Setting the Scene: Fredrich Schenider, currently age 4, is a Jewish boy who lives in an apartment below the narrator. Fredrich lives in Germany and they are being hit by the Great Depression. There is high unemployment all over Germany.
Potato Pancakes: One day, Frau Schenider, Fredrich’s mother, had been asked to go to city hall. She didn’t know how long she would be and their parents weren’t home so she asked the narrator’s parents to take care of Fredrich. At first, the narrator thought that this was a stupid idea. The narrator didn’t want Fredrich to touch any of his toys. But then, Fredrich shows the narrator this cool cuckoo whistle. Once he did this, the narrator didn’t care if Fredrich would play with his toys. The narrator and Fredrich play racecars and a lot of other things. The two friends grow closer every second. After they were bored playing with the toys, the narrator’s mother asked if her son and Fredrich would like to bake Potato Pancakes! The narrator’s family only had potato pancakes on special occasions.
Snow: Fredrich and his mother were playing in the snow and having lots of fun. The narrator watched them from the window as they slid down the hill, had a snowball fight, and buid a snowman. They were having an awesome time playing in the snow. After they finished building the snowman, Fredrich jumped into a pile of snow, by the landlord’s garden. The window flung open and the landlord said, “You dirty jew boy you!”
Grandfather- When the narrator’s Grandfather always came, his mother would always do extreme preparation. She would dust in places there were no dust, and scrub the narrator’s hands really hard so that they were really clean. She would scrub them so hard that is hands would turn red and it would hurt really bad for him to touch anything. The grandfather hated Jews and always wished the narrator’s father would work on the railroad like he does.
Friday Evening- In this chapter, the narrator goes to Fredrich’s houser and learns the customs of Jews. He learns about the Mezuzah and how they celebrate the Sabbath every week.
School Begins: In this chapter, it is the first day of school for Fredrich and the Narrator. When school is over. the boys get gift bags from their parents. Fredrich opens his immediately and discovers a lot of candy. The narrator’s mom tells the narrator to open his bag when he gets home. After school, the two families go to the amusement park to hang out, eat food, enjoy the rides, and have fun! When the narrator gets home, he opens his bag and discovers that there was nothing but tons of paper inside. The narrator asks his dad what they were having for lunch and the dad siad that they were having nothing because they spent all of their money at the amusement park.
The Way to School: In this chapter, Fredrich and the Narrator discover how people mistreat the Jews in Germany. When the boys go to their favorite candy store that is owned by a Jewish man, they see that the people had signs saying, “Don’t Buy From Jews.”
Jungvolk- In this chapter, Fredrich and the Narrator discover that the Jungvolk hate Jews. The leader of the Jungvolk gave a long and emotional speech about how Jews are bad. After his speech, the leader forced Fredrich to say that, “Jews are our affliction!” Once he said this, Fredrich burst into tears and ran out the door.
The Ball: In this chapter, Fredrich and the Narrator were walking in the street and bouncing a ball to eachother. At one point, the Narrator accidentally hit a window in a woman’s store. The woman came outside and immediatley accused Fredrich since he was Jewish. The Narrator even admitted that he was the one who hit her window, but she never believed him. Fredrich’s father came to the scene and paid the lady for all the damage that Fredrich caused.
Conversation on the Stairs: In this chapter, a man was talking to Fredrich’s dad on the staircase of their apartment. At the end of the conversation, the man said that he wanted Fredrich’s family to leave the apartment because they were Jewish.
Herr Scheinder- In this chapter, Fredrich’s dad comes home from work early because he was fired. He was fired from his job because he was Jewish. Fredrich’s dad’s job was to be a civil servant.
The Hearing- In this chapter, Fredrich’s dad goes to court and is found innocent, so he dosen’t have to move out of his apartment because he is Jewish.
In the Department Store: Fredrich shows the narraotr this cool Department stroe where there is many toys and other cool things. The Department store is where Fredrich’s dad works.
The Teacher: In this chapter, Fredrich’s and the Narrator’s teacher tells them about the history and the tough life of Jews. He tells the class this after school because a new law was passed saying that Fredrich had to go to a Jewish school.
The Cleaning Lady: In this chapter, Frau Penk, the cleaning lady, told Fredrich’s mom that she couln’t clean for her family any longer. A law passed in Germany stating that Non-Jews couldn’t clean for Jewish families.
