
It"s not Gerhard.
Why so secretive? Now you"ll be getting married.
And everything will be fine.
She was trying to tell me you were dead.
We"re on a first name basis. Aren"t we. Son?
Now my girl is happy. Isn"t she?
Where"s the little boy?
I have to see him too.
A great grandson. That"s something special.
This is a real Sunday.
A real Sunday.
The children in Dresden will be so happy. Visit them soon.
Don"t you want to go to the bedroom? I"ll bring you your breakfast.
But I"m doing so much better today.
Come.
Why can"t I share in your happiness? It"s all right.
She never realized what happened.
Since the bombing. Nothing is as it used to be for her.
But she"s the kindest person I know.
Jochen "s father isn" t alive anymore?
No.
He was never really alive. For me. That is.
He died before we could get married.
When I turned 19. Jochen was already a year old.
Where is he? He got dressed alone. And probably didn"t even wash.
He was in the garden.
He"s bringing his red brothers peace. With his pistol in his hand.
Good heavens! He"s not in his American suit. Is he?
What are you supposed to be?
L"m the Sheriff of Arizona. Of where? The zoo?
You"re all stupid.
You shut your trap. Or sparks are gonna fly.
Let"s go. He can play in his monkey suit by himself.
I can spit much farther than you.
Then go ahead and spit. We"re not interested.
Are you a Russian?
I asked if you"re a Russian.
You Americanski?
Why do you speak so funny?
You can"t go in there. My Mommy lives there.
Mommy. A Russian"s in the garden! Hurry up and hide.
Why should I hide? That"s Byelkin. He visits sometimes.
He"s a driver for the Commandatura. And he gets time off.
Morning. Mischa.
Grandfather... chess?
Grandfather. Mischa"s here. I"m coming.
He only speaks a few words of German.
He loves his bike.
And he plays chess well. That"s all we know about him.
At first he brought presents. Chocolate and meat.
But grandfather wouldn"t accept it.
Hey. Little rascal. Did you get into trouble?
Headmaster. Sir...
No. Thanks. I kicked the habit.
Or rather. I was made to kick it.
You. Soldier?
All soldiers have this.
Did the Russki notice it was an American cigarette?
I think so. Mischa is clever.
Will you get into trouble by me being here? No.
Maybe if one of ours found out. They"re worse. And dumber.
Do you really think he just comes over for chess?
Why so suspicious? Do you think everyone works for the secret service?
No. I meant that maybe you"re the reason he comes over.
- Me? - Yes.
But he"s still only a child.
He"s probably just lonely.
He"s nearly 9.500 km from home. On the Border to Manchukuo.
He showed us on the atlas. But his town wasn"t even on it.
Like Broditz. And Oberfeldkirch.
Nothing"s that small.
He might have a girlfriend at home.
Maybe she looks like me.
I think he comes because of you. So what?
L"d like it if he came because of me.
- It"s just... - Yes?
Nothing. It"s nothing.
One"s alone far too much anyway.
Don"t stop. Sundays they have time to drink.
And they can be nasty. Just like at the beginning.
It wasn"t a nice Sunday for you.
But we danced. You have more fun over there.
Fun and nice aren"t the same. No. That"s true.
It was a nice Sunday... Anna.
For me too.
Fresh wood and sap.
It smelled just like this at home.
L"d sit up on the stacks for hours.
Just daydreaming.
Come on. We have time. It"s only half past.
Isn"t that nice?
The shadows that the light throw on the ground and on the wood.
They look different every 15 minutes.
We haven"t said a word for almost an hour.
One doesn"t need to talk all the time.
Many things are not the same when you say them. - No.
Were you always alone in the wood yard? At home. I mean.
Yes. Only once I wasn"t. When I had holidays.
That was the first time in my life...
I mean. The first time I wasn"t alone.
Were you happy back then?
I think so.
It"s been so long. I don"t even remember her name.
Men see such things differently.
It"s seven already?
Eight.
What"s taking Willi so long?
He said he"d be here at six.
He"s usually reliable.
Mabe he"s still coming. Look.
L"ll get going on my own. I have to be at work at five.
What if they catch you? There"s a crossing at the old station.
I came that way with Jochen.
It was really a nice Sunday.
The nicest part was the last hour. In which we didn"t say a word.
Two hours.
Doesn"t matter how long.
Thank you.
Can I bring you to the border?
CAUTION! SECTOR BORDER
Where were you?
At this hour?
I brought Mr. Altmann to the border. The truck never came.
I don"t want any problems with the authorities.
