The Tank (2025)
Original title: Der Tiger
Director: Dennis Gansel (The Wave, Before the Fall)
Screenplay: Dennis Gansel, Colin Teevan (Das Boot series)
Release Dates: September 18, 2025 (Germany theatrical); January 2, 2026 (Global streaming on Prime Video)
Stars: David Schütter (Tank Commander), Laurence Rupp, Leonard Kunz, Sebastian Urzendowsky, Yoran Leicher, André Hennicke
Plot: Set in 1943 on the Eastern Front during World War II, the film follows a five-man German tank crew operating a Tiger I, the most feared tank of the era. Following the devastating defeat at Stalingrad, the Wehrmacht is in retreat. Amidst this chaos, the crew is sent on a “secret mission” deep behind enemy lines. However, the mission is not a standard military operation. Fueled by fear, exhaustion, and the Wehrmacht-issued methamphetamine Pervitin (a historically accurate detail regarding German soldiers), the journey quickly descends into a psychological nightmare. As they push further into the “heart of darkness,” the line between reality and hallucination blurs. The film explores the psychological toll of war, portraying the crew’s descent into madness rather than glorifying their combat abilities.
Operation Labyrinth is not a real historical operation. Inside the film it functions as a fictional codename for the mission the Tiger crew believes they are carrying out, yet its real purpose is symbolic rather than tactical.
Within the story, the operation sends the tank on a strange, increasingly disjointed journey through bunkers, forests, ruins, and moral dead ends. The name “Labyrinth” is deliberate. The mission behaves like a maze with no exit, where each turn forces the commander to confront fragments of memory, guilt, and complicity. As the film progresses, the operation stops making military sense on purpose: orders are vague, objectives shift, and reality itself starts to fracture.
By the final act it becomes clear that Operation Labyrinth is not meant to be read literally. The movie strongly implies that most of what we are watching unfolds in the commander’s mind during the seconds before death, triggered by the bridge explosion seen at the beginning and end of the film. In that sense, the “operation” is an internal reckoning. It traps him in a psychological maze where there is no victory condition, only recognition of what he has done and what cannot be undone.
This is why the film frustrates viewers expecting a conventional WWII tank movie. The operation is structured less like a combat assignment and more like a descent, borrowing openly from Heart of Darkness and An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge. The tank keeps moving forward, yet every kilometer leads deeper into the same moral enclosure.
* * *
The Tank (2025) | Transcript
“Only the dead have seen the end of war.”
George Santayana
The Tank
SOVIET UNION. DNIEPER FRONT LINE.
FALL 1943 EIGHT MONTHS AFTER STALINGRAD, THE WEHRMACHT IS IN RETREAT EVERYWHERE.
[man shouts] Go! Come on, move!
Keep going!
Position!
[man 2] Take up your position behind the bridge!
[man 1] Follow me. Faster!
[man 3] Retreat!
Retreat! Withdraw!
[man 4] Retreat!
[man 1] Oh, no.
Move. Come on!
Come on, come on!
Everyone in the tank!
[man 2] Second unit, cross the bridge.
[man 1] Go now! Go!
Keep going!
[soldier over walkietalkie] Commander! Our troops have retreated. Lieutenant, should we also retreat?
Lieutenant?
[scanning channels]
[static]
[soldier] Keilig, are they coming?
[soldier 2 over radio] Copy. Copy.
What the hell?
Come in. Can you hear me? Can you hear me?
[low rumbling]
T34! They are there.
600, target set!
Ready and loaded. Give us the command, Lieutenant.
[soldiers speaking indistinctly]
Philip!
Philip!
Fire!
[yells in German]
Hit, target destroyed!
Loaded.
Approaching soldiers!
MG, fire!
[all shouting indistinctly]
To the right, another panzer! Target set!
Fire.
[yells in German]
Target on fire.
Target destroyed!
Loaded!
MG, fire. Stay on target!
[soldiers groaning]
We’ve destroyed the two in front and the only exit is blocked.
Let’s get out now.
Fire!
[yells in German]
Philip, it’s time to get out.
[soldier] Loaded!
You have to listen!
Fire!
[yells in German]
[soldier] Loaded!
There are still many more.
They’re blowing out the bridge at midnight.
That’s in five minutes.
Enough time to do it.
Fire!
[yells in German]
[soldier] Move forward!
[soldier 2 grunts]
Our time’s running out.
Still four and a half minutes.
Four and a half!
The bridge is 600 meters long!
[heavy gunfire]
Antitank gun! 12 o’clock!
I’m reloaded.
Fire!
I’ll take over.
[indistinct shouting] [yells in German] Loaded!
We are alone and our time’s nearly up, Philip.
Give the bloody order!
Give the bloody order, Philip!
Achtung, withdraw.
Hummel, back over the bridge.
