Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Tattooist of Auschwitz, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival and Morality
Faith, Love, and Optimism
Unity, Sacrifice, and Empathy
Knowledge, Uncertainty, and Power
Summary
Analysis
That night, Lale dreams that he’s back in the department store where he used to work, flirting with a young woman who has come to buy perfume. A naturally extroverted person, Lale always enjoys meeting new people, but he especially enjoys meeting women. Suddenly, though, he’s roused by the sound of a gunshot and he realizes once again that he’s in a concentration camp. Later that day, Lale learns that he and Pepan will be tattooing female prisoners whose tattoos have faded. Lale hates the idea of this, finding it particularly abhorrent to scar women, whom he respects and appreciates so deeply. Soon enough, though, Pepan reminds him that he has no choice, so he sets to work.
Once more, Lale’s experience in the concentration camps tests the limits of what he’s willing to do in order to survive. Although he has gotten used to the idea of tattooing fellow prisoners, the thought of tattooing women upsets him even more. However, Lale recognizes that he has no choice but to follow orders, especially now that he has agreed to be the assistant tattooist. Accordingly, he tries to set aside his reservations—a necessary thing to do if he wants to keep himself safe.
Themes
While tattooing a woman, Lale notices a man in a white coat walking down the line of prisoners and inspecting them. When the man reaches the woman Lale is tattooing, he takes her face in his hands. Lale can sense that the woman is about to say something so he squeezes her arm to secretly indicate that she should remain silent. She follows Lale’s advice, and the man in white soon leaves her alone. “Well done,” Lale whispers as he inks the number 4562 into her forearm. Looking into the woman’s eyes, Lale feels his heart skip and he has to turn away. When he looks back, she’s already gone.
This scene is the same one that appears in the prologue, a fact that emphasizes its importance. A natural romantic, it’s clear in this moment that Lale is infatuated with prisoner 4562. Moreover, though, his attraction to her is yet another reminder that he’s capable of embodying optimism even in the most difficult circumstances, allowing himself to focus on love instead of death and fear.
Themes
A few weeks after tattooing prisoner 4562, Lale comes to work to find that Pepan isn’t there. Houstek tells Lale that he’ll be working alone and that he is now the Tätowierer, ignoring Lale’s questions about what happened to Pepan. Houstek then introduces Lale to an officer named Baretski, whom he says will be “responsible” for Lale. When Houstek leaves, Baretski points his rifle at Lale, who stares back at him. Lale notices that Baretski is a mere boy dressed in a uniform, though Lale eventually drops his gaze. Baretski says that he’s now in charge of Lale’s life, and Lale says that he’ll try not to let him down. Baretski then informs Lale that he will now live in his own block, and when Lale says that he likes his current accommodations, Baretski explains that Lale will need the “protection” of a separate block because the Tätowierer technically works for the SS.
Yet again, Lale’s life in Birkenau is full of uncertainty. This is made especially apparent by the fact that Lale has no idea what happened to Pepan—or, for that matter, whether or not the same thing will eventually happen to him. Furthermore, Lale’s new post as the camp’s tattooist comes with certain privileges, but Baretski’s claim that Lale will need “protection” suggests that these privileges might actually put him in danger. This is because Lale’s fellow prisoners might resent him for working for the Nazis. In turn, Lale is forced to grapple with the idea that—in his attempt to survive—he is put at odds with people like himself.
Themes
Lale asks Baretski for an assistant to help him get through all the prisoners he must tattoo, so Baretski pulls a man out of line and he declares that prisoner individual will be Lale’s helper. This prisoner’s name is Leon, and Lale instructs him in a strong voice reminiscent of Pepan’s that he should watch Lale work. He is, Lale says, the new assistant to the Tätowierer, a job that might end up saving his life.
Lale doesn’t have much time to process the fact that he has become the new tattooist. Instead of considering this new change, he immediately assumes the role that Pepan left behind, doing his best to give his new assistant, Leon, the same kind of confidence that Pepan gave him. In doing so, Lale emphasizes the idea that the job itself could end up saving Leon’s life, thereby giving Leon the same kind of hope that Pepan originally gave him.
Themes
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After work, Baretski gives Lale a bag in which to keep the tattooing supplies and he tells him to report to an administration building each morning. Baretski then takes Lale to his new block, which is in a new building. Once inside, Lale discovers that he has a private room, and then Baretski takes him to a nearby dining hall, where he explains that Lale is now allowed to have more food than the average prisoner. Accordingly, Lale takes seconds and he hides them in his sleeve. He then makes his way to Block 7 and he walks easily by the kapo, who has apparently been informed that he’s no longer in charge of Lale. Inside, Lale finds Leon and he tells him to come outside. Once out of the kapo’s earshot, he gives his starving assistant bread, knowing that Leon has not yet been given any food.
Lale’s decision to share his extra rations demonstrates his willingness to put others before himself. Rather than using his new privileges to his own benefit, he goes out of his way to make sure that Leon has had enough to eat. In turn, readers see that Lale is prepared to use his relative position of power for good, thereby making up for the reservations he has about tattooing his fellow prisoners.
Themes
On his way back to his new room, Lale wonders if his new position will put him in danger. Although he has better living conditions and more protection from the guards, he knows that some of the other prisoners might start to resent him, so he reminds himself to be careful about trusting others. In keeping with this, he remembers that he thought he heard someone call him a “collaborator” when he was leaving Block 7.
