THE TAILOR SHOP IN AUSTRIA

Written by

William D. Lewis

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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).

ANSHELEverything alright, Reb Horwitz?

ALTERI’m fine.

ANSHELWhy don’t you let me finish these? You can go home a little early. I’ll close up.

ALTERI’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.

LEVReb, have you heard news of the pogroms?!

ALTEROy vey ist mir. What is it now?

LEVTwo 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.

VELVELPogroms 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.

POGROM(in German)

Jews, go back to Palestine! Jews, go back to Palestine!

Alter jumps from his seat.

ALTERAnshel, 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.

LEVReb, 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.

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