War and Remembrance (1988)

Review

War and Remembrance is the sequel to The Winds of War and picks up the story in the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbour. The series was adapted for television by Herman Wouk from his novel and it began airing on 13 November 1988 with the first seven episodes. The final five episodes were shown from 14 May 1989. At that time, the series was the most expensive ever made in US television history with a budget of $135 million and it was destined to be the last big mini-series of its kind as the television landscape changed significantly after it.

The ratings for this series did not match its predecessor as critics accused Wouk of pushing his characters too far into the background. Dan Curtis also blamed ABC for their haphazard scheduling which meant viewers lost the thread, but he was also to blame for the inconsistent episode lengths that confused viewers. The low ratings contributed to ABC editing down the last five episodes.

Part I

The first episode deals with the aftermath of the attack on Pearl Harbor and there are multiple plot lines as we catch with the fates of the various characters. Pug takes command of the Northampton which is now part of a vastly depleted US Navy, while Roosevelt wants to bomb Japan but is told it logistically impossible as their nearest fleet is too far away. Roosevelt then suggests a carrier strike but he is told they would lose the element of surprise as the Japanese are too familiar with their current whereabouts. The president agrees it would be a suicide mission so asks his men to come up with something that the Japanese will not expect. Palmer Kirby arrives to spend Christmas with Rhoda but tells her he is involved in high level discussions with the top brass regarding something he has been working on.

In Naples, Natalie and Aaron are still waiting for the Redeemer to set sail but Avram Rabinovitz warns them that Werner Beck, a former student of Aaron’s, is on his way from Rome with the manuscript for the book Aaron had been writing in Siena. Aaron is delighted to have his manuscript back but less pleased when Beck reveals the Gestapo has lists of every foreign national in Italy and that the Americans onboard the Redeemer are to return to Siena. Rabinovitz receives a message from the harbour master that they are clear to leave but Natalie decides to return to Siena as the baby is ill. Since Jane Seymour took over the role of Natalie, her character has become far softer as a result which makes her far more likeable. Sadly, Aaron, now played by John Gielgud, is still oblivious to the danger.

In Poland, a group of Russian prisoners, including Berel Jastrow, have been forced to march from Moscow to Auschwitz in harsh winter weather. The prisoners are to be used to build barracks to hold the large numbers of Jews that are expected to be sent there. Lt. Colonel Rudolf Höss and Lt. General Heinz Kammler watch from a window as the bedraggled prisoners flow into the camp and worry they will not be healthy enough for the required work. First though, nine hundred of the prisoners are to take part in a ‘special test’ on Christmas Day to see if Zyklon B, a cyanide-based pesticide, will prove to be an effective tool for mass extermination.

Meanwhile, at Wolf’s Lair, Field Marshal Walter von Brauchitsch and Col. Gen. Franz Halder are growing increasingly concerned at the decisions Hitler is making and are trying to persuade him to withdraw from Russia. A furious Hitler says there will be no withdrawal and blames von Brauchitsch for its failure. Von Brauchitsch begs to be allowed to resign but Hitler dismisses him from his post and says he will be taking full charge of the army henceforth. Outside, Halder tries to comfort von Brauchitsch and hints they may have to take drastic action to remove Hitler soon but von Brauchitsch says it is too late for that.

On Christmas Day, the selected Russian soldiers are marched to the disinfection area to be ‘deloused’ at Auschwitz, however Berel manages to escape selection when another prisoner, Sammy Mutterperl, gets him assigned to his construction crew. The fate of the Jews is going to have a bigger role in this series but it is disturbing to see so many people reluctant to believe the atrocities are happening. In Bern, Switzerland, Leslie Slote is approached by a German Catholic priest, Father Martin (Aubrey Morris) who has further evidence and passes him secret Nazi documents which horrify Slote when he reads them. The following morning, Slote takes the information to his boss, William Tuttle (Howard Duff), but he thinks it is all fantasy and advises Slote to get the material authenticated. When Father Martin arranges a further meeting for Slote with someone high up in the German legation, Father Martin is mown down and killed by a speeding truck at the rendezvous point.

In Siena, Aaron and Natalie are having dinner with Beck who assures them they will be able to leave Italy by April. Natalie wants to know how much Beck knows about what is happening to the Jews in Eastern Europe and if the rumours are true. Beck says nothing is happening and that the stories of German soldiers massacring Jews are all lies. Natalie asks if he has ever visited a concentration camp but Aaron shuts the conversation down and Natalie accuses him of being childish. Aaron maintains Jews are no safer in the United States and tells her he has always felt safer in Italy. He maintains the war is all about which nation is going to dominate the world next but Jews will be no safer no matter who wins. Beck is impressed with Aaron’s words and urges him to consider sharing his insights by talking to the press of neutral countries but Aaron declines.

