The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024) s01e01 Episode Script

MAN: Come. Come, now.
You are finished.
What is it? What have I done?
Shut up!
SIGHS
MAN: Maybe we can
go this way.
You might see her.
The best I can do.
Come.
BREATHES HEAVILY
WOMAN: Pick that up!
Back to work!
What the fuck?
BABY CRYING
Come on.
Don't frighten the children.
Inside.
SIGHS
I'm right here.
You know it.
KNOCKING
Mr. Sokolov.
Call me Lali.
Um, so, my colleague Rosa,
who plays tennis with Susan,
who went to school with Gary
She said that, um,
you're looking for someone
to write your life story?
Yes.
She said you were
in a concentration camp
in World War Two.
LALI: Yes.
In Poland. Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Uh, well
I'm Heather Morris.
I'm married.
I, I have, um three kids.
Almost grown up.
I've worked at Clayton Hospital
for almost 15 years
but I've always wanted to write.
I've completed
two six-week courses in writing.
The first, Introduction
to Technical Writing,
and the second,
Memoir and Biography, so
Do you want to ask me anything?
Are you Jewish?
No, uh
No, I'm
Church of England, sort of.
Perhaps you need someone who is.
No.
No, I don't.
I haven't got long.
Right. Is it an hour today?
Oh, no.
I am old. I haven't got long.
Oh, to live!
LALI LAUGHS
-LALI: That's it.
-Okay.
LALI: Have a wafer.
Thank you.
Okay.
It starts in Slovakia.
It's 1942.
You want to write this down?
Mm.
I think I'd just like to listen.
Okay.
So, this is a love story.
Let me ride through the wide ♪
Open country that I love ♪
Don't fence me in ♪
SHE LAUGHS AND SINGS
MAN SHOUTS OU
SHOUTING AND GROANING
Wait here.
SHOUTING AND GROANING
Hey. Hey! Enough! Stop this!
MAN WHIMPERS
Boris?
You know him?
I went to school with him.
Hey, I
I'm just here with my girl.
You know
there is a curfew for you.
Sorry, sir. We didn't
keep track of the time.
Does your father know
you're out with a Jewish boy?
LALI GRUNTS
SOLDIER GROANS
You poor fuck.
BORIS: Come on.
He's not worth it.
SOLDIER CHUCKLES
BORIS: Let him have
his last bit of fun.
LALI: Every day,
there were new laws for us.
Curfew, you can't ride a bike,
you can't shop here
Can't be on a tram.
I had made this town my home.
Now, if you were Jewish,
it became a place
you were not welcome anymore.
-Please.
-Thank you.
-Take them.
-Thank you.
Take them all.
Thanks.
When the war is over,
you will get your jobs back.
We will be here for you.
At Schön.
Good luck.
-MAN: Thank you, Mr. Pavlic.
-WOMAN: Thank you.
LALI SIGHS
Thank you.
No, no.
Thank you.
GASPS
SHE CHUCKLES
There's a bar I know,
which you enter from the street,
and you go down the stairs.
It's very smoky.
It's very crowded.
But I know the waiter,
and he'll take us
to a reserved table.
Well, a coffee and
a cherry liqueur would be nice.
-Is there a show?
-Of course.
Tonight, for one night only,
Josephine Baker.
SHE CHUCKLES
Was there someone special
in the city?
There were girls, but
No one as special as you.
SHE CHUCKLES
Oh yes.
Everybody is talking about this.
Sasha said her brother's going,
and his wife said
she's going too.
"To aid the war effort,
and to provide training
for members of the Slovak
Jewish community,
the government of Slovakia
has requested one person
from each Jewish household
register for work duty
at their local office."
And it's this Tuesday
we have to go.
I'll go. I'm the oldest.
-Papa needs to be here.
-No, I'll go.
MAX: Lali, I've decided.
You have a wife. And a family.
And Papa, you're--
If I can trust you boys
to take the cart, I will go.
But I think
the Prince of Bratislava here
has better things to do.
THEY LAUGH
It'll be good for me.
I've been getting soft,
living in the city.
I don't want any of you to go.
Lali.
What have you heard?
Just, uh
Lots of rumors.
HE LAUGHS
That's all.
SS GUARD: The train is leaving
for Poprad now.
If you are travelling,
then you must board now.
Read the books first,
and then my notes.
Write to me with your thoughts.
-Hey, it's good to see you.
-Good to see you.
-Hi, Lali.
-LALI: Hi, how are you?
That's a good place to stop.
HEATHER: Thank you.
It's a great love story,
isn't it?
HE LAUGHS
But I have good things
to tell you as well.
I believe you.
And good things take time.
That's true.
SHE SIGHS
Thursday?
Thursday.
Goodnight, Lali.
JOSEPHINE BAKER:
DANS MON VILLAGE ♪
SS GUARD: The train is leaving
for Poprad now.
If you are travelling,
you must board now.
Turn around, Lali.
Turn around.
What would I say?
If I could say anything
to you now?
I will be happy, Mamma.
I will find love.
Mamma
Mamma.
Oh, you're back.
I said I'd come.
-I didn't scare you off?
