Rittmeister Wronski (1954)

Shortly after 1933, Polish cavalry captain Igor Wronski has to resign from the service after a series of dueling escapades and failing to honor bills of exchange. Through his sister Jadwiga’s connections, Wronski gets in touch with Colonel Maty in Warsaw. He applies to work for him as a spy in Berlin and is hired. In Berlin, Wronski’s worldly manner, luck with women, and considerable charm give him access to the highest circles in the Reichswehr Ministry. The young Liane is a secretary at the War Ministry and becomes Wronski’s lover. She obtains numerous internal documents for him. But Leonore von Cronberg, Colonel Ranke’s niece and chief secretary of the Armored Planning Department, becomes more important to him, and he gradually wins her over. She soon realizes that Wronski is a spy, but takes his side. She procures secret documents for him, which he has Jadwiga take to Poland. This gives the Poles, who are planning a non-aggression pact with the Germans, a clear picture of German armament plans. They feel secure and sign the treaty in 1934. Maty makes it clear that the Poles of course knew about the Germans’ plans, since they had received information from numerous women at the ministry. Shortly before this, Maty had warned Wronski that all the informants would be liquidated. By now, however, Leonore has learned that, alongside preparations for the treaty, plans for an attack on Poland are being drawn up in the Operations Department. The department’s chief secretary, Illse von Jagstfeld, is a very reserved woman and Leonore’s best friend. To get access to the plans, Leonore introduces Illse to Wronski. They share a love of horses, and one day Wronski manages to get Illse away from work and drive with her to Hamburg, where one of her brothers is taking part in an equestrian tournament. With Illse’s supervisor’s approval, Leonore takes over her position during her absence. She manages to photograph the plan to attack Poland with a miniature camera. At the same time, however, Wronski’s activities have aroused suspicion, particularly in the newly arrived Dornbusch. He has Wronski’s apartment searched and finds numerous clues to Wronski’s espionage. Among other things, he discovers an impression for a key to the Operations Ministry safe, which Leonore had taken. She had made it using typewriter-cleaning paste. An inventory is now conducted, and the missing cleaning paste is found, among other places, at Leonore’s workstation. Leonore is arrested, as is Liane. Wronski realizes he has been discovered and tries to persuade Illse to flee across the border. He confesses that he is a spy, but says that he loves her and wants to marry her. Illse recoils from him, but shortly afterward she is arrested along with Wronski. During questioning, Dornbusch plays Illse and Leonore off against each other by making Leonore, who is in love with Wronski, realize that he has long been involved with Illse. As a result, Leonore does not even clear Illse when they are put on trial. The proceedings end with death sentences for Leonore and Liane, which are carried out immediately. At the same time, an employee of the Operations Department testifies that the plans for an attack on Poland photographed by Leonore were merely a hypothetical exercise and had nothing to do with reality. He had previously and secretly arranged for the judge to release him from his oath. Wronski and Illse are sentenced to prison terms. He pretends to let the Germans recruit him as a spy, but intends to use this only to extort Illse’s release. He wants to settle down with her, away from all politics. He tells her his plan, unaware that their conversation is being recorded. The Germans now submit an extradition request for Wronski to the Poles, who buy him out. At the border, Colonel Maty is waiting for him and accuses him of defecting to the other side. Wronski denies it, but Maty plays the recording made in prison, in which Wronski says he will let the Germans recruit him as a spy in order to be with Illse. Maty is also convinced that the attack plan, as described in court, is worthless. He leaves Wronski alone. Jadwiga has also come to the border and shows her disappointment in her brother. She leaves him a revolver, and shortly afterward Wronski takes his own life. Illse remains behind in prison in Berlin, still hoping that Wronski will keep his promise and that she will be released from prison very soon.