Amen. (2002) Movie Script
We thus have the occasion
to discuss questions
of international magnitude,
in this year of 1936.
Consequently, we must today...
Guards!
My name is Stephan Lux.
I am Jewish.
The Jews are persecuted in Germany
and the world allows it...
I see only one mean
to touch the heart of the men.
Soon, we will have England!
Go ahead.
Truth!
It will be necessary to return, lieutenant Gerstein.
We fight typhus
by eliminating the parasites
and by purifying water.
You put clothing,
covers, sheets
in a place hermetically closed.
By the external openings,
you introduce crystals
of hydrocyanic acid.
Here is the formula.
Do we have to manufacture them ourselves?
No, the Institute will provide them.
All the details are here.
It is a dangerous product.
You have to respect proportions and doses.
As for water...
that intended for the troops
must be treated.
And if water is drinkable, Dr. Gerstein?
It will be even more
after the treatment.
What is drinkable for a Slav...
It is not inevitably
for a human being.
Sit down.
We must fight typhus
like our enemies, on all fronts.
Continue.
Let us continue our presentation.
Did he conceive this program?
Is he in the Wehrmacht?
It was conceived thanks to his father
who is a friend.
THE FHRER ORDERS,
WE OBEY
I just returned from Vienna,
I had your message.
What has happened?
God recalled to him little Bertha.
This is all that it remains of her.
What happened?
Was she sick?
The letter says as, "Cold,
followed by pulmonary abscess ".
Why didn't they tell us anything?
"why"
doesn't make dead come back to life,
especially in times of war.
She was my niece, I could
have obtained drugs at the Institute.
My friends at the Institute praise your work
and say that you eliminate typhus.
I serve my country as best as I can.
An idealist like you
has a place in the S.S.
even if your wife disapproves.
Excuse us...
Place the flower.
- do not do that.
- Why?
And your uniform?
Dead are not accompanied
in work's costume.
Kurt is upset.
Bertha was his favourite niece.
How long does he stay?
I would like to know.
And you?
Say to him.
I hear...
thousands of case through the country.
One of my parishioners received two ash boxes
for his handicapped sister
and two official letters.
One speaks about heart failure,
the other of pneumonia.
It is a plan of the S.S.!
I don't think the S.S deal with killing children...
The S.S. deal with all.
Reverend, I disinfect the barracks
and purify water.
That is not contrary
to my conscience nor my faith.
If you discover something,
warn us.
I have nothing to do with all that.
Like Christians,
we condemn the euthanasy.
- What will you do?
- To protest.
Who will protest?
Christian authorities
must react.
Allow me?
What do they still want?
Reverend told me an atrocious thing.
Does that surprise you?
He lives in the past.
To propagate rumours in times of war is high treason.
Monseigneur von Galen?
You did not reply to my registered letter...
...I log a complain agains X...
for the assassination of
"unproductive citizens".
We have the facts,patients's names,
their families...
and their addresses.
If you do not take action,
The Catholic Church
will have to inform her faithful.
Dad has come back!
Heil!
- a gift of France.
- What is it?
Open it and you will see.
How is the little one?
He kicks.
I believe that we will have
another lieutenant.
What is there?
We have a very difficult
problem of arithmetic.
I see...
Hello, Mrs. Hinze.
No, first your duties.
Read the statement.
If you do not have the solution,
read it again and again.
"Knowing that a house
cost 15000 marks
"for a family of workers
"and that one needs 6 million marks
"to build and manage
a lunatic asylum,
"how many worker's houses can one build
for the price of an asylum?"
They are considered
like useless,
like a broken machine,
a crippled horse,
or a cow
who does not give any more milk.
If you set up in theory
the right
to supress an unproductive neightbour...
Does Von Galen know how many were eliminated?
Several thousands.
One day,
you will be,
we all will be unproductive.
What will be of our soldiers then
when they return from the war,
seriously wounded, mutilated,
invalids...
unproductive?
These monks do not know anything
with the economy nor with the eugenism.
Nor with compassion.
I would give a lesson to this
von Galen after the victory.
Why not now?
God decides,
we carry out.
Enter, Gerstein!
Our specialist in purification.
Rest, lieutenant.
Tea, coffee, cognac, cakes?
No, thank you.
You leave to inspect
our units of disinfection.
Upon returning, you will drop by Poland
to control the use
of the 500 cans of hydrocyanic acid
that we dispatched to them.
500?
We build an industrial complex...
a giant one. They need
a specialist in chemistry.
Wehrmacht
has excellent specialists.
Wehrmacht is occupied
with winning the war,
...we prepare the
post-war period.
You haven't been one of us for long...
You will see that the S.S.
like close ranks.
This human heat
exalted by our Reichsfhrer Himmler.
Thank you for coming.
I leave on mission.
We won! They are backing down!
The euthanasy campaign is suspended.
- Definitively?
- Because they fear public opinion.
The army of Jesus overcame
the army of the evil.
Warn Dibelius!
- Where are you going?
- To the east!
You see this dirty water?
It could be worse!
Now!
If the pump is broken down,
there is the manual pump.
use buckets.
If not,
use your helmets.
If you don't have helmets,
then it is a serious matter!
But you couldn't be without
this mobile filter.
And here it is!
Do you want to taste?
And you?
Cheers!
That refreshes, that does not make you sick,
but it is disgusting!
A jumper of lady would be said!
You had the cross or the jumper,
with the combat?
A combat close combat,
I imagine!
I had both
in an engagement at night.
One needs more courage
for the cross or the jumper?
I was afraid in both cases...
but for the jumper, alas,
no bloodshed!
You fought hard both times!
Obviously!
As hard as I could.
Kurt Gerstein, of the Institute of hygiene.
You have 500 cans of hydrocyanic acid
in a not=n-protected place.
Only 500?
Vermin pullulates
between Berlin and Moscow.
With a can,
I disinfect a barracks.
If you are bombarded,
any life will disappear here...
They never bombard here.
They leave us in peace.
What do you hope to make?
- It is what?
- Astispumante. Italian.
To conquer half of the world
to drink this wee of cat!
I raise this filth to Kurt Gerstein
who joint with us.
First visit of one of our camps?
Not, of course!
This one is special.
How much?
400 units to be treated.
It is rather horrible...
Not even ten living people
saw what you have just seen.
Let pass to me!
You did not make a reserve,
captain?
All is complete.
Are you sick?
Are you sick?
Even an S.S. can be sick!
I am sorry.
The ambassador of Sweden
is also in the corridor.
The whole world is in the trains.
I am only the embassy attach.
Baron von Otter.
Can you grant me
an audience tomorrow in Berlin?
I must speak to you.
Why not here?
We have all night long.
I saw something...
of appalling.
Of absolutely appalling.
Whole families are exterminated.
Prisoners of war?
Jews.
They exterminate whole families.
They are stripped,
They shave their heads...
even women.
Their heads are shaved?
But why?
Draw the curtains, please!
Lit train,
assures enemy bombardment.
Hold, invoices of Zyklon B.
To eliminate the parasites.
I provide it to them.
And they use it for...
My papers.
No need.
Your government must warn
Americans and English.
So that they release leaflets
on Germany.
Once informed,
the Germans will raise themselves.
It is necessary to act quickly.
Each day that passes...
A few minutes of stop.
Remain in your places.
A short stop,
to let pass a priority train.
If you want references on me,
ask Otto Dibelius,
superintendent of the Protestant Church.
Sit down.
Prevent them from following me!
They miss you.
They see very little of you.
Better if you are unaware of
what I will say to the Reverend.
I discovered a horrible thing.
Jews...
- Not here.
- It is unimaginable!
Later...
They are not expelled
like we thought but exterminated.
- What?
- Exterminated!
Enter.
I just returned from the camps in Poland.
They exterminate the Jews.
Most robust
are sent to the forced labour.
Women and children...
are gassed.
I saw it with my own eyes.
The Church must alert the Christians!
The first thing you have to do
is to leave the S.S.!
I saw what I should not.
A witness is needed.
I will be the eyes of God
in this hell.
That can be terrible
for you and your family.
One must denounce the assassins!
I will testify at the service to today.
We can start.
We arrive.
Undoubtedly, it is necessary to react,
but in a reflected, responsible way.
The Dibelius superintendent
can advise you.
He celebrated your marriage, not?
Leave the S.S.
Remain far from all that!
We said...
you said that the Jews are
a foreign body that one must expel,
that one can discriminate them
but not to persecute them.
Let us admit the massive executions.
- What do you suggest?
- To protest!
Protest which will be picked up
by the propaganda of the enemy.
We will be accussed of treason.
We are in war.
The Church reacted
against the extermination of handicapped...
Euthanasy, not extermination.
The public clamour stopped
the euthanasy.
Let us protest for the Jews.
The handicapped people were
baptized members of our Church.
You are a soldier,
far from daily realities.
Our people are bombarded,
inflicted cruel deprivations.
the majority of our faithful
and of our pastors
support Mr Hitler.
Nobody will protest,
nobody will believe you.
Fhrer and Himmler
also attended a test.
They order to accelerate the output.
The Institute sends to me to the east
to purify water...
I cannot take part in this.
That is not contradictory,
our installations are in the east.
Von Rotta, Hoess and yourself
had accepted the plans.
I speak about output.
I had announced the risk
of thermal distortion which...
Brought into service on March 22,
25, after having treated
a convoy of 3000 units,
The furnaces burst by overheating!
- You drew on the costs.
- labour is free!
Use the model of campaign.
It should unceasingly be clogged
and the tar is rationed.
Lieutenant Gerstein,
expert in destruction of vermin...
in any kind.
We need you.
I am not qualified
for this type of operation.
According to his superiors,
Gerstein excels
where he is not qualified.
Not so sure...
Here is the new generation of
installations...
who can treat 10000 units per day.
10000?
But...
it is impossible!
It will be needed.
In Europe, it is necessary to eliminate
11 to 12 million units.
The Fhrer wants to finish by 1948.
We will devote 1949
to the rest of the world.
The Fifty will be sabbatical.
The problem, it is that...
during the operation,
the crystals evaporate partially.
Evaporation begins again
after clearing of the places.
That slows down cleaning.
The crystals only evaporate
in contact with the air.
And while falling,
do the bodies choke the crystals?
Exactly.
Sometimes, crystals exposed to the air
evaporate into 40 to 50 minutes
instead of 5 to 10.
That slows down the rate
and prevents any estimate.
Two factors can play:
The bad quality of the product
or a low temperature.
The number will raise the temperature.
Famous human heat...
Latticed conduits
will protect the crystals.
You will provide crystals
of quality in great quantity.
- My work at the Institute...
- We will divide you with them.
You will furfill your duty as an S.S.
and a Christian:
you will reduce to five minutes
the agony of the units
and you will accelerate performance.
- Lieutenant...
- Professor would be righter.
How long is necessary it
before intervening without mask?
- the filters are too expensive.
- Two hours.
Two hours!
Without ventilation, it is a minimum.
Which ventilation?
Which cubage?
1250 m3 on average.
With a pulsor of air of 1 CV,
you will gain one hour.
We will put two of them.
Turn over to your work
of cleansing
without forgetting your
Christian mission of public utility.
- the Nuncio does not receive!
- 5 minutes! It is very important.
His Eminence does not see anybody.
Announce me!
Excellence,
it is necessary that I speak to you.
- I must speak to you.
- What do you do here?
Lt Kurt Gerstein, Excellence.
I have information for the Vatican.
Its gravity justifies my intrusion.
I am shocked by your intrusion!
I'll call the police force.
If my superiors learn my visit...
It is an intrusion, Mister.
I have a message for the Vatican.
I arrive from Poland,
from the camps of Auschwitz and Belzec.
Thousands of Jews are gassed.
Enough!
Leave from here! Come, Count,
we cannot listen to that!
