In 1942, SS-chief Heinrich Himmler initiated "Operation Reinhardt".
Nazi-Germany's final solution to the "Jewish question".
3 death-camps were built and staffed under top secret orders.
These camps, all in eastern Poland, were Belzec,
Treblinka and the most secret Sobibor.
Sobibor. It was here on October 14th 1943 that the biggest, most successful
prisoner revolt in World War 2 took place.
This is that story.
- Did you speak to them? - Yes, Leon.
But they're still going to do it.
- Leon, Leon... - What's going on?
We're assigned to the vegetable lot today.
While you're at the station, we are going to go.
- We've been working on that fence, it's our chance.
- In broad daylight through the minefield? It's crazy, you'll never make it.
We have the courage now. Who knows if we do tomorrow.
We're going to do it, nobody can stop us.
Good luck.
Quick! Run!
It's nothing but a little target practice.
I want no problems here today.
Is that clear? Take your positions. Dismissed.
Attention, railroad brigade Jews.
As always, I expect you to be smiling, when the train arrives.
Remember, we are welcoming these people.
This will run smoothly.
If there's a problem like yesterday's, if people panic or try to run
I don't have to remind you, you will be killed.
Water! Give me water!
Remember, we've got to stay together.
Get moving!
You! You, get back! Get back, I say!
- You must leave your bag. - No!
Stay right next to me.
If you want to stay together, volunteer.
When they ask you, tell them you have a trade.
Quiet! Quiet!
Stand where you are and be quiet.
You will be separated into two groups, just temporarily.
Women and children on this side,
men and boys, 14 years of age or older, on the other.
Those who are ill or too weak to walk will be assisted.
Leave your luggage, it will be brought to you later.
Now, move as quickly as possible. Move!
- Shlomo, Moses...!
- Mama, he said we'd be together in a little while.
- Yes, a little while. Kiss your sister. - Mama, which side to go?
Don't start anything. Move! Back!
All the sick on the top. On the wagon, over here!
Observe...
Do you see? How I'm scattering this? Grain by grain.
That is what will happen with your filthy Reich.
It will vanish like flying dust and passing smoke.
No.
You stand right here and don't move until I tell you
Silence!
I want everyone to listen to me carefully. You have arrived at Sobibor.
You are in eastern Poland. This is a labour camp.
We have brought you here to work.
You will work hard, but hard work is good for the soul.
So in reality, we are your benefactors.
You will be housed, you will be fed. All we ask is your cooperation.
If you do your jobs, you will have nothing to fear.
You will be given postcards.
Write to your relatives and friends to tell them you have arrived here safely.
We will mail them for you.
Unfortunately, there have been reports that
typhus have broken out at several labour camps.
We do not want typhus at Sobibor.
Therefore, first you will be taken to the shower facility
where you will each have a hot shower.
Naturally, men and women will shower separately.
Women will have their hair cut short before they shower
While you are showering, your clothing will be disinfected.
Remember, the better your behaviour, the easier your stay will be.
Hauptscharführer Wagner, Oberscharführer Frenzel
- I need experienced shoemakers and tailors. - Is anybody a qualified seamstress?
- Here, I am a seamstress. - Where did you work? For how long?
In Warsaw for 2.. no 2,5 years in a clothing store, Beloskis.
- I did alterations. - Good, step forward.
- I am a seamstress. - Step forward.
- Are there any first class shoemakers? Any tailors?
- I am a shoemaker, sir.
- The best. - Step forward.
- Qualified seamstresses? - Here, sir. I am a seamstress.
- Is this your son? - Yes. - No, can't use you.
- I am a seamstress. - Step forward.
- I need experienced shoemakers. Any tailors?
- Sir, I am a goldsmith.
See, I made that. These are my tools, sir.
Alright, step forward.
And Sir, my brother... He's a goldsmith too.
He helps me. We can make jewellery, anything.
Alright, step forward.
- Sir, what about our father? - Never mind him. Stay here, I'll be back.
- Any tailors? - I'm a tailor, sir.
- From where? - Bialystock, sir. Very experienced. See?
Alright, step forward. Any more?
Women and children! Follow me!
