Original subtitles

September, 1937.

November, 2011.

Thank you, dear ones.

I spent some of my most beautiful years here.

But everything nice must come to an end.

Our Maria is capable and hard working,

I'm sure you'll work successfully with her.

That will be hard after you leave, but I'll try to replace you worthily.

Cheers!

Professor.

Professor.

Professor.

Professor?

Good morning, professor.

Good morning, Bole. What time is it?

You're on time, as always.

I brought you breakfast, and you have some newspapers

Thank you sonny, excuse me.

I overslept a bit.

Do you know what was I dreaming, Bole? - What, professor?

You won't believe it. I was dreaming,

you're growing and growing

And you're tall as your brother Rade.

And you passed entrance exam.

Professor, I'm not sure that'll happen. - Of course it will.

On day it'll happen, but you have to believe in yourself.

To have confidence. You can't achieve anything without that.

On day you'll play with the big symphony orchestra.

I'll play and you'll conduct. - You'll grab a violin first!

Let's repeat that thing we practiced yesterday. Come on, sonny.

Are you coming to the wedding, professor? - I do. - Rade is coming too, from Vienna.

Rade is coming? I'm so pleased.

He forgot about me since he left to academy. - He didn't. - He sure did.

You'll forget about me too. - I won't. - Come on, let's go.

Come on.

Animato!

Where is the real beginning of my story?

Long time in the past, or when this letter has arrived?

Sit down, professor. - Thank you.

I'm listening.

We were all excited.

Why?

By accident, workers that were digging to fix malfunction on the pipes,

on the old fairground,

have found this box.

Fortunately they were responsible enough to give it to the police.

And the police gave it to us.

It's incredible how it's still saved.

You father's letter is inside.

Photography and some music notes.

You've mistaken me with someone. My father died 15 years ago, right after my mother.

Why would they bury anything? - You were adopted by family Brankov from Pancevo?

What do you mean adopted?

Note that is left here, says that

if Weiss family don't survive the camp,

this box is to be delivered to Brankov family.

Come on, please. - Before we called you and notified you

we talked with a close friend of the Weiss family.

With Emile Neifeld.

He confirmed that Sarah and Isaac Weiss

left their two year old son, Misha, to Brankov family.

That's impossible, I have nothing to do with that. That's a misunderstanding.

What was that mister's name? - Neifeld.

Please, give me an address. - Emile Neifeld.

He lives here across the park. Number 10 Student square.

I'll inform Emile that you're coming. - Thank you, goodbye.

Mister Misha. - Yes?

We photocopied all the documents for our museum.

But you mentioned the old fairground and the camp.

Yes, Judenlager Semlin. That was it's official name.

Judenlager Semlin?

On December, 1941.

only four years after opening magnificent Belgrade fair,

Judenlager Semlin was founded at the same place.

Camp of death for Jews and Gypsies.

It was founded on the territory of the newly founded Independent State of Croatia

It was run by the Gestapo, with big cooperation of Serbian collaborators and the police.

70th anniversary of the camp foundation will be in one month.

This tower is dominant in the fairground.

Later, on it's top was installed a machine gun nest.

On March 1942,

decision about closing the camp was made.

and destruction of the Judenlager Semlin prisoners.

Big, dark grey, completely bulletproof truck was coming twice a day

That's the one on the picture. It's the only photo we have.

When enough inmates gets inside the truck, it leaves.

Soon after that it stops, one of the drivers

is connecting the exhaust pipe from the engine with a shaft in the bottom of the chassis.

Poisons exhaust gas is suffocating hermetically closed victims.

This killing method was later used in Auschwitz. The gas truck.

that Belgrade citizens called Soul of the hoop

was passing trough the center of Belgrade, leaving for Jajince,

10 km away from the center.

They were dropped in already made tombs there.

Mister Misha,

are you listening to me?

They didn't resist in any way?

No one could imagine what is prepared for them.

Most of them were saying for themselves that they're Serbs of Moses' fate.

They were born and living in Belgrade.

It's terrible

that I didn't know almost anything about that.

Many people don't know, professor.

Third floor. Come in.

Good afternoon.

Elevator doesn't work. Everything is decrepit in this house.

There's no money for repairs.

Please.

Come in.

