Tuesday, 12 June 2012

The Book Thief: German Economy WW2

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak takes places in a time of difficulty, pain and suffering that characters face mostly because of Germany's economy in WW2 when the Nazi's were in power.
Aside from German being involved in the war, families were being separated, homes were being bombed and most harshly, the Jewish were faced with the Holocaust.
Liesel Meminger is faced with the tragic loss of her brother while travelling to Himmel Street to foster parents. Later on Liesel discovers that her mother has been taken away due to communism and she has already been abandoned by her father because he was a communist. Liesel tells her foster father that she hates Communism and her foster father instantly slaps her and tells her clearly to never say anything like that  because it is dangerous to speak against Hitler. Even though some people, like Hans Humberman are opposed and against the idea of communism, they were given no choice but to obey and respect Communism or else their lives would become at risk. It isn't easy for Liesel to over come the loss of her family although she manages to adjust with the support and comfort from Hans and Rosa Humberman. Liesel attends the "book burning" where all books from Jewish authors are being burned.
The Jewish are being discriminated and prejudiced. Hitler blamed them for Germany's economic problems, unemployment and depression and also Germany's loss in WW1 even though most of the soldiers were Jewish. Hitler decides to send the Jewish to extermination camps where they could be killed in large amounts, otherwise known as genocide. One of the victims of the Holocaust is Max Vandenburg.
Max gets separated from he's family and is found alone in a small dark room with no food or water. He struggles to survive as Rosa, Hans and Liesel take custody for Max by hiding them in their basement even though it is extreamly dangerous.
Germany was faced with bomb droppings on homes from enemies during the war war which put fear in Germans and the loss of life was becoming at a larger rate. Hans Humberman who was a part of both WW1 and  WW2 avoided death both times even though many didn't. Germany was no longer a safe place to live as many innocent civilians were victims of war and Hitler. Characters from The Book Thief have difficulties cope-ing with the German economy in WW2 especially Liesel Meminger and Max Vandenburg. Germany's economy is making survival difficult mostly for the Jews and civilians who have no part or intention of cruelty are separated from families or their houses were being bombed. Hitler was feared and must be obeyed being the main cause of Germany's economic problems portrayed in The Book Thief.

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