Men and boys! Move!
- Did you come here with your husband? - No, I'm not married.
- My name is Bajle. - I'm Luka.
I'm Naomi. My husband is fighting with the partisans.
Come on! Hurry up!
Get in!
I'm Samuel.
Welcome. I am Itzhak.
We work here for the SS and their Ukrainian guards
- How did you know I was a shoemaker? - I didn't.
- But what if I'd been a shopkeeper, or something?
- I'd have taught you.
- It happens here all the time. - So why did you tell me to volunteer?
Because you like someone I could get along with and that's important in Sobibor.
Where do you come from?
Come, come! Come in! Come.
Wait over there!
- What do we do now? - He said to wait.
Someone will tell us.
They can't allow babies in here.
Help me...
Come!
Stay in there. Don't leave for any reason. That's sergeant Wagner's orders. Understand?
Look! Way over there. Looks like a fire. I wonder what it is.
If it looks like a fire, then it probably is a fire. I sound like grandpa.
- What could be burning? - Who knows.
What's happening? This isn't a normal roll-call.
- Complete. - Complete.
The roll-call is complete, Herr Hauptscharführer.
There's something you don't seem to understand,
so I'm going to explain it to you.
Our Commandant wants me to make it very clear
that he is responsible for you. For each and everyone of you here.
Somewhat like, a large family.
Today 3 members of that family decided that they
didn’t want to be with us this evening or ever again.
Now, we could not let that happen, could we?
We have brought these 3 foolish men back, to be with all of us this evening.
Understand the message these 3 Jews bring back to you.
There's no escape from Sobibor.
There's only death for those insane enough to try.
Don't any of you ever forget that.
Dismissed!
- Leon, why didn't they listen to you? - They couldn't stand the pain anymore.
We talk about escape all the time and we do nothing.
Maybe it's true. Maybe there is no chance.
No, I still think there is a way. But not like this.
There has to be organization, there has to be patience
and some new people whose spirits have not yet been broken.
Yes, I want a chance to escape. To be free or at least a chance to die trying.
Better to escape and live. That would be real revenge.
This is Commandant Reichleitner. Show the commandant your wallet.
- This is very handsome. You made it? - Yes, sir.
SS. The initials are appropriate. What do they stand for?
- My name, sir. Shlomo Szmajzner. - Can you make rings?
- O yessir. I can make, we can make any kind of jewellery.
- Show me what kind of monogram you would design for me.
- May I sit, sir. - Yes, sit.
- The initials, sir? - FKR Franz Karl Reichleitner.
- You can make that for me? - Yes sir, but I need gold.
- Is that enough?
- See to it that these boys get food and blankets.
- Sir, our clothes... they're filthy.
- Everything and everybody in Sobibor has to neat and clean.
- Let them pick out what they want at the sorting sheds.
- Yes, Herr Commandant.
- And sir, my parents and... - Be quiet!
- Let the boy talk.
- My parents and my sister came here with us.
- Please, sir. When can I see them?
- Don't worry about them. They're working in the fields. They're well and happy.
I promise you, soon you will join them.
- How dare she hide the baby in here. We can all be killed for that.
- You must get it out of here.
- And put it where? What would you do if that was your baby?
- It's Wagner.
Good morning, ladies.
- I need someone who can take care of rabbits. Does anyone here have experience?
- I have.
- Stand up. How did you learn? - At home.
- We raised rabbits and chickens. My mother sold them at the market.
- You have a new job.
- Oberkapo, show her. - Come.
Bit of advice. Don't get Wagner angry. These Nazis can be madmen. He is the worst.
- What is your name? - Luka.
Luka. Well, Luka the woman who tended the rabbits twisted her back a few days ago.
We haven't seen her since. Sergeant Wagner arranged that.
The rabbits are food for the SS. They love their Hasen-Pfeffer.
You'd better know what you are doing.
- Oberkapo? Does that mean you are in charge of all the capos?
- Yes. - Are you Jewish?
- All the capos are. There are only Jews here.
- A Jew and you work for the Nazis?
- I have no more choice than you do. - But you carry a whip.
Choose your clothes!
- Esther! Kapo! - If they catch you with that, you're dead.
