Original subtitles

Shall we dance?

On the ground.

On the ground.

On your knees.

So?

You're not afraid of me?

Please, I'm very afraid.

LEAD CHILDREN

A SERIES INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS

JUNE 1974

Silesia is a true gem on Poland's map.

Once backward, today it rushes towards modernity,

like a rocket launched into space.

Perhaps that's why the region's symbol is the cosmic Spodek event arena.

Silesia is home to four million people,

so these smiles of joy are not surprising,

since this is where they found happiness and their place on earth.

Speaking of earth, even though nothing grows underground,

everything here flourishes.

Silesian mines flourish, extracting our black gold.

Metal works flourish, too, with their production output

increasing by seven percent annually.

It's no wonder then

that this wonderful region will soon be visited

by the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party

of the Soviet Union, Leonid Brezhnev.

Comrade Brezhnev, Silesia is waiting for you.

WELCOME TO THE TOWN FAIR

Mum, we have to pay extra for the rolls.

How so? On your sign It says sixteen zloty.

That's only for the kielbasa.

It looks like it's for both in your picture, wouldn't you say that?

Mum, please don't do this.

If you've bought one, don't hold up the line.

I am waiting for two kielbasa. And two rolls, okay?

-You satisfied now? -Thank you, yes, very much so.

I'll have two sausages and two rolls, like the lady.

You girls took your time, didn't you?

They wanted to sell us sausages without rolls.

Guess what Mum did.

So, if someone wants to swindle you, you'll let them do it,

just to keep the peace, is that right?

And you?

Would I let myself be scammed a little bit to keep my peace of mind? Yeah.

You are hopeless, you know that.

And you're wonderful when you're angry.

THE SOLDIER FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDENT POLAND

THE MINER AND THE STEELWORKER WILL BUILD ITS MIGHT

Karol!

Karolek! Karol!

-Karol! -We need a doctor!

We need a doctor! People, we need a doctor!

Please let me through! Let me through.

-Let me through! I'm a doctor! -Please, is there a doctor?

Karol? Karol!

Move away, please, thank you.

He just fainted.

-Is this the first time he's fainted? -No. Happened a month ago, too.

Doctor mentioned that it was anaemia and prescribed him vitamins so…

What happened here?

You're okay, breathe.

I don't know, he needs to be examined.

You haven't got an idea?

You reckon the… hospital would know?

A professor or some such?

-Zbyszek, look. -Yes, mucky.

I'm doing this for the second time in three days!

-Look at this! -Mm.

Also… look at this. They're wilting. We've only spent a month in this house.

Jola…

I filed for a transfer to another clinic.

That's wonderful!

I'll be late to the hospital. Bye.

-Good morning. -Morning.

Here you go.

-Good morning. -Good morning.

Here is… Karol Tafis' file that you asked for,

and these are the patients you're seeing today.

How can you live like this, Wiesia?

I'm washing all of my windows every three days.

I wash mine daily. I'll get the patient, shall I?

Please.

What is this? My goodness…

Why didn't you come in and see me sooner?

Well, doctor. I let the dog lick him first.

-Licked by a dog? -Normal-like.

Simpletons.

Please disinfect this. I'll prescribe an antibiotic.

Your Szymek is eleven years old, but looks like he's eight. He's anaemic.

-And you live by the smelter? -Yeah, In Targowisko.

Karol Tafis lives there as well.

Did you examine any of the people there?

The doctor before would refer some kid with anaemia to the clinic

every couple of days.

And was she doing any form of background check?

The doctors didn't ever go there themselves.

Why?

How would I know?

Because they were afraid.

Jesus! Watch out, Doctor.

Morning.

Come on. Just a little further this way.

Good morning, Mrs. Jasińska!

Good morning, Wiesia!

Come on.

-Miss? -Yes?

The boys won't let me play ball with them.

That's not true!

Boys! Give her the ball.

Please, I really wanna play!

