Is The Tattooist of Auschwitz based on a true story?
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a new drama series currently airing on Sky Atlantic in the UK and Peacock in the US.
The 6-part series tells the story of Lale Sokolov (Jonah Hauer-King), a Slovakian Jew, who, in 1942, is deported to Auschwitz, the concentration camp where over a million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.
Shortly after his arrival, Lale is made one of the Tätowierers (tattooists) and is charged to ink identification numbers onto the arms of fellow prisoners. One of the people he meets in the camp is Gita (Anna Próchniak) when he tattoos her prisoner number on her arm. The two fall in love and do what they can to spend time together, but shortly before Soviet troops liberated Auschwitz in January 1945, the two were separated when he was deported elsewhere.
Do Lale and Gita reunite? We give a brief synopsis of the story below (beware spoilers) and ask the question: Is The Tattooist of Auschwitz based on a true story?
Is The Tattooist of Auschwitz based on a true story?
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the 2018 novel by Heather Morris. The book quickly became a worldwide phenomenon and is available to buy here.
The book is based on the testimony of Lale Sokolov, the real-life prisoner who tattooed prisoner numbers on the many inmates who were sent to Auschwitz in Nazi-occupied Poland.
Lale’s prisoner number was 32407, which was tattooed on his arm by a French academic named Pepan. After contracting typhoid, Lale was cared for by Pepan and later became his assistant.
When Pepan left the camp, Lale became the main tattooist, Because of this position, he benefited from various perks that weren’t afforded to the other prisoners. These included more free time, extra rations, and better sleeping conditions.
Lale met Gita in 1942 when she lined up to get tattooed. He fell in love with her almost instantly and did what he could to spend time with her, while also sending her letters that were delivered by his personal SS guard.
In 1945, the two were separated when Lale was relocated to Austria’s Mauthausen concentration camp. After escaping the camp, he made his way back to his home town of Krompachy in Czechoslovakia.
Lale made it his mission to reunite with Gita again, which he did, by a remarkable coincidence, when she stepped in front of his horse and cart while he was on his way to Bratislava to find her.
As for what happened next, well, you will have to watch the series to find out. Alternatively, check out our episode recaps of The Tattooist of Auschwitz which reveal more about Lali and Gita’s story.
Let us know what you think of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and the story of Lali and Gita below.