Europa Europa

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I was born on April 20, 1925,|in Peine...

Germany, Europe...

the fourth child|of Azriel Perel...

a shoe store owner,|and his wife Rebecca.

I was born on April 20, 1925,|in Peine, Germany, Europe.

You won't believe it...

but I remember my circumcision.

My God,|God of our forefathers...

Let this child live...

...this child...

Solomon.

Solomon, son of Azriel.

I remember that my birthday|fell on the same day...

as that of the future Chancellor|of the Thousand-year Reich...

Adolf Hitler.

Maybe Father wanted to|shave his beard.

Not now he won't.

Come on, catch me!

Solly!

Hurry up!

What are you doing?

Come on out!|Is it your Bar Mitzvah or mine?

You have to cut wood.

Sure, right away.

Bertha was always jealous of me.|She wanted to be the boy.

Had I known,|I'd have leaped out of the tub.

Can't we close up?

In half an hour.

Out with the Jews!

Kathy!

What are you doing here?

And you?

I brought the beer.

They broke|all your windows, right?

Get me some clothes|from my house.

My father's forbidden|my going to your house.

Wait!

Here you are.

Isaac was looking for you.

My father was born in Lodz...

so we moved there.

He got us Polish passports|and said that now we were Poles.

I knew the Germans had|killed Bertha...

but I didn't want|to go to Lodz.

Police!

We lived above a movie house.|The cashier, Miss Basia...

made me her pet...

and let me in for nothing.

I wanted to be an actor...

Like Clark Gable|or Eugeniusz Bodo.

I wondered whether her hump|was flesh or bone.

When the war broke out,|I was glad.

Now the police would forget|about the bicycle incident...

and Father wouldnt get angry.

Don't open the door!

Please don't!

David!

Have you deserted?

I never even found my unit.

It's incredible. They didn't|even give me a rifle.

The can't spare any|for distribution to Jews.

The Germans will win.

In a day or two,|they'll march in here.

It's your fault!

You said|we'd be safe here...

and that they wouldnt dare|start this war.

Yes, yes, it's my fault.

The boys must leave.

Solly must not fall|into their hands.

Where should they go?

East.

As far east as possible.

They could have asked us.

It is written...

that a son never leaves|his parents in difficult times.

It is also written...

that the son|must obey his parents.

And it is also your duty|to watch over your brother.

And you?

Couldn't we all go?

Nothing will happen to us.

Stop it!

They can't lug|all these jars.

Come. We'll be back soon.

Isaac, my foot hurts!

Come on, Solek.|There's a war on!

Solek!

Wait for me!

Wait for me|on the other side.

Don't be afraid!

Where are you going?|The Bolsheviks are there!

The Russian army!

They invaded us|from the other side.

They made a deal!|Hitler has a pact with Stalin...

and gave him the East!|There's no more Poland!

It's the Soviet occupation.

Wait!|I'm coming back with you!

The Poles preferred Hitler|and wanted to turn back.

The Jews swam|toward the Bolsheviks.

And I...

Help!

Take it easy!

I was saved|by a Russian soldier.

The next day I sat on the bank,|waiting for my brother, Isaac.

But he never came.

They took me to the orphanage|in Grodno...

where I stayed two years...

with other Jews,|Poles, and Russians.

I was turned into a Soviet|patriot and a good Communist.

Young pioneers...

for the struggle in the name|of Lenin and Stalin...

be prepared!

Always prepared!

Long live comrade Stalin!

Long live...

the Soviet Republic!

From your father?

Yes. He's a prisoner|of the Russians.

Solomon Perel!

Thanks to the Hitler-Stalin|pact, I could receive letters.

My father wrote...

"Dear Son,|We are happy to know...

"that you are well, safe,|and are studying.

"We are OK.|We had to move to the ghetto...

"as do all the Jews.

"Don't worry about us.

"Thinking of you|gives us courage.

"Are you eating Kosher?|Always remember who you are!

"Do you observe the Sabbath?|Greetings to your teachers.

"Your mother sends her love.|Your Father.

"P. S. Our address...

"is Knupfergasse 7."

Your origins?

You left them out.

Jewish.

Idiot! We know that.

We're asking about|your class origins.

You didn't indicate|your class origins!

He doesn't understand.

My father had a store.

Bourgeois.

Solly's making an effort.|He's doing a lot of social work.

I'll prove|I'm a worthy Komsomol.

You've been accepted into|the Komsomol? Where's the badge?

There aren't any more.

Stalinist puppet!

You know what would happen|if I reported that?

Bastards!

The landowners and the bourgeois|keep the people in ignorance.

They encourage|religious superstitions...

and with the help of the popes,|priests, and rabbis...

they smother|all revolutionary instinct.

That's why we call religion|the opium of the masses.

It's not true!

That God doesn't exist!

He exists!

Where is he?

He exists, that's all.

In Heaven.

Does anyone else|share this opinion?

You're alone in your beliefs.

Filthy Poles!

What is this?

A conspiracy?

The discussion is pointless.

Science has proven...

Dirty Jew!|You're the one who crucified...

Jesus!

You're an obscurantist|and a racist!

Polish fascist!

Lords...

aristocrats!

Do you know what Lenin|said about anti-Semitism?

That it's a crime|as bad as counterrevolution!

My brother was killed|by the Germans!

When I return to Poland...

Hell will freeze over first.

Poland will never|be Poland again.

That's a lie!

All right.

Let's try a little experiment.

You all know how to pray,|don't you? Then pray...

Lord, as a sign|of Your existence...

send us candies from Heaven.

What are you waiting for?|Go on.

Lord...

send us candies.

Louder! I heard nothing, and|your God is way up in Heaven!

Now, repeat after me.

Beloved comrade Stalin,|send us candies!

Communism is beautiful.

War!

Hitler has attacked!

You're crazy! Dirty slut!

I'm requisitioning the truck!

Climb in, boys, quick!

This is sabotage!

You are sabotaging the orders|of the Soviet leaders!

Your leaders...

have flown the coop!

Do what you want!

On your feet!

Hands up!

Jews, step forward!|You don't understand?

Jews, out front!|Get a move on!

Faster! Move it!

Papers!

No! Armenian!

I am Armenian!

I'm not a Jew!|Check it, please!

Check it?

Good idea!

We'll check it.

Armenian?!

And what's that? You wanted|to bugger us with your cock?

Take him away.

What'll they do to us?

They'll shoot Jews|and political prisoners.

I know. I was already captured.|The others are put in camps.

It's shameful to spread panic.

Destroy the papers!

I'd rather die...

than renounce the Party.

Then die...

for the homeland.

For Stalin!

Let's see those.

Hands behind your heads!

Faster! Faster!

Where are you taking me?

They were stolen.

You speak German well.

I am German.

Why are you here?

Maybe he's a Jew?

I am German...|a pure-bred German.

I'm German, from Grodno.

I was in|a Bolshevik orphanage.

I can smell Jews.

I'm a German from Grodno.

The Bolsheviks forced me|into the orphanage.

Schultz! Carry on!|I'll take him to the sergeant.

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