Malkinia junction (alternative title HOLYDAY IN(N) TREBLINKA)
Rutger OosterhoffLogliner
Based on true events. ?When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in Nazi death camp Treblinka, they must convince the cruel camp commandant to spare their lives.”
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I get almost a ‘Saw’ type vibe of this, but also a possible story about regret and redemption as maybe the pilot saw what was happening back then, maybe even had a chance to save lives, but froze or in one moment failed to do the right thing, so his current gallantry manner actually hides a past haunted by one perhaps cowardly act, so maybe he was lured there… Could be a story about revenge.
I see a lot of directions with this. My only nitpick: Must Beg might make the characters seem passive or reactionary, but that’s just a possible thought.
I get almost a ‘Saw’ type vibe of this, but also a possible story about regret and redemption as maybe the pilot saw what was happening back then, maybe even had a chance to save lives, but froze or in one moment failed to do the right thing, so his current gallantry manner actually hides a past haunted by one perhaps cowardly act, so maybe he was lured there… Could be a story about revenge.
I see a lot of directions with this. My only nitpick: Must Beg might make the characters seem passive or reactionary, but that’s just a possible thought.
It really happened Knightrider. The incident was described in the book Treblinka. It bares witness of the fact that the technicians wanted no witnesses. If it’s to be filmed, it will be a movie, ending badly for the luftwaffe officer and his family. That’s what happend in real live. “..must beg..” You are right, but that’s what they had to do.
It really happened Knightrider. The incident was described in the book Treblinka. It bares witness of the fact that the technicians wanted no witnesses. If it’s to be filmed, it will be a movie, ending badly for the luftwaffe officer and his family. That’s what happend in real live. “..must beg..” You are right, but that’s what they had to do.
>>>It really happened
Then I suggest the logline be prefaced with something like “Based on true events, the story…” Yes, extra words, but I, too, was initially incredulous.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
>>>It really happened
Then I suggest the logline be prefaced with something like “Based on true events, the story…” Yes, extra words, but I, too, was initially incredulous.
Truth is stranger than fiction.
I don’t know dgp, this eyewitness report isn’t more incredulous than that they did held boxing matches in a Dead Camp. Indeed, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But what about the’ construction’ of the logline? For instance, can I suffice with “family” or must I say “his wife and children” ?
I don’t know dgp, this eyewitness report isn’t more incredulous than that they did held boxing matches in a Dead Camp. Indeed, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. But what about the’ construction’ of the logline? For instance, can I suffice with “family” or must I say “his wife and children” ?
Please clarify. Is the logline based upon a documented historical event? Did a Luftwaffe officer and his family get accidently identified as Jews, end up in a concentration camp in danger of being exterminated?
Please clarify. Is the logline based upon a documented historical event? Did a Luftwaffe officer and his family get accidently identified as Jews, end up in a concentration camp in danger of being exterminated?
Yes (most of it) is a historcal fact aAltough I’m not sure anymore what sort of officer he was. This is, if you see the Jews that were interviewed about these events that happened in the camp as official proof.
No, they did not get accidently identified as Jews. But they did accidently get into the camp. At Malkinia junction, they somehow got in the train that transported the jews to Treblinka camp. I just bought the book Treblinka again after I lost it a long time ago. I wil post the exact passage with the incident and if necessary adapt the logline.I hope this already makes things a bit clearer. Here’s some info about Malkinia Junction: https://furtherglory.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/malkinia-junction-where-the-trains-to-treblinka-stopped/
Yes (most of it) is a historcal fact aAltough I’m not sure anymore what sort of officer he was. This is, if you see the Jews that were interviewed about these events that happened in the camp as official proof.
