EXT. THE BARN
A German Officer walks from a nearby farmhouse, buttoning his coat. He has had a warm night’s sleep. The barn door opens and the inmates begin their march.
EXT. A SMALL TOWN – LATER
The inmates walk along the street. Children stand outside their homes and watch the group of walking dead. Alfred makes eye contact with a five-year-old girl and they stare at one another as Alfred walks on. She says nothing, but watches him as the group rounds a corner and marches out of sight.
EXT. A SNOW-COVERED ROAD
A German soldier runs to a hillside near the moving group, levels his machine gun at the group and empties the clip. Inmates fall in droves. Alfred steps over dead inmates – eyes focused forward. He looks very weak, but determined.
EXT. A MUDDY ROAD –EVENING
The group approaches another barn. A soldier opens the door as the people file in. Officers walk toward a nearby house as enlisted soldiers close the barn doors and stand guard.
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD – DUSK
The sun is setting. Group is marching again.
SOLDIER
Halt! We will spend the night
here.
The inmates look at each other in confusion, looking for shelter.
INMATE #1
(to Alfred)
Where do they expect us to sleep?
We will die here in the snow?
Alfred doesn’t answer. He sits down in the snow.
INMATE #2
(completely defeated)
I’m so tired I don’t care anymore.
He sits in the snow and closes his eyes. Others begin to huddle together in the snow. The sun sets.
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD – MORNING
A guard marches along the rows of sleeping inmates.
SOLDIER
Get up you lazy Jews!
He jabs at some of the inmates with his rifle. The inmates stand. Several inmates remain in the snow, too tired to get up or dead, including Inmate #2. A Soldier shoots the inmates who don’t get up.
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD – DUSK
The sun is setting. Group is marching.
SOLDIER
Halt! We will spend the night
here.
Without further ado, they huddle together in the snow. The sun sets.
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD – MORNING
A guard marches along the rows of sleeping inmates.
SOLDIER
Get up you lazy Jews!
He jabs at some of the inmates with his rifle. The inmates stand. Once again, several inmates remain in the snow, exhausted or dead. Alfred doesn’t open his eyes at first. It appears he is dead, but then he opens his eyes, stands, and begins to march with the others. A Soldier shoots several of the bodies of those who have not gotten up.
EXT. A COUNTRY ROAD - DAY
It’s sunny and snow is melting along the road. Alfred sees a German soldier ahead with a machine gun, standing beside the road, watching the inmates march by. Alfred watches the soldier as he gets closer to him. The soldier raises his gun and fires into the crowd. Alfred falls to the ground on his back. The shooting stops. Alfred raises his head slightly and feels his left shoulder. He pulls his bloody hand away. He lets his head fall back into the snow. Prisoners walk past him just as he did other dead inmates. He closes his eyes. Then he opens them and gets up slowly, begins to march again.
EXT. BUCHENWALD FRONT GATES - DAY
The gates open and the prisoners enter. The camp is disorganized. Soldiers run here and there. Inmates in the camp wander with little purpose. Alfred is near death. His face and body are very thin and sick. He doesn’t look around when a GERMAN OFFICER shoots a group of four men, one at a time, with his pistol a mere ten feet away.
INT. BUCHENWALD INFIRMARY
A German officer, the one who shot the four men, speaks.
GERMAN OFFICER (OS)
Can you hear me? I asked you if
you are comfortable? Would you
like a drink?
Alfred lies in a bed with the German officer sitting alongside, offering him a glass of water. Alfred looks confused. The German helps Alfred to sit up and gives him a drink.
GERMAN OFFICER
You are very sick.
ALFRED
Where am I?
GERMAN OFFICER
You are at Buchenwald. You came
in with a group about six days ago.
This morning they brought you here
to the infirmary. I didn’t think
you were going to make it.
Alfred looks confused.
GERMAN OFFICER
I have good news for you. The
Americans are close by and should
be here any time now. The war is
nearly over and soon you will go
home. Soon we will both be going
home, I hope.
(beat)
You will remember me, no? You will
remember that I was good to you? I
am afraid things won’t go so well
for the cruel ones here. But you
now know that I am a very kind man.
The things I have been forced to do
here…What can I say? I was only
following orders, ja?
Alfred doesn’t respond.
GERMAN OFFICER
Get some rest. I’ll check on you
later.
He rises and walks down the aisle past rows of beds with sick inmates. The noise of tanks and jeeps are heard outside.
