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Colditz 2x11, "Chameleon"
Both American and Soviet troops are advancing rapidly into Germany, as the British officers learn by listening to the BBC on their illicit radio. Throughout the episode there are repeated air raid alarms.
Major Mohn, listening to the German news, is distressed and argues to Sergeant Winter that the Germans will inevitably win in the end. He's interrupted by a meeting with Colonel Preston (the Kommandant is away at "party headquarters" for a conference discussing emergency plans for the defense of Colditz), who asks that in view of the worsening rations, the prisoners be given permission to keep chickens and rabbits. Mohn refuses indignantly.
Later, we see Mohn at a bar, presumably in Colditz town. One of the barmaids, Anna, is an old friend or possibly girlfriend; her brother, a refugee after the factory he worked in was bombed out, is staying with her. Mohn and the brother get into an argument over the brother's "leaving his post" which ends with the brother advising Mohn to disappear before the Allies win and start holding war crimes trials. Mohn insists to Anna that he'll stay and that there are other, "more intelligent" ways to prove his innocence.
Back at Colditz, Mohn begins a painful series of attempts to get on the good side of both the prisoners and his fellow staff members. He tries to joke and be friendly with the prisoners, gives them a German Monopoly game, tries to pass himself off to Simon as a devotee of "English football," suggests to Colonel Dodd that the Americans and the Germans are natural allies while the British are defeated, and eventually tries to cajole and bully the British officers into signing a document stating that he treated them correctly and humanely. These attempts are met with suspicion and derision from the prisoners, although Simon does hint that they might sign his document. Mohn also tries to sway Ulmann to take his side against the Kommandant's in the event of an Allied takeover, suggesting that the Kommandant is likely to be blamed for any abuses and also implicitly threatening to accuse Ulmann of abuses if he doesn't back Mohn.
The Kommandant returns during Mohn's meeting with the British contingent; Ulmann is at first reluctant to explain what Mohn has been up to, but eventually he makes a full report and the Kommandant summons Mohn to his office. The Kommdant reminds Mohn of his past behavior, including the commandos' deaths and the arrest and death sentence of Phil Carrington for "threatening" him; Mohn replies that the Allies will be more likely to hold the Kommandant himself responsible. The dialogue that follows is worth quoting at some length:
The next day we see Mohn in his office, where apparently without the Kommandant's knowledge he has summoned Colonel Preston. Mohn appeals to Preston based on class: he claims they're members of a natural elite who will always be rulers. Preston, unmoved, replies that he doesn't think anyone in Colditz (including Mohn's fellow Germans) will lift a finger to help him, and that "I, as one member of your international fascist elite, would give three resounding cheers to see you roast in hell."
Mohn, desperate, rings Anna and asks for her help. When she's reluctant, he tries to blackmail her and she tearfully hangs up on him.
Meanwhile, all the German staff's food animals have been commandeered and are being loaded onto a cart. Mohn tries to order his former ally Sergeant Winter to stop the "evacuation" of the animals but is ignored. In the British dorm, the prisoners are playing the German version of Monopoly Mohn gave them; Tim jokingly suggests that they should thank Mohn by offering him the use of one of their escape routes.
Next we see Mohn in his office again. He is wearing civilian clothes, although he puts the Knight's Cross from his uniform in his pocket. Simon comes in with the statement the prisoners have signed; it's not the one Mohn gave them, but a new one accusing Mohn of abuses ranging from interfering with prisoners' mail to the execution of the commandos. Mohn tries to insist that the commandos' deaths were not his fault, but is ignored. Simon tells him that if he gets away, he'd better remember to look over his shoulder once in a while, then salutes him ironically and leaves. Mohn takes an attaché case with his revolver and money, looks at the picture of himself shaking Hitler's hand and tears it up, and leaves Colditz via the prisoners' courtyard. He's challenged by sentries, who clearly know what he's up to but let him bluff his way through. However, when he gets to the perimeter fence he's spotted before he can climb over (having already thrown his case over), and when he tries to talk his way through the gate, he's not allowed to cross because all leave has been cancelled. At this point another air raid begins, the lights are switched off, and Mohn slips through the gate by hiding under the cart full of animals. He doesn't retrieve his case with his money and revolver; we never learn if he gets away.
Timeline: I was too lazy to look up the references to specific military events, but obviously this is still late March or early April 1945.
Major Mohn, listening to the German news, is distressed and argues to Sergeant Winter that the Germans will inevitably win in the end. He's interrupted by a meeting with Colonel Preston (the Kommandant is away at "party headquarters" for a conference discussing emergency plans for the defense of Colditz), who asks that in view of the worsening rations, the prisoners be given permission to keep chickens and rabbits. Mohn refuses indignantly.
