Sonderkommando: German word.
In concentration camp language,
a term used to designate a special group of prisoners,
also known as "bearers of secrets" (Geheimnistrager).
The members of a Sonderkommando
are separated from the rest of the camp.
They work no longer than a few months before being executed.
Let's go.
Halt!
You're exactly the kind of people we need in our workshops.
Everyone gets work and a good salary.
After the shower and the hot soup, come directly to me.
We need nurses in our hospital.
We need craftsmen of all kinds.
Table makers, carpenters,
masons, cement workers,
mechanics, locksmiths, electricians.
After the shower, please come to me personally.
All the clothes stay here.
The suitcases too.
Undress now.
Go a bit faster! Remember your hook number.
Hurry up or the soup will get cold.
Open the door.
What's going on here?
Please go forward! Door closing.
Door!
You come too.
SON OF SAUL
Faster.
Come on people.
Back to work.
You!
On that crate! Put him on that crate.
Still breathing.
Back to work!
Open him up!
I've only seen this once...
that girl some time ago.
He wants an autopsy.
Bring it to my room.
- I will. - What?
What's it to you?
Put it there.
Put it there. Now.
Doctor, please...
You're Hungarian?
I didn't know.
Don't cut this boy.
Leave him as he is.
No.
Out!
He's one of yours?
Even then.
You don't need it.
But your boss does!
Where are you from?
From Ungvár.
I'm a prisoner like you.
You'll have five minutes with him tonight.
But in the end, he will burn with the rest.
What's your name?
Auslander.
Saul.
Burn the "pieces"!
- Where from? - What?
Previous transport? Hungary?
Back to work!
You!
Hungarians?
- Who? - This transport.
No.
Maybe.
Some other camp.
You!
Your friend should shut up.
Abraham!
Collect the shiny ones and bring them here.
Shouldn't we...
Bring them here!
Go to hell.
I'll help.
Back to work!
Forget the food. The shiny only.
What are you looking for?
Money, jewelry, valuables into the box!
Gold, coins... Whatever you find.
The shiny only, I said!
Thought about stealing the gold, swine?
Give it back!
Forever here, you and I.
Four months here...
as if we were family!
Go clean yourself, you stink.
Be quiet.
Rabbi...
Someone. I want to bury...
Bury? Just say the prayer.
I have the body. Help me!
Get rid of it. Do you know the Kaddish?
I'll say it. What's his name?
There's nothing more to do.
Not enough!
You should know.
What are you doing in my Kommando?
You know it!
- And you? - A work!
What's the matter?
- They don't belong here. - I sent them to help.
I don't need them. It's my Kommando.
I'm the Oberkapo!
You're a Jewish rat!
- He can feel our time is up. - It was nothing.
Not much. And him?
I have nothing.
- Got me some paper? - No.
Come then.
Let's go!
Fast!
I need your help.
I need another rabbi.
You? Why do you need a rabbi?
The one at the stove, he's not good?
A rabbi won't save you from fear.
Rabbi?
What about the Renegade?
You heard of the Renegade?
Greek. They say he used to be a rabbi.
Which Kommando?
Mietek's Kommando.
Business is finished.
Mietek?
Outside. That Polish worm.
I know him.
He has two scars on his face.
- What's on his face? - Scars.
Marked by God.
Old wives' tales!
- I have to talk to him. - Stop this!
Move the "pieces"!
He's with us.
There's a woman in "Kanada". She has the package.
Can you send someone?
In two days.
We don't have days.
They're already making a list of us.
Who told you that?
My guy at the office.
Let's take those pictures first.
What pictures, Elie?
We have no time for this. It's our turn.
You think you can blow up this whole thing?
Your pictures will bring an army here to free us?
Get me a locksmith.
I'll do it.
- Do what? - What he wants.
What's he saying?
Tell him.
- You don't know what we're saying. - I have to get outside.
He needs a locksmith!
- You speak Yiddish? - Barely.
Tell him I was a watchmaker.
I can fix anything.
He says he used to be a watchmaker, he can be a locksmith.
Locksmith?
Come with me.
- If you go, you're on your own. - Let's go.
Katz?
They're with me.
Keep going.
They're with me.
Burn the "pieces"!
I said, one Jew for one "piece"!
If a Kapo shows up.
- Mietek... Kommando? - What?
Why is he here?
He'll be on the lookout.
Biederman!
Wait here.
- Who is it? - Shut up!
