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Series: Miscellaneous Single Episodes
Show: Treasury Star Parade: "Chicago, Germany"
Date: Jul 22 1942

CAST:
ANNOUNCER
VOICE 1 (2 lines)
VOICE 2 (1 lines)
MARION, of Chicago
ANN, Marion's sister
NAZI, German accent
MOTHER, of Marion and Ann
VERA, Marion's co-worker
WOMAN, another co-worker
2ND NAZI
3RD NAZI
ALFRED, Marion's boyfriend (2 lines)

MUSIC:

FANFARE

ANNOUNCER:

The Treasury Star Parade!

MUSIC:

THEME ... THEN IN BG

ANNOUNCER:

Produced under the personal direction of William A. Bacher, with David Broekman and his Orchestra and starring Miss Joan Blondell in Arch Oboler's dynamic drama entitled "Chicago, Germany"!

MUSIC:

FOR AN INTRODUCTION ... THEN IN BG

VOICE 1:

This is a story that must never happen -- that will never happen!

VOICE 2:

(ECHO) CHICAGO ... GERMANY!

MUSIC:

FOR A TRANSITION ... QUOTES FRED FISHER'S 1922 SONG "CHICAGO" ... THEN SEGUES TO MELANCHOLY AND AN IMPRESSION OF ICY WIND ... THEN IN BG

SFX:

SIGHING WIND ... INTERMITTENTLY, IN BG

MARION:

(NUMB WITH MISERY) It's nice here, Ann... so quiet... the graves are all so quiet... your grave, Ann -- the grass and the weeds -- I had a hard time finding you.... I want so much to talk to you... It's been a long time since we talked... a long time since it all started... a year ago... that day...

SFX:

WIND UP SOFTLY ON NEXT LINE

ANN:

(SOFT, UNREAL) ... terrible day...

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Yes... yes, you said that, Ann... I didn't think so... to me, it was a day like any other day...

MUSIC: HARSH, DISSONANT TREMOLO, IN BG

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Attention! At five-three today, October the eighth, Nineteen Hundred and Forty-Four, the army of occupation entered the city limits of Chicago! The war is definitely over! I repeat -- the army of occupation has entered! This city now is part of the Greater German Reich! Stay in your homes, close to your radio for further orders! Heil Hitler! I repeat. Der Krieg ist-- (FADES OUT)

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG, FADES OUT GENTLY AT [X]

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Year ago... one year... army of occupation... marching down Michigan Avenue... yes...

ANN:

(SOFT, UNREAL) "You're alive, that's all that matters."

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Yes, Ann --that's when I first said it... [X]

SFX:

SOLDIERS MARCHING ... TANKS AND OTHER EQUIPMENT ROLL BY ... THEN IN BG

ANN:

(TENSE) Marion? Marion?!

MARION:

(FOCUSED ON PARADE) Huh? What?

ANN:

Let's get out of here -- let's go home!

MARION:

What're you talking about? Don't you want to see the parade?

ANN:

This one?

MARION:

What's the difference?

ANN:

(AGHAST) Oh, Marion--!

MARION:

I mean it, Ann! What's the difference? To a lot of big shots -- army guys, politicians -- sure! But what've I got to lose? My job? Somebody'll have to file away things and punch typewriters! You'll go to school -- I'll go to work -- we'll eat, we'll sleep, we'll go on just the way we always have!

ANN:

Marion -- that's terrible -- talking like that!

MARION:

No, no it isn't! So we lost the ball game -- so what? You're alive -- that's all that matters. (CHANGES THE SUBJECT, ADMIRING) They've got nice uniforms, haven't they?

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) "You're alive -- that's all that matters." I said it, Ann...

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Attention!

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) ... and that night, on the radio...

MUSIC:

HARSH, DISSONANT TREMOLO, IN BG

NAZI:

(FILTER) Communiqué number one from General von Brauchigg, dated October the ninth, Nineteen Hundred and Forty-four! Until further notice, all occupants of the city of Chicago will remain within their homes! No one is to appear in the public streets under stringent penalties! Heil Hitler! (FADING OUT) Achtung! Attention! Kommuniqué Nr. eine vom General von Brauchigg.

