Maus Summary#1

Tara Finn

Hara

30 October 2007

Maus RR #1

The first three chapters of Art Spiegleman’s Maus was an introduction to his father’s story and how he survived World War II, specifically the Holocaust. His dad, Vladek, was a polish Jew who survived the First World War and was drafted again to help fight against the Third Reich. In the beginning of 1938, the atmosphere in Poland drastically changed to that of hatred towards Jews. The Nazi Swastika began to show up all over Europe and troops began to organize. Jews with prosperous business were forced to sell to the Germans and were left with nothing. Riots and robberies became a standard daily occurrence against Jews. On August 28, 1939 Vladek was drafted, again. He was only trained for four days and was then sent out to fight against the Germans who invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. He was caught in the line of fire, but because he spoke German, he was spared and taken to a work camp. He did not want to kill anyone but did so ensure his life. There, they worked everyday and slept in the cold and were only fed the bare minimum. Vladek had hope and kept up his health with gymnastics and faith with daily prayers and even molded rocks to play chess. With these activities, he was able to keep sane and healthy, meaning he could stay alive. The POWs were moved to another camp that had warm beds and good food and were released months later. On the way home, Vladek who was heading back to his family was dropped off somewhere else. Germany had been spilt up into the Reich and a protectorate. Any Jew in the latter was liable to be shot for no reason. Thankfully, he knew someone who could pass as a relative. He was then able to return home but still placed under restrictions. He could not own his business and had a curfew of 7:00 p.m.

Germany’s forceful and violent takeover of Europe and extermination of all Jews created a World War II. People began to fear everyday life because the people running the government were cruel. The malignant tactics to get rid of the Jews started in Poland because it was easily accessible and much of the population was Jewish. Those who were spared, were put through hell to help the Germans and to be worked to death. It seems that soldiers on both sides did not want to kill the enemy but rather they were forced to because the countries were at a war of ideals. The Arians were supposed to be ruling all of Europe, not the Jews. They were supposed to be compliant of all their property being stolen and their families being taken away. The white race did not necessarily want to take over, but were brainwashed into thinking that they were the superior race. There are of course those who aided the Jews because they realized that was happening was sick and twisted and that no one deserved to be treated like that. What I have always questioned is the lack of other country’s support of those under persecution. Why did not the United States, England, or France or any other developed country that was able to help, not? It seemed that those who were Jewish and in Eastern Europe were doomed because of the power surge that barbaric Hitler went on in the late 1930 and into the mid 1940s. Poland, the most effected country was forced to comply with most of Germany’s demands because of the proximity and power in numbers that the Hitler’s army had over the Poles. Yet, they fought their best and thought they lost many people, there are those like Vladek who remained loyal in defending their country.