Although Lale has apparently decided to use his privileges as the tattooist to help his fellow prisoners, he’s perfectly aware that some people might resent him because of his new position. Worse, he knows that some prisoners might see him as a “collaborator” because of the fact that the tattooist works under the umbrella of the SS. All the same, Lale knows that this is the cost he’ll have to pay in order to not only survive, but to use his power for good. Simply put, then, he learns that certain sacrifices will have to be made if he wants to survive and help others at the same time—one of these sacrifices, it seems, will have to be his popularity.
Themes
When Lale retrieves his bag of supplies from the administration building the next day, an office worker tells him that this bag will keep him safe. If he carries it with him wherever he goes, the worker explains, he can show it to guards and say “Politische Abteilung” (political worker) and nobody will bother him. At the end of each day, Lale must return the papers he receives in the morning, but he can keep the bag. Hearing this, Baretski confirms that everything the office worker said is true. With this bag, Lale will be safe from everyone—everyone, that is, except for Baretski himself. If Lale ever errs in a way that makes Baretski look bad, he says, nothing will save him.
The power of Lale’s bag is noteworthy, since it symbolizes the protection afforded to him by his new position as the tattooist. Unlike the average prisoner (who is in constant danger of getting harassed, beaten, or killed by SS officers), Lale has at least a small amount of protection. And yet, Baretski is quick to point out that Lale is not completely safe, especially from him. By saying this, Baretski effectively keeps Lale in a state of uncertainty, forcing him to continue going through his life in fear.
Themes
Lale becomes accustomed to his daily routine. On particularly busy days, Baretski beats Leon and he verbally abuses him. Though Lale wants to help his assistant, he learns that interfering on Leon’s behalf only makes things worse. On one particularly busy day, they have to work long into the night, which upsets Baretski because he wants to leave. Finally, at the end of the day, he announces that he’s not going to walk Lale and Leon back to Birkenau, instead planning on sleeping at Auschwitz’s main compound. He then tells Lale and Leon to walk themselves back, ordering them to return at eight in the morning, though they won’t have any way of knowing what time it is. Hearing this, Leon wants to stay at Auschwitz, too, but Lale insists that they return because Leon will get in trouble for not being in his block.
In this section, Baretski exhibits his cruelty, demonstrating very clearly that he doesn’t care about Lale or Leon’s wellbeing. Still, Lale is apparently safer than Leon, considering that Baretski doesn’t beat him at random. To make up for this, Lale takes special care to look out for Leon when he can, which is why he insists that they return to Birkenau when Baretski decides to sleep at Auschwitz. Indeed, he doesn’t want to go back for himself, but because he knows Leon would get in trouble if he didn’t return to Block 7. This dynamic also calls attention to the difficult positions that SS officers often put prisoners in, since Baretski’s decision to spend the night at Auschwitz makes it harder for Leon to avoid getting in trouble with the Nazis who will conduct a headcount in his block the following day. In turn, readers see how difficult it is to avoid punishment in Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Themes
Lale and Leon walk back to Birkenau. The next morning, Lale fetches Leon on time, and together they make the two-and-a-half-mile trek to Auschwitz. Upon arriving, though, Baretski tells them to turn around, saying that the day’s batch of new prisoners has been taken to Birkenau. Exhausted, the three of them return once more, but Leon is so tired by the time they start working that he accidentally drops his needle. Seeing this, Baretski uses the butt of his rifle to hit Leon in the back and then Baretski puts his foot on Leon’s back and he keeps him from standing. At this point, Houstek comes over and he whispers in Baretski’s ear before walking away. Letting Leon stand, Baretski turns to Lale and he says that Lale is lucky to have “been placed under the auspices of the political wing” of the Nazi regime. Smiling, he suggests that they be friends.
Although Lale isn’t safe from Baretski, it becomes clear in this passage that Baretski has been told to let Lale and Leon go about their jobs in peace. In fact, it even seems that Houstek has ordered Baretski to get along with Lale, putting Lale in an odd position. Indeed, not only does he now have privileges that other prisoners don’t have, but he also has a working relationship with a Nazi. Once again, then, readers see the extent to which Lale’s life as a prisoner has changed as a result of becoming the tattooist, though it’s unlikely that Lale is actually comfortable with this development, since to interact with Baretski on a familiar level means having to fraternize with somebody who has committed his life to the persecution of Jewish people.
Themes
On Sundays, the prisoners don’t have to work and they’re allowed to walk around the grounds near their blocks. On one such day, Lale finally sees the female prisoner who made his heart skip. They lock eyes and they stand apart from each other—but before Lale can approach her, Baretski comes over and he puts a hand on Lale’s shoulder. Ruining the moment, Baretski says, “Very nice.” As he and Lale walk away, Baretski offers to relay a letter to the woman on Lale’s behalf, saying that he can get him a pencil and some paper. However, Lale doesn’t say anything because he knows that prisoners found with paper are executed. Changing the topic, he asks Baretski where they’re going, and Baretski explains that they will be working for the camp’s new doctor even though it’s Sunday.
In this moment, readers see Baretski’s willingness to treat Lale with (relative) kindness. However, Lale still isn’t sure whether or not he can trust Baretski, since he knows that prisoners can be executed for possessing paper. Therefore, this tension—between Baretski’s sudden friendliness and the possible danger that lurks behind it—keeps Lale in a state of uncertainty, making it impossible for him to know whether or not he’s actually as safe as officers like Baretski would have him believe.
Themes
