Black Book

In 1944, Rachel Stein, a Dutch Jewish singer, hides in the occupied Netherlands. When the farmhouse she is hiding in is destroyed by an Allied bomber, she seeks help from lawyer Smaak who arranges an escape to the liberated south. The incident marks the start of a perilous journey through war and danger.

Rachel boards a refugee boat with others fleeing to the south, but the vessel is ambushed by the German SS. The attackers kill many passengers and loot valuables from the bodies; Rachel survives by luck while her companions are slain. She remains trapped in the occupied territory awaiting another chance to escape.

Using a non Jewish alias, Rachel adopts Ellis de Vries and becomes involved with a resistance cell in The Hague led by Gerben Kuipers, with support from doctor Hans Akkermans. Smaak remains in touch to coordinate help for the Jews. Ellis grows increasingly committed to fighting the occupiers.

Ellis agrees to seduce the local SD commander Hauptsturmführer Ludwig Müntze at a party to expose the traitors within. She discovers that Müntze is not abusive like his deputy Franken and begins to trust him. The romance complicates loyalties on both sides.

Ellis plants a hidden microphone in Franken's office, and the Resistance learns that Van Gein has betrayed Rachel and the other Jews. The discovery marks a major turning point in their efforts to root out collaborators. The information fuels the resolve to expose traitors.

Akkermans abducts Van Gein in an attempt to expose the traitor. The operation goes awry and Van Gein is killed. Franken responds by ordering the execution of forty hostages to punish the resistance, escalating the stakes for Ellis and her allies.

Müntze, realizing the war is turning, countermands the order to kill the hostages and privately negotiates with the resistance for a possible truce. He is wary of Ellis the moment he discovers she is Jewish, yet he does not abandon her.

The resistance plans a daring rescue to free imprisoned members including Müntze. Ellis agrees to cooperate only if Müntze is included in the operation. The plan is betrayed, and most inmates are recaptured while Akkermans and one other manage to escape.

Ellis is arrested and taken to Franken's office, where he stages a confrontation to make the resistance believe she is the traitor responsible for the failed rescue. Kuipers and his men vow to extract her and her companion, while Ronnie helps them slip away.

With the Allied liberation underway, Franken attempts to flee by boat but is killed by Akkermans who has seized the loot from the murdered Jews. The Dutch begin to purge traitors and collaborators in the wake of liberation.

Müntze and Ellis confront the lawyer Smaal, who keeps a black book detailing his dealings with Jews. Before they can leave, Smaal and his wife are killed by an unknown assailant. Müntze pursues the killer and is arrested by Canadian Army soldiers under a German death warrant.

Müntze is executed by a firing squad under a German death warrant after being presented to Canadian officers. Ellis is imprisoned again but is rescued by Akkermans, who reveals that he killed Franken and possesses the recovered valuables. Ellis escapes once more with Kuipers and vows to seek justice for the others.

In 1956 the opening scenes reappear in Israel as Rachel meets her husband and their two children at Kibbutz Stein. A sign explains that the kibbutz was funded with money recovered from Jews killed during the war. The scene ends with distant explosions and sirens, hinting at ongoing tensions.