"GERMANY OCCUPIED BELARUS" "SS death squadron and local police round up Jews" "Within weeks 50,000 are murdered" "1,000,000 more await deportation and death." "A true story" "What do we do now?" "Shut up!" "We've got to get home!" "Come on, it's safe." "We go." "Stop it." "Stop crying!" "Aron, let's go." "LIPICZANSKA FOREST AUGUST 1941" "It is Tuvia." "If I were a German, you would be dead." "Papa and mama... they killed them." " I know." "Big brother returns." "You saw them?" "Where is your wife and child?" "Hiding in the south." "I'll bring them when it's safe." "And Riva?" " No good, she wouldn't leave." "You're still..." " She is still my wife." "A rich wife..." "Tell me Tuvia, why did you come back?" "Do you have a plan?" "The police will be after us." "We've run from the police our whole life, do you think this is a good time to stop?" "We know these woods, they will never find us in here." "I told them to stay here." "I miss Papa." "I can't believe that he is dead." "We do not know he is." "The Police captain?" " I told him about Dad." "But we don't know that he did it." " Then we go and ask him if he did it." "Koscik had a pistol, he showed it to me once." "One pistol is nothing." "We need rifles." "Machine Guns." " What's next?" "You're gonna take on the whole German army?" " Listen, just because..." "Our child is hurt." "Lay her down here." "We cannot feed them." "I go and ask Koscik for food." " And the pistol." "And the pistol." "I only have four bullets." "Thank you." "Your father was a good man." "He said the same of you." "Ignore the bitch." "To the dead." "God rest their souls." "Bitch, you want vodka?" "I live with it." "Can you imagine?" "To the barn." "Working late, Bernicki." "Hunting Jews..." "Our new bosses are vert organized." "Quiet!" "Hunting can work up a thirst." "Fifteen in one day ... 500 rubles for every one we turn in." "A Jew is worth that much?" "Do ypu pay more for a fat one?" "Caught five in a ditch." "Smelled so bad I thought the Germans wouldn't want them." "Maybe for a reduced price." "You know the Bielski's?" "We missed them when we visited the parents." "Keep it." "Bribing an officer of the law?" "Hiding more of this black market vodka in the barn?" "Please, take a look." "And clean out the cow shit while you're there." "You'll keep your eyes open, yes?" "Good hunting." "I'm sorry, but they have to go with you." " What am I supposed to do with them?" "These agents... were they the ones who killed my parents?" "Why is it so fucking hard being friends with a Jew?" "Try being one." "Who is that?" "Where are we going?" "You sat at the back in school..." "I am Shamon Haretz." " I thought you were dead." "I'm already half dead." "I heard you speaking about your parents." "I'm very sorry..." "The other brother?" "What was his name?" "The wise one?" "Zus, he is with the others too." " You are hiding here in the forest?" "There has been trouble before maybe, with the police?" "So you got to the forest." "A wise choice." "A wise choice for a stupid schoolboy." "My whole life I presumed that reaching out was the right way to live." "I had no doubt that this is God's way." "This isn't..." "You forgive me if recent events have somewhat shaken my resolve." "Just like school." "I have no idea what you are talking about." "You're not hungry?" "The little one doesn't talk?" "He saw things." "I sent you for food and you bring more mouths to feed." " You sent me?" "It was Bernicki who killed Papa." "Did you at least get your pistol?" "There are only four bullets." "I will have to make them count." "You work late." "Tomoorw is Sunday." "You have a day off?" "...Fucking SS never sleeps ..." "You know who I am?" "Sit!" "You know why I'm here." "What are you talking about?" " Where did I talking about?" "If they say find someone, I find him." "It's my job." "To kill Jews." " Or lose my job." "And you like your job?" "I was always fair with your family ..." "Everyone knew that you were smuggling, I looked the other way." "Ask your father." " My father?" "You can ask my Father." "On your knees." "On your knees!" "Please, I beg you." "On behalf of my parents..." "David and Bella Bielski." "For my brothers and for all the others." "Kill me, too!" "Only one left." "His sons." "How was it?" "How was what?" " Shoot them." "It was good, no?" " Shut up." "And what about these others?" " I don't know." "The women will slow us down." "Your old teacher..." "What?" "Are you afraid he's gonna spank you for forgetting your homework?" "We have to be able to move, Tuvia." "And quickly" " I agree, but they're here." "We'll