July 29, 1921 – Hitler become the National Socialist Party Leader
History:
On July 29, 1921 Hitler was elected as the leader of the National Socialist Party. Hitler was already on the rise of power, but this just sky rocketed the power he got on making decisions and determining others fate. Hitler was an excellent public speaker and could easily convince a crowd of people to agree with him. He convinced Germans that all non-Germans were bad and negative people that should be punished.
Image:
(The image above shows Adolf Hitler delivering a speech to his supporters.)
Source:
http://quotesgram.com/adolf-hitler-speeches-in-quotes/
Application to novel:
When Hitler came to power Riva’s family as they were Jewish were effected by having their possessions taken from them, receiving no medicine for their sicknesses and receiving minimal food ratios. Hitler could be consider as one of the biggest examples of person versus society in “The Cage”. Hitler single handily made the entire Jewish population suffer horribly by treating them in the most inhumane way ever. Sending them to concentration camps and burning them alive, he made the whole population hate him and the act that they were Jewish.
September 15, 1935 – Nuremberg Race Laws Established
History:
On this day in history the Nazis put in place laws the fall under two main categories, the “Reich Citizenship Law” and the “Law for the Protection of German Blood and Honour”. The laws make it illegal for intimate relationships between Jews and Germans to exist, all business run by Jews must be close down or given to a no-Jew and that German Jews cannot receive a Reich citizenship.
Image:
(The images above shows how the fate of people was truly determined on what their grandparent’s religion was and who they were.)
Source:
http://www.irlv.lv/2013/2/28/noraida-ieceri-laut-cittautiesiem-mainit-tautibas-ierakstu-uz-latvietis/viedokli
Application to novel:
The Gruber family, Riva’s old neighbours and close family friends, at first glance of “The Nuremberg Laws” completely turned on Riva’s family. Refusing to speak Yiddish, ignoring the Jewish Holidays they use to celebrate and changing their outlooks on life in Lodz and Jewish people. Harry is the best example in the book for a dynamic character because he goes from being best friends with Riva and being completely fine speaking Yiddish and celebrating the holidays to joining the ‘Hitler Youth”’ and referring German as his ‘Fatherland’. He changed his mind and opinion because of the influence of the Nazis and Hitler
September 1, 1939 – Nazis invade Poland
History:
On September 1st 1939, the Nazis began ‘The Invasion of Poland’ which is also called the ‘September Campaign’ in which the Nazis began bombing and attacking Poland. The German forces invaded Poland first from the north then the south and finally the west. The Germans completely surrounded Poland, establishing enemy lines and slowly closing in on the Polish army. They then took over the power and began to control the Polish people and forcing many into ghettos or if they were German to relocate to their ‘Fatherland’.
Image:
(The image above shows a newspaper article from September 1st, 1939 in which the headline is “Germany Invades Poland”.)
Source:
http://community.simtropolis.com/journals/entry/1302-mount-rose-tribune-friday-september-1-1939/
Application to novel:
The physical setting of “The Cage” is Lodz, Poland where Riva’s family lived before Hitler and the Nazis took over power. When the Nazis invade Poland, Riva’s and her family’s life were completely turned upside down. The families and neighbours they lived with for years moved to Germany and began to question them. They lived in a beautiful area where it was safe, to the ghetto were you were only safe when you were dead. Although the story does not mention direct messages or quotes of the bombing happening near them, the story however mention many times that “words like war and Hitler are part of the daily vocabulary” which we can concluded at this time the Nazis and Hitler were making their way to them (Minsky 9).
November 23, 1939 – Yellow Stars for the Jewish
History:
On November 23, 1939 a law was put in place that forced Jewish people to identify themselves with yellow stars of David with the word ‘Jude’ inscribed onto, which means Jew. The start were supposed to be used as a way to make spotting out and finding Jews a little easier but ended up mentally effecting Jews by making them ashamed they are Jewish.
Image:
(The image above shows the ‘Star of David’ that was wore by Jewish People during World War II.)
Source:
http://history1900s.about.com/od/holocaust/a/yellowstar.htm
Application to novel:
Riva had to wear the Star of David for identification because she was Jewish as did her family. They were easily pointed out in a crowd for being a Jew so were the other Jews whom were forced into to wearing the yellow Star of David. She asked Saba if she was ‘ashamed of wearing the yellow star of disgrace” in which Saba reply with “the start of David is a Jewish symbol, and I am proud to be Jewish” (Minsky 18).
April 30, 1940 – The Lodz Ghetto
History:
The Lodz ghetto was a fairly small area in which all the Jewish population were forced to live in. The high concentration of people made it easy for disease and sickness to be passed around from person to person. Little medical supplies was available for the sick. Food rations were extremely small so many died of malnutrition or starvation. The ghettos were the only thing between you and deportation and death.
Image:
(In the photo above it shows the faces of the Jewish citizens in the Lodz Ghetto.)
Source:
http://history1900s.about.com/od/holocaust/a/lodzghetto.htm
Application to novel:
Riva’s family was crammed into a small apartment with her mother and brothers in the Lodz ghetto were they were to live until they were deported to concentration camps. Riva’s family faced many challenges living in the ghetto like not having medical supplies for her brother Laibele whom later died. They did not have enough food with rations so small making them extremely malnourished. Many people were selected randomly and picked from the crowds to be taken from their families and deported to concentration camps. The overall tone of the ghettos was a cold dark depressing feeling, because it was the only thing ‘protecting’ them from the Nazis, concentrations camps and death.
August 6, 1944 – The Last Deportation of Jews from Lodz Ghetto
History: On August 6, 1944 the last of the Jewish people hiding in the Lodz ghetto were deported to Auschwitz. Most people died within the ghetto but those who ‘escaped’ the ghetto were either sent to a concentration camp to die or died upon arrival. Many people would hide in bunkers under their homes to be hidden and not be deported, but many were found or walked out and were deported during the last deportation.
Image:
(The photo above shows that last deportation of Jews from the Lodz ghetto.)
Source:
http://www.holocaustresearchproject.org/ghettos/Lodz/lodzghetto.html
Application to novel:
Riva and her brothers were among one of the last deportations for Lodz. Her and her brothers would hide in their cellar for days to avoid being taken by the Nazis, but in the end they walked out with a family friend’s family. Taking only their most valuable items, so with their bundles in hand they walked to the fate of concentration camps. This moment in the book would be considered the climax because the reader would read to find out whether or not she and her family would be deported or not. This moment in the book is when all the things they knew and we knew completely shift, change of scenery and people.