The Tattooist of Auschwitz (2024) s01e06 Episode Script

HE INHALES
THEY PAN
I'm a prisoner
of the Russian army.
My name is Lali.
I'm Slovakian.
What are you doing tonight?
The Russians want to invite
some local women to a dance.
A dance? Really?
They have plenty of food
up there, we heard.
They do.
You'd be picked up
in the square at 7.
You'd be driven back here
at midnight.
And they want more women.
To party.
KRISTEL: I see.
Do we get shot if we don't go?
There are these, uh,
Prizes, they call them.
How many friends
could you bring?
Can they be married women?
Can't see why not.
I could bring maybe five or so.
Thank you.
See you then.
She agreed.
She said she'll bring others.
Ivana?
She died. In her sleep.
She just didn't wake up.
THEY SLURP THEIR SOUP
I'm so sorry.
GITA RETCHES
GITA VOMITS
GITA COUGHS
GITA: I'm sorry.
Eat slowly.
Little bits.
I'm sorry.
You're too young for this.
I told you, Mamma.
Go and find them
some warm clothes and shoes.
My brown lace-ups.
This soup is the most
delicious thing
I have ever eaten.
Listen now.
You are only girls.
But I must speak to you
as women.
The Russians
have taken over our village.
And if they find you here,
Bella and I
are in some sort of trouble.
I don't even want
to think about
You are nothing to them.
You understand?
You, you can stay
in my attic here.
But you have to hide inside.
You cannot be seen and heard.
Thank you.
For everything.
But we want to go home.
You are made of
something strong to be here.
I will get you hot water
for a bath.
Thank you.
GITA SIGHS
HANNA SIGHS
HANNA SOBS
GUESTS CHATTER
KRISTEL: Do you come
to the dance?
LALI: No.
They lock me in my room.
KRISTEL: So, where do you
have to go to get those prizes?
My father and brothers are never
coming back from this war.
My mother is useless with grief,
and
I have two younger sisters.
Petrov.
Captain Petrov.
Just there with the moustache.
He has them.
Thank you. Watch me twirl.
-KRISTEL: Good, how are you?
-PETROV: I'm good.
KRISTEL AND PETROV
TALK INDISTINCTLY
It's late.
I don't like this.
The dance?
Was there dancing?
Many nights it went on.
I was locked up.
That girl.
Lali.
I wasn't there.
I could only hear it.
MEN SING
HEATHER: Lali.
LALI: I am locked in.
Every night.
MEN SING AND LAUGH
HEATHER: It's okay.
You can tell me.
I don't think it's safe.
HEATHER: That happened
a long time ago.
MEN SINGING
MAN LAUGHS
Good girl.
KRISTEL EXHALES
What kind of a man
These girls had nothing.
Husbands, fathers gone.
And their families
were starving.
They had me there
for many weeks.
It took that time
for the Russians to trust me.
-PETROV: Slovak.
-LALI: Sir.
PETROV: We need to pick up
some officers.
We'll be back in 30 minutes.
Are we good?
LALI: Yes, sir.
Of course.
Hey, hey. Can I buy your bike?
Take it, take it.
-Slovakia?
-It's about a day away.
When you get to a wood,
go cross-country heading east.
Take it.
I want to live, just like you.
Go.
Thank you.
BIRDS TWEE
HANNA: Gita! Gita!
Gita, come!
RUSSIAN SOLDIER: Where?
RUSSIAN SOLDIER 2:
There is water here.
Here?
RUSSIAN SOLDIER:
That's a good spot.
Do you have your canteens?
RUSSIAN SOLDIER 2: Yes, I have.
RUSSIAN SOLDIER:
Well, go fill them up.
RUSSIAN SOLDIER 3:
There is a pot here!
Bring it.
But quick!
We need to hurry.
GITA: He took our bloody pot.
I hate this place.
HANNA SOBS
LALI: Gita only told me these
things much, much later.
Those girls,
what they went through
They were raised
to live in an innocent world.
It was taken from them.
HANNA GROANING
MAN GRUNTS
MAN GRUNTS
THEY GRUNT AND GROAN
GITA GRUNTS
THEY PAN
MAN: The train is leaving
for Poprad now.
All passengers,
please get on the train.
GOLDIE: Can I help you?
THEY SOB
THEY LAUGH
When did they go?
A few days after you left.
There were soldiers
on the streets.
Mamma woke me up early
and gave me a parcel
to take to the Molnars.
Mrs. Molnar
She wouldn't let me go home.
She hid me.
The parcel Mamma gave me
was her jewelry,
and some photos.
Only a few days after I left
GOLDIE: It was chaos.
They were all gone
when I came back.
I stayed with Mrs. Molnar.
Hiding.
-Goldie, they--
-GOLDIE: I know.
I know.
