Passport to Freedom (2021–…): Season 1, Episode 7 - Episode #1.7 - full transcript

Man, voice-over: As last
Orthodox Rav in Germany,

my work keeps me
mercifully busy...

though home and congregation
have grown quieter

with so many
departed from Hamburg--

through good fortune or evil.

Wherever we find ourselves
as our spiritual year begins,

we may all remember the words
of the prophet Isaiah.

He shall judge
between the nations

and rebuke many people...

and they shall beat
their swords into plowshares

and their spears
into pruning hooks.



Nation shall not lift up sword
against nation,

and they shall not
learn war anymore.

And so, I wish you all,
my dear absent friends,

a happy year.

For you, too,

the sun will shine again,

and you will be free.

Boy: Shall I post your
letters, Papa?

Rabbi: Thank you, Schlomo.

[Ship's horn blows]

[Aracy sniffles]

Joao: Aracy, they have
to go now.

Woman: You should be
coming with us.

Aracy: I know.



Woman: I'll take good care
of him.

Aracy: I know that, Mom.

[Sniffles] Good-bye,
my sweetheart.

Be good for Oma.

[Edu crying, sniffles]

[Aracy sniffles]

Edu: Bye, Mama.
Aracy: Bye. [Sniffles]

[Crying]

Joao: You did the right thing.

[Soft splash]

Joao: We should take
some time off.

While we still can.

[Dogs barking]

[Man shouts in German]
[Dog barks]

[Dogs barking]
[Indistinct chatter]

Man: Eichmann.

Eichmann: Rank One. Auschwitz.

[Planes flying overhead]
[Explosion]

Joao, voice-over:
Before and after,

kissing, long, your mouth...

your sensual
and perversely beautiful

expressive mouth.

Hot, familiar, very wise...

very soft...

daring, avid,
exquisite, "raffiniert"...

[Plane flying overhead]

[Joao speaking indistinctly]

Joao, voice-over:
Greedy, sinful, expert...

scented, delicious...

as hot as the whole of you...

my beautiful angel...

Aracy.

[Explosions and gunfire]
[Planes flying overhead]

Joao: We should
go to the shelter.

Aracy: Not yet.

Joao: Aracy...our kids.

Aracy: They're safe now.

Joao: Not if they're orphans.

[Gunfire]
[Air raid siren wailing]

[Indistinct shouting]
[Air raid siren wailing]

[Planes flying overhead]

[Gunfire]

Woman: Welcome.

Welcome. We are a group

that welcomes star-wearers.

Welcome. Welcome.

Joao: Can I see it?

Woman: We have two days
to leave our home

and report to Moorweide Park

at 6 in the morning.

Joao: Where are you going?

"After you have
left your apartment,

"you are required to lock it
and hand the key

"to your local police station.

"Damage to goods
or attempted flight

will be dealt with...
by special measures."

Ribeiro: Special measures?

Joao: "Enclosed is a key ring
for the apartment key."

They think of everything.

Ribeiro: And what
do you want me to do?

Joao: It's too late
for the people leaving tomorrow.

But we can help the others.

Aracy: Listen, I can get you
onto the next steamship.

It leaves next Thursday.

Woman: We don't have the money.

Aracy: You've got to--
you've got to find it.

Otherwise, we need to
get you to Lisbon.

Woman: But Rudi.
My son.

I won't leave my son.
Sonja: Rudi's safer
than we are now.

Aracy: You need to leave before
the next evacuation order comes.

Come back tomorrow.
I'll have your visas ready.

[Phone ringing]
Excuse me just one moment.

Yes.
Hardner: It's time

to pay our debt.

Hardner: The whole orphanage
is being evacuated.

The children's Aryan aunt
is coming to take them

across into Denmark.

Aracy: These were reported
as missing,

so, Rudi needs to change

the numbers on them.

Can you get photographs

of the Krik children?

Hardner: Yes, I can.

When they're ready,
you'll deliver the passports

to their aunt
at the train station.

Two women will look
less suspicious.

Aracy: How do we get them out?

Hardner: I have no idea.

Aracy: You always have an idea.

Hardner: Not this time.

Aracy: Where is he?

Zumkle: Apparently, you know
everything about the docks,

including my assassin.

Man: I know he's
in Sachsenhausen.

Zumkle: Yes, but I'd
sleep better

if I was informed
of what's going on

in Mendel Krik's absence.

Man: Nothing that I've heard of.

Zumkle: Nothing.

So, I'd like a weekly report
on that nothing,

whether I have
cause for concern,

and if not,
I'm sure you can find

something to interest me.

Man: And in return?

Zumkle: I'll keep your name
off the evacuation list.

Believe me, this is the only
favor you need right now.

[Door closes]
Man: I've got
Aracy de Carvalho

waiting on the phone.