I saw all of my own eyes,
Excellence...
convoys from all over Europe
arrive in these factories of death.
Only the Vatican
can stop these atrocities.
Only the Pope, by alerting
the world opinion and Christians...
Thank you for troubling yourself
about the actions of His Holiness!
Are you a Catholic?
Excellence...
what I saw
haunts me day and night.
Even in death
the families are recognized.
They remain intertwined
ones with the others.
Naked mothers
tighten their baby to their chest.
One said to me
that after death,
one is not able to separate them,
even with hooks.
I can't contact the German army.
Go with him.
Leave us.
A provocation of Gestapo.
A S.S. which defends the Jews!
They take to us for idiots.
Is Baron von Otter there?
No, I am his assistant.
Who are you?
Kurt Gerstein. He knows me.
He is on a trip.
Can I help you?
- When does he return?
- I don't know.
Elfriede!
Kurt!
Do not do that.
Stop!
I told you to stop!
I told you to stay there!
What happens?
You cannot stay here any more.
They bombard everywhere.
It is not that.
Go to Tbingen, with the children.
Let them finish the school year.
I said no, it means no!
You are right undoubtedly.
Adelheid, take along your brother to play.
If you could explain to me...
It is necessary to leave
As soon as possible.
I can say nothing else.
Is there another woman?
you make me laugh...
you make me laugh.
At least, I can still do that.
Who will look after you?
Mrs. Hinze will do.
Is she Jewish?
Did she tell you that?
Someone else?
You take too much to heart.
Do not forget that you have a family.
That is what counts...
more than all in the world.
Mrs. Hinze,
prepare my stuff.
I will call the carpenter.
The bombs already fell down.
Will you lead us to Tbingen?
My father will take you along.
I do not have the time.
There is a large black car!
I am relieved to find you.
An atrocious thing happened.
What a beautiful German family!
Don't you know?
The plane of the Fhrer
exploded on takeoff.
And was the Fhrer inside?
With Goebbels, Gring and Himmler.
And did anybody survive?
Yes...
Germany!
I had you! I had you!
I will denounce you for spreading
false good news.
The house of my father.
The bombardments damaged it.
The house of my friend
was puffed up.
Only the wall with the portrait
of Fhrer is intact.
The portrait of Fhrer
is always intact.
You are right.
You impressed
our colleagues specialists in...
Yes, impressed.
I leave...
for Theresienstadt.
I take you along.
Then you will see your manufacturer
of Czech hydrocyanic acid.
On the way, we will chat.
You are the only one
with whom it is still worth...
to chatter.
Why the only one?
Our colleagues
have a technical intelligence
but they the boasting kind,
or maybe drunkards,
or maybe degenerated.
Often, the three at the same time.
Your children
study natural science?
They are too young.
I have a splendid specimen
of judo-Bolshevik skull.
A skull?
There is no age to be informed.
I will show them.
For the anniversary of Darwin,
pure Swiss chocolate...
There was no need...
To give pleasure is my pleasure.
Let us see...
Mankind evolved from the monkey,
but the Negro and the Jew
stopped half-way.
Delicious!
No thank you.
Stop.
Control better
your facial muscles.
In the S.S. as in poker,
allies and adversaries
mustn't read your thoughts
or your play.
You read my thoughts?
As an opened book,
that is why I appreciate you.
What a treasure you have there!
Take great care.
See you day after tomorrow.
At 6:30am exactly.
6h30 precise.
I am delighted in advance!
I am Riccardo Fontana.
We saw each other at the nonciature.
I am a Jesuit.
Jesuit...
Should I introduce you thus
if this man returns?
The one of the black car?
Introduce me as...
a "Spy of God",
according to Kierkegaard.
Spy of God...
or of the Vatican?
Of The Vatican
would hardly be plausible.
- What do you want?
- I was ashamed of the attitude of the Nuncio.
You've shaken me.
Tell me more about it.
More?
About what?
If what you say is true,
the Holy Father must be informed.
But he will ask me for evidence.
The Pope is unaware of
what we do to the Jews?
With his priests,
his parishes, his bishops,
He has the best service
of information in the world.
He is only informed of the
persecutions of catholics.
He should get information about
the fate of the Jews and Gypsies.
Gypsies
move much.
And the Jews are moved a lot!
The Pope does not wonder
where do the deportees go?
Nor the Pope,
nor my father, who is close to him,
do not have much regard for Mr. Hitler.
But they see that he succeeded
where nobody had dared:
to overcome Communism
in Germany and Russia.
And this man whom we do not estimate...
has become a myth.
Your myth
commits acts of cruelty
that only the Pope, vicar of Christ,
can denounce,
so that the world
and Germans know.
Once the Holy Father
know about these atrocities,
He will react firmnly.
But it is necessary that I know everything.
That will not be enough to convince him.
Sit down.
People who betray their country
...are always suspect.
Biscuits for Monseigneur.
He is very annoyed that you
went away without letting him know.
Monseigneur confers
with the minister of religion.
He wants that I let him in any moment.
He counts on your talents as a speaker.
It has negotiators Nazis
very difficult.
- Why this meeting?
- It's always the same.
To level the small divergences
between the Reich and us.
Small divergences?
They refuse to pay the tax
intended for the Church.
Shall I let him in?
Already back?
- I seek my father.
- How is the charming Mr. Hitler?
He sends his regards.
Your father is not here.
When will he be here?
Kurt, the Fhrer was mistaken
about the Jews.
Another one of your jokes?
He presented them
as very dangerous
at international level, right?
However, we've noticed
that it is easy to reduce them to smoke.
Even our lunatics
were defended better.
Our Churches...
I am...
a little catholic.
Our Churches saved our insane.
Nobody moves for the Jews.
American Jews
are powerful, They say.
But Roosevelt keeps silent.
If Fhrer was mistaken,
like you say,
why continuing?
He was mistaken in the diagnosis,
not the remedy.
We must get rid of them.
But I believe
that we are lost.
Pardon?
This idiot is driving in circles.
Straight ahead!
I woke him up.
The Reich needs
men like us.
Men who know how
to rein in their conscience,
Not like these rough brainles
who feel higher...
because they have been told
they are Aryan.
It is splendid! Splendid!
A true Raphael!
The press is interested in your father!
The Pope dedicated the world
to the immaculate heart of the Virgin Mary
...to restore peace.
It is an important celebration.
And I must present it.
It's only a celebration...
You look tense.
Does the Nuncio send you on a mission?
I came here on my own initiative.
On your own initiative!
The Jews are exterminated in
countries occupied by Germany.
We will finish tomorrow.
Leave us.
Leave us!
I came to inform the Holy Father of this.
He does not need you
to get information.
If he was informed,
he would have banished these atrocities.
Mind your tone!
His Eminence, the cardinal...
Let him in.
- Can he see you here?
- Yes.
Of my garden.
Thank you. They are gorgeous.
Riccardo, my boy,
you are superb!
- How is the abominable Mr. Hitler?
- Always abominable.
And our American friend?
I await him, Eminence.
The Nuncio did not announce your arrival.
I came without...
It would seem that the German army
is said to be blocked in Stalingrad.
I have secret information
on the death camps.
Here it is,
we have a secret agent there
who leaves his station
without warning the Nuncio.
The Holy Father must be informed.
The Holy Father holds Mr. Hitler
in quite a poor regard.
Since he signed that infamous pact
with that Stalin,
nothing coming from him
will surprise him.
I had warned the Holy Father
that it was a trick.
He attacked too late
and He has found himself blocked
by the Russian winter.
The Holy Father is worried.
Hitler must crush Stalin
and sign peace with the Americans
so that all these horrors,
who break the heart of the Holy Father,
cease.
The Allies will not sign peace with Hitler.
Meanwhile the Jews are killed.
The Holy Father must protest.
"He must"?
The Jews are gassed every day.
We are accustomed
to the moanings of the Jews.
I hold this information
from an S.S. officer.
Count, your son socialises with the S.S.?
Is divine Providence
who sends this S.S. to you?
The American gentleman arrived.
Welcome.
Count...
My son Riccardo,
He arrived from Berlin.
We crossed
this morning, not?
The Pope
did not receive me.
He received Germans.
But I met
many Eminences.
Your Eminence!
Here the answer
that your government awaits.
Perfect, there it goes...
She was a holy woman.
You did not know her,
Mr. Tittman?
The countess Fontana
left us too early.
Do you want something to drink?
We make a good team.
It's a pity that you don't stay,
Prague has a splendid Jewish cemetery.
Dear Luigi...
Monseigneur,
...this has just arrived.
The Pope calls for me.
Duty before pleasure...
When does ambassador Taylor return?
Not before two months.
We will be happy to see him again.
Count,
Berlin is not any more
a pleasant place, but...
it is a good school
to learn
moderation and patience.
We wish that Riccardo
returns there as fast as possible.
Berlin is a punishment
or a promotion?
What does your government
think of the massacres of Jews?
We are trying to verify these rumours
...through the Vatican, actually.
And the Vatican,
having had wind of the same rumours,
asks us to check them.
While you check,
10000 Jews are exterminated each day.
If you want to be believed,
avoid these figures.
Speak of a few hundreds.
I know somebody
who saw the gas chambers at work.
Our host came to lunch.
Forgiveness, father.
You will finally have your answer.
It is not signed.
The adviser of the Pope
gave it to you in person.
It is a signature.
"Our congratulations
to S.S. lieutenant Kurt Gerstein
"for his nomination at the head
of our medical and technical service.
We thank him
for the excellence of his work. "
Signed Heinrich Himmler.
For my part,
I name you
the worst enemy of vermin
whatever it is, wherever it is,
and I join my congratulations
with those of Himmler.
Thank you.
An ambulance awaits your inspection.
It is urgent.
Continue, I return soon.
On the other front...
you were right.
But the doctor and others
are happy with you.
There are leaks!
Close the doors there are leaks!
Masks! Everybody!
It is very toxic!
Do not look at me like a calf!
Put your mask on!
Bury the load!
I do not feel anything.
I was told to remove
the irritating agents.
The escapes are very difficult to detect.
Your mask!
Leave the car!
Bury the loading!
I do not want any more of this product here.
You clear it up!
You know everyone.
- On holiday leave?
- No, on sick leave.
A good small Bordeaux wine.
I said to them
that there is a plan of the S.S.
for the extermination of the Jews.
I saw it functioning.
In the name of the fights of the
Protestant youths,
I met you all together
to discuss the actions...
Good evening, father.
You know everyone,
Armin was wounded in the East.
- Nothing serious I gather?
- I am going away again soon.
So much the better.
I can speak to you?
Why didn't you tell me anything?
You don't think I care?
thanks to my friends in the S.S.
I know it all.
All on all?
All on you!
Congratulations for your promotion!
I would have preferred
to learn it from you.
What do you do with this Reverend
and those troublemakers?
Father...
Your friends in the S.S.
did they tell you about the monstrosities
that they hide from the Germans?
Do not start again.
Our country was raised
thanks to the Hitler chancellor.
And thanks to the people,
less sophisticated than Thomas Mann
or this humanistic Reverend.
They make us accessory to a crime
who will damn Germany forever!
Do not listen to English propaganda.
Where are your knowledge
and Jewish ex-colleagues?
They are isolated from public life.
In times of war,
one draws aside those who call for an
International directed now
Moscow then by New York.
And if I told you
that don't they exist any more?
What does he say exactly?
That thousands of Jews
are deported and gassed.
He was the witness.
The Jews left for America
a long time ago!
These are the Jews of Europe.
Obey your orders!
The S.S. are degenerated,
but he exceeds them.
One sends them to work, of course!
Which employment requires
millions of workers?
Do not work
for the safety of your soul,
but for safety
of our people!
It is what I do, father!
day and night.
Once and for all,
cease these sentimental sillinesses.
You lie. The Germans are unable
of such atrocities.
