Telling Gary Sokolov’s story, the son of the Tattooist of Auschwitz
This special guest article was written by Claire Mundell, executive producer of 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz' and 'The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz'.
Image: Gary Sokolov is visiting Auschwitz for the first time | The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz
The Tattooist’s Son: Journey to Auschwitz, launching on Sky HISTORY on 27th January, the 80th anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz, is a moving documentary following Gary Sokolov, the only son of Lali and Gita Sokolov, on a personal pilgrimage to Auschwitz. Lali and Gita were immortalised in Heather Morris’ New York Times and Sunday Times bestseller – The Tattooist of Auschwitz and later fictionalised as characters in our Sky original limited series.
Shortly before his death in 2006, Lali expressed a desire to go to Auschwitz, the first time he had considered returning in 60 years. Lali specifically wanted to see Auschwitz-II Birkenau again, the place where he and Gita spent most of their imprisonment and where they miraculously met and fell in love. Sadly, father and son never got to make the trip together. It’s a regret Gary has carried ever since his father passed away. So, to be able to provide Gary with the opportunity to walk in his parents’ footsteps and visit Auschwitz is very special and was an emotional rollercoaster like no other for Gary and for our team.
Melbourne-based Gary (63) has had a life-long fear of Auschwitz, having tried and failed to visit at several points in his life, once getting as far as the iconic 'Arbeit Macht Frei' gates only to find himself frozen in fear, unable to enter.
After the astonishing success of the book and the global launch of the series, the prospect of following Gary on this once-in-a-lifetime trip from his home in Melbourne to the Slovakian towns of his parents’ birth – Krompachy (Lali) and Vranov nad Toplou (Gita) – and then ultimately to Auschwitz, was one that neither I nor documentary director Stephen Bennett could resist. Stephen has made many incredible films centred around the theme of trauma, so he was the perfect documentarian for this landmark journey – part pilgrimage, part exploration of intergenerational Holocaust trauma.
I have been immersed in Gary’s family story for some time, having spent the last six years closely attached to the fictionalised versions of his parents (Lali and Gita) whilst developing, producing and executive producing the Emmy-nominated limited series The Tattooist of Auschwitz, available now on Sky TV and Now.
I’m drawn to stories based on real life and I was gripped by The Tattooist as soon as I read it. The idea of a love story set in Auschwitz was incredible to me; how could two people fall in love in one of the most notorious concentration and extermination camps? Lali’s story spoke to me about our innate capacity for hope and survival despite whatever darkness we face. I hadn’t seen such a profound love story against the backdrop of the Holocaust before and felt compelled to embark on the long road to producing it as a limited series.
I and my team, including Head Writer and fellow EP Jacquelin Perske, and director and Co-Executive Producer Tali Shalom Ezer worked closely with the actors Jonah Hauer-King and Harvey Keitel as they brought young and old Lali to the screen, alongside Polish actress Anna Próchniak who we cast in the character of young Gita. Adding Melanie Lynskey (Heather) and Jonas Nay (Baretzki) to our core cast was a dream, complemented by a cast of 65 incredible supporting actors from across Europe.
Image: Lali and Gita Sokolov emigrated to Australia where they had their only child, Gary | The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz
The drama aired around the world to massive success in May of 2024, but I first met Gary in person a few months prior when we shared the series with him in a private screening in Melbourne. Sitting in the dimmed light of a small cinema with Gary, novelist Heather Morris and Gary’s close friends is easily the most emotional, nerve-wracking and memorable screening I’ve ever experienced. I was naturally anxious to see Gary’s reaction but within minutes of seeing Harvey Keitel portray his late father, Gary broke down with tears of joy as he clutched Heather’s hand, laughing and crying all at once, I knew we had delivered on our responsibilities to Gary and his family.
