QB VII

Male narrator: This is the story of the lives of two men

who fought each other in one of the most fascinating trials

in modern history.

The trial took place in QB VII,

Queen's bench courtroom number seven

of the Royal Courts of Justice in London.

There, Sir Adam Kelno, a refugee European doctor

and concentration camp survivor,

brought suit for libel against Abraham Cady,

World War II ace

and world-famous American novelist.

For nearly 30 years,

they lived their lives unaware of each other

until they came into explosive contact

in our time in these medieval court buildings.

In the lives of these two men, in their conflicts,

in this tragedy,

is the heart of the story of a generation

that, in the unforgettable phrase of those times,

had a rendezvous with destiny.

[Reporters chattering indistinctly]

Where are we going?

QB VII. What?

It's the courtroom. Queen's bench seven.

Yes, sir.

Sir, Adam, is it true that Polish witnesses

who are in prison with you at Jadwiga concentration camp

will testify against the statements

made about you by Abraham Cady in his novel?

I am deeply sorry that I am the cause

of them having to relive the horror of that time, yes.

Well, if Abraham Cady would make

some sort of financial offer outside of court

would you stop pursuing your case against him?

Heh. Mr. Cady's descriptions of my medical practices

in the prison of the Germans

are totally false and libelous.

I hope to secure a public apology

here in an open court.

Abe, be careful.

Of what?

Mr. Cady, have you any intention of apologizing

to Sir Adam for your attack? None.

This is one Jew you're not gonna castrate, Kelno.

You have no dignity, Mr. Cady.

Narrator: As the Russians drove

Adolf Hitler's armies out of Poland,

towards their ultimate destruction in Berlin,

they liberated from the concentration camps

those pitiful scarecrows of human beings

who had not yet been murdered by the Nazis.

One of these was Dr. Adam Kelno.

Guard: Who are you?

Kelno. Dr. Adam Kelno.

I am Polish.

Hey, nurse? Yes?

Excuse me.

Now, you tell me,

where are all these people coming from?

Concentration camps.

I'm a doctor. I hear you're short of doctors.

Oh, no, no, no. You're not well enough.

You need to rest.

Listen, I need to work.

No. Listen, I'm a doctor. It's my life.

Man 1: Pressure's going down. More oxygen.

Man 2: It's not holding here.

Adam: Keep going.

More adrenaline.

Okay.

Stethoscope.

Still up.

Adam? - Yeah?

Adam, come on, now. Don't do this to yourself.

Don't play nurse with me.

Go away.

This is no good.

You're not going to wipe out Jadwiga this way.

You want me to face it.

You want me to remember it.

Get over it?

I know it isn't...

Do you know... do you know what it is like

to patch up,

to repair sick, broken people,

knowing that the Germans are going to butcher them

because they are not well enough to work?

No.

To fight the Russians when they occupy

and the Germans when they occupy,

and to fight the Polish communists pigs!

Why do they occupy at all?

No, I don't know what it's like.

But I know it happened.

And I know that you must forget now

if you want to survive.

Oh, Adam, I want you to get better.

Why? What's the use?

What difference does it make?

I care for you.

What is there to care for?

You went to school in England.

Well, the war is nearly over now.

You could go back.

You could open up a practice.

They'll be needing doctors, you know.

You really do care for me, don't you?

Yes, I do care.

You do understand that I cannot give you...

I can't give you what you want to give me.

Well, that's all right.

I have not been with a woman for five years.

I would not know now...

How...

Adam.

How...

It's all right.

Nothing bad will ever happen to you again.

You won't have to take a step. We'll lift you into it.

I tell you, I'll fall down.

What makes you think you're going to fall down?

Because the bone isn't attached. Oh, don't be silly. Come along.

Up you come. You'll be quite all right.

Nurse. Oh.

Get his plates, please. Yes.

Good morning, Mr. Evans.

Good morning, doctor. Tell me something,

who did your operation?

You did.

I did.

Thank you. Well, now...

If your leg wasn't attached,

I'd know about it, wouldn't I?

Well, perhaps you wouldn't tell me.

Adam: No, let's...

Well, look, now. Let's see.

Thank you.

Now, this is an x-ray photograph of your leg.

There's your name on top.

Now, that is your leg.

All right? What do you see there?

You mean that white line?

Yes. It is a bolt.

It is a pin. I put it there.

It holds your leg in its socket.

Then I sewed the muscles back around it.

Right?

Now it is part of you.

It works just like the other leg.

Really? Really? Yes, it does.

What we're gonna do we're gonna stand you up,

put you on your feet.

You'll hold on to this bar. And then you...

Then you take a step. Come on. I can't.

Of course you can. Don't be a baby.

Come on. I've got it. That's fine.

Get your hand on... She's got you.

Yeah.

That's right.

Now you're all right.

Hold on.

All right, you standing on your leg?

Yes.

Is it falling off?

Not yet.

Good.

All right. Now take a step forward, please.

Come on. I'm waiting.

There.

All right?

Thank you.

Hi, darling. Hello.

Hello.

Who are you?

I'm Inspector Henderson.

What do you want?

I have a warrant for your arrest.

It's my duty to caution you

you're not obliged to say anything,

anything you say will be taken down in writing

and may be given as evidence.

My arrest? What for?

You are to be detained in custody pending a hearing

and extradition ordered by the Polish government.

Why? What's wrong? The Polish government alleged

that you are a war criminal,

for having committed atrocities at Jadwiga concentration camp.

That's insane.

I must ask you to come with us.

I don't... It's okay. Just a moment.

Now, don't worry. Shh.

Dr. Kelno. Yes.

You must by my lawyer, Mr. Takama.

In England, solicitor is the phrase, Dr. Kelno.

Your barrister, Mr. Robert Highsmith.

How do you do? Hello.

I prepare the case, and your barrister

does the presenting of it in the court.

Yeah. I must say I'm overwhelmed that you're representing me.

Thank you. I also must tell you