But I thought you were gone.
And look.
Here you are.
They were old.
And Max and Maria
would have stayed with the boys.
I thought
I was the only one left.
GOLDIE: Oh. Lali
SHE SOBS
Oh, my darling.
HE SOBS
Oh, my darling.
There's a girl.
I met her in the camp.
Her name was
Her name is Gita.
HE CHUCKLES
LALI: I could use him
to make some money.
I have nothing.
Yes.
On your way to Bratislava.
Goldie.
I don't want to
leave you alone again.
Just go.
There's nothing else
that's more important.
It's Mamma's.
Gita's.
LALI: Go. Go.
Hello.
Did you come from Poland?
From Birkenau?
Yes.
Do you know my friends?
Gita Furmanova.
Hanna, Ivana. Do you know them?
Sorry
GITA SOBS
Okay, well
It doesn't mean he's dead, okay?
But where is he?
You think he'd be living here?
Sleeping out on the street?
No.
We go find him.
Look,
we're in our own country now.
First we find food.
Then we wash.
Then get help.
You stink as well.
GITA LAUGHS
That's it. I'm done.
He didn't make it.
HANNA: Don't give up.
I'll wait for you.
LALI: Excuse me.
I'm sorry, coming through.
GITA: Lali!
SHE SIGHS
It's her. It's her.
GITA LAUGHS
It's you. It's you.
THEY LAUGH
LALI PRAYS IN HEBREW
I've said this
a thousand times in my head.
Lali
I love you.
We've lived all our worst days.
The best are in front of us.
HEATHER: That's beautiful.
HEATHER LAUGHS
Look at me.
GITA: There is a sandwich
in the fridge.
Lali, I'm running late.
Bye.
Where are you going?
Nowhere.
I was just washing the mugs.
Are you alright?
Yes.
HEATHER: So I was thinking
The post-war story could be like
a little chapter at the end.
A summary.
You moved to Australia, etc.
Then they lived
happily ever after.
It's never really like that,
is it?
HEATHER: Yes, I mean
There's quite often an epilogue.
You know, the story's over,
and you find out that you
and Gita built a life together.
We wanted a happy ending.
We were always chasing it.
What is it, Lali?
I want to stop talking.
KNOCKING CONTINUES
A knock on the door.
KNOCKING CONTINUES
POLICE OFFICER: Good afternoon.
We're looking for
Mr. Ludwig Eisenberg.
Lali. Look at me.
Come.
Please.
I'm alright, I'm alright.
Sit down.
This place was our home.
Good food.
Clean air.
Gita had the bakery,
the synagogue
Her good friends.
I don't know.
Are you going to work?
I can stay
for a little bit longer,
if you want.
No, no.
I'm good.
Okay. Um
Well, you have soup
in the fridge.
I'll bring the new draft
over tomorrow.
Why don't you get some air?
Move those old bones. Okay?
-See you tomorrow.
-See you tomorrow.
BARETZKI: Wherever you go
Here I am.
SOMEONE KNOCKS
Good afternoon. We're looking
for Mr. Ludwig Eisenberg.
That was my name.
Eisenberg. Yes.
Please. Come in.
Thank you.
We've been asked
to verify your identities.
Asked by who? What for?
We're Australian citizens.
You changed your name
after the war?
LALI: Yes, to Sokolov.
It's all there in the papers.
OFFICER: We've been asked by
the German consul
to deliver a letter to you.
LALI: What is it?
It's been opened.
It's a request.
From a German law firm,
who are representing
an ex-SS officer.
For a statement
in support of their client.
For their client?
A Nazi officer?
That's right.
A Nazi officer,
who's on trial for war crimes.
He's asking for your assistance.
SS Officer Stefan Baretzki.
Here are the details
for both the law firm,
and the German consulate.
We'll leave you with it.
SOMEONE KNOCKS
Hello.
Hello.
What is today?
HEATHER: Thursday.
We spoke yesterday.
Yeah?
Come in.
For you to read.
Yes, I will.
This time I focused
on you and Gita.
I'm actually excited
for you to read it.
I might have figured out
how to tell this.
That's good.
And you are smiling.
I am.
SHE CHUCKLES
But how are you?
I haven't been sleeping much.
The past is in here with us now.
You know,
we left the camp,
we left Slovakia,
and then we were here.
The past followed us
like a sick dog.
You said happy ever after,
but it was hard.
Gita was so sad, for many years.
And all those nightmares
I'll get your water.
No.
Why don't you take a seat?
I'll get us water.
Gita
GITA: You need to sign
these cards.
This one for Louise's
second birthday,
and Gina and Joel's
twins are five.
Lali, oh
Here.
LALI: Thank you.
You were thinking about Gita.
All this happened
at the same time.
HEATHER: All what, Lali?
