Elli Friedman

Also known as Ellike, she is thirteen when the family is taken into custody by the Hungarian army and turned over to the Germans for interment at Auschwitz. Elli is a good student who is dedicated to her desire for good grades, and that dedication results in recognition for her good grades. When Jews are ordered to wear a yellow star on their clothing to identify them as Jews, Elli responds by simply refusing to leave the house for days. When she is notified that she is to pick up her report card from school, she initially decides that she won't go, but her brother goads her, saying that it's cowardly of her to skip the presentation simply because she doesn't want to wear the star.

While Elli's original reaction to the situation may indicate a lack of courage, that attitude changes dramatically over time. Once she...