Soldiers of the Damned (2015) Movie Script
- World War
II was in its fifth,
vicious year of conflict.
The German war
machine controlled
by Adolf Hitler
and the Nazi party
had a stranglehold
over much of Europe
from the Atlantic coast of
France to the Russian Urals.
Reichsfuhrer Heinrich
Himmler was head of an
armed division
called the Waffen-SS
who were responsible for
brutal crimes against humanity.
The Waffen SS were ruthless
and indoctrinated Nazis
who fought in the front lines
alongside the regular army
many of whom were not Nazis and
despised the inhuman treatment
inflicted on
civilians by the SS.
As a result the
relationship between
the two was often hostile.
Himmler also controlled a pseudo
scientific institute of the SS
known as the Ahnenerbe which was
dedicated to researching the
archaeological and cultural
history of the Aryan race, a
special division of which was
responsible for investigating
the use of occult forces
for the Third Reich.
By 1944 the tide in
Europe had turned,
the German army was in full
retreat through Romania
ahead of the massed ranks of
the pursuing Russian Red Army.
- Russian execution squad.
Three SS.
- Let's hope they
kill the SS bastards.
- They're still German soldiers.
- Pray...
- Fucking rapist.
- Pray...
Pray, fucker!
- Bastard.
- Nadel!
- Trommler!
- Stay still, stay still.
- Apply pressure,
we need pressure.
- We need pressure here.
- Morphine!
- No, no, no.
- Did anyone see
that NKVD bastard?
- I like to see a man
happy at his work.
- Those SS scum deserved it.
- No one should be killed
like that, not even an animal.
- Don't worry,
Dieter, no Russian
cartridge could ever
penetrate your skull.
It's too damn thick.
- And if it did,
it wouldn't reach
his brains, they're
too damn small!
You'd have to use an 88mm shell!
- Engines.
- Enemy aircraft!
It's coming round again!
- Have you seen Major Fleischer?
Major.
Colonel Schwab would
like to see you, sir.
Urgently, sir.
- You look terrible, Colonel.
- To all intents
and purposes, Kurt,
I'm already dead.
My body, however, has yet
to appreciate the fact.
- They're not replacing you?
- There's no
one to replace me with.
- HQ is withdrawing?
- The offensive is coming.
If we're lucky,
it'll be in days.
It's only a
precaution of course,
as I have every confidence
our front line will hold.
You know Major Metzger?
Gentlemen, please be seated.
You lost a man today.
Trommler.
Pity.
- We all have to
make sacrifices, for
the greater good.
- Whose greater good?
- I want you to lead a mission,
one that is, er...
slightly out of the ordinary.
Are you familiar with
the forest of Hoia-Baciu?
- A little.
- What do you know?
That it's behind enemy lines,
as a result of yet another
well-planned
strategic withdrawal.
And the stories of course.
- Stories?
You're not afraid of ghosts
are you, Major?
- The living scare me more.
- You're going into
the forest, Major.
And you will be
escorting a civilian.
A scientist, actually.
- For what purpose?
- You will take
this civilian to a
specific location in the forest,
then make your way
back to our lines.
This civilian must
be returned unharmed.
Is that clear?
- Nothing is clear.
You said yourself
the offensive is
starting within days.
- The Colonel asked you a
specific question, Major.
- And what does that
lunatic have to do
with this suicide mission?
- May I remind you he
is a Major in the SS
and must be treated
with respect!
- Professor Kappel from
the Ahnenerbe, sir.
- The Ahnenerbe?
- Yes, yes, alright,
show him in.
- It's a lady, sir.
Professor Kappel.
Forgive me, I was
expecting a man.
- Naturally, Colonel.
Sorry to disappoint you.
- May I introduce Major Metzger.
- There's certainly
no disappointment
on my part, Professor.
Your presence on
this little escapade
will make it that
much less dull.
- And Major Fleischer.
- This is the civilian?
You want me to escort this woman
20 miles behind enemy lines?
Do you know what the Russians
will do to her if
she's captured?
- You have your orders, Major.
- This is madness.
- Colonel...
I do not presume to
tell you your duty, but
I have had men hanged for less.
- I thought you only
hanged children, Major.
- You were lucky enough to
get away with treason once.
- Stopping you butchers doing
your work is not treason.
- Are you questioning
your orders?
- Gentlemen, please.
We shouldn't reprimand
the Major for
being overprotective
of his charge.
- With respect, Professor, it
is not your decision to make.
- Major...
read this please.
You saw the signature.
Reichsfuhrer Heinrich
Himmler, Major Metzger...
which means it is my decision
and yes we will be
successful in our endeavors.
Isn't that so, Major Metzger?
- Naturally, Professor.
- Major Metzger will
be accompanying us
in order to ensure
everything runs smoothly.
- Colonel, who's in
command of this mission?
- As long as you
follow your orders,
you are, Major.
- And your orders are to get
me to where I want to
go and get me back.
Otherwise I'm sure
Major Metzger will
be content to assume
responsibility.
And bearing in
mind the signature
on this piece of paper,
I'm sure we're all aware of
the implications of failure.
- Get some sleep, Professor.
We'll be rising early.
- Hoia-Baciu forest.
- This whole mission's crazy.
We should not be taking
women behind enemy lines.
- It's not the Russians we
should be worried about.
Not on this trip.
- What's he talking about?
- Nothing.
- Is a whole company
of paratroopers
vanishing into
thin air "nothing?"
- That's ridiculous,
it didn't happen.
- What didn't happen?
- It was in '42.
- Come on Nic.
- A company parachuted into the
Hoia-Baciu forest at night.
- Forest, at night?
No wonder they disappeared.
- See, the pilot fucked up.
He got lost.
Kicked them out before
their intended position.
Only one of them was ever
seen again, a Sergeant.
- What happened to the rest?
- The Sergeant could
no longer speak.
He was too old.
Still wearing the
same uniform but
he'd aged 80 years
in three days.
- Feel like I've aged 80 years
just listening to
this stupid story.
- The forest is possessed.
- Now that is crazy.
- Maybe not so much.
North American Indians
believe in forest spirits.
- Forest spirits, good
and bad, right, Rolf?
- Exactly, they take the
form of little hairy men.
Generally they are good natured,
but sometimes they
throw stones at you.
Maybe sticks.
- I suppose you
think that's funny.
- If the forest
is possessed we're
going with the right person.
- What do you know, Carl?
- The woman, she's a scientist,
a professor of
something or other.
- Tell us.
- She's from the Ahnenerbe.
- You sure?
- What's Ahne... Ahnenerbe?
- The Ahnenerbe is a myth.
It doesn't exist.
Nothing so ridiculous
could exist.
- Oh, Jesus.
- What?
What is it?
- Himmler's occult department.
- What's occult?
- How come you haven't shot your
own foot off with
that rifle yet?
- What are they looking for?
- What does it matter?
Whatever it is, the result
will be the same.
- Direct
orders from Himmler.
- Who cares who gives the order?
- Because if anyone returns
from this mission alive
and doesn't have
what Himmler wants-
- What, Lieutenant?
- Himmler doesn't like failure.
- We'll be with those
we have long missed.
- Lieutenant, do you know what
we're looking for in the forest?
- You speak to me again and
I'll cut your throat open.
- She's the professor?
- Christ...
- I knew I
should have studied more.
- Right, this is
where we're going.
We'll cross here, Eric.
Intelligence reports have been
quiet there for three days now.
It's the best we've got.
From there it's five
miles to the forest.
I want to be in the
trees before dawn.
We only engage the enemy if
it's absolutely necessary.
Clear?
- Yes, sir.
Major...
This mission, it
doesn't make any sense.
- All that matters is we
get there and get back.
I don't want any
of my men killed
as a result of this madness.
We get there, do
as we're ordered
and we get out, that's it.
- Is there a problem, Major?
Major, we're exposed.
- Metzger.
- Where are you
from, Lieutenant?
I'm from Potsdam,
Do you know it?
- Over here.
- Last week, I
doused 15 Romanian
Jews in petrol and
set them alight.
Some took thirty minutes to die.
Many were children.
Do you want to know
where I come from now?
- Do you even know why
you do these things?
- Because I am strong
and they are weak.
- You're a German soldier,
you should know this.
- I would rather shoot myself
than commit such an atrocity.
- Why don't I save
Germany the bullet?
- Threaten one of us
again and I'll gut you.
- Oh, fuck.
You see, I told you.
This forest is possessed.
- No, it's not.
- Metzger...
Metzger...
Over here.
- Major.
- It was nothing, Lieutenant.
Let's move on.
- Yes, sir.
