Parallel Journeys – Discussion Questions



Name ______________ Date __________________

8th grade LA Period _________________

Parallel Journeys – Discussion Questions

Directions – Read and respond to each question. Write a page number next to each response.

Chapter 1

What did Hitler promise the German youth?

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What specific reason was given for the removal of Jewish children from German schools?

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Chapter 2

In which areas of the world were the Jews most hated? Why were they hated?

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Name three reasons why Helen’s and Siegfried’s marriage almost didn’t happen.

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Chapter 3

Why didn’t children need their parents’ permission to join the Hitler Youth?

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What justification did Hitler give for invading Czechoslovakia?

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Why did the Germans ignore Hitler’s hatred of the Jews?

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Chapter 4

What exactly does the term Kristallnacht mean? How did it get that name?

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If Germany didn’t want the Jews, why didn’t they just leave the country?

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Chapter 5

What was the parents’ greatest complaint against the Hitler Youth? How was this problem solved?

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What was Hitler’s reason for invading Poland? What was the real reason?

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Chapter 6

Why did Helen and Siegfried distance themselves from Doris?

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What was the primary purpose of the camp in the Polish town of Oswiecim?

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Chapter 7

What announcement did Hitler make that shocked his generals? Why was this announcement shocking?

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What did the Germans believe “The Final Solution” meant? What did it really mean? How was this “solution” carried out? Be specific and explain the process.

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Chapter 8

A fortune teller told Helen a man named Max would bring great changes to her and Siegfried’s lives. Who was Max?

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Two major events happened on December 7, 1941, one personal and one international. What were they?

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Chapter 9

What happened to German youths at age 14?

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Why were many little German boys willing to give everything, even their lives to join?

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Chapter 10

What was the Judenrat? What was the official reason for the Judenrat? What was its real purpose?

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What was the Gestapo? What was its primary purpose?

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Chapter 11

Why were many German children relocated from cities?

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What jobs did the older children assume in Germany?

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What happened during Rabbit’s test flight?

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Chapter 12

What were conditions like in the Warsaw Ghetto?

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Name two ways to resist the Germans.

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What was life like in hiding?

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What did Helen and Siegfried do with their money?

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Chapter 13

What promotion did Alfons receive? Why was he chosen?

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What reaction did some of the younger members have to the deaths of their comrades?

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Which two important people did Alfons meet in chapter 13? What do you think was the purpose of this meeting?

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Chapter 14

What happened to women with children when the train finally reached its destination?

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What was Helen’s dream? What upset her so?

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What do the words Journey to Heaven mean?

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Chapter 15

What caused Alfons to cry in chapter 15?

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Alfons’ wish was finally realized in chapter 15. What is his wish? What happens?

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Chapter 16

Why did the Germans destroy the crematoria?

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What was the purpose of the delousing? Who really benefited from the procedure?

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What were some of the survival habits prisoners developed and had trouble changing when they were liberated?

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Chapter 17

What were the consequences for deserters? Why were these orders not always followed?

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Why does Alfons claim he was a member of the Luftwaffe, not the Hitler Youth Group?

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Chapter 18

The war ended, so why was travel so difficult?

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Although the war was over, anti-Semitism had not ended. Name two examples of anti-Semitism in chapter 18.

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Chapter 19

Who were the “rubble women?” What did they do?

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Why were Alfons and the other Germans so reluctant to believe Hitler’s Final Solution?

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Chapter 20

Why was Jo Vis considered a true hero?

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Why did Helen insist on taking Doris with her? Do you think she made the right decision for herself and for Doris?

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Chapter 21

How was Alfons’ school experience different after the war? How had the school changed?

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Why was it important for Alfons to attend the trials at Nuremberg?

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Who was Baldur von Schirach? Why was he of special importance to Alfons?

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Chapter 22

What problems did Helen and Doris encounter when they settled in Chicago?

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How did Helen’s life change later in chapter 22?

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Parallel Journeys – Discussion Questions

Directions – Read and respond to each question.

Chapter 1

What did Hitler promise the German youth?

He constantly reminded them they would one day rule the world. (page 1)

What specific reason was given for the removal of Jewish children from German schools?

