The Hansa Way

OUTLINE

Spring of 1945: The German army, Scorched earth Northern Finland during its retreat to Norway, leaving a desolated land behind. Elisabet, pregnant from German Navy sailor, is now an outcast in her home country. In hopes of finding her lost lover, she sets sail on a journey with her new born daughter, hopping from fishing trawlers to reallocated U-Boats and cargo ships along the Hansa route leading her from Helsinki to Danzig. She is finally evacuated to Lübeck along with thousands of ethic Germans expelled from Soviet controlled Poland.

Elisabet is delivering her baby daughter as the radio announces that the German Army has retreated to Norway. Amidst the celebration that follows, she is being pressured by her family not to divulge the identity of the baby's father. Not wanting to bear such a burden on her daughter and yearning to find her lover upon hearing about Hitler's death a few days later, she talks to Red Cross personnel stationed at the hospital who assist her in tracking the father's family in Danzig. In the disarray that follows the German capitulation and with no way to communicate via mail or telegraph, she embarks on a fishing boat hoping to reach Soviet controlled Estonia.

Elisabet heard about the massive evacuation of German troops and civilians from the Baltic countries. Only experiences fishermen can navigate the dangerous waters along the "mine net" laid between Helsinki and Tallinn. Elisabet boards an Estonian fishing trawler at night.

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HOSPITAL ROOM, HELSINKI, 25 APRIL 1945

An assistant nurse gently pulls a baby girl from of her mother's womb. As no one else is around to cut the umbilical cord, she asks Elisabet to hold her dripping newborn while she gets the scissors. Elisabet weeps a mixture of joy and sadness as the assistant nurse cuts the cord then wipes the baby before exiting the the room.

HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM, HELSINKI, 25 APRIL 1945

A crowd of doctor's and nurses are gathered around the radio as the newsman announces that the last German soldier has just crossed the Norwegian border. The short war with Germany has left desolation throughout Northern Finland and the Finnish Army will now concentrate its resources on the Eastern front to block any Soviet invasion attempt.

The assistant nurse sees a middle aged couple quietly sitting behind the cheering crowd.

-Mr. and Mrs. Ahlström? asks the nurse.

-Yes, anxiously replies Elisabet's mother.

-It's a girl!

-Is she healthy? asks the father.

-Yes, both the baby and the mother are fine. You can come in now, replies the assistant nurse with a smile.

The mother looks at the father who holds her back.

-No, thank you, we have to go now. Please give her this, replies the father as he hands an envelope to the assistant nurse.

HOSPITAL ROOM, HELSINKI, 25 APRIL 1945

The assistant nurse walks back into the room holding the envelope and a notepad.

-So? asks Elisabet.

-They left...

Elisabet holds her baby tight and stares out the window.

-Hypocrites!

The assistant nurse places the envelope on the night table. Elisabet grabs it and peeks inside finding a stack of 1000 Markka notes.

-You are sure that you don't want to think about it some more?

-Yes, I'm sure, replies Elisabet as she puts the envelope back on the table. Alma, Alma Grass. That's her name.

-You can stay here until tomorrow if you want... You should rest now, says the nurse as she writes down the baby's name on the birth certificate.

PUB, PORT OF SOMPASAARI, A WEEK LATER

-With the baby? asks the seamen.

-Yes, replies Elisabet holding Alma tightly wrapped in a white cloth.

-I don't know. I was told one passenger. Didn't know you were a woman... And a baby.

-I'll pay double.

-Ok I guess... So meet us a the end of the dock at midnight. Be discreet. One luggage only... and the baby...

-Thank you... thank you so much.

ESTONIAN FISHING TRAWLER, BALTIC SEA, 20 NAUTICAL MILES FROM TALLINN, 4 MAY 1945, DAWN

The Baltic Sea is eerily quiet on this third day following the announcement of Hitler's death. A fisherman, alone on deck, scouts the foggy horizon. Hearing voices mixed to the sound of the diesel engine and of the water hitting the hull, he looks towards the cabin to make sure he isn't being called but the trawler's captain is sleeping at the helm and there are no other souls on deck. Hearing more calls, he is befuddled when a surfaced submarine appears through the fog, meters away from his slowly sailing trawler. On deck, several sailors call him in German, and in various Baltic languages.