-No, not yet.
Same blouse as before.
Oh yes, this is
my hospital uniform.
I wear it to work.
Come in.
SS GUARD: Papers ready.
Keep in line.
Hey. What are you doing?
What's it to you?
LALI CHUCKLES
SS GUARD: Keep your luggage
with you.
What are you laughing at?
You.
Late for an appointment?
SS GUARD: Come on, keep moving.
Where are we going?
Poland.
SS GUARD: Keep moving forward!
I hear they'll train you
as a mechanic.
Fixing cars, engines
TRAIN PULLS IN
Hey, I know that guy.
SS GUARD: The train's arriving.
This way. Come on, move.
Hey. Boris.
Lali. What are you doing here?
Getting on the train.
Listen to me!
Get out of here.
Run as far away as you can.
Run.
He knew.
And he told me.
Did you know
why he was telling you to run?
LALI: No.
There were rumors
about the work camps, but, uh
Who could believe them?
And that day,
guards were all around.
I can't run.
-Keep moving.
- SS GUARD: Keep moving forward!
I'm sorry, I cannot travel
in this carriage.
There is shit in there.
THEY GASP AND MUTTER
Move into the carriages.
SS GUARD: Quickly into
the carriages.
-Are you alright?
-Papers ready for inspection.
SS GUARD: Fill every carriage.
Come on.
-Move!
-SS GUARD: Keep moving.
-There's space in this one here.
-SS GUARD: Move!
Move forward.
PEOPLE SOBBING AND COUGHING
LALI BREATHES HEAVILY
SS GUARD: Out!
-Go, go, go.
-SS GUARD: Out! Go!
-Leave it here!
-SS GUARD: Go, go, go!
Get out of the train! Hurry up!
Get in line.
Leave your luggage here. Go!
Keep moving! Follow the others.
Get in line
and leave your luggage here.
Keep moving.
Out!
Keep moving.
Get out of the train.
Excuse me.
When do we get these back?
SS GUARD: Leave your
luggage here. Get in line.
-Move out of the train!
-SS GUARD: Come on, quickly.
Keep moving!
WORK SETS YOU FREE
SS GUARD: Halt!
Welcome to Auschwitz.
The gates
you just walked through say,
"Work will make you free."
So work hard.
You will be processed here,
and then you will be taken
to your new home.
Auschwitz II-Birkenau.
Women this way, men over here.
Thank you.
Move along.
SS GUARD: Shoes off!
Clothes off!
Put your clothes and shoes
in a pile.
SS GUARD: Take your clothes off!
Hurry up.
Keep going. Keep moving!
You will be processed
and given a uniform.
Take your clothes off.
Keep moving!
Take your clothes off.
Now!
MAN WINCES
HE BREATHES HEAVILY
I can't do this.
SS GUARD: Don't turn around.
It's alright.
SS GUARD: Keep going!
SS GUARD: Keep moving.
-Don't slow down the queue.
-SS GUARD: Take them off.
Lali.
-Come on.
- SS GUARD: Keep moving.
LALI: Go on, Aaron.
Aaron!
SS GUARD: Why are you
standing there?
AARON BREATHES HEAVILY
Good man.
LALI BREATHES HEAVILY
WORK SETS YOU FREE
SS GUARD: Move, move.
MEN COUGHING AND CHATTING
PRISONER: We treat our cows
better than this.
Moo!
LALI LAUGHS
MEN LAUGH AND MOO
MEN CHATTER INDISTINCTLY
KRAUSS: Shit, Baretzki.
Why did we come this way?
It was a shortcut,
for fuck's sake.
KRAUSS: They fucking stink.
FOUR GUNSHOTS
KRAUSS: Baretzki. Fucking hell.
Night shift sucks.
PANTS
He just randomly shot them?
LALI: Yes.
Our lives were not
important to them.
This is what happened there.
This is part of it.
If you don't want to hear
these things
No. I, I do. I
I understand.
Lali?
Are you alright, Lali?
I'm alright.
BARETZKI: Hey, old man.
That was me that night?
I'm not so sure
you remember it right.
Get fucked.
DRUM BANGING
CONRAD: Get up!
Get to the latrines.
Line up outside.
BANGING CONTINUES
Get up. Move it.
LALI: This is what it was
every morning.
CONRAD: Caps off.
LALI: It was the hardest part
of the day.
Every time I opened my eyes,
and I am still there.
At night, you sleep
and you forget.
But morning
Get up!
-LALI: Here again, again.
-CONRAD: Let's go!
Get up.
CONRAD: Outside.
Get to the latrines. Line up.
DRUM BANGING
Hurry it up.
SS GUARD: Bring it over here.
There. To him.
I need nails.
Two packets.
You.
Get them for him.
It's huge.
Here. Hold it steady for me.
Full weight.
You aren't a prisoner?
I'm a builder. This is a job.
The smell?
They can't bury the bodies
fast enough.
Then they lined us up and,
and shot them in front of us.
AARON BREATHES HEAVILY
It was completely random.
It could have been me.
THEY BOTH BREATHE HEAVILY
I-I can't die in here, Lali.
I've never had sex, you know.
