Hi, Herbert König, cameraman, NBC.
William Ogilvie, camera operator, NBC.
Yeah, so far so good.
You think you're doing anyone a favor with your stubbornness?
Hey!
I'm talking to you.
If Lotte could see you now, she'd give you a few whacks!
But she can't see me now.
For 15,000 dollars, I'll gladly take a few days off.
I have to go.
I'm Colonel Krüger.
I'm sure your wife told you about me.
Please, have a seat.
Heard anything more from Harry Melchior?
And your wife?
- Don't think so. - What do you mean?
- No, she hasn't. - Fine.
That's fine.
Nevertheless,
I have the feeling that your life is a bit confused at the moment.
And your brother-in-law Harry Melchior is partly to blame.
Harry's gone. And good riddance.
Then everything's fine, isn't it?
If only you hadn't been demoted,
and the deal with the apartment...
As I said,
I understand why you're disappointed.
I've been involved with your case for quite some time.
And I wonder if perhaps you weren't treated unfairly.
"I love you. See you Tuesday. "
"I miss you. See you Friday. "
"Do you still love me?"
"See you Wednesday. 1:00 p. m."
I'm sorry.
I just couldn't believe it.
Nice of you to stop by. Come on in.
I dream about it every night.
That girl's eyes.
Carola's voice...
"Run, Matthis. Run away. "
- How could I let her go? - What should you have done?
Gone back?
Would she have wanted that?
Huh? No.
- I'd at least feel better. - No, you wouldn't.
You'd both be in jail.
You in one cell. She in another. What then?
They'd have no reason to release you.
They only let her out, because you're here.
You aren't to blame. It isn't your fault, Matthis.
I love her.
I know.
I don't want to live without her.
Everything's ruined.
- What for, Harry? - You're wrong, Matthis. Stop it.
Stop pulling yourself down.
Hey, we need you.
I'm leaving. Bye.
Come on. Stop drinking. Stop it.
Tell her.
Yeah. I guess I will.
Freeze!
Fritzi!
Heiner!
- Stay where you are! - Fritzi!
Off to the USA.
Stay where you are!
Stay there!
Stay where you are!
No!
Keep down, Fritzi! You can't climb up there!
Stay here! You can't go across!
- You can't climb up there! - Heiner!
What are you staring at?
Run for help!
Heiner, can you still hear me?
I just had to go over there...
or I'd lose Fritzi.
Why won't anybody help him? Somebody has to help him!
Get off the wall!
Off the wall!
- Get off the wall! - You're letting him die!
- Off the wall! - He's dying!
Give me your hand. Come on. I'll pull you up.
Come on!
I said get off the wall! Get off the wall!
Come on, give me your hand!
A man's dying! He needs help!
A man's dying!
A man's dying, and they're letting him die.
Off the wall!
Be quiet!
- Can you hear me, Heiner? - Be quiet!
Heiner, are you still there?
Be quiet! A man is dying over there!
Heiner, can you hear me?
I really do love you.
How is she doing?
Go on digging.
- What? - Go on digging.
140 meters!
We can't see each other anymore.
He thinks it's a tunnel. Is it a tunnel?
- Thanks. - For what?
My job's been given to somebody else.
We've got the rows of houses behind us.
We are now directly behind the backyards.
And now?
- 15 meters. - Can we do that by Tuesday?
If we don't hit concrete.
- Did one of you drill into a water line? - Why? What's up?
Faster, come on.
We have to get out!
Shit!
Harry, come!
Burst pipe.
Shit!
Well, then let's call a plumber.
I can't leave you alone, not even for a minute.
Fritzi.
You got one for me too?
It'll be days before someone calls a plumber over there.
By then, all this will have collapsed.
That's it then, eh?
Maybe we can push it along a bit.
Sure, walk over there and say, "Comrades, you have a burst pipe. "
They'll say, "Thank you very much. We'll take care of it immediately. "
I was thinking of something more subtle.
VISA
OCCUPIED
- Hi. - Hello.