In Washington, Roosevelt tells his wife (Elizabeth Hoffman) that they need a huge victory to boost morale when Admiral King (John Dehner) arrives to tell the president that they are finally ready to bomb Japan. Naval carriers, including the Enterprise and the Northampton, begin to amass in the Pacific and are told they are going to be attacking Tokyo in revenge for Pearl Harbor. However, the raid has little impact other than to boost morale and the Japanese begin making preparations for the Battle of Midway.

Lt. Colonel Adolf Eichmann visits Beck and accuses him of being too soft with the Jews and tells him Hitler plans to cleanse all of Europe. He orders Beck to start clearing out the Jews and to turn their property over to the Italian officials who will see it as an incentive to carry out Hitler’s work. Eichmann then demands an explanation on why Beck is protecting Aaron Jastrow, but Beck argues he intends to use Aaron to make a series of propaganda radio broadcasts showing the Axis powers in a favourable light. Beck tells Eichmann it will take time to persuade Aaron but Eichmann says the man is a Jew and persuasion should not be necessary. Eichmann then enquires about Beck’s family in Stuttgart and Beck gets the message behind the veiled threat.

At Auschwitz, Höss is preparing for an inspection tour from Heinrich Himmler but Himmler is not satisfied with the slow progress in the building of the blockhouses and orders the place to be doubled in size to accommodate 200,000 prisoners. After lunch, a train loaded with Dutch Jews arrives and groups of men, women and children are herded out of the carriages and into the gas chambers. Afterwards, Höss discusses the problem the sheer number of bodies causes as the current process of burying them is inefficient and Himmler suggests he build crematoria. The Auschwitz stuff is becoming increasingly chilling as the German officers discuss topics of extermination and body disposal in such a casual manner but we know there is worse to come.

In Siena, Aaron and Natalie are invited to a Sabbath dinner by Dr. Castelnuevo and his family who have been in contact with Avram Rabinowitz and are happy to report the Redeemer arrived safely in Palestine. When Natalie asks about Rabinowitz, she is told he has returned to Marseilles but he is urging them to leave Italy. As usual, Aaron brushes off the danger and refuses to believe Beck has ulterior motives. The following day, Beck arrives at the villa to talk to Aaron about the radio broadcasts but Aaron declines again. Beck drops a hint that his refusal will affect Natalie’s stay as she belongs in a concentration camp with the other state enemies. After Beck has left, Aaron tells Natalie to keep Beck dangling while they make arrangements with Castelnuevo to leave.

Pug and Warren participate in the Battle of Midway where the Japanese suffer a tremendous defeat despite having superior numbers, however tragedy strikes when Warren is killed during a clean-up mission. Pug writes a long letter to Rhoda consoling her over their shared loss and tells her he believes the battle was a significant one in the war and she should be proud of their son. Rhoda travels to Los Angeles to meet Byron who tells his mother he needs to travel to Zurich to see Leslie Slote to find out more about what is going on with Natalie. He has some leave coming up after he finishes his torpedo course. In Italy, Aaron and Natalie finally leave the villa on the pretext of going on a short holiday to a villa in Follonica owned by the Castelnuevo family where they will make their way to Elba.

After a week in Follonica, Natalie is astounded when Beck shows up and tells them he will be back in five days to take them to Rome so Aaron better have his broadcast speeches ready so they make their way to Marseilles with the help of Rabinowitz. Byron arrives at the American Consulate in Marseilles to deliver some paperwork and asks to speak to Consul General Jim Gaither (William Berger) but he is not there. As Byron walks past a building, Rabinowitz passes him and heads inside to an apartment where Natalie is with the baby. Rabinowitz tells them they will have the exit visas by the weekend and they should be in Lisbon by the following week. Natalie and Rabinowitz make plans for dinner at his place on Friday night but the police raid a nearby apartment building and it frightens Natalie.