sleep further up the trail." "If someone comes we'll stumble on them first and we can escape." "But no more." "No more." "I know..." "Tamara, you remember cousin Zus." "Go and sit by the fire." "Alasar, he's Isabel's youngest." "This is Isaac Malbin, he's from Minsk." "Find them something to eat." "Tuvia, I have pity for them all but..." " They are family." "And how will we feed this family?" "We do more water in the soup." "And this one?" "She is family?" "PERELAZ Forest Camp OCTOBER 1941" "What the fuck!" "Have you never used a hammer before?" "What is it you do?" "I suppose you have to say I..." "I was,..." "I am an intellectual." "This is a job?" "I published a small magazine." "Actually, it is a journal." "More like a pamphlet." "This is Lyla." "Lyla's my forest wife." "I see." "Congratulations." "Interesting concept..." " As long as you have a place in hiding." "Hello boys, what can we do for you?" "Food." "We want food." "These two shits are really holding themselves..." "You have the balls to shoot me, little shit?" "We have food." "No, I want to see if the two little shits have the balls to shoot me." "You like to shoot Jews, little shit, huh?" "You are Jews?" " No, we are the Gestapo." "Put down the gun." " Or perhaps you prefer me to shove it up your ass?" "Look at me." "Where are you from?" " Polidiska." "We haven't eaten in two days." "My name is Peretz and this is Jacov." "Two days ago, there were 3000 Jews in Polidiskya and now... there are 50." "Me and him, we hid in a wall." "You know a woman?" "Sonya Bielski?" "We knew her." "There was a child..." "I should have protected her." "Sonya!" "Mama..." "Papa..." "So many dead." " I know." "Why not us?" " I don't know." "We hide ourselves in the woods... like rabbits..." "Hunted." "We are looking for Partisans." "What is the name of your otriad?" "What is an otriad?" " It's an armed brigade." "We heard that the Russians begin to reorganize." "Then we Bielski brigade." "You want to join?" "The Russians are fighters." " But you need a gun to join them." "They sabotage railroads and kill Germans." "You want to kill Germans?" "Come with me." "Unless your still afraid to use that rifle." "Stay there!" "We must get what we need without killing." "You won't bring your family back." " Blood for blood." "You've already had yours." " And I can still see their faces." ""Vengeance is mine. " Who said that to you?" " Oh, this is God's work you're now doing, Zus?" "No, only you can do that." "Take a few lives, spare a few others..." "We should not become like them." " No, but at least we can kill like them." "Are you coming with us or not?" "Collaborator ..." "Traitor!" "We are the Bielski!" "We will be back." "My truck!" "Who did this?" "Who are you?" "This truck took away Jews." "The Germans made me use it." "It's coming!" "It is one of ours, but there is no one here." "Maybe he was drunk?" " Look for him and hurry up!" "We want to get to the party!" "Now we are really partisans." "To the Bielski Brigade!" " Cigarettes!" "Get a rifle!" "He's going the wrong way." "We can't just leave him." " We have no choice, go!" "They thought you would bring food." "Did the farmer stop you?" "They had guns, dogs?" " No." "I don't understand." "If you save a life, you must take responsibility for it." "Again, I have no idea what you are talking about." "O yeah, I think you do." "And now your little brother is gone." "How did you get past Lazar?" " Who?" "You worthless piece of shit!" "Enough!" "He was right by you, someone could have been killed!" " I said enough!" "Get up!" "He would be shot." "If we were real partisans, we should shoot you." "You fucking little fool!" "He made a mistake!" "Mistake?" "We cannot make mistakes, Tuvia." " Like last night, Zus?" "First they will torture Asael and then they will hang him." "You are Tuvia Bielski?" "Do you know me?" " We heard of you in Vielkno." "Vielkno?" "My sister is..." " My family is there." "The SS came without warning." "We'd be better off in the ghetto." "Here we are safe." " Where I live we have a home." "No, here we have home." " Do we?" "We have no food!" " Tomorrow will be another mission." "Look what happened last time." " That was a mistake, the mistake will not be made again." "How do you know?" "We may be here for a long time, so we have to prepare." "Better security, better at getting food..." " We don't have weapons, people are getting sick." "In any case, we all have to participate." "but we don't want to turn against each other." "We can not afford a revenge." "Not now." "We can not afford to lose friends as Jakov and