M-My girlfriend and I,
we just kissed.
LALI BREATHES HEAVILY
A-Are you okay?
LALI GRUNTS
Yes.
Just cold.
Lali. Lali.
Shh.
I'll be okay.
Hm. He doesn't look well,
does he?
Maybe the death cart for you.
I'm fine.
What would it cost
to let him stay in bed?
You could suck my cock.
Hm.
I can't remember his name, uh
That block elder.
He was a brute.
In prison for murder. Cuckoo.
Karl, maybe.
So you were telling me
about when you got sick.
LALI: Typhus, that's right.
So, Aaron.
Aaron is only 17, right?
What he did for me that day
SS GUARD: Back in line!
MEN CLAMORING
Back in line!
PRISONER: Fuck off!
SS GUARD: Animals!
SS GUARD: Back in line! Now!
Back!
Get back.
THEY PAN
Is he alive?
Uh, yes.
Fight this, Lali.
Fight it.
Lali. My boy.
What are you doing in bed?
You have to get up.
Mamma.
SARAH: Come on.
You need to drink some water
and get up.
PANTS
GRUNTS
PANTS
GRUNTS
PANTS
You're looking good.
I am Pepan.
I gave you that number.
I saw those boys
risk themselves to save you.
I know men like you.
There is more prisoners coming.
A lot more.
I will train you.
You would be away
from those work gangs.
You would, uh,
move out of those filthy bunks.
You would get more food.
Tattoo people?
Mm.
That's not something I can do.
Hm.
I'm giving you
a chance to survive this place.
Not a fucking
career opportunity.
CONRAD: Caps off!
Caps on.
PRISONER GROANS
SS GUARD: Move.
Get up!
PRISONER GRUNTS
I was 26.
And I wanted to live.
Pepan offered me a way.
And I took it.
BARETZKI: 32407.
LALI: Yes, Blockführer.
The new tattooist.
I am now in charge of you.
If you behave yourself,
all will be well.
How old are you?
I'm 26.
How old are you?
Go fuck yourself,
that's how old I am.
Follow me, cunt.
SS GUARDS SHOUTING
BARETZKI: I will be here for you
at dawn.
Blockführer?
Can I sleep in my old barracks?
You're working for the SS now.
You will need protection,
trust me.
SS GUARD SHOUTS
Hard and fast, Lali. Come on!
It's worse if you're gentle.
SS GUARD: Keep the line moving!
I'm sorry.
I need to get back
to my old barracks.
Go now. Be quick.
If you have that bag with you,
it tells anyone you work for the
Political Department.
And watch out.
Just because
you're working for them
doesn't mean
they won't shoot you.
I'm not working for them.
Is that for me?
Hi, Lali.
Hey.
Bakery is open, boys.
Where's Aaron?
He was taken.
They took him away
this afternoon.
His number
was on the selection list.
He's gone.
What?
That makes no sense.
He wasn't sick.
What happened?
He's gone.
This is the story.
And he didn't come back.
I never saw Aaron again.
He was sent to the gas chamber.
HEATHER: I'm sorry.
He was the same age
as my daughter.
Why did they take him, Lali?
I don't remember.
MEN CHATTERING
Bakery is open, boys.
It's the Nazis' new dog.
Where's Aaron?
They took him away
this afternoon.
What?
But
But he wasn't sick.
What happened?
There was a selection.
Your number was on the list,
you weren't here.
So this block elder changed your
number to Aaron's number
and they took Aaron.
Instead of you.
Dog.
TOMAS: This is the story.
We didn't come back.
Aaron.
He didn't come back.
Martin.
He didn't come back.
Lali.
He came back.
Lali came back.
BABY CRYING
What have I done?
I don't understand.
You need a reason?
You think you're special?
SS GUARD: a very busy day.
You will soon have a shower.
And after the shower,
there will be coffee and rolls.
MAN: What about our stuff?
Come on.
Don't frighten the children.
Inside.
Ah. We got in a little late.
A little job.
Admin-type job.
LAUGHS
Your face.
BARETZKI SIGHS
Look at these two numbers.
These are the same number.
You did these?
This one is an eight.
The other is a three.
You are now the only Jew
who walked into this place
and also walked out.
BARETZKI LAUGHS
LALI: They murdered millions.
That's what Auschwitz was.
That was its purpose.
LALI SIGHS
It was a terrible place,
Heather.
Not just for what
was done to us, but
what it made us into.
But I found something there.
Someone.
Today, the sky,
you see the sky
Blue.
It was blue like that
just when I met her.
PEPAN: These women need redoing.
They know what to expect.
Women are strong, Lali.
Think about your mother.
How strong she is.
WOMAN SOBBING
[WHISPERS] I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
SS GUARD: Move forward! Now!
What are you saying,
when you are doing this?
Are you praying?
I'm saying I'm sorry.
Your eyes.
Are they blue?
LALI: Sometimes.
Today?
Today, they look like the sky.
Is there a problem?
No. Uh
I'm just getting some more ink.
Can I get mine
in pink this time?
LAUGHS
I'm sorry.
This'll be over soon.
SHE CRIES SOFTLY