Good morning.

Ow!

Should we go back, Doctor?

They're upstairs.

That door.

Good morning, Doctor Wadowska-Król.

I want to examine your son.

Why do you wanna do that? My son's fine.

Yes, but he was just in the hospital.

Mrs. Woźniak… Please, the Doctor

is examining all the children who came out of hospital of late.

-We're going to the Pyrteks after you. -Fine. Doctor.

A wonderful attack by Adam Mooshaw

Breathe in…

Hold your breath…

Chinaglia and Benetti.

The metalworks gave Roman a television voucher

so when there's a match on, all the lads come around.

Open your mouth.

For his weight, just 28 kilograms.

And for height, 120 centimetres in June this year.

Eleven years old but he looks like a six-year-old.

Please can I see your teeth?

Well done. Very nice.

Enamel hypoplasia.

-Mum, can I go now? -Yes, you can.

Go on.

A wonderful opportunity wasted.

So tell me, Doctor, is my little one all right?

Anaemia takes time to pass. I recommend feeding him liver.

Undercooked is best. That should help him through

No, Doctor, he won't touch that stuff.

Oh, fuck.

The whole game's fucked already.

God bless you, Woźniak.

You should be ashamed. Screaming when there are children here.

Who's that?

I'm a doctor, alright, sir?

Then, my dear doctor, you can have a drink!

You're crazy! That was clean booze.

Your child's neck should be clean, Woźniak, not your drink.

How is Karolek doing?

Come.

Excellent play, Szarmach with a header, goal!

Breathe in.

Hold your breath.

Breathe, there's a slight murmur.

Open up.

Open your mouth, Kaśka.

And stick out your tongue.

Do you eat vegetables?

Plenty, Doctor. We grow them behind our apartment.

-Thank you, Kaśka. -Mum, I'm off to the pool.

-Alright. But take Kaśka with you. -Hello.

-Jesus, again? -Misiek, she's going with you.

-I don't want her there. -Take her when your mother asks you!

Fine.

Do we need anything else from Mrs. Pyrtek?

No.

-Thank you. -Thank you, Mrs. Pyrtek.

Take care.

-God bless. -God bless.

Oh gosh. Doctor!

Contractions every minute. Legs wide, okay?

Legs wider, okay?

Breathe in…

And then push.

And push!

Push hard, and push and push!

Good, rest.

-I can see the head a bit. -Good job. Well done.

Let's go again! Breathe in and push hard!

Ready? Push! Yes!

You can do it! Well done! We've got the head!

Good job! Rest now.

-Rest a bit. Good. -I see the head.

Okay, last time, look at me. We’re not closing our eyes, yep?

-And… -And…

We got it! There it is!

Yes!

Good. Scissors. Oh, and vodka.

-I need scissors, come on! -Okay.

Hands!

-Scissors! -Coming.

Here.

Tell me why's he not crying.

Go on…

Tell me why he's not crying.

Oh, God…

Doctor…

Please, why isn't he crying?

What took you so long?

I'm asking you, what took you so long?

See you tomorrow.

See you then.

And since Comrade Governor Ziętek is the host of this visit,

I propose that the Comrade Governor should be the one

that welcomes Comrade Brezhnev with a speech

upon his arrival at the Spodek Arena.

And then… Comrade Brezhnev will be invited by Comrade Grudzień

to the chosen factory.

All right, gentlemen. We've got it.

We just need to decide

which facility Comrade Brezhnev will visit first.

-I suggest-- -The metal works in Szopienice.

Are we sure we want Comrade Brezhnev to visit the Szopienice metal works?

Their results aren't exactly ideal.

They weren't.

But thanks to changes, improvements, and so forth,

they've been exceeding the plan for the past two months.

Uh… By how much?

Just around twelve percent.

And how did they do it?

As I said before, they implemented… improvements.

So to speak. Uh…

improvements in the… draft in the chimney.

