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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What is Mutti's response to Jochen missing from the picture?

2. Where do the kids stay when they reach Oma's city?

3. Who does Micha cry for when he cries about Opa's past?

4. How does Oma feel about Mutti and Vati's Nazi involvement?

5. Where do Lore and her siblings presume Vati to be?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe Mutti's reaction to Jochen. Why does she react this way?

2. The children take a family picture to send to Mutti. What is Lore's reflection about the changes in her and her siblings?

3. Jozef explains to Micha how the soldiers are able to kill the Jews without self-blame. How is this done?

4. Only Micha seems adamant on searching the truth about Opa. What is Mutti and Vati's point of view in regards to Opa?

5. In the short amount of time Micha spends in Belarus on his first visit, he receives various receptions of his German background. Compare and contrast Andrej's and his mother's reception of Micha to the grandfather at the museum's.

6. What is Micha's search for the truth doing to the family?

7. Lore uses the tram with people reading the paper and has a ferry crossing as a birthday gift. What might these and other scenes in Section 7 predict about the future?

8. Describe Micha's family dynamics.

9. Micha visits Minsk specifically to learn about his Opa. However, Micha runs into trouble learning about his grandfather's past. What obstacles stand in Micha's way?

10. At first, Micha goes to the Kolesniks for his knowledge but over time, Elena is the one to request Micha's visit. What is the basis behind Micha's relationship with the Kolesniks?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Seiffert gives a unique perspective of WWII. The thought that goes through a soldier's mind, like Jozef, is different from those who experience the consequence from home, like Helmut. Interview a veteran who fought in combat. If an interview is not possible, find a first person account. What is the veteran's psyche during the war? How does the war change the veteran's ability to live amongst civilians? Now interview a civilian who survived a war. What is their psyche like during the war? After the war? Compare and contrast the psyches of the veteran and the civilian.

Essay Topic 2

Helmut speaks of loyalty and pride in regards to the Third Reich. However, Helmut is human and more complex than having a simple faith. How does Helmut show indications that his loyalty are also feelings that are self-serving and not for the people of Germany?

Essay Topic 3

Describe post-war Germany's political state and how this affects every day civilian life. How do the zones make a difference? The rations and occupation of soldiers from enemy states?

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This section contains 1,362 words (approx. 5 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample