History
Name the country that controlled East Germany and East Berlin.
Russia
Who were the Grenzers?
Border Police
What are the names of Aldous (Old-us) Lowe's sons?
Fritz and Dominic Lowe
What was the name the people gave to the day that construction of the Berlin Wall started?
When Fritz hadn't come home on time, what did Gerta know before Mama even finished her thoughts?
Peter Warner was killed during his attempted escape to West Berlin.
German Democratic Republic
What was the name of the Grenzer that stopped Gerta and Anna?
Officer Mueller
Who was Peter Warner and why is he important to the story?
Peter Warner is Anna's older brother. He was going to leave East Berlin in the car of students returning to West Berlin from a museum tour.
Who else does the narrator say is in West Germany with her father?
Her Brother or Dominic
Why did Officer Muller stop to talk to Gerta and Anna?
Gerta was waving to Dominic, and Officer Muller demanded to know who she was waving at.
What three countries controlled the western half of Germany and West Berlin?
Britain, America, and France
Who were the Stazi?
Secret Police
Why were the Stasi waiting for Fritz at his after-school work?
They believed Fritz was involved in Peter's escape attempt.
To have empathy is to share another person's experiences and emotions. What evidence from the text in Chapter 8 shows that Gerta felt empathy for Anna?
Gerta began to cry when she heard the news of Anna's brother being shot and killed. She says, "I know that she loved her brother just as much as I loved both of mine. Losing one of them would feel like my whole world was coming to an end."
With what did the government replace the fence?
What country controlled East Berlin?
Soviet Union aka U.S.S.R. aka Russia (modern day)
Which family member did not want to leave their home?
Mama
Fritz told Gerta to be careful about what she said because the apartment was bugged. How did he pass along this message?
What do the ripped poster and the broken record symbolize?
The record and the poster symbolize freedom of speech, the west, and a life of freedom. The damaging of the items symbolize a life of control under Russia, a life without freedoms, and a constant fear of the Stasi.
What is the significance of the way the Grenzers faced?
The Grenzers faced the citizens of East Berlin, not the citizens of West Berlin. Only the easterners would want to climb over the wall to escape the Russian communist control of East Berlin and East Germany.
Gerta say that maybe her mother "had been a prisioner here long before the fence appeared." What can we infer from that statement?
Gerta's mother is still traumatized by the experience of poverty and hunger that she suffered from World War II. She just wants to keep her family safe, clothed, and fed, even if this means falling in line with the government expectations.
Who told the Lowe family that they should move from East Berlin?
Herr Krause
(Hair Krow-zah)
What was the significance of the file on Fritz?
The Stasi's file on Fritz brands him as an enemy of the state. He won't be able to go to a good college or get a good job. He will be required to join the military, complete special training, and assigned the most dangerous missions.
Symbolism: To Fritz, this file means an end to his freedom and his life. The Stasi will be watching the Lowe family's every move, listening to their private conversations, and watching for loyalty or betrayal to Russia.
Why did Papa leave for West Berlin, and why did Dominic leave with him?
To prepare the Lowe family for the move to West Berlin, Papa went first to look for a job and a home. Dominic went so the employers know Papa has a family.
What did Gerta and the East Berliners discover on the morning of August 13, 1961?
They discovered a fence of thorny, barbed wire had been erected during the night to separate East and West Berlin.