[over radio] Jawohl, Commander! Faster, faster, faster, faster, faster!
Come on! We have four minutes left.
Four minutes to get off!
Hummel, give it some gas!
This isn’t fast enough.
They are not following anymore.
They are no longer shooting.
They’re waiting for us to blow the bridge.
[Gerkens] We can make it.
Ilyushins.
They can’t change what will happen.
[soldier] Commander!
[soldier 2] Fire!
[Helmut groaning]
Fire!
It’s coming in!
It’s coming through the hatches!
We’re on fire!
[groaning]
It’s burning! I’m on fire!
Drive, Helmut! Faster! Faster!
[all shrieking]
The fire’s everywhere!
Drive, Helmut! Faster!
There’s fire everywhere!
Go!
Keep going, Helmut! Put your foot down!
[Gerkens] Just keep going!
I think we’ll make it, Philip! We’ll make it!
[soldier] We are alone and our time’s nearly up, Philip. Give the bloody order! Ilyushins!
[Helmut] It’s burning! I’m burning!
[soldier] Fire! There’s fire everywhere!
[soldiers moaning] Fire!
[groaning]
[soldier screaming]
[Gerkens] How long till we’re there?
SECRET HQ XXIV. GUNNER, 21. SEPT. 1943
“Operation Labyrinth. Individual order without support. Von Hardenburg.” Paul?
[men speaking indistinctly]
[metal clanking]
[man] I’ve got my glasses.
Boys, that’s it!
Turn on the gas.
[man 2] Give it to me. [exhales]
Lieutenant. Welcome back.
[Gerkens] Thank you, Christian.
Men!
Lieutenant.
Lieutenant.
Chief.
So what’s happened to our Tiger?
Just a little battered and bruised. But you’ll soon be ready.
Good. And you?
Us also, a couple of scratches, a few burns. Nothing serious. A new mission?
It is, yeah. And we mobilize this afternoon, orders from Colonel Richter.
[Keilig] What about our leave?
Canceled.
[Weller] Going today?
[Gerkens] Today.
Where?
To the eastern front, on the end of Psel.
To the Iwans?
In between. Noman’sland. On this mission, we have to determine the whereabouts of Colonel von Hardenburg and escort him back.
Von Hardenburg? I heard that he died.
That’s what I heard. But no doubt others think we’ve fallen.
Which unit will accompany us?
We go alone. The order’s for only us to get him. He’s believed to be in one of our bunkers east of Novyi Yar.
Shit.
It’s top secret.
Why send us to rescue him?
Orders are orders.
If we were supposed to know, they would have told us so.
But is a single Tiger capable of that?
I would say they think if any unit can make this rescue, that unit’s ours. Get the Tiger ready to move out.
[Helmut coughs]
Let’s go, men.
[Keilig] Off we go again.
[Gerkens over radio] Wolf to Fox Den, we are heading to the labyrinth for 48 hours. Wolf signing off, over.
Helmut! Lighter!
The greatest tank ever built.
However, for the driver, it’s impossible to see fucking shit.
And you arse-lickers get to just gaze at the sunshine.
When they designed it, they must have known how fucking ugly all tank drivers are.
[all laughing]
Von Hardenburg, he was with the Sixth in Stalingrad before everybody else was withdrawn.
[over radio] It’s a miracle he survived the last battles.
One of his hands didn’t survive as he chopped it off.
[Weller] I heard the whole story.
He was buried under the rubble of the tractor factory.
His hand was trapped.
And after five days… [exhales] …with his own knife, somehow cut it off.
To free himself.
I said so.
Helmut, I still have this lighter of yours.
But now it’s mine.
If he survived that, he must be a Russian spy now.
That’s the reason why they want him back.
Apparently, they said he was able to crawl out of the rubble and a young woman took pity on him, took him in. And a few weeks later, disguised as a farmer, he crossed again to our side.
And they sent his ass back to the front again, but with one hand.
An unfortunate bastard.
And now they’re forcing our asses over there to the rescue.
I think more and more that he’s a Russian spy.
Staff officers, all onehanded wreckers there.
[laughs]
What makes him so important for this?
Just ’cause he’s got a “von,” is it?
According to the mission order, he’s been working on a secret plan of withdrawal.
It contains all our positions, radio frequencies and weapon stocks.
If it were to fall into the hands of the Russians, all doors to the Reich are wide open.
[over radio] Our mission has the code name… “Operation Labyrinth.”
And they didn’t presumably try to reach him by radio?
He hasn’t answered since the bridge over the Dnieper was blown up.
In Stalingrad… they were his orders, weren’t they?
He was the commanding officer at that time, yeah.
[Helmut] Smitch, what are you doing?
No onehanded games in my tank.
What do you mean?
I see everything.
[Gerkens over radio] 5 kilometers to the front line. Then it’s all eyes open.
