When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit

“She looked at Anna curiously. ‘I thought Jews were supposed to have bent noses, but your nose is quite ordinary. Has your brother got a bent nose?’”

Once again, Elsbeth and Anna cannot adequately contextualize the Nazi party’s ascension to power and The Threat of Antisemitism. They discuss these politically charged topics with only passing interest, but in doing so reveal the political context of Berlin. Antisemitic teachings are alluded to in Elsbeth’s ethnic stereotype about Jewish noses, which she does not understand as insulting and derogatory. Her casual questioning on this point reflects how widespread and normalized antisemitic stereotypes have become in their society.

“Oh, we do need him in these terrible, terrible times!”

The exposition continues to allude to political and social division in Germany leading up to the 1933 election of Hitler. Fraulein Lambeck refers to Anna’s father, whom she considers to be a vital voice in the public discourse (“we do need him”). Anna’s father’s outward criticism of the Nazi party leads to his branding as a political enemy, turning him into a symbol for The Importance of Resilience.

“If you want to write about disasters, that’s what you must do. It’s no use trying to write what other people want. The only way to write anything good is to try to please yourself.”

Papa urges Anna to continue to write about what feels true to her, despite her teacher’s encouragement to write about more cheerful matters. Anna’s poetry becomes an analogy for Papa’s own writing, through which he continues to criticize the Nazi party despite the risks he faces. Papa is a morally righteous person who believes in expressing one’s truth.

“‘But why did Papa leave so suddenly?’ asked Max. ‘Because yesterday someone rang him up and warned him that they might be going to take away his passport.’”

The Nazi party made a number of arrests and passport seizures as soon as they were elected in 1933. This allowed them to silence critics and dissenters immediately. Fortunately, Papa (as in the case of the real-life Alfred Kerr) receives a tip-off, and is able to escape in time. The stress and fear involved in the family’s flight from Germany is alluded to, as arrest was a very real possibility.

“Onkel Julius smiled at Mama. ‘I do think he’s taking all this too seriously.’”

Onkel Julius believes that Papa’s flight from Germany is an overreaction. He is confident that Papa’s fears about the Nazi party seizing power and enacting hateful laws will not come to pass. His cheerful dismissal of the threat is an instance of dramatic irony: He will eventually suffer terribly under the Nazis in the years to come, losing his job, his home, and—in a final intolerable blow—his zoo pass.

“Mama handed him the passports and smiled. But the hand with which she was holding her handbag was squeezing the camel into terrible contortions.”

Mama is obviously trying to seem nonchalant, even smiling at the passport inspector, but her anxiety is revealed in her hand squeezing her handbag. The tense and stressful moment illustrates Mama’s very real fear that they might be arrested at the border, as Jews and family members of a well-known anti-Nazi critic.

“‘I always knew we should have brought the games compendium,’ said Max. ‘Hitler’s probably playing Snakes and Ladders with it this very minute.’ ‘And snuggling my Pink Rabbit!’ said Anna and laughed. But some tears had come into her eyes and were running down her cheeks at the same time.”

Humor is an important coping strategy for the family, as when Max and Anna laugh here at the image of Hitler snuggling Pink Rabbit and playing Snakes and Ladders after the Nazi’s seizure of their property. It is their way of coping with their disappointment over losing all of their possessions. The children must embrace The Importance of Resilience in the face of their hardships.

“As the boat steamed back to Zurich she snuggled up to Papa and they watched the blue light from the ship’s lantern trailing through the dark water behind them. ‘I think I might quite like being a refugee,’ said Anna.”

Papa urges Anna to see the excitement and adventure that comes with life in a new place, rather than just focusing on the challenges of being in an unfamiliar place and having less money. Papa is thus an important example of The Importance of Resilience for Anna. Papa articulates some unexpected benefits of life as a refugee, including skills like adaptability and confidence, and exciting experiences.

“‘I think Vreneli and Franz will have to decide who their friends are,’ said Papa. ‘Swiss neutrality is all very well, but it can be taken too far.’”

Switzerland did not criticize the Nazi party for their increasingly immoral actions, preferring to remain neutral. Papa condemns the policy of Swiss neutrality, as he believes that to remain neutral is to condone immorality and cruelty. He believes in standing up for fairness and justice. Vreneli and Franz’s desire to play with the children of the Nazis as well as Max and Anna, who are Jewish, becomes an analogy for Swiss neutrality. Papa insists that the Zwirns must choose Max and Anna or the Nazi children, illustrating his view that Switzerland, too, should take a stance.

“A famous professor had been arrested and sent to a concentration camp. The Nazis had chained him to a dog kennel.”

Anna is distressed with Omama’s stories about the professor who is arrested and treated like a dog. The Threat of Antisemitism is revealed in full through the horrific treatment of the Nazi’s victims. The fate of the professor also represents the position that Anna and her family might have been in had they not escaped from Germany in time.

