And we were right in our fear. We
didn’t know at the time, but the
Hungarian government was happy to
assist in the coming German
occupation and extermination of
undesirable citizens. Night after
night for many weeks this same scene
was played out in our village.
EXT. BILKE STREET – DAY
INSERT TITLE: TWO YEARS LATER
German soldiers walk through town. Vehicles full of German soldiers pass. Pedestrians walk on sidewalks, cautiously glance side-to-side to see if they are being watched.
MURRAY (VO)
When the first Jews were deported,
they were foreign Jews. We weren’t
worried about it and it was easy to
rationalize that they were being
deported because they were
foreigners, not because they were
Jews. The truth, however, became
inescapable when it came into our
home. By 1944, the Germans occupied
Hungary and even non-Jews were unsure
what the occupation meant. My mother
tried to keep our lives as normal as
possible, but the sound of German
cars and tanks became a regular part
of our existence. We were frightened
nearly all the time. My brothers and
I were sure that at any moment the men
would come to take us away, just like
they did our father.
EXT. BARN BESIDE THE HOUSE - DAY
Mrs. Leicht milks the cow. Chickens run about. Eli, Alfred, and Herman work behind her. Alfred hoes. Joseph plays near his mother’s feet.
MURRAY (VO)
I didn’t understand what was going
on, but I know my mother did. For
two years after my father’s
disappearance, she held our lives
together. We lost my father’s
business, so we had to make ends
meet by tending our small farm. But
the growing season was very short and
hunger became a familiar companion.
(beat)
Mother knew about the mass arrests
and disappearances of Jews all over
Hungary, but she tried to shield us
from that information.
ILKE runs up the road toward the Leicht barn. She carries a paper in one hand.
ILKE
(yelling from far off)
Rose! Rose!
Mrs. Leicht rises, looks down the road at Ilke. Ilke yells again.
ILKE
Rose! Rose! Have you heard?
Ilke arrives, panting.
MRS. LEICHT
What is it, Ilke? What has you so
upset?
ILKE
(nearly hysterical)
Rose, it is terrible, just terrible.
MRS. LEICHT
What, Ilke? What’s so terrible?
ILKE
I was in town this morning and I
heard talk that they were going to
send us all away, just like they
did in Poland and Germany.
MRS. LEICHT
Calm down, Ilke.
She turns to the boys.
MRS. LEICHT
Boys, go inside. I’ll be there
in a minute.
The boys reluctantly comply and Mrs. Leicht waits for them to go inside. She turns back to Ilke. All three boys enter the house, but can be seen watching from a window.
MRS. LEICHT
Who is sending us away?
ILKE
The Germans, Rose! At first I didn’t
believe it, but then I saw this for
myself.
She begins to cry and hands Mrs. Leicht a piece of paper with the decree.
ILKE
(crying)
They’ve issued a decree saying all
Jews must gather in the town square
at noon tomorrow. Rose, we’ve lost
our husbands. Now they want to take our families and our homes. What’s to happen to us?
Mrs. Leicht reads the decree, hugs Ilke.
MRS. LEICHT
There now, Ilke. God does not
abandon his children. Let us wait
and see.
Ilke looks Mrs. Leicht in the eye.
ILKE
That’s probably what the Jews in
Poland and Germany said.
Mrs. Leicht continues to hug Ilke. Alfred’s face is visible in the window of the house.
MURRAY (VO)
At that point I knew something
terrible was going to happen and
our lives were about to change
forever. My brothers looked to me
for answers, but I had none.
EXT. TOWN SQUARE TRAIN STATION - DAY
Railroad cars are in the B.G. German soldiers are everywhere. Jews are bundled against the cold, carrying their few belongings in suitcases and bags. German soldiers herd groups across the square to the waiting train.
MURRAY (VO)
The next day we gathered with our
friends in the town square.
Bewildered women and children longingly take a last look around before they enter the cars. German soldiers harass an OLD MAN for moving too slowly up the precarious ramps. He falls from the ramp, dropping his worn suitcase, and hits his head on the pavement. A SOLDIER yells at him.
SOLDIER
Get up old man! You are holding
up the line.
The old man rises. Blood runs from a cut on his forehead. He re-mounts the ramp and enters the car. Alfred and his family stand together in the crowd. They approach the ramp of a boxcar.