[Keilig on radio] Weller, what are they doing? Probably to confuse the Russkies.
That means we’re planning to retreat even further.
I thought Adolf the Austrian didn’t believe in retreating.
A friend of yours, Weller.
No friend that I’ve ever had.
You and your Tyrol pig farm.
First, there is no livestock involved.
It’s a vineyard, man.
And it’s the Wachau, the most stunning region in the world.
[laughing] “Wachau.”
Keilig, is anything going on?
Nothing, just distortion.
That’s better.
The Iwan can’t hear us communicate.
Hummel, we’ll turn left and get off the road up ahead.
Away from the open field to take cover tonight.
[confirms in German]
Let’s drink up, let the fire go out, and then we’ll take the first watch, Michel. All right?
Mmmmmm.
[wings flapping]
Are there partisans here?
You never know.
Better to keep your eyes and ears open.
Bodhana told me once…
[all chuckling]
“The woods here are full of ghosts.”
Who’s Bodhana?
A young peasant girl in Tolokonnoye that he fancied.
She sold us milk and eggs.
And the clap as well, huh, Smitch?
Helmut…
But we didn’t sleep together.
But he would have liked to.
[all snickering]
[Helmut]
Listen to Uncle Helmut, Smitch.
The spass is short, the regret is long.
And she said, in these woods, there are ghosts here?
Yes, where the… souls of the dead people are left to roam.
The Ukrainians all believe it.
At home in Silesia, they also feel it.
Silesia is one hell of a shithole.
How come we didn’t burn, Lieutenant?
On the bridge.
We only got off there because my bloody foot kept the pedal on the gas the whole time, despite it being on fire.
You should buy me a new pair of boots.
You know von Hardenburg well, Lieutenant?
We did military academy together.
You were friends?
Yes, but that was long ago.
But he’s a godparent to your son, isn’t he?
Enough of that. Rest now.
Souls are there.
[Gerkens] Don’t let Hummel get to you.
I’m his favorite target.
His own son was killed.
He was only 15.
A bomb and an air raid on Humboldthain Gardens destroyed the area completely.
At where he was firing from, Hummel had to bury an empty box.
Maybe it’s his way of showing you that he actually cares about you.
You go and rest.
I’ll be all right on my own.
[disembodied voice] Philip.
[tank whirring]
[radio distortion]
[indistinct radio chatter]
[radio chatter continues]
You hear that, do you?
[man over radio speaking Latin]
[Helmut] What can you hear?
Tell me.
That’s Latin.
You listen to it.
[man on radio continues speaking Latin]
“Lamb of God, have mercy on us.”
“Lamb of God, you take away the sins…”
[man on radio continues speaking Latin]
“Lamb of God, give us your peace.”
[man on radio continues]
That’s just mass.
At home, it’s always on the radio.
Yes, but they’re Orthodox here.
Why would they listen to a Latin mass here?
[man on radio continues]
[Gerkens] Tank barriers. Keep right.
Iwan is just trying to unsettle us.
Switch off that hocuspocus.
[man on radio continues]
[radio clicks off]
Why was this built?
It was built by the captured fighters of Zhukov’s army.
[over radio] After we took this land, we made them build it. And those that were not strong enough to do it are under there.
[over radio] Hummel, there’s a gap up ahead. Go through it. Turn left. Stop the tank!
What are we doing?
Mines!
Underneath us!
Shit.
How do we move, then?
Michel, Keilig, you come with me.
We have to search the ground.
Careful.
We only jump down onto our tracks.
[grunts]
[metal clanks]
[grunts]
[Gerkens] Search everywhere.
[object thuds]
[metal clanks]
Shit. Michel!
Come here.
[grunts]
It’s too close to the chain.
We must take it out.
You have to help me.
Keilig, search the area surrounding the tracks in case we have to back up.
[Keilig confirms in German]
Lieutenant, 9 o’clock, 3,000, dust on the horizon.
It could be an ambush.
[Gerkens] Keep an eye on it, Christian.
Help me.
[grunts]
Yeah.
[blowing]
Now you carefully clear the earth from under the mine so that we can lift it up, and I’ll try to unscrew the detonator at the same time. Yes?
Careful.
[blows]
Damn it! I can’t see anything.
We have to get underneath and lift it.
[grunts] Carefully.
Lieutenant!
What?
Under the mine, I saw something move, but I managed to hold it.
It feels like a hand grenade.
You’re right.
The bastards pulled off the safety pins.
It’s a double trap.
If you take away your hands, you’ll be setting off the grenade trigger of the detonator, and then we’ll both go out together with the mine.
[breathing heavily]
Michel, you need to calm down now. Michel!
Michel?
Look at me.
Breathe.
[breathing rapidly] Breathe.
[Michel catches breath]
Good.
I’ve got it.