No, they did not get accidently identified as Jews. But they did accidently get into the camp. At Malkinia junction, they somehow got in the train that transported the jews to Treblinka camp. I just bought the book Treblinka again after I lost it a long time ago. I wil post the exact passage with the incident and if necessary adapt the logline.I hope this already makes things a bit clearer. Here’s some info about Malkinia Junction: https://furtherglory.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/malkinia-junction-where-the-trains-to-treblinka-stopped/
I think what DPG is asking is whether this is a documented event that happened to a specific individual as appose to being a fictional example of types of events that were known to have happened.
I think what DPG is asking is whether this is a documented event that happened to a specific individual as appose to being a fictional example of types of events that were known to have happened.
… A DOCUMENTED EVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE INFO ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOGLINNE BEFORE i GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!
… A DOCUMENTED EVENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE INFO ABOUT THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOGLINNE BEFORE i GIVE UP!!!!!!!!!!
Based upon true events, when a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to Treblinka, they have 24 hours to convince the death camp commandant that they are ‘Aryans’ and save their lives.
“Based upon true events”– I think this is necessary because the setup that follows is unbelievable without it. It’s required to establish the credibility of the story. This is an instance when the truth is stranger than fiction.
“…when a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to Treblinka” — this is the story hook. These 18 words sell the story. The remaining words are pro forma.
“…they have 24 hours to convince the death camp commandant that they are ‘Aryans’ and save their lives.” — the dramatic conflict, stakes and objective goal.
Based upon true events, when a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to Treblinka, they have 24 hours to convince the death camp commandant that they are ‘Aryans’ and save their lives.
“Based upon true events”– I think this is necessary because the setup that follows is unbelievable without it. It’s required to establish the credibility of the story. This is an instance when the truth is stranger than fiction.
“…when a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to Treblinka” — this is the story hook. These 18 words sell the story. The remaining words are pro forma.
“…they have 24 hours to convince the death camp commandant that they are ‘Aryans’ and save their lives.” — the dramatic conflict, stakes and objective goal.
THANKS DGP, I can work with that!! And Malkinia junction is where it all went wrong for them. Literally the deciding junction in their lives. Only problem is that the camp commandant ALREADY KNOWS that THEY ARE ARIAN. And kills them anyway. Leave no possible traces (that’s a riskfactor for Operation Reinhard)) of the genocide in the death camp(s). The camp commandant can’t take the risk that the Luftwaffe officer spreads the word about what is happening in the camps. Only the people that workt at the death camps, under a special code, could know the terrible thruth.
“When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to concentration camp Treblinka they must convince the death camp commandant that they are ?harmless? and save their lives.?
or
“When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to death camp Treblinka they must quicly convince the camp commandant that they are arians and save their lives.?
The camp commandant did not want them to prove whatever in ‘whatever time’. So “X time” may be filled in with ‘little or nothing filled in at al. According to the sentence construction: And where do they convince the commandant, in the train or the camp. And…
So first they want to convince the commandant that they are arian, but when they notice this is not the real problem, they will try to convince the commandant that they will never’ “bare witnes”. If I still use the word arian in the logline I can controle the audiance in what I want them to think at first. Building up emotion.
When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in deathcamp Treblinka, they must quickly convince the camp commandant (that) they are proud ‘Aryans’ and save their lives?
THANKS DGP, I can work with that!! And Malkinia junction is where it all went wrong for them. Literally the deciding junction in their lives. Only problem is that the camp commandant ALREADY KNOWS that THEY ARE ARIAN. And kills them anyway. Leave no possible traces (that’s a riskfactor for Operation Reinhard)) of the genocide in the death camp(s). The camp commandant can’t take the risk that the Luftwaffe officer spreads the word about what is happening in the camps. Only the people that workt at the death camps, under a special code, could know the terrible thruth.
“When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to concentration camp Treblinka they must convince the death camp commandant that they are ?harmless? and save their lives.?
or
“When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up on a train to death camp Treblinka they must quicly convince the camp commandant that they are arians and save their lives.?