Byron receives orders to join Aster on the Moray in the Pacific but he heads back to the American Consulate with another package. Gaither is back and has left a message for Byron to be sent straight to his office. Gaither tells Byron that Natalie and the baby are in Corsica but will soon be moving on to Lisbon. Byron is anxious to get to Corsica but Gaither says there are no flights there and tells him to be patient. Gaither wants Byron to deliver another package to Gibraltar and asks him to come to his home that evening. Later, Natalie is surprised when Byron shows up at the apartment and she rushes into his arms. Natalie introduces Byron to his son but the reunion is a brief one as Byron must return to duty. Byron and Natalie go to the American Consul to request her exit papers but Gaither tells them they are not here yet and that the Germans may take the baby if she tries to get through the borders without the correct paperwork. Natalie is not willing to take the risk and tells a reluctant Byron to leave without her.

Aaron and Natalie finally get their exit visas from the Vichy government and Natalie calls Byron in Lisbon to tell him the news. However, before they can leave, the borders are closed after the Allies invade French North Africa and Hitler becomes increasingly frustrated with Vichy France. Natalie and Aaron flee to Lourdes with the other American internees in the hope they will be part of an exchange for German agents imprisoned in North America. The hotels in Lourdes are being heavily guarded by the Gestapo and Natalie worries they will be discovered. The US Navy is heavily defeated at the Battle of Tassafaronga, and Pug is forced to abandon the Northampton after it is heavily damaged by Japanese forces. Most of the crew are picked up by nearby ships but this campaign will go down as one of the worst defeats in US naval history.

Having lost his command, Pug returns home to Washington where he finds himself back in the service of Roosevelt who offers Pug the choice to go to Moscow as a special military aide or take charge of building new battleships. Leslie Slote is also in Washington and meets Breckinridge Long (Eddie Albert), an American diplomat, who is notorious for making it difficult for Jewish refugees to enter the United States. Long, who has been accused of anti-semitism, wants Slote to work with him to make things easier but Slote is sceptical. Slote visits Pug and tells him Natalie is in Lourdes and to use all his contacts at the White House to get Natalie out. Pug goes to see Harry Hopkins and asks him to look into Natalie’s situation but they are interrupted when Hopkins is summoned by the president.

On the flight to Russia, Pug reads a letter from Hopkins that reveals Natalie and the other internees are being moved from Lourdes by the Germans but they have no intelligence as to where they are going. In Casablanca, Roosevelt meets with Churchill and they announce they will accept nothing less than an unconditional surrender from Germany, Italy and Japan. The Germans think Roosevelt has made a grave mistake but von Roon says Roosevelt has been very clever and those two words – unconditional surrender – are now making their way around the world. Stalin will soon know that the Allies are in it until the end, and what’s more, they believe Germany’s defeat is imminent. Things are not going well for the Germans in Stalingrad but Hitler is in denial and orders every man to hold their position.

Hitler orders four days of national mourning in Germany following the surrender in Stalingrad and two of his former officers, Walter von Brauchitsch and Franz Halder, meet to discuss what can be done about Hitler. They conclude their only resort is assassination and Claus Schenk von Stauffenberg (Sky du Mont) agrees to do it. Hitler receives another blow when the Japanese are defeated at Guadalcanal and it looks like the tide of the war is finally changing in favour of the Allies.

In Moscow, Pug discovers the Russians have been taking full advantage of the Lend-Lease program against the Germans but have been making out they have been fighting alone. Pug meets General Yevlenko (Brian Blessed) to request a statement from the Russians that they have been using Allied aid but Yevlenko says they show their gratitude by fighting. Yevlenko invites Pug to the front to see for himself what is going on and Pug readily agrees. The following day, they make their way to Leningrad, which is still being heavily shelled by the Germans, and Pug realises most of the men are wearing American made uniforms. Yevlenko shows Pug the utter devastation that has been wrought on parts of the city and Pug hears stories about the starvation the inhabitants are enduring under the siege. Later, Pug writes a report maintaining the Russians are putting up a good fight under horrible conditions and that is all that matters.

The American internees are moved to Baden-Baden as guests of the German government but it is obvious they know about Natalie and Aaron. When Aaron falls ill with diverticulitis, his only hope is for emergency surgery at the American Hospital in Paris. The surgery is complicated and since Aaron’s recovery is going to be a long one, Natalie is taken under the wing of the doctor’s wife, the Comtesse de Chambrun (Nina Foch), who is a distant relative of the Roosevelts. The comtesse suggests she work at a nearby American library but Natalie is stunned when Beck shows up. Beck invites Natalie to the opera and reveals he has known about their whereabouts since they arrived in Lourdes. Beck tells her it is not too late for Aaron to deliver those broadcasts so the world knows the Germans are fighting for them. The comtesse urges Natalie to return to Baden-Baden while Beck is in Stuttgart visiting his family but the train is stopped by Beck and Aaron is pronounced unfit to travel.