OLD MURRAY (VO)
It was all very orderly. The Germans
told us where to stand and what was
happening. They said we were being
relocated to a community about 80
miles away.
Alfred steps into the crowded boxcar and looks back over his shoulder.
MURRAY (VO)
This was my first taste of the
boxcars.
INT. BOXCAR
The boxcar is moving. Alfred, his mother, his brothers are in the crowded space. No one speaks.
MURRAY (VO)
We rode for several hours, but to my
brothers and me, it seemed much
longer. We didn’t understand what
was happening to us.
I/EXT. RAILROAD SIDING
The boxcar slows to a stop and the doors open. Visible are barking dogs, rolled barbed wire, Germans, military vehicles and painted lines on the train platform.
MURRAY (VO)
When the doors opened, I didn’t
know where we were since I had
never been anywhere outside of
Bilke. We could see barbed wire,
barking dogs, and guards with guns.
My brothers clung tightly to me.
I tried to be brave, but my heart
was pounding in my chest.
Alfred, his brothers hanging on to him, walk out the door and down the ramp. Many people spill from the long line of cars, kept behind a yellow line on the platform. A blue line leads off the platform across a short paved area through a gate to the ghetto. A GERMAN OFFICER stands in front of the yellow line and addresses the crowd.
GERMAN OFFICER
Juden! You will stay behind the
yellow line. When you are instructed
to do so, you will follow the blue
line to your new homes. Keep your
possessions with you. You will not
be separated from your families.
JOSEP
H
(to his mother)
I’m frightened mother.
Mrs. Leicht she puts her arm around him.
MRS. LEICHT
Don’t worry dear. We will stay
together and make the best of it.
HERMAN
Mother, do you think father may be
here? Maybe he isn’t dead after all.
Maybe they brought him here and
that’s why we haven’t heard from him.
MRS. LEICHT
I don’t know, Herman, but we shall
find out soon enough. Come along.
Soldiers lead the Leichts and the others along the blue line into the ghetto.
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING STAIRWELL - AFTERNOON
A GERMAN SOLDIER leads the Leichts and two other families, including RODIN and RODIN’S MOTHER, up the stairs, opens a door at the top. They enter.
LIVING ROOM
The families look around. The soldier follows them inside.
SOLDIER
This is now your residence.
RODIN’S MOTHER
All of us? Surely you must be
joking.
SOLDIER
I assure you I am not joking.
The soldier leaves, closes the door behind him.
RODIN’S MOTHER
This is unbearable. How are three
families supposed to share such a
small space? This is too small for
even one family.
Alfred looks at Rodin and Rodin returns his gaze. They are about the same age.
MRS. LEICHT
We shall have to make do. What
choice do we have? Come on boys.
Let’s find a place for us to sleep
tonight. At least we are together
and out of the cold.
Mrs. Leicht picks up her bag and exits. The others follow. Alfred and Rodin stay behind.
ALFRED
I’m Alfred.
RODIN
My name is Rodin.
ALFRED
I have shared a bed with three
brothers for a long time. I guess
one more won’t make any difference.
Rodin smiles.
RODIN
I’ve always wanted four brothers.
They exit.
KITCHEN - EVENING
Mrs. Leicht and Rodin’s Mother prepare the evening meal. Mrs. Leicht heats soup on the stove and Rodin’s Mother slices bread. Sounds from the others in the other room are heard. The kitchen is dirty. Mrs. Leicht screams and jumps away from the stove as a mouse scurries across the counter. Mrs. Rodin chases it with a shoe. When the mouse slips through a hole in the wall, Mrs. Leicht leans against the wall, exhausted, cries.
MRS. LEICTH
I don’t know if I can take this
anymore.
Rodin’s mother wraps her arms around her and hugs her tightly.
RODIN’S MOTHER
There now, my dear. It’s not so
bad. We have food, our children
are with us. We’ll be alright.
Just wait and see.
Mrs. Leicht dries her eyes with her apron.
MRS. LEICHT
I’ve lost everything. I’ve tried
to be faithful, but it seems as
though I’ll eventually lose
everything I care about. I’m even
afraid to love my children, for if I
love them too much, I fear God will
take them from me as well.