As you know, in metal works, no draft, no result!

Good choice. I know the facility, I see no objections.

The metal works site will be secured by the security service.

I'm sure that the First Secretary Edward Gierek

will like this idea as well.

Yes.

Very well…

If you're all for this idea…

then may I propose we meet next in Spodek.

So Niedziela… You worked at the smelter?

-For five years. -Oh, me too! Five years in the coal mines.

That pig, Ziętek, is too old,

yet he thinks he's untouchable because of his contributions.

Ah, but if the roof collapsed at Spodek all of a sudden,

the day before Brezhnev's visit, then I would say…

even his contributions wouldn't help him.

That would be something, Comrade Secretary.

But to accuse Governor Ziętek of sabotage,

you would need evidence of him tampering with the roof.

Well, you could, so to speak…

put together something like that, I'm sure of it.

We could wiretap the friends of the Governor.

See what comes out.

I recommend sticking with me, Niedziela, because when I…

When I go to Warsaw, you're…

Well, you know…

How long was I asleep?

It's 5 p.m.

But you were walking in circles most of the night and went to bed at dawn.

I wish I knew what the cause of death was.

I'm really sorry, honey.

Sometimes, it just happens.

I've got something for you.

For your collection.

Thank you.

One day I'll visit all those places.

-I'm off, okay? -Where to?

The hospital, I'm on duty tonight.

Leave me the car today, would you?

PAEDIATRIC CLINIC

Why are you asking me about that baby?

Because I helped deliver the newborn.

Well in that case, you must have noticed

that the baby had an immensely low birth weight.

And the blood test you gave… Was it anaemic?

Jędrzej, come on, we're waiting.

Yep, one minute.

It's possible.

If you want to ask me about the newborn's cause of death,

I can't help you.

Nature itself solved that problem.

It wasn't a problem, Doctor. It was a child.

Excuse me.

Finally!

For he's a jolly good fellow

For he's a jolly good fellow And so say all of us!

Hello.

Excuse me, can I help you?

Hello. I'm looking for Karol Tafis. The ambulance brought him here on Sunday.

-Tafis? -Karol Tafis.

-No, he's not here, I'm sorry. -What do you mean?

-If he's not here, then where is he? -What's going on?

I'm looking for a boy, nine years old, called Karol Tafis.

The ambulance brought him in on Sunday. I helped him, I'm a doctor.

And Professor, I'm trying to explain,

that no one called Karol Tafis was brought here.

A different hospital?

Madam, all children in the area are brought to this ward,

not to some other hospital, so you must be mistaken, I'm afraid.

I'm not mistaken.

The fact that you're missing a patient is your fault,

or your ambulance dispatcher's fault.

I went to the paediatrics, but there's no sign of the boy.

-Can you check where he's been taken? -His mother then, are you?

No. I'm a doctor from the clinic in Szopienice.

And I must deliver the child's chart to the attending physician.

One moment.

-Staszek! -Yeah?

Yeah, where did you take the kid? From the fair?

-From Szopienice? -Yeah.

The municipal.

-You heard him, didn't you? -The municipal?

Yeah, why not the municipal?

Is that your professional opinion when asked why a child was sent

to a hospital for adult patients, instead of a paediatric one?

May I just say, first of all, I take my job very seriously.

It could be an accident or a bloomin' heart attack,

I'm here to save those people.

And secondly, the children's hospital told us they had no more space.

Thank you.

-Hello. -Hello.

Wanda, what are you up to?

Pulling out all my grey hairs, but your husband's in.

Yes, I know.

I'd like to ask about a patient I know was brought in by ambulance a few days ago.

Karol Tafis, nine years old.

My dear Jola, what are you on about? A nine-year-old here? Impossible.

There. He is here.

He's in room number eight.

-On the second floor. -Thank you.

Pardon me, I'm hoping you can help me get through?

This is a staff only entrance, would you…

Why are these children here and not in the paediatrics?