Helmut, I beg you!
Our fights against the Nazis,
are a thing of the past.
Now you are in the S.S.
and I am in the Luftwaffe
and our children are bombarded.
I am sorry.
And you?
I swore never not to raise my arm,
never not to say Heil.
Up to now, I succeeded.
"Happy he who forgets
what cannot be changed. "
The Bat, Johann Strauss.
Forgive me, Reverend, I have work.
We still have
many Jews to gass!
Mercy, Holy Father,
for the people of Christ.
Mercy for the Jewish people.
I know the sufferings of the world,
Riccardo.
My heart bleeds for the victims.
I pray for them
and for you also, my child.
The world awaits
that the vicar of Christ decides.
You made a show of yourself.
Somebody had to speak to him.
Its Holiness will employ words of fire
against the Nazi's crimes.
at the time of his Christmas speech.
Why didn't you tell me anything?
I say it now to you.
God be praised!
As well as the diplomacy
and perseverance.
Trust me.
The crematory ones are overflowed.
Why you do not have them
checked before hand?
This stock is ventilated and unusable.
It should be buried.
Contrary to the other deliveries,
your gas always poses problem.
The doctor wants non-irritating gas.
All of this is unusable.
It has to be buried.
I cannot stop.
I will use it.
- That will not do!
- Even badly, it does.
He was looting the corpses,
and drooling sliver.
I cannot work any more
without drinking.
What did he say?
Some corpses howl in the furnaces.
Slip by!
Your Zyklon takes 60 minutes to be operated
instead of 10.
That slows down rates.
That irritates us
and makes us nervous.
All the robbers.
Berlin congratulates us for our results
and asks us to increase our efforts,
but a catastrophe gets in the
way of our mission.
Problems of transport?
Our convoys have priority.
It is about the provisioning
of quality Zyklon.
Treblinka is in an out-of-stock condition!
If we do not use
what only one point of storage?
Too risky!
Our camps have never been bombarded.
The Convention of Geneva prohibits it.
Can one rationalize
this problem of provisioning?
The forecasts are established
for 10000 units per day.
10000 for all the camps?
I receive 6000 units per day!
Me too!
I cannot treat them...
nor house them.
I receive from 7 to 8000 per day.
A true chaos.
There are some who make the war
from their offices!
And ask us to accelerate!
Give us the means!
Ask the co. Schriever
grinding stones to crush them.
It's a never ending story!
I have nightmares of them!
Silence!
A little order, please.
- You evaluate your needs with how much?
- I do not evaluate.
I want enormous stocks of Zyklon
in only one place, underground.
Spend a little money.
The suppliers will have trouble to keep up.
They shout Heil Hitler
and fill their pockets.
They should be wary.
One can aryaniser the aryanisateurs!
Gerhard will be your intermediary.
He can do it.
It is all well introduced in Switzerland
and in the neutral countries.
I do not want any fault because
of lack of gas or installations.
These are your estimates?
Have a look at it.
I awaited you.
I am wary of the telephone.
The Allies must act.
The situation worsens.
It is necessary to bombard
the ways which lead to the camps
and places of extermination.
I informed my government.
Insist! The machine of death
goes day and night!
You over-estimate the
capacity of the heads of State.
We negotiate with the United States
for 7 months
so that they accept
2000 Jewish children.
2000, is a water drop
in the ocean.
It arrives from there ten times more per day.
For your family...
A friend will inform the Pope.
I am sure that he will react.
The Allies must be ready
to inform the German people.
I will let it be known.
I can obtain passports for you...
I will not leave my country.
I must testify.
A French dinner
for German Christmas!
I will have a farm in Normandy
with horses.
After our victory.
I found a farm in Poland.
Not in Poland,
my wife and me let us hate the cold.
I will have an island in Greece.
And your dream, Kurt?
I want to be a German in Germany
to testify on what I saw.
Alas, you will not be able to say all.
Excuse me.
A German in Germany!
You are there! It is well.
You have a visitor, I can go out again...
Remain! You must translate.
- It will start.
- Mrs. Hinze, the radio!
I return.
It was the promised surprise?
No, it arrives now.
There will be precise rules
to respect.
The Germans comply with the rules,
if they are precise.
No gifts before...
to sing!
- did That start?
- It is imminent.
I will get rid of them.
Now, the surprise.
I have a small play
for your Christmas presents.
When I whistle,
you enter there, I extinguish the lights
and I close the door.
You will have one minute
for hunting for the treasure.
With the second whistle,
you will stop dead.
All that you will have taken
will be with you.
On your marks,
ready...
You can amuse the idiots.
Why so many efforts
to please them?
I am very attached to the traditions.
- Who gripped my buttocks?
- Christmas present!
Forbidden to collect of the floor!
Our friends like your small gifts.
I will telephone my family.
Excuse me.
"Family",
such a soft word in our language.
Send them my best regards.
Do not let anybody enter.
He calls the people
to bring back the divine law
in the centre of gravity of the society.
"This wish,
"humanity owes it
"to the infinite number
"of mothers who suffer,
"of the widows and the orphans
"who have seen how
"the light,
that supports their life...
taken away"
"This wish,
"humanity owes it
to innumerable exiled
that the hurricane of the war
tore off from their fatherland... "
- What do I do?
- Tell them I am talking to my children.
Play music,
let them dance.
Mrs. Hinze... smile.
I will test.
It speaks to his children.
"... of non-combatant
"to which the air war
"that we have
"denounced many times,
"the men have...
"without distinction removed
"life,
"health,
"houses,
the asylums of charity
and of the prayer. "
Is that all?
It is all.
He did not utter the words "Jew"
or "concentration camp".
Can you leave Germany?
The Pope is too much protected.
He must hear a witness.
The Holy Father arrives.
Washington is astonished by the Christmas
speech of the Pope.
Not to condemn the Nazi atrocities.
the authority of the Pope weakens
and confidence in the Church.
One cannot condemn Hitler
without condemning Stalin,
who is your ally.
You cannot compare them.
Greetings and good wishes
from President Roosevelt
has sent us to the occasion
of the Holy season of Christmas
were for us
source of rejoicing.
Our heart is saddened with the thought
that the light which emanates from Bethlehem
illuminate a world
blooded by the war.
Nobody appreciates better
that President Roosevelt
The constant efforts of Your Holiness
to prevent the war
and to limit its spread.
Your Holiness knows the
ceaseless efforts of Pdt Roosevelt
for the victory.
A total victory.
Your moral assistance
in this effort
will be highly appreciated
by the President.
You have this time
the agreement of your superiors?
One refuses nothing with your sons,
protected from the Pope.
The Holy Father loves you.
Yesterday, he said to me
that Berlin will be a great
diplomatic experiment for you.
Diplomacy and Gospel
do they go together?
In Christmas, we waited
his words of fire
against the Nazi crimes.
You need evidence for the Pope to...
I have an eyewitness
who will come to testify.
An S.S. officer.
I have friends for lunch.
If you hold your tongue, you are welcome.
Thank you, I will eat in my room.
I wanted to introduce you
to the American ambassador.
Then, I'll come with pleasure.
Arnulf! What a big boy!
I have something for you!
- What is it?
- Look at it.
I visited a factory not far.
I took a turning to see you.
How does that go?
Better than yesterday although worse than tomorrow.
- Hello, Reverend.
- Hello, Kurt.
Small gifts of Ukraine.
Forgiveness,
but there are rumours...
on Russia.
It is said that a marshal of the Reich
capitulated
with his men
in a place named Stalingrad.
You listen to the English radio?
Me? God keeps me! Not!
It is a rumour...
Propaganda,
tall stories, defeatism.
Thank you, Kurt. You take away
a great weight from my shoulders.
Goodbye, Reverend.
200000 died, 90000 prisoners.
We collect what Hitler sowed.
200000 dead?
I cannot stay a long time.
Go...
enter all!
This war destroyed our values...
and the Church is the victim.
We had a warlike Pope,
he died.
Providence gave us
a Pope of peace,
and then war burst!
How are you?
Sit down.
Here is the American ambassador.
My son arrives from Berlin.
Which news of Berlin?
This, Your Eminence.
A S.S. gave me
this chart of Poland.
It is the names and location of
concentration camps.
In red, the number of gassed per day.
In black, estimates:
400000 of Hungary,
200000 of Romania,
80000 of Greece.
What can we do?
To negotiate to save them.
To negotiate with the Nazis?
Never we will negotiate
with these criminals.
Not even to save
a million lives?
Only our victory will save them.
They will be reduced to ashes by then.
If the Holy Father interceded
before the Nazis for the Jews...
Out of question!
The Holy Father must remain neutral
in order to act for peace.
And there will not act to remain neutral.
He could intervene in the name of Christ...
Germans would then
occupy the Vatican
and would plunder it.
The Vatican should be saved
or Christianity?
If by a miracle he saved them,
your government
would then accomodate these Jews?
Why would Hitler accept?
To deliver a fatal blow
to the democracies which would accomodate them.
Goebbels said "That those which like
the Jews take them, but naked ".
That would create internal agitation,
and a gigantic wave of anti-semitism.
Riccardo, your desire
to save these unfortunate make of us
in fact agents of Goebbels.
Since his rout at Stalingrad,
Hitler counts on our weaknesses.
To save Jews would slow down
our effort of war
which in turn would profit him.
While we lunch,
trains run towards the camps.
And our children die the combat
to save the free world.
The world is sick...
Riccardo, my little one,
The Church is made of patience,
of patience, faith
and of hard labour.
In the end, time
always gives reason to the Church.
Always.
One should celebrate Easter
at the same date, each year.
There are two great dates
for the Christians:
the festival of the Blessed Virgin,
August 15,
and Christmas,
December 25.
Easter does not have fixed date.
The Christians need reference mark,
if not they are lost,
they are mislaid...
Even the contrition
can be pride.
I feel guilty like witness
and even more as priest.
By pride and obstinacy,
you trowels your future.
As long as I testify
the love of Christ
for the men, all the men,
my future is assured.
Hitler can destroy us,
us, men of God
and all Christians of Europe.
If all Christians of Europe
became Jewish for a time,
the time of persecutions,
what would make the torturers?
Reality is that there is
on a side Nazis,
other, Communists.
The Americans are still far.
If my friend from Berlin came to Rome,
would you meet him?
If you think...
that it is worth doing, then yes.
If you judges it worthy,
can you try to obtain for him
an audience with the Holy Father?
Yes.
Thank you.
There is what it is
and what it should be.
Alas,
we must live with...
what it is.
That was an eternity!
Bring me something to drink.
Many things have happened
since our games around a campfire!
Sit down.
What can I do for you?
Can you organize me
a voyage to Rome?
- For you and your family?
- Just me.
An outward journey and return?
When do you want to leave then?
I don't have a date.
What do you think of the situation?
I think that we were right,
the future will confirm it.
Thanks God, my myopia has
led me to this sinister place.
Here, I can serve my fatherland
without disavowing my convictions
nor betraying my faith.
Where did you land?
With disinfection.
Vast program.
I write you a priority master pass.
You will travel when you want.
I write it on your name?
Of course, thank you.
In these heroic times,
you obtained a title
or a rank?
Lieutenant of Waffen S.S.
Address yourself to transport of the S.S.
It is a private voyage.
Thank you for your visit.
You must send
more and more of trains to the East,
goods trains.
Do you know what you transport?
Goods.
Men too.
Labour.
Industry develops much
in the East.
Put your photograph...
in S.S., it will go better.
And if I said to you
that families there are piled up
to lead them to the slaughter-house?
Get out of here, or else I call
the police force or Gestapo.
I did not change, Karl.
Me either.
These trains carry out us to hell.
I do not deal with freight.
- Do you deal with the rout of the trains?
- I help my country to win the war.
And if these trains were slowed down?
Will you leave at once?
Or would you prefer that
I call the police force?
