<P> One day, Elsa discovers the reality of Ralf's assignment after Lieutenant Kurt Kotler lets slip that the black smoke coming from the camp's chimneys is due to the burning corpses of Jews . She confronts Ralf, disgusted and heartbroken . At dinner that night, Kotler admits that his father had left his family and moved to Switzerland . Upon hearing this, Ralf tells Kotler that he should have informed the authorities of his father's disagreement with the current political regime as it was his duty . The embarrassed Kotler then becomes infuriated with Pavel for accidentally spilling a glass of wine and violently beats him . The next morning the maid, Maria, is seen scrubbing the blood stains . </P> <P> Later that day, Bruno sees Shmuel working in his home . Shmuel is there to clean wine glasses because they needed someone with small hands to do it . Bruno offers him some cake and willingly Shmuel accepts it . Unfortunately, Kotler happens to walk into the room where Bruno and Shmuel are socialising . Kotler is furious and yells at Shmuel for talking to Bruno . In the midst of his scolding, Kotler notices Shmuel chewing the food Bruno gave him . When Kotler asks Shmuel where he got the food, he says Bruno offered the cake, but Bruno, fearful of Kotler, denies this . Believing Bruno, Kotler tells Shmuel that they will have a "little chat" later . Distraught, Bruno goes to apologise to Shmuel, but finds him gone . Every day, Bruno returns to the same spot by the camp but does not see Shmuel . Eventually, Shmuel reappears behind the fence, sporting a black eye . Bruno apologises and Shmuel forgives him, renewing the friendship . </P> <P> After the funeral of his grandmother who was killed in Berlin by an enemy bombing, Ralf tells Bruno and Gretel that Elsa, their mother, suggests that they go to live with a relative because it is not safe there . In truth, Elsa suggests this because she does not want her children living with their murderous father . Shmuel has problems of his own; his father has gone missing after those with whom he participated in a march did not return to the camp . Bruno decides to redeem himself by helping Shmuel find his father . The next day, Bruno, who is due to leave that afternoon, dons a striped prisoners' outfit and a cap to cover his unshaven head, and digs under the fence to join Shmuel in the search . Bruno soon discovers the true nature of the camp after seeing the many sick and weak - looking Jews, much to his shock . While searching, the boys are taken on a march with other inmates by Sonderkommandos . </P> <P> At the house, Gretel and Elsa discover Bruno's disappearance . After they discover the open window he went through, Elsa bursts into Ralf's meeting to alert him that Bruno is missing . Ralf and his men mount a search . Led by a dog tracking Bruno's scent they find his discarded clothing outside the fence . Elsa and Gretel are following along behind . They enter the camp, looking for him; Bruno, Shmuel and the other inmates are stopped inside a changing room and are told to remove their clothes for a "shower". They are packed into a gas chamber, where Bruno and Shmuel hold each other's hands . A Schutzstaffel soldier pours some Zyklon B pellets inside, and the prisoners start panicking, yelling and banging on the metal door . When Ralf realises that a gassing is taking place, he cries out his son's name, and Elsa and Gretel fall to their knees in despair and mourn Bruno . The film ends by showing the closed door of the now - silent gas chamber, indicating that all prisoners, including Bruno and Shmuel, are dead . </P>

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