Wings of Desire - Reflections on Life and Death
The Dying Man: [thinking to himself while lying on the side of a road after a motorcycle accident]
You never saw anyone die? I stink of gasoline. I saw it all clearly - the Mercedes, the pool of oil. Karin, I should have told you. It can't be that simple. I've still so much to do.
Damiel: [placing his hands on the Dying Man's head]
As I came up the mountain, out of the misty valley into the sun. The fire on the cattle range, the potatoes in the ashes, the boathouse floating in the lake. The Southern Cross.
The Dying Man:
The Far East. The Great North. The Wild West. The Great Bear Lake. Tristan da Cunha. The Mississippi Delta. Stromboli. The old houses of Charlottenburg. Albert Camus. The morning light. The child's eyes. The swim in the waterfall. The spots of the first drops of rain. The sun. The bread and wine. Hopping. Easter. The veins of leaves. The blowing grass. The color of stones. The pebbles on the stream's bed. The white tablecloth outdoors. The dream of the house in the house. The dear one asleep in the next room. The peaceful Sundays. The horizon. The light from the room in the garden. The night flight. Riding a bicycle with no hands. The beautiful stranger. My father. My mother. My wife. My child.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Enemy at the Gates - Khrushchev's Call to Action in Stalingrad
Red Army General:
I carried out my orders. I sent in all of my boys. But the Germans engulfed us. They have artillery, aircraft, tanks. And me, what did I have?!
Khrushchev: [puts a pistol on the table]
A sacred duty to resist! I have to report to the Boss. Perhaps you'd prefer to avoid the red tape.
Krushchev: [[Joseph Stalin|the Boss; briefly pauses; stops at one]
My name... is Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev. I've come to takes things in hand here. This city... is not Kursk, nor is it Kiev, nor Minsk. This city... is Stalingrad. Stalin-grad! The city bears the name of ]. It's more than a city, it's a symbol. If the Germans capture this city, the entire country will collapse. Now, I want our boys to raise their heads. I want them to act like they have BALLS! I want them to stop SHITTING THEIR PANTS! That's your job. As political officers, I'm counting on you. You, what's your suggestion?
Officer #1:
Shoot all the other generals who have retreated. And their chiefs of staff, too.
Officer #2: [terrified, stuttering]
M-make s-some examples. D-d-d-d-d-de-port the families of the d-d-deserters...
Khrushchev: [bored]
Yes, yes, that's all been done.
Danilov:
Give them hope!
Danilov:
Here the men's only choice is between German bullets and ours. But there's another way, the way of courage, the way of love of the Motherland. We must publish the army newspaper again. We must tell magnificent stories, stories that extol sacrifice, bravery. We must give them hope, pride, a desire to fight. We must make them believe in the victory. Yes, we need to make examples; but examples to follow. What we need... are heroes.
Khrushchev: [looks around, wryly]
Do you know any heroes around here?
Danilov:
Yes, Comrade. I know one.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.