Episode 2 of The Tattooist of Auschwitz opens in Slovakia, 1942, with a fleeting glimpse of Gita before her fateful deportation to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Pepan offers sage advice to Lali, urging him to focus on something positive to occupy his mind amidst the horrors. That positive force? None other than Gita.
As fate would have it, Lali's path crosses with the women's camp, where he's tasked with assisting the new arrivals. His dreaded Nazi superior, Stefan Baretzki, remains as vile and cruel as ever, wasting no time in executing one of the women with a single gunshot - all for the merest whim.
Each day, the inmates are brutally roused by the clanging of pans and a scramble for space in the yard, forced to line up for roll calls and inspections. Those too sick, injured, or bruised are summarily dragged away to the chambers, never to be seen again. Amidst this hellish existence, Gita manages to survive, working alongside her fellow inmates in the women's section, sorting through confiscated belongings. Jewelry is confiscated and handed over to the officers, but Gita, along with her friends Ivana and Hanna, secretly stash away valuables to use as leverage against the guards. She does whatever it takes to stay alive.
Desperate to reunite with Gita, Lali's wishes are finally granted when he spots her across the camp, whistling to him. Stefan Baretzki jests about bedding women, but when the women speak ill of him, Lali is forced to strike one of them - a pregnant inmate - across the cheek. Stefan promises to send her to the maternity ward, but in truth, she and others deemed unworthy are consigned to the chambers.
When Lali returns to the men's camp, he reports the presence of women - and almost reveals the existence of pregnant inmates. But one man steps forward, claiming his wife is with child, and Lali, fearing his curiosity might lead to trouble, retracts his statement.
Alone, Stefan realizes he can manipulate Lali to his advantage. He offers to deliver a note to Gita if Lali will assist him in writing love letters to woo his girlfriend. To Heather in the present, Lali compares this arrangement to dealing with the devil. But he knows Stefan, lonely and volatile, somehow sees him as a kind of friend, albeit in a twisted, unsettling way.
Deep in the silent of the night, Gita was abruptly yanked from her bunk bed. The ominous shadows surrounding her suggested a fate worse than death, as if she were destined for the gas chambers. However, with a stroke of cunning, she managed to bribe one of the officers, narrowly escaping her grim fate. Hesitating at the threshold, her gaze fell upon Stefan, a stern SS officer standing guard. He double-checked her number, seemingly oblivious to the drama unfolding before him. Miraculously, he kept his promise to Lali and handed over a note, shrouded in mystery.
The scene shifted to Oswiecim in Poland, where Baretzki was attempting to charm his female companion. He offered her a drink and, encouraged by Lali's whispers, ventured to ask questions about her past. But she only laughed bitterly, pushing him towards more intimate matters, aware that her entire life had been turned upside down.
The next day, Baretzki's anger boiled over, lashing out at Lali. Despite the brutal beating that left him sprawled on the ground, he managed to unearth the secret of Gita's whereabouts. This knowledge was a double-edged sword, as it meant not only he but also his SS compatriots were privy to her hiding place. This horrifying revelation forced Lali to confront his past demons, realizing that Baretzki could have done anything to her and he would never even know.
Despite the danger, Baretzki urged him to compose another note. Seizing an opportunity, Lali crept into the clothing warehouse. Tragically, Gita accidentally cut herself on one of the suitcases, but she valiantly concealed the injury from the officers and others. Lali watched her depart, and the two managed to rendezvous beside the suitcases. In exchange for the note and some chocolate, she handed over a golden ring, promising more where that came from. This precious metal would be their ticket to bribery and survival.
Day by day, this clandestine exchange became their lifeline. Their budding relationship not only strengthened their resolve but also allowed them to bribe the officers, securing a steady supply of food for their respective camps. Somehow, amidst the horrors of war, they found a way to survive, clinging to each other for comfort and hope.
One fateful morning, however, the routine was shattered. As they lined up for the daily roll call, three nooses ominously hung before them, casting a dark shadow over the proceedings. Lali was forced to watch helplessly as Tomas, one of his comrades who had previously attempted to flee the camp, was hung in front of the horrified inmates. Tomas's final words, "I'm free," echoed through the air as he chuckled, mocking the brutality of his fate. The other inmates struggled to maintain their composure, but their hearts were heavy with sorrow and despair.
Alone and overcome with emotion, Lali broke down in tears as he made his way to see Gita. She noticed the tears streaming down his face and was deeply shocked to learn about Tomas's death. Lali knew he needed to see her, to allow himself to feel the raw grief that was tearing him apart. And in that moment, their shared sorrow was enough to draw them together in a tender kiss.
Gita handed him some jewellery, a small token of comfort, and whispered that he would survive this day. But their moment of intimacy was short-lived. That night, Baretzki unexpectedly appeared, seeking out Gita. He cornered her by the barracks, grabbing her arm as she tried to pull away from him. He noticed her wince in pain and recognized the infected cut on her arm, but he remained silent, choosing not to speak of it just yet.
Instead, he ordered her to go to bed and staggered away, clearly inebriated. As he staggered, he eventually collapsed to the ground, calling out for Lali. Lali appeared promptly and carried the drunken officer back to his bunk. There, Baretzki vomited into the bucket that was meant for Lali's drinking water, revealing his own weakness and fragility.
Stefan's eye was cut and swollen, and he looked far from his usual self. But in his delirium, he revealed something about Gita's arm. Despite his condition, he refused to get her the medicine she needed. Instead, he clung to Lali, whispering that he was there for him and that they would survive this ordeal together.
