Berlin Express

'On a warm June day in the Rue St Martin in Paris

'there was a disturbance.

'Members of the French press

'were being barred from a secret conference.

'Representatives of the United Nations

'were hearing from the head of a fact-finding commission -

'Dr Heinrich Bernhardt.

'Bernhardt had a proven record

'on international affairs.

'His report was sharp and concise - facts and figures

'about turning the Allied zones of Germany into a unified country.

'They were dealing with something

'that might add harmony to this turbulent world.

'You can see why the reporters were a bit put out.

'But was the young man impressed? Definitely not.

'You can't blame the American.

'It was the first time he'd seen Paris and he really took it in.

'From street cafes in Montmartre

'to the plaza in front of Notre Dame.

'240 steps up the Gothic spires it was even more attractive.

'She was just like the picture postcards said,

'the most beautiful city in the world.

'By turns stunning,

'exciting, peaceful.'

GUNSHOT

Oh, un pigeon!

'That's right. The dove of peace was a pigeon.

'A dead pigeon.'

Viens l'enterrer.

Je fais un croix pour sa tombe.

Allons-y.

'All the same, the pigeon was set for a hero's funeral,

'in the shadows of the Sacre Coeur,

'the church that sits majestically on Montmartre hill.'

Pierrot! Andre!

'Two things were overlooked in the funeral arrangements -

'Maman... and the fact that on some tables,

'pigeons make a fair dish.'

Maman, s'il te plait. Rends-le nous. Les enfants, soyez raisonnables.

On devait l'enterrer. Qu'est-ce que c'est que ca?

Un message?

Faites voir. C'est pas pour les gosses.

Monsieur l'agent,

voila ce que nous avons trouve attache a l'aile d'un pigeon.

Vous avez tue un pigeon? Non. Les enfants l'ont trouve.

Ca va. Ca va.

C'est grave?

C'est en allemand.

'Allemand - German. The war was long over.

'Something like peace was supposed to be here.

'It still sent fear into these simple people's hearts.

'This was something for higher authorities.

'They went to their Deuxieme Bureau.

'That's their version of Scotland Yard or the American FBI.'

21 heures 45, Sulzbach.

'Vingt-et-une et quarante-cinq - 2145,

'the continental method of saying 9.45pm our time.

'And that was about all

'they could get out of it.'

On aura du choix. Alors, ne plaisante pas.

'That and...' Sulzbach.

'Plenty of Sulzbachs to chose from in occupied Germany.

'Several in every zone.

'Better notify the other headquarters.'

Passez-moi le service des renseignements des ambassades.

De l'Angleterre. 'The British Embassy.'

Des Etats-Unis. 'The United States.'

Et de la Russie Sovietique. 'And the Soviet.

'But notify them of what?

'Of what happening in what Sulzbach?

'9.45pm of what night?

'Six hours later at Paris' Gare de l'Est station,

'where the railroad office for the US Army maintained a special window,

'the following incident took place.'

TRAIN WHISTLES

My name is Hans Schmidt. You have a ticket for me.

Sorry, you don't seem to be on the list.

But it was only 20 minutes ago I was cleared.

I was assured that...

Paris to Frankfurt, eh? And on to Berlin.

Sir, fella here named Schmidt.

HANS Schmidt.

Oh, yes, sir. Right, sir.

Seems to be OK, Mr Schmidt.

'Schmidt was on his way to the Main Seiner,

'the United States army train -

'a travelling grand hotel for soldiers on leave and on orders,

'for war department clerks and wartime wives,

'displaced persons and diplomats.'

Right, sir. Third car down.

Your papers, mister.

Second car down.

Merci, sergeant.

Puis-je vous aider avec vos valises?

Ya nye ponimayu. Quoi?

Ya nye ponimayu.

"Ya nye ponimayu"? Ona ved' russkaya.

Do svidaniya.

Second car down.

Daytye, tovarisch. Ya tozhe russkiy. Je ne comprends pas.

Permettez.