Berel and Sammy are forced to dig up corpses as part of Colonel Paul Blobel’s Sonderaktion 1005 operation as the Germans are afraid their atrocities will be discovered if they lose the war. The workers are ordered to search the bodies for hidden valuables and to remove gold fillings from the teeth before piling them on to a giant pyre for burning. Traumatised by the work, Berel and Sammy are desperate to escape even if it means their death. Blobel recalls the events of Babi Yar, a ravine in Kyiv, where thousands were murdered in one of the first massacres carried out in 1941. At the train depot, Sammy grabs a machine gun from a soldier and manages to kill six of them before he is gunned down. In the Ukraine, Berel and his fellow workers are heading towards another massacre pit when he slips his chains and manages to escape.

The Germans are defeated in North Africa and Field Marshal Rommel (Hardy Krüger) is summoned by Hitler who wants him to work alongside him but Rommel urges Hitler to end the war. Hitler agrees they cannot win but no one is willing to make peace with him so there is nothing they can do. Rommel says peace is not possible unless Hitler stops his atrocities against the Jews but Hitler reacts angrily. He says if the German race has to die, it will die bravely. Hitler hands Rommel plans for a new operation against the Russians and the field marshal is horrified. After the meeting, von Roon talks to Rommel about the need to get rid of Hitler. Hitler’s new operation against Russia proves to be disastrous and German troops have to be recalled quickly when the Allies invade Sicily. The defeat in the east is resounding and Hitler will never again be able to mount an operation against the Russians.

Natalie arranges to join a group of Americans under Swiss protection and she books tickets on a train going to Theresienstadt. It is a long and dusty walk from the train station to the town but Aaron insists on walking with Natalie and the baby. Once they get inside the town, they are informed everything is run by Jews and are ordered to hand over their valuables. Aaron and Natalie are told they are being given special status but as they are being taken to their accommodations they are appalled at the conditions inside the town. Natalie and Aaron are shown to the room where they are to live and told they will be given work assignments in the morning. Louis will also be moved to the Children’s Home for his own wellbeing. Horrified, Natalie realises they have been duped.

Part II

At Theresienstadt, Aaron writes an account of life in the ghetto which paints a stark picture of a place whose sole purpose is as a hub for Jews being transported to who knows where. Aaron recounts how Natalie has changed in this new environment and her sole purpose now is to survive. Adolf Eichmann offers Aaron the chance to become an Elder and makes it appear he has a choice, but Aaron is beaten when he declines. Eichmann also threatens Natalie until Aaron finally sees has no choice. In the Carpathian Mountains, Berel is captured by the Nazis but is rescued by a group of Czech resistance fighters. When they learn Berel has escaped from Auschwitz, they tell Berel it is important for him to get to Prague so he can tell the authorities about what is going on there.

In Honolulu, Byron discovers Natalie is in Theresienstadt when he receives a letter from her and he calls the state department. The state department is optimistic Natalie is in a good place. Byron asks to speak to Slote but is told he has resigned. When Byron calls Slote, who is now with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), he is told they have little information on Theresienstadt but to send the Red Cross packages Natalie requested in the letter. He tells Byron to concentrate on the war while he does some digging. Slote reminds Byron that Natalie is tough but he is distraught when he hangs up the phone.

SS Major Karl Rahm takes over as commandant of Theresienstadt and vows to continue the beautification of the place with new hospitals, schools and gardens for the children. There are rumours the Red Cross is coming for an inspection and Rahm is anxious for the place to look like a happy residential town. The Elders are also ordered to pick 5,000 residents for transport to the east as the town is overcrowded. After an evening prayer meeting, Aaron and Natalie are shocked when Berel steps out of the shadows to greet them. Berel tells them he is part of the Prague underground and that he can get Louis out but Natalie argues Louis belongs with her. Later, Aaron is shocked when Natalie reveals she and Louis are to be part of the transport going east. Natalie tells Aaron it is her own fault as she was making plans to show the Red Cross what is really going on but it has backfired.

