Maps of Movies

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008)

Where The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas says it takes place, and where it was really shot.

A story set at a camp that is never named, filmed in Budapest: only the cemetery, a castle and a studio are on record.

Scenes and places

The family leaves Berlin

Bruno, eight years old, is told the family must move because his father, an SS officer, has been promoted. He leaves his friends and the city behind.

Set in Family home in Berlin — Bruno's home in Berlin, which his family leaves after his father's promotion.

A city home; the film gives no address, and the filming location is not recorded in the sources found.

The farm that is not a farm

From his bedroom window Bruno sees a place he takes for a farm. His mother forbids him from going into the back garden.

Set in New house in the countryside — The family's new house in the countryside, with a view from Bruno's bedroom window.

A fictional house; the film does not name the place and no set location was found.

Lessons at home

A private tutor, Herr Liszt, takes over the children's schooling at home. His lessons push Gretel toward the ideas of her father's circle, while Bruno struggles to take them in.

Set in The house: the tutor's schoolroom — Inside the family house, where a private tutor teaches Bruno and Gretel.

Interiors were filmed at Fót Studios in Budapest, but which scenes is not stated.

The fence in the woods

Exploring the woods, Bruno reaches a barbed wire fence and meets Shmuel, a boy his age on the other side. They begin to meet there regularly, and Bruno brings him food.

Set in Woods and the camp fence — The woods near the house and the barbed wire fence around the camp.

A fictional camp fence; no filming location for this scene was found.

Cake in the house

Bruno finds Shmuel working in his home and offers him cake. A moment of kindness turns frightening when an officer walks in.

Set in The house: the kitchen — Inside the family house, where Shmuel is made to work.

Interiors were filmed at Fót Studios in Budapest, but which scenes is not stated.

The film they were never meant to see

Bruno secretly watches his father and other officers view a film that shows the camp as a good place. It is the first time he sees how it is presented to outsiders.

Set in Officers' viewing room — A room where Bruno's father and other officers review a film about the camp.

A fictional room; no filming location was found.

The funeral and the wreath

At the funeral, Elsa tries to remove a wreath sent by the Führer, out of respect for the dead woman's beliefs. Ralf stops her and the two quarrel.

Set in Grandmother's funeral, Berlin — The funeral in Berlin for Bruno's grandmother, killed in an Allied bombing raid.

Cemetery scenes were filmed in Budapest; the sources do not say which scenes.

Filmed at Kerepesi Cemetery (Fiume Road Graveyard), Budapest — Some of the film was shot at this cemetery in Budapest; which scene was filmed here is not stated, so the funeral is a likely match, not a confirmed one. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there:

Filmed at Sacelláry Castle, Budafok, Budapest — Not stated Google Maps · Apple Maps

Characters

• Bruno — An eight-year-old German boy whose family moves to the countryside.
• Shmuel — A Jewish boy of Bruno's age whom he meets at the camp fence.
• Elsa — Bruno's mother, who comes to question what her husband does.

Questions answered on the map

• Where was the funeral in The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas filmed?