EXT. THE INFIRMARY
A few Germans flee. Inmates run about freely. American soldiers in jeeps, tanks and on foot, enter the gates.
INT. INFIRMARY
Alfred lies in his bed, recovering. Many nurses tend to the many ill men and women. A U.S. SOLDIER, carrying a large box goes from bed to bed, handing out snacks and newspapers to patients. He comes to Alfred’s bed and hands him a newspaper. Alfred doesn’t reach for it so the U.S. Soldier lays it on the bed.
U.S. SOLDIER
Sind Sie Jude?
(beat)
I said, “Are you Jewish?”
Alfred does not respond. He looks confused. The soldier reaches into the box and hands him a yarmulke. Alfred doesn’t reach for it. The Soldier shrugs, lays the yarmulke on the bed, then moves to the next bed. After the soldier is out of sight, Alfred picks up the yarmulke and inspects it.
INT. PASSENGER TRAIN –AFTERNOON
INSERT TITLE: THREE WEEKS LATER
Alfred rides a train. He looks out the window at the scenery. He looks up, sees a mother a few rows away holding her ten-year-old son in her lap and pointing out the window. He smiles.
EXT. BILKE TRAIN STATION
Alfred exits. He pauses on the platform and looks around. He begins walking, carries nothing.
EXT. DIRT ROAD THE LEICHT HOUSE –EVENING
Twilight has set in. In the distance Alfred sees his house. He stops. There’s a light on in a window. He begins to trot, then run.
EXT. LEICHT FRONT DOOR - NIGHT
Alfred runs up to the door and stops. He hesitates, then knocks and beats on the door. The curtain on the window beside the door pulls back and RAVA’S face appears. Rava’s eyes widen with fear and he closes the curtains. Alfred knocks again and again. Cautiously, the door opens and Rava peeks around the edge of the door.
RAVA
I thought you were all dead.
ALFRED
I am the ghost.
INT. KITCHEN
Alfred and Rava sit at the table, eat. A candle on the table illuminates their faces.
RAVA
The Germans gave me this house.
They told me you were all dead.
Alfred looks down at his plate, takes a bite.
ALFRED
I suppose I am the only
survivor.
(
beat)
When I saw the light I had hope
that someone – an uncle or cousin,
perhaps, had survived.
RAVA
You are welcome to stay.
(beat)
Should I fear that you will slit
my throat in the night?
Alfred looks him in the face.
ALFRED
You were loyal to the Germans,
Rava. If you weren’t they
wouldn’t have given you our
property. Maybe I should fear
that you will slit my throat in
the night?
They look at each other. Rava nervously laughs.
RAVA
Come on and eat. I know you are
hungry and tired. A warm bed is
awaiting your homecoming.
INT. LEICHT BARN – DAY
Alfred milks the cow. Rava enters and removes his hat.
RAVA
Alfred. These past two weeks I’ve
been trying to decide what to do –
if I should stay or go.
(beat)
I don’t feel right staying here.
He waits for Alfred to respond. Alfred continues to tend to the cow, says nothing.
RAVA
I have packed my things.
He waits, nervously clutching his hat.
RAVA
You should know that there is
talk that the Russians will
annex this part of our country.
We will soon be part of Ukraine.
I fear that things might not go
well for Jews if that happens.
(beat)
Some of your people are slipping
into Austria where it is said
Jews will be safe.
He waits for a response. Alfred continues to work, says nothing.
RAVA
Well, then. I’ll be going. I’m
sorry for everything Alfred.
He pauses, waits for Alfred to respond. When Alfred says nothing, Rava puts on his hat, turns and leaves. Alfred watches Rava walk toward the house.
INT. THE LEICHT HOME – DAY
Alfred walks through the house, collecting silver, candle holders, and other objects that would be worth money. He stows them in a bag.
EXT. STREET IN BILKE – NIGHT
Alfred and a SMUGGLER talk in the shadows. A cigarette hangs from the smuggler’s mouth.
SMUGGLER
Do you have my money?
Alfred hands him a roll of bills. The smuggler counts the money.
ALFRED
I sold my mother’s silver. Are
you sure the arrangements are
made?
The smuggler stuffs the bills into his pocket and takes the cigarette out of his mouth.
SMUGGLER
Your mother will not miss her
silver. Just be at the barn I
told you about at midnight
tomorrow. My associate will
smuggle you out of the country
into Austria. From there you’re
on your own.
The smuggler turns to leave.