Peretz." "Or Asael." "We cannot lose anyone." "We will map out where we have been." "So as not to visit the same farms too often, and we will take only from those who can afford to give... and we will leave those who can't alone." "Our revenge is..." "to live" "The poorest farmer has more than enough..." " Quiet!" "What I am saying is we are no thieves or murderers." "We may be hunted like animals, but we will not become animals." "We have all chosen this to live here free like as human beings for as long as we can." "Every day of freedom, is like an act of faith." "And if we should die, trying to live... then at least we die like human beings." "In the barn." "Jew lover" "I'm sorry" " Come." "Thank God!" "Come here." "Zus, I can't breathe." "Look what we found." "How did you get these?" "It's alright." "Please, come." "It is good." "Give me that." "So, you've been busy." " Shut up!" "Hello." "I'm Zus." "This is Bella and this is Chaya." " Please, come on, you must be hungry." "And we fell into this horrible bog." "Chaya saved me, honestly, I can't swim at all." "Well, we'll have to teach you." " We must have got lost a thousand times." "I was absolutely deciding to die." "Tell him, Chaya was it not the absolute worst?" "And the farmer, a mister.." " Koscik." "He kept making the most vulgar jokes." "So you're trying to tell me that all politics is meaningless?" "In the west, a monster with a little mustache, in the east, a monster with a large mustache." "This is all I need to know about politics." " Your Messiah will have a mustache too and a full beard." "No, the Messiah is already in politics and they're killing us." "You know what's killing me?" "That's all your talking." "And Roosevelt,... he has no mustache." "We need to know what's going on in the villages." "Where the Germans are patroling, who the informants are." "Are you listening, Tony?" " Yes." "What is her name?" " Chaya." "What are you doing?" " You are going to talk to her." "I hardly know her." " You spent three days in a cellar with her." " How much more do you want to know?" " Melvin says that the Pidsnarksi granary is full... but we still need two guns at least." " Whose turn is it to go?" " Zus." " Then you go with him." "Make sure he understands my orders." "Go!" "Talk to her." " How are you?" " Good." "Good morning, early to the market?" "Could you spare us a little bit of milk?" " This is what I must give the Germans." "If I don't meet my qutoa, ...they'll shoot me and my family." "Leave half." "He cannot go to the Germans empty-handed." "Tuvia's orders." "Comrade, we are grateful for your cooperation." "What a lovely coat." "Is that a fur collar?" " Halt!" "Who goes there?" " You know who goes there, Lazar." "We go there." "You only say 'Who goes there?" "' when you don't know who goes there." "Sorry, Zus." "Milk and eggs." "Chaya?" "Our brave men have brought us food." "You could make me blintzes..." "I don't think we have been properly introduced." " Hello." " Arkady Lubczanski." "You're Chaya?" " Yes." "You're getting along alright?" "Anything you need?" "An extra blanket?" " No, thank you." "I am fine." " Something nice and soft?" "No, it is alright..." "Yeah, but I see that you don't have a husband yet." " Here?" " A forest husband." "All the other women have chosen already, they haven't told you about this?" "No, thank you for explaining it." "Descartes at least provided for the subjective nature of experience..." "Yes, you annoy me, therefore I exist." "Ben Zion." "New ones just arrived." "They're from Novagrudok." "Your wife?" "They say she was killed last week." "I'm sorry." "Thank you for telling me." "Can I join you?" " Of course." "I never..." " You never what?" "You get lonely out here?" "I like the woods." "I get a little bit scared sometimes." "Tell me something, why is there a rule against women having guns?" "There aren't enough for the men." " Women need guns too." "What for?" "For protection." "Women have men for protection." "I want protection." "Men with guns!" "Weapons and ammunition only!" "Keep them moving!" "Move!" "Come on, quickly!" "Don't stop before you reach the field." "Leave now and we won't shoot all of you!" "Do not be a fool." "There are hundreds of us!" "There are hundreds of us!" "Who is the fool?" "Tuvia Bielski, and the rest of you can go free!" "You're from Belorussia, pig!" "Why do you work with the Germansagainst your own people?" "For the same reason you steal from the poor." "To survive!" "The next one's to the head!" "It'll be dark soon, how will you find your way home then?" "They will be back." "We will