- Richard Gastmann: Another year, your doctor says. That is, if he can operate on Thursday.
- Hans Bärlach: Another year.
- Richard Gastmann: Your last year, Hans. Why waste it on me?
- Hans Bärlach: One day I'm going to convict you for your crimes.
- Richard Gastmann: You can't let go of it, can you? You let it chew up your guts until it has chewed up your guts.
- Hans Bärlach: The Barlach's always had poor stomachs.
- Richard Gastmann: Keep on churning, Old Man; keep on churning. Still hung up on right and wrong. One day you're going to realise, there is none.
- Hans Bärlach: Have you ever seen your victims? I could show you pictures. How many people died because of you? Fifty, Sixty...?
- Richard Gastmann: I could show you...
- Hans Bärlach: ...a hundred, thousand?
- Richard Gastmann: ...earthquakes, plagues, famine, victims more mutilated than any explosions could make. Has to be done, Old Man. It has to be done.
- Hans Bärlach: If you don't do it, somebody else will?
- Richard Gastmann: Quite right. Anyway, I sleep now much better than i used to.
- [looking out the window]
- Richard Gastmann: Take the mob down there; pull ten out put ten back - doesn't make any difference.
- Hans Bärlach: You think you're God.
- Richard Gastmann: Only his humble servant, Old Man, only his humble servant.
- Hans Bärlach: You don't believe in God?
- Richard Gastmann: Oh, yes. I think religion's very good for children; Jesus, suffering on the cross. I don't know anything better. Look, Hans, we made a bet together. I won. You lost.
- Hans Bärlach: The result of that bet was death.
- Hans Bärlach: Sometimes we imagine things; sometimes things happen in our minds; sometimes they happen in reality. It is our job as policemen Walter to separate them, then maybe, maybe we have a chance to stumble on the truth. Maybe soon.