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG ... OUT GENTLY AT [X]

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Everyone was frightened. I wasn't. So we'd stay home! Remember what mother said, Ann? [X]

MOTHER:

Well, it's all very simple and understandable.

ANN:

But I'm frightened!

MOTHER:

The way your sister Marion explains it, they're just taking inventory! Marion says it's like a store that's changed hands. Marion says the new owner wants to know what the stock on hand is.

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) "Marion says-- Marion says--" Oh, Ann, I had so much to say, didn't I?

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Attention!

MARION:

... and then the second day ...

NAZI:

(FILTER) Communiqué number two from the headquarters of General von Brauchigg! Promptly at eight o'clock tomorrow morning, every occupant of the city of Chicago must report to his local precinct station!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN OUT

2ND NAZI:

(SHARP) Name? Address? Origin? (IMPATIENT) Your ancestors, your ancestors, who were your ancestors? What were their nationalities? ... Ah!... Your age? Your occupation? What did you do during the war? What organizations do you belong to? No, no, not church -- we have no interest in what does not exist!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG ... OUT GENTLY AT [X]

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) They'd won, sure. They were only taking inventory. Nothing to worry about.

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Attention!

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) The fourth day... remember the fourth day, Ann? [X]

NAZI:

(FILTER) Attention typists, stenographers, file clerks, living within the area bounded by the lake, Madison Avenue, 12th Street and North Avenue...

ANN:

Hey, Marion -- that's you!

NAZI:

(FILTER) Report to the city hall at once! Report to the city hall at once!

ANN:

(PLEASED) Mother -- Marion's got a job! A job!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN OUT BEHIND--

SFX:

CLATTER OF BUSINESS MACHINES ... CONTINUES IN BG, CHANGES TO RAPIDLY TICKING CLOCK AFTER NEXT MUSICAL ACCENT ... THEN OUT AT [Y]

VERA:

Gee, I've been thinking. I wonder how much they're gonna pay us?

MARION:

Who cares? We got a job!

WOMAN:

We got a job!

VERA:

Sure feels swell, working again!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) ... fun at first... fun... fun at first...

VERA:

Gee, I - I'm getting awful tired. We started at eight this morning and it's nearly eight now. Why don't they let us go home?

WOMAN:

Please, mister--?

3RD NAZI:

(HARSH) Yes? What is it?

WOMAN:

Isn't it time we changed shifts or punched the clock or something?

3RD NAZI:

Go back to your work!

WOMAN:

But I thought--

3RD NAZI:

Your function is not to think -- it is to work!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) ... fun at first...

VERA: It's been three days. Why don't they let us go home?

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

WOMAN:

It's been five days! Why don't they let us go home?

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) And then it was seven days, and finally the doors were unlocked. [Y] And you were waiting for me, Ann...

ANN:

(FRANTIC) Marion! Marion -- Mother's been going crazy! They wouldn't let me in! Just said you were working! Marion -- did they give you food cards?

MARION:

(WEARY) Huh? What's that?

ANN:

Marion! Marion, you were working for them. Surely they--? Marion -- listen to me! This week you've been locked up, you've been eating -- we haven't!

MARION:

What're you talking about?

ANN:

I tell you we haven't had anything to eat! They're giving the food cards first to those people with German blood in them! If you were working for them, how didn't you get a food card?

MARION:

German blood?

ANN:

Yes, yes. And we've got Scotch, and Irish, and Czech, and Polish and everything else in us! Marion, don't just look at me like that!

MARION:

I think you're crazy. Not give us anything to eat because we haven't got any--? Aw, I think you're crazy. Just plain crazy!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

ANN:

But it's been over two weeks, Marion! What're they trying to do -- starve us to death? Mother's sick -- I can't stand it any more! Black bread and a piece of meat -- and you stand in line all day to get that!

MARION:

Ann, please--! All we have to do is wait! Everything's gonna be all right!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG, OUT AT [X]

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Right! Remember how right, Ann? [X]

NAZI:

(CALLS) Fall in line! All of you! Verdammte Katholiken! Juden! Amerikaner! We are going to cleanse the city of American vermin! (SHOUTS) Line them up! Fire!