Natural lemonade? Alright?

Yes, thank you.

Sit down.

What do you want to know, Misha?

They gave me this in the museum. - Yes.

They told me one incredible story. - Yes, I heard.

What's so incredible about it? - This box...

Allegedly it belongs to my real parents.

I don't know what to tell you, but

that story is absurd. - Nothing is absurd.

That story is true.

I knew the family of Isaac Weiss and Brankov family.

You know, Misha,

occupation has changed our lives fundamentally.

Racistic laws were brought.

Yellow ribbons.

Everyone thought that that's just temporary, that it won't last for long.

However,

horrible crimes have happened!

I was fortunate that I had one friend who I asked to get me false documents

for my parents.

I tried to convince them to leave, but the didn't want to.

So I left by myself.

Even today I can't forgive myself for doing that,

for not going to the camp with them.

Your father, Isaac Weiss, saved his son

by sending him to Brankov's in the village, to protect him.

At least temporary. Yes, he said like that, temporary.

So you're confident that I'm not...

That I am Misha Weiss?

Of course, absolutely.

Where are...

Oh, God.

Where did the Weiss live?

Danube street.

21 Danube street.

That's somewhere in Dorcol.

I hope it still has the same name today.

Jews were living there once.

But not anymore.

Why did I take this box?

That is some other life, it's not mine.

Our dear Misha.

Maybe it'll never be necessary for you to read this letter.

Maybe everything will work out well.

But these times are dangerous.

Nothing is certain.

That's why we want you to know how much we love you

and that we can't wait the time when we'll all be together.

Mother is crying all the time,

and I can't comfort her.

One melody is playing in my ears day and night.

Testimony about us.

That we were,

we existed.

I'm going to sleep with those sounds,

I wake up with them.

And somehow I believe,

until that music exists,

we'll exist too.

Love, your mother and father.

'When Day Breaks'

When day breaks,

and the dead woke up

and the new dawn comes.

We have arrived, professor.

Thank you.

Kosta!

Ana!

It's me! - Misha!

How come you came here so suddenly?

We didn't expect you, we didn't hear from you

Kosta, Misha is here!

My dear Misha, so suddenly.

How are you two doing? - Awful.

We're feeding milk to the pigs, we're selling cows

it doesn't pay off, and our years fell on our backs...

Misha came, here he is.

My brother, where have you been?

Misha, you forgot about us. - How could I forget you?

I had business about the choir. Why don't you come to town sometimes?

I don't want to go anywhere from the farm, I told you that time.

Ana, get some quince brandy for my brother. Come in. - Thank you.

You were away for two years! Hey man, for two years!

Remember when we were kids, Kosta, you were always hiding in this same closet!

Two years?

It's been so long? - It's been ever more than two years.

How is the little guy? We see him now and then on television.

He's traveling a lot.

He's working. To be honest, we hardly have any contact.

Kosta.

Why didn't you tell me?

Didn't tell you what?

You didn't tell me

that we're not brothers.

How did you find out?

I just found out.

Why did you keep a secret?

Because... You are my brother.

And you've always been my brother.

From the moment when mother and father brought you to the farm

and said 'Kole, this is your brother',

I accepted you as my younger brother.

And you think that that explanation is enough?

For me it is.

You should've told me.

After all these years. - Mother and father swore me not to tell you.

You are my brother, Misha! - Here's a quince brandy.

Please, take it. - Thank you, Ana. - Cheers.

Emma.

Come on, Emma!

You forgot how to do it? - You can see that I didn't.

You see, she recognized me.

I'll ride it.

Brankov family

Misha.

Forgive me.

Forgive you what?

It's just...

Everything. Forgive me.

Kosta.

What is that, professor?

'When Day Breaks'

Let's try together.

Music notes are here.

Ready? - Yes.

It will be magnificent.

Danube street.

These house remember.

My God, are they remember?

Who are you looking for? - Excuse me.

Who am I looking for?

I'm asking you nicely.

Weiss family lived in this house long time ago.

How's that? - Weiss.

Married couple and a small child.

When did they live here? - Before the war.

World War II.

Are you serious?

We don't even know who lives here today, and you're asking us about WWII.

Are you the new owner of this building? - No, I'm not, madam.

Because they'll take all this down, so they can make office space.