I asked Heather how that screening felt for her, watching next to Lali and Gita’s only son, 20 years after she first met Gary’s father: 'In one word – Overwhelming. I was certain how Gary would react, and he didn’t disappoint. So many times, both of us were overcome with emotion we sought comfort from each other, a hand-held so tight, a shoulder became a resting place for a heavy head. In the dark, the story unfolding was lived by the two of us alone. For Gary a lifetime of hearing snippets, for me three years of intense, highly emotional conversations with Lali opening up to me like he hadn’t before. Trusting me. Believing in me. I remember holding my breath many times, knowing what was coming, afraid to see it.'
In later conversations, I was surprised to discover that Gary felt people who had read the book and seen the mini-series knew more about his parents than he did. It seemed so bizarre that though millions around the world now knew his parents by first name, he had never heard their story directly from his own mum and dad. Instead as a child, he overheard his parents and friends from their community sharing their stories and the rest he filled in watching endless episodes of the landmark series The World at War.
When Gary shared that he felt his identity, in terms of his family history was incomplete, and that he felt alone at times, I knew my own journey with the Sokolov family was not yet over.
Having spent years working on one man’s story of the Holocaust, Lali’s story, I was fascinated to learn more about Gary’s story. What was life like for Gary with two parents who had lived such epic lives and survived unimaginable horror? What was it like to be the only son of such globally known survivors? And what had been the lasting effects on Gary, of his parents’ trauma?
Image: Author Heather Morris immortalised Lali and Gita's story in her best-selling book 'The Tattooist of Auschwitz' | The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz
A documentary bearing witness to his personal journey seemed undeniable. It felt natural to include Heather as a contributor, given she brought Lali’s story to the world. I wondered how it felt for Heather to come on the journey and watch Gary trace his parent’s footsteps back to Auschwitz?
'Being brutally honest, I think I was a little bit jealous. I had been to Lali and Gita’s hometowns several times, I was an honorary citizen of Krompachy, my name framed in the town hall, I had many friends there. I wasn’t sure I wanted to share them. Before we left Australia, I told him he would be not only walking in his parents’ footsteps but also in mine. I had to make the journeys he was about to make, to tell Lali’s story.
'Watching as "my friends" showed Gary what I had previously seen, the documents regarding his family history was a profoundly moving experience for me and I delighted in his reactions, seeing him learn the story of who he was and where he came from. What a gift he has been given.
'During the filming, I thought often of the night Lali asked me to take him back to Auschwitz and his reasons for going. I remembered Gary’s response, visceral and painful when I told him of his father’s request. A request neither one of us was able to fulfil.'
Even though I’ve seen it a million times, I am profoundly moved by the rawness of Gary’s emotions as he encounters so many incredible moments along the road. Watching him read from his mother’s Shoah testimony as he prepares to visit Auschwitz is devastatingly sad and chilling at the same time – watching him express wonder at a never before seen photograph of Lali as a teenager at school in pre-war Slovakia is deeply moving, and even more so when Gary cries as he learns the photo is a gift for him; Gary’s exhilaration as he takes stones from the house his father grew up in, and later lays them on Lali and Gita’s gravestones as he visits their resting places with his daughters for the first time; and the moment he shares with Intergenerational Holocaust psychiatrist George Halasz that he doesn’t feel 'empty anymore' is truly humbling.
I hope audiences are moved and enlightened by Gary’s story and encouraged to consider the consequences of antisemitism. To have been able to work with Stephen and our team and bear witness to Gary’s journey has been a privilege and I am honoured that he trusted us with his story.
I am thankful to all our contributors for giving themselves to the process and supporting Gary along the way, not least of all Heather, without whom none of us would have had the opportunity to tell any part of the Sokolov story.
We’re honoured that The Tattooist’s Son joins a host of programming to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz. There can never be too many stories of the Holocaust, and we must never stop telling them. We’re thrilled that our documentary will take its place amongst all the other inspiring stories that will air on this important anniversary.
The Tattooist's Son: Journey to Auschwitz airs Monday, 27th January at 9pm on Sky HISTORY. Limited series The Tattooist's of Auschwitz is available now on Sky TV and Now.