have to build a new camp." "Next time you can draw them a map." " And what does that mean?" "It means we should have killed the fucking milkman." "The policy of diplomacy is shit." "Winter is coming and now we have no shelter." "Why?" "Because you do not have the stomach to to do what must be done." "Go!" "Move!" "Where is he taking us?" "My feet are going to fall off." "I need volunteers for a scouting party." "Who are you?" "A brigade independent fighters." "What brigade?" "The Bielski Otriad." "We know of you." "Jewish bandits." "I am sure that we can clear this up with your commander." "I'm Viktor Panchenko, Commander of the October Otriad." "We have heard of a Jewish gang stealing from villages loyal to us." "How do you response to these charges?" "When you take food, it is support." "When we do, it is stealing" "We are soldiers of the Red Army." "And we fight a common enemy." "The Motherland doesn't distinguish between Jews and non-Jews." "But Jews do not fight." "These Jews do." "We will see." "Send us your best fighters." "We are honored to be of service." " So now we are partisans" " We will see." " Here." " Thank you." "If my friends at the new Socialist Squad could see me now..." "I haven't read a book in months." " I don't read much." "You can ask Shamon." " Which I did." "And yet you accept me as commander?" " Who else?" "Can I make an observation?" " Please, observe away." "We need to be strong, yes, but..." "But?" "Other things are important too." " Such as?" " Community." "Do you have ideas about a community?" "A few." "More mouths to feed." " And more young bodies to keep us warm." "Which one is Tuvia Bielski?" "I'm Tuvia." "None of us knew if you really existed." "Excuse me, my name is Yitzchak Shulman." " Welcome Yitzchak." "I come from Brandovice." "The ghetto has been liquidated." "The Germans warned that everyone would be executed if anyone was missing." "So the council stopped us from leaving, but... every day more people were killed." "My parents." " We will do what we can." " Thank you." " Thank you" " You're welcome." "Please, would you help my parents?" "I saw you looking at me..." "If you rescue them, I'll do everything for you." "Everything, please!" "And what does it mean 'do what we can'?" "We will send for everyone who is left alive." " And if there are hundreds, Tuvia?" " Then we will provide." " And when the Germans follow these hundreds?" "What then?" " I won't let that happen." " You won't let that happen?" " No, I will bring them out myself." "From the ghetto?" " Yes." "So, now you are Moses, huh?" "Zus, go back to work, you're wasting time." " I'm not the one who's wasting time, Tuvia." "I cannot have you questioning me, in front of the others." "We're family, we have to stick together." "Why?" "So we can die alongside these mabushem?" "Don't call them that, the people they're Jews." " Pretentious Jews." "Jews who stuck up their noses at us." "Jews who'd go out of their way to lock their daughters away from our dirty hands." "You're nothing to them, Tuvia!" "They only follow you because they are too weak and afraid to fight for themselves." "And what about Bella?" "Would she be with you if this wasn't happening?" "Don't." " Is it love, Zus?" "And anyone else who would rather fight than waiting to be killed... we're leaving to join those who fight." "Are you coming?" "We are not so naive to think they will keep some of us." "But all Jews, it makes no sense." "They need us to work in the factories, in the labor camps." "They're death camps." "We too have heard of such places, but have you seen them yourself?" "Can you tell me with absolute certainty... that we won't just as likely die out there with you in the woods with winter coming on?" "Do you think we haven't all considered running away?" "For everyone who leaves, they killed 20." "How can I sacrifice thousands, for the sake of a few?" "What is we take you all?" "The old?" "The sick?" "How will we live?" " We will protect you." "We have made alliances with the Russian partisans." " They're as bad as the Germans." "You are too young to know the pogroms." "Our only weapon is time." "If I can buy more, we will have won." "You want time?" "Fine!" "I'll give you time." "A day, a month, maybe even a year." "To live." "Your daughter Chaya she's with us." "Your husband is waiting for you" "Rabbi, please." " We are waiting for God." "I'm going!" "I'll go." "Me too." "Please have your valuables out and ready." "Keep moving!" "Come on, we're not going to bite you." "Mama!" "Papa!" "How about you, Grandpa?" " I'm watchmaker." "Can you repair