Excuse me.

Karol wasn't in the paediatric hospital.

When I spoke ambulance dispatch, they said they brought him here.

Strange.

And I can't visit him because that wing is closed.

It's pretty late, so it's normal that it's not open.

Ah, yes, but I saw these girls walking

apathetically, bizarrely twisting themselves to walk.

I've never seen anything like it.

In what circumstance would you not send children to a paediatric hospital?

If paediatrics… were full.

But they're not full.

I would want to send them to another hospital

to stop everyone seeing some mass disorder or disease I wanted to hide.

If someone wants to hide something, you better let it go.

You know, honey, you'll get in trouble again.

-Doctor! A moment, please? -Be right there.

Please, help me get into Karol's ward. I want to talk to him.

Jola…

-Zbyszek! -Keep it down.

You can't walk around with these stains. I'll wash it, you get another coat.

-What are you doing, huh? -Bye, I love you.

Good evening!

The professor sent me to check the morphology results.

Which professor?

No time for discussion! Just let me in, will you.

Good evening, Karolek.

Can you hear me?

HAEMOGLOBIN 5.9 NORMAL 12

HAEMOGLOBIN 5.8 NORMAL 12

Shhh!

Sleep, sweetpea, it's okay.

Time to rest.

Shhh.

She went into room eight.

She said a professor asked for morphology results.

Which professor, miss? Hello!

Hello?

They walk in this strange way, crisscrossing their legs.

Is that so? All of them?

Yes, they walk like birds.

Besides, they all have low levels of haemoglobin.

Anaemia?

Mrs. Wiesia, I'll visit a few more hospitals

and check how many children have low haemoglobin,

and could you call up Suwałki and ask how many cases of anaemia?

But why Suwałki?

So we have a comparison.

-And what do you think? -What do I think?

I'm pretty sure it's an epidemic.

An epidemic of anaemia makes no sense, it's not contagious.

Precisely.

MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR HOSPITAL

MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR HOSPITAL ENTRANCE

HAEMOGLOBIN 7.3 NORMAL 12

Miss, what are you doing here?

I've been sent by the health department to count how many vacant beds you have.

You could have called.

They did call, I just came to double check that you gave them the right number.

Hi, Andrzej.

There was a woman here who was claiming she was sent by you.

She was snooping around the kids' rooms.

You know the ones I mean.

So, I copied down her licence plate number.

THE STEADFAST POLISH-SOVIET FRIENDSHIP

I want a wide variety this time, not just twenty.

-Yes. -Like last time.

-Yes, of course. -More options, so to speak.

Yes.

-Hello there. -Hello.

Last time I came, you washed the windows here.

-The Governor remembers me. -Well, of course I do.

I seem to remember you almost fell out of them.

-Take care, love. -Yeah.

What's your business with the Szopienice metal works that you're promoting it?

Um… Yes, we invested in modernisation so we should brag about it.

So it doesn't bother you or the others

that the Germans built the metal works here?

Silesian, German, it's… all the same?

To you, my son, everything brown must be chocolate, right?

Hello, lads.

How are you?

Very well.

No, this woman, she…

You know, couldn't even… wash her own feet properly.

I want her out of here.

-Get her out, alright? -Yes…

Uh… but get her out forever, or just for now?

Just sort it out, fool.

Uh.... yes.

This is the Polish Broadcasting Service of Radio Free Europe.

We are reminding you that you can currently listen to us on medium wave.

-Mum, can we read together? -Yes, of course, but later, alright?

Przemek, go to the pool with your sister.

Mum and Dad are sending us to the pool.

They're sending us to the pool?

Oh! Ah! Yes, at the pool, go for a swim.

Alright, hurry up, or they'll close the pool.

Come on.

Uh, I'll hold it for you.

Wait, they're going.

Hurry up. Here.

-We're leaving! -Gone.

I'm telling you lot.

She went looking all around Targowisko, yeah.

