Book Club Blog

How do Georg's experiences during the Holocaust change him as a person?

     During the Holocaust, Georg experiences many events and situations which change him throughout the war. Georg was a young, Jewish man. He lived in Vienna, Austria, and when it was taken over by the Germans, he was drafted into the war. “Regardless of where I might turn up in my civilian clothes, as an obviously healthy young man I would immediately be asked for my papers.” Georg started the war in perfect condition. He was healthy, fit, and ready for war! There is even a picture of him!

 

         Throughout the war Georg experiences many events which lead to massive physical changes for him. Georg experiences many illnesses and sicknesses. He was starved, had diarrhea, suffered from shingles, and had dysentery, to name a few. In one of his letters to his mother he states, “For the last five days I’ve had a fever that was constantly between thirty-eight and forty. In addition I had terrible headaches and was vomiting all the time. I was completely wiped out. At sick bay they took my temperature  and then informed me that they couldn’t do anything for me. ‘Everybody has that 

sometime.’ Not even an aspirin.” You can see his physical ability going down. He can barely do anything due to his constant fevers. When he goes for help, they tell him that everyone experiences it and he shouldn’t be treated differently. He doesn’t even get an aspirin! Georg is completely “wiped out”. 

        When Georg arrives at Russia after his capture, things get even worse! After Georg is detained by the Russians, he is forced to make a long death march in which he starves. Many of the other prisoners collapsed during these marches. When the Russians loaded the prisoners on a train after a while. On the train, there was only one load of bread to be shared between ten men. Georg states, “My hips are bloody from lying on the ground, my eyes have sunken deep in their sockets, and my cheeks are cavernous. My hair is encrusted with filth.” Clearly, Georg is being starved and 

mistreated. He is very skinny; you can tell when he says “...my cheeks are cavernous.” It seems as though he hasn’t showered or taken a bath in forever, since there is debris in his hair. It seems as 

though Georg is slowly dying throughout the war! 

     Georg later arrived at Soviet occupied Kiev. After stating all his information, he was brought into Captain Pushkin's office for a special offer. Pushkin wanted Georg to look at poorly-drawn sketches, and make them more professional. Georg accepted, seeing as that he would get double rations and special treatment. When Pushkin saw the poor state Georg was in, he sent him to a hospital. Georg spent most of the next month in a bed, before he was again requested by Pushkin. Georg had to accept the duty of a spy, or else he’d be shot by the Russians. Georg accepted. Georg continued to be 

ill, with the result of a ten minute death! “ It seemed as though I sailed soundlessly unto a dark and friendly tunnel. All was completely still around me, soft and dark. I sailed away into eternity... .” 

Georg then states that he was concerned on the fact that he left this world for an indefinite period of time and then came back.  Georg practically survived death but that is beside the point! Throughout the story, you can see Georg slowly transforming from a fit, healthy, young man to a ill, dead for a period of time man. Georg experiences massive physical change, which at the end, is pretty amazing how he managed to survive the war, and write this book!