a gun?" " The trigger." " Maybe." "Alright, please come forward, everyone!" "Have your things out and ready." "Yes, please." "They were my grandmother." " And now they belong to the otriad." "Everyone sacrifices for the sake of the collective." "We can trade this for food or weapons." " Next!" " How about carpenters, any bootmakers?" "Seamstresses?" "I am an accountant." " Mm, that should come in handy..." "You have a new profession." " Mazzeltov." "Next." "I am a shoemaker." " Good!" "You're welcome!" "Yes, please." " I am a nurse." "Good, you are most welcome." "Friends, this is the happiest day of my life." "To see you here safely amongst us." "But there are a few things you must learn about living here." "When you are rested and settled, you will be assigned work duties." "Everyone will work, there are no exceptions." "We will help supply our Russian partisan comrades." "We will mend clothes, we will repair weapons." "Women learn to shoot, and they will fight alongside men." "Pregnancies are forbidden We cannot accommodate an infant's needs here." "Today... we will start rebuilding the lives you have all lost." "This is the one place in all of Belarussia, where you can be free." "We welcome you into our community." " He is a Jew?" " Yes." "Reload!" "This is not a gun." "To you it is Barkhov's spear." "It is Samson's jawbone." "It is Ehud's sword." "It is the slingshot young David used to bring down the monster Goliath." "And we will become warriors, like the Maccabees and the Sicarii..." "Brave men and women fighting for their freedom." "As they were." "Fire!" "Good." "...buried underneath with this detonator... almost touching the rail ..." "..as the train passes, its weight causes pressure ... on the detonator ... and then ..." "This here, this is a knight." "He can move one two forward and and one to the side..." "Yesterday potatoes with beet, Today beets with potatoes." "Tomorrow special treat, potato soup." "Stop complaining, you wenches, and keep mashing." "We love potatoes, don't we, boy?" " Yes, sir!" "We love vodka, women." "Thank you." "Sit down!" "Put some hairs on your chest." "If you want to be a soldier, you drink!" "What are you doing?" " Asael, let's have him a little drink." "So, a little bird told me... that a certain someone is waiting for another certain someone to ask a certain question." " Hello, Chaya." " Hello Asael." " Let me take..." " No." "I'm fine." "Thank you." "Can I help you?" "Chaya, I was wondering if maybe you..." "I mean you and I..." "I,..." "I, I accept." " You do?" " I do." "Blessed art Thou, our god, King of the universe." "Who created man in His own image." "And out of Himself searched for us a lasting place." "Blessed art Thou, our God, King of the universe... who created all things, for His glory." "Oh gladden these loving mates... as Thou did anciently gladden Thy creatures in Eden." "Blessed art Thou, O God... who gladdens the bridegroom and the bride." "Amen." " Amen." "With this ring you are consecrated to me according to the law of Moses and Israel." "You are related to Bielski?" " I am a Bielski." "NALIBOCKA Forest Camp DECEMBER 1941" "Tuvia, this is it." "This is all we have." "Cover it!" "Some talk of their time in the ghetto." "They haven't eaten for days." "What time is it?" " Do you have an engagement?" "Is there any supper?" " Not today." "Tuvia is sending out more food missions." " We follow Tuvia like an old goat." " Rather be a goat than a snake." "Tuvia is doing the best he can." " We should have joined Zus." " Who's stopping you?" "More dead soldiers than empty bottles." "That is so..." "Russian." "At least you drink like a Russian." "A Jew can't drink, a Jew can't fight." "What is it we are good for, Viktor?" "Dying." "That's what we are good at." "Tell me about this brother of yours." "Oh yes..." "The Great Tuvia Bielski, Savior of the Jews ... and all aorund Big Shit." "You compete with him." " He competes with me." "My older brother and I have the same relationship." "He's a Big Shit also?" "A soldier." "He was killed in the first hour of the German invasion." "You get used to it eventually." "What are you going to do today?" " Today I'm going on my first food mission." "I will tell Asael to send someone else." "No, I want to go." "I must go." "Here, you must take this." "To stay warm, please." "Please, take it." "Thank you, Tuvia." "You're a tasty one, you aristocrat." " What?" "We were told: 'Hands off'." "'Property of the commander'." "Tuvia, I'm beginning to see signs of a some new sickness." "Two of the old ones have died this week." " Miriam!" " What