Out of the Ashes (I) (2003 TV Movie)

Christine Lahti: Gisella Perl

Quotes 

• Gisella Perl : I can recall wanting to be a doctor when I was a little girl. And I became a doctor... a very good doctor, if I can say that. I knew each child I helped bring into the world was a gift, not from me, but from God. But everything changed when I was deported to Auschwitz and began working there as a doctor. You know about some of the things I did there, for the pregnant women. But yes, I did sent unknowingly many women to their deaths within the day of my arrival. And yes, some of the things I did there, some of the procedures I was forced to do there... they were not honorable. So you are right, I have blood on my hands and believe me I can see it as clearly as you can see this tattoo here on my arm. Both of them will forever identify me as having to be a doctor in Auschwitz, not only to the world, but to myself. And I know this is very difficult for you to understand gentlemen not having been there, but it is the truth. I only did what I had to do to survive. Those of us! who did not survive somedays they are for the best of us. My family, Fredrick my husband, my mother and my father, David, all of my brothers, Emir my... my son. They will not be joining me here; there is no coming home for them. Why did God allow me to survive? Who knows? Well I must believe it was so I can help bring more children into the world. Free children, children with a chance to live. Do you see if I can help deliver on Jewish child, and she grows up to have children and they have children and the nazi's will have not succeeded, do you see this? Yea, one million innocent children were destroyed by them; well I want to help bring one million children into the world. Until the day I die, I must help rebuild what the Nazis worked so hard to do, please gentlemen allow me to do this here in America because if I cannot, then believe me God should have not allow me to live.

• Gisella Perl : Gentlemen, Auschwitz was another country. A country with its own rules and logic, and these rules changed from day to day, from situation to situation. We who were there could not judge one another. And so it is impossible... no, no... it is *absurd* for you - men - sitting here to judge me.

• [last lines] 

  Gisella Perl : [holding a just delivered baby up]  A gift from God. Finally.

• Gisella Perl : Auschwitz was not a few sheds in the woods. It was the size of a small city.