It"s bad enough having to explain about the child.
L"ll gladly take that upon me to be with my child.
The boy needs his mother. Sure.
And he"ll have it good here too.
But that stranger...
Anna!
Regardless if you feel indebted to him or not.
That man is from the other side. And there"s a border.
For you too.
You"re still awake?
On account of you. The police was here an hour ago.
They were asking about you. About me?
And about the child. They looked around the room.
And took a piece of tin. From an indian arrow.
Kaminski. To the office.
Kaminski! Yes? To the office.
- Me? - Yes.
Another long distance call. This time from the other side.
West German police. For me? You think it"s for me?
Yes?
Yes. Speaking.
You took the six-year-old Jochen Friese from his grandparents.
Correct?
Yes.
You claim to be the mother? The Frieses didn"t mention this.
L"ll clear up this matter with the Frieses.
Was anyone else involved in this?
No.
But the child went missing at the border.
And was handed over to the border police.
Yes.
I mean. It was like this...
I "m listening. I can" t tell you.
How did the child get to you?
Someone brought it to me.
Who?
L"d rather not say.
Unfortunately. I can"t force you.
One last question: Do you know a Carl Altmann from the border police?
No.
L"d hoped you"d admit to having incited him.
That would exonerate him.
Exonerate? But why?
He"s been arrested for assisting in an abduction.
But Mr. Altmann had nothing to do with it!
So you do know him.
He didn"t know that I took the child.
So you claim he wasn"t aware of the circumstances of the abduction?
No! Yes.
Would you be willing to state that in writing
and have it certified by the police or your employer? - Yes.
Thank you. That"s all.
What will happen to Carl Altmann?
Can"t I speak to him?
Hung up. Too bad.
You can"tjust arrest a person because he...
Sure you can.
How long have you known him? Since that day when you were sick?
Yes.
L"m not interested in your trouble with the police over there.
But you shouldn"t shelter accomplices of capitalist agitators.
That could be misconstrued. There are nice men here too.
- May I go now? - Of course.
L"ll certify your statement. It"s enough if the Party knows.
And not the National Guard as well.
Well. Altmann. I"m so sorry...
But the examination clearly showed...
It showed. For starters. That you were in the East.
Is that a punishable offence?
- You won"t be punished. - No.
Just dismissed.
A subtle difference.
An officer involved in such a thing can no longer be tolerated.
I hope you understand. - There are enough people waiting for my job.
And who hopefully have a little more discipline.
Can you tell me what I should do now?
You"re young. Your whole life is ahead of you. Anotherjob maybe...
What kind of training do I have?
I put on a uniform when I was 17. I handed it in 2 years ago.
When I came back from Vladivostok. I was 27 at the time.
L"ve had this job ever since.
What else can I do. Besides shoot. Drive a tank and stand at attention?
I can"t even think properly.
You"re not the only one. We all lost the war.
It seems like some people won it!
That"s just a manner of speaking.
Things haven"t changed much since Adolf's times.
Or they"re back again.
If you don"t toe the line. They"ll grind you down.
Only now the penal system is democratic.
Listening to you speak. Altmann.
I can hardly believe that your ties over there are purely personal.
Of course. That had to come!
If you"re stupid enough to say what"s on your mind.
Then you"re suddenly a Communist. Kick "em when they"re down!
Just keep it up!
Why are you so upset? The police game was just a filler.
Before what? A real livelihood.
Today I have 12.000 DM on a West Berlin account.
And 30.000 on an East Berlin account. In my aunt"s name.
May I?
But now there"s no more black market. That was just the beginning.
There are no hard times. Just stupid people.
Like me.
Yeah. That"s it.
You think too much. And that"s the problem.
Why didn"t you show up? - The police were holding me at the station!
Suspicion of obstructing justice. Why?
Because of the kid and his mom in the hatch.
Customs suspected something.
Did you know her story with the kid was a crooked number?
No.
L"m telling you. She was a sly little fox.
Forget it. We"re just too nice.
A waste of a Sunday. I just hope Hilde wasn"t cheating.
Last time. She gave that American a particular look.
Well. I"ll get to the bottom of it tonight.
Two more beers. And the bill. For both of us.
Willi. Don"t.
Forget it. You pay next time.
Do you think she just used us?
Who?
That woman with the child.
Sure. She plays helpless. And we both fall for it.
Then why did she testify for me?
It"s no trouble for her. Nobody can touch her over there.
Aren"t borders great?
Her statement was certified by the SED. So the party knows...