Damn Mietek!
Repair the door, but look out!
You understand? You watch.
You! Finished?
Too much smoke!
You!
Too much smoke!
Move.
Come out!
- What? - Come out!
Where are you going?
Stop!
Don't move.
Come here!
Locksmith!
Finish that!
Assembly!
Where are you going?
Greek rabbi?
Don't spill the ashes!
You, Renegade?
I need you
for a dead.
Understand?
All the ashes into the water!
Dead child.
You are a rabbi!
Mietek knows you're a rabbi?
Blessed art Thou,
O Lor...
Cease fire!
Bring them out.
Forgive me.
Who can explain what happened?
You?
My shovel...
These swines do not speak proper German, Oberscharführer!
Is there anyone who can translate from...
What language?
Hungarian.
Hungarian!
Gentlemen?
What happened?
The shovel fell into the water.
He tried to get it back.
And? Is it safe now? The shovel?
Yes, Oberscharführer!
Ah, he speaks the language now!
Hungarian is such an elegant language.
The other one stays.
Get this swine back to work!
Hurry!
Who the fuck are you, scum?
In my shoe...
Where are you from?
Biederman's Kommando.
I'll come and visit then, soon.
Work!
He's from my Krema. I'll take him.
Roll call!
What happened?
You found the Greek!
Line up!
Caps off!
Where are you going?
Something to do.
I'm going with you.
No need.
What's the purpose of your business, if I may ask?
Clean.
Clean?
Clean.
A real shtetl dance, like in the good old days!
Out!
The "pieces"
from autopsy room...
Where are they?
You're day shift.
Get lost!
The doctor promised me...
What?
Want to go up in smoke?
Give me your hard ones.
Come on.
Blessed are Thou, O Lord, King of the universe
who brings forth bread from the earth...
The angel of death hears your blessing, Rabbi!
You, give me your shiny.
Nothing.
Must have something in your mattress or in your socks.
Abraham!
Count it.
What did you do down there?
Give it to me.
Give, I said.
I take these.
You count.
We need these.
We can't wait anymore.
We have to get the package from Ella.
Is this enough for the guards?
Yes.
What does this butcher want?
The boy!
Where's the boy?
Your boy's safe.
I had to hide him from the doctors.
Can't you exchange him?
For someone else?
No.
I have to autopsy it, document it.
Come.
What's your name?
Auslander.
It's in the autopsy room.
I'll be right back.
What are you carrying?
Bring it back!
You play with our lives.
I'll show Germans where you bury your writings about camp!
We're getting more weapons tonight. Be ready by morning.
The morning?
That's the plan.
I have to find a rabbi.
I'll find you a rabbi after.
I'll need you.
You didn't care much for me before.
I still don't.
Have to eat.
Not just her body! The way she looked at me.
I had to talk to her. She was breathtaking.
So she saw it coming!
I wish I understood nothing.
You used to talk about women too.
I don't remember.
Come.
It was all smoke and he hid the camera.
Ever carried a rifle?
Not often.
I'll teach you.
He's no fighter.
He saved the day. No need to be his mother.
Trucks.
Abraham!
Transports.
Tonight?
They didn't tell me.
Kapos!
All kapos!
You come with me.
You're with me now.
Hurry up, the coffee will get cold.
To the disinfection room!
Follow me.
Assembly!
Stay here.
Caps off!
Oberscharführer!
Get the day shift too and put them to work.
Yes, Oberscharführer!
Now go and count how many are still to treat.
Yes, Oberscharführer!
You, come with me!
You come too!
Clean up.
The table!
Oberscharführer!
So?
How many still to treat?
- A thousand, Oberscharführer! - A thousand?
A thousand...
There'll be three times more tonight.
I'll tell you how this story goes:
it has to be over by dawn.
Every round: two men, one woman and one child.
Pull the ashes after 2 rounds, ventilate every 12 minutes.
You're in charge, understood?
Yes, Oberscharführer!
When you finish, wash and disinfect it all.
There'll be a new treatment. Dismissed!
Oberkapo!
Yes sir, Oberscharführer!
I want a list with 70 names.
Men you don't need.
Start now.
Yes sir.
You!
Go to the coal room and bring back Schlojme.
Yes sir.
The Oberscharführer calls you.
You stay here!
You come back.
You move it or you all burn!
Useless shit!
I take this one.
Jump into the oven!
The water is cold and not drinkable.
After the shower, you'll have tea.