And no one cares what will happen with us. - I'm sorry.

Just so you know, we won't allow anyone to kick us out of here.

Only over my dead body.

Now get out of here, come on.

Why didn't you look for me after the war?

What could've I told you?

That you don't have anyone of your family?

There's just one photography left.

I'm trying to imagine

that they're still alive? What were my parents like?

Wonderful people.

You had wonderful parents.

You father was one magnificent musician

He played a few instruments.

And my mother? - Your mother...

Your mother was a beautiful woman.

How is it possible that I've never been here

and I crossed the bridge so many times.

The old fairground.

Excuse me, sir...

Excuse me, madam. Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

They were digging here for some plumb pipes.

Yes. - A few days back. - Yes, we didn't have water for a few days.

You live here? - Yes.

Come in. - No, no. - Come in.

Come in, I'll make coffee. Come in to see where I live.

Please, I'll make some coffee now.

I was going to take out the trash. I'm so sick and disappointed.

I'll take out the trash. - No, please, I'll do it.

Sit down, please.

Sit down, please. Make yourself comfortable, please.

I'll make coffee now.

I came here twenty years ago.

I came as a refugee, and they told us this will be our temporary lodging.

And I stayed here more than twenty years.

This is not a place to live. Do you know what was on this place once?

Yes.

A concentration camp. - Yes, a prison.

Prison bars were on the windows.

So I changed it so it's more prettier now, I put these new bars.

Because I'm afraid of burglars.

It's scary here at night.

I'm afraid to go out in the hall because mice and rats are running around.

It's not so convenient. The scariest part of the year is autumn.

Autumn is empathetical and depressive.

There's many depressive people here, my neighbours.

They won't admit that, they say they're not depressive, but believe me, they are.

They're depressive.

You can't sleep at night because dogs are barking, and you can't open the window.

You know when's the pretties time here?

It's prettiest at winter, when it's snowing.

So everything is white.

Like in a fairytale.

Is it cold here in winter?

We stoke

with woods.

but you know, you can't warm that up.

I'm embarrassed.

Don't cry.

I'm waiting for the snow.

It's so beautiful.

And white, like in a fairytale.

Come at winter to see.

To see how nice it is. - I will. - It's nice here after all.

Good afternoon.

What do you need?

A few days ago plumbers were digging here to setup some water pipes.

I have no idea, what pipes? - They dug.

We didn't have water for three days. Three days!

Look behind the tower, they were digging there. - Where's that? - Over here.

Mile! Mile, get over here!

Listen son, help this man so he doesn't get lost.

Take him to the tower and show him where did the plumbers dig. - Thank you.

Do you live here? - Yes, on the second floor.

On the second?

No, not that way. This way.

That flowers are nice. Are they real? - Yes.

Artificial is more pretty, and it lasts longer. This is the tower.

What's your name, again? - Mile.

Mile, do you know what was here once? - What?

People say that the amusement park will be opened here.

Amusement park? - Yes. Here, they were digging here.

Thank you, sonny. I'll stay here for a while. - Goodbye.

Goldstein Sofia. Fisher, Josephine.

Deitch, Hanna.

Isaac Weiss. Sarah Weiss.

Wait!

Wait! Wait for me!

Wait for me!

Good evening.

Good evening, professor! Welcome, come in.

Where is Mitar? - He's inside, on the left.

Please, come in. - Thank you.

Mitar!

Thank God, you came, professor.

To be honest, I was worried that you won't come to the wedding

of my first granddaughter.

How could I miss that? Congratulations.

This is for the newlyweds.

Thank you. - Careful, just don't break it.

Tell me, where's my Bole?

He's here, but look who else came!

Rade, my sonny!

When have you arrived? - This morning, professor.

How's on the academy? - Great. Is my little brother improving?

He doesn't improve at all. He'll be better than you.

Good evening. - Help yourself. - That's too much for me.

I'm raising this glass for our professor!

Long live! - Long live!

Long live newlyweds!

You're pretty. - Thank you.

How old are you? - Fifteen. - Fifteen.

How about I perform that thing of his?

As a surprise for him. - Sure. - You want? Come on.

Stop, stop!

Professor, I have a surprise for you. - What?

Professor!