In Berlin, von Stauffenberg arrives at a secret meeting of conspirators who are plotting to assassinate Hitler. Von Stauffenberg tells them he will be meeting Hitler once or twice a week in his new position and plans to kill him with a bomb. After Hitler is dead, they will hunt down the other high ranking officers who are loyal to Hitler. Halder has doubts about their methods and believes assassinating Hitler will only make him a martyr so they should let the Allies deal with him. At Eagles Nest, von Stauffenberg arrives with the bomb in his briefcase and makes further plans with his aide who informs him Rommel is there. As Rommel is on their side, von Stauffenberg says he will only detonate the bomb if he leaves the room. Hitler outlines his plans to crush the American forces on the beaches of Normandy so Roosevelt will be forced to resign in disgrace. When Hitler says he plans to take charge of the panzer divisions himself, Rommel leaves the room and von Stauffenberg tries to detonate the bomb but the pin gets stuck.

In Portsmouth, the Americans and British discuss the planned invasion of Normandy but the weather is against them and they decide to delay for another 48 hours in the hopes it will improve. Churchill discusses the invasion hoping it will be the last great battle to end the war but Eisenhower urges caution as there is still a lot of fight left in the Germans. Churchill says they will fight to the end if necessary. Later, the meteorologists reveal a gap in the weather the following day but the margins will be narrow. Eisenhower decides the risk is worth taking and the invasion will go ahead. Slote meets with French Resistance leaders to organise uprisings against the Nazis ahead of the invasion but is killed when he takes part in a raid with the resistance.

At Theresienstadt, Aaron excitedly tells Natalie that the Allies have landed in Normandy but she tells him she had been ordered to report to Rahm with Louis. Rahm threatens to have Louis torn apart if Natalie does not stop plotting against them and orders her to co-operate with the Red Cross visit. Aaron tells her Berel has been in touch and it is time to get Louis out. As the day of the Red Cross tour finally arrives, Aaron and Natalie are forced to take part in the farce that Theresienstadt is a happy place but the invasion of Normandy gives them hope. After the visit, the Germans take back all the home comforts that were provided but Natalie has more to worry about when Louis is taken ill. At the hospital, the doctor, who is helping in the ruse, tells Natalie that Louis’ fever has been induced to make his diagnosis of typhus more realistic. Natalie says goodbye to her son as he falls asleep and he is smuggled to safety.

In France, the Allies are bogged down in their battle against the Germans and Rommel is injured in an air attack when he visits the front. Rommel’s injuries have serious consequences for the assassination plot which appears to be unravelling but von Stauffenberg insists they must go ahead with their plans. On 20 July, von Stauffenberg arrives at Wolf’s Lair with two small bombs in a briefcase but the meeting starts earlier than planned and he only has time to arm one bomb. In the meeting, von Stauffenberg places the briefcase as close to Hitler as he can before leaving to take a phone call but is unaware the briefcase is moved after he leaves the room. When the bomb explodes, Hitler is shielded by the heavy oak table and is only slightly injured. The conspirators, including von Stauffenberg, are quickly rounded up and executed by firing squad. After returning home, Rommel is given the choice of a trial for high treason or suicide. He chooses suicide to protect his family.

On 25 August, Paris is liberated by the Allies while the British and Canadian forces free Belgium and the Netherlands, the Americans then head towards Germany. As the Russians push the Germans back in the east, they come across evidence of mass extermination sites and the first recordings are sent out into the world but no one believes the stories as the extent of the atrocities are too big to comprehend. In Theresienstadt, Aaron receives a photo of Louis with Berel and Natalie is overjoyed he is safe. As the news of the Allies’ victories reach them, Natalie and Aaron are hopeful they will be rescued in time but more and more Jews are being shipped out of the ghetto making them fearful. When Natalie tells him they are being transported out, Aaron writes his last words in his journal and hides it amongst the other books in the library. Aaron and Natalie are separated as they are pushed on to the train heading for Auschwitz.

On the way to Auschwitz, Aaron travels in the carriage with the German soldiers with the other prominent citizens of Theresienstadt where they are forced to entertain and clean the latrines. Meanwhile, Natalie is travelling in one of the many cargo carriages which are jammed full of men, women and children with barely enough water or food. As the days go by, people begin dying from the extreme cold and the only thing keeping Natalie going is the thought of being reunited with her son. When the train arrives in Auschwitz, the selection process begins with some prisoners being sent to the gas chambers, while others are allowed to live as forced labourers. Aaron is sent to the gas chambers, while Natalie is allowed to live. John Gielgud gives a commanding performance here as Aaron goes to his death with great dignity but not without a touch of fear and regret.

