Original subtitles

The dog's name is Athos.

My son brought him from Switzerland...

...just before the war. Have a seat.

Take off your jacket. It's warm in here.

kasia!

She's my niece. Take his jacket.

The two of us now live here together.

Do you see how life turns out?

We promised ourselves that we would meet again as free men.

" And now you sit in my kitchen, and we're both free."

But my best days were spent in that prison cell.

Complete peace.

Weaving baskets was the only thing I ever liked.

Just don't ask him anything about his son.

I'll explain it all later.

They killed my son. He died in a camp.

"What do you think, should I have stolen the money..."

...to let him live a little longer...

...considering how horribly he died in the end?

It's a great misfortune.

"Yes, misfortune."

I'm sorry I didn't ask about your problems.

My problems are Jewish problems.

I'm glad you've come.

Could you advise me what to do? I have nowhere to go.

Stay here. It's already past curfew.

You've come just in time for Christmas Eve dinner.

You can stay as long as you want to...

...or as long as you're able to.

Uncle forbids me to when he's not here.

Open up.

Are you waiting for someone?

Open up!

Good morning.

"This is Mrs. Jablonowska's apartment, isn't it?"

No.

Do you know which one it is?

"No, I'm not sure."

So no one can tell me...

She's the seamstress. I have to find her.

"No, I'm not sure where."

"That's too bad, then. Excuse me."

Good bye.

Was that the woman you were waiting for?

"Come in, doggie, we're home."

What's wrong?

She saw me. I have to leave.

Hold on. Who saw you?

I don't know. I have to go.

She just left.

So what if she saw you?

"She saw you, and that's that."

Let's not jump to conclusions.

"People are never entirely evil, and never entirely good."

And she might be much better than we're giving her credit for.

You're not going anywhere.

You'll run into these same problems everywhere you go.

I'm worried about you.

It's all my fault! My fault!

kasia! No hysterics! Calm down.

Let's think for a moment...

" All right, you'll wait in the cellar for a couple of days."

"kasia, give me the keys."

"Come on, the keys and a candle!"

"You'll see, you'll be back up here in a matter of days."

"Stop crying, kasia."

Come on.

- When will he be back? - I don't know.

- Maybe you could help me... - With what?

Nothing. I prefer to wait.

Uncle won't be back today.

Are you looking for someone?

Where is he?

Uncle?

"No, you don't trust me. I know he's here."

I have no idea who you're talking about.

"You're afraid of me. I beg you, trust me."

"Yesterday, a young man came to see you. Almost a boy."

He was in prison with your uncle before the war.

He has dark hair and he...

...one of them was quite young.

What happened to him?

He left right away.

Did you see him?

Yes. Medium height. Slim. Dark eyes.

A Jew?

" A Jew? No, madam."

" After all, you shouldn't let Jews into your house."

Why don't you believe me? How would he have gotten here?

You don't believe me? Have a look for yourself!

"He left my place, yesterday."

- Alone? - Alone.

And you just let him go?

The Gestapo prison is the only place where he could be.

Won't you wait for my uncle?

The boards can be moved. You can move them later on.

I'll come by tomorrow.

Thank you.

Good bye.

I'm a Jew.

Pardon me?

I'm a Jew.

You little brats! Get out of here!

Well?

He's not there.

I searched the whole apartment. There's no sign of the Jew.

They tricked you.

"I searched under the bed, and in the bed."

The bed... The bed is your specialty!

I looked in the closet!

Nobody hides Jews for free! You can make money for that!

"Children, which one is Mr. Malina's basement?"

That one.

That's the one. Come on.

- Look in there. - No, he's not here.

Hello? Is anyone there?

It's too dark to see anything.

There's no one there. Come on.

You're an idiot. We'll come back soon.

You can't give up. He has to be somewhere.

"Madam, that's not the basement. It's that one there!"

Were they here again?

"Who are you talking about? Oh, the blackmailer!"

"Yes, he was here. But he's not coming back."

I chased him away.

I slipped on the stairs.

"Mr. Malina, I shouldn't stay here any longer."

