“The Standover Man."

      Liesel and Max Vanderburg are spending alot of time together. They have alot of things in common, the both have nightmares, they both are kind of lost, and they both love to read. Max has been staying with the Hubermans' for a few weeks now, he stays in the basement. He helps liesel read and write, they are friends. Liesel was scared of him at first but now she sees' they are alot a like.

"The Stand over Man"

      On Liesels' birthday Hanns' and Rosa have very little money and can't afford a present for her but she does not care. Then Max gives her a book it's called, "The Stand over Man". It's a book about Liesel and Max about their friendship. Max made the book from the pages of Mein Kampf,(My Struggle) an autobiography based on Adolf Hitlers' life and "struggle." Max rips out the pages and paints over them in white then he takes a small black paintbrush and draws and writes his story.

      The book starts off by saying, "all my life I've been scared, of men standing over me"(Zusak,224). The book tells about Max and Walters' friendship when he was younger. It then goes on to say that "years later he had to hide. I tired not to sleep, I was afraid of who would be there when I woke up". (Zusak,225). He was lucky cause when he was hiding he was always awoke to his friend, Walter. In Maxs' book he goes on by saying that when he was hiding he dreamed of a certain man and traveled to find him (Hanns Huberman). Like I told you earlier about Max and Liesel having things in common, one of those things is they're night terrors. In  Maxs' book he describes staying in the basement and having night terrors and waking up to a girl standing over him to say, "tell me what you dream of."  They told each other of their dreams and because of this they became friends.
      The conclusion of the book is Max saying the best stand over man he's known was not a man at all, hes' saying it was Liesel. Basically Max and Liesel become good friends they start sharing their past life experiences and of course they're night terrors.
      I think the significance of this book is Max and Liesels' new found friendship it part of him that he's giving to her, and kind of telling his story. Max is opening up to Liesel I think as the book goes on Liesel and Max will become friends and like family. so keep reading and I'll let you know.

                         Works cited
Zusak, Markus. "The book thief". New York. :Alfred A.
     Knopf,2005.Print.

"The Struggler"

• A guided tour of suffering. To your left, perhaps your right, perhaps even straight ahead, you find a small black room.    

In it sits a Jew.
He is scum.
He is starving.
He is afraid.
Please- try not to look away. (Zusak.138)
   It all starts years earlier with Hans Huberman. This dates back to world war I, Hans' was 22 years old fighting in France. most men in his platoon were ready for the fight. Hans was diffrent he was not egar to fight, in the army Hans didn't stick out at either end. He was not running into battle head on, but he was not hiding in the platoons.
    Hans was serving for about 6 months when he got to France. Hans liked very few things but he loved music,this attacked him to older man, about a year older. A German Jew named Erik Vanderburg, the two became good friends maybe because niether of them wanted to fight. They preferred rolling cigarettes and shooting craps. Erik Vanderburg taught Hans to play the accordion, a friendship built on gambling, smoking, and music.
    "I've seen so many young men over the years who think they're running at other young men. They're not, they're running at me."
    Soon Erik would be found on a hill in several pieces. This was the first time Hans escaped Death. He owes his survival to Erik Vanderburg. That morning before the men were leaving for battle the Sergent came in asking who had good penmanship. Erik Vanderburg nominated Hans. So the Sergent choose Hans for the task. Hans considered his self lucky since he wrote letter as good as he could, while the rest of the men went into battle. None came back.
    After leaving the Army and upon his return home he tracked down Erik Vanderburg's family. Erik's wife told Hans to keep Erik's accordion. He told her that Erik had saved his life..... He told her he's a painter by trade, and if there was anything she needed, he slid her a piece of paper with his name and address. He seen a young child on her lap, Erik had never mentioned a son.
     Twenty years later on June 16, 1939, just over 6 months after Liesels' arrival, an event occurred that changed their life's. A regular day as any other Hans left the house at 7 for work, upon his arrival he was approached by a stranger. The stranger asked "would you be Hans Huberman"? Hans relies, "yes". The man then asks "are you a man who likes to keep a promise'? Hans in return answers, "yes."
    The man is Walter Kugler, he is a childhood friend of Max Vanderburg. Max is Erik's son.He is in a dark storeroom sitting and patiently waiting. Weeks had went by, then another, until he had lost count. How long had he went without food? When was his friend coming back? Taking our story back a little further Walter had given Max a book "Mein Kampf" (meaning my struggle)_a book written by Hitler as Max started his journey he opened the book, on the inside cover was taped a key, and an identity card. Walter also brought food and a few other items.
     After Walter left Max started his journey now he waits in an empty dark storage room. When finally Walter returns this time with a map, and a ticket.(stuttgart to Munich to pasing. Walter also gave Max a razor, spoon,scissors, and shaving cream. As Max sat in the dark he shaved his face and all his hair. He left the storage room a new man. He was now a "German" man, Max is now on the train the ride is soon coming to an end. Now just blocks to his destination, he walks till he comes to Himmel Street. He continues walking down the block this is it "33". He walks through the iron gate holds the key in hand. Turns the handle in strolls in.

