The Germans Strike Again

Thodoros buys from a street vendor in Athens and soon runs into an acquaintance. Nearby, two people argue about politics, and Thodoros openly disagrees with both sides. He then spots a wounded man and is caught briefly in crossfire but manages to walk away unharmed.

Thodoros returns to his courtyard and tells his neighbors how Greece cannot find peace even after the war. He expresses a deep frustration with the state of affairs. The mood is tense as everyday life continues under the shadow of conflict.

Zisis reads in the newspaper that Hitler may still be alive with Eva Braun somewhere in Tyrol. Thodoros, wishing to hear nothing more, sits down in his chair and eventually falls asleep. The rumor underscores the ominous mood in the neighborhood.

Thodoros wakes with a start after hearing voices shouting that Europe is under attack by the Germans. A narration describes Germany rising to dominate Europe once again. The scene shifts back to the courtyard, where the community gathers around radios to hear German broadcasts.

The town endures the second Occupation, marked by hunger and despair. Zisis has roasted his dog Flox; Ourania boils their canary to feed their daughter, illustrating the severity of shortages. A strange man loiters outside and watches the courtyard before entering.

The stranger is questioned and enters the courtyard, and under interrogation reveals that the radio they hid in a well was discovered. The revelation leads to the arrest of all the men in the courtyard. The community's defences crumble as the occupiers move in.

The film shifts to a prison where all the men are kept in the same cell. A fellow patriot speaks of worn bars and hints that they will be able to escape. They begin to plan their breakout.

After escaping the prison, they find themselves in a psychiatric clinic where five other patriots await to guide them to the mountains. Thodoros stays behind to speak with Nikos about leading the escape. Instead, a madman appears, creating confusion.

Thodoros initially agrees with the madman, but clarity returns as the Germans arrive at the clinic. The madman reappears, and a nurse, Elli, disarms him and ties him to a chair to subdue him. A gunfight erupts, further complicating the escape plan.

With the clinic in upheaval, the survivors prepare to move toward the mountains as part of their resistance. The sequence emphasizes the constant threat and the fragile alliance among patriots. The looming danger underscores the cost of their struggle.

Thodoros mumbles in his sleep and slowly realizes that everything from the waking moments had been a nightmare. He awakens to find his neighbors continuing their usual routines, unaware of the imagined violence. The dawning realization marks the film's shift from dream to daily life.

The film closes with Thodoros delivering a monologue addressed to his canary, expressing his reflections and releasing the bird from its cage. The gesture symbolizes a desire for freedom despite the nightmare just endured. The curtain falls on a quiet, ambiguous note about peace and humanity.