Maybe she"s doing someone a favour. After work. You know.
Shut up!
Now now. Look at that!
I had no idea you knew her that well.
When the evening sun shines on it...
IN MEMORY OF DRESDEN it "s as if the city" s burning.
But it"s beautiful.
And so festive.
You should move to Dresden.
You. Gerhard and the boy.
If the children make room... The apartment"s big enough.
And the air-raid sirens don"t go off so often anymore.
My God. It"s been so long since I was there.
Shouldn"t I knit a little extra
for the sleeve?
They grow so quickly at that age.
- Child? - Yes. Grandma.
What are you thinking about?
Something worrying you?
Yes.
God sends us suffering.
But he makes us forget as well.
Yankee go home!
They always hit me. Nobody plays with me.
They always say ""Yankee go home!"" I"m not a Yankee. I want to go home.
Home? Yes. My boy... Jochen. Mother.
Jochen.
What is it this time? The children don"t get along.
It"s all still a bit new for you. My dear.
Yes.
Yes. Sure.
I think he knows where the child is from.
L"ll take care of dinner.
Will you help me. Paleface?
Don"t wait for me. I have to go out again.
L"ll heat it up.
But you"ll say goodnight to me. Won"t you?
Perhaps things will turn out well after all. Now that you"re here.
Excuse me. Is Mr. Altmann home? No.
Is he working?
He isn"t a border guard anymore.
He"s not?
Nope.
I have to speak to him. Can I wait for him here?
I don"t let strangers into the house.
But I"m a friend.
Anyone could say that. You know me.
Who is it? That woman with the child.
From the East? Altmann"s not here.
Can I leave him a message?
Yes. Sure.
I don"t have a pen.
Please tell him to meet me tonight.
At the station at the border.
Please put a note on his bed.
You won"t write anything. Go to the police instead.
OCCUPIED BY U.S. ARMY
Carl.
Why did you come from that side? I was in Broditz.
Why are you here already? I just... You were in Broditz?
Yes.
I left you a letter.
A letter? Saying that I"d wait for you here.
I wasn"t home. I was in Oberfeldkirch. At your place.
I told them that I"d wait for you here.
In the middle of Germany! Aren"t we going to the station?
Do you believe that woman"s ramblings?
Even ramblings contain a grain of truth. Let"s go.
Oh my!
Let"s leave them alone.
But if the woman... It"s not our business here.
This is no man"s land.
Let"s go.
Are you happy?
And I almost thought...
But now I know...
It"s getting light.
Yes. Just past four.
What now?
Do you think it was just today?
Just last night?
L"m staying with you. Forever.
Where?
How?
Where?
They don"t know.
All they know is that they love each other.
And so they keep meeting at the border. In a waiting-room.
A few kilometers north of the station. The border is being fortified.
It"s being made permanent and impassable.
But the strip hasn"t reached the station yet.
There is still a way through no man"s land.
And Anna and Carl aren"t the only ones who know it.
Somebody"s been here.
What are you doing here? What about you?
That"s our hay.
- Go ahead. - Are you a refugee?
L"m from the West.
How did the hay get here? The border crosses our fields.
Is it worth the effort and the risk for this bit of hay?
It"s not that. They"re our fields. Always have been.
Today "s the last time we" re going this year.
Autumn is coming.
We"re not the only ones.
Yes. Autumn is coming. What will winter bring us?
We"ll find a way.
Willi"s going to find me a job in Coburg.
I can"t come with you. Who"ll take care of the old folks?
You can do it on Sundays. But the police are looking for me.
Then I"ll move to the East. At least there are jobs.
You mustn"t lose hope.
It"s just that... My leg"s been hurting so.
You haven"t seen a doctor? He"d know it"s a gunshot.
I have enough problems.
Because of me. Nonsense. Because of us. If anything.
L"d better go home today.
I feel so empty and cold inside.
Annie.
It"s pointless for us to love each other.
Loving each other is never pointless.
Without it. There is no point and no hope.
I know that.
But this...
Anna! We"ve overslept. It"s already light out.
What is it? Anna!
You have a fever. No. It"s just the leg.
Yes. You have a fever.
For days I"ve been... l didn"t want you to...
I wasn"t at the factory. My leg"s infected.
- Try to get up. - I can"t.
We can"t stay here. It"s getting too light.
Don"t worry. I just have the chills.
Is there any water? My mouth is so dry.
It"s empty. But it"s too far to my place.
There"s an estate beyond the trees
that I passed with Jochen.
Don"t go away. I"ll be right back.
