Yanek and his family live in Krakow, Poland. But in just a blink of an eye, their city was invaded by Germans beginning WWII. For now, Yanek and his family remain in Krakow. For a little while they stayed 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 to resettlement or deportation yet. One by one Jews were relocated to other Jewish ghettos, work camps, and concentration camps or were killed on site.

Yanek'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 continual terror and panics at what awaits him at every turn. The unknown aspects of the war level a feeling of being unsettled. Yanek's early life as a 10-year-old boy before the war was normal. He attended school played with his friends, and went to the synagogue with his family. He loves his Mom and Dad and looks up to them but as the war continues. Yanek begins to doubt his father's constant hopefulness and positivity and wonders who is right- his father or Uncle Moshe. Doubting your parents for the first time struggle for yaneks especially in war-torn Poland.

Yaneks travels down the street to a camp but he has to cope with the loss of his mom and dad and his extended family and he's been put to work at the camp by the Nazis. the Nazis are abusing him and he is being ramified about the killing of innocent Jews. " We cannot let these monsters tear us from the pages of the world. (Pg 70). If I was Yanek I would be scared and really sad about the loss of my family. But thankfully Yanek still has his Uncle Moshe to give him support and advice.

Yanek was traumatized after Amoth Goeth almost caught him hiding under the floorboards. But he's also sad about Uncle Mohses death. He has been taken to A salt mine with 50 other men. He thought the place was somewhat beautiful with the Cathedral and the salt statues. But in reality, it was a terrible place to work. You had an increased chance of death and you had been put to work in the dark while mining salt for the Nazis. But he spots a familiar face it is the Jewdurot from his flat in Krakow, Poland. He got killed by a lake because he used his power too much and he was using his power for bad. " That night, I dreamed that the salt statues came to life and set on our captors with their swords, but every one of the statues had the face of the dead man." (Page 104O

Yanek had moved once again to another work camp in Trezbinia, Poland. He was getting put to work by the Nazis to move boulders. But after enough from the Nazis, he was in furry. He wanted revenge for getting put to work 24/7. One night a Jew fought back against a nazi, After he was about to join in he heard gun shots. He was scared and he was fearful. After that, The Nazis kept picking random Jews to hang blaming random people. 6 were hung and Yanek had to accept that they can't fight.

Yanek has traveled to Birkenau Camp in Poland, which is more of a death camp than a work camp. The Nazis whipped the Jews to a shower room but instead of water, it was deadly gas. The Jews panicked but Yanek was ready to accept death. But then a miracle happened, Water cold water was washed upon them. Yanek was so happy, and so were the other Jews, They started celebrating giving hugs and handshakes. Yanek finally got hydration to survive a little longer.

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Yaneks Figurative Journey

After the train ride, Yanek finally could breathe, but not before he got whipped and lined up for roll call. Yanek had to get a tattoo from one of the nazis. After he got the tattoo he realized he wasn't Yanek anymore he was a prisoner in Bercnou. Yanek has been put in the showers and he starts having a mental breakdown laughing saying that he wants to die, they win he was thinking about certain scenarios about why the gas is coming out of the shower heads. But then cold water washed him and he felt like he was reborn and wanted to live.

After the 12-day march, Yanek reached another camp called Saschenhausen. He wanted to go to sleep but no the soldiers wanted them to eat first before they rested it was fresh warm soup but he was interrupted by the guards and he got pulled to a place called the mess hall where he was forced to sing for the guards while they ate fresh meals in front of the group of singers.

After the Switch of camps, he got sent to another camp called Bergan Belsen. He couldn't believe his ears had not worked for 1 week. He was excited he could eat fresh bread and fresh soup. But a guy named Moon Face, Starts beating him for no reason. He wanted to get out of the camp but the guards told him that he needed to prove something he needed to do a "race" to prove himself. After a while the guards let him go and he never was gonna see Moon Face ever again. Or was he?

After the work in the other camp he had been ent to a different one called Auschwitz. When he got there he saw a sine saying Arebeit MAcht Frei which means "Work sets you free". After that he met a boy named Fred they got a along real quick until Fred got sick. He wouldnt get up and after that Fred got hung. That day Yanek made a promise to never forget.

The Nazis took the Jews into a train where they were stuffed into a train surrounded by dead bodies. When he got there he was sent to work by building Barracks for the Nazis. After building he was stopped by a guard and asked where his button he was punished by 20 lashes while counting the whips in german. AFter that he heard shooting and he knew the allies were getting closer and couldn't wait any longer.