    Lisels looks and standing in the kitchen of the Hubermans is a man He says only a few words, "Hans Huberman"? Then "do you still play the accordion"? Hans tells him of course I do.
If you haven't realized by now Max is Hans's Hubermans friend from the wars son. Walter Krugler is Max's old frind from scholl and they're all helping Max escape and hide from the German Nazi's.


Works citied
Zusak, Markus. "The book thief". New York. :Alfred A.
     Knopf,2005.Print.

"I HATE THE FUHRER"

1940 Book Burning

     The book thief, Liesels' and Hans' conversation, the church, and burned books. "On the night when Liesel Meminger got her second book at the "Heil" Hitler 1940 celebratory fire in town square (this was a "celebration" to Hitler and a big fire to burn everything considered anti Germany)."Liesel is part of the Hitler Youth, and they are marching at this celebration.
   During the ceremony Liesel reaches into the fire and steals a book, at this point she's still not a very good reader but her want to read is pushing her to excel in something she thinks is so hard. Hanns' asks her what is in her shirt and she was sure someone had seen her take it. She is ashamed to admit what she had done but couldn't wait to start reading.

Liesel &&Hans sit at the church

   After the burning her and Hans' gather on the church stairs, Liesel has been writing her mother notes and faithfully checking the mailbox everyday for a reply, (she has even stolen money from Rosa, to buy stamps). Everyday there is no response from "mama", so Liesel and Hans start talking Liesel says to Hans "Is my momma a communist"?(Zusak,115). Hans' tells her he doesn't know he never met her mother. Liesel asks "did the Fuhrer take momma away"?(Zusak,115).
   Hans could not lie to her again so he told her they "might" have but he doesn't know for sure. Liesel filled the with anger shouts "I HATE THE FUHRER" (Zusak,115). Hans' responds by slapping her in the face, and telling her you don't say that ever again and especially not to anyone else. At this thime in history ANY one man, woman, or child that disrespected the Fuhrer was sent away and considered scum just like the Jews, politician's, and Gypsies.

"Heil" Hitler

   I think that by Hans' slapping her in the face was a good move because if she had repeated that to the wrong person her whole family could be sent away. Hans kind of reminds me of my grandfather the way he sacrifices his own things for Liesel like selling his cigarettes for a book. Liesel had something to open for Christmas and even though Hans sold his cigarettes it seemed worth it to him to watch his daughter open a present on Christmas day. Han's is a good respectful man he is caring, stern, but most of all kind of like a best friend to Liesel.

BL0G #3: LiESEL, DEATH, COLORS, MELINDA, AND GRAY

  

    My blog is on Liesel and Death. Liesel is the main character in "The Book Theif", and Death is narrating the whole story. Liesel is a young lady who lost her brother and mother and lives with a foster family on Himmel street. She wants to learn how to read but doesn't know who to ask.

    Death is very busy at this point in history but notices Liesel, notices her colors, and

notices her want to learn. Death sees and vacations in colors, every time he's seen Liesel he reflects it in colors. The first time black, then white, and red. He See's the color of the sky, and relates it to the event which in Liesel's case was her brothers' death.