ALFRED
I’ll be there. Tell your
associate not to be late.
The smuggler continues down the dark street, doesn’t look back.
SMUGGLER
Don’t worry. He will be there.
EXT. HILLSIDE – LATE NIGHT
Alfred hides inside the tree line. A barn is in the distance. He looks around before starting across the open field toward the barn.
EXT. THE BARN
Alfred approaches. It appears deserted. He cautiously opens the door and looks inside. He enters and shuts the door behind him.
INT. THE BARN
Alfred stops just inside the door and looks around.
ALFRED
(whispering)
Hello? Hello?
There is no answer. He walks across the floor and sits on a bale of straw. He fidgets nervously as he waits. Noises are heard outside the barn and he sits up erect. The door swings open. At first a light blinds him. He raises his hand to shade his eyes. The Hungarian police enter the barn, arrest Alfred.
INT. JAIL CELL
Alfred enters the cell and a heavy wooden door shuts behind him. He is alone in the cell, looks around. He looks up and sees the roof is straw and mud.
ALFRED
(to himself)
I’ll not go through all this again
without a fight.
He looks around, then tips the bed on end and climbs on it to the roof. Using a wooden slat from the bed, he digs away at the mud and straw. Chunks drop to the floor. In minutes he has created a hole and pulls himself through.
EXT. ALLEY
Alfred squats on the roof, looks around to see if the way is clear. Two police officers exit and walk down the street. When they are out of sight, Alfred jumps to the ground and runs down the alleyway.
INT. THE CAFÉ – (PRESENT) - NIGHT
Murray and Linda sit with the recorder between them. Dishes, crumpled napkins and silverware litter the table.
MURRAY
I traveled Europe for two years.
For some of that time I was
homeless. I lived on trains and
found food where ever I could.
I finally tired of riding the
trains, wandering aimlessly. I
found an organization that helped
survivors like me and I spent
many months with them. During
that time I learned to speak
English and eventually made my way
to England and then on to America.
I changed my name to Murray Lynn
because it sounded more American.
So I have been Murray Lynn ever
since.
LINDA
What did you do when you came to
America?
MURRAY
I found work where I could. I
was fortunate to get a job with a
company that produced chemicals.
I eventually rose to an executive
position where I made a good living.
My work and my family made it
possible for me to hide my story
for many years.
(beat)
So there you have it.
LINDA
That is the most incredible story
I’ve ever heard.
MURRAY
For more than fifty years, I
remained silent. Of those who
made the promise to tell the
story, only I survived, but I
failed to fulfill my agreement to
tell the world. It was too
painful to discuss. For many
years, even my own wife and
children did not know what I have
told you.
LINDA HARPER
What made you decide to talk
about it?
MURRAY
I had open-heart surgery in 2001.
I realized then that this story
might die with me. I owe it to
my mother and my brothers.
Linda looks at her watch.
LINDA
Oh, my goodness. It’s nearly ten!
I’m sorry I’ve taken so much of
your time.
She begins to pack her belongings.
LINDA
Thank you so much for talking with
me, Mr. Lynn. You can know that
your story will now be told. My
paper has world-wide readership.
MURRAY
You are welcome, young lady. It’s
good to have someone who will
listen.
Linda Harper s
tops and looks at Murray, who sips coffee.
LINDA
Before you go, I want to ask you
one last question – off the record.
What about your faith. Did God
abandon you or not?
The corner of his mouth tilts up into a slight smile. He doesn’t answer.
EXT. A JEWISH TEMPLE - DAY
Murray pulls a worn, wrinkled yarmulke from his pocket and looks at it. It is the one given him in Buchenwald. He looks at the yarmulke, puts it on his head and walks toward the entrance of the synagogue.
Fade out.
INSERT TITLE CRAWL:
Alfred Leicht lost his entire family. He was incarcerated in the ghetto and held for a year in Auschwitz, where he suffered disease, starvation and the constant threat of death. After the bombing of his train, Alfred and other inmates marched in the snow for nearly three weeks, during which he was shot in the shoulder. He and his fellow inmates reached Buchenwald after traveling nearly 400 miles. When the allies liberated Buchenwald, Alfred weighed only 65 pounds. His recovery took three weeks. After his arrest and escape from Bilke, Alfred fled and with the help of benevolent organizations in Europe, he immigrated to the United States where he had a successful business. Today he is married and has three grown children. He lives in the southeastern United States with his wife.