How could I worry about my coat at this time, woman?

What can I say?

We're living in a world of unpunished violence.

That's how it is, professor.

Some people have too much protection,

and some people don't have it all.

You know,

we never did any harm to anyone, and you see what are they doing to us.

They want to drive us away from here, but where? Where are we going to to leave?

My grandsons, Rade and Bole, I raised them with work and suffering.

Their parents went to Germany so they cane earn money for the house.

I know Mitar, and you never heard from them again. - Never.

God knows what happened to them. That's a Gypsy destiny, you know.

And Bole is under pressure.

He has to be the best. - He will. - If he wants to succeed, he has to be the best.

He will be, Mitar. Believe me.

Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

I have a meeting with a rabbi. - Excuse me,

are you Jew?

I don't know, I really don't know. - How can you not know?

I just don't know.

Cover your head.

Forgive me, I'm here for the first time.

Professor.

Welcome. - Good afternoon, thank you.

I heard about your case.

Our community is very small these days, so that kind of things spread fast.

How can I help you?

First of all, I have to admit that I'm confused

I lived one entire life in belief that I am the one who I am now,

and now my life is suddenly changing. Not only that I don't know who I am,

but I know very little about who I was.

I almost don't know anything about my real parents.

But there is something that is connecting us

on same strange and unusual way,

and that is unfinished music score that my real father left to me.

I... I finished it.

Professor, I can tell you many similar stories.

Not one, but almost many generations, were just... Sliced.

Some of the survivors have lost everything.

Childhood, memories.

Some of them even their identity.

And some of them just have some misty memories left.

I started to believe that my father, Isaac Weiss,

left that score unfinished on purpose,

so he could make a connection with me.

That seems ridiculous. - No, not at all.

Believe me, that music haunts me days and nights.

It's like

it's calling for some memory.

Memory that couldn't be allowed to be lost.

Yes, music is a miracle.

Music is telling so much more than words.

With music, with music you can express deepest feelings.

You know, in our tradition is to

play music, and to sing when it's the hardest.

Yes, music. With music you can win

against suffering, sorrow, torturing, everything.

I heard that you have commemoration for the victims on December 8th.

Oh really? Great. Will you come to the synagogue?

I think that the proper place would be

an old fair ground.

Every feet is marked with suffering there.

I'll bring the big choir, orchestra,

Professor, can you do that? - I will bring you the best musicians!

Alright, it can be that way.

We'll have a commemoration at the fair ground. - Thank you.

We understand each other, professor.

You know, professor,

my family ended up there as well.

Grandfather and mother.

Solomon and Sonya.

They were hiding at some friends in Belgrade for some time,

and then somewhere around autumn

in 1941.

someone reported them.

They packed their things orderly,

and they were orderly taken to the concentration camp.

Professor, I don't know if the human kind have learned anything

from all those horrors.

Believe me, human experience

doesn't mean anything.

Crimes are repeated,

criminals remain unpunished,

and the indifference of the world remains.

It remains and it lasts, professor.

Professor!

You can't live without us? - No, I can't.

I'm sorry, Maria. - Don't apologize, it's nice to see you.

Thank you, excuse me.

Can I just say a few words? - Of course, professor.

Dear ones, we departed recently,

but I'm back with one request,

to fulfill my great wish.

To be first to sing unperformed composition. Do you agree?

Yes. - Maria, I copied it, you can start rehearsing right now, give it to everyone.

We don't have much time. - Excuse me professor, that's impossible.

You know we're preparing New Years Eve concert. - Maria, please...

We're preparing a brand new repertoire. I added some modern things.

We have to record a CD as well.

You can come when ever you want after New Year, but now...

You're always a welcome guest here. Professor.

Marko?

Misha!

What are you doing here my friend?

I need you. Good afternoon. - Good afternoon.

How did you find me, man? - You can't hide from me.

I'm not hiding, Misha, I'm just living on my own way.

Let's drink something.

Come on Misha, cheers. - Cheers.

Marko.

You owe me something, do you remember?

I know.

It's nice.

What do you want me to do?

I want...

that for your Philip,

and for all those who are gone, and for us that are alive,

to sing this just once.

You're asking a lot, Misha.

I can't. You know I haven't singed for a long time.

I know.

Twenty years.