- You're angry with me.
- No.
- I'm sorry Kurt, I
didn't know it'd be you.
- It doesn't matter.
- I need you to understand.
- I'm a soldier
and I take orders.
You needn't worry, Professor.
I will get you to
your objective.
In the meantime,
why don't you remain
with your little SS friends?
- Major!
- They are not my-
- Tank, Panther.
- Identity papers?
- No sir, only this.
German clothing.
Good tailor, expensive.
- Good God.
- Oh, my God!
Jesus Christ.
- Come on Professor,
let's get you out of here.
- Go away.
- It's alright, Private.
- Who is he?
- Someone with the initials BD.
Do you recognise this?
Do these initials
mean something to you?
- You seem
distressed, Professor.
- Really?
Do I?
It may come as some
surprise to you, Major
but it's not every
day I see a man
run over by a tank.
- This man wasn't
run over, Professor.
- Don't be ridiculous.
Just look at him.
How else would this happen?
- How could a tank
get into here?
We're surrounded by trees.
It's like it was just-
- Dropped from the sky.
- This view takes the
work out of the climb,
isn't that so, Lieutenant?
- Lieutenant Jung,
what are you doing?
- He was being disrespectful
to you, Professor.
I'm going to teach him
a lesson in manners.
- Leave him! I said, leave him!
How was he being disrespectful?
- He made a comment about your-
- Well?
- About you, Professor.
- I see.
Well, I'm very fortunate to have
turned the head of such
a handsome young man.
- But, Professor!
- On your way, Lieutenant.
Why do you carry that bullet?
Come, there must be a reason.
- It has my name on it.
I, I engraved it myself.
- Why?
- You'll think me an idiot.
- No, I won't. Tell me.
- I thought if I had the
bullet with my name on it,
then no one else would.
- That's very clever.
Would you do one for me?
- Fuchs! Lang!
- My God.
- How do you cut
your arm like that
without damaging the tunic?
- You're the
scientist, you tell me.
- I'm sorry about your man.
- That man would still be
alive if it wasn't for you
and this insane mission.
I want to know what we're
doing in this forest.
- This has to be done
Kurt, it's our orders.
- Why? To satisfy your bosses?
How many more men have to die
to gratify their
stinking ideology?
- Be very careful, Kurt.
He'll take great pleasure
in having you shot.
- What were those
Russians so scared of?
What's out there?
- I don't know,
Kurt, I really don't.
- Remember what I told
you, you piece of shit.
- Major!
No! No!
They'll hang us all.
- I think you're forgetting
your orders, Major.
Please, release him.
Shall we proceed?
- It'll be dark in a
couple of hours, Eric.
We need to push hard till then.
- Yes, sir.
- You believe in the
soul, don't you, Rolf?
- Yes. Yes, I do.
- When you die, do you
think you come face to face
with all those you've
killed, all those souls?
- Well, that'd be
a little awkward.
- So you think they'd
be angry with you?
You think they'd
seek retribution.
- You'd be dead.
They couldn't kill you again so
I wouldn't worry.
- I've been having this dream.
I am dead, surrounded by
all the souls of the lives
I've taken, clawing
at me, smothering me.
Do you think that's
what hell is?
- No.
This is hell. We're in it.
If you die on this trip,
you'll be going to
somewhere better.
- Would you be angry with
the person who killed you?
- If somebody killed
me fair and square,
man to man, that's war.
I'd shake the man's hand
and be done with it.
- What if it wasn't fair?
What if you felt you'd
been killed unjustly?
Would you want to
redress the balance?
- We should get going.
- With luck we'll be at our
objective by midday tomorrow.
- And then?
- We'll have to wait and see.
I know, Eric, I know.
- She's full of surprises.
- So it would seem.
Do you know him?
Are you sure?
He recognized you, Professor!
Why would he attack you?
- I don't know.
He's completely mad.
- Where's your command, Colonel?
What are you doing here?
- Release me.
It must go back, it
must be returned!
- Why did you attack this woman?
- You've just received
a direct order
from a senior officer, Major.
You do not treat an SS Colonel
like a common criminal.
- Where did you come from?
- Release him!
- No!
Sarge, see to Rolf
and the Major.
- Sir.
- Ackermann's orders.
Come with me.
His name was Ackermann and
he had the same orders as me,
only he was escorting
Professor Dietrich.
Professor Bernd Dietrich.
B.D. Ring any bells?
- No.
- Professor Dietrich
from the Ahnenerbe.
- Now I'm gonna
take a wild guess.
The man crushed by
the tank was Dietrich.
Ackermann attacked you because
he liked this shitty mission
about as much as I do.
The first mission failed so you
thought, what the
hell, let's send some
more good men to
the meat grinder.
- That's not true.
Sometimes one is forced into a
situation beyond their control.
I never wanted this,
to drag you into it.
But I had no choice.
You have to do what they want.
If you don't then...
Yes, I met with Colonel
Ackermann three weeks ago.
With my superiors.
With my friend, Bernd...
Professor Dietrich.
They knew that the
forest was going
to be overrun with
Russians anytime
and they were desperate
and they sent Bernd in
with Ackermann
and a group of SS.
- What are you people after?
- It's going to
sound crazy to you.
- Tell me.
- Bernd was studying the
existence of Proto-Aryans.
They're a pure race
from whom the German
people are supposedly evolved.
Eventually he lost
all sight of reality
and his theories
became more outlandish-
- What theories?
- That German people
were the descendants
of a race of Aryan god-men.
- Aryan god-men?
- Superhuman beings with
immense psychic ability.
The Ahnenerbe is a breeding
ground for madness.
You wouldn't believe it, Kurt.
Their aim is to recreate
the god-men, a new species.
- How?
- By interbreeding those
of pure Aryan stock
over hundreds of years.
Towards the end, Bernd's
mind verged on the psychotic.
You see, he came to believe
that the god-men still existed,
that it would be possible
to communicate with them.
- And you believe
all of this shit?
Jesus Christ.
- I had no choice.
What are you gonna do?
- What were Ackerman's orders?
I demand to know.
- Lieutenant,
we're heading back.
Get ready.
Private, get Baum.
- Sir.
- What do you mean?
We have not reached
our destination,
we have not completed
the mission.
Professor, what is happening?
Why are we going back?
- We are not going back.
- Watch us.
- I warned you.
- I will have you shot for this.
- I hear the SS have
psychic abilities.
Isn't that right, Major?
So tell me, are you
going to die now or not?
- If we return now, without
completing our mission,
Himmler will have us all shot.
He'll show no mercy.
You, your men,
Major Metzger, me.
We'll all die.
You may not care about yourself,
but the only way to
keep your men alive
is to get us to
those coordinates.
I don't know about you
Major, but personally
I'd really like to live to
see the end of this war.
- Don't tell me you
believe this madness.
- I don't know what
to believe Major,
but if it's true, if
these beings do exist
and we could
communicate with them,
would you want Himmler to
start the conversation?
- Let's get something
100% clear, Lieutenant.
Whatever anyone says, the
Third Reich is finished.
We'll be lucky to
have a nation left
once the Russians
are finish with us.
And do you know something?
In a way that's good.
You know what my
worst nightmare is?
That Germany win this war and
people like Metzger prevail.
That would be truly unbearable.
All I want to do is
get this job done
and get the hell
out of this forest.
- What do you
think, sir? Ambush?
My God, Major, it's that
Russian girl I chased.
- No, it isn't.
She's been dead over a week.
- This doesn't make any sense.
I know she killed Carl, but-
- Yeah, what a
terrible way to die.
- One second she was there,
the next she was gone.
- There was nothing
you could do.
Wasn't your fault.
- No, Professor, you
don't understand.
She turned to dust,
right in front of my eye.
Like she just burned up.
You believe me, don't you?
The others, they think it
was the hit on my head,
but I know what I saw.
- Of course, I do.
Come, Dieter, we must go.
- Rolf, I've never
asked you this before.
I've always thought it
to be your business.
- Sarge?
- What do you say to them?
You know, the
dying and the dead?
- I tell them that
death is a rebirth.
They will go to those
they have long missed.
Those that passed to the
other side before them.
- And do you believe that?
- Yes.
- I used to believe in heaven.
Now I'm not so sure.
When you die, leave me a sign.
- What?
- Leave me a sign.
So I know everything
is as you say it is.
- What sign?
- I don't know.
Something only you
could have left me.
- Sarge, I don't think
that might be possible.
- If what you're saying is
true, then you can do it.
- Alright, I'll leave you this.
Hey, what makes you think
I'm going to die before you?
- Are you asleep?