Reasons: In this chapter, Herr Schneider and the Narrator’s father were discussing things at the dinner table. The Narrator’s dad said that he joined the party because he needed a job for the money to feed and support his family. While the two dad’s were talking, Fredrich and the Narrator will listening the whole time. The Narrator’s father said to Herr Schneider that his family should leave Germany for protection. Herr Schneider believed this statement, but he responded saying, “Why should I, the Nazis will still hunt us down. We Jews have been persecuted and killed just for our faith for many years. I am tired of running and being afraid. We Jews must stand up for our rights and beliefs and stand our ground!”
In The Swimming Pool: In this chapter, Fredrich and the Narrator go to the neighborhood swimming pool together. On the way out, Fredrich had to show his ID to the pool attendant. When he did this, the attendant kicked Fredrich out because he was Jewish. When the Narrator and Fredrich were putting their things on their bikes, they heard a kid say that his bike was stolen. Fredrich said that he knew who stole the bike. The boy then said, “There is no use telling the police about this because they will never believe what a Jew has to say about this.”
The Festival: In this chapter, the Narrator goes along with the Schneiders to the synagouge to see a speical surprise. The synagouge was a small place that didn’t have much decorations. The surprise was Fredrich’s Barmitzvah. Once a Jewish boy turns 14, he was a Barmitzvah which means that Fredrich has to take care of his responsibilites. Also, Fredrich is responsible for his sins. At the end of the Barmitzvah, The Rabbi gave a sermon about how special this event is.
The Encounter: In this chapter, The Narrator’s physcial teacher Herr Schuster, made the Narrator’s class go on a march and sing a long chant over and over about how Jews are bad. The class had bricks filled in their backpacks while they were marching to a “special place.” The special place was Fredrich’s Jewish school. The class marched through the Jewish school, while Fredrich and his Jewish friends were all staring.
Pogrom: In this chapter, the Narrator joins a group of people and start destroying a Jewish Community Home. When the Narrator got home, he discovered that the group of people also invaded Friedrich’s apartment. Fredrich’s mother was all weak and wounded from the invasion.
The Death: In this chapter, a doctor tried to give Friedrich’s mother some medicine, but it was to late. When Fredrich’s mother died, both Friedrich and his dad tore their shirts in anger and disgrace.
Lamps: In this chapter, Friedrich gets a job since the father got fired from his. Friedrich’s job is to repair broken lamps for people. The Narrator noticed something different about Friedrich. Friedrich always used to joke around and be funny, but now he is all serious and hard-working.
The Movie: In this chapter, Friedrich and the Narrator are forced to see a movie about why Jews are bad. Friedrich got kicked out of the movie before it started because he showed his Jewish ID to the Usherette.
Benches: In this chapter, Friedrich goes out with a girl named Helga. The two of them went for a walk in the park. After walking for awhile, Helga gets tired and wants to rest on a bench. Friedrich was very nervous because he was shifting around the bench and was watching to see if anybody was nearby them. All of a sudden, Helga took Friedrich’s hand and took him to a yellow bench that had a sign that said, “No Jews Allowed.” Friedrich asked Helga how she knew that he was Jewish and she said, “It just occured to me.”
The Rabbi: In this chapter, a Rabbi asked the Schneiders if he could hide in their apartment for awhile because he didn’t want to be seen by other people.
Stars: In this chapter, the Narrator was sitting in the Schneiders apartment with the Jewish Rabbi and Her Schneider.
Vulutres: In this chapter, the Narrator’s parents warn Freidrich about his father and the Rabbi getting arrested and that Friedrich should “run” and protect himself. While he was on the stairs about to enter his apartment, Herr Resch wanted to get some attention. He said, “Help, a Jew is attacking me!” Once he said that, Freidrich rushed down the stairs and bolted outside.
Picture: In this chapter, Freidrich goes to the Narrator’s apartment and asks if he could have the picture of his parents on the horse. The one that they took at the amusement park. Friedrich was covered from head to toe in mud. The Narrator’s mom fed Freidrich a couple of monster snadwiches and gave him a hot bath. All of a sudden, the air-raid siren wnt off. The Narrator and his family left to go to the air-raid shelter and tol Freidrich to stay in the apartment until the storm was over. In the middle of the night, the poeple heard a soft knock on the entrance door of the air-raid shelter. It was Friedrich. Friedrich wanted to be allowed to hide in the air-raid shelter until the air-raid was over. Herr Resch, the air-raid Warden, refused but the people tried to go against him. Friedrich was forced to leave the air-raid and go somewhere else. The Narrator and his family went outside the air-raid shelter to find Friedrich and see if he was okay.
The End: In this chapter, Friedrich passed out in the grass. Herr Resch had an evil smile and siad, “This should wake him up!” Herr Resch lifted hs foot and kicked Friedrich HARD in the face. Blood started running down his temple as Freidrich lay there. Dead.