Twenty years.

I can't. I'm sorry, but I can't.

Marko you can give up on everything,

but not on your voice.

There's no one on the world who can sing this as good as you. - I can't, Misha.

I'm not even sure that I can do that.

My voice broke.

Brandy.

I can't sleep until I empty the bottle.

Every night my Philip comes,

he sits down on the bed next to me and

he's quiet.

I'm quiet too.

And I'm drinking.

I can't, Misha. I can't.

Please. - You have to, Marko.

You have to do it for me.

Please.

My God, what a talent.

But he didn't have the luck

In 1992, they captured his son Philip on the street and mobilized him by force,

and sent him on the front.

It's terrible to lose your only son like that.

Please, look after him.

Forgive me, I wanted to ask you for a favour. - What favour?

This is a recently found score

it's not performed yet.

What's this? How did you get it? - It was found on the old fair ground, on camp's place.

On inmate composed it. On some places it was completely faded,

but I finished it.

That prisoner... - Colleagues, five minute break.

I wanted to tell you, that inmate, sit down. - Premiere is two days from now. - Sit down!

Listen to me, it's important.

Commemoration will be held at the old fair ground,

you'll prepare you choir and orchestra, and Marko Popovic will sing the solo aria.

Marko Popovic? He gave up on singing long time ago.

He'll sing that for me.

Dad, please... - Son,

that means very much to me, please.

You were always futile. Amateur choirs, free classes for children,

Only for talented ones. - Yes, and others made careers in the meantime.

Like you? - Of course.

You were always thinking about everybody else except on you and on us.

Now you made up some commemoration. What's wrong with you? - That's not some

commemoration! You just have to go there and see. Without monuments,

without proper signs. Thousands people died there!

Alright, that happened in the past. Who cares about that now?

Leave the country to take care of that. If that isn't marked, there's a reason.

Well, call that amateur choir of yours so they can sing? - Amateur?

That has to be magnificent! Half the Belgrade will come to hear us.

My people won't perform without a fee.

They'll get their fee.

Alright dad... - Malisha!

Not another word! You'll prepare the choir and the orchestra

we'll meet on December 8th, I'll let you know on what time.

Son,

that inmate,

he was my father.

He was what?

My father.

Come on, dad...

Sorry, I have to work, I'll call you. We'll be in touch.

Come on.

How do you like it? - I like it a lot, it's pretty, it's beautiful.

Should daddy buy it? - Daddy should buy it!

It's preserved good, good brand.

But that's secondhand, after all.

Then we agreed, 3200.

Deal?

I wouldn't sell it if I didn't have to. - I believe you. - This is...

Like my family.

Don't worry, it'll be in good hands. - So I see.

My dear honey,

I wish you that it serves you well.

Thank you.

So, three...

3200.

My men will take it away today. - Thank you.

Let's go, honey. - Goodbye.

Will you make it? - Don't worry.

This is Malisha, dad.

Where are you? I called you ten times!

I was in the opera, where else? What do you need?

Do you know that you have to come to old fair ground tomorrow with choir and orchestra?

What fair ground? I'm in Novi Sad tomorrow.

Malisha, son...

I sold my piano so I can pay your people.

What piano, dad? What are you saying?

I have the money. - I have to go, I'll call you next week.

Mitar, let's go. - Just five more minutes and we're going.

Let's go people. Rade, where's Bole? - I don't know.

Bole!

Come on, sonny.

Will we make it, Bole? - Yes if we believe in ourselves. - My dear!

Didn't I tell you he won't fail me.

Marko.

Mitar! - I'm fine, I'm fine.

I just need a little nap...

Everything will be fine.

Where are we now, professor? - Judenlager Semlin,

a camp for the Jews and for you Gypsies.

It's spooky, professor.

Please, look after Marko.

Let's go people, we're late!

Amen.

We're sorry for being late.

This is my orchestra.

Welcome. - Thank you.

Composition

that you'll hear now

was written on this place.

Until that music exists,

we'll exist too.

Those are the words said by the composer, Isaac Weiss.

Isaac Weiss is my father.

When day breaks

and the dead woke up,

and the new dawn comes,

we'll be together again

When day breaks,

and the night has passed.

THE END

Translated by Inglourious @KG