[Gerkens] Weller, status update.
[Weller] Vehicles seem to be leaving.
[Gerkens] Prepare to reverse.
What’s going on?
I’ll make sure the Tiger and the others are safe, then, I’ll return for you. Understood?
[breath trembling]
Understood.
[grunts]
[breathing intensifies]
[Weller] Unknown vehicles at 5 to 6 km.
Moving away.
[Gerkens] Hummel?
Where’s Michel?
Reverse the Tiger, but make sure you keep to our old tracks.
Where’s Michel?
The priority is the Tiger.
March!
[engine ignites]
[breathing heavily]
[engine whirring]
[gear clanks]
[breathing intensifies]
Slowly.
[over radio] Straight. Holy shit. Careful, Smitch.
[Gerkens on radio] Straight! Keep it straight!
Halt!
[metal clanks]
[breathing heavily]
Throw it here.
You’re doing well, Michel.
Very, very well.
Holy fucking shit.
I’ll get you safely… back to your home.
Careful.
And now listen to me very carefully, Michel.
Look me in the eye.
Now, there’s no rush. Just take your time.
Little by little, take your hand out so that the weight of the mine is always pressing on the grenade instead.
Go on.
Take your time.
Take your time. That’s it.
Take your time.
Very good, Michel.
Very good.
[breath trembling]
[Gerkens] That’s it.
Slowly, Michel.
Further.
Further if you can.
Further.
Good, Michel.
Very carefully.
[exhales]
Now stand up.
[grunts]
Come on.
[metal clanks] [grunts]
[Gerkens] Everybody, dismount.
Behind the Tiger.
You should do it.
You’ve got nerves of steel.
We’re leaving.
Solid steel.
No big deal, Smitch.
I knew it wouldn’t happen.
But you can always hang the picture of your girlfriend in my compartment.
[Gerkens over radio] Hummel, sharp left.
Halt!
Tank at 12 o’clock!
Reverse! Back! Go!
[engine accelerating]
Sharp left turn!
[over radio] Smoke grenade!
[grenades hissing]
Faster!
[over radio] Hummel, more distance!
Out of the forest.
[shouts] Put your foot down! [shouts] And halt!
[brakes screech]
That’s a heavy caliber.
I think it’s an SU100. Tank killer. One hit from that caliber, and we’re done.
Hey, Lieutenant?
[Gerkens] There are more coming.
At least three more tanks. We’ll evade them. We should remain here and take them on one by one.
There are too many of them, and we can’t jeopardize the mission.
But we’re trapped between the river and the enemy.
We have no option other than to attack them.
[over radio] We’re sitting ducks.
[Gerkens] The river. It could be our chance.
First reverse, then head east at 3 o’clock.
[engine accelerating]
[wood cracking]
Halt!
Engine off.
[Weller over radio] Philip, what’s your plan?
Everyone, dismount!
What in the hell?
Listen.
It’s time to submerge now.
Huh?
What?
It’s the reason this Tiger was built.
We’ve only done that in training so far.
Do it!
Not yet in the field.
It seems now is the time that demands we do it.
But we’ve been hit.
Several hits that could lead to us sinking like a stone.
You’ve already repaired it.
And I trust you.
Come on.
Come on. Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!
Come on.
[suspenseful music playing]
Perfect.
Come on, get in.
[metal creaks]
Hummel, engine on.
[engine ignites]
[over radio] Come on, let’s go.
Let’s dive. OPEN Beginning of water contact.
[water sloshing]
[metal creaking]
[inhales deeply]
Hummel, now hold.
It’s very loud, isn’t it?
Couldn’t we just stop the motor?
No.
No.
If the motor didn’t start, we’d be drown down here.
But they can see our emissions, though.
Motor off.
What?
If it doesn’t start up again, then we are fucked here.
Off.
[engine stops]
How is it managing?
It all seems tight.
Here as well.
[Michel] No water to report.
How long can we stay underwater?
[rumbling]
Motor noises.
They’re getting closer.
Burning in a panzer is one thing, and drowning is another.
Weller was right.
We should have faced them in battle.
[Helmut] Yeah.
We’re stuck in a corner.
Enough.
[motors rumbling]
[rumbling intensifies]
[rumbling fades]
[exhales deeply]
[sighs]
[Gerkens] We’ll remain submerged to be safe.
[somber music playing]
How long do you want to be here for?
Until I’m sure we won’t be falling straight into a trap up there.
Once we do, we’re out.
[sighs]
[Gerkens sighs deeply]
Keilig, what’s the time on your watch?
Just before 12:00, but it stopped since the bridge.
Bodhana once said that, in the lakes, there’s a water sprite who pulls you into the depths when you’re paddling.
She has such a cheerful nature, your princess.
Enough rubbish.
[Helmut coughing]
That’s enough.
