A Generation

A GENERATION:

SCREENPLAY BY:

ARTISTIC SUPERVISOR

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CINEMATOGRAPHY BY

IN THE ROLE OF "STACH"

I was born here in the slums,

on the outskirts of Warsaw.

I grew up in poverty.

Here I made my first friends

and had my first lessons.

I often had it rough as a kid,

because I couldn't tell

my friends from my enemies.

I was too trusting and relied

on my swift legs and strong fists.

My ma kept me on a short leash

and tried to push me off to work.

But I took it as

typical woman's nagging,

preferring to play knives

with my buddies instead.

I knew some tricks.

I was good at throwing

the knife off my cap.

But Kostek was even better.

He could make that knife do anything.

But that wasn't our only occupation.

In 1942, supplies for the German army

were transported east by train.

I'd toss coal down off the train.

Felt like a real patriotic thief.

Kostek!

We've gotta get Zyzio!

What do you want?

Trying to pinch my coat?

What time is it?

No watch, eh?

Weren't there three of you

prowling around this brickworks?

- Wait a sec.

- What?

Weren't you working the trains?

Here.

What?

Come on.

Come on, move it.

Don't be afraid.

I used to steal too when I was young.

Hey, Grzesio!

Two stiff ones, your highness.

That'll put you

back together in a jiffy.

I was wounded too,

back in '39, at Modlin.

I've got a scar to prove it.

Mr. Grzesio.

More of your lewd behavior?

What's with you?

Getting ready for a bath?

A beer.

Watch it.

Careful with the boy.

He's wounded.

Then why are you making him drink?

Vodka's antiseptic, isn't it?

Ah, it's Comrade Sekula.

Having his Saturday pale ale.

Who's the kid, Grzesio?

That should be looked at.

He's going to faint.

Time, gentlemen!

Curfew. We're closing.

Get him out of here.

There'll be trouble.

What's your name?

Stach.

Stanislaw Mazur.

Who got you?

The blackcoats.

One day you'll really get it, my boy.

You'll swallow a bullet.

Won't know how or why.

The foreman mentioned

he's looking for apprentices.

Maybe him.

Mom.

Jesus!

Did Zyzio Koscielniak come back?

Has Kostek been here?

He didn't even ask about me?

Why are you crying?

I'm alive.

My arm will get better.

I'll find work.

Mom, for Christ's sake!

It'll be all right, you'll see!

It'll be all right.

Sure.

In my grave.

- Apprentice?

- Yes.

Go on in.

Good morning.

Apprentice?

Don't just shake your noggin.

Answer when you're spoken to.

Yes.

Really?

Good for you.

Sit down over there

and wait for the boss.

Good morning.

Hey, Grubecki.

Had a rough night?

- Yes, smuggling tobacco.

- And?

Scared the hell out of me.

Can you wangle me

a quarter of a pound?

Sorry.

I only work wholesale.

Get your butt off that bench.

You don't sit there.

It's not the latrine.

Go jump in a lake.

- Good morning, Sekula.

- Hello.

Well, Jasio, here's the new apprentice

to replace you.

It's about time.

I qualified almost a month ago.

Eh, Stach!

Don't sit on the workbench, Stach.

We don't do that around here.

Good morning.

Let's go.

Here to see me?

This is the boy, sir.

He'll work out.

How should I know?

Come here.

His eyes are a bit too keen.

You haven't got itchy fingers, have you?

Who, me?

Who else? Me?

You in good health?

You have papers?

- Yes.

You'll bless my name one day.

Now go give it your best.

Work hard.

Good morning, Rysio.

Good morning, Waldzio.

Mr. Sekula,

please ask Mr. Ziarno

to come in here.

Jacek!

Show him how to make stretchers.

Put some muscle in it, boy.

Where's the receipt?

Signed with a code name.

How do I know the money

ends up in the right hands?

Ask the major

when you get a chance.

What about that arsenal

you've set up in the shop?

Get that damned junk out of here!

I've already conveyed your demands

to headquarters.

I want some peace.

Cash for the organization? Fine.

But get those guns out of here.

I don't want to hang on your account.

Waldzio, Lieutenant Hirschweg is here.

Bunks for the barracks.

Not bad at all.

What do you think, Lieutenant?

They don't look very comfortable.

We use only the best materials.

Here you are.

Top-quality.

Back to work!

More glue, damn it!

Hey, boy!

Hurry up!

Where's the damn glue?

Boy!

Get some more glue

from the storeroom.

Bring that glue

or I'll kick your ass!

Glue, damn it!

What glue?

We knock off in a minute.

Can't you lay off the kid for a sec?

Here. Get back to work.

Quitting time!

Take it easy, men.

This isn't a streetcar.

Let a man wash, you filthy bums.

You must work hard, my boy!

Work hard!

Good night.

Work and pray,

and you'll grow a hump!

Leave him alone, Dad.

They really ran you ragged today, eh?

I did that for -

Yes, it's been four years.

And no one helped me.

Don't look at me like a whipped pup.

I'm not gonna help you.

Fend for yourself.

Remember:
Don't trust anyone.

Stay out of trouble.

Rely only on yourself.

That's what I've been doing,

and look at me.

I'm a journeyman now.

I was just as grimy then

as you are now!

Now back to work.

Well?

Not bad for a beginner.

But a bit too much off the bottom.

Make it strong so it'll last,

for you and for me.

All right.

Let's nail on the trim.

"Give it a lick and make it stick. "

Cigarette?

Berg's building a new shop.

He's buying machines.

Business is good.

He's spending a lot, isn't he,

Mr. Sekula?

That's right.

Where does he get it from?

The Germans, or what?

Is it from the Germans?

You'll only get burned

accepting anything from the Germans.

We give it to him.

Us? Really now, Mr. Sekula.

We've been giving for ages, Stach.

But it won't be much longer.

It's simple arithmetic.

How long did it take you

to fit those doors?

Two hours.

And what's your weekly pay?

Thirty-six zlotys.

So you take home six zlotys a day?

And Berg charges 12 zlotys

for fitting one door.

It takes you two hours to do the job,

so your day's pay is covered

in one hour.

He gets 12 for one door?

Twelve divided by two is six,

and six zlotys is a day's pay for me.

So in fact you work eight hours

for the price of one.

Right?

Let's go on.

Supposing you spend all your time

fitting doors.

You do four a day.

Berg gets 48 zlotys for them

and pays you six.

So he's making 42 zlotys off you,

day in and day out.

Off you, off me, off all of us.

Day in and day out.

There once was

a wise bearded man...

by the name of Karl Marx.

He once wrote

that workers

were paid just barely enough

to renew their strength.

These days we don't even get that.

We have to scrounge to survive.

Can't we workers do anything?

If you only knew, my friend,

how much blood has been spilled

over this simple arithmetic -

among other things.

Workers fight for their rights.

They always have.

What about now?

Even now.

Mr. Sekula,

you say the workers are fighting.

What about you?

What about me?

Well... do you... you know...

fight?

You...

What?

Listen, my boy. We've established

that we're both workers,

so call me by my name.

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