Podcast
Questions and Answers
Who survived the war and emigrated with his family to Australia?
Who survived the war and emigrated with his family to Australia?
Miloch
What happened to Lolek?
What happened to Lolek?
He was taken away to Auschwitz.
What did Pesach tell Vladek and Anja?
What did Pesach tell Vladek and Anja?
He told them of a plan to bribe German soldiers to let them escape.
Where does Vladek keep the jewelry he hid during the war?
Where does Vladek keep the jewelry he hid during the war?
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How much allowance does Vladek give Mala each month?
How much allowance does Vladek give Mala each month?
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Who offered to hide Vladek and Anja after they returned to Sosnowiec?
Who offered to hide Vladek and Anja after they returned to Sosnowiec?
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What does Vladek do to blend in while traveling by train?
What does Vladek do to blend in while traveling by train?
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What did Vladek and Anja have to do when they were caught by the Germans?
What did Vladek and Anja have to do when they were caught by the Germans?
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Who does Vladek marry after the war?
Who does Vladek marry after the war?
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Vladek confessed to destroying Anja's notebooks.
Vladek confessed to destroying Anja's notebooks.
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What significant event does Vladek experience for the first time in early 1938?
What significant event does Vladek experience for the first time in early 1938?
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Vladek's brother intentionally dodged the draft by injuring himself.
Vladek's brother intentionally dodged the draft by injuring himself.
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What does Anja do that puts her in trouble shortly after she and Vladek marry?
What does Anja do that puts her in trouble shortly after she and Vladek marry?
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Vladek's first son is named ___?
Vladek's first son is named ___?
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What happens to Vladek's factory in early 1938?
What happens to Vladek's factory in early 1938?
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What deceptive title do the Germans give to the transportation of the elderly?
What deceptive title do the Germans give to the transportation of the elderly?
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How does Art refer to the comic he drew about his mother's suicide?
How does Art refer to the comic he drew about his mother's suicide?
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Art was born after the war and was ___?
Art was born after the war and was ___?
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Vladek's father and sister are captured at Dienst stadium.
Vladek's father and sister are captured at Dienst stadium.
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Study Notes
Chapter 1
- Art visits his father, Vladek, in Rego Park, noting the effects of his mother’s suicide and Vladek’s heart conditions on his aging.
- Vladek is now married to Mala, a friend from Poland who knew Art’s parents.
- Vladek recounts his youth in Czestochowa, Poland, where he was a successful young businessman and had an early relationship with Lucia Greenberg.
- Vladek meets Anja (Anna) Zylberberg through family connections and begins a long-distance relationship, eventually breaking up with Lucia.
- Wedding took place on February 14, 1937, despite an anonymous letter that raises doubts about Vladek's character.
Chapter 2
- Art continues recording Vladek’s story, learning about Anja's past relationship with a Communist boy.
- Anja translates Communist documents, resulting in a police incident but her father protects her from repercussions.
- Their son Richieu is born in October 1937, amid signs of increasing anti-Semitism.
- By early 1938, Vladek accompanies Anja to a sanatorium for her postpartum depression, marking the first sighting of Nazi insignia.
- Conditions worsen for Jews, with Vladek’s factory being robbed and escalating violence against Jewish citizens.
Chapter 3
- Vladek narrates the events of September 1939 when he is drafted into the Polish army.
- He shares how he became a prisoner of war after a skirmish with German forces and the harsh treatment of Jewish POWs.
- Vladek dreams of being released on Parshas Truma, a significant date returning to history and family milestones.
- He navigates through German-occupied Poland, finding his family affected by war and oppression upon returning home.
Chapter 4
- Back in Sosnowiec, Vladek's family must adjust to worsening conditions, including black market trading for food and supplies.
- The family is forced into a ghetto amid the public execution of other Jews for black market activities.
- As tensions rise, Vladek and Anja’s children's safety becomes a primary concern; the family attempts to protect their elderly relatives.
- Anja's diaries, containing their experiences, are emphasized but are ultimately lost during the war.
- Art and Vladek continue to explore the dire consequences of Jewish policies, including compulsory registration.
Chapter 5
- Art's interactions with Vladek showcase the complexity of their father-son relationship, clouded by past traumas and current issues.
- The narrative follows Vladek during 1943, detailing the forced relocation of Jews and the tragic fate of children sent away for safety.
- Vladek and Anja hide in a bunker to escape Gestapo raids; ultimately, Vladek is smuggled out by relatives, emphasizing familial bonds during crises.
- Vladek's complex feelings about survival and the loss of family members, particularly Richieu, are highlighted, revealing the personal toll of war.
Chapter 6
- Art visits Vladek again, finding personal tensions in Vladek’s present life, especially with Mala's complaints about finances.
- Family dynamics are explored, with Vladek’s stinginess reflecting a survival mentality embedded by his experiences during the war.
- Vladek begins recounting events from 1944, showing the impact of the past on current relationships and reinforcing the theme of survival amidst loss.### Hiding and Survival
- Anja's old home becomes a refuge for Vladek and Anja, facilitated by a janitor's agreement to hide them.
- Vladek seeks food and learns about the black market from another Jewish individual.
- They find temporary shelter on a farm owned by Mrs. Kawka, recommended by fellow Jews for safety.
Tactics for Safety
- To avoid detection, Vladek rides in the German train car, knowing it is less likely a Jew would do so.
- Mrs. Motonowa, another Polish woman, regularly supplies Vladek with black market goods and offers her home for refuge.
Escalating Danger
- Mrs. Motonowa faces a Gestapo search in town, forcing her to evict Vladek and Anja in fear of being discovered.
- The couple finds refuge for a night in a pit at a construction site, highlighting the constant threat they live under.
Further Hiding
- They return to Mrs. Kawka’s barn, where she shares information about smugglers who can take Jews to the safer haven of Hungary.
Risky Connections
- Vladek encounters Mrs. Motonowa again, who allows them back into her home, but soon her husband returns unexpectedly, requiring them to hide in the cellar.
- Faced with harassment from local boys, Vladek cleverly defuses the situation by pretending to be German.
Plans for Smuggling
- At Mrs. Kawka’s, Vladek learns about smugglers while meeting another Jewish family, the Abrahams, who seek escape to Hungary; they agree to share information via a note once they reach the border.
- Miloch, Vladek's cousin, declines Vladek's invitation to join the smuggling efforts, opting to stay hidden in a rubbish pit.
Capture and Imprisonment
- Vladek and Anja meet the smugglers at a train station but grow suspicious when one disappears for a phone call.
- Despite their unease, they board the train, leading to their arrest in Bielsko-Biala after being tipped off by the smugglers.
- They are imprisoned and sent to Auschwitz, where Vladek and Anja are separated upon arrival.
Emotional Fallout
- In present-day reflections, Art questions Vladek about Anja’s destroyed notebooks, and Vladek reveals he disposed of them, provoking Art’s anger.
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Description
Test your knowledge on key events and characters from Chapter 3 of Art Spiegelman's 'Maus'. This quiz covers significant moments, including family survival and hidden treasures. Challenge yourself to recall facts and insights from this powerful graphic novel.
