1944 (June 6) -- the allied forces land on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. 1944 (July 20) -- would-be assassins plant a bomb which goes off near Hitler, but Hitler escapes death. 1944 (August 25) -- liberation of Paris. 1944 (October 21) -- Aachen is the first German city to fall to the Allies. Otto is in the area. He joined the German armed forces and now works with the bomb disposal unit to defuse Allied bombs that have fallen onto German soil without exploding. He and his friend Pieritz are now working in the Schabbach area. On the job at the local air cadet training facility, Ernst recognizes Otto and speaks with him. He tells Otto of his son Hermann by Maria. After defusing a couple of bombs, Otto and Pieritz drive over to Maria's house. Maria is stunned, but very pleased, to see him again and Otto meets his son. Otto stays overnight in Maria's bed and they reunited even if for only a day. The next day Otto has to defuse a bomb near a railway station. The 250 pound bomb explodes killing Otto and creating a huge crater. Eduard is there to take a picture of some of the villagers standing by the crater. In Russia Anton is there when his film unit records German troops shooting Russian civilians. Two American soldiers arrive to secure the home of Lucie and Eduard.

• Edgar Reitz

• Henry Arnold
• Salome Kammer
• Marita Breuer