Make him leave!
You can meet me
at the Institute of Hygiene.
May Christ take care
on you and hold them.
Bastard of S.S.
I must set out again tomorrow evening.
It is short, but I think
that my father will obtain the audience.
I learned that 400 S.S.
arrived to Rome,
a special unit.
The Allies approach Naples.
More than 3 million were gassed.
Three million?
Here are them...
The delivery orders of gas Zyklon.
On these charts are
all the camps.
It is what is necessary
to convince them.
There is a control point.
What is it?
Saturdays, they are sure
to find them at home.
One can do nothing.
- What happens?
- Count, can you lodge us?
Lead them to the house of friends. Go!
- They are in your street.
- I know.
The Holy Father rose very early
this morning.
He awaits you.
- Principessa!
- the Germans stop the Jews!
Here even, with the corner of the street.
Not, my sister, He should be found.
Please...
Tell me...
What?
Why your father
is it so close to the Pope?
We are auxiliaries
to the papal throne.
Thank you, my sister.
My father is with the Pope.
We learned that they
also stop converted.
Convene the Weizsacker ambassador.
We require explanations.
MaLet him know of Our anger
and of Our sorrow.
Not...
Of Our sorrow and Our anger.
Mgr Hudal!
Eminence, is my father here?
The Count is with the director.
Gerstein, a friend.
- Is he a converted?
- Pardon?
That does not change anything,
but we separate the two sensitivities.
No, Kurt is Aryan.
We must see my father.
He is discussing provisioning
with the director.
We have 56 refugees:
11 children, 5 gipsies,
3 Communists and 12 old men
requiring medical care.
I will send a doctor,
flour...
Meat and pasta are hard to find.
There are many refugees.
- Your son is there with a friend.
- Really?
- Kurt Gerstein.
- Delighted to meet you, Count.
- You obtained the audience?
- Forgiveness...
In the current situation,
it is unthinkable
that the Pope meets a German,
especially an officer of the S.S.
And the Cardinal?
- Go ahead.
- You accompany us?
I must make sure that the convents
accomodate these unhappy souls.
This way.
Wait there,
an authorization is needed.
It is out of question...
that a S.S...
who betrays his country
enter here.
Certain treasons
are the last weapon of righteous.
We all love you.
The Pope, your father
and myself
we understand the distress of your heart
but it overpowers us
and it poisons our life.
Put yourself there,
you will replace my secretary.
You will take notes...
and you will understand
how the diplomacy works.
The Vatican
has the largest masterpieces.
And no division to defend them.
Mr. Ambassadeur,
I would be grateful for you to order
to cease immediately
these arrests in Rome.
Twenty days ago,
the commander S.S. Kapler,
required 50 kilos of gold
not to depor the Jew community.
The Jewish community gave it to him
and now, they are arrested!
Must one think that your government
does not respect its word?
Alas...
I wait until you say to me
"Why you do not resign?"
It is painful for the Holy Father,
beyond what one can imagine,
that in Rome, under his eyes,
so many people are made to suffer
because they are of another race.
What would make the Holy Father
do if that continued?
The Holy Father would not like
to have to express his disapproval.
This is an official request
from the Holy Father?
He wishes not to have to do one of them.
Until now,
He has not said anything that the Germans
can take as a hostile act.
But there are limits.
If the Holy Father were
in the need of protesting,
he would put himself in the hands
of the Divine Providence.
I hear that
converted are also stopped!
Protest, Monseigneur.
Protest.
- What do you do in Rome?
- Rolf Grober, what a surprised!
You came to disinfect the Vatican?
I seek a means
to return to Berlin.
Who is in charge of transport?
Lieutenant Nitzel.
I will introduce you to him.
This is an insane world!
Still not too much.
Italians are kosher fascists.
Without them, we would have the double of it!
They only think of stealing.
- This is Nitzel.
- What will you do with them?
Why are we here?
We are converted since two generations.
Good trip to Berlin.
A thousand leaves tomorrow evening
from the station of Tibertina.
Tiburtina. Trastevere.
Nothing any more will stop them.
There is still a means.
What do we know
on the situation in Cassino?
The Americans bombard without respite.
The Germans always hold.
Part of the monastery is destroyed,
especially the southern wing.
The library...
It is surely destroyed.
They also bombarded the vault.
Mr. Weizscker said to me that the Germans
will never leave Monte Cassino.
We solicited
the American representative
to cease
bombardments but...
there is little hope.
We received the gifts
of the Spelmann Cardinal
and of the company of the Jesuits.
The Holy Father...
1000 Jews will be off-set
if your Holiness does not act.
We consider your zeal with love.
Who defends persecuted
speak in Our Office.
But, in fact,
only moderation
can make us honor.
But they will be off-set this night!
If the Holy Father shows himself at the station,
as in San Lorenzo
after the American bombardments,
The train will not leave.
Mister Secretary,
The Church opened its convents
and its monasteries to the oppressed.
Many Jews are under our protection.
The German ambassador
ensured me that the others
are led to a camp of work.
- With women and children?
- You want to separate the families?
They off-set them to kill them!
It is up to the Christians
and to the Vatican to save them...
Leave from here, how do you dare!
Count, make your son shut up.
Very the Holy Father,
with all the respect
had with those which impose silence to Us,
I beseech Your Holiness
to act personally.
In Germany,
in Austria,
many are the Christians
who have hope only in Us.
Can we overpower them
with a new burden
whereas they undergo
terrible bombardments?
At the proper time,
we will intercede
in order to restore an equitable peace
who will unite all the Christians.
Our prayers,
our cries of pain...
take that off!
You do not know what you do!
It is a blasphemy!
On the dress of a servant of Christ!
Forgiveness, father...
I request Your Holiness
to remove me of my functions.
Who would know better than Us
is what it is to be a father?
It is a crown of spines.
Her baby died.
The priest!
A priest among the Jews?
What?
- Coffee or schnapps, captain?
- both.
Isn't the doctor down?
It is too early for him.
What?
They took on board a priest
with the Jews.
He says he is a secretary
of the Nuncio in Berlin.
- Which did that?
- idiots, no doubt to have fun.
I fear that he is
a spy of the Vatican.
To convert the Jews
during the voyage?
To see what one does here.
What did he see?
Here nothing, but he made
the trip in 4 days.
In his coach,
there were 8 dead including 5 children.
What else?
It is said that he is the cousin of the Pope.
He denies it.
He is here by error.
Fritsche, they all are here by error!
If he is a secretary of the Nuncio,
he should be released.
It is sure that he is not Jewish.
I state that he is Jewish.
You, over there!
Your Holiness...
Approach.
I am told that you are not Jewish?
I am like the other ones.
One needs volunteers
and priests
if somebody dies.
Work is hard,
it is our new Ruhr complex.
Factories of death,
this odor...
Pharmaceutical factories.
you can feel the nitrogen, the gum...
I know what it is.
He came to spy!
You want to be crucified?
But I have another project.
You will learn tolerance.
Your Church, formerly,
purified by burning people.
Nazism makes the same but
on a large scale.
In a way, we are the new
chosen people.
Amen!
I am a little catholic myself.
Not as excessively pious person as him...
Fritsche,
you fall into the sentimentality.
Leave us.
And send me a kapo
for our canon.
He is a strong believer.
He does not like that one speaks religion here.
But he is a good soldier.
In six months or a year,
we will lose the war.
It will be our turn
to enter the catacombs.
Find-me a comfortable one in Rome
and I will let you leave...
from where nobody ever left.
You will hang your testimony
at the bells of Saint-Peter's.
You are pathetic.
The world already knows.
I know, but bear in mind
that divine anger
does not thunder in the sky,
nor allied bombers.
They crush our cities,
but here, the sky is serene and empty.
The sky is never empty.
Put him at Probing Kommando.
He is my protected.
Do not touch one of his hairs,
nor his star
nor a shred of his cassock.
You will work at the crematory.
If God is somewhere here,
you will find him more easily there.
Go...
I need a car.
you need a priority order,
my lieutenant.
Hold.
Immediately.
I am sorry Liutenant.
There is a priority convoy.
Construction will be finished
in December 1945.
The production will start in 1946.
- I fear that...
- What do you fear?
The labour which arrives
is worse and worse.
Does all go from worse to worse?
Startup in 1946,
yes or not?
Yes, of course.
Come in!
I must speak to you into private.
It is necessary to make it quickly.
Fritsche wanted to release him
since his arrival here.
To pull his leg,
the doctor put him at Probing Kommando.
he has seen everything.
The Nuncio requires explanations.
Himmler is afraid of the consequences.
Is Himmler... afraid?
This priest will go to Berlin.
Never to Rome, all is arranged.
Fritsche, you take care of this.
We will make him sign
that he saw only floors of flowers.
Wait in the canteen.
Let Berlin know...
that I had nothing to do with it.
He will be here in five minutes.
What else?
Let Berlin know...
that I had nothing to do with it.
Do not worry.
Corporal, you may leave.
My God...
Your father was sure
that you were in this train.
I am going to take you out of here.
God allows his children...
to be eaten.
I want to understand...
why.
Why sacrifice yourself?
You are wrong...
You are wrong.
It is necessary to go and tell the world
what occurs here.
I cannot leave.
Gerstein!
The world knows all.
Look at him,
He does not have any more the air of a priest!
Put him with those which he loves so much!
He is a diplomat of the Vatican,
He is here by error.
Me also, I am here by error.
It is the martial court, Gerstein...
Falsification of an order of Himmler.
Have you been to Rome?
crying for your safety.
And I trusted you...
By the chimney!
He will go more quickly to heaven.
I spoke to Himmler, on the telephone.
He wants to make disappear
all traces of the mass graves.
Do not be surprised.
Tomorrow, he will ask
to dismount the showers and the furnaces.
He tries to exchange
Hungarian Jews
but he does not find
anybody willing to take them.
The priest got you
good contacts in Rome?
Yes.
If you want to benefit from it,
He is needed alive.
Too late.
I will manage myself.
The most glorious page
of German history
will never be written.
Did Rome remain a pleasant city?
I will not leave my country.
They will hang us, Kurt.
You before me.
Your name is on the invoices
of Zyklon.
Return home,
at the Institute, wherever you want...
We do not need more of your competences.
Your God will have problems
with you, Gerstein.
What happens?
Reverend, I am in a hurry.
What are we going to do?
You returned!
I must set out again.
Dad is there!
You will know finally what I did,
what I know. I will be the witness...
You will not be listened to.
The S.S. are...
I have evidence,
figures, of the names.
I will go...
The Americans will understand.
The French are closer.
The Americans are far.
- You cannot cross the lines.
- the are no lines anymore. The front is broken
Reverend said to me that you were here.
What happened to us, Kurt?
All that it is said is true?
All.
I knew it,
but will it be ready on time?
What?
The secret weapon.
Yes.
I knew it.
We will stop them.
Put your uniform on, my son.
Father...
I leave on mission.
Wait here.
What to do with him Captain?
Wait, Gerstein did not finish.
Our friend Gerstein writes
the French version of his report.
Another version?
What do you think of him?
HE says he has resisted
the policy of atrocities.
He resisted while being inside
up to that point!
I do not believe him guilty.
His report is a significant document.
Here is the first bill of indictment against him.
"... that it was not
neither comprehensible nor excusable
"that a devout Christian like him
"did not do all that was
in its power
to keep away from
the criminal system... "
The S.S. Gerstein was found
hung in his cell.
He hung himself or was hung?
I do not know.
I want a written report.
Mgr Hudal?
Your friends suggested me the United States.
They take only specialists
in chemistry, aviation, physics...
biology...
I am a doctor, a simple doctor.
Then, it will be Argentina.
There is a boat in six days.
MeanWhile, You can stay over here.
The Report of Gerstein contributed
to the authentification of the Holocaust.