Confused, the fisherman takes a few seconds to realize that the U-boat is not in a firing position, then replies to the German sailors telling them to hold on as he calls his captain twice before he could wake him up. Hearing the commotion, Elisabet climbs on deck holding baby Alma in her arms. Two other fishermen are now on decks trowing ropes at the U-boat as more German seamen pop out through the submarine's fin.

The captain of the Estonian trawler is baffled when the very young captain of the U-boat jumps on his rusty fishing trawler.

-Are you the captain? asks the German to the Estonian.

-Euh... Yes, replies the fisherman in German with a thick Estonian accent.

-We need Diesel. We can pay you.

-Diesel? The Estonian fisherman looks at his Finnish crew which have gathered around him.

-Do you understand what they want, he asks his 3 men crew in Finnish.

They all reply that they don't as Elisabet walks up to them still holding Alma.

-They want to buy Diesel... They're willing to pay, claims Elisabet.

All men turn towards the mother and baby.

The Estonian then looks at the 75 meters Type XXI Elektroboote.

-Diesel! I don't know... How much do they need?

Elisabet translate in German then Finnish from now on.

-Enough to reach passed the Soviet lines. Maybe 10 tons.

-10 tons! Our tank only holds two tons and we're probably half empty.

-You can buy some from the Soviets in Tallinn, not us.

The Estonian fisherman hesitates...

-From the Soviets... It's risky.

-We can pay you...

The German captain pulls a 1kg gold bar bearing an engraved swastika.

-This one now, for your reserve... and one more per ton you bring back.

DOCKS, TALLINN, NIGHT

The docks are bearably lit by a single lamp post on this chilly spring night. With its lights down, a Soviet Army truck slowly drives by the docked Estonian trawler. The captain and two of his Finnish crewmen apprehensively walk across the truck's path. The driver flashes the head beams twice and stops. The three fishermen walk up to the truck.

-Let's move, says the driver in Estonian.

-How many you got? asks the captain.

-20 barrels.

-Ok, that will do, replies the captain, figuring out the maths as he answers. Can you pull back directly by my boat.

-No, replies the driver nervously. Let's do it here right now. You have the money?

-Better, the captain pulls the gold bar and hands hit to the driver. That's three times the value.

The driver inspects the Swastika bullion as the two other fishermen roll up the tarp and start rolling down the drums.

NAVIGATION TABLE, INTERIOR U-3955, 5 MAY 1945, EARLY MORNING

The U-boat Captain, his Chief Engineer and Navigation Officer, all in their early 20s, are drawing radius with compasses on a map of the Baltic sea as the Estonian captain accompanied by Elisabet and Alma stand by. Alma starts crying as heavy metallic noises emanate from the pressurized hull. Elisabet sings a traditional Finnish ballad to soothe her.

-20 times 0.1341 ton, that's 2682 kg... With what's left in the tank, it's barely 3 tons, says the Chief Engineer.

-We won't make it passed Gotland, replies the Navigation Officer looking at the map.

The U-boat Captain looks at the Estonian, then at Elisabet still singing to Alma's ear.

-You're sure he can't get more, asks the Captain?

Elisabet translates.

-No, he will already have to account for the missing 20. That's all we can do... Can you ask him to bring us back up now, says the Estonian to Elisabet.

Before Elisabet could even translate a message pops from the Enigma machine. All heads turns towards the Communication Officer.

-From OKW, Flensburg: ALL SHIPS ARE TO CEASE FIRE EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE NEAREST ALLIED FORCES PORT FLYING A BLACK FLAG.

-That means we can't even surrender to the Swedes. We've got to make our way to Fehmarn, says the Captain to his Officers.

-Captain! A 4 engine bomber is flying low at 11 o'clock, screams the watchman looking through the periscope.

-That's the third one this morning. They're is no way we can resurface before sunset, says the Captain.

