Prisoner B-3087

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. As a part of Adolf Hitler’s campaign to create the “ideal” German race, the National Socialist German Workers' (Nazi) Party sought to exterminate many communities that they deemed “unfit” to live in their envisioned new Germany. Based on your prior knowledge, who were these groups of people? Why did Hitler believe they were “unfit” communities to live under the Third Reich? What was the connection between Hitler’s quest for the “ideal” German race and World War II (WWII)?

Teaching Suggestion: This question situates students in the context of Hitler’s vision of the “Aryan race” as a motivation for both his invasion of surrounding European countries as well as extermination of so-called “non-Aryan” communities during the late-1930s to mid-1940s. Students should be able to make the link between the start of WWII with the expansionist nature of Hitler’s policies, where Hitler invaded surrounding countries including Poland in order to establish the Volksgemeinschaft, or the racially unified community that was centered on Aryan dominance. Additionally, this question is an opportunity to introduce/review the term “holocaust,” which links to both the second Short Answer question and the theme of The Dehumanization of the Jewish People.

• This article on the website of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans offers an overview of the Holocaust.
• This article on FacingHistory.org discusses the ways in which Nazi Germany sought to “ensure the purity of the Aryan race.”

2. Consider the term “concentration camp.” Based on your prior knowledge of WWII and Nazi Germany, what was a “concentration camp”? Which groups of people were sent to concentration camps? What were the conditions of these camps? How did these camps fit into Hitler’s vision of an “ideal German race”?

Teaching Suggestion: This question links directly with the setting of the novel, as Yanek spends most of the novel moving among concentration camps. These camps can be split into categories of extermination camps, labor camps, and transit camps, all of which fit into the larger framework of the Nazi German concentration camp system across Europe. Since the novel focuses on the effects of these camps on Yanek as a young man, concentration camps link with all three of the novel’s themes: The Dehumanization of the Jewish People, The Desire to Survive, and Good Versus Evil. Introducing the themes to students as they discuss the question’s points might be a helpful strategy in reading preparation.

• The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website provides a collection of maps of the Nazi German concentration camp system.
• Yad Vashem-The World Holocaust Remembrance Center website shares information as well as photographs explaining daily life in the concentration camps.

Short Activity

Prior to WWII, many Jewish communities had existed for hundreds of years across Europe. Working in a group, select one country in Europe and research the history of Jewish communities there. Consider the following questions as you research:

• What was the Jewish population in this country prior to WWII?
• Was there a specific type of Jewish community in this country (e.g., Ashkenazi or Sephardic)?
• Which cities were these communities located in?
• What is the history of Jewish communities in this country (for example, the duration of their presence and significant events)?
• What were some notable contributions of Jewish people/Jewish communities to this specific country?
• How did WWII impact the Jewish communities of this particular country?

Share what you discover with the class.

Teaching Suggestion: This question invites students to practice group work, presentation skills, and research abilities while learning more about the setting of the novel. Each group might be assigned a different European country; in particular, groups should cover Poland (with special attention to the historical Poland-Lithuania Commonwealth), Hungary, France, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Germany, Austria, and Spain. This Short Activity directly connects with the Activity, which focuses on researching the other groups that Nazi Germany sought to exterminate.

• The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website shares data on the “Remaining Jewish Population of Europe in 1945.”
• This article on WorldAtlas.com discusses the demographics of different Jewish communities in Europe.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who would benefit from a simpler version of this activity, it might be changed to focus primarily on Poland and Germany, since these are the two main countries in the novel. With this adaptation, the activity could be done in class with the resources provided and structured as an in-class discussion.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Compare and contrast the words “surviving” and “living.” What do each of these words mean to you?

Teaching Suggestion: This question encourages students to think about one of the central themes of the novel: The Desire to Survive. Additionally, this prompt links with the ending of the novel, where Yanek says he can now “live,” highlighting an important distinction that Gratz presents to the reader and emphasizing the significance of being able to truly live after surviving the camps.