Starkly definitive words that one may readily associate with World War Two are often ‘defiance’, ‘stoicism’ and ‘courage’. Words not always used in reference to this time are ‘beauty’, ‘friendship’, ‘love’ and ‘kindness’. 

All of these timeless, and timely, nouns are seamlessly and deeply woven into the pages of Australian author, Markus Zusak’s, searingly superb novel on World War Two, and the very human face of it (with all it’s frailties, vulnerabilities, and reverberating fear and exhaustion), “The Book Thief”.

A frightened German girl, Liesel Meminger, finds herself in the days just before the Second World War on a train headed for Munich, with her younger brother, six year old Werner, and mother. The children are to be handed over to foster parents for safety. Werner dies on the way, and Liesel becomes separated from her mother.

Soon, Liesel finds herself in a town on the “outskirts of Munich” called Molching. There Liesel begins a new life with her new foster parents, the no-nonsense and coarsely outspoken Rosa and the kind, sensitive and outward-looking Hans Hubermann. Depressingly for Liesel (who is in the throes of despair over the loss of her brother and mother), “The day (Liesel arrives in Molching) was grey, the colour of Europe”.

It seems that Liesel’s father had been a ‘Communist’, or ‘Kommunist’ in Germany. For Liesel, “That strange word was always there somewhere, standing in the corner, watching from the dark. It wore suits, uniforms. No matter where they went, there it was each time her father was mentioned”. 

Back to the Hubermanns of Himmel Street, Liesel finds her emotions thawing as she comes to experience the kindness of Hans, who she begins to call ‘Papa’, and the loyalty (although accompanied by a vulgar way of speaking) from Rosa, who Liesel starts to address as ‘Mama’.

The Hubermann’s two adult children, Hans Junior and Trudy, are away working in Munich and as a housemaid/childminder respectively. They will later be involved in the war effort.

Liesel’s nightmares are ghoulish and menacing. She is clearly severely traumatised, even at such a young age. “Every night, Liesel would nightmare. Her brother’s face. Staring at the floor of the train. She would wake up swimming in her bed, screaming, and drowning in the flood of sheets”.

Han’s compassion and kindness help Liesel to become more herself, but another hurdle awaits. She begins school nearby and because Liesel is illiterate, she is put in a class with children who are younger than her. Hans takes it upon himself to teach Liesel to read, and that is a great thing for her to accomplish in such a time of trouble and uncertainty for so many.

Unfortunately, when Liesel turns ten she is required to don a brown uniform and join “Hitler Youth”. “Being female, Liesel was enrolled into the junior division of what was called the BDM or “Bund Deutscher Madchen” (United German Girls).

We so frequently forget that those who are by birth on the side of the ‘enemy’ are sometimes good, noble people. The Hubermanns and Liesel are such people.

We are told “Since 1933, ninety per cent of Germans showed unflinching support for Adolf Hitler. That leaves ten per cent who didn’t. Hans Hubermann belonged to the ten per cent. There was a reason for that”. 

Liesel helps Rosa collect and return washing and ironing that Rosa does for the wealthy people in Molching. Hans earns a meagre wage as a painter and by playing the accordion. 

On a bright note, Liesel becomes best friends with Rudy Steiner, a neighbour who is marginally older than Liesel and is “obsessed with the black American athlete, Jesse Owens”. Rudy runs and pretends to be Jesse Owens.

Liesel and Rudy become petty thieves. Partly this is understandable. Given the deprivations of war, the children find themselves often starving, and stealing apples and so forth is a means to an end for them. Additionally, one of Rosa’s genteel clients, the Mayor’s wife, has a spectacular library in her house, and Liesel finds herself sitting on the floor of the library reading. To Liesel, she is in book heaven. That she later, along with Rudy watching, slips in through the window and steals books from the library is something she feels she needs to do to give her some joy in her life.

Who is Max Vandenburg, the Jewish man who finds himself living in the Hubermann’s basement? What is his connection to Hans Hubermann? He becomes a dear friend of Liesel’s and there is a beautiful child-like innocence on Liesel’s part as she doesn’t ever once see Max as anything but a noble human being (unlike the menacing Nazis who gut-wrenchingly see Jewish people as being inferior). This is because Liesel doesn’t buy into the evil Nazi ideology that many around her are adhering to. Sometimes children are smarter than adults!

Where are bombs dropped in the war? Do the Humbermanns and Liesel survive the war? Does Max survive? Is he discovered?

What is Rudy’s fate? He is a great runner, so will his athleticism mean he is recruited in the latter days of the war?

Liesel steals many books at this time in her life. Thus, she is known by the narrator as “The Book Thief”. Who is the narrator of the book?

What does Hans do to help a Jew when he sees them being marched through town by the Nazis? What will this act of human decency and thoughtfulness cost him?

The ugly name of Adolf Hitler is of course mentioned in the book, as are people saying “Heil Hitler” (a terrible phrase, but I am just letting you know what was said in the book and so often by German citizens at that time in history). Even Liesel uses the term sometimes in greeting people, yet does not realise what she is really saying.

Max imagines himself, whilst he is in the basement, in boxing matches with Hitler. Who wins in these matches?

Markus has written a book (first published in 2005) that overflows with wisdom, intelligence and supremely accurate insights into the human psyche and condition. As we all know from the brave testimonies of survivors from the Second World War, this time in history was diabolical and inhuman in nature for the Jews of course, but also for the allies (there is a scene in the book where Rudy gives a teddy bear to a dying allied pilot) and those trying to help the Jews.

Just a warning, you will need to have the tissues handy for this read. It is so hard to believe that humanity sank to such a depraved level for this still reverberating (aka intergenerational trauma) time in modern history.

You will not only cry reading this book, you will cheer for Liesel, Rudy, Max, Hans and Rosa. Liesel’s friendship with Max, Rudy and the Hubermanns shines some light for them during this dark time in Europe.

Heartbreakingly, Jewish people are still being persecuted throughout the world today.  If you are Jewish (or any persecuted person) I stand with you and support you. Yes, there is evil in this world, but there are also mountains of love, empathy, compassion and goodwill for others by millions of people.

The Book Thief is exceptionally and expertly written. It is an important book that we all need to be reading in these times of turbulence and trouble in the world, to remind us that if hate goes unchecked, terrible, terrible things happen.