[men coughing and gasping]
[somber instrumental music playing]
[tank thuds]
Hey, Lieutenant!
Shit, we’re leaking. We’re leaking!
We have to surface if they’re there or not.
[breathing heavily] We have to.
We’ll cross the river and come out on the other side.
Cross the river?
In case they’re still close to us.
It’s safer.
And we’ll save fuel, not looking for a bridge.
Helmut, motor on again.
[engine sputtering]
Shit.
Come on, motor. Come on, motor.
Come on, motor.
Come!
[engine sputtering] Come on, Hummel!
Come on, Hummel.
[engine sputtering]
Come on, Helmut, do it!
Come on, come on, come on, come on!
[engine sputtering]
[engine starts] Yes!
[all laughing]
Helmut, forward march.
[grunts]
If we can’t move from here, underwater, we won’t be able to get the hatch off.
I can’t swim.
No, I can’t either.
It’s meaningless…
’cause we’ll die in the same coffin.
And halt. Motor off.
[air hisses]
[breathing heavily]
[all breathing heavily]
The coast is clear.
Everybody, dismount.
[grunts]
[panting]
Let’s get the little one ready for land again.
The petrol should last 20 kilometers.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Shit.
What?
The Iwan owes me a new pack, you know?
[all laugh]
[Michel] That was close.
[Gerkens] Come on.
We have a mission to complete.
[over radio] Have a tank treat.
We have a long night ahead.
And I need you all to stay wide awake.
[Keilig] No, I’d prefer to keep a clear head.
[heart beating]
And halt.
Motor off.
[engine stops]
What’s going on?
[men shouting indistinctly]
They’re our own soldiers.
Motor on. Forward march.
[motor ignites]
[indistinct chatter continues]
[women yelling]
[Gerkens] Motor off. Dismount.
[women screaming]
[screaming intensifies]
[dogs barking]
Stop. Hands up! Stay there!
[man] Bring the animals here.
[horse neighing] Bring them here.
[man 2] Heil Hitler.
The panzer units. [laughs]
[man 3] Come on, move faster!
Quicker, quicker!
Hurry up, will you?
Hurry, men!
The horses, too!
Lieutenant Gerkens, Heavy Panzer Division 503.
Here to request fuel and supplies.
Senior Assault Unit Leader Krebs.
Are you lost?
What’s happened to you, then?
[women screaming]
Secret operation.
You panzer young men, and more secret operations? Hm.
But I was led to believe that no more troops would be here.
We’re here for our secret operation.
All of the local villages need to be cleansed of partisan supporters.
You are… gathering for labor, then?
[chuckles] The labor camps have gone from here.
They’re herded together before the fires begin.
Then they are trampled to death by their own animals.
Saves ammunition.
Our little contribution to the greater cause.
The Reich has developed such an appetite for killing.
[man groans]
They can’t produce enough ammunition to shoot.
Good. I see we’re almost finished.
[people screaming]
[Krebs] Get ready to leave.
[people screaming] [horse neighing]
[hoofs thumping]
[screaming continues]
[screaming intensifies]
I know you remember all of this fire.
So, my operation has been fulfilled.
Oh, your petrol’s there.
Move out!
Let’s just leave here right away.
We’ll rest tonight on the Tiger.
[angrily] Go! Now!
[tragic cello music]
[Weller] Philip?
[sighs deeply] Enough of that shit.
Michel, give me the good stuff.
[liquid pouring]
More.
[all grunting and sighing]
Nectar of the gods.
I thought you worked as a winemaker.
Even I, as a simple Latin teacher, know how bad this red piss is.
Baron von Claussen, ’37.
Grüner Veltliner Smaragd.
The best vintage I ever made.
Delicately fruity, but… it was so carefully balanced as well, with… delicate apricot notes.
“Nectar of the Gods” so was the name of it.
Reichsmarschall Göring was so fond of it that he bought up half the vintage.
And now all that remains of it is… it is the memory.
[exhales in disgust]
And now I have nothing better than this piss to drink.
Piss or not… [sighs] …it does what it should.
Lieutenant?
Mmmm.
[Keilig] How does an Austrian farmer like you learn to make a wine to be good enough for the Reichsmarschall?
[sighs] The Wachau.
So, wine making is in our blood.
From my father, I learned, and him from his father.
If you’re the wine maker, who is this, uh, Baron von Claussen?
I was his vintner.
Yes? Then that is your wine.
His land, his grapes.
So his sun, his wind, his rain, then?
For an old Latin teacher you’re sounding very red, Keilig.
I mean, the Romans, they certainly left us one thing.
Undoubtedly, it has been the biggest contribution to all human knowledge.
War.
And they waged it eternally not to subjugate foreigners, but to control their very own.
Romans fighting for Rome forever, never stopping to rest.