Maybe I"ll find a doctor. Try to sleep.
500-METER ZONE
NO TRESPASSING
Halt!
Halt! Don "t move! Don" t move!
Do you have a deathwish? Why didn"t you stop?
What are you doing in the border zone? This is a restricted area.
Passport! Where were you going?
I "m in a hurry. There" s a village here. I need a doctor.
My my! A colleague from our western competitors.
What an exciting day.
Come with us. We have a doctor in town.
But who knows if he"ll be assigned to your case.
Don"t!
He has some explaining to do.
If you won"t talk... We"ve got time. You too?
You were in such a hurry this morning.
Colleague.
Altmann. Carl.
Altmann?
Were you with the 18th tank division in Karelia until "43?"
I had an Altmann in my company. But I don"t remember
what he looked like. - In "43. I was at Lake Peipus with the 11th."
Altmann"s a common name. I guess.
My brother fell in Karelia. He was with the 18th.
You"re from the former Grünberg. In Poland.
In Silesia!
When were you last there? What"s that got to do with this?
You in the West must think we"re stupid.
If you caught one of us. And he attacked you.
Would you believe he was looking for a doctor because his girl was hurt?
We don"t like spies either. That"s ridiculous.
If you think it"s ridiculous... We"re taking you very seriously.
- Move. - What for?
Let"s go. Get a move on.
Faster.
Where are you taking me? You"ll be questioned somewhere else.
By the Russians?
What does a border guard earn over there?
300 to 350. Depending on rank.
What about me?
350. - Not bad. But things are expensive. Aren"t they?
Yes. - But you can get by on that. With bonuses and benefits?
Yes. You could.
And you can really buy anything?
Yes.
Listen. When we reach the stables. By the open gate.
You deck me good. So that I hit the ground.
The stable door is usually open. Then comes a shed. Then a brook.
400 meters of mud. Then forest. And you"re at the border.
Don"t stop.
The"ll lock me up for two days for letting you escape.
Wednesday. Thursday. On Friday I split. Where are you stationed?
Unterfeldkirch. Tell your boss I"m coming. Edgar Bröse.
- All right. - Good.
Now.
You bastard!
Stop right there!
Nonsense. You knew that Altmann was an agent.
Carl is no agent. He just wanted to get help.
The fairy-tale doctor?
I really am sick.
But you were aware that he"s a western border guard.
- An illegal agitator. - Yes.
Oh. Hüske.
I need to ask you something.
What do you want? I"m headmaster Kaminski.
And that"s my granddaughter.
So?
Well.
Why did you repeatedly meet that man at the border?
L"ll tell you why.
You were supplying him with intelligence concerning
the Soviet Army.
You"re fraternizing with members of the Red Army.
Excuse me. But that can"t be. I"ve known her for three years.
She"s an activist. That is out of the question.
This is a purely personal matter...
She"s sick. Very sick.
L"m sure of it. I have to go over.
It"s my fault.
If they catch you again. That"s it.
I have to know what happened. They might"ve caught her.
I have to help her. - You can help her by settling that nonsene with the kid.
You mean... Sure. Then she can go to the West.
L"ll find out what happened to her.
And you speak to the Frieses. But do me a favour.
Open your mouth for once!
But what does this have to do with our grandchild?
Where are we supposed to live?
I can"t go to the East.
And she can"t go to the West.
It "s your own fault. Isn" t it?
Legally speaking. You"re right.
Anna renounced the child. And you adopted it.
It wasn"t right of her to just take Jochen. Legally speaking.
She realizes that.
Seen from a human standpoint. It"s different.
For a mother"s actions.
Other laws apply.
L"m just asking you... if you don"t drop the charges...
That would mean renouncing the adoption.
Yes.
Otherwise we don"t know what to do.
Then...
Have you eaten anything?
If only you could try to understand.
You still can"t sleep? So much is going through my head.
What"s going to happen?
You can"t care for two patients. And the child as well.
Don"t you worry about us.
Mathilde is taking care of Jochen.
It"s strange...
The child understands her. And she understands the child.
The heart has found a way...
beyond the mind.
I haven"t been to work for 6 days.
And Hüske knows everything.
They"ll send me to the Ural. Hüske wants you to know
that your health is what"s most imortant. All else will follow.
I can"t get well without him. Without Carl.
Grandfather. I can"t...
Mischa wants to say farewell. He"s being transferred.
Transferred? Why? Because of me?
- Four? - Yes. Four.
Four days. Me davai.
No more chess.
No more...
Where will you go?