“The kitchen was full of smoke. ‘now where’s the dish…and some salt…oh!’ cried Mama, ‘I’ve got another lot of potatoes to do!’ She looked appealingly at Papa. ‘Dearest, can you pass me the colander?’ ‘Which is the colander?’ said Papa.”

Mama struggles to take on the domestic burden of cooking and cleaning for her family, having never had to do these tasks before. Her obvious inexperience is illustrated in her flustered confusion and in the smoky kitchen. Similarly, Papa does not know what a colander is. The family’s struggle to adjust to working- class life reflects The Challenges of the Refugee Experience.

“Mama had hung it with lametta and covered it with little candles. But it looked so pretty, shining green and silver above the red oilcloth of the table, that Anna suddenly knew that Christmas would be all right.”

Anna, who initially worries that Christmas will feel very different away from their Berlin home and with very little money, realizes that the most important part is being together with her family. Mama’s efforts ensure that their family’s life is still special and fun, despite the enormous challenges the family continues to face.

“The nightmares always started slowly with Papa moaning and making frightening grunting sounds until at last they exploded into a great cry.”

Papa’s ongoing trauma from the stress of his escape from Germany, where he knew his arrest was very possible, continues to haunt him. His nightmares reflect both The Threat of Antisemitism and The Challenges of the Refugee Experience, as Papa must cope with traumatic memories while also facing the struggles of his day-to-day life in a new country.

“‘Well—doesn’t it bother you?’ said Max. ‘I mean—being so different from everyone else?’”

Max wants to fit in with his peers. Instead, he cannot understand the language, speaks with a heavy accent, and has different clothes. Max’s status as an outsider embodies The Challenges of the Refugee Experience, with Max struggling with “being so different.”

“‘You do look a bit needy,’ said Papa. His face looked tired.”

Papa admits here that Anna looks “needy”—i.e., in need of charitable assistance. His “tired” face denotes his exhaustion, but also his shame at not being able to provide for his family, reflecting The Challenges of the Refugee Experience.

“Anna did not feel tired at all as they wandered through the crowded streets. There were accordions and people dancing everywhere, and every so often they stopped and joined in. Some cafes were serving free wine to celebrate the occasion.”

Bastille Day is characterized as a night of joyous energy, excitement, and adventure for the family. The family copes with the challenges of their situation by opening themselves up to new experiences and connections in their new country, embracing The Importance of Resilience.

“Instead of mentally translating the question into German, deciding on an answer, and then translating that back into French, Anna called back, ‘we went to see our friends.’ The words seemed to arrive from nowhere, in perfect French, without her having to think at all.”

Anna has a breakthrough with her French language skills and is delighted. Anna has made constant efforts to learn French; her improved skills reflect her tenacity and The Importance of Resilience.

“I’ve won the prix d’excellence! That means they think I’m the best student in the class.”

Max was previously a lazy and unmotivated student, but he is determined to learn French and—in doing so—becomes the best student in his class. Once again, The Importance of Resilience is reflected in the children’s academic successes.

“‘The Mayor of Paris has decided to award prizes for the twenty best French compositions written by children taking the certificat d’etudes,’ she explained. ‘It seems that you have been awarded one of them.’”

Anna turns suffering into triumph when she renders her father’s flight from Germany into an award-winning composition. This achievement is especially relevant given that Anna is writing in a language she has only spent 18 months learning, once more speaking to The Importance of Resilience.

“Onkel Julius had received an official letter revoking his pass to the Zoo. No reason was given. The fact that he had a Jewish grandmother was enough.”

Onkel Julius remains connected to a sense of self and finds joy through visiting the zoo animals, despite the efforts of the Nazi party to dehumanize him. The dry and bureaucratic nature of the letter that took away Julius’s only source of joy is emphasized, highlighting the indifferent cruelty of the Nazi government. The Threat of Antisemitism culminates in Julius’s tragic death shortly afterward.

“Onkel Julius’s watch was in his hand and he was stroking it, very gently, with one finger.”

Papa sits amid the noise and clamor of his excited family and strokes Julius’s watch. This illustrates Papa’s overwhelming grief in this moment, which isolates him. His grief reflects the grief of the millions who lost friends and families through the Nazi’s genocidal policies.

“‘The Thames!’ cried Papa. It was lined with lights on both sides and Anna could see some cars and a red bus crawling along beneath them.”

Although being a refugee is terrifying and exhausting, Judith Kerr suggests that it is also often exciting. The family arrives in London and views the famous Thames River and the iconic London red buses—Anna’s next adventure is beginning.

“‘Can you understand what they’re saying?’ asked Anna. ‘Not a word,’ said Max. ‘A few months and we’ll be able to,’ said Anna.”

Anna has grown significantly in maturity and confidence after the challenges of learning French in Paris. Her experiences as a refugee have given her the confidence that they can master life in England, just as they mastered life in Paris. Her attitude reflects The Importance of Resilience.