| abstract | - René is bricking himself up in a small compartment in the cellar of the café until the war is over, thinking he will be blamed for the German generals' being mixed up with the British airmen. When Edith brings him some nourishment, she realises that she will also be in danger and joins him, which he lets her do reluctantly. Yvette and Fanny also come down and want to be bricked up, being scared of what will happen to them. When Mimi comes down, it is not to join them, but to tell them that Michelle wants to see them in the backroom. They are then forced to leave the little compartment they are in and go upstairs. René and Edith go into the backroom, where Michelle tells them that the news of the German generals, supposedly captured by the British in the submarine that was waiting for the airmen, disappearing will be all over the news and that René is now one of France's biggest heroes. She even bestowes him a medal from the resistance. Next, she gives him a suicide pill, since he must disappear, because he knows too much. When the Germans investigate the disappearance of the Generals, they might torture René and he might reveal too much. Naturally, he does not want to commit suicide, but when he asks Edith for help, she says she will go and get a glass of water. As she opens the door into the café, monsieur Alfonse is standing outside. He enters the room to pay his last respects to René and inform him of his services for burying him. The next moment, one of Michelle's girls enters the room through the window, informing them that the fish truck has hit a bomb crater and the German generals have gone back to Berlin. To René, this is good news, since they will now never know how close they were to being captured and he is in the clear. This means the resistance can take the pill back, but also the medal. They do so and leave through the window. Lieutenant Hubert Gruber rushes into colonel Kurt Von Strohm's office, informing him that general Erich Von Klinkerhoffen is very upset, since Berlin is blaming him for the failed conference. He will be looking for a scape-goat and it will be the colonel. As Helga announces the general, the colonel hides behind the window curtains, but the lieutenant cannot help telling the general where he is. He makes it clear to the colonel, that he intends to send him to the Russian front and, after some consideration, the lieutenant too. When he has left the office, the colonel comes up with the idea to ask captain Alberto Bertorelli for help. With his connections in Rome, he should be able to arrange for them to hide in the Vatican, if they pay enough money (since the Catholic Church will do anything for money). When Gruber asks where they will get the money, Von Strohm tells him that they will sell the paintings, but cut Helga out of the deal. She is eavesdropping by the door and goes straight to herr Flick with this information. He decides they must find out where the paintings are and snitch them from under the colonel's and the lieutenant's noses. At the café, the gang are glad to be "off the hook". Bertorelli comes in and courts Edith, but soon, he is followed by Von Strohm, Gruber and Helga, who order all other customers to leave, since the café has been requisitioned by the German army. The German officers demand René help them get out of France into Italy and that Bertorelli help them get into the Vatican. Bertorelli says he can help them in Italy, but it will be difficult to get them into the Vatican, since the Pope will not do "anything for nothing". This is why they need the paintings back and they demand that René go to get them. While Bertorelli is parading his platoon in the town square, making them practice bayonet charge, and monsieur LeClerc and Fanny go for a promenade to the museum, René is kneeding dough in the kitchen. Michelle comes in, telling him that the resistance needs the paintings to sell for party funds, while he gives the Germans the two forgeries instead. When René points out that there are guards everywhere in the area around the sawmill where the paintings are hidden, she says they will not suspect a Franciscan vicar wheeling a pram. A while later, the German officers look for René, but cannot find him (Edith says he disappeared an hour ago). They force LeClerc to show the way instead and bring the Italian platoon to the sawmill. Meanwhile, René is on his way there, disguised as a Franciscan vicar wheeling a pram. Mimi, disguised as a baby, is sitting inside it and the German guards at the roadpost let them pass. Helga follows, dressed as a nurse and also wheeling a pram, in which sits herr Flick as the baby. As René is switching the real paintings with the forgeries at the sawmill, Denise Laroque and her gang barge in, returning from Lyon. Denise is thrilled to find René there and intends to not let him go. The Italian troops start firing at the sawmill and in the general confusion, René tries to sneak out, with Mimi in the pram. Unfortunately, the Italians surrender before they have time to get out and they, the colonel, the lieutenant and monsieur LeClerc are all captured by the communist resistance.
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