    This stuck out to me, I thought it was very ironic that Death sees' in colors(of the sky). When i have a bad event in my life I usually also relate it to the color of the sky that day, or the color of a shirt I was wearing when an event happens. For example when I was nine I got my first pair of roller blades not skates but "Big girl" blades.... That's what I called them, I put them on and started skating all around the house. Then I fell on the lawn mower and broke my tail bone, that day was red. I remember because I also got a new shirt that day and can you guess what color it was? I'll give you a hint it rhymes with head..... Yep Red.
    I think the reason I picked this topic for my blog was because I think I'm a little like Death he's doing the job he has to. No one else will and even tho it's not the most admirable job it's his job he really can't take a vacation so he vacations in color. Color is neither bad nor good, color has no actual emotion it just associates with it. Color does not judge its everywhere in everything. It also has no emotion yet is always know to be emotional.

Melvin Ivie

    BLACK, GRAY:  My colors, I've seen many colors used them in many ways and used to always associate it with a day, emotion, or event. I stopped thinking in colors and using them as kind of a way to get away. My experience started early morning April, 2007. My Grandfather became very ill (Liver Cancer). Black that day was black, my grandpa was very sick I woke up and he was gone so I started my routine got ready for school. I was outside waiting for my bus and I said to myself "today is a black day". I said this because it seemed the sky was black just around my house. Something told me there was a problem like "Deja Vou" I skipped school and went to my grandparents, thats when I got news that not only did my grandfather, my hero, my motivation,and my only real love in this colorful world had the C word (Cancer), but he couldn't undergo Kemo he was just to sick.

     Gray, this color means so much more to me than black, when the sky was black my papa as I called him was still able to look up at the sky in wonder. Gray though gray triggers sadness, anger, loneliness, isolation and so much more. On April 24th 2007 just three weeks after we got the bad news, I cut my third period art class to go outside and smoke a cigarette I noticed the entire sky was gray and not the kind of Gray that invites rain or bad weather. It was the kind of gray that can change a life. I knew what had happened the weekend before this gray sky I asked "papa" what his favorite color was (even tho all my life I knew it was Red), he said Gray and I asked "why gray, gray isn't really even a color"? He said because when the day is gray the sky is gray and eyes are gray, you my be very sad but soon you realize that I will no longer be looking up in the sky, I'll be part of that sky. My grandfather Melvin Leroy Ivie, passed away April 24, 2007 at 10AM. The day was gray, the feeling was gray, but most important that one part of a bright blue sky was gray.

Mygrandfather and I

      So now maybe you can see why I picked such a diverse topic because any one can write about the sky and day being gray, but how many of us can say they lived that gray day and woke up tomorrow to see a new canvas of bright blues, pinks, and oranges. How many people can actually say they lived a gray day? I believe I did and I believe my grandfather does......

SURVIVOR STORY

         Beginning in March 1942, Hitler came to power and during the next 11 months 4,500,000 men, women, and children were murdered. By the end of world war two the death toll reached 6,000,000. All because they weren't considered the "superior" race. When Germany and other countries across Europe were finally liberated, people that survived the concentration camps were set free and many people came out of hiding. For this assignment i'm going to tell you one of those survivor stories.

Jeannie age 7

       Jeannie Burk, she was born in Brussels, Belgium on September 15, 1939 I decided to write her story cause she was just a child when her life changed. During World War two Belgium was supposed to be neutral, but Hitler payed no attention to treaties and invaded anyway. Jeannie Burk was only three years old at the time she lived with two older siblings, a sister, brother, her mother, and father. Her sister was twelve years older than her and had bone cancer (Osteomyelitis). Her brother was eight years older.
       When Hitler instructed the Nazi's to invade Belgium that fall at five o'clock in the morning the Gestapo (Geheime Staatspolizie, secret police) went through a neighbors house and broke down the door to her mother and fathers' room. Jeannie's father was thrown in a truck. Her mother and sister were to be taken, but her mother refused to go because of her sister's illness, they instructed that they would be back later. Jeannie's brother was sent to a Catholic home for boys, and her sister was sent by ambulance to a Catholic hospital. She was placed in a isolation room because Germany had taken control over the hospitals, and they would rather take the risk of her sister catching a disease then to be exposed hiding a "Jew". Jeannie's mother had moved to a pre-planned location and because her mother did not fit the typical "Jew" look (dark hair, crooked nose, and dark eyes), her mother had blond hair and blue eyes. She went unnoticed working in another city as a practical nurse.