Kurt Gerstein was rehabilitated
20 years later
to discuss questions
of international magnitude,
in this year of 1936.
Consequently, we must today...
Guards!
My name is Stephan Lux.
I am Jewish.
The Jews are persecuted in Germany
and the world allows it...
I see only one mean
to touch the heart of the men.
Soon, we will have England!
Go ahead.
Truth!
It will be necessary to return, lieutenant Gerstein.
We fight typhus
by eliminating the parasites
and by purifying water.
You put clothing,
covers, sheets
in a place hermetically closed.
By the external openings,
you introduce crystals
of hydrocyanic acid.
Here is the formula.
Do we have to manufacture them ourselves?
No, the Institute will provide them.
All the details are here.
It is a dangerous product.
You have to respect proportions and doses.
As for water...
that intended for the troops
must be treated.
And if water is drinkable, Dr. Gerstein?
It will be even more
after the treatment.
What is drinkable for a Slav...
It is not inevitably
for a human being.
Sit down.
We must fight typhus
like our enemies, on all fronts.
Continue.
Let us continue our presentation.
Did he conceive this program?
Is he in the Wehrmacht?
It was conceived thanks to his father
who is a friend.
THE FHRER ORDERS,
WE OBEY
I just returned from Vienna,
I had your message.
What has happened?
God recalled to him little Bertha.
This is all that it remains of her.
What happened?
Was she sick?
The letter says as, "Cold,
followed by pulmonary abscess ".
Why didn't they tell us anything?
"why"
doesn't make dead come back to life,
especially in times of war.
She was my niece, I could
have obtained drugs at the Institute.
My friends at the Institute praise your work
and say that you eliminate typhus.
I serve my country as best as I can.
An idealist like you
has a place in the S.S.
even if your wife disapproves.
Excuse us...
Place the flower.
- do not do that.
- Why?
And your uniform?
Dead are not accompanied
in work's costume.
Kurt is upset.
Bertha was his favourite niece.
How long does he stay?
I would like to know.
And you?
Say to him.
I hear...
thousands of case through the country.
One of my parishioners received two ash boxes
for his handicapped sister
and two official letters.
One speaks about heart failure,
the other of pneumonia.
It is a plan of the S.S.!
I don't think the S.S deal with killing children...
The S.S. deal with all.
Reverend, I disinfect the barracks
and purify water.
That is not contrary
to my conscience nor my faith.
If you discover something,
warn us.
I have nothing to do with all that.
Like Christians,
we condemn the euthanasy.
- What will you do?
- To protest.
Who will protest?
Christian authorities
must react.
Allow me?
What do they still want?
Reverend told me an atrocious thing.
Does that surprise you?
He lives in the past.
To propagate rumours in times of war is high treason.
Monseigneur von Galen?
You did not reply to my registered letter...
...I log a complain agains X...
for the assassination of
"unproductive citizens".
We have the facts,patients's names,
their families...
and their addresses.
If you do not take action,
The Catholic Church
will have to inform her faithful.
Dad has come back!
Heil!
- a gift of France.
- What is it?
Open it and you will see.
How is the little one?
He kicks.
I believe that we will have
another lieutenant.
What is there?
We have a very difficult
problem of arithmetic.
I see...
Hello, Mrs. Hinze.
No, first your duties.
Read the statement.
If you do not have the solution,
read it again and again.
"Knowing that a house
cost 15000 marks
"for a family of workers
"and that one needs 6 million marks
"to build and manage
a lunatic asylum,
"how many worker's houses can one build
for the price of an asylum?"
They are considered
like useless,
like a broken machine,
a crippled horse,
or a cow
who does not give any more milk.
If you set up in theory
the right
to supress an unproductive neightbour...
Does Von Galen know how many were eliminated?
Several thousands.
One day,
you will be,
we all will be unproductive.
What will be of our soldiers then
when they return from the war,
seriously wounded, mutilated,
invalids...
unproductive?
These monks do not know anything
with the economy nor with the eugenism.
Nor with compassion.
I would give a lesson to this
von Galen after the victory.
Why not now?
God decides,
we carry out.
Enter, Gerstein!
Our specialist in purification.
Rest, lieutenant.
Tea, coffee, cognac, cakes?
No, thank you.
You leave to inspect
our units of disinfection.
Upon returning, you will drop by Poland
to control the use
of the 500 cans of hydrocyanic acid
that we dispatched to them.
500?
We build an industrial complex...
a giant one. They need
a specialist in chemistry.
Wehrmacht
has excellent specialists.
Wehrmacht is occupied
with winning the war,
...we prepare the
post-war period.
You haven't been one of us for long...
You will see that the S.S.
like close ranks.
This human heat
exalted by our Reichsfhrer Himmler.
Thank you for coming.
I leave on mission.
We won! They are backing down!
The euthanasy campaign is suspended.
- Definitively?
- Because they fear public opinion.
The army of Jesus overcame
the army of the evil.
Warn Dibelius!
- Where are you going?
- To the east!
You see this dirty water?
It could be worse!
Now!
If the pump is broken down,
there is the manual pump.
use buckets.
If not,
use your helmets.
If you don't have helmets,
then it is a serious matter!
But you couldn't be without
this mobile filter.
And here it is!
Do you want to taste?
And you?
Cheers!
That refreshes, that does not make you sick,
but it is disgusting!
A jumper of lady would be said!
You had the cross or the jumper,
with the combat?
A combat close combat,
I imagine!
I had both
in an engagement at night.
One needs more courage
for the cross or the jumper?
I was afraid in both cases...
but for the jumper, alas,
no bloodshed!
You fought hard both times!
Obviously!
As hard as I could.
Kurt Gerstein, of the Institute of hygiene.
You have 500 cans of hydrocyanic acid
in a not=n-protected place.
Only 500?
Vermin pullulates
between Berlin and Moscow.
With a can,
I disinfect a barracks.
If you are bombarded,
any life will disappear here...
They never bombard here.
They leave us in peace.
What do you hope to make?
- It is what?
- Astispumante. Italian.
To conquer half of the world
to drink this wee of cat!
I raise this filth to Kurt Gerstein
who joint with us.
First visit of one of our camps?
Not, of course!
This one is special.
How much?
400 units to be treated.
It is rather horrible...
Not even ten living people
saw what you have just seen.
Let pass to me!
You did not make a reserve,
captain?
All is complete.
Are you sick?
Are you sick?
Even an S.S. can be sick!
I am sorry.
The ambassador of Sweden
is also in the corridor.
The whole world is in the trains.
I am only the embassy attach.
Baron von Otter.
Can you grant me
an audience tomorrow in Berlin?
I must speak to you.
Why not here?
We have all night long.
I saw something...
of appalling.
Of absolutely appalling.
Whole families are exterminated.
Prisoners of war?
Jews.
They exterminate whole families.
They are stripped,
They shave their heads...
even women.
Their heads are shaved?
But why?
Draw the curtains, please!
Lit train,
assures enemy bombardment.
Hold, invoices of Zyklon B.
To eliminate the parasites.
I provide it to them.
And they use it for...
My papers.
No need.
Your government must warn
Americans and English.
So that they release leaflets
on Germany.
Once informed,
the Germans will raise themselves.
It is necessary to act quickly.
Each day that passes...
A few minutes of stop.
Remain in your places.
A short stop,
to let pass a priority train.
If you want references on me,
ask Otto Dibelius,
superintendent of the Protestant Church.
Sit down.
Prevent them from following me!
They miss you.
They see very little of you.
Better if you are unaware of
what I will say to the Reverend.
I discovered a horrible thing.
Jews...
- Not here.
- It is unimaginable!
Later...
They are not expelled
like we thought but exterminated.
- What?
- Exterminated!
Enter.
I just returned from the camps in Poland.
They exterminate the Jews.
Most robust
are sent to the forced labour.
Women and children...
are gassed.
I saw it with my own eyes.
The Church must alert the Christians!
The first thing you have to do
is to leave the S.S.!
I saw what I should not.
A witness is needed.
I will be the eyes of God
in this hell.
That can be terrible
for you and your family.
One must denounce the assassins!
I will testify at the service to today.
We can start.
We arrive.
Undoubtedly, it is necessary to react,
but in a reflected, responsible way.
The Dibelius superintendent
can advise you.
He celebrated your marriage, not?
Leave the S.S.
Remain far from all that!
We said...
you said that the Jews are
a foreign body that one must expel,
that one can discriminate them
but not to persecute them.
Let us admit the massive executions.
- What do you suggest?
- To protest!
Protest which will be picked up
by the propaganda of the enemy.
We will be accussed of treason.
We are in war.
The Church reacted
against the extermination of handicapped...
Euthanasy, not extermination.
The public clamour stopped
the euthanasy.
Let us protest for the Jews.
The handicapped people were
baptized members of our Church.
You are a soldier,
far from daily realities.
Our people are bombarded,
inflicted cruel deprivations.
the majority of our faithful
and of our pastors
support Mr Hitler.
Nobody will protest,
nobody will believe you.
Fhrer and Himmler
also attended a test.
They order to accelerate the output.
The Institute sends to me to the east
to purify water...
I cannot take part in this.
That is not contradictory,
our installations are in the east.
Von Rotta, Hoess and yourself
had accepted the plans.
I speak about output.
I had announced the risk
of thermal distortion which...
Brought into service on March 22,
25, after having treated
a convoy of 3000 units,
The furnaces burst by overheating!
- You drew on the costs.
- labour is free!
Use the model of campaign.
It should unceasingly be clogged
and the tar is rationed.
Lieutenant Gerstein,
expert in destruction of vermin...
in any kind.
We need you.
I am not qualified
for this type of operation.
According to his superiors,
Gerstein excels
where he is not qualified.
Not so sure...
Here is the new generation of
installations...
who can treat 10000 units per day.
10000?
But...
it is impossible!
It will be needed.
In Europe, it is necessary to eliminate
11 to 12 million units.
The Fhrer wants to finish by 1948.
We will devote 1949
to the rest of the world.
The Fifty will be sabbatical.
The problem, it is that...
during the operation,
the crystals evaporate partially.
Evaporation begins again
after clearing of the places.
That slows down cleaning.
The crystals only evaporate
in contact with the air.
And while falling,
do the bodies choke the crystals?
Exactly.
Sometimes, crystals exposed to the air
evaporate into 40 to 50 minutes
instead of 5 to 10.
That slows down the rate
and prevents any estimate.
Two factors can play:
The bad quality of the product
or a low temperature.
The number will raise the temperature.
Famous human heat...
Latticed conduits
will protect the crystals.
You will provide crystals
of quality in great quantity.
- My work at the Institute...
- We will divide you with them.
You will furfill your duty as an S.S.
and a Christian:
you will reduce to five minutes
the agony of the units
and you will accelerate performance.
- Lieutenant...
- Professor would be righter.
How long is necessary it
before intervening without mask?
- the filters are too expensive.
- Two hours.
Two hours!
Without ventilation, it is a minimum.
Which ventilation?
Which cubage?
1250 m3 on average.
With a pulsor of air of 1 CV,
you will gain one hour.
We will put two of them.
Turn over to your work
of cleansing
without forgetting your
Christian mission of public utility.
- the Nuncio does not receive!
- 5 minutes! It is very important.
His Eminence does not see anybody.
Announce me!
Excellence,
it is necessary that I speak to you.
- I must speak to you.
- What do you do here?
Lt Kurt Gerstein, Excellence.
I have information for the Vatican.
Its gravity justifies my intrusion.
I am shocked by your intrusion!
I'll call the police force.
If my superiors learn my visit...
It is an intrusion, Mister.
I have a message for the Vatican.
I arrive from Poland,
from the camps of Auschwitz and Belzec.
Thousands of Jews are gassed.
Enough!
Leave from here! Come, Count,
we cannot listen to that!
I saw all of my own eyes,
Excellence...
convoys from all over Europe
arrive in these factories of death.