-If the fishing boat stands still all day, it'll attract attention. Maybe they'll dispatch a Corvette, says the First Officer. We have to move on.

Elisabet who understood the conversation, thus the implications for her, Alma and the Estonian captain, becomes the center of attention.

-What's going on, asks the Estonian.

-I don't mind trying to reach Germany with you, claims Elisabet to the Germans ignoring the Estonian. That's where we are heading anyways...

-What about him, asks the Chief Engineer.

All heads turn towards the Estonian who looks confused.

BALTIC SEA, 20 NAUTICAL MILES FROM TALLINN

The Estonian Captain pops out of the water like a fishing quark followed by a tiny black inflatable raft which unfolds as it reaches the surface. He climbs onto the raft, sinks into it and stares at 3 gold bars which he pulled from his pocket before starting to row towards the fishing boat half a NM away.

COMMAND POST, INTERIOR U-3955, EARLY MORNING

-15 meters down, 220 degrees WSW, 90 percent speed, shouts the First Officer to the Crew as the Watchman pulls down the periscope.

-Welcome aboard ladies, says the captains as he looks at Elisabet holding Alma bearing a smile.

-Thank you Captain.

SLEEPING QUARTERS, U-3955

The numbing sound of a transformer fills the U-boat. Elisabet sits by Alma who's lying on a lower berth in the forward sleeping quarters. The Captain walks to them and kneels down.

-So what's her name?

-Alma.

The Captain caresses Alma's forehead.

-Hopefully, she'll get to grow up in peace.

-Yes, replies Elisabet not too sure on how to react to the Captain's proximity.

-How old are you?

-17...

-That's how old I was when I got on my first patrol, 5 years ago. When I leave this ship, hopefully we all will, I'll be 17 again... All these years underwater... It's like time stopped.

-You're only 22? and a Captain.

-This is my first patrol as a captain. We've been playing hide and seek with the Russians for over two months.

---

CAPTAIN'S QUARTER, AJKESVIK BAY, FARO ISLAND, SWEDEN

One by one, the Captain pulls a dozen of compact wooden boxes from his safe and hands them to the Navigation Officer who places them side by side on the Captain's berth. All are sealed and bear an engraved Deutsche Reichsbank eagle on their top.

-You are sure about the position? asks the captain.

The Navigator is stunned by the number of boxes.

-Yea... How much is that? I thought you meant 20-30 kg...

-One hundred kg per box. If we secure 10, that's a ton... We can't risk them seizing it all from us. Not the Russians nor the Swedes.

-Hell no!

-So that's why we have to make absolutely sure that we have the right coordinates...

-I double checked with the sextant and triple checked with the lighthouse... We're spot on...

SEABED, AJKESVIK BAY

Standing on the seabed by merely 15m depth, the Navigator is scanning the horizon with a battery lantern, trying to count the boxes. His stiff diving suit prevents him from looking up at a wooden box which is plummeting down along his breathing tube. The box hits the side of his helmet and knock's him down on the murky seabed creating a cloud of dust.

U-3955 DECK, AJKESVIK BAY, NIGHT

A seaman holds the umbilical breathing tube/cord as the Captain dumps the remaining boxes one by one aiming at the fading light below.

-It's getting tighter. Like if he got deeper... warns the seaman.

-The light hasn't moved... Is he responding?

The seaman hits the cord twice and waits for a response as the Captain's focus shifts from the bottom of the sea to the rotating beam of the lighthouse.

Suddenly, the cord is pulled 3 times meaning that the diver requests to be pulled back up...

U-3955 DECK, AJKESVIK BAY, NIGHT, LATER

Elisabet climbs down the fin's ladder and walks towards the Captain who's staring at lighthouse at the ship's stern.

-Can I join you Captain? asks Elisabet.

The Captain turns around and smiles at Elisabet.

-Sure... You want to sit down? replies the Captain as he lays his life vest on the steel deck as a cushion. You smoke?

-Ok...

The Captain pulls a couple of Ernte 23 and blows a long flames out of his tube lighter to light Elisabet's cigarette.

-That's good... We have to save the petrol! says Elisabet as she gently pulls the Captain's hand away.

The Captain lights his own.

-You should go back home Elisabet... The war is over now and Germany is not the place to be, says the Captain as he looks at the Faro coast.

-I'm sure I'll find him...

-Even if he made it, which is more than unlikely, he's gonna be held prisoner in Russia for years before coming back.

Elisabet looks at the lighthouse beam passing right above their heads.

-Then I'll wait... I'm not going back to them. I want my daughter to be wanted... proud. Proud of her mother and proud of her father. I don't want her to grow up ashamed... hiding the fact that her father is the enemy and that her mother was a loose girl...

-Maybe you're right... But a loose girl... That much? replies the Captain teasing Elisabet.

-You know what I mean... You have a wife?

-No... Never even had a real girlfriend.

-What do you mean Real?

-Well like a girl I go out with... Write to... That kind of things.

-But you've been with women before?

-Of course... I'm a seamen.

-You mean prostitutes...

-Yes... Kind of.

-And did you love them.

-I liked one... She was a polish girl in Danzig. I think she liked me too.

-And?

-Don't know. When my patrol came back, the brothel had been destroyed during an air raid.

-Sorry...

-I don't think she died. Neighbors said all the girl went to the shelter... But no one know where they went after...

Elisabet kisses the Captain of the cheek.

---

The Captain organizes a team of 4 (wo)men to reach the Swedish base on Faro by foot and negotiate the purchase of Diesel. As no-one on board speaks Swedish, he is surprised to find out that Elisabet's mother-tong is Swedish.

SHORE, FARO ISLAND, NIGHT

The Captain, the Navigator and Elisabet beach their inflatable boat on the northern shore of Faro Island.

-Don't worry, she'll be fine... says the Navigator to Elisabet. There are 50 daddies on board.

-I've just never left her...

-Let's go... says the Captain as he grabs one side of the boat.

The trio takes covers in a wooden patch about 500m from the Faro Fyr.

-There should be a road leading to the lighthouse. We can walk along until we hit a cross road. Saids the Navigator.

-Do you guys know where we're going? asks Elisabet.

-To get diesel! reply the two guys, looking at each other.

FARO FYR, FARO ISLAND

The trio reach the lighthouse and take cover behind rocks, scouting the area for potential vigils. The lighthouse beam intermittently hitting a fog patch over the sea, illuminates the area revealing several barrels sitting at the bottom of the tower.

-Do you think they're full, asks Elisabet noticing the barrels.

-Most likely paraffin for the lamp, replies the Captain.

-Strange that the whole set up is left unguarded, saids the Navigator.

At that moment, light beams flicker through the trees, announcing an incoming vehicle and defining the prospective road.

An M/43 Volvo all terrain vehicle arrives and stops at the foot of the lighthouse. The two men on board walk out and start calling a name out loud... No one replies... Until a dark shape, lying a couple of rocks away from Elisabet, starts moving. The Captain muzzles her from behind as the Navigator aims his handgun at the Swedish seaman slowly standing up, gathering his weapon, helmet and backpack, on which he had been sleeping, and walking towards the vehicle.

-Yeah, yeah... shouts the sleepy vigil as the two others break into laughters.

The tree Swedes sit by the paraffin barrels and pull out a bottle of akvavit leaving the vehicle unattended, 10 meters away...

Behind their rocks, the Navigator looks at the Captain, who then looks at Elisabet, still muzzled, then back at the Navigator...

-I guess this is our chance! If we get separated, walk 500 steps towards the north, there, and hide. We'll either be there or they'll send boat to get you.

-What do you mean separated! Let's stay together right, saids Elisabet as she pulls the Captain's hand away from her mouth.

On those words, the Navigator notices that one of the Swedes stands up to take a piss against the lighthouse tower.

-Let's go.

The trio climb onto the road and make a loop around the vehicle to approach it from behind, hidden from the Swedish seamen. The Captain pushes Elisabet onto the back seat then climbs over the front seat where the Navigator is busy trying to figure out the starting system.