As winter settles in, the Allies stop their march on Germany and Hitler decides the Americans need to be separated from the British. Hitler believes the Americans no longer have an appetite for the war since they took Paris and just want to go home. The Germans barge their way back into Belgium to surprise the Allies but as the skies clear the British and American air forces wreak havoc on the Germans. The German army soon finds itself trapped on all fronts and thousands are killed. The Russians take advantage of the defeat to march on Berlin and realising the war is lost, Himmler orders all traces of the Holocaust be destroyed. Those prisoners who are able-bodied like Natalie, are forced on a death march to other camps in the Reich, while the weak ones are executed.

The allied leaders meet to discuss what is to be done with Germany when the war finally ends and they agree the country is to be divided into east and west with Berlin being on the Russian side. However, General George S Patton tells Eisenhower he can get to Berlin before the Russians as he doesn’t want to surrender the city. Meanwhile, a drug-addled Hitler is hiding in an underground bunker beneath Berlin, still believing he can win the war despite others trying to get him to face reality. As the Germans retreat from the advancing Russian army in Czechoslovakia, they burn farms and take hostages as they go. Berel and Louis are captured but as the Germans start gunning them down, Berel manages to shield the boy with his dying body.

As the world mourns Roosevelt, Hitler’s staff urge him to retreat to the Alps to plan his next steps but Hitler says he will remain in Berlin. The American and Russian troops finally meet as they cross Germany from different sides but their enthusiasm soon wanes when they are faced with the brutality of the concentration camps. An American squad comes across a barely living Natalie who is hiding under the carriage of a train full of dead or dying Jews. As the Nazis continue to burn everything relating to the war, von Roon visits Hitler’s bunker which is now largely abandoned apart from Eva Braun and the Goebbels family. Hitler continues to blame everyone else for his misfortunes and asks von Roon to tell him when all hope is lost as he does not want to be captured alive. As requested, von Roon tells Hitler the Russians are almost upon them and all is lost. Hitler says farewell to his loyal staff before retiring to his quarters where he and Eva Braun commit suicide.

Pug and Pamela marry in the chapel at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, with no guests present, however they have barely stepped outside before Pug is summoned to the White House where Truman offers him a job as his naval aide. It seems things are not going well between the Americans and the Russians who are squabbling over the territories they have taken from the Germans. While enjoying a brief honeymoon, Pug gets a call from Rhoda to say Natalie has been found and is in a hospital in Paris. Anxious about Natalie, Byron begs to be transferred to any duty that will take him back to Europe and after having his ass chewed for also threatening to desert, he is finally assigned to Germany to inspect the U-boats.

Byron meets with Avram Rabinowitz in Paris to discuss finding his son and Rabinowitz tells him it will not be easy. Rabinowitz gives Byron a report on what happened in Auschwitz so he will be prepared when he sees Natalie. At the hospital, Byron is overcome with emotion and things are initially awkward between them. Natalie tells Byron that she is having nightmares every single night and is not in good shape. Byron tells her he is going to go looking for Louis and has a month before he has to report for duty. Natalie then talks about Aaron and how brave he was right up to the end. Later, Byron goes to various organisations seeking information on his son with no luck so he travels to Prague to look for him there but hits another brick wall. While Byron is sitting in a bar with a pretty lady who is hoping to get lucky, Katinka overhears some men at a nearby table talking about orphaned children who were taken to England by the RAF and she translates for Byron.

Byron heads to an orphanage in England but the director does not recognise Louis from his photo. He directs Byron to Essex where groups of younger children were taken but warns Byron his uniform may terrify the children. At the Essex orphanage, Byron meets another boy called Danny who was at Theresienstadt but there is no sign of Louis. Byron then heads to Surrey where he meets Mrs Goldberger who runs another orphanage and she recognises Louis from his photo. Mrs Goldberger heads out into the garden where Louis is sitting with a group of children. Byron is overjoyed.

Rabinowitz arrives at the hospital to tell Natalie that Louis has been found and she faints in relief. Byron arrives in Paris with Louis the day after the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Rabinowitz takes them to the hospital. En route, Byron reveals that Louis hasn’t spoken since he was found and that the orphanage believe he has been psychologically damaged as he was found amongst some dead bodies in Czechoslovakia. At the hospital, Louis is reluctant to go near Natalie but then he recognises her and runs to her. Natalie sings to him in Yiddish and Louis starts singing with her. Byron, Natalie and Louis are finally reunited. It’s a rather touching conclusion but it will be a long road to recovery for Natalie and her son so let’s hope Byron is up to the task.