"The Tattooist of Auschwitz" - Is the Sky TV Series Adaptation Worth Watching?
August 1, 2024
The Tattooist of Auschwitz" TV series review: Explore Heather Morris's adaptation of Lale Sokolov's story. Discover the truth behind the tattooist's experiences.
August 1, 2024
What is the series “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” about?
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is an adaptation of Heather Morris's bestselling novel, telling the story of Lale Sokolov, a Slovakian Jew who was sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp in 1942. Forced to work as the camp tattooist, Lale was assigned to tattoo identification numbers on the arms of prisoners. In the camp, Lale falls in love with Gita Furman, a newly arrived prisoner, and decides to do everything he can to save the love of his life. The series focuses on their difficult love story and the challenges they face in the camp.
The series has six episodes. The cast includes Harvey Keitel as Lale Sokolov, Jonah Hauer-King as young Lale, Melanie Lynskey as Heather Morris, and Jonas Nay as Stefan Baretzki. Polish actress Anna Próchniak appears as Gita Furman. The series' soundtrack is composed by the multiple Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer.
Where to watch “The Tattooist of Auschwitz”
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” is available on the SkyShowtime streaming platform.
Official trailer:
The Tattooist of Auschwitz | Official Trailer | Peacock Original
Controversies in Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris
The series is based on Heather Morris's controversial book, promoted as a fact-based novel. The book sparked numerous controversies, especially in Poland, due to its historical inaccuracies. The story of Lale Sokolov and his love for Gita was criticized for distorting the reality of life in the concentration camp. Sokolov decided to share his experiences with Morris only after his wife's death in 2003. After liberation, Lale and Gita found each other, got married, and spent the rest of their lives together. Sokolov died in 2006, and the book was published 12 years later, so Lale could not read or comment on it. Unfortunately, his death meant that no one besides Morris could interview him, closing off a valuable source of firsthand information about his experiences. It's a great pity because Lale's story could have been an excellent source of information if he had the opportunity to speak with someone who had extensive historical knowledge and expertise on the Holocaust and could prepare a well-told true story. No one accuses author Heather Morris of bad intentions, but the book reflects a lack of historical knowledge, which is often noted by historians from the Auschwitz State Museum, who frequently criticize the book.
As for the series, Dr. Wanda Witek-Malicka from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum's Research Center, in her review published in the monthly “Memoria” (No. 80, 05/2024), pointed out numerous factual errors in the series. She noted that the creators failed to avoid distortions that build an inauthentic picture of camp reality.
Main criticisms of the series by Heather Morris:
Incredible interactions between prisoners and SS officers: Lale moves around the camp with SS officer Baretzki, giving him undue freedom. In reality, SS officers focused on overseeing prisoners, not protecting their safety.
Fictional scenes: Many scenes, such as romances and hiding in barracks, are unrealistic and deviate from actual camp conditions.
Costume and set design errors: The series does not accurately depict the camp's structure, living conditions of prisoners, or hierarchy. Many situations, such as easy access to different parts of the camp or private quarters for prisoners, are historically inaccurate.
Unrealistic behavior of SS officers: The series portrays SS officers shooting prisoners without clear reasons, which is exaggerated. In reality, such incidents were rare and not routine behavior.
Free movement within the camp: Lale often moves almost unchecked, passing through open gates without inspection, which is unrealistic. In reality, gates were kept closed, and guards thoroughly inspected prisoners. Lale entering the women’s camp without showing documents would have been impossible.
Dr. Witek-Malicka also emphasized that the suggestion that SS officers became guarantors of Lale’s safety is an example of relativization and misunderstanding of the social and organizational realities of Auschwitz.
Dr. Witek-Malicka concluded that "the series tries to balance factual accuracy with the content and message of Heather Morris's book. Unfortunately, from the perspective of historians, this compromise undermines authenticity." She also noted that despite efforts to improve the series' credibility, it still closely aligns with Morris's perspective rather than the historical realities of Auschwitz.
The creators of the series were aware of the controversies surrounding the book and made it clear from the start that the series is inspired by the novel, which is only based on the memories of Holocaust survivor Lale Sokolov. They also noted that some elements were fictionalized for dramatic purposes, as reminded by an informational screen at the beginning of each episode.
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Dr. Witek-Malicka acknowledged several strengths of the series. She praised the depiction of an individual perspective of a Holocaust survivor who grapples with moral compromises and guilt. "Showing the individual, very subjective perspective of a person affected by survivor syndrome, who deals with guilt and believes that the price for his life was moral compromises and the suffering, and even the lives of others, is appropriate in the context of a story about a former Auschwitz prisoner," she noted. According to her, this aspect was well-presented by the creators.
The series also received recognition for removing some of the fantastical elements from the book, such as the fabricated romance between Cilka and Schwarzhuber and the implausible murders in a converted bus. The toned-down portrayal of Lale and Gita's relationship, reducing erotic scenes and eliminating inauthentic romantic moments, was also positively received.
Omitting Cilka's romance is also significant, as this matter is one of the most controversial aspects around the author of the book, whose sequel "Cilka's Journey" became the subject of a lawsuit by Cilka's son against Morris.
Artistic merits
The series deserves praise for its acting, artistic shots, and Hans Zimmer's music.
Popularity and influence of camp and Holocaust literature and cinematography
It is estimated that 13 million people have read the book on which the series is based. The release of “The Tattooist of Auschwitz” sparked the popularity of camp literature, promoted as "based on facts" or "inspired by true events." Such novels are often styled as memoirs and deal with the theme of concentration camps, forced labor camps, and gulags from World War II, mainly related to Auschwitz. The popularization of such cultural works can be harmful, diluting true facts and creating a false picture of camp reality.
Western Reviews
Despite the opinions of historians from the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, Western reviewers praised the series. Positive reviews appeared in magazines such as “The Times” and “The Observer.” On Rotten Tomatoes, the series scored 76% from 34 reviews, with an audience score of 74%.
Summary
“The Tattooist of Auschwitz” certainly stirs emotions and engages viewers through dramatic plots and love stories. However, it should be remembered that this is primarily a dramatic production that does not always adhere to historical facts. For those seeking a true depiction of life in concentration camps, the series may be disappointing in terms of historical accuracy. As a camp drama with romantic elements, it can be an interesting, though controversial, offering.
It is advisable to approach the series critically, keeping in mind the numerous inaccuracies and controversies that both the literary original and the screen adaptation have sparked. If the goal is to understand the true realities of extermination camps, documentaries and historical studies may be a better choice.
We encourage you to read the full review in Memoria No. 80 (05/2024): Memoria Magazine
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Duration: 7hLive guideSkip-theLineTransportation included
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Duration: 4hLive guideSkip-theLineTransportation included
Book a private transfer from Krakow to Auschwitz-Birkenau Memorial and Museum and travel comfortably without worrying about public transport or fixed timetables. Choose between one-way transport or a round-trip option with the driver waiting on site.
Duration: 7h
Live guide
Skip-theLine
Transportation included