WOMAN SOBS
Again, again
WOMAN CONTINUES SOBBING
GITA: The Collins Street
wonder doctor
We've tried everything.
Nothing works.
I thought I would heal,
over time.
Other women who were there
have recovered.
You must hate me.
No
No, never.
I'm so happy for you.
GITA SOBS
GITA: Here.
It might get cold.
Goodnight.
Gita
Here we are.
Cheese and pickles.
Lali.
Here you go.
Come and have something to eat.
LALI: Thank you.
You're very welcome.
Lali, I need you to talk to me.
I'm starting to get
a bit worried.
Are you feeling ill?
No, not ill.
Heather.
Yes, my friend. What is it?
This is not for the book.
Okay.
The police.
Like we're criminals.
Baretzki.
GITA: He was a monster.
I know who he was.
Do you remember
what he did for us?
What?
Are you serious?
What he did for us?
You would stand up
in front of the world
and say he was a good guy?
I don't know.
GITA SCOFFS
Are you losing your mind?
Can't we just talk about it?
-What is there to talk about?!
-So many things!
What things?!
Why
Why are you so angry
all the time?
I don't know what to do.
Tell me what to do.
I can't tell you what to do.
LALI: Of course you can.
I'll do anything for you.
GITA: Lali, I'm done.
I can't go on like this.
-Neither can you.
-What?
GITA: I can't give you
what you need.
The family you want.
Gita, you are all I want.
We run and run.
-Get older
-Gita, stop!
GITA SOBS
Am I being punished?
Are you?
I want to go to Europe.
See my home.
Cilka.
Esther's daughter Mimi.
She's 16 now. I want to see her.
I can't fix this.
You can't.
I didn't know
if she'd come back.
So now,
I have to write this statement.
I want to tell the truth,
you know?
But what is the truth?
How can I know what is right?
BARETZKI: You were like
a brother to me.
HE CONTINUES TYPING
I wrote the statement.
And I took it
to the German embassy.
And they sent it
to the law firm.
And I never heard from them
again.
Do you remember what you wrote?
That he was present
at the selections.
That I witnessed him
murder many people.
Sometimes just because
he was in a bad mood.
He went to prison.
BODY FALLS AND SWINGS
I read about these trials, Lali.
Baretzki
killed himself.
He was a brutal psychopath.
And I would not be alive today
were it not for him.
And I have to live with this
all my life.
DOOR UNLOCKS
LALI SIGHS
You look so beautiful.
So do you.
GITA MOANS
GITA: I missed you.
I missed you too.
Oh, you're cooking.
It smells so good.
-Are you hungry?
-GITA: I'm very hungry.
Wait.
I need to talk to you.
I went to our old apartment
in Bratislava.
I was thinking about us sitting
on the floor
because we had no table.
SHE SIGHS
What we were hoping for.
How happy we were.
Lali.
I almost didn't
get on the plane.
I was so sick.
Sick?
Why didn't you tell me?
I went to a doctor,
and he told me I was sick
because I was pregnant.
SHE LAUGHS
You
What?
Gita.
SHE LAUGHS
No.
No.
Oh, Gita!
We're going to have a baby.
HE LAUGHS
THEY LAUGH
I think I'd like
to go back there.
Yes, to Birkenau.
To the camp.
I I thought
you'd never go back to Europe.
I know.
I never wanted to, but
But now
If you'd come with me?
Lali, that's
Isn't this something
you should do with your son?
We never spoke to him
about the past.
He knew, of course.
He had to see it.
His mother's nightmares.
You don't want
your child to see your pain.
But he saw it.
I never thought
I'd tell you so much.
And now you know.
So come with me.
People will probably think
you're my daughter.
Or nurse.
Hey!
That's enough. Sha!
Lali, I would love to.
If you're sure.
I want to go back to the camp.
To Birkenau.
To see it
through these old eyes.
And with you beside me.
I would like that very much.
WOMAN SINGS
GITA HUMS
LALI SINGS
GITA: You deserve a rest.
BABY COOS
LALI SINGS SOFTLY
-HEATHER: Are you ready?
-Yes.
HEATHER: We can stop
at any time, okay?
Okay.
HEATHER: Good.
Interview with Lou Sokolov,
21 February, 2004.
Would you tell me
your name please?
My name is Lou Sokolov.
HEATHER: Is that the name
you were born with?
No. I was born Ludwig Eisenberg.
HEATHER: What name
are you known as?
Lali. They call me Lali.
HEATHER: Are you married, Lali?
No, I was married.
HEATHER: What was the name
of your wife?
Gita. Gita Sokolov.
HEATHER: Where did you and Gita
meet?
We met in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
I was taken
from my parents' home
and transported like an animal.
To an unknown place.
I was the tattooist.
A tattooist
in Auschwitz-Birkenau.