My name is Klausen. I'm with the water works.
Weren't you notified?
Water consumption has jumped drastically here.
- I have orders to check things out. - No one lives here anymore.
We're aware of that.
But valuable resources are being wasted.
There must be a burst pipe.
The burst pipe must be out there.
Otherwise, this area would be flooded.
We'll have to dig it up.
- The problem is - - What?
- Actually, it's your responsibility. - What?
They must have forgotten
to disconnect this area from the mains.
I don't know who botched it up, but botched-up it is.
If I report this,
you'll be charged with negligence.
And heads will roll. You know how it works.
If you report it yourselves, you'll be the heroes.
Makes no difference to me.
So, who would we call?
Fred is back.
Harry, Fred is back.
They're here.
- They're here! - What?
- They're digging. - They're digging!
- Do you like it, my boy? - Yes, Mother.
The recipe is from your grandmother.
I know, Mother.
Bring cocoa with you the next time you come.
"Tomorrow, 6:30 p. m., Café Liedtke. Code word: Ask for matches. "
Have another piece.
What a pig you are!
- Sorry. - Won't you ever grow up?
Want to look at the baby? Go on.
Stop!
We're there!
We head upwards at an 80-degree angle.
Thank you, comrade.
You did the right thing.
I'll do all I can to keep your wife out of the matter.
State Security. We have a few questions, Mrs. Klausnitz.
I feel quite awkward about this.
Please, believe me.
Eat your pudding,
or you won't go to heaven.
I don't want to go to heaven.
You're dead when you're in heaven.
But the angels are in heaven, and it's wonderful there.
Adi won't eat her pudding.
We have to be quiet now, because Aunt Hermine is taking her nap.
- Want to go for a walk? - Yeah!
Be very quiet.
- Adi's dress is all dirty. - Don't worry, dear.
Put it in the laundry. It'll be clean tomorrow.
- In which blanket? Blue or yellow? - In the yellow one.
Why? Because it's nicer?
- Yes. - All right.
You think it's possible that I'll answer one of your questions?
We won't harm you, Mrs. Von Klausnitz.
But I'm afraid we'll have to continue our conversation elsewhere.
Then...
I'll go get my toothbrush.
Whatever you consider necessary.
I say, don't you have the slightest bit of decency?
Stay here.
- Where are they? - I told you. I was asleep.
What happened?
- But you promised not to - - What?
I do my duty, nothing else.
Sorry, comrade Lohmann. That's how it goes.
- Colonel Krüger? - What?
Mrs. Von Klausnitz shot herself.
It isn't your fault, comrade Lohmann.
So that's how it goes? Go to hell!
We can't use Lohmann anymore. He's finished.
- I'll keep two men here in case she returns. - She won't return.
- She's gone, isn't she? - I don't know anything.
I don't want anything to do with it.
Today.
Today's the day. And we have almost nothing to go on.
To the office.
Will they be waiting for us up there?
Bullshit!
So why are you whispering?
Something moved.
- So, what now? - We'll scout around.
We said "no weapons. "
You can go without.
Okay, who's coming with me?
I am.
Let's go.
Be careful.
Matthis, take the gun.
Berlin's police just reported
that this afternoon, the widow of resistance fighter von Klausnitz,
Marianne von Klausnitz, committed suicide.
She shot herself with the gun of her husband
who was executed at the end of 1944 in Plötzensee.
Relatives reported that she was suffering from a severe illness.
Now for further political and economic news...
Get back, Fred.
- We have to go. - She wasn't ill.
Give me the gun, Fred.
She wasn't ill.
Give me the gun, Fred. Come on.
They've been working on it for nearly a year.
That suggests a tunnel.
Fact two: At least 12 locations are possible.
They've all been inspected and are under surveillance.
Fact three: It can't be kept secret.
Fact four: If today is the day,
there must be a location we have overlooked.
Don't try my patience, Bellofs.
In November, there was an escape from Brunnen St. To Ruppiner St.
