The Tattooist of Auschwitz

This is a fine series recounting the horrors of the nazi death camp, auschwitz. The story is told by Lali Sokolov, played in old age by Harvey Keitel who is recounting his story to budding Australian writer Heather Morris played by Melanie Lynskey.

It tells us how Lali became the Auschwitz tatooist which means he tatoo's the prison number on the arm of all new arrivals. In doing this he meets Gita, Anna Prochniak, and they immediately bond so he then seeks her out in the femail quarters where their relationship develops.

As the tatooist has relative freedom in the camp, with even his own room, an SS officer, Stefan Baretski played by Jonas Nay is appointed to supervise him. This, for me, was one of the most fascinating aspects of the story. A strange relationship develops between captive and captor. While Baretski demonstrates his evil side with violence and killing, including beating Lali occasionally, he is clearly not a happy soldier and uses Lali as an emotional crutch. To show a slightly more humane side to his character he often enables private meetings for Lali with Gita.

While auschwitz is shown as an evil place with frequent views of the gas chambers and incinerators, I still think that life for the average prisoner was much worse than portrayed here.

However this is a disturbing and also moving watch which I highly recommend.

In an era when 'Nazi' and 'Fascist' is frequently used to tarnish people for simply having a different opinion, often by people who should know better, this serves as a reminder of what Nazism and Fascism really is.

I only watched this series as I was sitting at home in the rain and I was a bit bored.

Thank god I did as it engaged through every minute as a beautiful and haunting piece of art and searingly honest in its meticulous presentation.

I was born in 1941 and obviously only a baby during the time of Auschwitz but somehow the series attached me from that shared time.

I read a stunning review by Chris Jones which says everything I wanted to say but in a much better way. Here is part of his review but I strongly recommend you read his whole review.

REVIEW: Come with me on a journey through history, where THE TATTOOIST OF AUSCHWITZ charts a course through the shadows and lights of human resilience. This series captures the full spectrum of emotions in the life of Lali Sokolov, a man whose scars from the past are as profound as his victories over them. Everything about this series will make you think and feel, making you question how so many people had the incredible strength to overcome and persevere.

We're introduced to a young Lali, played by Jonah Hauer-King, who arrives at Auschwitz and is immediately handed the grave responsibility of tattooing prisoners with a permanent reminder of what has become one of the most disheartening "memories" in world history. This role tests every fiber of his moral being. Amid this darkness, he encounters Gita, whose role is filled with strength and grace by Anna Próchniak. Their love story blossoms under the strict and menacing gaze of Nazi officer Stefan Baretzki, chillingly portrayed by Jonas Nay.

The series doesn't just linger in the past; it also explores Lali's later years. Harvey Keitel takes on the role, bringing a layered and poignant performance as he decides to open up about his torturous past to Heather Morris, a character given depth by Melanie Lynskey's portrayal. This framing adds a reflective dimension to the series, making the audience ponder the enduring effects of Lali's traumatic experiences. The journey from the past to the present is a powerful way to show this trip through time and the scars left on a human soul.

My main reason for this post is to correct all the ill-informed posters who have critisised Melanies portrayal of Heather Morris in this series. Author Heather Morris is a New Zealander, AS IS Melanie Lynskey!!!! Melanie used her native NZ accent, and it was accurate to a tee. She was never meant to be a British woman as so many seem to think. Lali resided in Melbourne, Australia and was interviewed by a New Zealand woman with a New Zealand accent. Okay, having explained all that, my Jewish wife and I were very disturbed by series despite having been totally familiar with the history of the appalling conditions and treatment in the camps. I did think that it was impossible to obtain actors and extras who could ever look as emaciated as the actual victims, but the message came across as strongly as intended. I do agree with others that young Lali did look and sound as if he had just graduated from Oxford University and would have benefited with an attempt at a Polish accent as all other parts were spoken with the various European accents. All in all, a valiant attempt at a forever difficult subject.

I don't think that I have watched anything that moved me so much. The horrors of the camp were so well portrayed. At times it was overwhelming but the excellent way in which the series was produced as well as the quality of the acting made me keep watching. I could not stop. The story was ultimately one of love and hope in the absolute darkest of times. Everyone should watch it to see the depths of human nature but also the goodness that can survive in spite of that. It is productions like this one that need to be seen by everyone to prevent this ever happening again. Well done to everyone involved.

Beyond moved having experienced this incredible show. From the acting, music through to the raw pain and truth on display, absolutely blown away with this show. This is a true story, of one man's journey, that should be told the world over. We can never forget the horrors of the holocaust, and the Tattooist of Auschwitz is a crucial part of this.

The lengths the actors, directors and producers went to to do justice to those who endured the holocaust is commendable. Jewish actors for Jewish role, Polish for Polish etc. The piano music is also from an authentic piano from the 1940s belonging to the grandmother of the score composer. The detail in this show is phenomenal.