-
Period: to
World War II
World War II was the war that occured while the Jews were killed in the concenteration camps by the German army. -
setting
The story starts in the small town of Sighet, Transylvania. It takes place just a little while before World War II. -
a friend
The book is begun with the introduction of Moshe the Beadle; he, unike the other poor wanderers, is neither liked nor disliked by the people. He is friend to Elie, a young boy who is about 13 years old. -
a friend to a teacher
Moshe the Beadle, Elie's friend, begins to teach him Kabbalah because Eile cannot get anyone else to teach him. -
where to?
Moshe the Beadle and all the other Jewish foriegners in Sighet are deported somewhere and are not seen ever again. -
a miracle!
Moshe the Beadle returns from the deportation to testify of the horrible things he witnessed; he will never be the same again. The Moshe the Beadle that Elie new was gone forever; Moshe had clearly been scarred for life. He tries to tell everyone to beware or they may have the same fate, but everyone thinks he is crazy and they all ignore him. -
life goes on
Elie continues to study Talmud and Kabbalah, and life continues to flow like nothing ever happened or ever will happen. -
the end of the war?
The Russians reported that the Germans would be defeated in a short amount of time, for certainty in a matter of weeks or months. -
Worry over their future
THe Jews of Sighet are fill with undertainty as they hear of the terrible treatment of the Jews in Budepest, not too far away from Sighet. -
German soldiers
German soldiers come to Sighet but do not threaten to kill or deport yet. -
rules, rules, and more rules
THe Jews in Sighet now have to wear the yellow star of David, be in their homes by six o'clock,were not allowed to own jewelry or any other valuables, could not go into restaurants, could not travel by railroads, could not go to their synogouge, and eventually had to move into the ghettos. -
the ghettos
The ghettos were a certain part of the town that all the Jews were forced to move to; all the other members of the town were not affected. -
transports commence
The first group of Jews are transported out of Sighet. All the others are moved into the larger ghetto. -
transports
The Jews are made aware of the inevibility that they will be transported in the near future. However, they do not know where they are being transported to. -
flames?
The Jews reach their final destination after a long train ride; they were welcomed into Birkenau by flames that smelled like burned flesh that wafted from the crematorium. -
concentration camps
The group that includes Elie arrives in Aushwitz, a concentration camp. The men and boys go one way, and the women and girls go the other way. Elie never sees his sister or mother again. -
welcome to the camps
Elie and his father are continually cleansed and worked to introduce them to life in the concentration camps. -
normal day in the camps
Elie and his father are placed into blocks; these are organized according to the form of work that you are doing. A regular day starts with a little watery coffee, then work for multiple, long hours, then get a little more food, then free time for a little bit, then sleep. -
"normal" life again
Elie and his farther swettle into the normal rountine of working in the concentration camps. They continue to survive despite the enormous challenge it is to do so. -
Auschwitz
Elie and his father pass their first selection and are transferred to Auschwitz which is seemingly better than Birkenau. -
Blocks, Blockalteste and Roll Call
Elie and his father are assigned to Block 17, are introduced to the Kommandos, Kapos and Blockalteste. They then receive a roll call number tattooed on their forearm. -
More Transfers
Workers begin to be transferred again. As the skilled laborers are transferred first, Elie and his father are saved until the end. -
Buna
Elie and his father are transferred to another camp called Buna near Birkenau. -
Kapo and Blockalteste
Elie and his father find a seemingly more permanent Block in the camp. They meet their Kapo first, and discover where and how they will be working. Then they are introduced to their kind Blockalteste. -
Dentists
Elie is scheduled a dentist appointment. He learns that his gold crown will be removed, but the dentist is hanged, so Elie's tooth is not removed. Later however, his tooth is noticed by another inmate, who eventually manipulates Elie into giving the crown to him. -
Flogging
Elie finds his Kapo one day during an affair with a girl. The Kapo punishes him later by whipping him. -
Gallows
An inmate is hanged after stealing during and air raid alert. Nobody feels any emotion after this. Later, a young pipel with "...a delicate and beautiful face" is hanged, and everybody weeps. -
Yom Kippur and another Selection
Many of the inmates in the camp find that by Yom Kippur, a Jewish traditional holiday, they have lost all faith and hope in their God. Following up with this holiday, there is another selection, which Elie and his father pass. -
Second Selection brings Winter
Elie finds out that his father was recorded for the selection without anybody noticing. His father still has a chance though, and proves himself at the decisive second selection they have. Soon after this, winter arrives. -
Evacuation
As the war front reaches close to the camp, an evacuation order is sent out. Elie, who is in the infirmary due to a wounded foot, decides to leave with his father. The remaining infirmary patients are freed by the Russians. -
The March
Elie and his father and all the rest of the camp begin a long run to the next camp, in which many of the inmates either fall during the run and are shot, or succomb to the cold and freeze to death. -
Buchenwald
Elie, his father, and a hundred or so make the evacuation journey to Buchenwald. By the end however, only 12 are capable of finishing the journey and getting to the camp -
Elie's Father Dies
Elie's father succombs to dysentery, and eventually becomes so weak he is taken to the crematorium. -
Elie is liberated
As the war front approaches the camp, evacuation orders are given out. As it comes closer and closer, the SS officers become more desperate. Finally, the order is given for the rest of the camp to gather, where they will probably be shot. The underground resistance however, takes control, and the American and Russian army saves them.