Hitler passed “The Law against the Overcrowding of German Schools.” (page 7)

Chapter 2

In which areas of the world were the Jews most hated? Why were they hated?

Hatred for the Jews was especially strong in central and eastern Europe. Jews were accused of killing Christ. Also, they were hated for being successful in business and becoming wealthy. (page 10)

Name three reasons why Helen’s and Siegfried’s marriage almost didn’t happen.

1. Siegfried’s parents were more religious than Helen’s.

2. Siegfried’s parents did not like the fact that Helen’s father was Lithuanian.

3. Siegfried would soon lose his job because no Aryan German was allowed to shop in Jewish stores.

(pages 12 – 13)

Chapter 3

Why didn’t children need their parents’ permission to join the Hitler Youth?

Hitler wanted direct access to the children. He wanted to be able to control them, have them loyal to Germany, and to have them report on their parents if needed. (page 20)

What justification did Hitler give for invading Czechoslovakia?

Hitler claimed the Germans who lived in the Sudetenland were victims of “oppression and unfair treatment” at the hands of the Czechs. (page 23)

Why did the Germans ignore Hitler’s hatred of the Jews?

Life in Germany prior to Hitler’s rise to power was bleak. Hitler was seen as the hero who was invincible. (page 5 & page 25)

Chapter 4

What exactly does the term Kristallnacht mean? How did it get that name?

Kristallnacht means the night of broken glass. It was the night the troops of SA and SS men smashed the windows of Jewish homes and businesses; they hauled away thousands of Jews to concentration camps. (page 27)

If Germany didn’t want the Jews, why didn’t they just leave the country?

Visas to other countries were not easy to obtain; most countries had a quota for immigrants. They were concerned about money and job loss; new immigrants taking jobs away from the current residents. Also, the countries did not want to invite racial trouble, which they believed would happen if they allowed the Jews in. (page 33)

Chapter 5

What was the parents’ greatest complaint against the Hitler Youth? How was this problem solved?

The parents’ greatest gripe was the Hitler Youth kept the children from helping with chores on the family farm. In 1939, the government passed the Reich Youth Service Law that required each child to take part in land service during the summer and fall to harvest crops. (page 37)

What was Hitler’s reason for invading Poland? What was the real reason?

Hitler claimed he needed to “protect” the German frontier. He said his attack was in response to an attack by Poles. Actually, the invasion allowed power hungry Hitler to grab more land. The land was to be used to build concentration camps and regain land lost after WWI. (page 39)

Chapter 6

Why did Helen and Siegfried distance themselves from Doris?

They knew the only way to save Doris would be to place her with another family. They believed distancing themselves from her now would make the later separation easier. (page 48)

What was the primary purpose of the camp in the Polish town of Oswiecim?

The camp’s special function was extermination. The German name for the camp was Auschwitz. (page 51)

Chapter 7

What announcement did Hitler make that shocked his generals? Why was this announcement shocking?

Hitler announced his plans to invade Russia. Just one year earlier, Hitler had signed a nonaggression pact with the Soviet Union. It was a huge country with an impressive army and attacking Russia would spread German forces too thin; the brutal winter weather would prove to be too much for the German soldiers to endure. (page 54)

What did the Germans believe “The Final Solution” meant? What did it really mean? How was this “solution” carried out? Be specific and explain the process.

The Germans believed this simply meant shipping the Jews and other undesirable people to work camps in Poland. Hitler kept the extermination plans top secret. Many Jews were first rounded up and moved into ghettos. Next, the people were transported via overcrowded trains to camps. Once at the camps, a selection process took place where the Jews and others were separated into two groups: those to be immediately killed and those to work. (page 54)

Chapter 8

A fortune teller told Helen that a man named Max would bring great changes to her and Siegfried’s lives. Who was Max?

Max was a man from the German government who took over the company Siegfried worked for and fired all the Jews. (page 65)

Three major events happened on December 7, 1941, one personal, one in the German empire, and one international. What were they?

Personal = Siegfried’s mother’s funeral was that day. (page 66)

German Empire = Hitler passed the Night and Fog decree. This order gave the SS the power to “eliminate” people who were supposedly “endangering German security.” The people were to disappear into the night and fog. Their friends and families would have no idea of what happened to the people who disappeared. (page 65)

International = Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor. This prompted FDR to ask Congress to join in WWII. (page 67)

Chapter 9

What happened to German youths at age 14?

