(whooshing tones)
(calming music)
(film reel rolling)
(dramatic music)
- [Narrator] 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!
(explosion bangs)
- Bastard.
(bullets fire)
- Nadel!
- [Nicholas] Trommler!
- Stay still, stay still.
- [Eric] Apply pressure, we need pressure.
- We need pressure here.
- Morphine!
- [Dieter] No, no, no.
(gun fires)
- 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!
(laughs)
- Engines.
- Enemy aircraft!
(guns fire)
It's coming round again!
(guns fire)
(bombs explode)
(machine gun fires)
- Have you seen Major Fleischer?
Major.
Colonel Schwab would like to see you, sir.
Urgently, sir.
(knocks on door)
- 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?
- (Chuckles) 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!
(coughs)
- 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.
(explosive bangs)
- 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?
- [Eric] 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.
(laughs)
- 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.
- [Eric] 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...
- [Dieter] 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.
- [Voice] Metzger.
- Where are you from, Lieutenant?
I'm from Potsdam, Do you know it?
- [Voice] 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.
(laughs)
- Oh, fuck.
You see, I told you.
This forest is possessed.
- No, it's not.
- [Voice] 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?
- [Carl] Major!
- They are not my-
- [Carl] Tank, Panther.
- Identity papers?
- No sir, only this.
German clothing.
Good tailor, expensive.
- Good God.
- Oh, my God!
Jesus Christ.
- [Carl] Come on Professor, let's get you out of here.
- [Anna] Go away.
- It's alright, Private.
- Who is he?
- Someone with the initials BD.
(dramatic music)
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.
(dramatic music)
- 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?
(guns fire)
(screaming)
(gun fires)
(machine gun fires)
- Fuchs! Lang!
(speaking in foreign language)
- 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.
(machine gun fires)
- 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.
(suspenseful music)
(coughing)
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?
- [Hinrich] Release him!
- No!
(gun fires)
Sarge, see to Rolf and the Major.
- [Nicholas] 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.
(guns fire)
Sergeant, enough!
(screaming)
- 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.
- [Eric] 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.
- [Dieter] I asked that Russian sniper
what she was scared of,
what they were running from.
- [Nicholas] And, did she enlighten you?
- [Dieter] 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-
- [Nicholas] 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.
(screaming)
- 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.
- [Anna] Don't worry, Dieter.
No one believes what he said.
- [Dieter] Major Fleischer put him straight, didn't he?
- [Anna] He did.
There is some hostility between those two, isn't there?
- [Dieter] You could say that, Professor.
- [Anna] 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.
- [Voice] Metzger.
- [Hinrich] Stop!
- [Kurt] Fuchs!
- [Voice] Metzger.
- I saw you.
I saw you!
- [Kurt] 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.
(gun fires)
- 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.
(thud)
- 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?
- [Voice] Metzger
- Professor?
Nadel!
(screams)
- Right, let's go.
Private, keep a close eye on him.
- Yes, sir.
- [Hinrich] What is it that you say to them, Private?
- [Rolf] 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.
(screaming)
No.
(gun fires)
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.
- [Eric] 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.
(Anna screams)
- He just burnt up, and I couldn't help him.
(gun fires)
(guns firing)
- 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.
(gun fires)
(speaks in foreign language)
- 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!
- [Ernest] Why are you here?
- Wait. I'm a German soldier.
- [Ernest] You're a deserter.
- No.
- [Ernest] 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.
(gun fires)
(machine gun fires)
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.
(guns fire)
- Jesus.
- [Ernest] 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.
- [Voice] This way, this way.
- No!
- [Voice] Come with us.
- No, no.
- [Anna] 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?
(guns fire)
(grenade explodes)
- 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!
(tank crashing)
- [Anna] 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.
- [Voice] Metzger.
- No!
(gurgling)
- 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.
(speaking in foreign language)
- Where did you come from?
The forest?
Why did you put this dog tag on?
(speaks in foreign language)
Take off your boots.
- Take them yourself,
you Russian bastard.
(gun fires)
(dramatic music)