Yanek and his family live in Krakow, Poland. But in just the blink of an eye, their city was invaded by the Germans beginning WWII. For now, Yaneck and his family remain in Krakow. For a little while they stay in their flat with several other families. Anti-Semitic rules have been put in place that persecute Jewish people, taking away any rights they had. Over time, walls are built up around the ghetto to contain the remaining Jews who have not been taken for resettlement or deportation yet. One by one many Jews were relocated to other Jewish ghettos, work camps, and concentration camps or were killed on sight.

Yaneck's Figurative Journey

With the stress of no food, and constant hiding, Yanek is living in fear of being caught by the Nazis. His emotional state is one of the constant terror and panic at what awaits him at every turn. The unknown aspects of the war leave a feeling of being unsettled. Yanek's early life as a 10 year old boy before the war was very normal. He attended school, played with his friends, and went to the synagogue with his family. He loves him Mom and Dad and look up them but as the war continues Yanek begins to doubt his fathers constant hopefulness and positivity and wonders who is really right- his father or Uncle Moshe. He is having his Bar Mitvah but very very secretly so no body finds them. And learning about the Torah and using it. "I still worried he was wrong, but fresh bread made me forget all my troubles. For a little while, at least" (pg.25) Doubting your parents for the first time is a struggle for Yanek especially in was-torn Poland.

Yanek is taken away from his job to the Plaszow camp. He has left the Krakow Ghetto. Where they need more trailer workers. He is very very terrified he saying that he should just give him self away to the Nazi's to just kill him on the spot. But, Uncle Moshe gives him a talk how he should survive and accomplish for his family. His parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins have died. Uncle Moshe told him that basically he needs to be a nobody. Nobody knows who he is, nobody knows what he sounds or looks like and, nobody knows his name. He's only 13 he is a man but yet still so far.

Yanek is in a cadcial car going away from Plaszow on his way to Wieliczka. He is starting to get a little nervous going on the levator he basically has a painc attack. He sees the salt mine is is thankful for it because he hasn't seen something this beautiful in a while. One of the Judenrats is later killed because of what he did. They throw him in the underground lake. Yanek described his death about his wounds. He is trying to survive and tells himslef that he would never hide under a floorboard again. The Judenrat is going trough uniemginble death. Yanek starts to get more afraid.

While Yanek is at the Concentration Camp he is starting to get fury. He is getting very frustrated and is starting not to care and just want's to almost run away. The Nazi guards were terrible and were cruel. Yanek describes it as, "This was all a game to them, like a hand of cards or a soccer match. We were the ball, to be kicked around for their sport" (pg.108) He was so mad and was getting annoyed. Untill, when someone got killed and nobody knew who killed him. Some people were shot at random and killed. He then realizes the fear and acceptance. He starts to realize he needs to stay and he doesn't want others or himself to be harmed.

Yanek is leaving from Trzebinia to Birkenau. He was on the cadcial car and seeing more and more of what is going on through the world. He heard from people telling him that not a lot of people survive from this camp. They didn't have any food or bathrooms. The Nazis were burning the Jews. By putting them in the showers with gas. He was worried he was gonna die and he started to get down on himself. He was thinking of his family and just giving up. Yanek was very traumatic thinking. Some of the Judenrats were forced to help the Nazis.

Yaneks Fiurative Journey

Yanek has been struggling since he has been to Birkenau. He keeps reassuring to himself by saying,"I'm still alive". He using this sentence by saying he is still alive and he is still pushing through to survive. He's making up stories in his head and laughing and having tramtic dreams. This camp is messing with his head and is going crazy.

Yanek saw the sign that said, "Work makes you set free". He thought this was true but the only thing that could set you free was escaping through the chimneys. Yanek started to get more and more devistated. Yanek meets a boy that is his age, Fred. Yanek at first was nervous to open up to anyone because of Uncle Moshe's advice. Once Yanek opened up to Fred they became really good friends. They had a ton of simaliratites. Yanek couldn't I'm imagine what life would be like without Fred. Until, one morning Fred is so so so sick. He can't even get out of bed to work. Yanek is trying and trying to help him. One of the guards come in and ask what is going on. Yanek trys to tell the guard that Fred is fine and he can work. He really can't. Yanek is trying to help Fred. Someone tells Yanek to leave because he could end up dead to. Fred is dragged outside and has been hung in front of everyone. Yanek is devisateted, he has experienced another death. After, the Jews are walking to there next camp. They had to walk because the Germas were killing the Jews which is illegal. The Jews were sleeping put side, with very little shoes and clothes, and even some people would freeze. Some people were shot by this 9-10 day walking. Yanek hears the planes dropping bombs of the Allies. Some people get realif but thier is still a lot of time.