- No.
- You've changed a
lot in five years.
I wouldn't recognize you.
- Five years of war.
It's a lifetime.
- It obviously agrees with you.
You're a lot more
fun these days.
- I see your
conversational skills
haven't improved over time.
- Oh really? I don't recall
you complaining too much.
- That's because the only
way I could shut you up
was by taking you to bed.
- So you weren't
in love with me?
You simply tired
of my conversation.
There you are, Kurt Fleischer.
You are in there.
- You and Professor
Dietrich were lovers.
- Yes...
at the beginning.
How did you know?
- I saw your face when
you realized who he was.
- He was already at the
Ahnenerbe when we met.
He made it sound so exciting.
And I was in love and
wanted to be with him.
And then it all changed.
I saw your picture
in the newspaper
receiving a Knight's
Cross from the Fuhrer.
I was most impressed.
You know, that officially
makes you a war hero.
- Well these days
they give it to war
heroes who hang
the most civilians.
Takes the shine off it a little.
Sergeant.
- There is something.
Can you hear that?
- What?
- Voices, Major.
- Where?
Where are they, Sergeant?
- Everywhere, Major.
Can you not hear them?
You have to hear them.
- Sergeant, stay down.
Sergeant, enough!
- Were they Russians?
No one returned
fire, not one shot.
- We need not worry ourselves
about the Russians any longer.
- What did you hear, Sergeant?
- Voices, first
whispering, then screaming.
- But we didn't hear
anything, Sarge.
- What did they say?
- It was no language
I'd ever heard, Major.
- I think we should
get out of this forest.
- As soon as we
complete this mission.
Isn't that so, Major?
- We've made it this
far, we push on.
We get the job done
and we get out fast.
Alright, let's move.
- I asked
that Russian sniper
what she was scared of,
what they were running from.
- And, did
she enlighten you?
- She was
scared of the voices.
She said they needed to
get out of the forest.
- She had sense.
We, on the other hand, keep
walking deeper into this forest
like lambs to the slaughter.
We must have shot off
200 rounds back there.
You can't kill
what isn't living.
Do you think they were ghosts?
- Of course they were.
What else could they be?
Spirits of those
unfairly killed.
I told you before, this
forest is possessed.
It will kill us all.
- That can't be true, Sarge.
- No?
You saw Ackermann,
he was possessed.
You saw him attack
the professor.
Possessed by an enraged spirit.
That's the only answer.
- He was crazy for sure but-
- Use your brain.
You know, sometimes -
- Sarge?
Sarge?
Holy Mother of God, no.
No.
I killed you, you
bastard, you're dead!
Fuck!
You're dead!
No, no!
God forgive my sins.
- Sarge!
Christ.
Jesus Christ.
I'm sorry, my friend.
- Jung's.
- Not possible.
- Nevertheless,
it is his dagger.
- Jung's dog tags.
Maybe someone took
them from Jung's body.
Used the knife to kill Nic
and planted the dog tags.
- Why would anyone do that?
- Very good, Lieutenant.
You're right, in a way.
It would have been a
great pleasure of mine
to execute Sergeant Lang.
In fact I had the intention of
hanging him myself
on our return.
However, out here I would
say there's a great need to
retain the men we have left.
Don't you agree, Major?
- Major Metzger didn't do it.
Not with a knife.
He's not good enough.
Major, the Sarge was right.
This forest, this
place is possessed.
The forest took him.
It happened right
in front of my eyes.
Same thing happened
to the Russian sniper,
and it happened to the Sarge.
You saw the ashes.
- Now listen, all of you.
I do not believe that a
person can turn to ashes
and mysteriously re-appear.
I do not believe a
forest can be possessed,
and I do not believe this
place is inhabited by ghosts,
demons and hob fucking goblins.
So let's get something straight.
Sergeant Lang died at
the hands of a man.
Let's get this supernatural
shit out of your heads.
We have a mission to accomplish
and the quicker
we do this mission
the quicker we get
back to our lines.
So we move fast and
we move in pairs.
I don't want anyone left alone.
Is that understood?
- You're overlooking the obvious
solution to this conundrum.
- What's that, Major?
- Private Baum
killed Sergeant Lang.
He was the last
to see him alive.
He was the last to
leave the ravine.
He could have easily
taken the dagger
and from what we've just
heard he is clearly psychotic.
- That's crazy.
Why would he kill him?
For what reason?
- That's the advantage
of being psychotic.
One does not need an excuse.
- Private Baum has fought
this war for so long
he cannot remember
what came before it.
It's all he knows.
He's lived with
us, fought with us
and mourned with us.
We are his family.
He would sooner kill
himself than kill one of us.
Is that clear enough
for you, Major?
- Yes.
He is your man, Major.
Yes, he is.
Take the lead with Nadel.
Private, you're
with the Professor.
- Yes, sir.
- Keep a watch on Baum.
- You don't believe
Metzger, do you, sir?
- Logically Dieter's
the obvious culprit.
Metzger was right there.
Christ, Eric, he wouldn't
be the first person
to go insane
because of this war.
We've seen all this before.
- But Dieter?
Part of me hopes Metzger's right
- Sir?
- Because I don't like to
think of the alternative.
- Don't worry, Dieter.
No one believes what he said.
- Major Fleischer
put him straight, didn't he?
- He did.
There is some hostility
between those two, isn't there?
- You could
say that, Professor.
- Why, what happened?
- About four months
ago the Russians
had pushed us back to Balta.
The SS were killing as
many Jews in the town
as they could before
the Russians arrived.
We found Metzger hanging
Jewish children from trees
along the main road that
runs through the town.
50 kids were hanging there.
So the Major told
Metzger to stop.
Of course he wouldn't.
So it ended with Major
Fleischer kicking the-
well he beat him up quite badly.
The SS picked him up and
charged him with treason.
Two weeks later
the Major turns up.
No explanations.
Carl, Private
Scherer, thought that
Colonel Schwab had
put in a good word.
You could always count on Carl
to get reliable information.
- Why did they let him go?
- Carl thought the Knight's
Cross probably helped.
Hitler himself had
pinned it on him.
Did you know that?
- Private, check up ahead.
Who are you?
- Where did you get this
uniform, you old bastard?
He is defiling the
uniform of the SS.
It's a capital offence.
- Take your hands off him.
- This man is not capable
of dressing himself.
He's far too frail.
- Someone dressed him in it.
- So why put the
dog tags on him?
- Lieutenant, do you
remember Nic's story?
About the paratroopers?
- Yes. I remember.
I would advise you to
keep your mouth shut.
The Major won't
thank you for it.
- Lieutenant, you
know I wouldn't
question the Major's
orders, but this place.
Why don't we just
get out of here?
Surely he can see it.
- That's right Private.
You follow the Major's orders.
We complete our
mission, that is all.
- Sir.
- Metzger.
- Stop!
- Fuchs!
- Metzger.
- I saw you.
I saw you!
- German wallet.
- Looks like this is
a couple of weeks old.
Hasn't healed well.
That's the old man.
It's the same scar.
Obviously taken...
Looks younger in
this photograph.
- He's wearing an SS uniform.
- He willingly defiled
the SS uniform.
It was a legitimate execution.
- He was SS.
- This can't be.
This is a different man.
Upon our return I will have
you arrested for murder.
- And what, exactly, are
you going to tell them?
Are we going to take the
body back with us, Major?
- Lieutenant, relieve Major
Metzger of his weapons.
He is under arrest.
- I don't think so.
- I heard a shot, sir.
- Lieutenant, we're
leaving in five minutes.
Help the Major onto his feet.
- Yes, sir.
- A word.
- Nicely done, Rolf.
- Bernd believed that there
was something in this forest
at those coordinates,
something significant.
- What?
- Alright. An artifact, a relic.
- Is that it?
My men are dying for
an ancient piece of
junk they want to
put in a museum?
- I know. This
mission is absurd.
But I've been thrown
in this as well as you.
Do you really think
I'm happy to be here?
- For Christ's sake, Anna.
- I know.
- I'm just trying to
keep my troop together,
keep my men alive.
- But that's all you can do.
- What gives them the
right to manipulate us?
Puppet masters
making us dance into
hell with wide
grins on our faces?
- All we can do
is find the relic.
We must find it and get back.
It's our only chance.
- Alright, Anna.
But I've got a feeling
someone or something
doesn't want us to find it.
- Fleischer!
Where are you, Fleischer?
- Metzger
- Professor?
Nadel!
- Right, let's go.
Private, keep a
close eye on him.
- Yes, sir.
- What is it that
you say to them, Private?
- It's nothing
that should concern you.