SFX:

FIERCE BURST OF MACHINE GUN FIRE

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

ANN:

(SOFT, UNREAL) "As long as you're alive, that's all that matters."

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Yes. Yes, I said it over and over again, through all that began to happen.

MUSIC:

HARSH, DISSONANT TREMOLO, IN BG

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Effective at once, all persons are required to learn the German language!

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) "As long as you're alive--"

2ND NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Second rate citizens and non-Aryans are forbidden within the Loop shopping area!

3RD NAZI:

(FILTER) ... in the public parks!

NAZI:

(FILTER) ... to marry without official permission!

2ND NAZI:

(FILTER) ... to attend the public schools!

3RD NAZI:

(FILTER) ... in the County Hospital!

NAZI:

(FILTER) ... not permitted!

2ND NAZI:

(FILTER) ... it is verboten!

NAZI VOICES:

(BLENDING, OVERLAPPING) ... it is not permitted... verboten... not permitted... verboten... not permitted... verboten.

MARION:

(OVERLAPS WITH ABOVE, REMEMBERS) "As long as you're alive, that's all that matters... as long as you're alive... as long as you're alive...."

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

ALFRED:

(INTO PHONE) Hello? Hello, Marion?

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) Alfred... Alfred darling...

ALFRED:

(INTO PHONE) Hello, Marion -- Marion, listen! I haven't been able to call you before -- but just sit tight and everything'll be all right! ... Of course I love you! It's just that I can't see you for a little while. I'll explain -- when I see you.

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) When he'd see me...

NAZI:

(FILTER) Achtung! Attention! Marriages between German citizens and second-rate citizens are strictly forbidden!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) When he'd see me...

MOTHER:

Why doesn't Marion's boyfriend come over any more?

ANN:

Haven't you heard? We're second rate! Just second-rate!

MARION:

(BITTER, REMEMBERS) "... as long as we were alive!"

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MOTHER:

(HAPPY) Marion -- Marion, you were right! Everything's going to work out all right! Ann just phoned me -- she's got a job! With one of their officials! Isn't that wonderful? Isn't that wonderful?

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) So you worked, Ann -- and you brought home food cards. Yes, Ann -- you worked.

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN OUT

MARION:

(CALLS, UNNERVED) Ann? Ann?! Ann -- wait!

ANN:

(UNHAPPY TO SEE HER) Oh -- hello, Marion.

MARION:

(SADLY) Ann! Oh, Ann--!

ANN:

(DEFENSIVE) What's the matter with you?

MARION:

Ann--

ANN:

What the devil's the matter with you? I got a few hours off. Any reason I can't walk around to get a breath of air?

MARION:

(ACCUSING) I was walkin' along and I watched you. I--

ANN:

All right, all right, so you watched me. So what? Can't I talk to people?

MARION:

Soldier after soldier -- the way they looked at you and laughed.

ANN:

I don't know what you're talking about.

MARION:

(DISGUSTED) And this is the job we were so excited about.

ANN:

(SNAPS) All right! And this is the job that's kept you and Ma from starving to death all these weeks!

MARION:

(SHARP) Why'd you do it?

ANN:

Why did I do it? Oh, you little sap, you! Won't anything ever wake you up? A war didn't do it! Losing the war didn't do it! Nothing's done it! Well, maybe this -- me -- will! Why shouldn't I do what I want to do? Yes, I want to do it! I want to have enough to eat, I want clothes, I want a little fun for the little time that's left! You think that if you go around with a halo over your head, pretty soon they'll start treating you fine and everything'll be all right! Well, it won't! Oh, you should hear those Nazi devils, the way I hear them, when they're drunk. (QUIETLY, WITH DISTASTE) And their hands. (QUICKLY) Listen to me, Marion -- they say it and they mean it. There's no room on earth for us any more! This is Chicago, Germany! Chicago, Germany! Everything's Germany! There's no escape this time! (PAUSE, FLATLY) You don't understand, do you? Well, I didn't expect you to. Maybe some day-- (SUDDENLY LOW, TENSE AND URGENT) Beat it. Gestapo guy coming. I know him but you'd better beat it -- beat it!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) We never saw each other again, Ann. Just as I never saw Alfred again. That day they gave me a job filing vital statistics at the Central Concentration Camp. They told me I'd be safe if I just did my job.