Here, let me give you a hand.

Nein, ich trage das lieber selber.

How's your German? It isn't. I think I get the idea, though!

Das habe ich gerade noch gemacht.

We don't have any more German enemies. No authorised ones.

'The American

'was in compartment A.

'His travel orders read: Robert J Lindley -

'birthplace, Illinois. Occupation, US government agricultural expert.

'Compartment B, Lucienne Mirbeau - birthplace, Lyon, France.

'Occupation, secretary.

'Compartment C, Herr Otto Franzen - birthplace, Frankfurt.

'Once a German industrialist, now a dealer in scrap iron.

'Compartment D, unoccupied,

'but being held for a person of importance.

'Compartment E, James Sterling of Liverpool.

'Former occupation, soldier. Present occupation, school teacher.

'Lt Maxim Kiroshilov - birthplace, Moscow.

'Defender of Stalingrad. Military aide, occupation authorities.

'Compartment F, Henri Perrot, Paris.

'Member of the French Underground. Now a man of commerce.

'Compartment G, Hans Schmidt - birthplace, Munich. Occupation...'

TRAIN'S WHISTLE BLOWS

Glad to have you with us, sir.

Bitte, geben Sie mir Feuer.

Danke shon.

'2145 is 9.45pm.

'The only thing missing from the pattern was Sulzbach.'

I'm sorry, old man. This is taken.

You know, it's occupied.

You know.

Possession is nine tenths of the law.

Wait a minute. Never let it be said that an Englishman isn't fair,

at least on occasions.

Heads, it's mine. Tails, yours. Right?

Heads... mine.

Upstairs.

I can't say that I'm sorry.

Up you go.

Pleasant dreams. I hope you don't snore.

Ticket and papers, please.

Sterling, Lt Kiroshilov, compartment E.

You can't take that on the train. You'll get it back tomorrow.

Can I get a sandwich in the diner?

Lindley, compartment A. The diner is closed.

The mess sergeant will call you for breakfast.

My name's Lindley.

Sterling.

My kid brother fought with a British outfit in Italy.

The turning point of the war.

According to American history. What do you mean?

The actual turning point of the war was El Alamein.

You're quoting English history now.

Verzeihen Sie, bitte.

I wonder how THEY'LL handle it.

Truthfully, I hope. Otherwise I'm wasting valuable time.

I'm in re-education. It seems hopeless sometimes.

Yet what is more important than that?

Giving them something to eat. Your field?

I do sleight of hand.

I have to make 1,500 calories look like a huge meal.

And prevent things like plague and starvation.

Do you happen to know who that Russian girl is?

German, you mean? With a Parisian accent.

French? What chance has a European with an American around?

I'm afraid you overestimate us.

How can we compete with your charm, your chocolates?

Your soap. Your cigarettes.

It's more blessed to give than receive.

I thought the diner was closed. Unless you happen to be important.

What's so important about a German?

What makes you think he is German?

Reason it for yourself. Bodyguard holding the train?

I'll wager it's one of Ivan's lads.

Only a Russian would arrive with a platoon.

And only a Britisher would object. Oh, you speak English?

Comes and goes, tovarisch.

Good night. Good night.

You'll take every precaution. Yes, sir.

'There he was, his first German. You can't knock it out of your head.

'You've licked him in two wars

'and you're still not sure you have the upper hand.

'You could be wrong, though.

'Maybe he IS a right guy. Then you find yourself

'rolling over the former enemy border and the doubt is back.

'You're in his territory now.

'The trees look the same. The sky is the same.

'The air doesn't smell any different.

'All at once,

'the vestibule was chilly and his own compartment

'suddenly seemed inviting and warm.'

What do you want?

Nothing now. I won't even ask what you're doing here.

I'm just going to hope.

This is no longer your compartment.

Who said so? The United States Army.

For what reason? All over Europe, people have been shifted.

I'm to be a casualty of the war? Well, that's too bad.

I hoped we'd cement relations between France and America.