happened?" "He said it was a patrol." "They're watching the roads." "The Germans are everywhere." "You go back, you stay alert!" "She will be alright." "You bring the food back now and stay on this side of the river." "And watch out for patrols." "I'll wait here on the others, good luck." " Halt!" "Who goes there?" " Lazar, I'm coming from the camp." " The danger's out there." " Sorry, Tuvia." " Any sign of food mission?" " Not yet." "I think it's typhus." "And if it is, we're in trouble." "The lice are carriers." "The partisans have ampicillin, but they say they need it for themselves." " Tuvia." " I heard you." "Medicine, I'll go see Victor now." "What happened,?" "You're alright?" "Fine, thank you." "Every time we try to move ... they radio track to the transmitter at police HQ." "So we attack the transmitter." " Yes, my Hebrew warrior." "Except the place is swarming with police." "Who's this?" ".. two Bielski's at once?" "To what do we owe this honor?" "We have sickeness." "I needed ampicillin." "Medicines's only for fighters." "If there have typhus, it may spread to your camp." "I will have to take that chance." " I must insist." "Comrade." "You better not." "There is medicine in the Stankiewcze police station, yes?" "Tuvia and I grew up there." "The Bielski brigade can destroy the transmitter." "You're too sick." "Stay in the truck." "Make sure getting back." " No, I'm coming with you." "I can tonight, Tuvia." "You don't have to do this." "I don't?" "What about the tuphus, huh?" " Some will die." "They'll go anyway." "For luck, take it." "What about the others?" " Drive the fucking truck!" "And the others?" "Fighters die so that mabushem live?" "That's what you believe, yes?" " What do you believe..." "You're a communist now, Zus?" " Communist, Zionist, Fascist..." "What difference does it make as long as you get your medicine?" "Come back to us." "You're my brother!" "So you remember." "Merciful God, we commit our friends Ben Zion and Krensky to your care." "We have no more prayers, no more tears and we've run out of blood." "Choose another people..." "We have paid for each of your commandments." "We have covered every stone and field with ashes." "Sanctify another land." "Choose another people." "Teach them the deeds and the prophecies." "Grant us but one more blessing." "Take back the gift of our holiness." "Chaya, this amount is shit!" "Take your hand, and dig it to the bottom of the pot and give me some of the meat." "What do you think you're doing, huh?" " Preacher, who do you think you are?" " I am in charge here, get back in line." "Go away, little man!" "I'll take the skin of your face." "Get back!" "Put that away, put it away!" "What is happening here?" "Those who risk their lives to bring back food, deserve a larger portion than those who risk nothing!" " Everybody gets the same portion!" "Not when your little bitch serves that soup!" " She's my wife!" "Everybody gets the same." "Anybody caught stealing will face consequences." "What kind of consequences?" " Half rations." "One week." " Both of you." " What?" "You're questioning me?" "This matter is settled, get back in line." "Get back in line!" " Tuvia, I would never..." " I know." "So then why am I to be punished?" "On food missions they take first for themselves and don't even bring back what's left over." "And they spread rumors that you are power hungry, and corrupt... that you take whatever woman you choose." " That we keep the coal for ourselves..." " What?" "What?" "What else?" " That you're no longer fit to lead us." "Maybe they are right." " Zus would have beaten him senseless." " Yes, I know." " Though I miss him." " He made his choice." "What happened?" "Who did this to you?" "Gramov, Dueltof..." "I used the officers' latrine." "They said they won't shit in the same hole as a Jew." "Forgive me, Commander." "Zus, join us." "I want to report the mistreatment of a comrade." "This man beat comrade Lova for no reason at all." "I had a perfectly good reason." "He is a Jew." "And you're a savage." "Ignore him." "Let's drink." "Anti-Semitism ..." "65 5 is a violation of the party discipline." "He is right." "Gramov." "Apologise to our comrade." "I apologise ..." "Comrade Jew." "Let's have a drink." "When will we eat and where is our food?" "Lazar, you eat with the rest of the women and the mabushem!" "I'll be there." "The village idiot..." "I saw him try to impress the girls on and he slipped over and landed right into the ditch, face down." "Chaya, you look lovely today." "Thank you, that looks delicious." "And you look delicious." "What