Friedrich (Puffin Books) (1961)

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You may be inclined to ask what more can be said about the horrors of the holocaust. If so, then read this book.

While somewhat slow in pace, hanging in there will bring reward. In fact, the pace appears deliberate and analogous to the creeping dangers of the Nazi party, that when in full horrific elevation many looked back and realized the day to day progress as one denial after another slowly happened to Jews.

This story is told by Hans whose family is struggling. Out of work in a post WWII German economy, Hans' father worries about how to feed his wife and son. Above them lives his friend Friedrich who is Jewish His father is a government worker with a stable job. Generous with his resources, Friedrich's family graciously assists where and whenever they can.

As the Nazi party takes hold, Han discovers that his father has a very lucrative job. Joining the Jungvolk, Hans is enamored with a sense of purpose and belonging. When Friedrich is denied education, his father losses his job and the Nazi's destroy their apartment, killing Friedrich's mother, Han and his family must make a moral decision to help.

They do so reluctantly but not at the level that would place their status in a precarious manner.

Not wanting to spoil the ending, I'll simply say I encourage you to find a copy and read it. ( )

Hans and his best friend Friedrich have grown up together in the same building in Germany. However, Friedrich's family is Jewish. As Hitler comes to power, Friedrich's dad is forced to quit his job and Friedrich is kicked out of school. things change for Friedrich and his family. Friedrich's father is forced to quit is job, because Hitler does not allow Jews to own a business. While Hans joins the Hitler youth, he is forced to keep his friendship with Friedrich a secret. When Friedrich's mom is killed by the Nazi's and his father is sent to a concentration camp, Hans and his family try and help Friedrich. Although the book is slow in places, it is worth a read. ( )

This book is wonderfully organized. It is organized into 2 or 3 page sections and each is labeled with a date. It starts in 1925, well before Hitler, then builds to 1942. There is also a chronology at the end showing what was happening on the national German political scene and to the Jews in particular. This is an excellent book for anyone, not just young adults to get a sense of what happened in a brief decade and a half to change all of these lives. ( )

Hans Peter Richter tells us a story about two boys. They are the same age and live in the same block of flats, so they know each other well. Friedrich is Jewish. This book traces the fortunes of the two families and is told by an unnamed narrator. The narrator's unemployed German father joins the Nazi party and shares in Hitler's success. He finds work and can afford a holiday. Gradually the Jewish family have everything taken away from them. Friedrich's father is forced to retire from his job in the civil service. Friedrich has to leave the German school and attend a special Jewish school. The movements of Jews are restricted by curfews, they must carry Jewish identity cards, they may not go to the cinema and they must wear yellow stars on their clothes. There is a gradual decay into lawlessness. Friedrich's friend is in a difficult position. He is a member of the Jungvolk (the Hitler Youth Movement) and even finds himself swept along in the mob violence. But he still considers himself to be Friedrich's friend. When seventeen year old Friedrich is finally left alone, what can his friend do to help him and what will his friend do? ( )