She said it's urgent.

Zumkle: How may I help?

Aracy: I...I can't talk
just now.

It would be better to speak.

Zumkle: To speak?

Aracy: In person.

Zumkle: Well, if you insist,
I could meet you

at 7 at
the Imperial Hotel for dinner.

Aracy: No, I don't want
to meet you for dinner.

Zumkle: I'm afraid
this is my only

available appointment.

I could fit you in next month
if it's not urgent.

Aracy: All right.
Tonight then.

Zumkle: Bohm will pick you up,
6:30, at your house.

Aracy: I will drive myself.

[Door opens]

Joao: Ara.
[Door closes]

I was going to tell you that--

Hey.

What's going on?

Aracy: It's safer
if I tell you after.

Joao: After what?

Aracy: I have to go out tonight.

Will you come to my house later?

You've got your key?

Joao: What about dinner?

Aracy: I'll have something out.

Joao: Be careful.

[Planes flying overhead]

[Plane flying overhead]

Joao: It's just paper.

Britain's dropping paper on us.

"A sermon by
the bishop of Munich

about the state murder
of mental patients."

"Thou shalt not kill."

"This commandment from God

"was written in
the hearts of men

from the beginning."

[Piano playing classical music]

[Static on radio]

Man on radio:
The Fuhrer has forecast

the imminent collapse

of all resistance in Russia.

German forces have
surrounded Leningrad

and all routes to
the city cut off.

A swift surrender
is now expected.

[Recording of Beethoven
playing inside building]

[Music continues]

[Wilfried whimpering softly]

[Door opens]

[Music continues]

Mrs. Schwartz: Herr Rosa.
Excuse me.

Joao: Uh, Frau de Carvalho
was detained at work,

so, she lent me the key.
Mrs. Schwartz: No. That's fine.

You're a doctor, aren't you?

Joao: Yes.

Mrs. Schwartz: Yes. Come.

It's my son.

[Music continues]

[Music stops]

Mrs. Schwartz: Wilfried...
this is the doctor.

Joao: You've been at the front?
In Russia?

Is that where he developed
the shell-shock symptoms?

Mrs. Schwartz: I don't know.

I haven't seen him
since the war started.

He takes his leave
with his wife in Munchen,

but she can't cope anymore.

He cries when the children
come near him.

They told her it's
a nervous breakdown.

Joao: Mr. Wilfried,
I'm a doctor.

Wilfried: Jewish?
Joao: No. Brazilian.

I can see that you're in a lot
of pain and perhaps I can help.

Did you lose something?

Wilfried: Sh-she's there.

Joao: Who?

Wilfried: There.

There.

Joao: Yes. She's there.

I need my bag.
I left it upstairs

at Miss Aracy's.

Mrs. Schwartz: OK.

[Piano playing classical music]

Zumkle: Good evening,
Mrs. Carvalho.

You're worth the wait.
You're looking more
beautiful than ever.

Our table is ready.
Let me take your coat.

Aracy: Thank you.

Zumkle: I got us
a nice, quiet corner

where we can speak
more intimately.

I sensed this might be
a private affair.

Aracy: I just need to use
the powder room.

[Sigh]

Joao: You've had a bad time
of it.

You were in Russia?
Eastern Front?

Wilfried: But that was...

Joao: Who is it that you see?

Wilfried: It's a girl.
The little, blonde girl.

I helped her down
from the lorry.

Joao: They put her on a lorry?

Wilfried: All of them.

90 children under 6 years old.

All night in our barracks,
we could hear them crying

and whimpering.

Their parents were killed
the day before.

Joao: Killed how?

Wilfried: Shot. Jews!

I was in the Sixth Army
under General von Reichenau,

with orders to assist
the special unit

in Bila Tserkva.

So, we went.
We assisted.

Joao: You shot Jewish civilians?

Wilfried: No.

The Ukrainian conscripts did it.

We didn't like it,
of course not.

Shooting women and children.
Horrible.

Well, it was dreadful,
but it had to be done,

we all knew that,
along with the men

and the Bolsheviks
and the partisans,

while our army pushed on
into Russia.

But they left some children
in a school house.

They were crying.

They had no food or water.

Some of them were naked.

We thought the children
would be spared

but they said no.

We must load them all
on the lorry.

Well, we refused.

We went to our chaplains.
We said we wouldn't do it.

So, the chaplains went to
the town commander,

but he said
he couldn't intervene,

so, then our chaplains
went to Colonel Groscurth,

and he intervened.

He stopped the order,
he wrote to von Reichenau,

and he gave the children
water and bread.

Joao: So, the children
were spared?

Wilfried: No.

Von Reichenau said the order
must be obeyed.

And two days later, we put them

all back on the lorry.

We escorted them to the woods.

Ukrainian soldiers were standing
there with their rifles

ready, trembling.

I helped the children down
and then we turned back.

We didn't want anything
to do with it.

We were all drinking heavily.

But she took my hand.

The little, blonde girl.

She must have been 3 or 4.

I led her back to the others.

I let go of her hand.

I ran, but not fast enough.

I heard--

I hear the crying
in the school house...

and the screams.

Joao: They shot the children?

[Wilfried crying]

I feel her small hand in mine.

So warm.

She wakes me up at night,
putting her little--

little, warm hand in mine.

[Crying]

Aracy: I'm sorry.
I'm feeling rather ill.

Zumkle: Well, I've ordered
the degustation menu.

It's 7 courses.

Perhaps you'd like
something else.

Aracy: Doesn't matter.

Zumkle: Champagne?

Aracy: Fine.

[Glasses clink]

Zumkle: You need my help.

Aracy: Tell me about
Hugo Levy's mother.

Zumkle: She saved my life.
That's all.

My mother was ill
and she couldn't feed me.

I was too young for solid food

and I wouldn't take cow's milk.

Her Jewish neighbor
gave me her breast.

Aracy: That's all?
Zumkle: I paid my debt.

Hugo and his wife
are dancing in Brazil now.

Aracy: Well, I have a debt.

Someone helped my son
when he was very sick

and probably saved his life.

I promised to help
his grandchildren.

They are on the evacuation list.

Zumkle: I see.

[Liquid pouring]
Ribeiro: Come in, Joao, come in.

Joao: Sorry to barge in
at this hour.

Ribeiro: Sit down
and tell me what's happened.

Joao: It's about
this evacuation.

Ribeiro: I can't believe
they're doing that.

Driving the Jews out
like Nebuchadnezzar.

Joao: I think it's
worse than that.

I think they're planning
to kill them all.

Ribeiro: Everyone knows
that people are dying

in those labor camps.
The conditions are appalling.

Joao: No, no, no, no.
I mean they're actually

going to murder them.

I have information that
they're shooting all Jews

as well as
partisans and Communists

in the occupied territories.

Ribeiro: Who told you that?

Joao: This returning soldier.

He took part in
the slaughter of 90--

90 small children, all under 6.

Ribeiro: Well, I've heard
rumors of this kind of thing.

Savage outbreaks by the local
population, but not--

Joao: Organized massacres?

Ribeiro: You only heard of one.

Joao: They are already
emptying the sanatoriums,

sending back death certificates
and boxes of ashes.

Ribeiro: But they stopped that,
since the church protests.

Joao: And you believe them?

Ribeiro: Well, if it's true...

there's nothing we can do
about it.

Joao: We can get the information
out to our government,

convince them to speak out.

Ribeiro: They'll never do it.

Joao: Then we go
to the newspapers

and tell them our country's
condoning mass murder

by still trading with Germany,
by keeping us on here.

Ribeiro: As diplomats.
You see?

This is the whole point in us.

We don't take sides.

Joao: We're human beings first.

I'm giving out visas,
as many as I can.

Zumkle: Even for me, it is not
an easy thing to pull off.

Removing them from the list

would have been much simpler.

But if the evacuation
goes ahead tomorrow,

it'll be awkward and expensive.

Aracy: But can you do it?

Zumkle: Of course I can.

Aracy: How?

Zumkle: I'll do it myself.

I'll pay off your debt for you.

And then you'll be in my debt.

It's a small price to pay
to save their little lives.

Well, don't look
so unhappy about it.

I could insist on you
paying me first.

[Door opens and closes]

Joao: Aracy.

Aracy: What?

Joao: Sit down.

Aracy: Joao, you know
I would never--

Joao: It doesn't matter.
Sit down.

Zumkle: Schaff, burning
the midnight oil again.

Schaffer: Just updating
the replacement list

in case of suicides.

Zumkle: Uh-huh.

How many of them are
leaving altogether by tomorrow?

Schaffer: 1,034
of the 7,000 Jews

still living in Hamburg.

Zumkle: Why the 34?

Schaffer: That's mostly
rank twos,

Anglophiles, dissidents,

except Rabbi Carlebach.

He's rank one.

[Zumkle clicks tongue] Rank one?

Schaffer: By order of
Eichmann himself.

Zumkle: I suppose
the Paulinenstift Orphanage

is a training camp
for little dissidents.

Schaffer: I didn't realize
you were sentimental
about children, Zumkle.

Zumkle: Don't worry.
I'm not going to

ask you to save anyone.

I've tried that before,
remember?

Schaffer: Well, it got you
a new medal, didn't it?

Heroically eliminating your
vengeful Jewess spy.

What do you want, Zumkle?

You got your eye on one of
the orphanage buildings
or something?

Zumkle: That's right.
It's a good location.

You interested?

What time are they collecting
the orphans tomorrow?

Schaffer: 5:45.

Zumkle: 5:45 in the morning?

Schaffer: Yes. Why?

Zumkle: It's a bit bloody early.

So, I have to be there by 5:30.

Schaffer: Surely you want
to get there after
the children have gone?

Zumkle: Of course.
But I need to get there

before Mayor Kaufman
scoops it up.

Schaffer: Of course.

Let me know if there's
anything I can get in on.

Zumkle: I always do.

Schaffer: Detective Karlson.

[Typewriter keys clacking]

Aracy: You said
he was shell-shocked

when he was seeing things
that aren't really there.

Joao: It's true, though,
isn't it?

Aracy: This is the worst time
to be alive.

Joao: [Softly] No.
Aracy: Yes. Yes, it is.

Joao: Aracy, we have to do
everything possible now.

[Ringing]

[Ringing stops]

Aracy: These are perfect, Rudi.

Rudi: I want to thank you
for getting my mother

to see sense, and...

if I can see her and Sonia
before they leave.

Hardner: You would be
risking their lives.

Rudi: Can you give them
this note?

Aracy: Yes, of course.

I can give it to them today.

They'll be collecting
their visas.

Hardner: We need to think
about getting you out, too.

Rudi: No, not while
I can still do this.

Zumkle: Everything all right
back there?

Hamburg station.

[Train's bell ringing]

[Man speaking indistinctly
over P.A.]

Aracy: Is that
this month's copy?

Woman: Yes. It's a good pattern
for boys' clothes.

Zumkle: Let's take a detour.

Karlson: I think he's seen us.
Schaffer: But it doesn't matter.

Now we have evidence
that he's a Jew-helper.

He removed evacuees
from their transport,

observed by
3 official witnesses.

[Man speaking indistinctly
over P.A.]

[Train's bell ringing]

Joao: Good morning, Tina.

Tina: Good morning,
Deputy Consul.

I thought I'd be first in.

Consul woke me up early
phoning to say

he's off sick again.

Joao: Oh. Well.

Aracy is also going
to be in late today,

so, I need you to
distribute all these visas

to the people coming
to collect them

as quickly as you can, please.

Tina: Of course.
Joao: I've also signed

all the applications
pending approval.

Tina: Lucky the consul's
off sick, then.

[Whirring]

I received some coffee
in the diplomatic courier.

I'll go make us a strong one
before we open up.

Joao: Oh, good.
Thank you, Tina.

I suspect we'll need it today.

Zumkle: Keep on going.

[Chiming]

[Man speaking indistinctly
over P.A.]

Aracy: I don't think
I'll buy this after all.

Take it if you like.

Wait here.
I'm going to look for them.

If he brings them,
just get on the next train out.

He double-crossed me.

Joao: Tina, I need you
to bring any new visa applicants

directly to my office.

Speed is of the utmost
importance now.

Tina: Deputy Consul...
it's too late.

Joao: They've closed the doors.

[Door opens]

[Church bells chiming]

[SS officer speaking German]

Aracy: I'm not being evacuated.
I'm a Brazilian diplomat.

I have exit visas
for two children

from the Paulinenstift
orphanage.
Where can I find them?

SS officer: You can't.
Move along.

Aracy: But I have
their passports.

SS officer: This area
is off-limits.

Move along.
Move along!

Sonja: Aracy! Aracy!

Aracy: Sonja, what are you
doing here?

Sonja: They added us
to the list this morning

to replace suicides.

Aracy: But your visas are ready
in the office.

Wait, wait, wait.

Excuse me.
Who is in charge here?

Excuse me.
I'm a Brazilian diplomat.

I have exit visas for
two women and two children

who are being held here.

SS officer: They are
no use anymore.

Aracy: They have all
the necessary documents.

SS officer: It makes
no difference.

Jews are no longer
allowed to leave Germany.

Aracy: Yes, they are.
I demand you release them.

SS officer: No.
All Jewish immigration

is now banned,
by order of the Fuhrer.

Aracy: What?
SS officer: Move along, please.

Aracy: There's been a mistake.
These children.

They aren't Jewish.
They're Brazilian citizens

with Brazilian passports.

SS officer: Show me them.

Aracy: I don't have them here.

SS officer: Then move along.
Aracy: I can get them.

I can get them.

[Sigh]

[Indistinct chatter]

I need to get this--
SS officer: Get back.
[Cocks gun]

[Indistinct chatter]

Rabbi Carlebach: It's OK.
It'll be all right...

Aracy: Sorry. Excuse me.

Can you give this to Sonja Katz,

Sonja and Clara Katz?

[Indistinct chatter]

Zumkle: Come here.

Sit in the back.

Some sweets for your journey.

Rabbi Carlebach:
We are together.
Don't worry.

[Aracy sighs]