Only the Vatican
can stop these atrocities.
Only the Pope, by alerting
the world opinion and Christians...
Thank you for troubling yourself
about the actions of His Holiness!
Are you a Catholic?
Excellence...
what I saw
haunts me day and night.
Even in death
the families are recognized.
They remain intertwined
ones with the others.
Naked mothers
tighten their baby to their chest.
One said to me
that after death,
one is not able to separate them,
even with hooks.
I can't contact the German army.
Go with him.
Leave us.
A provocation of Gestapo.
A S.S. which defends the Jews!
They take to us for idiots.
Is Baron von Otter there?
No, I am his assistant.
Who are you?
Kurt Gerstein. He knows me.
He is on a trip.
Can I help you?
- When does he return?
- I don't know.
Elfriede!
Kurt!
Do not do that.
Stop!
I told you to stop!
I told you to stay there!
What happens?
You cannot stay here any more.
They bombard everywhere.
It is not that.
Go to Tbingen, with the children.
Let them finish the school year.
I said no, it means no!
You are right undoubtedly.
Adelheid, take along your brother to play.
If you could explain to me...
It is necessary to leave
As soon as possible.
I can say nothing else.
Is there another woman?
you make me laugh...
you make me laugh.
At least, I can still do that.
Who will look after you?
Mrs. Hinze will do.
Is she Jewish?
Did she tell you that?
Someone else?
You take too much to heart.
Do not forget that you have a family.
That is what counts...
more than all in the world.
Mrs. Hinze,
prepare my stuff.
I will call the carpenter.
The bombs already fell down.
Will you lead us to Tbingen?
My father will take you along.
I do not have the time.
There is a large black car!
I am relieved to find you.
An atrocious thing happened.
What a beautiful German family!
Don't you know?
The plane of the Fhrer
exploded on takeoff.
And was the Fhrer inside?
With Goebbels, Gring and Himmler.
And did anybody survive?
Yes...
Germany!
I had you! I had you!
I will denounce you for spreading
false good news.
The house of my father.
The bombardments damaged it.
The house of my friend
was puffed up.
Only the wall with the portrait
of Fhrer is intact.
The portrait of Fhrer
is always intact.
You are right.
You impressed
our colleagues specialists in...
Yes, impressed.
I leave...
for Theresienstadt.
I take you along.
Then you will see your manufacturer
of Czech hydrocyanic acid.
On the way, we will chat.
You are the only one
with whom it is still worth...
to chatter.
Why the only one?
Our colleagues
have a technical intelligence
but they the boasting kind,
or maybe drunkards,
or maybe degenerated.
Often, the three at the same time.
Your children
study natural science?
They are too young.
I have a splendid specimen
of judo-Bolshevik skull.
A skull?
There is no age to be informed.
I will show them.
For the anniversary of Darwin,
pure Swiss chocolate...
There was no need...
To give pleasure is my pleasure.
Let us see...
Mankind evolved from the monkey,
but the Negro and the Jew
stopped half-way.
Delicious!
No thank you.
Stop.
Control better
your facial muscles.
In the S.S. as in poker,
allies and adversaries
mustn't read your thoughts
or your play.
You read my thoughts?
As an opened book,
that is why I appreciate you.
What a treasure you have there!
Take great care.
See you day after tomorrow.
At 6:30am exactly.
6h30 precise.
I am delighted in advance!
I am Riccardo Fontana.
We saw each other at the nonciature.
I am a Jesuit.
Jesuit...
Should I introduce you thus
if this man returns?
The one of the black car?
Introduce me as...
a "Spy of God",
according to Kierkegaard.
Spy of God...
or of the Vatican?
Of The Vatican
would hardly be plausible.
- What do you want?
- I was ashamed of the attitude of the Nuncio.
You've shaken me.
Tell me more about it.
More?
About what?
If what you say is true,
the Holy Father must be informed.
But he will ask me for evidence.
The Pope is unaware of
what we do to the Jews?
With his priests,
his parishes, his bishops,
He has the best service
of information in the world.
He is only informed of the
persecutions of catholics.
He should get information about
the fate of the Jews and Gypsies.
Gypsies
move much.
And the Jews are moved a lot!
The Pope does not wonder
where do the deportees go?
Nor the Pope,
nor my father, who is close to him,
do not have much regard for Mr. Hitler.
But they see that he succeeded
where nobody had dared:
to overcome Communism
in Germany and Russia.
And this man whom we do not estimate...
has become a myth.
Your myth
commits acts of cruelty
that only the Pope, vicar of Christ,
can denounce,
so that the world
and Germans know.
Once the Holy Father
know about these atrocities,
He will react firmnly.
But it is necessary that I know everything.
That will not be enough to convince him.
Sit down.
People who betray their country
...are always suspect.
Biscuits for Monseigneur.
He is very annoyed that you
went away without letting him know.
Monseigneur confers
with the minister of religion.
He wants that I let him in any moment.
He counts on your talents as a speaker.
It has negotiators Nazis
very difficult.
- Why this meeting?
- It's always the same.
To level the small divergences
between the Reich and us.
Small divergences?
They refuse to pay the tax
intended for the Church.
Shall I let him in?
Already back?
- I seek my father.
- How is the charming Mr. Hitler?
He sends his regards.
Your father is not here.
When will he be here?
Kurt, the Fhrer was mistaken
about the Jews.
Another one of your jokes?
He presented them
as very dangerous
at international level, right?
However, we've noticed
that it is easy to reduce them to smoke.
Even our lunatics
were defended better.
Our Churches...
I am...
a little catholic.
Our Churches saved our insane.
Nobody moves for the Jews.
American Jews
are powerful, They say.
But Roosevelt keeps silent.
If Fhrer was mistaken,
like you say,
why continuing?
He was mistaken in the diagnosis,
not the remedy.
We must get rid of them.
But I believe
that we are lost.
Pardon?
This idiot is driving in circles.
Straight ahead!
I woke him up.
The Reich needs
men like us.
Men who know how
to rein in their conscience,
Not like these rough brainles
who feel higher...
because they have been told
they are Aryan.
It is splendid! Splendid!
A true Raphael!
The press is interested in your father!
The Pope dedicated the world
to the immaculate heart of the Virgin Mary
...to restore peace.
It is an important celebration.
And I must present it.
It's only a celebration...
You look tense.
Does the Nuncio send you on a mission?
I came here on my own initiative.
On your own initiative!
The Jews are exterminated in
countries occupied by Germany.
We will finish tomorrow.
Leave us.
Leave us!
I came to inform the Holy Father of this.
He does not need you
to get information.
If he was informed,
he would have banished these atrocities.
Mind your tone!
His Eminence, the cardinal...
Let him in.
- Can he see you here?
- Yes.
Of my garden.
Thank you. They are gorgeous.
Riccardo, my boy,
you are superb!
- How is the abominable Mr. Hitler?
- Always abominable.
And our American friend?
I await him, Eminence.
The Nuncio did not announce your arrival.
I came without...
It would seem that the German army
is said to be blocked in Stalingrad.
I have secret information
on the death camps.
Here it is,
we have a secret agent there
who leaves his station
without warning the Nuncio.
The Holy Father must be informed.
The Holy Father holds Mr. Hitler
in quite a poor regard.
Since he signed that infamous pact
with that Stalin,
nothing coming from him
will surprise him.
I had warned the Holy Father
that it was a trick.
He attacked too late
and He has found himself blocked
by the Russian winter.
The Holy Father is worried.
Hitler must crush Stalin
and sign peace with the Americans
so that all these horrors,
who break the heart of the Holy Father,
cease.
The Allies will not sign peace with Hitler.
Meanwhile the Jews are killed.
The Holy Father must protest.
"He must"?
The Jews are gassed every day.
We are accustomed
to the moanings of the Jews.
I hold this information
from an S.S. officer.
Count, your son socialises with the S.S.?
Is divine Providence
who sends this S.S. to you?
The American gentleman arrived.
Welcome.
Count...
My son Riccardo,
He arrived from Berlin.
We crossed
this morning, not?
The Pope
did not receive me.
He received Germans.
But I met
many Eminences.
Your Eminence!
Here the answer
that your government awaits.
Perfect, there it goes...
She was a holy woman.
You did not know her,
Mr. Tittman?
The countess Fontana
left us too early.
Do you want something to drink?
We make a good team.
It's a pity that you don't stay,
Prague has a splendid Jewish cemetery.
Dear Luigi...
Monseigneur,
...this has just arrived.
The Pope calls for me.
Duty before pleasure...
When does ambassador Taylor return?
Not before two months.
We will be happy to see him again.
Count,
Berlin is not any more
a pleasant place, but...
it is a good school
to learn
moderation and patience.
We wish that Riccardo
returns there as fast as possible.
Berlin is a punishment
or a promotion?
What does your government
think of the massacres of Jews?
We are trying to verify these rumours
...through the Vatican, actually.
And the Vatican,
having had wind of the same rumours,
asks us to check them.
While you check,
10000 Jews are exterminated each day.
If you want to be believed,
avoid these figures.
Speak of a few hundreds.
I know somebody
who saw the gas chambers at work.
Our host came to lunch.
Forgiveness, father.
You will finally have your answer.
It is not signed.
The adviser of the Pope
gave it to you in person.
It is a signature.
"Our congratulations
to S.S. lieutenant Kurt Gerstein
"for his nomination at the head
of our medical and technical service.
We thank him
for the excellence of his work. "
Signed Heinrich Himmler.
For my part,
I name you
the worst enemy of vermin
whatever it is, wherever it is,
and I join my congratulations
with those of Himmler.
Thank you.
An ambulance awaits your inspection.
It is urgent.
Continue, I return soon.
On the other front...
you were right.
But the doctor and others
are happy with you.
There are leaks!
Close the doors there are leaks!
Masks! Everybody!
It is very toxic!
Do not look at me like a calf!
Put your mask on!
Bury the load!
I do not feel anything.
I was told to remove
the irritating agents.
The escapes are very difficult to detect.
Your mask!
Leave the car!
Bury the loading!
I do not want any more of this product here.
You clear it up!
You know everyone.
- On holiday leave?
- No, on sick leave.
A good small Bordeaux wine.
I said to them
that there is a plan of the S.S.
for the extermination of the Jews.
I saw it functioning.
In the name of the fights of the
Protestant youths,
I met you all together
to discuss the actions...
Good evening, father.
You know everyone,
Armin was wounded in the East.
- Nothing serious I gather?
- I am going away again soon.
So much the better.
I can speak to you?
Why didn't you tell me anything?
You don't think I care?
thanks to my friends in the S.S.
I know it all.
All on all?
All on you!
Congratulations for your promotion!
I would have preferred
to learn it from you.
What do you do with this Reverend
and those troublemakers?
Father...
Your friends in the S.S.
did they tell you about the monstrosities
that they hide from the Germans?
Do not start again.
Our country was raised
thanks to the Hitler chancellor.
And thanks to the people,
less sophisticated than Thomas Mann
or this humanistic Reverend.
They make us accessory to a crime
who will damn Germany forever!
Do not listen to English propaganda.
Where are your knowledge
and Jewish ex-colleagues?
They are isolated from public life.
In times of war,
one draws aside those who call for an
International directed now
Moscow then by New York.
And if I told you
that don't they exist any more?
What does he say exactly?
That thousands of Jews
are deported and gassed.
He was the witness.
The Jews left for America
a long time ago!
These are the Jews of Europe.
Obey your orders!
The S.S. are degenerated,
but he exceeds them.
One sends them to work, of course!
Which employment requires
millions of workers?
Do not work
for the safety of your soul,
but for safety
of our people!
It is what I do, father!
day and night.
Once and for all,
cease these sentimental sillinesses.
You lie. The Germans are unable
of such atrocities.
Helmut, I beg you!