Abraham!
You were right. We're next.
He wants 70 names by tomorrow.
- Who will get the package then? - I will.
I'll come with you. Ella knows me.
No. You need to stay here.
Take Saul then, she knows him.
I don't know her.
Sure you do.
I'm not going.
Saul!
Do as I say.
He goes with you.
What's going on?
Nothing.
Both will go with you.
Forward!
Oberkapo!
Stop!
Yes, Oberscharführer?
What's going on? We need all the men here!
My men can't work anymore.
The belongings are piling up all the way to the ceiling.
We need to bring those to the warehouses.
You stay here. The others can go.
Yes, Oberscharführer!
Forward!
The name of the girl?
Fried, Ella.
Fried!
No touching.
Saul!
That was quick.
Did you get it?
Yes.
- Where are they going? - To the pits.
The ovens must be full.
Where are you going?
Leave me alone!
You're a rabbi?
You...
Do you know a rabbi?
You, rabbi?
Rabbi?
A rabbi, a rabbi...
Rabbi!
Come.
Undress!
Faster!
Monsieur!
Don't talk to anyone!
You here?
Strong man for Sonderkommando.
You want to be replaced already?
Tell him! Strong man for Sonderkommando.
You lost your mind?
What?
They'll kill you!
Rabbi!
Rabbi?
Jews, that's how you do it.
Take this one.
What are you doing?
Sonderkommando!
Don't shoot him, he's Sonderkommando.
I'm Sonderkommando too.
Shut up, Jew!
You're from a Kommando, vermin!
7005.
Sonderkommando.
He's Sonderkommando.
This time, you'd better have two bracelets!
Quick!
Oberkapo!
Monsieur!
You'll help me bury my son.
Sixty-seven.
Sixty-seven?
What's going on, you filthy scum?
Who the hell is this?
He's from another Krematorium.
Biederman expects him.
The hell I care!
Kapo, what's going on with the numbers?
Numbers down. We lost some men in the fire.
We'll see at roll call.
Attention!
March!
Why did you bring this one in?
Rabbi.
For the dead.
We carry our dead ourselves.
People come to me.
I did.
I said Kaddish.
A rabbi? He's a thief with a beard!
That's the boy.
I hid him.
You'll tell me what to do.
Saul!
Where have you been all night?
I was taken to the pits.
The package?
The package sent by the women?
The powder! How will we blow up this thing now?
Fallen.
You found him?
He'll help us tomorrow.
You pick a rabbi from the dead?
The bundle?
He lost it.
Stupid Jew!
Son of a bitch.
Who's this boy?
My son.
But you have no son.
I do.
I have to bury him.
You don't need a rabbi for that.
At least he'll do what's right.
The man stays in the room. You get rid of the body.
Rabbi!
Dig!
What's this?
Don't dig here.
I don't understand.
What did you say?
This is my spot.
Move.
Get going!
Come! Fast!
70 men?
- He wrote the list? - How many men?
We can't afford to wait.
Krema II won't move a finger.
And this man now...
Well, Rabbi? It's Sabbath.
Can't you talk?
- Leave him alone. - What do you want?
If he's really a rabbi, he should begin the prayer.
- We'll die because of you two. - We're already dead.
I have to take care of my son.
He's not from my wife.
When did you last see him?
You have no son.
You!
Get out!
Find me a boy.
Same age, same hair.
You failed the living for the dead.
Attention!
To the undressing room!
Back to work!
Gather all clothes.
- Another Kommando! - The guards burnt them!
This is Biederman's!
Rabbi!
You come this way, scum!
Hurry up. You're going to fight.
Go, you bastard!
I brought this one. Use him.
Let me go.
You!
Rabbi!
Say Kaddish.
Please. The prayer!
Glorified and sanctified...
be...
God's...
Don't waste your time with them! Go!
Five minutes and we go on.
Two kilometers into the forest...
There, we should meet someone
from the Home Army.
They'll give us weapons.
We're going to fight. The Soviets are approaching Cracow.
If not, we'll go to Pszczyna.
They have weapons. And food.
Where do we find them?
We need to hide and wait.
No.
We have to find the Partisans and fight.
Directed by L. Nemes Cinematography by M. Erdlly
Written by C. Royer & L. Nemes
Produced by G. Sipos & G. Rajna
Sound Design by T. Zényi Edited by M. Taponier
Production Design by L. Rajk Costume Design by E. Szűcs
Cast: