A conversation with Gary Sokolov, son of Lali and Gita Sokolov, about The Tattooist of Auschwitz

Ahead of the release on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW, Gary Sokolov spoke about his initial response to hearing The Tattooist of Auschwitz was going to be made into a TV series, how it felt watching his parents’ story unfold on the screen and how, having watched the episodes, there were moments he couldn’t’ tell the difference between his father and Harvey Keitel.

Read on for the full conversation.

“I experienced many emotions. I always believed in my heart this was a story that needed to be told and a book or a film can only go so far – a miniseries has more time to explore the story in depth. Mum and Dad’s story has everything: romance, love, survival, and hope, all set against a backdrop of some of the worst of conditions that have existed.”

“I don’t have the words. The respect that was given to my father and my mother and their story was beyond anything I could have imagined. I really hope the world feels the same way. It’s what I wanted for my parents: for the world to know their story. So, yes, it’s fantastic. Am I allowed to cry?”

“Dad finally found someone he trusted enough to tell his story. He needed to tell it. I can’t imagine, knowing Heather, that he could have told it to anyone else. The world needs to know this story, especially now, where hope is really important. My Dad was always about PMA – positive mental attitude. When all else fails, you’ve got to find a way to laugh. If you possibly can. It’s what kept my parents alive in the camp.”

“There were moments when I couldn’t tell the difference between my father and Harvey Keitel. He was my father on every single level. If he wasn’t, I wouldn’t have spent so much time in tears. The way he portrayed Dad was beyond anything I could ever had expected. There is a saying in Jewish culture, kavod - which is the ultimate level of respect – and he gave that to my Dad. Just talking about it makes me cry! When Heather sent me a photo, I had to do a double take. I looked at it. Looked away. Looked again. I wasn’t sure if it was my father or Harvey Keitel. When I watched the series, I was in tears within the first ten seconds of the trailer because Harvey looked and sounded like my father. He had that little bit of hardness in his eyes that my father had. His eyes were my father’s eyes – when he spoke about my mother he was tearing up, which is what my dad did. I didn’t feel as though I was watching Harvey in the series, I thought I was watching my father.”

“Where do I start? After watching the show, I couldn’t stop thinking about Harvey Keitel playing my Dad. Or the innocent love that Anna [Próchniak] has in her eyes. I thought about what Jonah [Hauer-King] must have learned about my father and about survival. How, when he looked at Anna, you just knew it was a love that would last forever. I don’t envy Jonas [Nay] playing Baretzki – it wouldn’t have been easy for him. I fully understand why he rang Heather before they started filming and said, ‘I don’t know how to do this’. The way he did it was phenomenal.

Melanie [Lynskey] did a phenomenal job. I didn’t understand until I watched the show what Heather herself had been through, hearing my Dad’s stories and then going home to her family. Heather filled a hole for my Dad when my mother passed away. I remember Heather saying to me that whatever happens, I’ll always take care of your Dad. I don’t think anyone else could have done the job that Heather did with my Dad. She gave my Dad so much respect.

In fact, the thing that really struck me overall was that each and every person on the show gave my parents’ story respect.”

“It lingers. It’s in the background, but it certainly sets the tone. The emotion that came with the music was a perfect fit for each and every scene. It reflected the harshness of the environment, but at the same time the melody had something uplifting about it.”

“I hope they will believe that bad times do end. You have got to stay positive as much as you possibly can. I hope that whatever people are going through, the show will give them a sense that there is a future. I know my parents’ story can help affect change; I get letters from people saying that they are taking their child to Auschwitz to educate them. I think one of the most important lines in the series is when dad asked mum, ‘Where’s God?’ They decided that God might not be there, but they could make things better for themselves. That’s an amazing legacy to leave people – there is always hope.”