- Please, tell me.
- Just keep walking.
- Is it something to
do with your heritage?
You know that Reich
Minister Goebbels himself
declared that the Sioux
Indians are Aryans?
I know, how could
such a mongoloid race
be compared to
the German people?
Did you whisper to your wife
and child before they died?
Oh, no.
Of course.
They were raped and killed while
you were away, weren't they?
Terrible thing, war.
Not being able to stay at
home and protect your family.
- How do you know this?
- I know everything about you.
And your comrades.
It's my job to know.
I know that your grandmother
was a Red Indian whore,
and for some reason you decided
to carry that stain
like a trophy.
You are unter mensch,
Private Nadel.
You are derived from
an inferior people.
And when we win this war,
we shall wipe you from
the face of this earth.
I am an officer in the SS.
You will not shoot me.
- You are a piece of shit.
No.
I will be with those
we have long missed
who went to the other side
before us.
- What happened to him, Metzger?
Watch him.
Shoot him if he moves.
- Yes, sir.
- Eric.
- You know what happened
to him, don't you, Private?
You're just too scared to say.
- If it was Metzger,
where's the body?
Why didn't he just run?
- Alright, so where
does this leave us?
An hour from our destination.
- We get her there, then what?
What's the point of
this mission, sir?
- I think they're
looking for this.
- What the hell is it?
- I think they want to use this
to communicate with god-men.
- Where did you get it?
- From Dietrich.
- You think they
exist, don't you?
These god-men, I mean.
- Whatever's doing
this to us isn't human.
That much, I do know.
- Why don't we
just turn back, Major?
- Because whatever happens,
this thing must not
fall into the hands of
Himmler and his
pack of lunatics.
We find it, we bury it.
Somewhere where no
one can ever find it.
- But how do we know it's
there, at these coordinates?
- Because if Dietrich
found it, so can we.
- He found it?
- This is a field drawing.
He didn't draw this
back at the Ahnenerbe.
- He just burnt up, and
I couldn't help him.
I couldn't help him.
- Who the fuck is that?
What the fuck?
What the fuck is happening?
- "Dieter Baum"...
You?
You good shot, Dieter Baum.
But she also.
- You're dead.
- Crazy German swine.
Good weapon. I will kill a
lot of Germans with this.
- Please, Christ, no.
Jesus!
- Admit it Major.
You are floundering, blundering.
Your men dying all around you.
Would you like me to let
you in on a little secret?
You're all going to die.
Do you know why?
Because you're unbelievers,
you've given up.
You are weaklings and you'll
be taken by the forest.
- Damn it, damn it, shit!
No!
- He's been shot in the leg.
He has multiple fractures.
He's fallen.
Quite some way.
- Jesus Christ Almighty.
Oh, God.
- We have to move fast.
Bring Metzger.
We must go, Professor.
- The forest has a
sense of humor, I see.
- They know all about us.
- What?
- Is it a coincidence,
how he died?
You know how he felt about it.
- Good.
- Good?
- Then they'll know
our intentions.
- You think they'll
be grateful to us
for burying that thing?
- At least they'll know we
don't want to take it with us.
It may give us a chance.
- But it didn't give
Dieter much of a chance.
Did you consider maybe
they're just toying with us?
Amusing themselves
at our expense?
- Lieutenant, bring the Major.
- Get going, crazy bastard.
Major!
- Eric!
Eric, where are you?
Fuck!
- Why are you here?
- Wait. I'm a German soldier.
- You're a deserter.
- No.
- A spy.
- I'm Lieutenant Eric Fuchs of
the 229th Infantry Division,
serial number 24674889.
Colonel Ackermann.
- You know me?
- You must listen to me, sir.
You must take your men and
leave this forest immediately.
You're in great danger.
- What else do you
know, Lieutenant?
- I know about the mission.
I know about Professor Dietrich.
I know why you're here.
I'm on the same mission.
- Why would they send
you on the same mission?
- Where's Professor Dietrich?
He'll understand.
- Professor Dietrich is no
longer part of this operation.
- He disappeared?
- You are suspiciously well
informed for a Lieutenant.
Did you kill Dietrich?
- You've got to
listen to me Colonel.
You must not retrieve the relic.
They'll kill you all.
Your only chance
is to get out of
this forest as fast as you can.
- How many more
of you are there?
- They're all dead.
- This mission was
shrouded in the
utmost secrecy, Lieutenant.
Only Professor Dietrich was
aware of the true purpose.
So how is it that
you know so much?
- Our orders were the same.
When you didn't return we
were given the same mission.
- But we've only
been gone two days.
We're not yet overdue.
You are a spy.
- No! Listen.
- We've brought another
scientist with us,
Professor Kappel.
She worked under Professor
Dietrich at the Ahnenerbe.
- You should have
accurate information
if you are to be a
successful spy, my friend.
- It's true!
- Professor Kappel does not
work for Professor Dietrich.
She is the Director
of the Ahnenerbe.
This mission was
conceived by her.
Her foresight will be the
savior of the Third Reich.
- Dear God.
Colonel, I don't know how
to explain what's happening.
Wait...
I don't wanna shoot you.
You can still live.
We both can.
I know you, Sergeant.
I've seen the photograph
of you and your sweetheart.
The one in your wallet.
- Everyone has a
photograph in their wallet.
You're stalling,
you have no bullets.
- She's covering your
eyes with her hands.
- How could you know that?
- I can't explain.
Just drop your weapon and go.
- You're not an SS officer.
It's different for you.
- Sergeant, don't!
You'll never see her again.
- Doesn't matter.
- Jesus.
- You bastard!
- You believe it now, don't you?
The god-men.
You believe they exist.
- Someone or something
is presiding over these events.
Who or what they
are I do not know.
Call them god-men
if you like but,
they're not benevolent gods.
They're toying with us.
Moving us around
like chess pieces.
- There must be a reason for it.
They must want
something from us.
- Why?
Do children want
anything from a fly
when they tear off its wings?
- These beings are not children.
- Maybe not, but
we're still flies
caught in a web of their making.
- They have immense power.
- If only we could
speak to them,
convince them that
we are their friends.
- Why do you think
we are their friends?
Is Metzger their friend?
Was Ackermann?
How about Himmler?
They only want to use
them to assist their own
nauseating doctrines.
- Yes, of course, you're right.
- This way, this way.
- No!
- Come with us.
- No, no.
- My God.
- This will be your
mausoleum, Fleischer.
- This is incredible.
- All right, I'm going
in first, watch him.
If he moves
shoot him.
Eric?
- No!
No, you don't understand.
My God, Bernd, my God.
My darling!
Bernd, what happened to you?
Can you hear me?
It's Anna.
- Anna can't...
- You found it, didn't you?
- No, I must take it back.
- Bernd, did you speak to them?
Did you manage to communicate?
- Too powerful.
- What did they say?
- Showed me things.
Shameful, inhuman.
- Will they join us?
- No, we mustn't.
Too dangerous,
too powerful.
They could destroy everything.
Nothing left.
- Are you saying
we could use it?
- Lose the war.
Better.
Much better.
Too much death.
- Bernd, tell me.
Did you explain?
Did you tell them
we are creating
a new breed in their image?
Did you tell them, Bernd?
We must win this war!
We must annihilate our enemies.
Wipe them from the
face of the earth.
We are your brothers,
you must help us.
How do I use it?
How do I speak with them?
- No, it must be destroyed!
- Hello, Kurt.
- Anna, don't.
We have to leave this here.
It's our only hope
to survive this.
- What is it?
- Are you crazy?
Abandon what I've been
working towards for so long.
- They don't care.
They won't help you.
- They will.
When they understand
what we are doing.
- They already know.
They know everything.
They're inside our heads.
- You are an unbeliever.
You make my stomach turn.
We will prevail.
- Who is inside our heads?
What's going on here?
- Our ancestors, Major.
Those from whom the
Aryan race are descended.
And we will become like them.
- Now...
It ends for you.
- Metzger.
- No!
- Cover it up.
Do as I say.
Move away from the bag.
- No!
It's even more powerful
than I imagined.
- It'll kill you, Anna.
- It will save us.
- No, for Christ's sake, no.
- You make me sick.
Unter mensch!
Goodbye, Kurt Fleischer.
Why?
Why won't you let me kill him?
What?
No!
Kurt!
For God's sake, help me.
I can't stop it.
Kurt, help me!
Please, no!
- Anna.
- What are you doing, old man?
Dressed like this you
could get yourself shot.
- Old man.
- Where did you come from?
The forest?
Why did you put this dog tag on?
Take off your boots.
- Take them yourself,
you Russian bastard.
II was in its fifth,
vicious year of conflict.
The German war
machine controlled
by Adolf Hitler
and the Nazi party
had a stranglehold
over much of Europe
from the Atlantic coast of
France to the Russian Urals.
Reichsfuhrer Heinrich
Himmler was head of an
armed division
called the Waffen-SS
who were responsible for
brutal crimes against humanity.
The Waffen SS were ruthless
and indoctrinated Nazis
who fought in the front lines
alongside the regular army
many of whom were not Nazis and
despised the inhuman treatment
inflicted on
civilians by the SS.
As a result the
relationship between
the two was often hostile.
Himmler also controlled a pseudo
scientific institute of the SS
known as the Ahnenerbe which was
dedicated to researching the
archaeological and cultural
history of the Aryan race, a
special division of which was
responsible for investigating
the use of occult forces
for the Third Reich.
By 1944 the tide in
Europe had turned,
the German army was in full
retreat through Romania
ahead of the massed ranks of
the pursuing Russian Red Army.
- Russian execution squad.
Three SS.
- Let's hope they
kill the SS bastards.
- They're still German soldiers.
- Pray...
- Fucking rapist.
- Pray...
Pray, fucker!
- Bastard.
- Nadel!
- Trommler!
- Stay still, stay still.
- Apply pressure,
we need pressure.
- We need pressure here.
- Morphine!
- No, no, no.
- Did anyone see
that NKVD bastard?
- I like to see a man
happy at his work.
- Those SS scum deserved it.
- No one should be killed
like that, not even an animal.
- Don't worry,
Dieter, no Russian
cartridge could ever
penetrate your skull.
It's too damn thick.
- And if it did,
it wouldn't reach
his brains, they're
too damn small!
You'd have to use an 88mm shell!
- Engines.
- Enemy aircraft!
It's coming round again!
- Have you seen Major Fleischer?
Major.
Colonel Schwab would
like to see you, sir.
Urgently, sir.
- You look terrible, Colonel.
- To all intents
and purposes, Kurt,
I'm already dead.
My body, however, has yet
to appreciate the fact.
- They're not replacing you?
- There's no
one to replace me with.
- HQ is withdrawing?
- The offensive is coming.
If we're lucky,
it'll be in days.
It's only a
precaution of course,
as I have every confidence
our front line will hold.
You know Major Metzger?
Gentlemen, please be seated.
You lost a man today.
Trommler.
Pity.
- We all have to
make sacrifices, for
the greater good.
- Whose greater good?
- I want you to lead a mission,
one that is, er...
slightly out of the ordinary.
Are you familiar with
the forest of Hoia-Baciu?
- A little.
- What do you know?
That it's behind enemy lines,
as a result of yet another
well-planned
strategic withdrawal.
And the stories of course.
- Stories?
You're not afraid of ghosts
are you, Major?
- The living scare me more.
- You're going into
the forest, Major.
And you will be
escorting a civilian.
A scientist, actually.
- For what purpose?
- You will take
this civilian to a
specific location in the forest,
then make your way
back to our lines.
This civilian must
be returned unharmed.
Is that clear?
- Nothing is clear.
You said yourself
the offensive is
starting within days.
- The Colonel asked you a
specific question, Major.
- And what does that
lunatic have to do
with this suicide mission?
- May I remind you he
is a Major in the SS
and must be treated
with respect!
- Professor Kappel from
the Ahnenerbe, sir.
- The Ahnenerbe?
- Yes, yes, alright,
show him in.
- It's a lady, sir.
Professor Kappel.
Forgive me, I was
expecting a man.
- Naturally, Colonel.
Sorry to disappoint you.
- May I introduce Major Metzger.
- There's certainly
no disappointment
on my part, Professor.
Your presence on
this little escapade
will make it that
much less dull.
- And Major Fleischer.
- This is the civilian?
You want me to escort this woman
20 miles behind enemy lines?
Do you know what the Russians
will do to her if
she's captured?
- You have your orders, Major.
- This is madness.
- Colonel...
I do not presume to
tell you your duty, but
I have had men hanged for less.
- I thought you only
hanged children, Major.
- You were lucky enough to
get away with treason once.
- Stopping you butchers doing
your work is not treason.
- Are you questioning
your orders?
- Gentlemen, please.
We shouldn't reprimand
the Major for
being overprotective
of his charge.
- With respect, Professor, it
is not your decision to make.
- Major...
read this please.
You saw the signature.
Reichsfuhrer Heinrich
Himmler, Major Metzger...
which means it is my decision
and yes we will be
successful in our endeavors.
Isn't that so, Major Metzger?
- Naturally, Professor.
- Major Metzger will
be accompanying us
in order to ensure
everything runs smoothly.
- Colonel, who's in
command of this mission?
- As long as you
follow your orders,
you are, Major.
- And your orders are to get
me to where I want to
go and get me back.
Otherwise I'm sure
Major Metzger will
be content to assume
responsibility.
And bearing in
mind the signature
on this piece of paper,
I'm sure we're all aware of
the implications of failure.
- Get some sleep, Professor.
We'll be rising early.
- Hoia-Baciu forest.
- This whole mission's crazy.
We should not be taking
women behind enemy lines.
- It's not the Russians we
should be worried about.
Not on this trip.
- What's he talking about?
- Nothing.
- Is a whole company
of paratroopers
vanishing into
thin air "nothing?"
- That's ridiculous,
it didn't happen.
- What didn't happen?
- It was in '42.
- Come on Nic.
- A company parachuted into the
Hoia-Baciu forest at night.
- Forest, at night?
No wonder they disappeared.
- See, the pilot fucked up.
He got lost.
Kicked them out before
their intended position.
Only one of them was ever
seen again, a Sergeant.
- What happened to the rest?
- The Sergeant could
no longer speak.
He was too old.
Still wearing the
same uniform but
he'd aged 80 years
in three days.
- Feel like I've aged 80 years
just listening to
this stupid story.
- The forest is possessed.
- Now that is crazy.
- Maybe not so much.
North American Indians
believe in forest spirits.
- Forest spirits, good
and bad, right, Rolf?
- Exactly, they take the
form of little hairy men.
Generally they are good natured,
but sometimes they
throw stones at you.
Maybe sticks.
- I suppose you
think that's funny.
- If the forest
is possessed we're
going with the right person.
- What do you know, Carl?
- The woman, she's a scientist,
a professor of
something or other.
- Tell us.
- She's from the Ahnenerbe.
- You sure?
- What's Ahne... Ahnenerbe?
- The Ahnenerbe is a myth.
It doesn't exist.
Nothing so ridiculous
could exist.
- Oh, Jesus.
- What?
What is it?
- Himmler's occult department.
- What's occult?
- How come you haven't shot your
own foot off with
that rifle yet?
- What are they looking for?
- What does it matter?
Whatever it is, the result
will be the same.
- Direct
orders from Himmler.
- Who cares who gives the order?
- Because if anyone returns
from this mission alive
and doesn't have
what Himmler wants-
- What, Lieutenant?
- Himmler doesn't like failure.
- We'll be with those
we have long missed.
- Lieutenant, do you know what
we're looking for in the forest?
- You speak to me again and
I'll cut your throat open.
- She's the professor?
- Christ...
- I knew I
should have studied more.
- Right, this is
where we're going.
We'll cross here, Eric.
Intelligence reports have been
quiet there for three days now.
It's the best we've got.
From there it's five
miles to the forest.
I want to be in the
trees before dawn.
We only engage the enemy if
it's absolutely necessary.
Clear?
- Yes, sir.
Major...
This mission, it
doesn't make any sense.
- All that matters is we
get there and get back.
I don't want any
of my men killed
as a result of this madness.
We get there, do
as we're ordered
and we get out, that's it.
- Is there a problem, Major?
Major, we're exposed.
- Metzger.
- Where are you
from, Lieutenant?
I'm from Potsdam,
Do you know it?
- Over here.
- Last week, I
doused 15 Romanian
Jews in petrol and
set them alight.
Some took thirty minutes to die.
Many were children.
Do you want to know
where I come from now?
- Do you even know why
you do these things?
- Because I am strong
and they are weak.
- You're a German soldier,
you should know this.
- I would rather shoot myself
than commit such an atrocity.
- Why don't I save
Germany the bullet?
- Threaten one of us
again and I'll gut you.
- Oh, fuck.
You see, I told you.
This forest is possessed.
- No, it's not.
- Metzger...
Metzger...
Over here.
- Major.
- It was nothing, Lieutenant.
Let's move on.
- Yes, sir.
- You're angry with me.
- No.
- I'm sorry Kurt, I
didn't know it'd be you.
- It doesn't matter.
- I need you to understand.
- I'm a soldier
and I take orders.
You needn't worry, Professor.
I will get you to
your objective.
In the meantime,
why don't you remain
with your little SS friends?
- Major!
- They are not my-
- Tank, Panther.
- Identity papers?
- No sir, only this.
German clothing.
Good tailor, expensive.
- Good God.
- Oh, my God!
Jesus Christ.
- Come on Professor,
let's get you out of here.
- Go away.
- It's alright, Private.
- Who is he?
- Someone with the initials BD.
Do you recognise this?
Do these initials
mean something to you?
- You seem
distressed, Professor.
- Really?
Do I?
It may come as some
surprise to you, Major
but it's not every
day I see a man
run over by a tank.
- This man wasn't
run over, Professor.
- Don't be ridiculous.
Just look at him.
How else would this happen?
- How could a tank
get into here?
We're surrounded by trees.
It's like it was just-
- Dropped from the sky.
- This view takes the
work out of the climb,
isn't that so, Lieutenant?
- Lieutenant Jung,
what are you doing?
- He was being disrespectful
to you, Professor.
I'm going to teach him
a lesson in manners.
- Leave him! I said, leave him!
How was he being disrespectful?
- He made a comment about your-
- Well?
- About you, Professor.
- I see.
Well, I'm very fortunate to have
turned the head of such
a handsome young man.
- But, Professor!
- On your way, Lieutenant.
Why do you carry that bullet?
Come, there must be a reason.
- It has my name on it.
I, I engraved it myself.
- Why?
- You'll think me an idiot.
- No, I won't. Tell me.
- I thought if I had the
bullet with my name on it,
then no one else would.
- That's very clever.
Would you do one for me?
- Fuchs! Lang!
- My God.
- How do you cut
your arm like that
without damaging the tunic?
- You're the
scientist, you tell me.
- I'm sorry about your man.
- That man would still be
alive if it wasn't for you
and this insane mission.
I want to know what we're
doing in this forest.
- This has to be done
Kurt, it's our orders.
- Why? To satisfy your bosses?
How many more men have to die
to gratify their
stinking ideology?
- Be very careful, Kurt.
He'll take great pleasure
in having you shot.
- What were those
Russians so scared of?
What's out there?
- I don't know,
Kurt, I really don't.
- Remember what I told
you, you piece of shit.
- Major!
No! No!
They'll hang us all.
- I think you're forgetting
your orders, Major.
Please, release him.
Shall we proceed?
- It'll be dark in a
couple of hours, Eric.
We need to push hard till then.
- Yes, sir.
- You believe in the
soul, don't you, Rolf?
- Yes. Yes, I do.
- When you die, do you
think you come face to face
with all those you've
killed, all those souls?
- Well, that'd be
a little awkward.
- So you think they'd
be angry with you?
You think they'd
seek retribution.
- You'd be dead.
They couldn't kill you again so
I wouldn't worry.
- I've been having this dream.
I am dead, surrounded by
all the souls of the lives
I've taken, clawing
at me, smothering me.
Do you think that's
what hell is?
- No.
This is hell. We're in it.
If you die on this trip,
you'll be going to
somewhere better.
- Would you be angry with
the person who killed you?
- If somebody killed
me fair and square,
man to man, that's war.
I'd shake the man's hand
and be done with it.
- What if it wasn't fair?
What if you felt you'd
been killed unjustly?
Would you want to
redress the balance?
- We should get going.
- With luck we'll be at our
objective by midday tomorrow.
- And then?
- We'll have to wait and see.
I know, Eric, I know.
- She's full of surprises.
- So it would seem.
Do you know him?
Are you sure?
He recognized you, Professor!
Why would he attack you?
- I don't know.
He's completely mad.
- Where's your command, Colonel?
What are you doing here?
- Release me.
It must go back, it
must be returned!
- Why did you attack this woman?
- You've just received
a direct order
from a senior officer, Major.
You do not treat an SS Colonel
like a common criminal.
- Where did you come from?
- Release him!
- No!
Sarge, see to Rolf
and the Major.
- Sir.
- Ackermann's orders.
Come with me.
His name was Ackermann and
he had the same orders as me,
only he was escorting
Professor Dietrich.
Professor Bernd Dietrich.
B.D. Ring any bells?
- No.
- Professor Dietrich
from the Ahnenerbe.
- Now I'm gonna
take a wild guess.
The man crushed by
the tank was Dietrich.
Ackermann attacked you because
he liked this shitty mission
about as much as I do.
The first mission failed so you
thought, what the
hell, let's send some
more good men to
the meat grinder.
- That's not true.
Sometimes one is forced into a
situation beyond their control.
I never wanted this,
to drag you into it.
But I had no choice.
You have to do what they want.
If you don't then...
Yes, I met with Colonel
Ackermann three weeks ago.
With my superiors.
With my friend, Bernd...
Professor Dietrich.
They knew that the
forest was going
to be overrun with
Russians anytime
and they were desperate
and they sent Bernd in
with Ackermann
and a group of SS.
- What are you people after?
- It's going to
sound crazy to you.
- Tell me.
- Bernd was studying the
existence of Proto-Aryans.
They're a pure race
from whom the German
people are supposedly evolved.
Eventually he lost
all sight of reality
and his theories
became more outlandish-
- What theories?
- That German people
were the descendants
of a race of Aryan god-men.
- Aryan god-men?
- Superhuman beings with
immense psychic ability.
The Ahnenerbe is a breeding
ground for madness.
You wouldn't believe it, Kurt.
Their aim is to recreate
the god-men, a new species.
- How?
- By interbreeding those
of pure Aryan stock
over hundreds of years.
Towards the end, Bernd's
mind verged on the psychotic.
You see, he came to believe
that the god-men still existed,
that it would be possible
to communicate with them.
- And you believe
all of this shit?
Jesus Christ.
- I had no choice.
What are you gonna do?
- What were Ackerman's orders?
I demand to know.
- Lieutenant,
we're heading back.
Get ready.
Private, get Baum.
- Sir.
- What do you mean?
We have not reached
our destination,
we have not completed
the mission.
Professor, what is happening?
Why are we going back?
- We are not going back.
- Watch us.
- I warned you.
- I will have you shot for this.
- I hear the SS have
psychic abilities.
Isn't that right, Major?
So tell me, are you
going to die now or not?
- If we return now, without
completing our mission,
Himmler will have us all shot.
He'll show no mercy.
You, your men,
Major Metzger, me.
We'll all die.
You may not care about yourself,
but the only way to
keep your men alive
is to get us to
those coordinates.
I don't know about you
Major, but personally
I'd really like to live to
see the end of this war.
- Don't tell me you
believe this madness.
- I don't know what
to believe Major,
but if it's true, if
these beings do exist
and we could
communicate with them,
would you want Himmler to
start the conversation?
- Let's get something
100% clear, Lieutenant.
Whatever anyone says, the
Third Reich is finished.
We'll be lucky to
have a nation left
once the Russians
are finish with us.
And do you know something?
In a way that's good.
You know what my
worst nightmare is?
That Germany win this war and
people like Metzger prevail.
That would be truly unbearable.
All I want to do is
get this job done
and get the hell
out of this forest.
- What do you
think, sir? Ambush?
My God, Major, it's that
Russian girl I chased.
- No, it isn't.
She's been dead over a week.
- This doesn't make any sense.
I know she killed Carl, but-
- Yeah, what a
terrible way to die.
- One second she was there,
the next she was gone.
- There was nothing
you could do.
Wasn't your fault.
- No, Professor, you
don't understand.
She turned to dust,
right in front of my eye.
Like she just burned up.
You believe me, don't you?
The others, they think it
was the hit on my head,
but I know what I saw.
- Of course, I do.
Come, Dieter, we must go.
- Rolf, I've never
asked you this before.
I've always thought it
to be your business.
- Sarge?
- What do you say to them?
You know, the
dying and the dead?
- I tell them that
death is a rebirth.
They will go to those
they have long missed.
Those that passed to the
other side before them.
- And do you believe that?
- Yes.
- I used to believe in heaven.
Now I'm not so sure.
When you die, leave me a sign.
- What?
- Leave me a sign.
So I know everything
is as you say it is.
- What sign?
- I don't know.
Something only you
could have left me.
- Sarge, I don't think
that might be possible.
- If what you're saying is
true, then you can do it.
- Alright, I'll leave you this.
Hey, what makes you think
I'm going to die before you?
- Are you asleep?
- No.
- You've changed a
lot in five years.