Our fights against the Nazis,
are a thing of the past.
Now you are in the S.S.
and I am in the Luftwaffe
and our children are bombarded.
I am sorry.
And you?
I swore never not to raise my arm,
never not to say Heil.
Up to now, I succeeded.
"Happy he who forgets
what cannot be changed. "
The Bat, Johann Strauss.
Forgive me, Reverend, I have work.
We still have
many Jews to gass!
Mercy, Holy Father,
for the people of Christ.
Mercy for the Jewish people.
I know the sufferings of the world,
Riccardo.
My heart bleeds for the victims.
I pray for them
and for you also, my child.
The world awaits
that the vicar of Christ decides.
You made a show of yourself.
Somebody had to speak to him.
Its Holiness will employ words of fire
against the Nazi's crimes.
at the time of his Christmas speech.
Why didn't you tell me anything?
I say it now to you.
God be praised!
As well as the diplomacy
and perseverance.
Trust me.
The crematory ones are overflowed.
Why you do not have them
checked before hand?
This stock is ventilated and unusable.
It should be buried.
Contrary to the other deliveries,
your gas always poses problem.
The doctor wants non-irritating gas.
All of this is unusable.
It has to be buried.
I cannot stop.
I will use it.
- That will not do!
- Even badly, it does.
He was looting the corpses,
and drooling sliver.
I cannot work any more
without drinking.
What did he say?
Some corpses howl in the furnaces.
Slip by!
Your Zyklon takes 60 minutes to be operated
instead of 10.
That slows down rates.
That irritates us
and makes us nervous.
All the robbers.
Berlin congratulates us for our results
and asks us to increase our efforts,
but a catastrophe gets in the
way of our mission.
Problems of transport?
Our convoys have priority.
It is about the provisioning
of quality Zyklon.
Treblinka is in an out-of-stock condition!
If we do not use
what only one point of storage?
Too risky!
Our camps have never been bombarded.
The Convention of Geneva prohibits it.
Can one rationalize
this problem of provisioning?
The forecasts are established
for 10000 units per day.
10000 for all the camps?
I receive 6000 units per day!
Me too!
I cannot treat them...
nor house them.
I receive from 7 to 8000 per day.
A true chaos.
There are some who make the war
from their offices!
And ask us to accelerate!
Give us the means!
Ask the co. Schriever
grinding stones to crush them.
It's a never ending story!
I have nightmares of them!
Silence!
A little order, please.
- You evaluate your needs with how much?
- I do not evaluate.
I want enormous stocks of Zyklon
in only one place, underground.
Spend a little money.
The suppliers will have trouble to keep up.
They shout Heil Hitler
and fill their pockets.
They should be wary.
One can aryaniser the aryanisateurs!
Gerhard will be your intermediary.
He can do it.
It is all well introduced in Switzerland
and in the neutral countries.
I do not want any fault because
of lack of gas or installations.
These are your estimates?
Have a look at it.
I awaited you.
I am wary of the telephone.
The Allies must act.
The situation worsens.
It is necessary to bombard
the ways which lead to the camps
and places of extermination.
I informed my government.
Insist! The machine of death
goes day and night!
You over-estimate the
capacity of the heads of State.
We negotiate with the United States
for 7 months
so that they accept
2000 Jewish children.
2000, is a water drop
in the ocean.
It arrives from there ten times more per day.
For your family...
A friend will inform the Pope.
I am sure that he will react.
The Allies must be ready
to inform the German people.
I will let it be known.
I can obtain passports for you...
I will not leave my country.
I must testify.
A French dinner
for German Christmas!
I will have a farm in Normandy
with horses.
After our victory.
I found a farm in Poland.
Not in Poland,
my wife and me let us hate the cold.
I will have an island in Greece.
And your dream, Kurt?
I want to be a German in Germany
to testify on what I saw.
Alas, you will not be able to say all.
Excuse me.
A German in Germany!
You are there! It is well.
You have a visitor, I can go out again...
Remain! You must translate.
- It will start.
- Mrs. Hinze, the radio!
I return.
It was the promised surprise?
No, it arrives now.
There will be precise rules
to respect.
The Germans comply with the rules,
if they are precise.
No gifts before...
to sing!
- did That start?
- It is imminent.
I will get rid of them.
Now, the surprise.
I have a small play
for your Christmas presents.
When I whistle,
you enter there, I extinguish the lights
and I close the door.
You will have one minute
for hunting for the treasure.
With the second whistle,
you will stop dead.
All that you will have taken
will be with you.
On your marks,
ready...
You can amuse the idiots.
Why so many efforts
to please them?
I am very attached to the traditions.
- Who gripped my buttocks?
- Christmas present!
Forbidden to collect of the floor!
Our friends like your small gifts.
I will telephone my family.
Excuse me.
"Family",
such a soft word in our language.
Send them my best regards.
Do not let anybody enter.
He calls the people
to bring back the divine law
in the centre of gravity of the society.
"This wish,
"humanity owes it
"to the infinite number
"of mothers who suffer,
"of the widows and the orphans
"who have seen how
"the light,
that supports their life...
taken away"
"This wish,
"humanity owes it
to innumerable exiled
that the hurricane of the war
tore off from their fatherland... "
- What do I do?
- Tell them I am talking to my children.
Play music,
let them dance.
Mrs. Hinze... smile.
I will test.
It speaks to his children.
"... of non-combatant
"to which the air war
"that we have
"denounced many times,
"the men have...
"without distinction removed
"life,
"health,
"houses,
the asylums of charity
and of the prayer. "
Is that all?
It is all.
He did not utter the words "Jew"
or "concentration camp".
Can you leave Germany?
The Pope is too much protected.
He must hear a witness.
The Holy Father arrives.
Washington is astonished by the Christmas
speech of the Pope.
Not to condemn the Nazi atrocities.
the authority of the Pope weakens
and confidence in the Church.
One cannot condemn Hitler
without condemning Stalin,
who is your ally.
You cannot compare them.
Greetings and good wishes
from President Roosevelt
has sent us to the occasion
of the Holy season of Christmas
were for us
source of rejoicing.
Our heart is saddened with the thought
that the light which emanates from Bethlehem
illuminate a world
blooded by the war.
Nobody appreciates better
that President Roosevelt
The constant efforts of Your Holiness
to prevent the war
and to limit its spread.
Your Holiness knows the
ceaseless efforts of Pdt Roosevelt
for the victory.
A total victory.
Your moral assistance
in this effort
will be highly appreciated
by the President.
You have this time
the agreement of your superiors?
One refuses nothing with your sons,
protected from the Pope.
The Holy Father loves you.
Yesterday, he said to me
that Berlin will be a great
diplomatic experiment for you.
Diplomacy and Gospel
do they go together?
In Christmas, we waited
his words of fire
against the Nazi crimes.
You need evidence for the Pope to...
I have an eyewitness
who will come to testify.
An S.S. officer.
I have friends for lunch.
If you hold your tongue, you are welcome.
Thank you, I will eat in my room.
I wanted to introduce you
to the American ambassador.
Then, I'll come with pleasure.
Arnulf! What a big boy!
I have something for you!
- What is it?
- Look at it.
I visited a factory not far.
I took a turning to see you.
How does that go?
Better than yesterday although worse than tomorrow.
- Hello, Reverend.
- Hello, Kurt.
Small gifts of Ukraine.
Forgiveness,
but there are rumours...
on Russia.
It is said that a marshal of the Reich
capitulated
with his men
in a place named Stalingrad.
You listen to the English radio?
Me? God keeps me! Not!
It is a rumour...
Propaganda,
tall stories, defeatism.
Thank you, Kurt. You take away
a great weight from my shoulders.
Goodbye, Reverend.
200000 died, 90000 prisoners.
We collect what Hitler sowed.
200000 dead?
I cannot stay a long time.
Go...
enter all!
This war destroyed our values...
and the Church is the victim.
We had a warlike Pope,
he died.
Providence gave us
a Pope of peace,
and then war burst!
How are you?
Sit down.
Here is the American ambassador.
My son arrives from Berlin.
Which news of Berlin?
This, Your Eminence.
A S.S. gave me
this chart of Poland.
It is the names and location of
concentration camps.
In red, the number of gassed per day.
In black, estimates:
400000 of Hungary,
200000 of Romania,
80000 of Greece.
What can we do?
To negotiate to save them.
To negotiate with the Nazis?
Never we will negotiate
with these criminals.
Not even to save
a million lives?
Only our victory will save them.
They will be reduced to ashes by then.
If the Holy Father interceded
before the Nazis for the Jews...
Out of question!
The Holy Father must remain neutral
in order to act for peace.
And there will not act to remain neutral.
He could intervene in the name of Christ...
Germans would then
occupy the Vatican
and would plunder it.
The Vatican should be saved
or Christianity?
If by a miracle he saved them,
your government
would then accomodate these Jews?
Why would Hitler accept?
To deliver a fatal blow
to the democracies which would accomodate them.
Goebbels said "That those which like
the Jews take them, but naked ".
That would create internal agitation,
and a gigantic wave of anti-semitism.
Riccardo, your desire
to save these unfortunate make of us
in fact agents of Goebbels.
Since his rout at Stalingrad,
Hitler counts on our weaknesses.
To save Jews would slow down
our effort of war
which in turn would profit him.
While we lunch,
trains run towards the camps.
And our children die the combat
to save the free world.
The world is sick...
Riccardo, my little one,
The Church is made of patience,
of patience, faith
and of hard labour.
In the end, time
always gives reason to the Church.
Always.
One should celebrate Easter
at the same date, each year.
There are two great dates
for the Christians:
the festival of the Blessed Virgin,
August 15,
and Christmas,
December 25.
Easter does not have fixed date.
The Christians need reference mark,
if not they are lost,
they are mislaid...
Even the contrition
can be pride.
I feel guilty like witness
and even more as priest.
By pride and obstinacy,
you trowels your future.
As long as I testify
the love of Christ
for the men, all the men,
my future is assured.
Hitler can destroy us,
us, men of God
and all Christians of Europe.
If all Christians of Europe
became Jewish for a time,
the time of persecutions,
what would make the torturers?
Reality is that there is
on a side Nazis,
other, Communists.
The Americans are still far.
If my friend from Berlin came to Rome,
would you meet him?
If you think...
that it is worth doing, then yes.
If you judges it worthy,
can you try to obtain for him
an audience with the Holy Father?
Yes.
Thank you.
There is what it is
and what it should be.
Alas,
we must live with...
what it is.
That was an eternity!
Bring me something to drink.
Many things have happened
since our games around a campfire!
Sit down.
What can I do for you?
Can you organize me
a voyage to Rome?
- For you and your family?
- Just me.
An outward journey and return?
When do you want to leave then?
I don't have a date.
What do you think of the situation?
I think that we were right,
the future will confirm it.
Thanks God, my myopia has
led me to this sinister place.
Here, I can serve my fatherland
without disavowing my convictions
nor betraying my faith.
Where did you land?
With disinfection.
Vast program.
I write you a priority master pass.
You will travel when you want.
I write it on your name?
Of course, thank you.
In these heroic times,
you obtained a title
or a rank?
Lieutenant of Waffen S.S.
Address yourself to transport of the S.S.
It is a private voyage.
Thank you for your visit.
You must send
more and more of trains to the East,
goods trains.
Do you know what you transport?
Goods.
Men too.
Labour.
Industry develops much
in the East.
Put your photograph...
in S.S., it will go better.
And if I said to you
that families there are piled up
to lead them to the slaughter-house?
Get out of here, or else I call
the police force or Gestapo.
I did not change, Karl.
Me either.
These trains carry out us to hell.
I do not deal with freight.
- Do you deal with the rout of the trains?
- I help my country to win the war.
And if these trains were slowed down?
Will you leave at once?
Or would you prefer that
I call the police force?
Make him leave!