Yanek was on his way Sachsenhausen. Him and other Jews had to walk the Death March. The Death March was a span around 13 days. 13 days of walking, sleeping outside and bareley eating. Watching people die getting shot from left to right. On the last 3 days Yanek helped this boy. Yanek carried him though the Death March those days he was thinking to him self, "Why am I carrying him he's gonna die anyway". But, Yanek was thinking about if he was in the boy's place would someone help him. His bread fell out of his pocket and had to eat snow for 3 days. He never thought that he was gonna become a musleman and thought he could die at any moment. After Yanek carried the boy, he was surprised to see that the boy was still alive. He felt relive that he carried him for a reason and did it for something good. What could the Nazi's do to make Yanek worse.

Yanek is now at at Bergen Belsin. When they got to Bergen Belsin he just wants to sleep. But, they make him eat before they do anything. They give them a week off to rest and eat to make them stronger to work. A lot of there stomachs hurt the next day because of the soup. So, Yanek had a smart idea and just got bread to make toast. Even though Yanek was getting kicked and hit by a mystery Nazi guard that they named Moonface. Bergen Belsin was one of the better camps that he was been to because of how they have been treated so far. Yanek is still afraid of death even though he has experienced so much death alreday around him. He's still fighting to be alive.

Yanek left Bergen Belsine and now is at Bechenwald. They did very bad jobs. Like, having to move and small rocks from place to place. The animals from the Zoo were getting hung and tied. Some of them were stuck and couldn't get out. Yanek felt so bad. Like on page 209, "Crutelty to the prisoners the Nazis could abide. But not cruelty to animals." Yanek was very upset about how the Jews and the animals were getting treated. There's not a lot of Jews left they have to keep on moving and moving to different camps because there killing so quick.

Yanek is now at Grose Rosen. All the Nazi's are killing so many Jews they have to keep and keep moving onto different concentration. When they were on the way to the camp there was so many dead bodies on the way there. Like, when they got out of the car bodies and bodies just fell out of the train. Yanek has been around death so many times he is so used to it now. He starting to really push through the end and fight for his life. After this a guard came up to Yanek and asked where one of his buttons was. Yanek was shocked where his button went and didn't know what to do. The consuence was you had to get 20 lashes. Which is 20 slaps on the back. And, you have to count in German. Yanek had to keep restarting because he kept messing up the numbers. After Yanek was so frustrated and in so much pain. Now, they have to move again with another Death March. He had finally experienced kindness during this march. The Czech people were throwing out food to them in a good way. Then eventually he starts to get dilraious, he goes up to Moonface. Yanek isn't talking but smiling and looking up at him. Then, Moonface decides to put a knife up to Yanek's throat. After Yanek is carefully breathing and staying strong. Moonface finally decides to give Yanek his bread.

Yanek is now at his last Concentration Camp. Dachau. On his way though to Dachau, his Star of David was almost falling off his jacket. So, he ripped it off on being smart to act like he still had it. When he got to Dachau is was peer chaos. Everyone was sick, almost dying or already dead, and just not working. One morning, they woke up and the Nazis were not there. They woke up to see what was going on. They heard marching they were scared that it was more Nazis coming. But, instead it was the Amercians ready to free them. Like, "I fell to my knees and wept. Had I really made it? Had I actually survived the Krakow Ghetto and then different concentration camps? I had been ten when the war started. Now I was sixteen. For more than six years I had been a prisoner of the Nazis. Prisoner B-3087. Now it was all over." Yanek feel to his knees in pure joy and happiness. Crying of joy. An American soilder comes up to Yanek and tells him everything will be okay and they will make it out alive. Now Yanek is curious and wondering what he is gonna do with his life later. From getting Deportation from camps after camps, from death marches from death marchs, ghettos to ghettos. He is now finally Liberation.

Yanek is FINALLY free. He's done fighting for his life. He's now at Munich were he is getting better. He has his own bed has food everyday nice clothes showering. He's shocked that he's is getting pampered like this. He's so greatful for it. The first person that he's sees and nows is Mrs. Immerglick. Which was the lady that lived across from his apartment. He was so excited to see her and talked to her. The Immerglicks knew where Yanek's cousin were that survied the war. His cousin took in another famliy. The Gamzers, which they had a 12 year old little girl named Ruth. They all helped Yanek to be free and go to the U.S. He moved to New York and still talked to the the Gamzers. Later found the 12 year old girl who was know a beatiful woman. Later he married her. Went to another war with a gun in his hand safe. A war will always carry with huk to the day he dies. He had survived 10 concentration camps and 2 death marches. He had done it. He had done it, survied the all the Nazis He has survied and lived free.