SFX:

CLATTER OF BUSINESS MACHINES ... CONTINUES IN BG, OUT AT [Y]

VERA:

(FLATLY) Warner--L. B.--death file...

MARION:

(FLATLY) Warner--L. B.--death file...

VERA:

Orton--K. S.--labor camp...

MARION:

Orton--K. S.--labor camp...

VERA:

Landry--R. J.--death file...

MARION:

Landry--R. J.--death file...

VERA:

Caplan--Isaac J.--death file... Orman--T. O.--forced labor, mines... Cary, F. M., death file... Lesser, S., death file... Skirl, J., labor camp... White, L. T., death file... Dixon, F. C., death file... (CONTINUES IN BG, OUT WITH BUSINESS MACHINES AT [Y])

MARION:

(OVERLAPS WITH ABOVE, REMEMBERS) I was back to work... cards in my hand... file the cards away... just cards... file them all away, and I was safe... quite safe... file cards in my hands... [Y] And then, Ann, all of a sudden they weren't cards any more -- they were people -- people who wanted to live the way I wanted to -- and were going to die because we lost. And then I was crying. Ann, for the first time in all those weeks -- crying...

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

ANN:

(SOFT, UNREAL) "As long as you're alive..." "As long as you're alive..."

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) I was alive. Why was I crying? That was what I'd wanted. I'd shut my eyes and my heart to everything to stay alive!

2ND NAZI:

Forbidden.

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

2ND NAZI:

Forbidden.

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

2ND NAZI:

Forbidden.

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

(REMEMBERS) And then, Ann, all at once I knew why I was crying! What is there in life for somebody just plain ordinary like me? To marry someone you love--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

To have children--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

To have a home--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

To walk in the park with your kids--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

To go shoppin' on payday--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

And if you haven't got the money -- window shop--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

And see the children growin' up and goin' to school--

3RD NAZI:

Verboten.

MARION:

-- and gettin' smarter than you, and they grow older, and you grow older with the man you love and -- and just livin' like human beings! But now, I'm - I'm not a human being any more. They said so. Verboten -- everything verboten for me -- for people like me -- who are just plain Americans. The thousands they were killing, and the thousands they were tearing out of their families to die in their labor camps-- We weren't human beings any more! We were slaves! That's why I cried, Ann. I suddenly saw that all those months trying to shut out what was happening just to stay alive-- I'd been kidding myself in a way you didn't do! For this was their world. They'd won. And what you said was true -- there wasn't any place left in the world for us. And there wasn't anything I could do about it. We'd lost the war -- and I'd helped lose it. And now it was too late. Too late to fight. Too late to even cry. (SOBS) Too late to even cry!

MUSIC:

ACCENT ... THEN IN BG

VOICE 1:

This has been a play about an America that must never happen -- that will never happen -- NEVER!

MUSIC:

TRIUMPHANT ... QUOTES "MY COUNTRY 'TIS OF THEE" ... TO A FINISH

ANNOUNCER:

At this point, ladies and gentlemen, I'm supposed to tell you about investing at least ten percent of your earnings in war savings bonds and stamps. I can't do that now. What else could we say to show you the absolute necessity of winning this war? Now, go out, each and every one of you and not only meet your quota but double it if you can. Remember, your quota is at least ten percent of your salary -- more, if you can -- invested in war savings bonds and stamps. Our watchword must be "WORK, FIGHT, and SAVE." This is your country. Keep it yours.

SFX:

APPLAUSE ... CONTINUES IN BG

MUSIC:

IRVING BERLIN'S "ANY BONDS TODAY?" ... CONTINUES IN BG

ANNOUNCER:

The United States Treasury Department wishes to thank the distinguished artists who gave their talents to this performance and the Hollywood Victory Committee for its courtesy in arranging for these appearances.

SFX:

APPLAUSE ... CONTINUES TO END

MUSIC:

CONTINUES TO END