01x06 - Episode 6

[bunniefuu]

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've plenty of food up there,
we heard.

They do.

You'd be picked up
in the square at 7:00.

You'd be driven back here
at midnight.

And they want more women
to party.

I see.

Do we get shot if we don't go?

There are these...

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.

I'm so sorry.

I'm sorry.

Eat slowly. Little bits.

I'm sorry.

You are too young for this.

I told you, Mama.

Go and find them
some warm clothes and shoes.

My brown lace-ups, hmm?

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 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.

- Do you come to the dance?
- No. They lock me in my room.

So, where do you have to go
to get those prizes?

My father and brothers are never
coming back from this w*r.

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.

Good. How are you?

I'm good.

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.

Lali?

I am locked in...

every night.

It's okay.

You can tell me.

Oh, I don't think it's safe.

That happened a long time ago.

Good girl.

What kind of a man...

These girls had nothing.
Husbands, fathers gone.

Their families were starving.

They had me there
for many weeks.

It took that time
for the Russians to trust me.

- Slovak.
- Yes, sir.

We need to pick up
some officers.

We'll be back in 30 minutes.

Are we good?

Yes, sir. Of course.

Hey, hey, can I buy your bike?
Here. 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.

Gita! Gita!

Gita, come!

Where? There's water here.

Water.

- Here.
- That's a good spot.

Yeah, this way.

- Hey, there is a pot over here.
- Bring it.

But quick. We need to hurry.

He took our bloody pot.

I hate this place.

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.

The train is leaving
for Korompa town.

All passengers,
please get on the train.

Can I help you?

When did they go?

A few days after you left.

There were soldiers
on the streets.

Mama 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 Mama gave me
was her jewellery

- and some photos.
- Only a few days after I left?

It was chaos.

They were all gone
when I came back.

I stayed with Mrs Molnar...

hiding.

- Goldie, they...
- I know.

Look, I know.

But I thought you were gone...

and look, here you are.

They were old.

And Max and Maria
would've stayed with the boys.

I thought
I was the only one left.

Lali...

Oh, my darling.

Oh, my darling.

There's a girl.

I met her in the camp.

Her name was...

Her name is Gita.

I can use him
to make some money.

- I have nothing.
- Yes. On your way to Bratislava.

Goldie, I...

I don't want
to leave you alone again.

Just go.

There's nothing else
that's more important.

It's Mama's?

Gita's.

GITA, I'M HERE, I WILL FIND YOU
LALI EISENBERG FROM KROMPACHY X

Hello.

Did you come from Poland,
from Birkenau?

- Yes.
- Yeah.

Do you know my friends,
Gita Fuhrmannova? Hanna? Ivana?

- Do you know them?
- Sorry.

Yes.

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 and get help.

You stink as well.

That's it. I'm done.
He didn't make it.

Don't give up.

I'll wait for you.

Excuse me.
I'm sorry. Coming through.

Lali!

It's her. It's her.

It's you. It's you.

Behold, you are consecrated
unto me

with this ring in accordance

with the law of Moses
and the People of Israel.

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.

That's beautiful.

Oh, look at me.

There is a sandwich
in the fridge.

Lali, I am running late. Bye!

- Where are you going?
- Nowhere.

I was just washing the mugs.
Are you all right?

- Yes.
- So, I was thinking,

the post-w*r story could be like
a little chapter at the end.

A summary.

You moved to Australia,
et cetera.

Then they lived
happily ever after.

It's never really like that,
is it?

Yes, I mean,
there's quite often an epilogue.

You know, the story is 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.

A knock on the door.

Good afternoon.

We're looking
for Mr Ludwig Eisenberg.

Lali, look at me.

Come, please.

I'm all right, I'm all right.
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 am good.

Okay.

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.

Wherever you go...

here I am.

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, sir.

Asked by who? What for?

We're Australian citizens.

You changed your name
after the w*r?

- Yes, to "Sokolov."
- It's all there in the papers.

We've been asked by...

the German consul
to deliver a letter to you.

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 n*zi officer?

That's right.

A n*zi officer
who's on trial for w*r crimes.

He's asking for your assistance.

SS Officer Stefan Baretzki.

Here are the details
for both the law firm,

and the German consulate.

And we'll leave you with it.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- What is today?
- Thursday. We spoke yesterday.

Yeah?

Come in.

- For you to read.
- Yes, I will.

This time,
I've 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.

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 you water.
- No.

Why don't you take a seat?
I'll get us water.

- Gita...
- You need to sign these cards.

This one
for Louise's second birthday,

and Gina
and Joel's twins are five.

Lali...

here.

Thank you.

You were thinking about Gita?

All this happened
at the same time.

All what, Lali?

Again, again.

The Cohen 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.

Here.

It might get cold.

- Goodnight.
- Gita...

Here we are.

Cheese and pickles.

Lali, here you go.
Come and have something to eat.

- Thank you.
- Oh, 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.
- 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.

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.

Of course, you can.
I'll do anything for you.

Lali, I'm done.

I can't go on like this.

- Neither can you.
- What?

I can't give you what you need.

- The family you want.
- Gita, you are all I want.

- We run and run, and get older.
- Gita, stop!

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?

You were like a brother to me.

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
m*rder many people...

sometimes just because
he was in a bad mood.

He went to prison.

I read about these trials, Lali.

Baretzki...

k*lled 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.

You look so beautiful.

So do you.

- I missed you.
- I missed you too.

Oh, you're cooking?

Smells so good.

- Are you hungry?
- 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.

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.

You... What?

Gita... No...

- No. Oh, Gita.
- We're going to have a baby.

I think I'd like to go
back there.

Yes, to Birkenau, to the camp.

I thought
you'd never go back to Europe.

I know,
I never wanted to, but now...

if you'd come with me?

Lali, oh, 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.

Come.

You deserve a rest.

- Are you ready?
- Yes.

- We can stop at any time, okay?
- Okay.

Good.

Interview with Lou Sokolov,


Would you tell me
your name, please?

My name is Lou Sokolov.

Is that the name
you were born with?

No, I was born Ludwig Eisenberg.

- What name are you known as?
- Lali. They called me Lali.

- Are you married, Lali?
- No, I was married.

- What was the name of your wife?
- Gita. Gita Sokolov.

- Where did you and Gita meet?
- 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 Tätowierer
in Auschwitz-Birkenau.