Men Without Wings

The assassination of Reinhard Heydrich in Prague triggers brutal German retaliation across Bohemia and Moravia. German security services tighten control, and civilian reprisals escalate tensions throughout the region. This sets off a chain of events that reach into nearby villages like Lidice.

In retaliation for Heydrich's death, the village of Lidice is destroyed and many of its inhabitants are killed. Jirka's family perishes, leaving the boy an orphan with a personal vendetta burning inside him. The tragedy hardens the atmosphere of fear and resistance in the area.

Jirka goes to live with his uncle, engineer Petr Lom, and their neighbor Marta, who helps care for him. The two adults become a fragile makeshift family amid the occupation's grip and danger. The emotional wound from Lidice fuels Jirka's desire for revenge.

Lom begins working on the military airport, where covert resistance groups gather arms and share intelligence. Jana Tomešová, the secretary, holds access to restricted information that helps the resistance stay one step ahead. The airport becomes a focal point for both danger and organized resistance.

Jirka starts working at the airport, haunted by his family’s death and driven by a thirst for vengeance against the occupiers. He becomes enmeshed in the tense atmosphere and dangerous activities around the facility. The young boy struggles to balance survival with his longing for justice.

Jirka is caught attempting to steal a grenade at the airport and is arrested by the Gestapo. The arrest marks a turning point for him, exposing the brutal risk faced by civilians in the occupation. The event underscores the heavy surveillance and control the occupiers exert over everyday life.

Following his arrest, Jirka is executed by the Gestapo, a brutal reminder of the regime's willingness to kill even children. The act deepens the community's fear but also reinforces the resolve of some to resist. The tragedy resonates through those who knew him at the airport and beyond.

Jana faints when she confronts the danger at hand, and Ullman discovers a secret message she carried. He informs his Gestapo colleagues and goes to a warehouse to investigate, where he is killed by being pushed onto a transformer. His death exposes the depth of the net closing around the resistance.

The Gestapo begin arrests and searches of airport workers as they tighten the net around the resistance. Marta is revealed to be an informer for the Germans, though Lom remains unaware of the betrayal for the moment. The crackdown increases fear and upheaval among the community.

Neighbors reveal the truth about Marta, pushing Lom to act. He retrieves a gun from his hideout and makes his way back toward the airport, driven by anger, grief, and a desire to protect others. The tension between loyalty and betrayal reaches a boiling point.

Lom confronts Marta and shoots her, removing a dangerous informer from the circle. He then helps Jana escape from the worsening crackdown, marking a turning point from victim to active resistance. The act demonstrates Lom's transformation in the face of loss.

The Germans threaten to execute all airport workers unless someone reveals who killed Ullman. Lom steps forward, claims responsibility, and shoots several Gestapo officers, but is killed by soldiers in the process. His sacrifice underscores the high personal cost of resistance.

In his dying moments, Lom envisions a future where a resolute woman leads the resistance in the face of war atrocities. The vision ends with the war concluding and a Czechoslovak flag raised on a mast, symbolizing liberation and hope. The scene reframes Lom's personal tragedy as part of a larger national struggle.