Gary Sokolov: Who is the Tattooist of Auschwitz's son?
Explore the life of Gary Sokolov, son of the Auschwitz Tattooist, and the profound impact of his parents’ incredible survival story.
Image: Gary Sokolov | The Tattooist's Son
The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz is a poignant and intimate one-off documentary which follows Gary Sokolov, the only son of Gita and Lali Sokolov, as he visits the notorious German death camp for the first time. The film will air on Sky HISTORY in early 2025.
Gary Sokolov was born in the shadows of one of the most tragic and transformative stories of the Holocaust. Born to Lali Sokolov, the Tattooist of Auschwitz, and his mother Gita Furman, Gary’s journey has been shaped by the experiences of those who survived.
As the son of the man chronicled in the bestselling book and its TV series, Gary has spent much of his life preserving, sharing, and understanding his parent's legacy. This article examines how Gary Sokolov’s life has been influenced by the story of his parents and how it affects people around the world.
A legacy of survival and love
Lali Sokolov was forced to tattoo identification numbers on fellow prisoners at the Nazi death camp, Auschwitz. Sokolov’s journey through the horrors of the Holocaust became a testament to human endurance, compassion, and love.
During his time in the camp, Lali met Gita, the woman who would become his wife. Together, their love story became one of resilience and hope amid unimaginable suffering.
Gary was born years after his parents' liberation and the horrors they endured. Yet, he grew up deeply aware of the history that shaped his family's identity. His parents rarely spoke of their traumatic past.
As the son of survivors, Gary inherited the weight of their stories. They were of suffering, survival, and the bond forged in Auschwitz by their unimaginable ordeal.
Growing up, Gary didn't understand the magnitude of his parents' experiences. He later said, 'My parents never talked about it. But their past shaped them'.
It wasn't until the publication of The Tattooist of Auschwitz that Gary began to understand the profound impact of his parents’ story on the world and, consequently, on his own life.
Image: Gary Sokolov as a baby with his parents | The Tattooist's Son
The impact of the book
In 2018, the book The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris was published, based on Lali Sokolov’s story. The book became an international bestseller, captivating readers with its emotional depth. Lali's first-person account of life in Auschwitz, his love for Gita, and his role as the camp's tattooist drew people in.
But what was Gary’s role? Gary played a key part in ensuring the accuracy of the book, working closely with Morris to preserve the integrity of his father's story. His involvement in the project was not just as a son but as a guardian of his family's history.
Gary discussed his father’s bond with Morris: 'Dad finally found someone he trusted enough to tell his story. He needed to tell it. I can’t imagine, knowing Heather, that he could have told it to anyone else. The world needs to know this story, especially now, where hope is really important.'
A revelation and responsibility
For Gary, the book was both a revelation and a responsibility. It allowed him to confront his parents' pasts head-on, reflecting on how their experiences had shaped their lives together and, by extension, his own.
But it also presented a profound responsibility to ensure that the story was shared with the utmost respect for the history it represented.
Following the book's success, a TV adaptation was created. Gary said of the TV series: 'I hope they will believe that bad times do end. You have got to stay positive as much as you possibly can. I hope that whatever people are going through, the show will give them a sense that there is a future.'
Image: Gary Sokolov stands with the actors who portrayed his parents, Anna Próchniak (L) and Jonah Hauer-King (2-R), and author of 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz' Heather Morris (R) | The Tattooist's Son
The Tattooist’s Son: A personal journey
The release of The Tattooist of Auschwitz and its adaptation into a television series led Gary to reflect more deeply on his own identity. He is often asked what it was like growing up as the son of Holocaust survivors, and how their experiences shaped him.
The weight of his parents' past was not just a matter of history — it was a living, breathing part of his everyday life. It was something that influenced his worldview, his relationship with his parents, and his own sense of identity.
