The Embellishment of the camp gained the Danish commissioner's approval. His jovial demeanour, apparent while he was running the inspection, showed that he was blind to the reality of the camp's state. Prisoners were ordered to play "parts" during the inspection; such as bakers in white uniforms making bread and children lining up and playing happily; and false signs were painted by Anneke's father, saying things life "Boy's School" and "Closed for the Holidays". Because of the inspection's success, a movie about Theresienstadt was going to be made. Anneke's father had to work on drawings for this movie. Because of the apparent unfairness of all of this, Anneke became frustrated with her father. She asked him one day, "'You know,...do you have to make those drawings for the movie?'" (155). Anneke's father was very offended that he asked him that, and became upset. He exclaimed, "'You haven't the right to ask me that, child!'" and sat down on a bench, panting; trying to hold himself together.
Anneke goes on a stream on consciousness on how she feels about her statement:
No, I'm glad I've finally spoken up. Why won't Father do the same? Why won't he tell the Nazis he won't draw lies? But already, I know the answer. He can't tell them anything. He can't speak up to them the way I've just spoken up to him. If he does, he risks everything. Everything! (156)
Anneke has learned to understand that even though actions seem hypocritical and against everything a person believes in, they sometimes must be done to protect a family. Although she wasn't sorry for what she said, she has long realised from her experiences at camp that things are not as simple as right and wrong.
***
Later, when Anneke is alone in her house, a group of Nazi soldiers pound at her door. They burst in, yelling, directing Anneke to show them any and all drawings that her father made. They were on a search for any piece of media incriminating to the camp's reputation. Frightened, Anneke showed the angry soldiers all the drawings in the house she knew of. Anneke quickly realised that the soldiers are
...afraid that somehow, one day, people will see the drawings--and know the truth. But if the drawings are destroyed, no one will ever know the truth. There will be no point to our suffering! It will be as if none of this has ever happened...Otherwise, things like this--murders,lies,soldiers terrifying girls--will happen again. (163)
The soldier does a horrible thing to Anneke. He "...removes one of his thick leather gloves and sticks his hand down the front of [her] nightgown." She is very frightened and scarred by how he touches her inappropriately, and is too ashamed to tell any of her family members about that part when they come home to a house ransacked by the soldiers.
Anneke goes onto the roof with another girl from the camp to see Little Fortress and witnesses the torture that the artists caught with incriminating images face. She was very upset by it, and called it another horrible image she had to carry with her. She was glad that her father was not caught, because she didn't know where his real drawing were kept in the house, or whether they even existed when the Nazis grilled her for it.
Although many dark events occur in these chapters, there is still an air of resolvation in the story. One example of this is when Anneke's father gets a cryptic postcard regarding one of his artist friends whose drawing hand was mutilated at Little Fortress. It read, "Saw O.U. doing a charcoal sketch." Despite his punishment for his drawings, the artist still found a way to draw.
At the beginning of chapter ten, Hannelore and her mother leave on a transport. Anneke is devastated that her best friend is gone. She doesn't cry, though, because she feels that she doesn't have any tears left. Soon after, her Opa arrives from Bergen Belsen into Theresienstadt. She has a hard time learning to share her bedspace with him, but quickly grows fond of his presence. When her whole family is gathered around her sick Opa, he wakes up and says, "'Tell me,' he asks, his eyes wet with tears, 'am I--could I be--by any chance--in Heaven?'" (130)
Anneke's little brother, Theo, has been selected to be transported to a different camp. Anneke's family was very upset about this, and didn't plan telling Theo until they absolutely had to. Anneke's father talked to the head to beg that Theo's name be taken off the list. Because of his artwork and (mandatory) contribution to the camp, his son was taken off the transport list.
At the end of chapter twelve, Anneke receives a gift from her father for her fifteenth birthday. It is a drawing of a house in winter back in Holland where they used to live, encased in a small silver frame. She attached it to her necklace from Fracentik and kept it there.
In chapter ten, some other children ask Anneke to follow them up the tallest building to climb on the roof and see the view (another concentration camp, Little Fortress, could be seen from there). With hesitation at first, Anneke followed. As they were climbing the stairs, they passed a number of elderly people living in the attic. Anneke was frightened when encountered one woman. She
"...gasped when a cold bony hand touches the small of my back. When I spin around, I see a face so pale it seems to shine in the dark. It belongs to an old woman. The bones on her face protrude under her papery skin. She looks more dead than alive. I draw back from her as if I am afraid to catch whatever she has got." (120)
The imagery in this thought is representative of the decaying of human life and souls in the camp. The treatment and belittling of the people has reduced them to weary, desperate masses of weak flesh that beg for at least one ray of hope. Anneke's fear of this woman is reflectant of her fear of the future--her fear that one day, she may turn out just as dead, or more so, than the old woman on the stairs.
Anneke's story continues to advance as she feels less and less hopeful of the future. What do you think? Here are some questions to consider:
- Is Anneke going to lose anything out of this experience that she can never regain? What would that be?
- How will Anneke view the world if and when she escapes the camp?
- Where will Anneke be by the end of the story?
- Will Anneke ever find Hannelore or Francentik again?
- How will Anneke deal with the hypocrisy surrounding her?
- How will Anneke find hope in her situation?