The camp commandant did not want them to prove whatever in ‘whatever time’. So “X time” may be filled in with ‘little or nothing filled in at al. According to the sentence construction: And where do they convince the commandant, in the train or the camp. And…
So first they want to convince the commandant that they are arian, but when they notice this is not the real problem, they will try to convince the commandant that they will never’ “bare witnes”. If I still use the word arian in the logline I can controle the audiance in what I want them to think at first. Building up emotion.
When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in deathcamp Treblinka, they must quickly convince the camp commandant (that) they are proud ‘Aryans’ and save their lives?
Then, this may be sufficient:
When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in the Treblinka death camp, they must convince the camp commandant to spare their lives. (28 words)
Then, this may be sufficient:
When a decorated Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in the Treblinka death camp, they must convince the camp commandant to spare their lives. (28 words)
Latest draft of the logline reads the best however their is s fundamental problem in concept here.
“…they must convince the camp commandant…” is a relatively short lived action. For a short film this could work but I can’t see how convincing someone could provide enough cinematic material for a full length film.
How about you take some liberties with the concept and have them change tactics convince then try to to escape. This could easily take up enough time to tell over a full length.
This may differ from the original document but this is not a documentary and in my mind reality shouldn’t get in the way of a good story.
Latest draft of the logline reads the best however their is s fundamental problem in concept here.
“…they must convince the camp commandant…” is a relatively short lived action. For a short film this could work but I can’t see how convincing someone could provide enough cinematic material for a full length film.
How about you take some liberties with the concept and have them change tactics convince then try to to escape. This could easily take up enough time to tell over a full length.
This may differ from the original document but this is not a documentary and in my mind reality shouldn’t get in the way of a good story.
I don’t think it is necessary to embellish the concept with other strategies, like attempting to escape. I think there is more than enough dramatic potential to fill out a feature length movie with the prime premise:
Act 1: The setup and mixup that result in the officer and his family ending up at Trebllinka, mistaken as Jews.
Act 2a: The officer desperately tries to persuade employees that he’s an honest-to-Aryan German, not a Jew.
Midpoint: someone believes him. Hope!
Act 2b: But in typical German fashion, the issue is kicked up the chain of command, arrives at the commandant’s desk. He is convinced that they are not Jews. More hope!
Twist: BUT: he has orders to follow. The existence and true work of the camp must remain a state secret. So, in true German fashion, he kicks the issue further up the chain of command. In true German fashion, it’s kicked all the way up to Berlin.
Act 3: Orders come down from Berlin: neither he nor his family can be allowed to live, less the cover for the camp be blown. Hope dashed!
Denouement: they are summarily executed, their bodies burned in the crematoria with those of Jews. Berlin fabricates a cover story that he was killed in glorious combat in a daring sortie on the Eastern front.
I think the story is a fabulous gold mine of dramatic conflict, pathos and Kafkaesque irony. Run, don’t walk, with this story Rutger!
I don’t think it is necessary to embellish the concept with other strategies, like attempting to escape. I think there is more than enough dramatic potential to fill out a feature length movie with the prime premise:
Act 1: The setup and mixup that result in the officer and his family ending up at Trebllinka, mistaken as Jews.
Act 2a: The officer desperately tries to persuade employees that he’s an honest-to-Aryan German, not a Jew.
Midpoint: someone believes him. Hope!
Act 2b: But in typical German fashion, the issue is kicked up the chain of command, arrives at the commandant’s desk. He is convinced that they are not Jews. More hope!
Twist: BUT: he has orders to follow. The existence and true work of the camp must remain a state secret. So, in true German fashion, he kicks the issue further up the chain of command. In true German fashion, it’s kicked all the way up to Berlin.
Act 3: Orders come down from Berlin: neither he nor his family can be allowed to live, less the cover for the camp be blown. Hope dashed!
Denouement: they are summarily executed, their bodies burned in the crematoria with those of Jews. Berlin fabricates a cover story that he was killed in glorious combat in a daring sortie on the Eastern front.
