29 The Boy in the Striped Pajamas Quotes (2025)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Shmuel: I wish you'd remembered the chocolate.
Bruno: Yes, I'm sorry. I know! Perhaps you can come and have supper with us sometime.
Shmuel: I can't, can I? Because of this.
[points the electric fence]
Bruno: But that's to stop the animals getting out, isn't it?
Shmuel: Animals?

No, it's to stop people getting out.
Bruno: Are you not allowed out? Why? What have you done?
Shmuel: I'm a Jew.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: We're not supposed to be friends, you and me. We're meant to be enemies. Did you know that?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Grandpa: You know, Ralf, your mother really is sick. She's been talking about this visit for weeks.
Mother: Maybe that's what's made her sick.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Jewish Man: No, it's just a shower.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: He used to be a doctor once, but gave it all up to peel potatoes.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: I'm Bruno.
Shmuel: Shmuel.
Bruno: Sorry?
Shmuel: I'm Shmuel.
Bruno: That's your name? I've never heard of anyone called that before.
Shmuel: I've never heard of anyone called Bruno.
Bruno: Shmuel? No one's called Shmuel.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: Why do you wear pajamas all day?
Shmuel: The soldiers. They took all our clothes away.
Bruno: My dad's a soldier, but not the sort that takes people's clothes away.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Lieutenant Kotler: They smell worse when they burn, don't they?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: Shmuel. Can we go to the café or something?
Shmuel: Café?
Bruno: [pause] Maybe I should go home.
Shmuel: What about Papa?
Bruno: [after looking around] Yeah.
Shmuel: We'll check our hut first.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: [Pavel is nursing Bruno] Where's my mum?
Pavel - Jewish servant: She's out.
Bruno: When will she back?
Pavel - Jewish servant: Soon, I expect, but don't worry.
Bruno: Will I have to go to hospital?
Pavel - Jewish servant: No, it's only a small cut.

[Bruno moans in pain]
Pavel - Jewish servant: Oh, come on, it's not that bad. There, all better.
Bruno: What's your name?
Pavel - Jewish servant: Pavel. Now you better sit still for a couple of minutes before you start walking on that again.
Bruno: It could be worse than it looks.
Pavel -

Jewish servant: It isn't.
Bruno: How would you know? You're not a doctor!
Pavel - Jewish servant: Yes, I am.
Pavel - Jewish servant: No you're not. You peel potatoes.
Pavel - Jewish servant: I practiced as a doctor before I came here.
Bruno: You couldn't be much good if

you had to practice.
Pavel - Jewish servant: Now what are you going to be when you grow up? I know! An explorer!
Bruno: How did you know that?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: I want to go home.
Father: You are home, Bruno. Home is where the family is.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

[about Gretel's reading from their tutor of propaganda about "the Jew"]
Bruno: I don't understand. One man caused all this trouble?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Father: What are you doing today?
Bruno: The same as yesterday.
Father: And what was that?
Bruno: The same as the day before.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Lieutenant Kotler: How dare you talk to people in the house? How dare you! Are you eating? Have you been stealing food?
[shouts]
Lieutenant Kotler: Answer me!
Shmuel: No, sir. He gave it to me. He's my friend.
Lieutenant Kotler: What?
[to Bruno]
Lieutenant Kotler: Little

man, do you know this Jew?
[shouts]
Lieutenant Kotler: Do you know this Jew?
Bruno: No, I just walked in, and he was helping himself. I've never seen him before in my life.
Lieutenant Kotler: You, finish cleaning the glasses. When I come back, we'll have a little chat about what happens to rats who steal.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

[first lines]
Mother: Hello, sweetheart.
Bruno: Mum, what's going on?
Mother: We're celebrating.
Bruno: Celebrating?
Mother: Mm, your father's been given a promotion.
Gretel: That means a better job.
Bruno: I know what promotion is.

Mother: So we're having a little party to celebrate.
Bruno: He's still going to be a soldier though, isn't he?
Mother: Yes, my lamb. Just a more important one, now. I have some even more exciting news, but I think dad wanted to tell you about that himself.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Father: [from trailer] I'm a solider. Soldiers fight a war.
Mother: That's not war!
Father: It's a vital part of it!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Bruno: Do you not like playing?
[Shmuel nods]
Bruno: Just not ball games?
Shmuel: Not here.

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Father: [Elsa has just discovered the true nature of the camp] Elsa, I was sworn to secrecy.
Mother: From your own wife?
Father: I took an oath upon my life, do you understand? Elsa, you believe in this too. You want this country to be strong...
Mother: No, Ralph! No, not THAT! How could you?

Father: Because I am a solider! Soliders fight wars!
Mother: That isn't WAR!
Father: That is a part of it, it's a vital part of it! The Fatherland we all desire, all of us, you included, cannot be achieved without work such as this!
[Elsa begins to break down]
Father: Elsa, Elsa!

Mother: Get away from me! GET AWAY FROM ME!
[Begins to cry]
Bruno: [Enters Ralph's office] Grandpa's here!
Father: We'll be through in a moment.
[to Elsa]
Father: Who told you about this?

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Grandma: I sometimes wonder if this is all down to me, making you those costumes for your little plays when you were tiny. You used to adore all that dressing up. Does it still make you feel special, Ralph dear? The uniform... and what it stands for?
Father: Mother. It's a party. Let's not spoil it.
Grandma: Ha! Me? Spoil things?

Father: [whisper] You should be careful. Airing your views so publicly could land you in trouble. You know that.