The True Story of Hansel and Gretel

The partisans see a growing number of German forces retreating through Poland, pursued by Russian airplanes. The partisans work to slow the German’s retreat by planting fake land mines in their paths. When the soldiers exit their tanks to examine the mines, the partisans shoot them. Villagers who assisted the partisans join their group and discuss how difficult the war has been on Poland, and how difficult the country’s recovery may be. One young villager, Dobry, is particularly upset that his God did not stop the war. He argues with an older man, Starzec, about divine responsibility. An enormous group of Russian troops marches along the road. The Russian partisan calls out to them and arranges for the partisans to join the Russians as they liberate Polish villages from the Nazis. The Mechanik hopes to find his children in one of the villages.

Hansel asks Halina to play, but she worries about going against her aunt’s wishes. He tells her that they can play in a secret location if she does not tell anyone about it, and the children run into the woods. Hansel leads Halina to the hidden shelter that Magda showed him. They pretend to be a family inside the pit.