I think the story is a fabulous gold mine of dramatic conflict, pathos and Kafkaesque irony. Run, don’t walk, with this story Rutger!
I like both your suggestions, but I want to stay as close to the real facts as possible. There was a escape in 43 but the luftwaffe officer was not part of it. This story played out earlier.
DGP, it could be a good story element next to your convincing setup, if one of the children of the Luftwaffe officer meets one of the Jewish children in the cattle wagon next to their luxury wagon, and in a split second they become friend, only to say farewell a few hours later.
This movie MUST be top quality and as close to the real facts as possible, otherwise I will have the Jewish people hunting me down for the rest of my earthly life.
I like both your suggestions, but I want to stay as close to the real facts as possible. There was a escape in 43 but the luftwaffe officer was not part of it. This story played out earlier.
DGP, it could be a good story element next to your convincing setup, if one of the children of the Luftwaffe officer meets one of the Jewish children in the cattle wagon next to their luxury wagon, and in a split second they become friend, only to say farewell a few hours later.
This movie MUST be top quality and as close to the real facts as possible, otherwise I will have the Jewish people hunting me down for the rest of my earthly life.
I beg to differ with the comments above and would strongly recommend finding further dramatic plot points to bulk up act 2 preferably cinematic ones that lend themselves to be dramatised visually.
Also Rutger regardless your cultural heritage this is your story and you have the right to do with it as you please for purposes of the film. If I were you I wouldn’t concern myself at this stage with historical accuracy rather structuring a compelling plot that delivers the same meaning as the original event.
However this is now a matter of taste and on taste there can be no debate.
All the best with this concept.
I beg to differ with the comments above and would strongly recommend finding further dramatic plot points to bulk up act 2 preferably cinematic ones that lend themselves to be dramatised visually.
Also Rutger regardless your cultural heritage this is your story and you have the right to do with it as you please for purposes of the film. If I were you I wouldn’t concern myself at this stage with historical accuracy rather structuring a compelling plot that delivers the same meaning as the original event.
However this is now a matter of taste and on taste there can be no debate.
All the best with this concept.
End of discussion? I get what you say about “it’s my story'” And you are right Nir, it’s (also) “a matter of taste and on taste there can be no debate”. But I don’t want to make a semi-copy of “Escape from Sobibor” Even if the escape is lead by the German Luftwaffe officer who part of the escape committee don’t really trust.
But maybe the question here is “how” do we define dramatic plot? Does a compelling inner journey of the leading characters keep the audience attention or must there be bombs falling? Does the audience, in this genre, EXPECT bombs to be falling? Look at a movie in the same genre: “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008)…. I think I have to find ways to beef up the conflict without the physical action.
The notion of bulking up the plot doesn’t refer solely to an escape plan, that was just one idea I put in a post, it refers to a lacking in action predominantly in act 2. When I write action I don’t necessarily mean physical action such as fighting and running rather exchanges of beats between characters.
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas is a great example of actions taken by characters according to the beats of the story. Whether it was the father and mother arguing about the best place for them to raise their children Nazi death camp with their father or the city away from the father. The sister and her love interest being disappointed with his true nature and changing her mind about him. And of course the MC wanting to find a friend to play with, betraying him and then making amens for his betrayal with dire consequences.
Point is there was a sequence of events and actions that all related to the meaning of the story at large as a result the separate sub plots comprised of these events affected each other. In my opinion the current draft of the logline doesn’t describe enough detail that alludes at multiple plot lines sustaining the grander story in such a way.
For example:
Based on true events. When a Luftwaffe officer and his family on holiday accidently end up in death camp Treblinka, they must learn how to survive their incarceration in an attempt to convince the camp commandant to spare their lives.”
Am sure it can be done better and it isn’t much but by adding in their needing to learn to survive it hints that there is more to this story beyond a series of conversations between the family and the commandant.