Daniel Half Human
By David Chotjewitz
Summary
Daniel Kraushaar is just a normal 13 year old boy in Hamburg, Germany. He supports The Nazi party and like every other German boy, he wants to join Hitler Youth. He and his best friend Armin got caught painting Nazi symbols on Russian territory and get thrown into jail. There they mingle blood and swear to never leave or deceive each other. Daniel later finds out that his mother is Jewish and therefore he is half Jewish. Soon his life goes spiraling out of control and Daniel doesn't know good decisions from bad. How can Daniel keep such a big secret from his best friend?
Theme
I think the theme of Daniel half human is you should only keep promises for people worth fight for. Daniel and Armin mingle blood and promise to keep their friendship alive forever and that's one of the main reasons they almost stayed together throughout the entire book. When Armin finds out that Daniel is half Jewish he doesn't treat him any differently and protects him because of how well Daniel treated him when he had nothing and because of that promise they made. This book also shows how promises can be broken because when Daniel finds Armin in 1945 after they finish fighting on different sides Daniel doesn't help Armin out because he was an SS officer and had done terrible things.
Kristallnacht
On November 9-10, 1938 Kristallnacht, also known as the night of broken glass, took place. Members of the SA and the Hitler Youth destroyed Jewish owned stores, homes, and community centers. This was the result of the assassination of Ernst vom Rath. Firefighters and police were told to only interfere when an aryan was in danger. Around 7,500 Jewish stores and home windows were smashed. Almost 100 Jews died in this attack. Up to 30,000 Jewish men were arrested and taken to various concentration camps. After the attack the remaining Jews were treated terribly and many store owners began to announce that they would no longer serve Jews.
Relation
Daniel Half Human is related to Kristallnacht because during the book Armin warned Daniel and his family that something big was coming and that he should hide his family. Later SA members and the Hitler Youth came into their home and beat Daniel's father and smashed almost all of the glass within their home. In the aftermath the remaining Jews on the streets we're beat and disrespected even more than before. Some stores began to forbid Miram from coming into them. The author portrayed Kristallnact flawlessly.
"Kristallnacht: A Nationwide Pogrom, November 9–10, 1938." United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council, 20 June 2014. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline: November 9/10 1938 - Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass." The History Place - World War II in Europe Timeline: November 9/10 1938 - Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Web.
"The "Night of Broken Glass"" United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. United States Holocaust Memorial Council. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.
"Daniel Half Human." Staff Picks: Fiction & Nonfiction Books, Audio Books, Bestsellers & More. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.