I wouldn't recognize you.
- Five years of war.
It's a lifetime.
- It obviously agrees with you.
You're a lot more
fun these days.
- I see your
conversational skills
haven't improved over time.
- Oh really? I don't recall
you complaining too much.
- That's because the only
way I could shut you up
was by taking you to bed.
- So you weren't
in love with me?
You simply tired
of my conversation.
There you are, Kurt Fleischer.
You are in there.
- You and Professor
Dietrich were lovers.
- Yes...
at the beginning.
How did you know?
- I saw your face when
you realized who he was.
- He was already at the
Ahnenerbe when we met.
He made it sound so exciting.
And I was in love and
wanted to be with him.
And then it all changed.
I saw your picture
in the newspaper
receiving a Knight's
Cross from the Fuhrer.
I was most impressed.
You know, that officially
makes you a war hero.
- Well these days
they give it to war
heroes who hang
the most civilians.
Takes the shine off it a little.
Sergeant.
- There is something.
Can you hear that?
- What?
- Voices, Major.
- Where?
Where are they, Sergeant?
- Everywhere, Major.
Can you not hear them?
You have to hear them.
- Sergeant, stay down.
Sergeant, enough!
- Were they Russians?
No one returned
fire, not one shot.
- We need not worry ourselves
about the Russians any longer.
- What did you hear, Sergeant?
- Voices, first
whispering, then screaming.
- But we didn't hear
anything, Sarge.
- What did they say?
- It was no language
I'd ever heard, Major.
- I think we should
get out of this forest.
- As soon as we
complete this mission.
Isn't that so, Major?
- We've made it this
far, we push on.
We get the job done
and we get out fast.
Alright, let's move.
- I asked
that Russian sniper
what she was scared of,
what they were running from.
- And, did
she enlighten you?
- She was
scared of the voices.
She said they needed to
get out of the forest.
- She had sense.
We, on the other hand, keep
walking deeper into this forest
like lambs to the slaughter.
We must have shot off
200 rounds back there.
You can't kill
what isn't living.
Do you think they were ghosts?
- Of course they were.
What else could they be?
Spirits of those
unfairly killed.
I told you before, this
forest is possessed.
It will kill us all.
- That can't be true, Sarge.
- No?
You saw Ackermann,
he was possessed.
You saw him attack
the professor.
Possessed by an enraged spirit.
That's the only answer.
- He was crazy for sure but-
- Use your brain.
You know, sometimes -
- Sarge?
Sarge?
Holy Mother of God, no.
No.
I killed you, you
bastard, you're dead!
Fuck!
You're dead!
No, no!
God forgive my sins.
- Sarge!
Christ.
Jesus Christ.
I'm sorry, my friend.
- Jung's.
- Not possible.
- Nevertheless,
it is his dagger.
- Jung's dog tags.
Maybe someone took
them from Jung's body.
Used the knife to kill Nic
and planted the dog tags.
- Why would anyone do that?
- Very good, Lieutenant.
You're right, in a way.
It would have been a
great pleasure of mine
to execute Sergeant Lang.
In fact I had the intention of
hanging him myself
on our return.
However, out here I would
say there's a great need to
retain the men we have left.
Don't you agree, Major?
- Major Metzger didn't do it.
Not with a knife.
He's not good enough.
Major, the Sarge was right.
This forest, this
place is possessed.
The forest took him.
It happened right
in front of my eyes.
Same thing happened
to the Russian sniper,
and it happened to the Sarge.
You saw the ashes.
- Now listen, all of you.
I do not believe that a
person can turn to ashes
and mysteriously re-appear.
I do not believe a
forest can be possessed,
and I do not believe this
place is inhabited by ghosts,
demons and hob fucking goblins.
So let's get something straight.
Sergeant Lang died at
the hands of a man.
Let's get this supernatural
shit out of your heads.
We have a mission to accomplish
and the quicker
we do this mission
the quicker we get
back to our lines.
So we move fast and
we move in pairs.
I don't want anyone left alone.
Is that understood?
- You're overlooking the obvious
solution to this conundrum.
- What's that, Major?
- Private Baum
killed Sergeant Lang.
He was the last
to see him alive.
He was the last to
leave the ravine.
He could have easily
taken the dagger
and from what we've just
heard he is clearly psychotic.
- That's crazy.
Why would he kill him?
For what reason?
- That's the advantage
of being psychotic.
One does not need an excuse.
- Private Baum has fought
this war for so long
he cannot remember
what came before it.
It's all he knows.
He's lived with
us, fought with us
and mourned with us.
We are his family.
He would sooner kill
himself than kill one of us.
Is that clear enough
for you, Major?
- Yes.
He is your man, Major.
Yes, he is.
Take the lead with Nadel.
Private, you're
with the Professor.
- Yes, sir.
- Keep a watch on Baum.
- You don't believe
Metzger, do you, sir?
- Logically Dieter's
the obvious culprit.
Metzger was right there.
Christ, Eric, he wouldn't
be the first person
to go insane
because of this war.
We've seen all this before.
- But Dieter?
Part of me hopes Metzger's right
- Sir?
- Because I don't like to
think of the alternative.
- Don't worry, Dieter.
No one believes what he said.
- Major Fleischer
put him straight, didn't he?
- He did.
There is some hostility
between those two, isn't there?
- You could
say that, Professor.
- Why, what happened?
- About four months
ago the Russians
had pushed us back to Balta.
The SS were killing as
many Jews in the town
as they could before
the Russians arrived.
We found Metzger hanging
Jewish children from trees
along the main road that
runs through the town.
50 kids were hanging there.
So the Major told
Metzger to stop.
Of course he wouldn't.
So it ended with Major
Fleischer kicking the-
well he beat him up quite badly.
The SS picked him up and
charged him with treason.
Two weeks later
the Major turns up.
No explanations.
Carl, Private
Scherer, thought that
Colonel Schwab had
put in a good word.
You could always count on Carl
to get reliable information.
- Why did they let him go?
- Carl thought the Knight's
Cross probably helped.
Hitler himself had
pinned it on him.
Did you know that?
- Private, check up ahead.
Who are you?
- Where did you get this
uniform, you old bastard?
He is defiling the
uniform of the SS.
It's a capital offence.
- Take your hands off him.
- This man is not capable
of dressing himself.
He's far too frail.
- Someone dressed him in it.
- So why put the
dog tags on him?
- Lieutenant, do you
remember Nic's story?
About the paratroopers?
- Yes. I remember.
I would advise you to
keep your mouth shut.
The Major won't
thank you for it.
- Lieutenant, you
know I wouldn't
question the Major's
orders, but this place.
Why don't we just
get out of here?
Surely he can see it.
- That's right Private.
You follow the Major's orders.
We complete our
mission, that is all.
- Sir.
- Metzger.
- Stop!
- Fuchs!
- Metzger.
- I saw you.
I saw you!
- German wallet.
- Looks like this is
a couple of weeks old.
Hasn't healed well.
That's the old man.
It's the same scar.
Obviously taken...
Looks younger in
this photograph.
- He's wearing an SS uniform.
- He willingly defiled
the SS uniform.
It was a legitimate execution.
- He was SS.
- This can't be.
This is a different man.
Upon our return I will have
you arrested for murder.
- And what, exactly, are
you going to tell them?
Are we going to take the
body back with us, Major?
- Lieutenant, relieve Major
Metzger of his weapons.
He is under arrest.
- I don't think so.
- I heard a shot, sir.
- Lieutenant, we're
leaving in five minutes.
Help the Major onto his feet.
- Yes, sir.
- A word.
- Nicely done, Rolf.
- Bernd believed that there
was something in this forest
at those coordinates,
something significant.
- What?
- Alright. An artifact, a relic.
- Is that it?
My men are dying for
an ancient piece of
junk they want to
put in a museum?
- I know. This
mission is absurd.
But I've been thrown
in this as well as you.
Do you really think
I'm happy to be here?
- For Christ's sake, Anna.
- I know.
- I'm just trying to
keep my troop together,
keep my men alive.
- But that's all you can do.
- What gives them the
right to manipulate us?
Puppet masters
making us dance into
hell with wide
grins on our faces?
- All we can do
is find the relic.
We must find it and get back.
It's our only chance.
- Alright, Anna.
But I've got a feeling
someone or something
doesn't want us to find it.
- Fleischer!
Where are you, Fleischer?
- Metzger
- Professor?
Nadel!
- Right, let's go.
Private, keep a
close eye on him.
- Yes, sir.
- What is it that
you say to them, Private?
- It's nothing
that should concern you.
- Please, tell me.
