55 Jablonksi Strasse

55 Jablonski Strasse is the location of the apartment building where several of the prominent characters in the novel live. The four story building represents the class structure with German society at the time. The rich Jewish woman lives on the top floor, but the powerful and cruel new regime, represented by the Persickes living on the first floor, aim to turn the positioning upside down. The Jewish people are to be stripped of their money, goods, dignity and even lives in the reorganizing of the nation. This restructuring of society takes places amidst resistance from those who adhere to principles of justice as represented by the retired judge who also lives on the ground floor. Likewise, the Quangels who are second floor residents, initially try to maintain a middle ground of political non-involvement, but find it difficult to ignore the injustice they see. This tension between right...