happened?" "Arkady..." "Arkady..." "What is this?" "New policy." "Fighters get better food." "But that is against my orders." "You are no longer commander." "As long as I am leader of this group, you obey my commands." "There will be no complaining, no sitting, no doing nothing." "Anyone who wants to leave, leave now." "Take his body into the woods, leave it for the wolves." "Do it now!" "You feel the night?" "The medicine helped." "For how long was I asleep?" " Two days." "You nursed me?" "I should get up." " No, no, no..." " Did not you study nursing?" " I was at university." "What did you do..." "before the war?" "My wife... her father, he had a business, and before the race" " And she has passed?" " Yes." "I'm sorry." "What did you study at university?" "Music." "You should rest." " Thank you." " My pleasure." "NALIBOCKA Forest Camp APRIL 1942" " Who's got the soap?" "I know there was a little bit left." " Use the sand, Chaya, it's good for your skin." "Look at that skin, and married already!" "Look at me, I've turned into a skeleton." "When we get out of this forest, I'm going to eat only cake and grow big as a house." "Tamara!" "Come, join us, enjoy the sun glow." "I can't go down." " Why?" "I am pregnant." " I had no idea." "I have been hiding it for months, but it's obvious now." "It could come any day." " Who is the father?" "It happened when I was escaping." "It was a man with a gun who stopped me." "What will happen when Tuvia finds out?" "He will understand." " No, you mustn't tell him." "No, I won't tell him." "There's two lives inside me." "It is the only thing keeping me going." "And I won't give it up." "Lazar says he's spotted another patrol." "They're getting closer." "Do you hear that?" " She promises not to take extra food." " It is against my orders" "So you're going to shoot me too?" "Please, Tuvia?" "The baby is all she has to live for." "I cannot allow it." " You must let it live." " I cannot keep the living alive!" "The mother and the man who fathered this child are responsible for it." " They must leave." " She was raped by the Germans." "And you'd asked all about our humanity, not to become like animals." "And what better way than by bringing the life into this world of suffering and death?" "It is her only hope." " Alright." " Thank you, Tuvia." "I know that you're not expected to love a woman here... but I need you to love and touch me." " No, no." "I am not afraid of anything, Tuvia." "I'm not even afraid of you." "You call that a move?" "I call it an inevitable conclusion based an impeachable process of reasoning." "The question..." "my friend the genius is what you're going to do about it?" " I'm thinking about what I am going to do." " I got him." " Tuvia!" "We found this one and two of his friends by the second bridge." "We killed two." "Aron was hurt, but he's a brave little soldier." "We found this." "Look what we have here." "I found it in his pouch." "You read this!" "Looking for Jews?" "Look!" "We're all Jews." "Look at him!" "They designed an entire division to surround the forest." " So they have a war to fight?" " The assault begins in two days." "With Passover, how fitting!" " He says he has a wife and two small children." " So did I!" "If you let him go, he will lead them back here." "Ask him to promise not to reveal our location." "He won't say anything!" " We want justice!" " Justice!" "This is for David, he had blue eyes he was only 15." "Justice!" "Fight for our men!" "I do not know what's going to happen to us." "It doesn't matter." "If I had stayed in the ghetto, I would be dead." "You saved my life." "You have saved mine." "The attack is coming." "We're leaving the forest." "Leaving?" "What about Bielski Otriad?" "What about them?" " They will be slaughtered." "My priority is the lives of the Soviet soldiers." "The Bielski are sacrificed, so that we can escape?" "Everyone must sacrifice ... so that we can keep fighting." "They are my brothers." "We are all brothers ..." "Comrade Bielski, your Jewish sentimentality is heart-warming ... but counter-revolutionary!" "You and your comrades will follow Gramov ... and retreat as I have ordered." "And if I don't?" " You will be shot." "Comrade Bielski ..." "You are a soldier for the Motherland." "Thank you for the honor, comrade." "Zus. what are we doing?" " Retreating." " What for?" "I don't know." "And where will we go?" "About the children of... children of Israel... were afraid to leave Egypt." "until Moses said, "Do not trust in me... trust in God." "He will take care of you. "" "And that is why tomorrow... we will celebrate the