How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz
Based on the true account of Holocaust survivor Lali Sokolov, The Tattooist of Auschwitz is a harrowing, devastating yet hopeful account of how love can allow light to shine in even the darkest of places. Keep reading, as we explain how to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz online and from wherever you are in the world.
The Tattooist of Auschwitz preview
In 1942, Lali Sokolov (Jonah Hauer-King) was one of over a million Jews deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Assigned the role of Tätowierer (tattooist), Sokolov was responsible for inking identification numbers on to fellow prisoners, including Gita (Anna Próchniak) a young Slovakian woman. Despite the horrific circumstances of their meeting, a love begins to blossom between the pair.
Adapted from the controversial book of the same name by Heather Morris, the show uses the later meetings between the author and Sokolov as a way to show the older man reflecting on the horror and hope of those war time years, reaching back to the beginnings of his relationship with Gita following her death in 2003. Melanie Lynskey plays Morris while Harvey Keitel portrays the older Lali.
Blockbuster composer Hans Zimmer lends a suitably rousing and devastating score to the series while Barbra Streisand performs the haunting end credits song.
You won’t want to miss this moving love story, so keep reading our guide on how to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz online from absolutely anywhere.
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz in the US
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz in the US
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz from anywhere
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz online from anywhere
For those away from home looking to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz, you’ll be unable to watch the show like you normally would due to annoying regional restrictions. Luckily, there’s an easy solution.
Downloading a VPN allows you to stream online, no matter where you are. It's a simple bit of software that changes your IP address, meaning that you can access on-demand content or live TV just as if you were at home.
Use a VPN to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz from anywhere:
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz around the world
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz in the UK
How to watch watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz in Australia
How to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz in Canada
In Canada, you can watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz on Showcase weekly at 9pm ET/PT starting Sunday, May 5 or stream via the Showcase site.
If you have Global TV as part of your cable plan, you can stream Showcase content via the Global TV app or online platform.
Or for cord cutters, or those who want to binge the whole season, there's the Stack TV service, which carries a number of channels and is available via Prime Video, Fubo and more. It’s free to Prime Video subscribers for the first seven days and then CA$12.99 per month thereafter.
US citizens traveling in Canada can use a VPN to watch The Tattooist of Auschwitz on Peacock as you would back home.
What you need to know about The Tattooist of Auschwitz
The Tattooist of Auschwitz trailer
The Tattooist of Auschwitz episode schedule
- Episode 1: Thursday, May 2
- Episode 2: Thursday, May 9
- Episode 3: Thursday, May 16
- Episode 4: Thursday, May 23
- Episode 5: Thursday, May 30
- Episode 6: Thursday, June 6
What can we expect from The Tattooist of Auschwitz?
The official synopsis reads: "The Tattooist of Auschwitz is the story of one man, Lali (played by Jonah Hauer-King), a Slovakian Jew, who, in 1942, was deported to Auschwitz, the concentration camp where over a million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust.
Shortly after arrival, Lali was made one of the Tätowierer (tattooists), charged to ink identification numbers onto fellow prisoners’ arms. One day, he met Gita (played by Anna Próchniak) when tattooing her prisoner number on her arm, leading to a love that defies the horrors around them. So began a courageous and unforgettable, story. Under constant guard from a volatile Nazi SS officer Baretzki (played by Jonas Nay), Lali and Gita became determined to keep each other alive.
Around 60 years later, Lali (portrayed by Harvey Keitel) then in his 80s, met aspiring writer Heather Morris (played by Melanie Lynskey). Recently widowed, Lali found the courage to tell the world his story. In recounting his past to Heather, Lali finally confronted the traumatic ghosts of his youth and relived his memories of falling in love in the darkest of places."
Who is in the cast of The Tattooist of Auschwitz?
- Harvey Keitel as Lali Sokolov
- Jonah Hauer-King as younger Lali Sokolov
- Melanie Lynskey as Heather Morris
- Jonas Nay as Stefan Baretzki
- Anna Próchniak as Gita
- Karin Ann as Maria
- Yali Topol Margalith as Cilka
- Oleksandr Yatsenko as Vlad
Is The Tattooist of Auschwitz based on a book?
The Tattooist of Auschwitz is based on the book of the same name by Heather Morris. Morris met with Lali Sokolov numerous times over a three year period from 2003 until Sokolov's death in 2006, hearing his account of his time in Auschwitz and compiling the notes that would form the basis of her 2018 book.
The TV adaptation will use these meetings as a framing device for the story, featuring Yellowjackets star Melanie Lynskey as Morris and Harvey Kietel as Sokolov.
Who was Lali Sokolov?
The character biography reads: "Lali in his younger years draws on his natural ingenuity and sharp wits, his resourcefulness and his carefully calculated courage, to survive the most horrendous concentration camp of modern times. His survival instinct is married with kindness, though it disappoints him that he is not as altruistic as others. He helps as many as he can but is haunted by the certain knowledge, he can’t help everyone. As the series develops, so does his realisation of the injustice of his own survival over others – where no individual deserves it more than any other."
Gary Skolov (son of Lali and Gita Sokolov): "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. My Dad was always about PMA – positive mental attitude. When all else fails, you’ve got to find a way to laugh. If you possibly can. It’s what kept my parents alive in the camp."
Who is behind the music of The Tattooist of Auschwitz?
The score comes courtesy of Multi Academy Award-winning composer Hans Zimmer and Kara Talve, making The Tattooist of Auschwitz the first drama series to boast a full score from the iconic composer. Zimmer is known for classic film scores such as The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dune, Gladiator and Pirates of the Caribbean.
The end title song for the show, meanwhile, has been recorded by Barbra Streisand. Entitled "Love Will Survive", the song is in the vein of Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" and Bryan Adams' "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)", an epic ode to love conquering all.