You can meet me
at the Institute of Hygiene.
May Christ take care
on you and hold them.
Bastard of S.S.
I must set out again tomorrow evening.
It is short, but I think
that my father will obtain the audience.
I learned that 400 S.S.
arrived to Rome,
a special unit.
The Allies approach Naples.
More than 3 million were gassed.
Three million?
Here are them...
The delivery orders of gas Zyklon.
On these charts are
all the camps.
It is what is necessary
to convince them.
There is a control point.
What is it?
Saturdays, they are sure
to find them at home.
One can do nothing.
- What happens?
- Count, can you lodge us?
Lead them to the house of friends. Go!
- They are in your street.
- I know.
The Holy Father rose very early
this morning.
He awaits you.
- Principessa!
- the Germans stop the Jews!
Here even, with the corner of the street.
Not, my sister, He should be found.
Please...
Tell me...
What?
Why your father
is it so close to the Pope?
We are auxiliaries
to the papal throne.
Thank you, my sister.
My father is with the Pope.
We learned that they
also stop converted.
Convene the Weizsacker ambassador.
We require explanations.
MaLet him know of Our anger
and of Our sorrow.
Not...
Of Our sorrow and Our anger.
Mgr Hudal!
Eminence, is my father here?
The Count is with the director.
Gerstein, a friend.
- Is he a converted?
- Pardon?
That does not change anything,
but we separate the two sensitivities.
No, Kurt is Aryan.
We must see my father.
He is discussing provisioning
with the director.
We have 56 refugees:
11 children, 5 gipsies,
3 Communists and 12 old men
requiring medical care.
I will send a doctor,
flour...
Meat and pasta are hard to find.
There are many refugees.
- Your son is there with a friend.
- Really?
- Kurt Gerstein.
- Delighted to meet you, Count.
- You obtained the audience?
- Forgiveness...
In the current situation,
it is unthinkable
that the Pope meets a German,
especially an officer of the S.S.
And the Cardinal?
- Go ahead.
- You accompany us?
I must make sure that the convents
accomodate these unhappy souls.
This way.
Wait there,
an authorization is needed.
It is out of question...
that a S.S...
who betrays his country
enter here.
Certain treasons
are the last weapon of righteous.
We all love you.
The Pope, your father
and myself
we understand the distress of your heart
but it overpowers us
and it poisons our life.
Put yourself there,
you will replace my secretary.
You will take notes...
and you will understand
how the diplomacy works.
The Vatican
has the largest masterpieces.
And no division to defend them.
Mr. Ambassadeur,
I would be grateful for you to order
to cease immediately
these arrests in Rome.
Twenty days ago,
the commander S.S. Kapler,
required 50 kilos of gold
not to depor the Jew community.
The Jewish community gave it to him
and now, they are arrested!
Must one think that your government
does not respect its word?
Alas...
I wait until you say to me
"Why you do not resign?"
It is painful for the Holy Father,
beyond what one can imagine,
that in Rome, under his eyes,
so many people are made to suffer
because they are of another race.
What would make the Holy Father
do if that continued?
The Holy Father would not like
to have to express his disapproval.
This is an official request
from the Holy Father?
He wishes not to have to do one of them.
Until now,
He has not said anything that the Germans
can take as a hostile act.
But there are limits.
If the Holy Father were
in the need of protesting,
he would put himself in the hands
of the Divine Providence.
I hear that
converted are also stopped!
Protest, Monseigneur.
Protest.
- What do you do in Rome?
- Rolf Grober, what a surprised!
You came to disinfect the Vatican?
I seek a means
to return to Berlin.
Who is in charge of transport?
Lieutenant Nitzel.
I will introduce you to him.
This is an insane world!
Still not too much.
Italians are kosher fascists.
Without them, we would have the double of it!
They only think of stealing.
- This is Nitzel.
- What will you do with them?
Why are we here?
We are converted since two generations.
Good trip to Berlin.
A thousand leaves tomorrow evening
from the station of Tibertina.
Tiburtina. Trastevere.
Nothing any more will stop them.
There is still a means.
What do we know
on the situation in Cassino?
The Americans bombard without respite.
The Germans always hold.
Part of the monastery is destroyed,
especially the southern wing.
The library...
It is surely destroyed.
They also bombarded the vault.
Mr. Weizscker said to me that the Germans
will never leave Monte Cassino.
We solicited
the American representative
to cease
bombardments but...
there is little hope.
We received the gifts
of the Spelmann Cardinal
and of the company of the Jesuits.
The Holy Father...
1000 Jews will be off-set
if your Holiness does not act.
We consider your zeal with love.
Who defends persecuted
speak in Our Office.
But, in fact,
only moderation
can make us honor.
But they will be off-set this night!
If the Holy Father shows himself at the station,
as in San Lorenzo
after the American bombardments,
The train will not leave.
Mister Secretary,
The Church opened its convents
and its monasteries to the oppressed.
Many Jews are under our protection.
The German ambassador
ensured me that the others
are led to a camp of work.
- With women and children?
- You want to separate the families?
They off-set them to kill them!
It is up to the Christians
and to the Vatican to save them...
Leave from here, how do you dare!
Count, make your son shut up.
Very the Holy Father,
with all the respect
had with those which impose silence to Us,
I beseech Your Holiness
to act personally.
In Germany,
in Austria,
many are the Christians
who have hope only in Us.
Can we overpower them
with a new burden
whereas they undergo
terrible bombardments?
At the proper time,
we will intercede
in order to restore an equitable peace
who will unite all the Christians.
Our prayers,
our cries of pain...
take that off!
You do not know what you do!
It is a blasphemy!
On the dress of a servant of Christ!
Forgiveness, father...
I request Your Holiness
to remove me of my functions.
Who would know better than Us
is what it is to be a father?
It is a crown of spines.
Her baby died.
The priest!
A priest among the Jews?
What?
- Coffee or schnapps, captain?
- both.
Isn't the doctor down?
It is too early for him.
What?
They took on board a priest
with the Jews.
He says he is a secretary
of the Nuncio in Berlin.
- Which did that?
- idiots, no doubt to have fun.
I fear that he is
a spy of the Vatican.
To convert the Jews
during the voyage?
To see what one does here.
What did he see?
Here nothing, but he made
the trip in 4 days.
In his coach,
there were 8 dead including 5 children.
What else?
It is said that he is the cousin of the Pope.
He denies it.
He is here by error.
Fritsche, they all are here by error!
If he is a secretary of the Nuncio,
he should be released.
It is sure that he is not Jewish.
I state that he is Jewish.
You, over there!
Your Holiness...
Approach.
I am told that you are not Jewish?
I am like the other ones.
One needs volunteers
and priests
if somebody dies.
Work is hard,
it is our new Ruhr complex.
Factories of death,
this odor...
Pharmaceutical factories.
you can feel the nitrogen, the gum...
I know what it is.
He came to spy!
You want to be crucified?
But I have another project.
You will learn tolerance.
Your Church, formerly,
purified by burning people.
Nazism makes the same but
on a large scale.
In a way, we are the new
chosen people.
Amen!
I am a little catholic myself.
Not as excessively pious person as him...
Fritsche,
you fall into the sentimentality.
Leave us.
And send me a kapo
for our canon.
He is a strong believer.
He does not like that one speaks religion here.
But he is a good soldier.
In six months or a year,
we will lose the war.
It will be our turn
to enter the catacombs.
Find-me a comfortable one in Rome
and I will let you leave...
from where nobody ever left.
You will hang your testimony
at the bells of Saint-Peter's.
You are pathetic.
The world already knows.
I know, but bear in mind
that divine anger
does not thunder in the sky,
nor allied bombers.
They crush our cities,
but here, the sky is serene and empty.
The sky is never empty.
Put him at Probing Kommando.
He is my protected.
Do not touch one of his hairs,
nor his star
nor a shred of his cassock.
You will work at the crematory.
If God is somewhere here,
you will find him more easily there.
Go...
I need a car.
you need a priority order,
my lieutenant.
Hold.
Immediately.
I am sorry Liutenant.
There is a priority convoy.
Construction will be finished
in December 1945.
The production will start in 1946.
- I fear that...
- What do you fear?
The labour which arrives
is worse and worse.
Does all go from worse to worse?
Startup in 1946,
yes or not?
Yes, of course.
Come in!
I must speak to you into private.
It is necessary to make it quickly.
Fritsche wanted to release him
since his arrival here.
To pull his leg,
the doctor put him at Probing Kommando.
he has seen everything.
The Nuncio requires explanations.
Himmler is afraid of the consequences.
Is Himmler... afraid?
This priest will go to Berlin.
Never to Rome, all is arranged.
Fritsche, you take care of this.
We will make him sign
that he saw only floors of flowers.
Wait in the canteen.
Let Berlin know...
that I had nothing to do with it.
He will be here in five minutes.
What else?
Let Berlin know...
that I had nothing to do with it.
Do not worry.
Corporal, you may leave.
My God...
Your father was sure
that you were in this train.
I am going to take you out of here.
God allows his children...
to be eaten.
I want to understand...
why.
Why sacrifice yourself?
You are wrong...
You are wrong.
It is necessary to go and tell the world
what occurs here.
I cannot leave.
Gerstein!
The world knows all.
Look at him,
He does not have any more the air of a priest!
Put him with those which he loves so much!
He is a diplomat of the Vatican,
He is here by error.
Me also, I am here by error.
It is the martial court, Gerstein...
Falsification of an order of Himmler.
Have you been to Rome?
crying for your safety.
And I trusted you...
By the chimney!
He will go more quickly to heaven.
I spoke to Himmler, on the telephone.
He wants to make disappear
all traces of the mass graves.
Do not be surprised.
Tomorrow, he will ask
to dismount the showers and the furnaces.
He tries to exchange
Hungarian Jews
but he does not find
anybody willing to take them.
The priest got you
good contacts in Rome?
Yes.
If you want to benefit from it,
He is needed alive.
Too late.
I will manage myself.
The most glorious page
of German history
will never be written.
Did Rome remain a pleasant city?
I will not leave my country.
They will hang us, Kurt.
You before me.
Your name is on the invoices
of Zyklon.
Return home,
at the Institute, wherever you want...
We do not need more of your competences.
Your God will have problems
with you, Gerstein.
What happens?
Reverend, I am in a hurry.
What are we going to do?
You returned!
I must set out again.
Dad is there!
You will know finally what I did,
what I know. I will be the witness...
You will not be listened to.
The S.S. are...
I have evidence,
figures, of the names.
I will go...
The Americans will understand.
The French are closer.
The Americans are far.
- You cannot cross the lines.
- the are no lines anymore. The front is broken
Reverend said to me that you were here.
What happened to us, Kurt?
All that it is said is true?
All.
I knew it,
but will it be ready on time?
What?
The secret weapon.
Yes.
I knew it.
We will stop them.
Put your uniform on, my son.
Father...
I leave on mission.
Wait here.
What to do with him Captain?
Wait, Gerstein did not finish.
Our friend Gerstein writes
the French version of his report.
Another version?
What do you think of him?
HE says he has resisted
the policy of atrocities.
He resisted while being inside
up to that point!
I do not believe him guilty.
His report is a significant document.
Here is the first bill of indictment against him.
"... that it was not
neither comprehensible nor excusable
"that a devout Christian like him
"did not do all that was
in its power
to keep away from
the criminal system... "
The S.S. Gerstein was found
hung in his cell.
He hung himself or was hung?
I do not know.
I want a written report.
Mgr Hudal?
Your friends suggested me the United States.
They take only specialists
in chemistry, aviation, physics...
biology...
I am a doctor, a simple doctor.
Then, it will be Argentina.
There is a boat in six days.
MeanWhile, You can stay over here.
The Report of Gerstein contributed
to the authentification of the Holocaust.
Kurt Gerstein was rehabilitated
20 years later