Maximilian Kolbe

text Maximilian Kolbe Eugene lonesco Translated by Rosette Lamont Barbed wire runs along the front of the stage. To the back, a wooden shack. A prisoner dressed in stripedpajamas comes running in from stage left. The man races breathlessly in the direction of a low gate to the right; he is running between rows of barbed wire to the left and right. As he reaches the gate he scales it and disappears. This is immediately followed by machine gun fire and German curses. The SS Officer in charge of the camp enters from the left accompanied by two armed guards. In the center of the camp yard stand the gallows. SS OFFICER: (To one of the guards armed with a machine gun.) Go after him, catch him, alive or dead, but I'd rather have him alive and hang him. Run, idiot, call the dogs, the patrol. Get a move on for Christ's sake, you know how close we are to the border. (To the other guard.) Hand me the list of prisoners from this block. (The guard gives him the list.) Get ten men out here. (The guard walks to the back, enters the shack, and calls.) THE GUARD: Durand, Goldstein, Aron, Humbert. SS OFFICER: Schneller! Get the trash out! Butt it out! THE GUARD: Werner, Barouch, Steinberg, Krawski, Pouchovski, Zimirnof. (As the men step out, one by one, they are being pushed brutally by the guard using the butt of his gun. The SS OFFICER does the same when they reach him.) 32 SS OFFICER: Heap of shit! Pig's dung! The one called Walter escaped. Fall in, swine! (The prisoners try to fall in as they are being pummelled and kicked by the guard and the SS OFFICER. Since the men move slowly, the guard begins to kick them, and to use the butt of his gun.) SS OFFICER: So Walter escaped, has he? Never mind, we'll get him back. He won't go far. Then we'll hang him on the gallows, here, but not before knocking his brains out. And you, you'll croak, all ten of you. You'll be locked in the bunker and if the swine doesn't return you'll perish of hunger and thirst. You'll be drinking your urine and stuffing your faces with your shit, so long as you've got any. You were in on this, with this Walter, and you'll pay for It a hundredfold. Those who burn in our crematoria have it easy; they go quick. You will have to suffer all the pangs of hell before giving up the ghost. (A voice is heard coming from the group of prisoners.) A PRISONER: Not me, please not me. I have a wife and children. (The SS OFFICER walks towards the prisoner.) SS OFFICER: Filthy vermin! THE PRISONER: (Being beaten.) Beat me but don't kill me. My wife and children. SS OFFICER: You don't really think you've still got children, do you? Our camp police burnt them long ago. (Anotherprisoner steps out of the hut. He is pale, frail. This is Maximilian Kolbe. A shot is heard. The first guard returns dragging the dead body of the escapee. He hurls the body into the yard.) THE GUARD: (Saluting the SS OFFICER and standing at attention.) There he is Sir! SS OFFICER: (Kicking the dead body.) Back home, sweetheart! Thought you could escape, you stinking rot! (To the others.) One can't escape from here. Here you croak. THE OTHER GUARD: Can the men go back In? SS OFFICER: That's true, I promised, but before whom? Before you, before them? That doesn't count. We'll take these ten to the bunker and let them die slowly of hunger and thirst. THE PRISONER WHO SPOKE OF HIS FAMILY: No, no, I can't bear it, I won't. SS OFFICER: It's not up to you. (He gives him a blow which sends the man reeling.) (FATHER MAXIMILIAN KOLBE takes two or three slow steps forward in the direction of the camp commander. All the prisoners and the two guards stand petrified by the bold gesture of FATHER KOLBE.) 33...