I can't...

Take it easy. What's wrong?

Please let me leave.

Where to?

I can't keep living in a basement.

"Besides, all I'm doing is putting you in danger."

I should go back to the ghetto.

I should stay there...

...with them...

...until the end.

Don't you understand? I'm one of them!

Listen to me. You have to stay here!

I won't let some mean bastard decide if you should die!

Let's not talk about this anymore.

I have given this some thought.

You should tell me to go.

"I know that sometimes, saving your life comes at too great a cost.

What cost are you talking about?

"The war will end, and you and I will be proven right!

Leave the door unlocked!

You want to leave? Then go! Go!

They'll catch you at once.

What will happen to me and kasia?

I was very happy when you came to us.

"I don't go out anywhere, either."

Uncle doesn't even want to let me come down here.

I stole the keys.

"Nothing happens in the courtyard, either."

"Once, a fire-eating woman came with a troop of acrobats."

It was very nice.

"Soon, you come back upstairs."

No one will be asking about you anymore.

You're not angry with me?

Angry with you? Why would I be?

You know what?

I'd like to walk the streets...

...without anyone stopping at the sight of me...

...without anyone looking back at me...

...I just want to walk down the street.

Where to?

I don't know.

It doesn't matter.

I'd like you to always tell me the truth.

You're childish.

You think so?

I have to clean this place up.

There's no need to. Nothing will change here anyway.

Since I've taken charge of your fate...

...I now have duties to you.

You too?

Strange.

Everyone is in charge of my fate.

Everyone...

...except for me.

Don't do that. Stop it.

It makes no sense.

I'll leave you a candle. You can read at night.

Just make sure you black out the window first.

What for? I don't want to read.

You've been alone for too long.

This is the only way. I realize that now.

I've thought about it a lot.

"Listen, I'll take you back upstairs very shortly."

No.

You won't take me from here.

They've been here again.

Who? When?

Yesterday.

I don't remember.

I'm losing track of time.

It's already spring.

True...

...cats chase around at night...

...meowing.

Let me go.

No. I've read news from the front.

Good news!

"You know, I keep having dreams."

No one wants anything from me.

Nothing. It's almost hard to believe.

I've never felt this good.

"Neither in prison, nor in the ghetto."

You don't need to lock the door anymore.

I won't be leaving anyway...

...not even when the war ends...

...not even when the war ends!

Everyone held flowers in their hands...

...because it's called the Feast of the Rose.

Mother wore long swinging earrings...

...and a golden brooch.

And? Tell me more.

There were candles on the table.

When father came back we sat around the table.

We were all good to each other.

Mother kept repeating, "Leben und leben lassen."

What does it mean?

Not to kill. "Live and let live" .

The Jewish prophet said that.

"The poet was a Jew, but he wrote in German."

Tell it to me again.

I haven't thought about it before.

Only since they started coming.

They come to you? You see them?

Yes.

All of them.

It must be beautiful.

I knew from the moment you came to us that you're different.

Do they come to you often?

Whenever I'm left alone.

Do you talk with them?

"Is it green outside, yet?"

"It's fully spring, can't you feel it?"

I also see somebody in my dreams every night.

Do you know who it is?

I see you quite clearly. You're talking to me.

Last night you told me...

"Oh, can I really believe it?"

Aren't you curious to know what it is you asked me?

I had to wait until she left.

"I didn't want to talk around her, mom."

I never taught you to hate.

"Remember, our suffering has been going on..."

...for over five thousand years already.

You have to be strong like Samson.

Mom!

Is there any strength left in me?

"Samson, with his bare hands, tore a lion to pieces."

Tell me...

I have nobody. I am alone.

Could this be my strength?

Fear is your strength. You want to live. I understand.

"You're the same as me, although you despise me."

"Fear is your weakness, because you're afraid to die!"

No! I don't want to die just because of my face!

Go away!

You're one of those that I picked from the street.

I found you on the sidewalk.

I've deserted you.

"There's the price of life, and the price of death."

Do you remember that?

"They took him, in chains..."