So the Latin teacher, wine grower, and the train driver find themselves just as caught up.
Nothing they can do. “Yes, sir. No, sir.”
Orders that have to be followed.
Forget about who you were and what you might have loved before.
To protect our families is why we follow the orders given.
Orders are the only things we have.
Without those, it breaks, doesn’t it?
The army, society, lives.
In my panzer, there is no room for politics.
And it’s a fact, you’re wrong.
The Romans didn’t have train drivers.
[all chuckle and then laugh]
Even I know this.
And you don’t know about anything.
[all laughing] Hey! Shut it.
To the train drivers, the saviors of society.
Weller, give it here.
No idea what it is.
I wish I could just forget it.
Forget who we were before.
We will never be like that again.
How can we after… what has happened here?
Who we were before…
We’ll always be the same.
We have obeyed many orders and just done everything that we were told.
That’s all it is.
When all this is behind us, then… come and visit Austria and see my wine making.
And we’ll share a drink together.
I’ll make sure of it.
[ominous music playing]
[flies buzzing]
[Gerkens] Halt!
[Michel] What is it?
[Gerkens over radio] This doesn’t feel right.
Let’s keep our distance.
The bunker is directly behind, and we can no longer afford to take a detour. Ready for battle.
Range…
A thousand. Helmut, drive past the mill on the left, but slowly.
And target set.
Forward march.
It must have been for target practice. Coming into firing range.
Keilig, to the MG.
Fire at will! The fucking sunshine.
Everyone’s eyes open!
[Gerkens] Halt! Cannon shots at 1 o’clock!
Hummel, reverse as fast as you can!
Go! Go!
Weller, return fire!
[Weller] Jawohl!
[Helmut] That was close!
Hummel, keep reversing!
Jawohl! Keilig, MG, fire!
[machine gun fire]
[over radio] Hummel, out of the line of fire!
Now, go! Left!
Put your foot down, Hummel! Halt!
Weller, next to the mill sail, where it’s collapsed.
Mm, 900. Identified!
And target set.
And loaded!
Fire!
[Weller] Achtung!
[panting]
No sign of target. Cannot confirm hit.
[engine revving]
[Gerkens] Shit.
[over radio] An SU100. [Weller] Is that the same SU?
What the f…
That can only be the devil.
[Gerkens over radio] He must have followed us.
[Weller] That’s not possible! Hummel, evasion tactic.
Keilig, you’re on for cover.
Move! Now!
[machine gun fire]
[Gerkens over radio] Fire!
Achtung!
[Gerkens] It ricocheted!
The armor is far too strong.
[Michel] Loaded!
Hummel, reverse! Move backwards!
We must attack from the side.
[yells]
[over radio] Shit!
That was our exhaust pipe! Go on, Hummel, further back! Further! Smoke grenade!
Where are you?
[explosion]
[men yelling]
[metal clattering]
[highpitched ringing, muffled sound]
[panting]
It directly hit us!
[Gerkens over radio] Everyone all right?
Yeah.
[Helmut] Yeah, we’re all right.
He’s turning around!
[Helmut] Shit! Shit!
Philip, they’re too strong.
[Gerkens]
But it’s only a cannon on tracks. We are faster and more agile.
They have to turn their whole tank to be able to shoot.
Hummel, keep going slowly forward.
March left turn.
I want to show our broadside to them.
Why expose our flank?
Trust me! Drive!
[Weller and Helmut grunt]
[Gerkens] Cannon at 3 o’clock. Now we’re staring down their barrel!
Have to be brave!
Hey, Lieutenant!
Have to be brave!
The Russians have us in sight!
[Gerkens] Weller, now!
MG fire! Distract them!
[machine gun fire]
Halt!
Come on, Philip!
[Gerkens] Not yet.
[Weller] Target set!
Wait.
I have him clearly enough!
[Gerkens] Wait.
[machine gun fire]
MG, stop! Fire!
Achtung!
[Gerkens] Direct hit. Target destroyed. [sighs]
[exhales]
[growls triumphantly]
[panting] That’s the problem with these panzer. They can’t see what’s right in front of them.
[Weller] We should have attacked them when we saw them in the forest!
That fucking tank almost made sure we were all dead.
[all panting]
[Michel] Keilig.
Keilig, are you all right?
Keilig? Keilig!
Keilig!
[Helmut] Keilig, you bastard!
[Gerkens grunts]
Hey, Lieutenant!
Are you injured, Keilig?
A splinter…
[exhales] The lungs.
[groans]
Shit!
I’m ready. Take me out into the sun.
[Gerkens]
Let him rest on the side.
[all grunting] [Keilig coughing] Get his legs.
Carefully.
[Keilig yelps in pain]
[gurgling]
All is good, Keilig. All is good.
[panting]
You and von Hardenburg… it is personal, isn’t it?
There’s no need to speak.
