1. THE TAILOR SHOP IN AUSTRIA
Written by
William D. Lewis
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2. INT. - TAILOR SHOP - VIENNA - TWO DAYS LATER - DAY
ALTER HORWITZ (60s) sits at the front counter sewing a stack
of yellow stars onto shirts and coats of all different sizes,
assisted by ANSHEL (teens).
Alter sticks his finger with his needle. On his hands are
several fresh red marks where he has done this already today.
The men speak only Yiddish (subtitled).
ANSHEL
Everything alright, Reb Horwitz?
ALTER
I’m fine.
ANSHEL
Why don’t you let me finish these?
You can go home a little early.
I’ll close up.
ALTER
I’m fine, Anshel.
The two sit in silence for several seconds when LEV and
VELVEL ZELIG (both mid 20s) burst in. Alter sticks his finger
again.
LEV
Reb, have you heard news of the
pogroms?!
ALTER
Oy vey ist mir. What is it now?
LEV
Two days ago a distraught Jew shot
someone at the German embassy in
France. Word is spreading quickly.
All of the German Jewry’s rights as
citizens have been stripped. And I
wouldn’t be surprised if we were
next.
VELVEL
Pogroms have been destroying
shtetls in Germany and Austria all
morning, Reb! They’re armed with
axes and sledgehammers! Listen!
The chanting of a distant pogrom is just barely audible.

3. POGROM
(in German)
Jews, go back to Palestine!
Jews, go back to Palestine!
Alter jumps from his seat.
ALTER
Anshel, go to the butcher shop of
Ber Mandelbaum at once and inform
him that pogroms are near. Then go
to my home and tell Froy Horwitz to
gather the women and children of
the shtetl in our cellar and lock
the doors. Tell the women to arm
themselves with kitchen knives. Lev
and Velvel, come with me.
Anshel leaves in a sprint. The brothers Zelig exchange a look
and follow Alter to
INT. - BACK ROOM - TAILOR SHOP - CONTINUOUS
In the room is a card table and a stockpile of old SEWING
EQUIPMENT. On the walls hang PAINTINGS depicting of various
biblical scenes.
Alter gestures for Lev and Velvel to have a seat at the
table. The brothers comply. Both are uneasy, but Lev hides
it well. Velvel on the other hand is hysterical, praying
under his breath.
LEV
Reb, what do you intend to do?
BER (O.S.)
We slaughter the bastards.
Enter Ber Mandelbaum, wearing an apron covered in fresh cow’s
blood. He holds a BUTCHERS’ KNIFE in one hand and a MEAT
TENDERIZER in the other.
2.