At age 14, they were promoted from the Jungvolk to the Hitlerjungend. The ceremony took place on Hitler’s birthday, April 20th. (page 72)

For what were many little German boys willing to give everything, even their lives to join?

The boys were willing to give up everything for the Fatherland, especially the Luftwaffe because it was the most prestigious branch of the German military which was headed up by Hermann Göring. (page 72, 74, & 75)

Chapter 10

What was the Judenrat? What was the official reason for the Judenrat? What was its real purpose?

The Judenrat was a Jewish Council. The official reason for the Judenrat was to advise Jews on how to obey the new laws. In truth, the councils were put in place to put Jews in charge of carrying out Nazi orders. The Judenrat pitted Jews against Jews and made them mistrust each other. (page 79)

What was the Gestapo? What was its primary purpose?

The Gestapo, headed by Heinrich Müller, was the Nazis’ secret state police. Its purpose was to round up the Jews and ship them east. (page 80)

Chapter 11

Why were many German children relocated from cities?

This was the government’s plan to remove children from bomb target areas to safer places. (page 85)

What jobs did the older children assume in Germany?

Children aged 10 – 15 were put to work harvesting crops, collecting clothing, and gathering scrap metal and cloth. Older children’s military training was accelerated. Teenagers manned anti-aircraft guns. (page 88)

What happened during Rabbit’s test flight?

American planes attacked. Sergeant Baum gave up his life to save Rabbit’s. (page 92)

Chapter 12

What were conditions like in the Warsaw Ghetto?

Conditions were worse than terrible. Starvation, filth, and disease lurked everywhere in the overcrowded ghetto with 6 – 7 people per room. The streets were crowded with children crying from hunger. These children were missing the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, and clothing. People were deported from the ghetto to the death camps. Residents in the ghetto revolted. (page 99)

Name two ways to resist the Germans.

1. Physical resistance - as was done in the Warsaw ghetto.

2. Go into hiding with the underground movement.

(pages 100 – 101)

What was life like in hiding?

Life in hiding was nerve-wracking because at any time, one could be discovered. It was also boring and tedious. (page 102)

What did Helen and Siegfried do with their money?

They gave the money from Siegfried’s pockets to the officials; they tore the paper money from their money belts into little pieces and threw the pieces onto the filthy floor. (page 107)

Chapter 13

What promotion did Alfons receive? Why was he chosen?

Alfons was promoted to Gefolgschaftsfuhrer because he was viewed as clever and would be able to get his units out of ticklish situations. Later, Alfons was promoted to Unterbannfuhrer. (pages 111 & 114)

What reaction did some of the younger members have to the deaths of their comrades?

Some of the new, younger members deserted. Some developed a hard outer shell and don’t react to the deaths. (page 115)

Which two important people did Alfons meet in chapter 13? What do you think was the purpose of this meeting?

Alfons met Albert Speer, Minister of Armaments and Ammunitions, and Adolf Hitler. The purpose of the meeting was to encourage the German Youth to fight on. (page 118 – 120)

Chapter 14

What happened to women with children when the train finally reached its destination?

Women and children were immediately sent to the gas chamber and were dead within an hour of arrival at the camp. (page 122)

What was Helen’s dream? What upset her so?

Helen dreamed she returned to Amsterdam and was reunited with all her friends. She told them everything that happened to her (deportation, train ride, selection process, stealing of her wedding ring), but they did not believe her so she got very upset. (page 125)

What did the words Journey to Heaven mean?

These were the words the prisoners used to describe extermination and the crematorium. The journey up the chimney as smoke and ash is the journey to heaven. (page 127)

Chapter 15

What caused Alfons to cry in chapter 15?

Alfons cried in chapter 15 when the town of Wittlich, his home town, was bombed on Christmas Eve and his family’s farm was destroyed. He also cried until he thought his heart would break when he discovered the body of his dog Prinz and his horse Felix. (page 142)

Alfons’ wish was finally realized in chapter 15. What was his wish? What happened?

Alfons was called up to serve in the Luftwaffe. Instead, he was promoted to Bannfuhrer, in charge of 6,000 troops. (page 141)

Chapter 16

Why did the Germans destroy the crematoria?