-You think this is it?

-How would I know...

-Well, they're about 3 seconds away from us... maybe 5 because they're drunk. So you got to get it right the first time. I don't want to start shooting at Swedes... Plus the war is over.

-Shooting! I thought you guys brought me along because I could negotiate with the them, murmurs Elisabet from the bottom of the back seat.

-Well, change of plans... We didn't know they'd provide us with a getaway car...

The sounds of the escaping vehicle steer the Swedes into motion, but the darkness of the Baltic night prevents them from firing a single shot.

MAIN GATE OF THE SWEDISH NAVAL BASE, FARO ISLAND

All lights down, the trio's vehicle is parked a short distance from main gate of the island's Navy Base.

-We're talking not even 10km... They'll be back within less than 2 hours!

-The way they were guarding the lighthouse, maybe we have a shot at getting in.

-It doesn't look like there is a fence besides the gate.

-But where is the depot? Plus how many barrels can we fit in here.

The Navigator looks at the space behind him.

-Like 6 max.

-That's good. We could probably get passed Rugen with that. We just need to know if the Soviets reached much further.

---

ROAD BACK TO FARO FYR, FARO ISLAND

The trio's M/43 Volvo stacked up to the roof with diesel drums zooms by the 3 seamen they stole it from before they could once again have time to pull their weapons. Confused and concerned about the outcome of the potentially embarrassing situation, the Swedes start walking back towards the lighthouse.

-Did you notice a slipway at the end of the road.

-No, but it wouldn't make sense that they're wouldn't be one.

-Well we have maybe half an hour to get the raft and dumps the drums.

-Elisabet, can you drive?

-No... I drove the farmer's tractor when I was a kid.

-Ok so you get the boat and steer it back. Don't for get both paddles and the rope.

-You think it's all gonna fit on the boat? There was barely enough room for the 3 of us.

-We'll tow the barrels.

-But they'll sink!

-Don't worry.

FARO FYR, FARO ISLAND, DAWN

-Shit, it's gonna be day before we even leave.

-Hopefully the 3 drunks are making their way back here.

-Ok, let's go. Elisabet, to the boat, Don't forget the paddles and the rope.

-Nav, help me unload then drive the kastenwagen back at least one km up the road and run back. Find a way to stall them when they find it...

All three execute their task in a flash.

SIDE OF THE ROAD, FARO ISLAND

The 3 Swedes take cover in the forest as they notice the head beams of their m/43 pointing towards them. After debating a action plan, they cautiously walk to it pointing their weapons its direction. After a longish standoff, they realize that the vehicle has been empty all along. They debate weather they should report the whole incident. One starts walking back towards the lighthouse as the two others drive back to the base, hoping that the longish watch turnover will get unnoticed...

AJKESVIK BAY, MORNING

The fin of U-3955 pops out of the water to the great relief of the Captain, Navigator and Elisabet who are arduously rowing with 6 fully loaded barrels in tow.

-One day you'll have to explain to me how you knew that such heavy barrels would float...

-Easy. Diesel weight 20% less than water. Therefore it floats.

FARO FYR, FARO ISLAND, MORNING

The Swedish relief vigil finally arrives by foot to the lighthouse just in time to witness the German U-Boat diving less than 300m from shore.

Increadulously, he starts walking back towards the base...

TALLINN

U-boat seized and reallocated to Baltic Fleet to Danzig.

U-3955 is seized by the Soviet Navy and sailed back to Danzig by its captured German crew under Soviet command and escort to be refitted and reallocated to the Baltic Fleet. Elisabet and Alma remain clandestine passengers.

DANZIG

Following its liberation by the Red Army, the city is in disarray and prone to "ethnic cleansing". Elisabet finds her lover's family home repossessed by displaced Poles. Claiming the German citizenship of her daughter, she takes part in a massive exodus of Ethnic Germans towards the west.

Elisabet talks to a rat...

LUBECK

Elisabet and Alma take shelter in a house bordering the British and Soviet zones where Alma was raised.

Alma is raised on the Inner German Border by her single mom mother.

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