[choking]
[Gerkens shushing]
[choking and spitting]
[sniffles]
[crying]
[Keilig weakly] Write…
Write to Luise and the girls.
I promise, trust me.
[gurgling]
I wanted to go back to teaching.
[breathing heavily] In ’39…
I remember the class I taught.
It was one of the loveliest summers.
Since then, there’s only war.
I…
Keilig…
[growls]
[Helmut panting]
[sighs]
[sniffles]
Come on, let’s repair the Tiger.
We can patch it up, but…
[Gerkens continues indistinctly]
Lieutenant.
What?
[sighing and sniffling]
[Weller] Shit.
Bodies don’t burn as quick as that.
That’s it.
We’ll return to camp and report that finding von Hardenburg couldn’t happen.
It’s not normal here.
It’s only another 20 kilometers.
Our exhaust pipe is broken.
Then we’ll have to repair it using parts from the SU.
The tank will only go another 30 kilometers.
Not enough to get back.
In the bunker, they will have supplies there.
I hope your von Hardenburg deserves all of this.
But if he’s a spy, though… then I’ll personally take care of him with a bullet.
Go on, then.
Go on.
[Krebs] I know you remember all of this fire. Herr Lieutenant.
[ominous music playing]
Kei…
Michel, turn the radio on.
[radio tuning]
[man on radio speaking Latin]
Uh, Lieutenant.
[man continues speaking Latin]
Shut it up. Damn it!
[Weller] How much longer?
For how long must we carry on driving?
Up until he’s found and taken safely back home.
Oh, yes.
It doesn’t exist, though.
Home.
It’s just our own fucking lines.
What we can before retreating as the next wave’s coming.
And then back again. And back again.
Why is this von Hardenburg so special?
They must be worried about him.
Worried he’ll defect.
Maybe Keilig was right.
And perhaps he has, and we are… heading for a fall.
Or does this only concern you two?
Hm?
[chuckles] Keilig was right.
He said that it was personal between you and von Hardenburg.
Why must all of us be involved? Hm?
It’s you!
They’re my orders.
If the Russians manage to locate him before we do, they could lock onto our radio frequencies, tactics…
I know. “All doors to the Reich are wide open.” Philip, you’ve said!
But all our doors are already off.
The Russians already know that we’re here.
Philip!
You do understand that?
Please wake up!
I believe you’re taking risks that are unnecessary.
And you’ve been compromised.
I’m voting, therefore, to relieve you of your command until we return.
In that case… choose, all of you.
Yes?
Michel?
I’m with the lieutenant.
Helmut?
You’ve been our driver.
It’s your panzer.
[over radio] You’ve been with us since Barbarossa.
Yeah, I know.
I mean…
Keilig is dead.
Shouldn’t be.
And…
And over the bridge, the time underwater, didn’t you also risk everything?
And, so, I’m sorry.
Weller, I’m backing my commander.
We will not mention that this ever happened.
[sighs]
According to the map, there should be around here somewhere, an old path into the wooded area where the bunker is.
Slightly to the left, Hummel.
[somber cello music playing]
[Keilig] Philip… Panzer, and halt!
[metal clanking]
[Helmut grunts] What?
[Gerkens over radio] Footprints. Everybody, dismount.
[engine stops]
Bring your weapons!
[clattering]
[grunts]
They’re fresh prints.
And they are Germanmade.
Ready your guns.
[guns cocking] Michel, halt!
It’s trip wire.
It’s also Germanmade.
The bunker must be very near to here now.
Ready your weapons.
[guns cocking]
What the bloody hell?
[Gerkens] Paratroopers.
I would say they probably sent for us as they didn’t rescue.
Let’s go.
[ominous music playing]
[metallic squeaking]
[indistinct noise in distance]
[music and laughter]
Come in. Come in!
Herr Lieutenant.
We’re looking for Colonel von Hardenburg.
As I’m aware.
He’s in the command bunker and he’s awaiting your presence.
I’ll lead you to him.
But if you’d like to stay here a bit longer, perhaps…
I’m pretty sure we can keep you very well entertained. [chuckles] Maria, bring in the wine and what we were eating.
Go on.
[Maria giggles] [man] You look as if you’ve had a long journey to get here.
[clears throat]
To good times.
Good. And now you bring me to Colonel von Hardenburg.
Of course, Lieutenant.
Well, then, follow me.
But only you.
[cheerful chatter and laughter resumes]
[man] Come on.
It’s all right.
Herr Lieutenant.
[Keilig] New order just in.
Consider the withdrawal of the last troops on the Dnieper Bridge before the midnight explosion.
[man whistling]
Quite a labyrinth.
[exhales]
Your move.
Take courage.
[sighs contentedly]
[metallic squeaking and clank]
[footsteps approaching]
Paul.
So the stories are true so far.