The bus.
Due to that incident, an acoustic ground check was interrupted.
Here is the report. One of the dogs responded,
and across the border, there's an empty factory.
The buildings on our side were evacuated. An ideal location.
Colonel Krüger here. I need two units.
They know everything.
- I know. - We gotta call it off.
My fault.
I screwed up. One person's already dead.
- I heard it on the radio. - You're running towards your ruin.
I wanna save Lotte. Tell me where she is. Please.
They know nothing, or not enough.
Otherwise they'd call off the two cops.
- Lotte needs you. Don't leave her alone. - I can't -
Everything will be all right.
Trust me. I'm the only lead they've got.
Just do me one favor.
Mom said she wasn't able to cry when they hanged Dad.
She said, he wouldn't have wanted her to.
It all sounds so...
so Prussian.
I don't want to be a Prussian.
All I want to do...
is cry my eyes out.
But it isn't possible.
I just can't...
I just can't cry.
I can't...
I just can't do it anymore.
I can't...
I can't do this here anymore.
I'd screw up.
I'm sorry.
- When did you get it? - Last week.
Fritzi goes.
Cross officially at Friedrich St.
No unnecessary risks. 6:30 p. m.
- "Red scarf?" - Stop.
- "White scarf?" - Go.
- Code word? - Coffee and cognac.
Okay.
Are you deaf?
They're going from house to house!
First group: Backyard. Second group: Number 8.
Fourth group: Number 6. Fifth group: Number 120.
Sixth group: 122.
Move it!
I'll look over there.
- What are the policemen doing? - Maybe they're looking for a robber.
No idea.
Sit down.
Hello.
What would you like?
- A cup of tea and some apple juice. - A beer?
- Tea. - Oh, tea.
Thank you.
- When's Uncle Harry coming? - Soon, dear.
- No trace, comrade Lieutenant. - No trace, comrade Lieutenant.
- Nothing, comrade Lieutenant. - No trace, comrade Lieutenant.
False alarm, comrade Colonel.
Three men stay here to support the border guards.
You... you...
and you.
Get on the truck.
What's up, comrade? Move it.
- I'm supposed to stay here. - I don't doubt your spirit. Move it.
- All we have left is Miss Langensiep. - Yes.
- A one-way ticket to Schmöckwitz. - Forty.
What an idea!
There she is.
A -
Here you are.
- Coffee and cognac. - We're out of coffee.
Then cognac.
- Here you are. - Thank you.
One more.
We'll wait for everyone to get on board.
And don't forget. I want that...
Harry Melchior.
Looks like everybody's there but Harry.
And Carola.
Don't cast off!
You're all under arrest for illegal emigration.
Stay where you are. Nobody move.
Comrade Colonel.
Headquarters just reported:
A soldier is missing from the operation on Schönwalder St.
Come on.
- Hello. - Hi.
Daddy!
Hey there, sweetheart.
Where is Aunt Carola?
I'm sorry.
What's up?
We'll wait.
- It's 10 to 7:00. We're late. - Harry and Carola aren't there yet.
What if they discovered Harry?
- We'll wait! - Matthis, don't you see?
30 people and Fritzi are down there. It's a matter of seconds.
He's gonna make it. Of course he's gonna make it.
Damn it!
The soldiers!
Okay, don't panic. He's one of us.
I don't believe it. That's Harry!
- Damn it. He made it. - Okay, let's move.
We gotta go, Matthis!
Okay, let's go. The first group.
You and the baby.
You, you two.
And you three. Across the street, number seven, the cellar.
Go over there slowly like it was normal.
- Very slowly. - What if-
Just finished our meeting. Go slowly.
Here!
Come over here.
Where's Mommy?
Sit down and drop. Next!
- Take it easy. - Raise your hands.
Drop!
- Okay! - And get up fast!
Next! Okay!
Come on! Keep going!
Everybody sit down, the border guards are coming back!
- We got a call. An escape attempt. - Over there in the café.
