Die Verräterin (1911)

During the Franco-Prussian War, Prussian Lieutenant von Mallwitz is ordered to occupy Château de Bougival with his men. While his men take up quarters in the castle’s barracks, Mallwitz is introduced to the owner, Marquis de Bougival. The marquis asks the house servant to fetch his daughter, Yvonne, so she can present herself to the lieutenant. Yvonne falls in love with Mallwitz at first sight, but he shows no interest in her. She dresses up for dinner, but Mallwitz does not come to the table. While he visits his men in the barracks to check their discipline, Yvonne picks flowers and arranges them in his room. Mallwitz does not know who the flowers are from and has one of his soldiers remove them. Yvonne encounters the soldier with her flowers in the castle corridor and is deeply offended. A little later, things have improved between Mallwitz and Yvonne. They stroll together through the castle greenhouse and flirt. When a soldier sounds the alarm, Mallwitz remembers his duty as a soldier and leaves Yvonne behind. Yvonne goes to Mallwitz’s camp, but a sentry roughly grabs her by the wrist and prevents her from going any farther. When Mallwitz appears, Yvonne hopes he will stand up for her in front of the soldier, but he only reprimands her and sends her back to the castle. She wants revenge on him and seeks out a group of irregulars. She arranges a signal with them, upon which they can storm the castle. That evening, Mallwitz and Marquis de Bougival become engrossed in conversation, while the soldiers are also idle. At Yvonne’s signal, the irregulars first overpower the soldiers. Shortly afterward, they capture Mallwitz. Vujrat, the leader of the irregulars, tells Mallwitz that Yvonne betrayed him. A little later, Yvonne realizes that the irregulars are planning to execute Mallwitz and are already digging his grave (intertitle: “That’s not what I meant.”). She now does everything she can to save Mallwitz and, in the end, offers herself to Vujrat as his lover if he will release Mallwitz. Mallwitz, however, refuses to accept Yvonne’s sacrifice. Yvonne then disguises herself in Mallwitz’s coat and cap and hurries to the Prussian army’s camp. A little later, she rides out with the soldiers to rescue Mallwitz. He is led to the execution site and is just about to be shot by the irregulars when Yvonne first throws herself into the line of fire; shortly afterward, the Prussian soldiers arrive and overpower the irregulars. Mallwitz and Yvonne fall into each other’s arms. But Vujrat, mortally wounded, uses his last strength to shoot Yvonne, who dies in Mallwitz’s arms.