And they'll kill me too. So don't risk my life for me.
I am risking it enough already, not turning you in right now.
I don't know how to thank you.
- Where did all these clothes came from? - Quiet! No questions!
You have what you need.
- Get back to work, you lazy scum! - Well said, Kapo.
Now, give me your whip.
Do your job.
Get back to work! All of you! Go on! Go on!
Do you think...
- Where are all the women and children? - Eda. Look.
- How did you find it? - Put it in the soup.
Vodka!
- Go on! Stuff you faces right in front of us! Shame on you!
- Big bad Kapo Porchek.
What guard did you bribe to get food for you and your whore?
- For your own good, shut up! - Give me that food.
I'm warning you, stop it!
Why do we fight among ourselves?
If we have energy to spend, let's spend it against those who have reduced us to this.
Wait!
Here, let them share this.
Share it.
- Excuse me. Excuse me, are you Leon? - Yes.
- I thought so. Samuel said I should see you. I am Itzhak Lichtman.
- Oh yes, he told me about you.
- You're from Zolkiewka? - Yes. - I have been there many times.
Did you know the Rabbi there?
- Rabbi Schmeitzher? - Yes, he was a close friend of my father's.
- Did you know they shot him? - No.
It's in the synagogue.
During the service of Yom Kippur. I was there.
Let's go outside.
You found him. Good.
Samuel and I are forming a small group. We have to select our people very carefully.
- We're planning an escape. - An escape?
- For how many?
- We don't know yet. 10 people, perhaps 20 when we work out the details...
Whatever we say here must be kept secret at all costs.
- I swear to God. I'd rather die right here, right now than betray you.
- Good.
- Can I bring my wife and my son? Can I bring him?
- How old is the boy?
Four.
When you saw your wife and child at the train station last. Who were they with?
- They were with all the other women and children going to the showers.
- Are you sure? - Yes.
What is it?
- Itzhak. - What? - Listen to me. - What?
This is a death camp. Every day a train comes.
All the people, everyone who goes to the showers is dead.
Men, women, children. Everyone.
Oh, God... Oh, God... Oh, God... Oh, God...
Itzhak. Itzhak.
The fire, the fire is their funeral.
They were my life.
- Beautiful. That is excellent work. Excellent, isn't it?
- Very handsome, Herr Commandant.
- I expect you to design an SS-ring. I want my SS-men to have a nice gold ring.
Start right away. - Yes, sir.
Bend over
- You are two lucky Jews. - Why? Why?
Have you seen the new girl in charge of the rabbits?
- I've seen her. I wouldn't mind having a little of that right now.
- A Jew? That's disgusting!
- If you saw her... - Remember Poul and Groth.
Two good men. Kicked out of the SS
and sent to the Russian front for raping Jewish girls.
- That didn't make sense to me. - Me neither. We are ordered to kill them.
- But we are not allowed to use their bodies first.
- As it should be. We're SS. We're the elite.
- We do not soil ourselves in Jewish filth. - The British bombed Hamburg again.
And again I'm lucky. My wife and kids are alright, thank God.
Just be glad you are in a safe place. Look at us. Proud defenders of the Reich.
Don't talk like that. My father was killed in the first war.
Doing his duty for the fatherland.
And we are doing our duty for the Führer here.
That's as honourable as being on a battlefield.
- He is right. - Battlefield. You're crazy.
What do you do? Sit in your little booth and turn on the gas?
Valve on... Wait 20 minutes... valve off... Big job.
That takes great courage, Bauer. How many Jews did you gas today?
- Don't talk about that in front of them. They don't hear anything. Do you?
- I'm sorry, sir. I didn't hear you. - See, they are deaf.
- How old are you? -15, sir.
15? My son is 12. I hope he lives to be 15. I mean if a Jew can, why can't he?
- What's your name? - Toivi, sir.
- Toivi. Get me another beer. - Yes, sir.
Get this butcher out of here.
I've seen Treblinka. I don't know how they managed it.
- Sloppy security, that's all. - Right, Herr Commandant.
- If Jews at Treblinka can riot and set buildings on fire
then they can do it here. - Could they? - Not at Sobibor, Untersturmführer.
But still I want extra caution to be taken.
I am advised by Berlin that they are increasing the
number of transports we are to receive to 3 a day.
A tribute to our efficiency. We'll be up to our eyes in Jews.
Tell your men what happened at Treblinka.
I expect you to see to it, that nothing like that happens here.
Yes, Herr Commandant.
- Can I help you, sir?
- Here's a little present for you. Put it to work.
- Tell them your name. - We know Toivi, sir. We can use him.
Nobody asked you that.
I want a design in gold. On the handle.
- A snake that winds around from here to here.
- I'd be happy to do that for you, sir.
- But Sergeant Wagner, he said that I wasn't...
- I don't want to hear about Hauptscharführer Wagner,
just do it or I'll break some bones.
- Understood? - Yes, sir.
Send him to compound 3 tomorrow morning. Ask for me at the gate, Scharführer Bauer.
- I will have a gold piece, I want inserted at the end of the handle. Here.
- Yes, sir.
Look at this.
Thank you.
See, the skin is the most nourishing part.
I've put a piece in your soup too.
Try it.
You must eat. The best revenge is for you to survive.
- Itzhak... - Hmm?
My family was murdered too.
Roll-call in 2 minutes. Come on! Quick!
- All I'm saying is that maybe somehow we can use the Ukrainian guards.
- It's possible. - How loyal are these Ukrainians to the SS?
They hate the SS as much as they hate us, but they're mercenaries
and also known as shooting at them.
We use them all the time.
When we find gold or jewels in the sorting sheds
we steal some of it sometimes and bribe the Ukrainian guards to bring us food.
They get rich but at least we stay alive.
- What’s your idea? - Look, suppose we find the right Ukrainian,
we bribe him to bring us poison. Strychnine, cyanide...
- Alright, we have the poison, then what?
- Well, who serves the SS meals? The butchers. We get them to do the poisoning...
- They're children, Samuel. It's too much responsibility for them.
- You're right. The problem is we are not soldiers.
We don't know how to kill, we never have...
Roll-call, come on.
Sergeant Bauer wants me.
- What are you doing? You're not allowed in here.
- Sergeant Bauer ordered me here, sir.
Wait here.
- What's taking Moses so long? - Maybe he got lost.
No, here he is.
- Moses! Moses! Moses! What happened? Did someone hurt you? - No.
- What is it? What happened? Tell us. - I went there to get this.
- From sergeant Bauer. - Yes, I know that. - I saw the shower place.
And there are no showers.
'Cause all the people who go in there, are killed.
I saw the dead bodies. Women, babies...
All twisted together. And prisoners like us throw them on carts and pull them away.
Everyone who goes for a shower is dead.
Everyone. Shlomo, our whole family is dead.
- You knew this. You knew and you didn't tell us.
- My family are dead too.
The sergeants, they said if I told anyone, they'd kill me.
Our mother, our father and our sister are murdered.
Now I want to kill. And I will kill!
- Which one of you is Leon?
- I am. You are the new... eh... the new goldsmith.
- Shlomo.
- Yes, hello Shlomo. - What's going on in here?
How can you do this in a place where they murder your families?
They kill little children. And you make music, you laugh,
you play games, you even make love. In here, it's a carnival.
And you work for these monsters! You packet our clothing to send to Germany.
My mother's clothing, my father's clo...
Now that you know the truth about Sobibor, will you still make jewellery for them?
What will you do? Refuse?
Consider yourself an honoured person because you let them kill you?
No, you won't. As we don't.
And every day will be an agony of conscience.
It's the same for everybody here.
When I came here, I was with my wife and small child.
They took me to work in the sorting shed. My wife and child were sent to the showers.
The next day I am sorting through clothes, and I... I come...
I came across their clothes. I find them by accident.
This is the way I find that they are dead. My wife. My child.
But what is there to do but survive?
Yes, we sing and we dance. Sometimes we make jokes. We make love.
If not, we deny life. We work for them so we may survive.
And we survive for a reason. Revenge.
And some day we will have it. Do you understand?
I will do anything for revenge. Even if I have to die for it.
- How old are you? - How old do you have to be?