RODIN’S MOTHER
I fear the same, Rose. But what can
we do? Our children still need us to
love them. The Germans took our
husbands, their fathers. They took
our homes and force us to live in this
place. Don’t take away your
children’s mother. Stay with us.
She takes a deep breath and straightens up. She smiles.
MRS. LEICHT
You’re right. I’ll be fine. Let’s
feed them, shall we?
NIGHT
It is dark in the apartment. People sleep all over – on the floor, sitting in chairs. Rodin, Herman, Joseph, Eli and Alfred lay on the floor together. Rodin and Alfred are still awake, unaware the other is also awake. Everyone sleeps. Rodin’s Mother sleeps in a chair, snoring. Shouting voices from the stairway are heard as people walk up the stairs. Rodin leans over to see if Alfred is awake.
RODIN
Alfred? Are you asleep?
ALFRED
Are you kidding?
RODIN
(laughs quietly)
I don’t know what’s worse – your
brother’s elbows in my side or the
smell of this filthy apartment.
ALFRED
It’s so noisy, I can’t sleep.
RODIN
My mother has always snored. She
even wakes up our chickens.
Both boys giggle.
ALFRED
What do you think will happen to us,
Rodin?
RODIN
I hope they’ll let us go home, but
even if they do, things will never
be the same.
ALFRED
I keep thinking that this is some
kind of mistake. What have we done
to deserve this?
RODIN
The Rabbi says some questions have
no answers. He says that only God
knows and He will explain it to us
when we get to heaven.
Alfred lies back, pauses.
ALFRED
I’d like to believe that, but
sometimes I think the Rabbi just
says that but doesn’t really believe
it. I think maybe the Rabbi is as
confused and angry as we are.
RODIN
My father used to tell me that if I
worked hard and stayed out of trouble,
that life would be easier for me. I
guess he was wrong. This doesn’t
seem fair.
ALFRED
I suppose he believed it at the time.
My father told me that education was
my hope. My mother tells me that God
is my hope. I’m beginning to think
that my only hope is what I do for
myself.
Rodin turns, looks at Alfred.
RODIN
I’m glad I met you, Alfred. It
doesn’t seem so bad when you’re
with someone – a friend, I mean.
ALFRED
I’m glad I met you, too.
They smile and pull the blankets up around their necks, lying on their backs looking at the ceiling.
EXT. APARTMENT STOOP - DAY
Herman, Eli, Joseph, Alfred, and Rodin sit in front of the building with several other boys. It’s cold. The boys are dressed in worn, but warm winter clothes.
JOSEPH
How long do you think we’ll have
to stay here, Alfred?
ALFRED
I don’t know, Joseph.
RODIN
We’ve only been here two weeks and it already seems like forever.
ELI
I keep thinking that maybe it’s all a
very bad dream and I’ll wake up back
in Bilke.
RODIN
I heard my mother talking with your
mother last night after we went to bed.
She said that a train came yesterday
and took some people away.
JOSEPH
Wonderful! Maybe we can get a new
apartment with more room!
ALFRED
I wouldn’t count on that, Joseph.
/>
Maybe they will come and take us away,
too.
ELI
Where would they take us? Back to
Bilke?
RODIN
I don’t think so. My mother said
something about a camp.
HERMAN
What kind of camp?
RODIN
A work camp. She sounded very
worried.
ALFRED
What could be worse than this place?
It stinks here, there’s no food,
there’s nothing to do and it’s
crowded.
JOSEPH
I don’t want to ride on that train
again. It scared me. It was too
dark and crowded.
His eyes widen.
ALFRED
Just stay with me little brother.
I’ll take care of you.
Rodin looks up and shushes them. A GERMAN SOLDIER approaches on the sidewalk. As he walks past the boys, he stops, pulls a package of cigarettes out of his coat pocket, sneers at the boys.
SOLDIER
What are you looking at, you little
bastards?
He lights a cigarette and walks on. He looks back.
ELI
Why are they so angry all the time?
RODIN
My mother says they are grumpy all
day because they keep their rifles
crammed up their asses at night when
they sleep.
The boys laugh.
ELI
Why do they hate us? I mean, why do
they hate us because we are Jews.
What did we ever do to them?
RODIN
They hate anyone who isn’t like
them, Eli.
ALFRED
I hope I’m never like them, even if
it means I have to live here the rest
of my life.