...and locked him up in a dark cell...

...and his hair began to grow back...

...and he appealed to the Lord and said...

"My Lord remember me, and restore my former might."

Listen...

...have they blinded me already?

"Carefully, carefully."

A German truck was rushing behind a tram and he got hit on the head.

"He was a good man, but had a wretched life."

He died without a priest.

Sleep. Everything's all right.

What's going on?

Don't you know? The ghetto is burning!

They've been shooting since morning.

What's happening?

Where?

These explosions.

"No, they're not in town."

"Look, I brought you some cake."

I had one just like it.

Don't you like it?

That must be the front approaching.

We have to be very careful now. I'll cover the windows.

Why doesn't Mr. Malina come to see me anymore?

Uncle has gone away for a couple of days.

I'm taking you upstairs today.

"You won't stay here any longer, you hear?"

You're leaving here. Upstairs to the apartment.

I have everything ready. I've rearranged the furniture.

You'll see how nice it is now.

We'll be together.

Why aren't you happy?

I'm going upstairs?

Not yet. After dark.

Upstairs?

Yes.

Where is Mr. Malina? I wanted to say goodbye.

I'm taking you upstairs to the apartment!

What about them?

They won't come here anymore.

They already know that uncle...

Don't be scared.

I must go back to them.

I must be with them.

I must go back...

" ...yes, to the ghetto."

To the ghetto?

The ghetto is gone.

There's nothing there anymore! The uprising is long over!

They ran out of ammunition.

The Germans burnt down the last houses! No survivors!

That not true!

You're lying!

I'm not lying. I went everyday. I saw everything!

"They defended themselves, but the Germans were stronger."

"There's no one there anymore, understand?"

They'll be taking down the walls soon!

No! No!

You're a brave man!

You have any money? Hand it over!

You prefer the Germans?

"Well, dead man, no deal? You prefer the Germans?"

What does he want from that guy?

He's a Jew catcher.

"He's caught a Jew, and wants to skin him alive."

The guy won't even squeal.

Don't pretend you're some saint! I know you have some one near here!

Do you think I live a good life?

Hey! What? Let me go!

Who's that?

We were in prison together before the war.

I found him on the street. Some guy beat him.

I couldn't leave him there all alone.

Signal them that I'm coming down.

What's going on?

Is the professor downstairs?

He is.

"Stupid, why did you run from me?"

Professor...

What is it?

I've brought a man who was beaten. He's lying upstairs.

"Good, good."

I brought a Jew.

" All right, I'm coming..."

Where were you before?

"There's no danger here. You're safe, understand?"

Answer me.

"There's no danger here, understand?"

Drink.

"Sit up. Sit up, will you?"

I want to help you.

Were you hiding on this side?

Nobody survived.

Everything was destroyed.

I didn't know. I was blind.

You can't do that! You can't!

Start thinking.

Only a man can suffer such an ordeal...

...and only a man can rise back up.

You have to find the strength for that!

You are a man.

And who are you?

Thank you. I'll do it myself.

This will hurt a bit.

- Professor? - Yes?

- It's time. - Is it ready?

Yes.

Good. I'll bring the rest.

You want to cover my face?

Anyone will recognize it.

"I don't want to cover it, I want to bandage your wound."

Anyone can tell what I am.

It doesn't matter what your face looks like.

"If they bust in here, everyone they meet will die..."

...regardless of their face.

Are you telling the truth?

"Just look around, none of them wants to die..."

...but none of us will die for nothing.

See this?

"The price of our life, and the price of our death."

Do you believe me now?

"Listen, you'll stay with him."

I'll be back before dark.

You'll stay with us.

Who was he?

Who?

The one who talked to me.

Pankrat.

Pankrat?

Pankrat. You didn't know?

keep them here.The boy will warn his companions.

The man who dressed your wounds shouldn't come back here.

keep them here.

That will be the moment of your strength...

...the moment of your salvation.

You shall bring your oppressors to their knees...

...for the deaths of the innocent...

...for all the evil you were made to suffer!

Now is the time.