Passover, by sitting around and arguing." "Just as we have done for centuries." " Did he see us?" " I do not know." " Tomorrow is Passover, yes?" " So?" "Moses, the Exodus, he left before Pharaoh could stop them." "You want to move them all?" " The old, the sick they'll never make it." " We'll leave now." "Spread the word." "Shamon, this is it!" "We're going!" "Children, up, up." "Let's go." "We're leaving, tell your parents we are going." "Now!" "I want every child accounted for." " How will they keep up?" " We'll carry them if we have to." "Hurry, please!" "Hurry!" "They are coming!" "Come on, in there." "Are you alright?" "I'm alright, my ears..." " Go, get them out of the bunkers." "Go!" " Stay low." "No!" "It's over, it's over." "They're coming." "The infantry!" "We need to hold them up until the rest are safe." " Machine guns?" " Yes, with Levine and Miriam." "There." "Lazar, Rosa and Schmiel there and there." "And me..." " No!" "No!" " Yes!" "To them and take all these people with you." " I want to stay with you." " You must go with them." "It is too dangerous for you." "Rosa... down there!" "Go with them, it's not safe here." "Don't try to fight them." "Just slow them down, then come and join us." "Chaya please!" "You go with them now, it's not safe." " No." " Go with them!" " No!" "Take her!" "Go!" "Move, Chaya!" "Go!" "We must run quickly, let me help you." " Careful." " We're moving to the right." " Yeah!" "Oh, my God!" "We have to keep going." " The Germans will be here any minute." "Are the others back yet?" "Asael?" "Tuvia, do we stay or go?" "We have to wait for the others." "We can't leave them." " We could hide." " I'd say fight them here." "This is crazy!" "My father cannot make it." " There are snakes?" " Children?" " We put them on our shoulders." " Tuvia, what do we do?" " We can't go without the others." "The others are dead." " What are you going to do?" " What is wrong with him?" " Do you have a weapon?" " Yes" " Give it to me!" "Give it to me!" "You use this one yourself, before you let them take you." " Why are we stopping?" " Asael, you're still alive!" "They're coming." "Why aren't we moving?" " We must keep going!" " It is impossible." "Nothing is impossible." "What we all have done is impossible." "The troops are coming." "God will not part these waters." " We will do it ourselves." " But how?" "Not by miracles!" "We will do it together, by our strength." "You, take the rope of your pack and give it to me." "And you, give me your belt." "Quickly!" " What if there's not enough rope or so?" " Then we will link on to make a chain." " What if someone slips?" " The strongest take care of the weak." " Give me your belt." " Tuvia, give me your belt." "Quiet!" "How much farther?" "You can't sleep here." "It's no good time for sleeping now, come on." "My books!" "Look!" "We've made it." "I have something to say." " No, you rest now." "Don't talk." "I almost lost my faith." "But you were sent by God to save us." " Ridiculous." " I know." "But just in case.." "I thank you now." "I thank you..." "Tank!" "Everybody down!" "Get down!" "Tuvia, what do we do?" " Do we try and go back to cross the river?" " No, we stay and fight." "Get the ammunition!" "To the guns!" "Isaac, take that!" "Ammunition, ammunition there!" "Strip the bodies of weapons and ammunition only." "Take this." " Anything else?" " No, we got to get injured in the forest." " And what about the dead?" " We must keep them away." "Everyone, gather your belongings." "We must get out of the open." " Shulman" "Yes, Tuvia?" " Tell them: weapons only." "Weapons only!" "You've been promoted." "Congratulations!" " Where is the rest of your unit?" " Good question." "Are you going back?" "Well, we have a new camp to build." "Perhaps you have room for one more..." "Let's go, come on." " Can you see that?" " What?" "The forest." "It's beautiful, isn't it?" "Yes, it is." "They lived in the forest for two more years." "IN their new camp they built a school, a hospital, and a nursery." "Always united, their number continued to grow" "By war's end, 1200 had survived." "ASAEL Bielski joined the Russian army and was killed in action six month later" "He never lived to see the child he fathered with Chaya." "Zus emigrated to New York City where he started a small trucking business." "Tuvia followed soon after." "He and Zus worked together for thirty years." "Tuvia and Lilka remained married forthe rest of their lives." "The Bielskis never sought recognition for what they did." "The children and grandchildren of those they saved now number in the tens of thousands"