The Book ThiefNazi Germany/Discussion of Characters

Mystery Question:

How does a political leader gain approval from his or her nation?

The Author/Quick Overview

● A story set in Germany during WWII● Captures the life of a normal young girl

growing up during such a time ● Has won numerous awards and was on

the New York Times Best Seller list for over 190 weeks!

● Written by Australian author Markus Zusak

Adolf Hitler● Was born in 1889, dreamed of being an artist and left school to

pursue this dream● At 18, went to Vienna to study art but was not accepted to the

Vienna Academy of Fine Arts● Unemployed for the next 5 years● His time in Vienna led him to become influenced by Karl Laager -

Mayor of Vienna○ Karl Laager - known anti-semitic (hatred or hostility towards Jewish

people)○ Hitler’s hatred for Jews and Communists began to grow

● Moved to Munich and enlisted in the German army● Served as a messenger in the army and was honored with the Iron

Cross twice for his bravery● Devastated by German defeat in WWI and blamed the Jews and

Communists

Political Career ● In 1920 he joined the National Socialist German Worker’s Party (Nazis)

● In 1923 tried to take over the government in a revolt in Munich – it failed and he was sent to jail but gained him nationwide attention

● While in jail he wrote Mein Kampf (“My Struggle”) and set out his belief that the German, or Aryan, race was superior to all, especially the Jews

Mein Kampf (My Struggle) & Belief of Aryan Race● Hitler identified Jews as a race, not as a religious

group● He claimed that the Aryan race had to be kept pure

and become superior to the rest of the world● To be kept pure, he claimed that the superior race

need room to live…alone● The book was dismissed, FEW recognized the

threat the book posed to Jews and all of Europe● No one thought it possible for him to carry out such

ideas…but the conditions in Germany proved otherwise

Kristellnacht - Literally translated: The Night of CrystalReferred to as : The Night of Broken Glass

● November 9th and 10th, 1938● wave of violence took place throughout Germany,

annexed Austria, and in areas of the Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia recently occupied by German troops.

● Herschel Grynszpan, a 17 year old Polish Jew, shot German diplomat on November 7, 1938 in reaction to German authorities expelling thousands of Jews of Polish citizenship (his parents included)

● Violence erupted as a result of this assassination.● Synagogues, Jewish owned-stores, and homes were

destroyed by Nazi Party officials and members of the SA (Sturmabteilungen: literally Assault Detachments or Storm Troopers) and Hitler Youth

Hitler Youth - Created in the 1920’s● Logical extension of Hitler’s belief that the future of Nazi Germany was its

children.● Just as important - if not more - than school● Catered to 10 to 18 year olds - separated by gender

○ Military service and athletics for boys■ Marching, bayonet drill, grenade throwing, trench digging, map reading, gas defence,

use of dugouts, how to get under barbed wire, and pistol shooting○ Motherhood for girls

■ Run 60 meters in 14 seconds, throw a ball 12 meters, complete a 2 hour march, swim 100 meters, and know how to make a bed

● After Hitler came to power, the Youth grew quickly● *Could avoid doing any active service if they paid their subscription but this

became impossible after 1939 (draft).

“Synchronizing” Culture with Nazi Ideology● Government purged cultural

organizations of Jewish and other officials alleged to be politically suspect or “degenerate”

● Book burnings or literary purge/”cleansing” of “un-German authors”

● In addition to Jewish authors, included socialists (Bertolt Brecht), communists (Karl Marx), and “corrupting foreign influences” (Hemingway)

Recap/Review: Goals of Hitler and Nazi Germany1. Purify Germany of degenerate races and create one mass Aryan race2. Create a legacy that proved to raise Nazi ideals forever3. Eliminate the degenerate races (Jewish people, homosexuals, handicapped,

gypsies, etc.)4. Become a leading World Power that would eventually extend their ideal to

other nations

Mystery Question:

How does a political leader gain approval from his or her nation?

What example can you find from The Book Thief that demonstrates how Hitler gained approval from the German people?