The Midwife of Auschwitz

As Chapter 4 reveals, the Nazis proceeded with the belief that Jews were genetically inferior, that women could not understand finer points of scientific investigation, and that Germans were the superior, ultimate race. Today, more than eight decades after the failure of the Third Reich, how have those prejudices stood the test of time? Where do they reappear, and how have they changed?

Both Ester and Ana have loving partners, but they form a different kind of partnership in the camp. What do these relationships say about the nature of partnerships?

In Chapter 9, Ana goes to the cathedral to pray for peace of mind because the injustices perpetrated by the Nazis upset her. Explore Ana’s relationship with God, and discuss three examples of what appears to be divine intervention that either leads her to act or protects her.