The SS destroyed the crematoria because they wanted to leave no trace of their horrendous crimes. (page 144)

What was the purpose of the delousing? Who really benefited from the procedure?

The women were sent to delousing camp because the Red Cross was coming for an inspection. The Germans tried to make the prisoners more presentable for the inspectors. The lice came back, so there was no real benefit to the prisoners. (147 – 148)

What were some of the survival habits prisoners developed and had trouble changing when they were liberated?

1. Prisoners hid bread under their mattresses.

2. They refused to shower because of memories of the gas chambers.

3. They refused medication because the Nazis had killed people by injections.

(page 150)

Chapter 17

What were the consequences for deserters? Why were these orders not always followed?

Officers had orders to shoot on sight anyone caught deserting during battle, but many Hitler Youth leaders refused to do so because they knew forcing the boys to fight was simply suicide. (153)

Why does Alfons claim he was a member of the Luftwaffe, not the Hitler Youth Group?

The Youth Group members were known to be some of the most fanatical Hitler supporters. (157)

Chapter 18

The war has ended so why was travel so difficult?

Roads had been destroyed and bridges had been blown up. Everywhere, displaced people were trying to make their way back to their homes and families. (page 169)

Although the war was over, anti-Semitism had not ended. Name two examples of anti-Semitism in chapter 18.

1. Others at the displaced persons camp were furious that Jews were given extra meal portions.

2. Two brothers, having barely survived the horrors of the ghetto, were threatened by policemen.

(page 171 – 172)

Chapter 19

Who were the “rubble women?” What did they do?

The rubble women were the ones who took on the massive task of rebuilding their homes. (page 179)

Why were Alfons and the other Germans so reluctant to believe Hitler’s Final Solution?

At first, the horrors were so extreme, that the atrocities were hard to comprehend. They claimed they did not know, but many must have known, but refused to believe it. When Alfons saw the films from the camps, they thought the photos were fakes, taken to make them feel guilty. They could not believe their hero could have been that evil. (page 185)

Chapter 20

Why was Jo Vis considered a true hero?

Jo was a hero not only for his work in the underground, but also his choice to stay for two months after the Dachau camp was liberated until the last sick prisoner had been cared for and sent home. (page 187)

Why did Helen insist on taking Doris with her? Do you think she made the right decision for herself and for Doris?

Helen knew that taking Doris would give her strength, a sense of responsibility, and a reason to go on with life. (page 189)

Chapter 21

How was Alfons’ school experience different after the war? How had the school changed?

1. Nearly one-half of his former classmates were dead or in prison.

2. Former Nazi party members were barred from teaching, resulting in a huge teacher shortage.

3. The Allies decided which subjects would be taught in the schools.

4. History was not taught; there was little conversation about the war, either in or out of school.

(page 194)

Why was it important for Alfons to attend the trials at Nuremberg?

Alfons felt tremendous guilt for what the Germans had done. He felt he needed to learn and find answers to obtain some type of closure. (195)

Who was Baldur von Schirach? Why was he of special importance to Alfons?

Baldur von Schirach was the first leader of the Hitler Youth and later the most powerful Nazi in Austria. He was one of the few who “somewhat” admitted his guilt at the trials, but tried to clear the Hitler Youth of any wrong doing in the hopes of making himself look more honorable. (199)

Chapter 22

What problems did Helen and Doris encounter when they settled in Chicago?

1. There was a housing shortage; they were lucky to have a one room home

2. Anti-Semitism was still raging abroad and Jews were looking for a safe haven; America changed its immigration policy, but not dramatically.

3. Doris was forced to go to 1st grade even though she was nine years old because she could not speak English.

4. Helen had difficulty finding employment because she couldn’t speak English. The customs were strange.

5. She was fired from a job because she was Jewish.

6. Some survivors found it impossible to talk about their pasts; they hoped that staying silent would bury the horrible memories.

7. Helen tried to explain what happened to her, but no one wanted to listen.

(page 206 – 209)

How did Helen’s life change later in chapter 22?

1. Helen married Robert Waterford. (page 209)

2. They went to Europe to revisit the places Helen had lived and suffered. (page 210)

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