- Just keep walking.
- Is it something to
do with your heritage?
You know that Reich
Minister Goebbels himself
declared that the Sioux
Indians are Aryans?
I know, how could
such a mongoloid race
be compared to
the German people?
Did you whisper to your wife
and child before they died?
Oh, no.
Of course.
They were raped and killed while
you were away, weren't they?
Terrible thing, war.
Not being able to stay at
home and protect your family.
- How do you know this?
- I know everything about you.
And your comrades.
It's my job to know.
I know that your grandmother
was a Red Indian whore,
and for some reason you decided
to carry that stain
like a trophy.
You are unter mensch,
Private Nadel.
You are derived from
an inferior people.
And when we win this war,
we shall wipe you from
the face of this earth.
I am an officer in the SS.
You will not shoot me.
- You are a piece of shit.
No.
I will be with those
we have long missed
who went to the other side
before us.
- What happened to him, Metzger?
Watch him.
Shoot him if he moves.
- Yes, sir.
- Eric.
- You know what happened
to him, don't you, Private?
You're just too scared to say.
- If it was Metzger,
where's the body?
Why didn't he just run?
- Alright, so where
does this leave us?
An hour from our destination.
- We get her there, then what?
What's the point of
this mission, sir?
- I think they're
looking for this.
- What the hell is it?
- I think they want to use this
to communicate with god-men.
- Where did you get it?
- From Dietrich.
- You think they
exist, don't you?
These god-men, I mean.
- Whatever's doing
this to us isn't human.
That much, I do know.
- Why don't we
just turn back, Major?
- Because whatever happens,
this thing must not
fall into the hands of
Himmler and his
pack of lunatics.
We find it, we bury it.
Somewhere where no
one can ever find it.
- But how do we know it's
there, at these coordinates?
- Because if Dietrich
found it, so can we.
- He found it?
- This is a field drawing.
He didn't draw this
back at the Ahnenerbe.
- He just burnt up, and
I couldn't help him.
I couldn't help him.
- Who the fuck is that?
What the fuck?
What the fuck is happening?
- "Dieter Baum"...
You?
You good shot, Dieter Baum.
But she also.
- You're dead.
- Crazy German swine.
Good weapon. I will kill a
lot of Germans with this.
- Please, Christ, no.
Jesus!
- Admit it Major.
You are floundering, blundering.
Your men dying all around you.
Would you like me to let
you in on a little secret?
You're all going to die.
Do you know why?
Because you're unbelievers,
you've given up.
You are weaklings and you'll
be taken by the forest.
- Damn it, damn it, shit!
No!
- He's been shot in the leg.
He has multiple fractures.
He's fallen.
Quite some way.
- Jesus Christ Almighty.
Oh, God.
- We have to move fast.
Bring Metzger.
We must go, Professor.
- The forest has a
sense of humor, I see.
- They know all about us.
- What?
- Is it a coincidence,
how he died?
You know how he felt about it.
- Good.
- Good?
- Then they'll know
our intentions.
- You think they'll
be grateful to us
for burying that thing?
- At least they'll know we
don't want to take it with us.
It may give us a chance.
- But it didn't give
Dieter much of a chance.
Did you consider maybe
they're just toying with us?
Amusing themselves
at our expense?
- Lieutenant, bring the Major.
- Get going, crazy bastard.
Major!
- Eric!
Eric, where are you?
Fuck!
- Why are you here?
- Wait. I'm a German soldier.
- You're a deserter.
- No.
- A spy.
- I'm Lieutenant Eric Fuchs of
the 229th Infantry Division,
serial number 24674889.
Colonel Ackermann.
- You know me?
- You must listen to me, sir.
You must take your men and
leave this forest immediately.
You're in great danger.
- What else do you
know, Lieutenant?
- I know about the mission.
I know about Professor Dietrich.
I know why you're here.
I'm on the same mission.
- Why would they send
you on the same mission?
- Where's Professor Dietrich?
He'll understand.
- Professor Dietrich is no
longer part of this operation.
- He disappeared?
- You are suspiciously well
informed for a Lieutenant.
Did you kill Dietrich?
- You've got to
listen to me Colonel.
You must not retrieve the relic.
They'll kill you all.
Your only chance
is to get out of
this forest as fast as you can.
- How many more
of you are there?
- They're all dead.
- This mission was
shrouded in the
utmost secrecy, Lieutenant.
Only Professor Dietrich was
aware of the true purpose.
So how is it that
you know so much?
- Our orders were the same.
When you didn't return we
were given the same mission.
- But we've only
been gone two days.
We're not yet overdue.
You are a spy.
- No! Listen.
- We've brought another
scientist with us,
Professor Kappel.
She worked under Professor
Dietrich at the Ahnenerbe.
- You should have
accurate information
if you are to be a
successful spy, my friend.
- It's true!
- Professor Kappel does not
work for Professor Dietrich.
She is the Director
of the Ahnenerbe.
This mission was
conceived by her.
Her foresight will be the
savior of the Third Reich.
- Dear God.
Colonel, I don't know how
to explain what's happening.
Wait...
I don't wanna shoot you.
You can still live.
We both can.
I know you, Sergeant.
I've seen the photograph
of you and your sweetheart.
The one in your wallet.
- Everyone has a
photograph in their wallet.
You're stalling,
you have no bullets.
- She's covering your
eyes with her hands.
- How could you know that?
- I can't explain.
Just drop your weapon and go.
- You're not an SS officer.
It's different for you.
- Sergeant, don't!
You'll never see her again.
- Doesn't matter.
- Jesus.
- You bastard!
- You believe it now, don't you?
The god-men.
You believe they exist.
- Someone or something
is presiding over these events.
Who or what they
are I do not know.
Call them god-men
if you like but,
they're not benevolent gods.
They're toying with us.
Moving us around
like chess pieces.
- There must be a reason for it.
They must want
something from us.
- Why?
Do children want
anything from a fly
when they tear off its wings?
- These beings are not children.
- Maybe not, but
we're still flies
caught in a web of their making.
- They have immense power.
- If only we could
speak to them,
convince them that
we are their friends.
- Why do you think
we are their friends?
Is Metzger their friend?
Was Ackermann?
How about Himmler?
They only want to use
them to assist their own
nauseating doctrines.
- Yes, of course, you're right.
- This way, this way.
- No!
- Come with us.
- No, no.
- My God.
- This will be your
mausoleum, Fleischer.
- This is incredible.
- All right, I'm going
in first, watch him.
If he moves
shoot him.
Eric?
- No!
No, you don't understand.
My God, Bernd, my God.
My darling!
Bernd, what happened to you?
Can you hear me?
It's Anna.
- Anna can't...
- You found it, didn't you?
- No, I must take it back.
- Bernd, did you speak to them?
Did you manage to communicate?
- Too powerful.
- What did they say?
- Showed me things.
Shameful, inhuman.
- Will they join us?
- No, we mustn't.
Too dangerous,
too powerful.
They could destroy everything.
Nothing left.
- Are you saying
we could use it?
- Lose the war.
Better.
Much better.
Too much death.
- Bernd, tell me.
Did you explain?
Did you tell them
we are creating
a new breed in their image?
Did you tell them, Bernd?
We must win this war!
We must annihilate our enemies.
Wipe them from the
face of the earth.
We are your brothers,
you must help us.
How do I use it?
How do I speak with them?
- No, it must be destroyed!
- Hello, Kurt.
- Anna, don't.
We have to leave this here.
It's our only hope
to survive this.
- What is it?
- Are you crazy?
Abandon what I've been
working towards for so long.
- They don't care.
They won't help you.
- They will.
When they understand
what we are doing.
- They already know.
They know everything.
They're inside our heads.
- You are an unbeliever.
You make my stomach turn.
We will prevail.
- Who is inside our heads?
What's going on here?
- Our ancestors, Major.
Those from whom the
Aryan race are descended.
And we will become like them.
- Now...
It ends for you.
- Metzger.
- No!
- Cover it up.
Do as I say.
Move away from the bag.
- No!
It's even more powerful
than I imagined.
- It'll kill you, Anna.
- It will save us.
- No, for Christ's sake, no.
- You make me sick.
Unter mensch!
Goodbye, Kurt Fleischer.
Why?
Why won't you let me kill him?
What?
No!
Kurt!
For God's sake, help me.
I can't stop it.
Kurt, help me!
Please, no!
- Anna.
- What are you doing, old man?
Dressed like this you
could get yourself shot.
- Old man.
- Where did you come from?
The forest?
Why did you put this dog tag on?
Take off your boots.
- Take them yourself,
you Russian bastard.