Looked into every outhouse and pigsty.

She went to the Woźniaks and made a fuss because of the mess.

-And the drink. -What, the Doctor doesn't drink?

She washed her hands with the booze.

Yeah, she even checked the kids' bumholes.

-Bumholes? -To see if they'd been washed.

Complete nonsense.

She was at our place, too, and only examined me.

-Didn't check my bumhole. -Maybe she checked someone else's?

I ain't surprised she's checking them, Marketplace people ain't ever seen soap.

Probably assume soap was animal feed.

Hey, leave Marketplace folks alone. Us lot are normal.

That doctor's a nutcase.

-Shut up, will you? -Or what?

Or this!

What doctor are they talking about?

I'm not sure, Przemek. You can go in the water if you want.

Hi there.

Marek.

-Joasia. -May I?

Why ask for my permission? It's not my pool, is it?

Well, the smelter owns it, so you do, too.

Because under socialism, we're all co-owners.

So, technically speaking, the pool is yours.

Well, in that case, go ahead.

Thank you.

I'm asking you to find out

why those children were sent to be treated at your hospital.

And what they're treated for.

-All right. I promise to try and find out. -Thank you.

But I don't know why you're getting yourself involved with all this.

Mum likes people to think she's a nutcase.

What do you mean?

Everyone in Targowisko is talking about you poking around there.

They are my patients.

You said yourself that those people are horrible

and that you want to transfer out of here.

You don't have to visit them. Send them a summons.

Jola, I'm telling you. You're getting yourself in trouble again.

And I'm telling you it's my work, so stop putting your nose in it.

I don't want you telling me how to treat my patients.

You don't have to help.

Those children deserve to know what's happening.

-Doctor, I checked. -Yes?

I've compared the children you counted in the hospitals.

So in Szopienice, anaemia cases are five times higher than in Suwałki.

In an area four times smaller than Suwałki?

-Yeah. -Nearly twenty times their cases.

Tell me what you're thinking…

Um, Doctor… The militia have come here to see you.

-Militia? -Yeah.

This cannot be anaemia. I'm sure this is something else.

Hello.

-This your car? -Yes.

There was a hit-and-run yesterday on Krasiński Street

and the witness wrote down your number plates.

Mine? Officer, I didn't hit anyone.

You'll come with us for clarification.

I called attorney Mazurek. He'll help us.

But it's pretty late and he doesn't know if he can do anything for you today.

Don't worry, honey.

Everything'll work out.

I'll stay overnight and tomorrow we'll clear it up.

You know of course I didn't hit someone.

Maybe this is about you sneaking around the hospital?

Stop. It's a mistake, okay?

Enough talking. Let's go.

Just don't cancel tomorrow night's party. I still plan to dance the night away.

In terms of the visit of comrade Brezhnev,

I'm in constant contact with the organising team.

Governor Ziętek and Secretary Grudzień.

Mm, thank you, Major. Any other urgent matters?

Well, I'm handling the matter of those sick children

that Secretary Grudzień previously requested we sweep under the rug.

Uh, I can report that one doctor visited the ambulance dispatch

and then the Ministry of the Interior Hospital

and she was asking questions about the matter.

And what was your response?

Well, right now she's at the municipal militia station.

Depending on the decision, she may be charged with a hit-and-run,

or even driving under the influence. We took a blood sample.

But she's the wife of a well-known urologist.

And so?

I mean, she's in with the intelligentsia.

Her husband will have contacts.

If we arrest her, lawyers will start getting involved

and things will come out and news will spread.

But you know we can't… let her go.

She's sniffing around these children.

And we got an order, Comrade Colonel.

-Right. -Um…

No, I agree with Major Piotrowski that we can't just let her go,

but I also don't think we should be keeping the woman there.

Especially since I'm responsible for the safety of comrade Brezhnev.

I think we all want there to be peace and quiet. Right?

So, what do you propose?