Deutschland suffered in Stalingrad many casualties.
I suffered little in losing a hand.
Come with me to the fire.
Uh, the corporal said there was someone you were waiting for.
No, it wasn’t for “someone” I was waiting.
It was for you.
And no doubt you know that I’ve made my way here to get you back.
Naturally.
You had to make this journey.
I was your best friend.
Do you remember that summer in the academy in Hanover?
Do you? A warm August evening, yes?
I introduced you to Marion.
The next day, we went swimming over to the little forested island in the middle of the lake.
It was a magical summer. The best of every summer I’ve had.
And then this war was here.
We must go.
[laughs maniacally]
I imagine it was in the belly of your Tiger that you arrived.
Yes.
Tight, though, wasn’t it?
Intriguing that you all came on this journey to collect us a debt, though, do you not think so?
I’m in no doubt there are reasons why it happened.
What if I’m difficult, huh?
I’m here to avoid that outcome.
But what if that outcome prevails?
Then I would say they meant to send you.
Wouldn’t you agree?
Because orders have to be followed.
Ha! [laughs malevolently] Come, Philip, eat with me.
A last supper, so to speak.
We don’t have time for that.
We must go.
No time for an old friend?
I’m godfather to your son.
You have to thank me for everything.
Sit now.
Lying buried under a pile of rubble for five days, you soon become impossibly thirsty, of course.
But your mind is hungry as well.
You see all sorts of things in the shadows.
I’m surprised you were fairly unhurt.
I heard about your rescue. Remarkable.
What was it in Stalingrad that happened, Philip?
I… Enough of these games, Paul.
What happened in Stalingrad?
[gunfire and explosions in distance]
Paul, orders have been given.
They come directly from the division.
[soldier] Major, the other commanders are getting nervous.
Some are reporting that the enemy is closing in.
They want to know what to do.
The reports say there are also women and children who are sheltering there.
It’s also reported that it’s full of Russian forces.
They control the tractor factory, which means also this area of the city.
Our advance will fail if we don’t act now.
Can you hear anything?
No.
[Gerkens] Paul.
Orders have been given.
This is not our decision.
Is that so?
[soldier] Major, the other commanders are waiting.
Paul!
[whistles] Go! Get on! Ready for battle!
Give them the order.
All other tanks, fire at will.
[soldier over radio] All tanks, fire at will.
Fire!
[glass shattering]
[women and children screaming]
[screams continue]
[gasps]
It wasn’t our decision.
We had no choice. We had our orders.
Yes, that might be true.
But the responsibility fell on us.
It’s midnight.
You must return back to the Dnieper.
It’s because of you we’re here.
We’re all here because of you.
Can’t you see that?
I’m here for Operation Labyrinth.
Operation Labyrinth?
That operation’s you.
[Weller] Philip! And I need to get you out of here.
I came here after…
After Colonel Richter sent me to you.
By whom were you sent?
Colonel Richter?
Did he ever really exist?
Yes, the clues.
They were there all along.
[man on radio speaking Latin]
Keilig, what’s the time on your watch?
Just before 12:00, but it’s stopped since the bridge.
Bodies don’t burn as quick as that.
It’s not normal here.
I know you remember all of this fire.
How come we didn’t burn on the bridge?
[Weller] Please wake up!
[breathing heavily]
But… uh, Krebs…
He…
Just another version of you.
As are we all!
[Weller] Philip! It’s midnight.
You must return back to the Dnieper.
[Weller] Philip, give the bloody order!
What was it that made you delay giving the order?
That’s so unlike you.
To put yourself and others around you in danger.
Yes.
Herr Lieutenant.
[Von Hardenburg] Yes, it’s been there the whole time.
The telegram that informed you that Marion and your son Fritz died in Hamburg.
When the air raids began on 24th July, they sought shelter in Saint Nicholas’ Church. When the bombs fell, they were burned to death in the firestorm.
[breathing heavily]
Fire!
Fire! I’ve been fighting this war to protect everyone.
We reap what we sow.
You lead me here.
Where is here?
[distant screams of women and children]
What’s happening here?
Wha… what is happening here?
[yells] What’s happening here?
This is the moment your journey is ending.
Mine was over way back then.
The tractor factory, I never left it. Come, old friend.
It is time.
I have to go to my men, Paul.
They won’t survive without me.
[Weller] Fire!
[Michel] Fire!
[groaning] It’s coming in!
[screaming] Fire!
[Helmut] We’re on fire!
[Keilig] It’s coming through the hatches!
[Weller] Just keep going!
[Helmut] It’s burning! I’m on fire!
[Weller] Drive, Helmut!
Faster! Faster!
[Keilig] Go! Go!
[Gerkens] Where am I, Paul? Where am I?
[gunfire and explosions]
[screaming]
[solemn music playing]