You're old enough.
Wagner's going to be late on his round today.
No he isn't! Here he comes!
God morning, ladies.
And how is the work progressing this morning?
- No, please... - Is that yours?
- What are you going to do? - What do you think?
There are no babies in Sobibor
- You're going to kill her?
- Because I am in a good mood today, I'm going to let you live.
- No! - I really shouldn't. You're a lucky woman. - Give me my baby!
You don't understand. I'm offering you a chance to live. It's quite unusual.
I spit on your offer, you Nazi bastard.
We got to get out of here. We got to get out.
- But even if we do.. even if we do escape, what then?
- We disappear into the forest.
There are partisan groups there. We find these groups and we join them.
But first things first. We must find a way of escaping.
This should be one of our easier days. These Dutch will behave themselves.
I'll take this.
- Here. Be sure to keep your baggage check. - Thank you. Just a second.
- Here you are. - We're not allowed to accept tips, Madame.
- Nonsense. Please, take it. - I can't.
Well, then only as a souvenir from Holland.
Are there any other Dutch people already here?
No, this is the first train from Holland.
- Here is your baggage check. Don't lose it. - Thank you, I won't.
When they ask for seamstresses or laundresses just raise your hand.
Whatever it is, say you're a professional.
- Why? - Just do it.
Look at the SS. They're amused.
- Bastards!
- Not only do we die for them, we dance for them like stupid performing bears.
- That was charming. A lovely folkdance. - Thank you. - Very charming.
Now, everybody dance. Play.
I want you all to have a good time. Come on.
Dance! Enjoy it. Let's dance.
Let's dance. Come on. Dance.
May I have the honour?
Let's dance. Come on.
- Hello, Bajle. - Hello.
- You dance beautifully. - Thank you.
- You came to Sobibor alone? - Yes.
- Where are your family? - I don't know where they are.
- I'm by myself. - And I'm by myself.
- My name is Chaim. - I'm Selma. Hello. - Hello.
- Would you dance with me? - Oh, I would.
Come on! Come on!
- You look like you want to dance. - Yes, but I don't know how.
Would you like me to show you?
- But no laughing. - Maybe just a little.
Let's dance! Come on!
One, two three, one, two three...
I keep seeing people coming to you for advice.
We talk it passes the time.
Whatever it is, if I can ever help, just say so.
Bajle, I don't know how to say things like this...
but I want you.
Let me tell you, you do know how to say things like that.
Shlomo, I'm 26. Why don't you ask one of the younger girls?
I've never eaten an apple before. I wouldn't want a green one.
Bajle... When?
We'll see.
Wagner's coming!
Keep working.
- When will the SS rings be finished? - We'll finish the last ones today, sir.
I have orders from Commandant Reichleitner
to close down the goldsmith shop when the rings are done.
- Why? - It doesn't matter why.
Now listen to me. I'm making you the head of the mechanics shop.
You'll have 4 or 5 men under you and a lot of hard work.
If you want to live, you'll see that it's done right.
- You can take that one with you. What's his name?
- Moses.
Ah... the king of Jews.
You will work and sleep in the mechanics shop and at night,
in secret, you'll continue to make gold jewellery
for me and for whoever I send to you. Remember, if this secret leaks
you and the little king will be dead 5 minutes later. Understood?
Yes.
- Sir, what about Toivi, sir? - You better find yourself another job.
What other job, sir?
Any other job!
Get up! Get up! Get up!
Alright, 25 for you. And don't forget to count.
One! Two! Three! Four! Five!
Six! Seven! Eight! Nine! Ten!
Eleven! Twelve! Thirteen! Fourteen!...
Kapo! Hurry up! Move it! Move along!
Here, You. Get the water.
- Got a light? - I think so. - You two, wait!
- Now? - At the stream, I'll hit him.
Alright, go ahead. Move!
- What's taking them so long? - I don't know. - Stay here, I'll have a look.
Scharführer! Scharführer Wolf!
Two prisoners... escaped... at the stream! They have a rifle!
You, you, you and you follow me! Come on!
They got out. Let's go! Go!
Stand at attention!
This morning two prisoners escaped from North Camp.