We release the Doctor, but on a leash of surveillance.

That way, we'll have her under control.

And what if she starts asking about those children again?

Yes, precisely.

From what Major Piotrowski said,

she only just started asking questions, so I assume she doesn't know anything.

And besides…

people stop being so brave after a night in jail.

Especially women, huh?

Sorry.

Wadowska-Król, you're free to go.

How's the Professor?

Has Ziętek come to see her?

He was dropped off at hers around an hour ago.

Has he talked to anyone?

Uh, yeah, with the Professor about cherry liqueur and…

with some architect about the villa that's supposed to be demolished.

Mm. And a doctor.

Told him he desperately needs to stop…

eating fried food, 'cause it would kill him.

For seventy years it hasn't killed him, but now it's gonna happen?

Doctors.

Morons, the lot of them.

-What's wrong? -What do you mean, "what's wrong"?

Well, you're leading again.

What is it, Jola?

-What is it darling? -Let's have a drink.

Oh! I heard "let's have a drink."

Yes, let's have a drink.

I suggest we drink to Zbysiek.

-To Zbysiek… -No.

To Zbyszek Król, our future medical director.

-No! -To Zbyszek!

You are huge, Zbysiek. Let me…

You're the people's hero.

You're especially a hero

because you got your darling wife here out of jail!

Luckily, they just let her out.

No, I think you should have got head of department a long time ago.

What do you reckon?

-Sure. -Thanks.

Any more to fill?

-To the medical director? -Definitely. To Zbyszek.

To the new director.

Cheers.

Did they explain it somehow?

The witness was mistaken.

You know what, they probably realised you're a urologist.

I think they just didn't want to mess with you, what else could it possibly be?

What else, right?

He's right. It's good to have the doctors on your side.

After all, the urologists are the ones who decide

what part of you gets amputated, right?

Actually, do you know why Brezhnev's coming here?

-No? -Why?

Because he has an appointment with Zbyszek!

-The best urologist in town! -Okay, Walczak, easy.

No, Zbyszek…

-Jola… -Give it here.

How do you like working near the metal works?

Good, but there's a lot of sick kids around there.

Well, lead metal works, lead children.

Stop it.

Just shows what he knows, that's all.

Adam, do you have a light or something?

Yeah, I do. Here you go.

POISONING IN CHILDREN

A CHARACTERISTIC SYMPTOM OF LEAD POISONING IN CHILDREN IS THE SO-CALLED "BLUE LINE"

I'm going to get some air.

-Honey… promise me. -I swear.

Thank you.

Come on, sit up, okay?

Yes. Hey, don't be scared.

Look up, okay?

-Excuse me, what are you doing? -I must check something.

Will you open your mouth? It'll only take a moment.

Oh!

Calm down, it's okay.

This is not anaemia! Where is the Professor?

-At home. -I need her address.

Ward nurse!

I need her address!

Doctor?

-Don't tell anyone it was me. -All right.

Major? Major!

Major!

-Stop screaming. -I think it's that doctor.

What are you doing here?

Professor, we have an epidemic of lead poisoning in Szopienice.

Are you being serious?

I might have some children with anaemia on my ward,

but there's certainly no epidemic…

There are kids in the municipal hospital and the interior.

-Would it be better if… -Shut the fuck up!

What are you talking about?

There are children with these symptoms across hospitals.

I'm with guests tonight.

Tomorrow, at the hospital.

What?

Good evening. I'm sorry to call at this hour.

My name is Niedziela.

I have an important message for Comrade Grudzień.

Thank you.

Good evening, Comrade Secretary.

I'm calling because I've stumbled upon someone

who I think could probably help with that roof collapse at Spodek Arena.

THIS SERIES WAS INSPIRED BY TRUE EVENTS

AND BY MICHAŁ JĘDRYKA'S BOOK "OŁOWIANE DZIECI. ZAPOMNIANA EPIDEMIA"