- Sit down, all of you! - Sit down!
Sit down!
- Don't move! - Put your guns down!
Put your guns down! Move it!
Get their guns, Fritzi. Get back there!
Up against the wall! Let's go! Come on!
Move it!
- Get going! - Group two: Get in line!
Get in line! Come here!
The first three, go very slowly.
Okay, comrades.
- Is everything okay? - Everything's okay.
- What's up? - Probably false alarm.
The next three. Run!
Stop! You're the last group!
Ina, this is a game.
We're going to run fast. Now promise you'll never let go of Mommy's hand.
Get moving!
Come on!
Move it!
Me, too?
- Hurry! - Harry, watch out!
Freeze, or we'll shoot!
- Come on! - The baby!
Theo! Take cover!
Down here! Down here!
Come on down, Harry!
Take cover!
- Slide down! - Yeah!
Just a little more time, Colonel!
- Everything's under control. Get out! - No.
Fritzi, get outta here!
We both go, or neither of us.
Tell 'em, if they make one move, their colonel's a goner.
You heard him.
Get back, men!
- Get back! - Get back!
Move it!
Now get in here very slowly.
Every one of us has his conviction.
Was it worth it?
All this wouldn't be necessary if we had the same ideals.
But...
it sure was worth it.
They'll run you down, 'cause you failed.
You'll need your conviction when you do time on the penal farm.
To me, everybody who's killed escaping is a personal loss.
We only had this one chance, Colonel.
Don't take it personally.
Everyone's gone. Come on, Matthis!
- Where's Carola? - She isn't coming, Matthis.
- Not without Carola! - Come on, Matthis!
Bellofs!
Down there!
She isn't coming! I'm sorry.
- Let's go! - Down there!
Come on!
Get outta here! Get outta here!
Get in! Move it!
- Hurry! - Ouch!
Give me your hand. Come on.
- Ina? - Don't be afraid.
YOU ARE ENTERING THE FRENCH SECTOR
Halt! Halt! Halt!
Terrific. Fantastic.
Come here, Ina.
This is your son.
His name is Matthis, too.
My son?
He's really my son?
She saved us all.
I -
I just wanted to say that I really respect her.
Really.
You're alive.
Yeah, you're a real cutie.
Look at all these people.
That's Fred.
And Harry.
Lotte, this is Fritzi. Fritzi, this is Lotte.
- Hi there. - Hello.
I'm gonna get some fresh air.
So, everybody go upstairs. In that direction.
HARRY REMAINED A PROFESSIONAL ESCAPE HELPER
BY THE '80s, HE HAD BROUGHT OVER AT LEAST 1,000 PEOPLE
FROM EAST TO WEST GERMANY
HE NOW LIVES IN THE UCKERMARK
FRITZI WENT HER OWN WAY
SHE BECAME A NURSE AND NEVER MARRIED
SHE IS NOW RETIRED AND LIVES IN BERLIN
LOTTE AND THEO HELPED PEOPLE ESCAPE TO THE WEST FOR YEARS
LOTTE NOW WORKS AS A JOURNALIST IN BERLIN
FRED LEFT GERMANY IN 1964
HE IS NOW A PROFESSOR OF ANCIENT HISTORY IN MONTREAL
VIC MOVED CLOSE TO AIX-EN-PROVENCE
AND WORKED AS AN ARTIST UNTIL HE DIED IN 1987
HE DIDN'T LIVE TO SEE THE COLLAPSE OF THE WALL
MATTHIS AND HIS SON MOVED TO LÜBECK
HE RUNS A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
CAROLA'S RELEASE WAS PAID FOR BY WEST GERMANY IN THE MID '70s
THE TUNNEL WAS FLOODED ON THE GDR SIDE IN 1962
IN THE MID '60s, THERE WERE DOZENS OF TUNNELS ALONG THE BERLIN WALL.
SOME WERE SUCCESSFUL SOME FAILED
NOBODY KNOWS HOW MANY THERE WERE
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