13 other prisoners, no doubt inspired by that idiotic example
also tried to escape. If any of you would like to cheer. Go right ahead.
There will be no more escape attempts in this camp. I'll repeat that:
There will be no more escape attempts in this camp!
We're going to kill these 13 men while you watch.
But we're going to do more than that. We're going to allow each of these men.
the privilege of selecting one of you, as his partner in death.
26 will die today.
Go and select your partners.
You're all free to walk over and select your partners. Do it now.
I said, do it now.
Do it now!
No! None of us will do. We will never do it.
Let me explain. This is simple mathematics.
So it shouldn't be too difficult to understand.
If you 13 men do not select 13 to die with you
then I will select 50.
So the decision is yours.
13 or 50?
I'm sorry.
And now we begin. You will watch this, so that you will remember.
If I find anyone turning away or closing their eyes
then that person will join these 26 who are about to die.
Scharführer Fallaster! Yes, Hauptscharführer Wagner.
Take your positions.
Avenge us!
Fire!
Enough time off now. Everyone back to work.
Tell the others... We'll meet in your shed tonight. 8 o'clock
There's something we have to discuss.
We've been planning the escape for a small number of people
but you saw what happened today when 13 men tried to escape.
The same thing will happen again.
We can not leave hundreds behind to be slaughtered. And they would be.
Therefore, the escape we plan must be for every prisoner in Sobibor.
Everyone? Even the workers in camp 3?
Yes, all 600. Or else no one.
But that's impossible. How can we get 600 people out of here?
I believe there is a way. And I believe that we must find it.
Leon is right. It is an incredible idea. 600 people!
Everyone in Sobibor must have a chance to be free.
There is no other choice.
Shlomo?
Morris?
Mundek?
Itzhak?
Good, the we are agreed.
Alright, let's put our mind to discovering what this plan should be.
There is one if we can just find it.
What about this? We build 30 ladders in my carpenter shop.
They should be maybe 12 foot long. This is perfect!
On a dark night we rush the fence.
20 people go over each ladder. Zip, zip, zip, zip.
In no time. That's 600 people.
- Even if you could build it, where would we hide the ladders?
- Make it 20 ladders. 30 people over each.
- We'll find a place to hide them somewhere. I don't know.
- And what about the minefields outside the fence?
- It won't work, Morris.
- That's alright, Morris. Keep thinking. Every idea may be the right one.
- Let's talk about a tunnel.
- Exactly. It would have to be at least 50 yards long.
- But how could we do that?
- It doesn't matter. Let's say we can dig this tunnel and hide the dirt.
The suppose we start the escape at midnight
and give each of us 600 people 1 minute to get through
the tunnel, crawl through and escape into the woods.
which is impossible, but never mind,
that adds up to 600 minutes. 10 hours.
We'd still be escaping at 10 o'clock in the morning.
- Well, we have to come up with a real plan soon.
- It's there. We can find it.
We'll meet again tomorrow.
- Russian soldiers. - What are they doing here?
- They should be in a prisoner of war camp. Maybe they’re all Jews.
- Maybe.
You wanted to know about the Russians. They are all Jewish.
- They're here to do heavy labour in the North Camp.
- Thanks.
See if their officer will meet me in the women’s barracks tonight.
I don't know what is going on, but whatever it is, I wish you good luck.
No, no, no, no. Now, we'll just see what he's like.
- Let's find out if he trusts us. - Or whether we trust him.
Civilians and soldiers, Russians, Poles trusting each other. I don't know...
- Well, we have to try. - Supposing they escape?
If they escape, they'll pay for it.
- Lieutenant, I am Leon Feldhendler. - Alexander Pechersky.
- This is Samuel Freiberg. - A pleasure, lieutenant Perchersky.
Everyone calls me Sasha. It saves time and energy.
Thank you. We would like very much to know what's
happening in the outside world. Would you tell us?
- Of course. - What's happening in the war?
- Please, please. - How far away is your army?
We are between 6 and 700 miles away.
We are beating back the Nazis, but it is a slow process.
- Are there partisans nearby? Could they help us?
- They have many things to do.
I'm afraid here, we must help ourselves.