China. Korea... other border.
Don"t know.
All I know: Davai.
Can you get me a permit. Or some kind of pass to get across?
For you it"s just a small matter.
Well. Look at that. Hello!
A bike like this. In the East? Don"t touch it. What do you want?
It"s the man with the truck. There"s the little runaway!
L"d like to see Miss Kaminski. I have a message from Mr. Altmann.
Becker. Willi Becker. From Neukölln.
Swell.
Personally. I wish you hadn"t come.
But she will be very happy. Come in.
I didn"t want to come. But Becker was so persistent.
You didn"t want to come?
No. It makes it so much harder
when I"ve held you again.
I can"t take this anymore.
All this waiting for everything to turn out well.
I get my hopes up. But I know it"s futile.
Nothing will ever change. As long as this damned border...
Our lives are in a shambles. Each of us could get by on our own.
The Frieses will drop the charges if you come to the West.
L"ve spoken with them.
If the job in Coburg works out. We can get married.
Marriage? And the old folks? My God.
L"ve thought about it. Over and over.
I feel so numb. You have a fever.
I can"t leave them there! Take them with you.
L"ll get all 5 of you over. Old trees can"t be replanted.
Grandfather won"t give up his house.
His father had to give it up after the first war.
Grandfather bought it back. For 23 years. He paid it off
with his salary. He sacrificed so much. And so did we.
The house and the garden are his life.
And your life? My life? Our life!
I didn"t make the border.
Talk to them. It"s our only chance.
Can"t you wait until we"re dead and buried?
We have to wait too. Grandfather.
Oh!
If I could. I would"ve freed you from our burden.
What terrible thoughts!
Nothing is terrible any longer. Child.
But...
A few notions from the old days survive. They"re part of who you are.
One of them is a respect for death.
But Mathilde and I no longer play a role.
Nowhere.
But you...
Do you really think that your new life in the other Germany will be better?
Like that young man claims. Who you hardly know?
Different. Perhaps. But better?
Happiness?
Peace?
How did you put it? ""Starting over again.""
Those are just nice words.
Propaganda. On both sides.
I don"t believe in words. You know me.
But I believe in someone who makes me happy.
Happy. For the first time in my life.
Who"ll stick with me. Despite Jochen and all.
Who"ll provide for us all. Over there.
I don"t have nearly as much hope as he does.
An hour ago. I did all I could to get around it.
But now. Talking to you. I know that we have to try!
L"m still young. Let me think about myself for once!
And help me!
You put your arm around me.
You haven"t done that in years.
My God is dead.
Maybe yours is still alive.
If that"s how it should be...
Where "ve you been? I" ve been pretending an accident for an hour.
This is a regular exodus from lsrael. Where will all this fit?
The old folks wouldn"t leave anything behind.
When can you be on the other side? In two hours.
L"ll be waiting in Oberfeldkirch.
On the street with the transformers. We"ll be in Hilgenfeld by 12.
L"ve reserved rooms in the ""Crown Prince"".
You"re doing too much for us! Don"t worry about it.
It"s only two double rooms. Okay. More won"t fit.
You have to take the rest.
Come here. Little guy. You"re up front with me.
Under the coat.
And. Up!
OK. And keep quiet. Hey. Carl...
Take my gun. Just in case.
If they catch you here again. They won"t spare you.
Where are you meeting the old folks?
By the old ammunition factory.
When did they go? Right after us. I hope. Good luck.
Leave the coat. You don"t need all that.
- No. - You go ahead.
We"re to go separately. Because of the neighbours.
L"ll meet you down at the street.
At the bulletin board. Why are we going to stay with strangers?
Go ahead.
And what about the house?
Shouldn"t I take.
Erna Prefke"s silver coffee maker?
Maybe they have real coffee over there. And then we"ll need it.
Gerhard said they do.
Just go now!
Anja!
Come on.
Isn"t that Mischa? Come on. Let"s go.
DANGER
No!
Come on.
BORDER PASS
CAUTION! YOU ARE LEAVING THE GDR END OF THE SECTOR IN 400 METERS
- Over there! - And the old folks?
Jump! Just jump!
They"re coming over!
Carl!
The woman!
Hurry.
That was the story of the worker Anna Kaminski from Broditz. Thuringia.
And the border guard Carl Altmann from Oberfeldkirch. Upper Frankonia.
It could still happen today.
For a border exists.
Still.
A borderthat separates Germany from Germany.
Subtitles Peter Rigney.
Film und Video Untertitelung Gerhard Lehmann AG