Later, we see Mohn at a bar, presumably in Colditz town. One of the barmaids, Anna, is an old friend or possibly girlfriend; her brother, a refugee after the factory he worked in was bombed out, is staying with her. Mohn and the brother get into an argument over the brother's "leaving his post" which ends with the brother advising Mohn to disappear before the Allies win and start holding war crimes trials. Mohn insists to Anna that he'll stay and that there are other, "more intelligent" ways to prove his innocence.
Back at Colditz, Mohn begins a painful series of attempts to get on the good side of both the prisoners and his fellow staff members. He tries to joke and be friendly with the prisoners, gives them a German Monopoly game, tries to pass himself off to Simon as a devotee of "English football," suggests to Colonel Dodd that the Americans and the Germans are natural allies while the British are defeated, and eventually tries to cajole and bully the British officers into signing a document stating that he treated them correctly and humanely. These attempts are met with suspicion and derision from the prisoners, although Simon does hint that they might sign his document. Mohn also tries to sway Ulmann to take his side against the Kommandant's in the event of an Allied takeover, suggesting that the Kommandant is likely to be blamed for any abuses and also implicitly threatening to accuse Ulmann of abuses if he doesn't back Mohn.
The Kommandant returns during Mohn's meeting with the British contingent; Ulmann is at first reluctant to explain what Mohn has been up to, but eventually he makes a full report and the Kommandant summons Mohn to his office. The Kommdant reminds Mohn of his past behavior, including the commandos' deaths and the arrest and death sentence of Phil Carrington for "threatening" him; Mohn replies that the Allies will be more likely to hold the Kommandant himself responsible. The dialogue that follows is worth quoting at some length:
Mohn: As of this moment, for us, there is only naked survival and you know it.Mohn ultimately offers to share the money he has in a Swiss account with the Kommandant in exchange for his support; the Kommandant relieves Mohn of his duties, tells Ulmann Mohn is "not well," and has him escorted to his quarters.
Kommandant: You are debasing yourself and your country, Mohn. I still believe there to be certain standards, rules, basic moral decencies. This is not yet the jungle.
Mohn: Where have you been for the last twelve years? We have been living in the depths of the jungle since 1933! All right, so you chose to blind yourself to everything around you, to the truth, to see only the rules. Well, now there are no rules and there is nothing left for you to hang onto. Believe me, it will not be very long before your kind of German is the laughingstock of the world.
Kommandant: And your kind of German?
Mohn: Will be needed, on that you can rely.
Kommandant: By whom?
Mohn: By the victors, sir. By the victors.
The next day we see Mohn in his office, where apparently without the Kommandant's knowledge he has summoned Colonel Preston. Mohn appeals to Preston based on class: he claims they're members of a natural elite who will always be rulers. Preston, unmoved, replies that he doesn't think anyone in Colditz (including Mohn's fellow Germans) will lift a finger to help him, and that "I, as one member of your international fascist elite, would give three resounding cheers to see you roast in hell."
Mohn, desperate, rings Anna and asks for her help. When she's reluctant, he tries to blackmail her and she tearfully hangs up on him.
Meanwhile, all the German staff's food animals have been commandeered and are being loaded onto a cart. Mohn tries to order his former ally Sergeant Winter to stop the "evacuation" of the animals but is ignored. In the British dorm, the prisoners are playing the German version of Monopoly Mohn gave them; Tim jokingly suggests that they should thank Mohn by offering him the use of one of their escape routes.
Next we see Mohn in his office again. He is wearing civilian clothes, although he puts the Knight's Cross from his uniform in his pocket. Simon comes in with the statement the prisoners have signed; it's not the one Mohn gave them, but a new one accusing Mohn of abuses ranging from interfering with prisoners' mail to the execution of the commandos. Mohn tries to insist that the commandos' deaths were not his fault, but is ignored. Simon tells him that if he gets away, he'd better remember to look over his shoulder once in a while, then salutes him ironically and leaves. Mohn takes an attaché case with his revolver and money, looks at the picture of himself shaking Hitler's hand and tears it up, and leaves Colditz via the prisoners' courtyard. He's challenged by sentries, who clearly know what he's up to but let him bluff his way through. However, when he gets to the perimeter fence he's spotted before he can climb over (having already thrown his case over), and when he tries to talk his way through the gate, he's not allowed to cross because all leave has been cancelled. At this point another air raid begins, the lights are switched off, and Mohn slips through the gate by hiding under the cart full of animals. He doesn't retrieve his case with his money and revolver; we never learn if he gets away.
Timeline: I was too lazy to look up the references to specific military events, but obviously this is still late March or early April 1945.