Nazi Parade Buckenburg,Germany 1934

        Jeannie had already been taken in a streetcar by her father, to a undisclosed location (she would later find out this would be the last time she sees her father). To a woman's house, Jeannie was three and still doesn't know this woman's name. Jeannie hid in this womans' house from ages three to five. Growing up in hiding was not the best life but at least she was alive. She had no toys and made up imaginary friends, having no other children to play with. She seldom got fresh air only when she was allowed to go outside to the backyard, during the Nazi parades when everyone had to open their doors to "Heil Hitler". At this time she would sit outside in the backyard in the outhouse and watch the parades. She lived with this woman for two years, never knew her name, but the woman NEVER mistreated her, but she did not remembered being hugged or kissed.
        Two years later in the fall of 1944 her mother came and got her (she would never see that woman again). They went to get her sister from the isolation ward she had layed in for two years, she had to learn how to walk all over again. Her brother had already found his way back to the house where they had lived. When the concentration camps were liberated and people were sent home, marching down the streets all over Belgium. They watched and waited for their father to return home. They later found out that her father perished in the gas chamber in Auschwitz, if it wasn't for him sending Jeannie to the woman's she would have met her fate in the gas chambers with her father. That's where they often sent the children upon arrival.
      After the war as you can imagine they were very poor and their mother struggled to provide for them. Then when Jeannie was ten years old her mother contracted Breast Cancer, she underwent surgery, but it was too late the cancer spread all over her body. A few months later  in February 1945, her mother lost her fight with cancer at the age of forty five. Jeannie was just ten, she was sent to live with her older sister. In March 1950 the International Ladies' Garment Workers Union, was having their 50th anniversary her sister went to the United States, this later resulted in their adoption to the Salvages in America. She was twelve only weighed 62lbs, had never been on a plane, and didn't speak any English. So you could only imagine the thoughts going through her head on that eight-teen hour flight. Soon she arrived and started her new life with the Salvages' in America.

Jeannie Burk present day

         Jeannie married when she was young and had two children both boys, later she was divorced and was alone for a long time. Then in 1970 she remarried and brought together to families, she now has six children and nine grandchildren. She now works as a secertary in America and takes care of her family. She barley talks about their life in Belgium and for the first time saw her father's name in the concentration camp records in Philadelphia.
        Anyone can be a survivor, practically everyone is a survivor in one way or another if its surviving death, or just surviving another day at work. But Jeannie is a different kind of survivor she has went through more things than any of us can even fathom, what it means to be a survivor, in the dictionary its a person who survives, but in heart it is a person who continues to function, or prosper in spite of set backs and hardship. What it means to me to be a survivor is to keep going live life cause everyday is a struggle to survive if its putting food on the table, finding a job, or attending school. If you make ii to tomorrow pat yourself on the back because your an inspiration and a hero. So keep living and surviving. While you do it don't forget to keep reading my blog.
       If you want to read more about Jeannie's story or many others just follow my link. HTTP://www.holocaustsurvivors.org/

       
      

"Death Marches" of 1945

        In 1939, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany. He started making laws for the non superior race "jews", like if they owned stores they could only sell to other Jews. They started segregating them and making them wear "david" stars. As Hitler got more support he decided segragating them wasn't enough. construction of auschwitz and many other concentration camps began. the conditions were horrible, the weather was terrible, and there was no mercy.
           Death Marches, these were hundreds, thousands of Jews, homosexuals, and jipsys. Anyone who wasn't considered the superior race, when they were taken from there homes, jobs, and families they were rounded up and off to be sent to these concentration camps.
      Many people walked in lines most of the time several hundred miles, days on end with little food and water. Often not sleeping or eating for days, in snow, rain, and extreme heat. many people died on these walks from exuastion, hunger, or because they just couldn't keep up.
       after the many days of walking and torcher, the results were probably worse than the walks themselves.