The Passchendaele Offensive

Characters
Georg- An old Prussian soldier- a veteran who has survived life at the front for the past 3 years.
Recently killed by a bayonet.
Hans- A youth who joined up during the initial flare of patriotism, but was killed during the
Battle of the Marne by a machine gun. Has been dead for 3 years.
The play takes place in the midst of The Great War on the Western Front during the
Passchendaele Offensive. Dim sounds of carnage can be heard in the background- the inevitable
result of hurling bodies against lead and lead against bodies. Artillery booms on a 4/4 cadence,
keeping up the rhythm of the assault. The other sounds of war, however, are chaotic by
definition. The microscopic acts of violence with which life is composed have no structure
during The Great War. The background noise continues throughout the play, lasting slightly
longer than the curtains.
Stage right sits Hans with a large pile of rocks to his left side. As the curtain rises, he is stacking
them, but he only touches each of them briefly, and he does this with the precision of a surgeon.
Behind him is a bible.
Georg enters Stage left.
GEORG
(To no one in particular) Its nice to be able to walk across No-Mans Land, for once. No
crawling under machine gun nests, no running with an officers pistol aimed at your back. I cant
say its pleasant, but at least it isnt unpleasant.
HANS
(Taking notice of Georg. Raises an eyebrow) Well, this isnt so much as movement anymore.
Movement implies a motion through time and space. Weve got the space thing down, as your
there and Im here, but time not so much.
GEORG
(Looking shocked) So thats why
HANS
(Smirking) You havent been here long, have you?
GEORG
(As if his comment passed over him completely) So thats why Ive heard nothing but this war
for the past God, how long has it been?
HANS

3 years for me, I think. Id give you at least a few days, maybe a week, if youre just realizing
this. It takes a while to retrain your senses. In case you havent been told yet, youre dead.
GEORG
I figured that out but not much else. Ive just been wandering for a while, when suddenly I had
the strangest impulse It told me to come here, to this exact spot, do you know why that is?
HANS
This spot? Well, this is my territory. The names Hans Vogel, Obergefreiter of the 6th Bavarian
Reserve Division, 2nd Company 3rd Platoon. Everything behind me for 20 yards is mine. I dont
know whyGEORG
Hey, thats my bible! (pointing to it and moving towards it)
HANS
(standing) Then its mine.
GEORG
But I died there! Look! (He gestures beyond the curtain stage right) Theres my body- God that
was a messy one.
HANS
(A flash of sympathy in his eyes) Well, I-Im sorry, you cant have it. We dead are very particular
about our possessions. Its very rare that we actually have a corpse in our lot. Good looting for
all- gives us something to do.
GEORG
Looting!? I see, thats why I was brought here.
HANS
I know what youre thinking and its not going to happen.
GEORG
I get it now. This isnt heaven (smiling) of course it isnt heaven! This is purgatory. (moving
closely to Hans and knocking over his pile of rocks.)
HANS
Hey!

GEORG

Listen, I need your help. I had my bible with me when I died. If I can get it, maybe I can show
God that I care. That Im faithful. The expiation of my sins I dont need to wait too long/
HANS
(stuttering) Well, I cant let you pass- we dead need to respect each others space. Its all weve
got left.
GEORG
(snarling) Listen here you little pup- God, you look 17, maybe 18 years. Christ, I couldve been
your father. Listen to your elders, theyre wiser than you. If we cant respect each other like we
did when we were alive, then well become savages in death.
HANS
(suddenly annoyed) Death has us play by an entirely new set of rules- Ive been dead longer than
you have. Age is just a badge- another hollow medal on a uniform forgotten.
GEORG
(humbled) Well, youre half right- see, in life, I wasnt a very good Christian, but death death
gives a man the ability to redeem himself- look at Christ. Whats the harm in trying? The bible,
please? Be a good kid.
HANS
(scowling) Fine. (steps aside, kicking the stones away)
(Georg moves over to the Bible, stoops down and tries to pick it up. He cant hold it for any
longer than a few seconds as it fumbles out of his grasp. He looks confused and tries again,
meeting the same result.)
GEORG
But
HANS
Things in life are not things in death- we can only touch them for a brief moment. We are eternal
transience, now. This is why the dead do not build castles. This is why the living are trapped
within themselves. If only God had made everyone into Jesus, then maybe our death would allow
us to affect the living. (beat) I tried to protect you, honest. I didnt want to lie to you, its just
GEORG
This isnt my bible. And thats not my body.

HANS

I know it isnt. It isnt mine either. Its just been sitting there. For as long as I can remember. Ive
read it at least a dozen times. Theres one in at least every lot. Please dont take this too harshlyyouve got your entire afterlife to suffer.
GEORG
You can read it?
HANS
Sure, we can turn pages, but it gets old after a while. Its such a tease.
(Georg casts his eyes down.)
GEORG
C-can I stay in your lot for a little while? I-I just need to think (He turns to the Bible, sitting
down in front of it)
HANS
(his face shifts into a neutral stance, as he sits in front of his stones) But not too long. Your lot is
just over there, (pointing in the direction Georg entered from) I think, if youre one of the
recently deceased.
GEORG
(Opening the first page of the bible) Death makes such fools out of us.
HANS
(Rebuilding his stone fort) And life?
(Curtains)