Learning about the Great War through Historical Fiction

Give a student a historical textbook and you make history a chore. Give a student a work of historical fiction and you make history come alive. Historical fiction written for young adults not only teaches students about history but also teaches them about humanity. The heroes of historical fiction display the best of human traits: bravery, compassion, and optimism. The villains of historical fiction show how dark humanity can be through their brutality, racial prejudice, and oppression.

The value of historical fiction lies in the multiple disciplines that it touches. Historical fiction links the study of literature to history, geography, and sociology. Historical fiction is a useful way to connect the historical past to students� lives today. Historical fiction also is a wonderful pathway to the study of historical fact. Students often find themselves curious about the events that they read about in novels of historical fiction, and that curiosity compels them to delve further into history. Historical fiction can lead students towards research and analysis of historical events.

One genre of historical fiction that is particularly popular is the category of World War II historical fiction. The amount of young adult fiction written about this time period is as far ranging as the conflict itself. Much of the young adult fiction written about World War II concerns the terrors perpetrated in Europe by the German Nazis, and the brave struggles by European citizens against the Nazi horror. The Nazi�s actions in Europe demonstrate the destructive power of prejudice and racial hatred. The stories of young adults who resisted the Nazis show the courage and bravery of youth. Many of these stories also prove that the actions of one person can indeed make a difference in the lives of many.

This bibliography focuses on the effects of the War in Europe. An effort was made to include newer and lesser-known works of World War II historical fiction. In an attempt to show how widespread the conflict was the selected books and films feature protagonists from a wide range of European countries. Also included are two websites that offer interactive teaching experiences on the war.

Books

Benioff, David. City of Thieves. New York: Plume Books. 2009. Through a first-person narrative, Russian �migr� Lev Beniov tells the story of his coming-of-age experience during the Nazi�s brutal World War II siege of Leningrad. On New Year�s Eve of 1941, seventeen-year-old Lev is arrested by the Russian Army for looting. He expects to be shot the next day, but when Lev and his young cellmate Kolya are brought before a Russian Colonel, they are given an extraordinary chance at freedom. In exchange for their lives, the Colonel demands that they find a dozen eggs for his daughter�s wedding cake. In war ravaged Russia, Lev and Kolya�s task is almost impossible, yet these two young men pursue their goal with bravery and the unquenchable optimism of youth. City of Thieves is written with such humor that readers are able to laugh even while they cringe at the horrors that Lev and Kolya face.

City of Thieves is an astonishing snapshot of the bleak conditions that Russians citizen faced at the hands of the Nazis. It is also a wonderfully engrossing and readable book, due to the writer�s skillful construction of the book�s two lead characters, Lev and Kolya. The book touches on the themes of friendship, bravery, loyalty, and sexuality. Lev�s youthful optimism and pragmatic sense of humor are admirable, and he is a heroic, yet believable, teen protagonist. Recommended for Grade 8 through Adult.

Chambers, Aidan. Postcards from No Man�s Land. New York: Dutton Books. 2002. Seventeen-year-old Jacob Todd travels from his home in England to Holland to represent his family at a ceremony commemorating the Battle of Arnhem, which Jacob�s namesake grandfather fought in. Jacob also visits Holland in order to pay a visit to Geertrui, the Dutch woman who helped his wounded grandfather during World War II. The book�s narrative alternates between the tale of Jacob�s experiences in Amsterdam and Geertrui�s first-person narrative of her experiences during the war. Jacob and Geertrui�s parallel stories trace startlingly similar journeys of adolescent self-discovery. The two stories are linked by the revelation of a shocking family secret.

Postcards from No Man�s Land is notable not only for its engrossing story of British and Dutch resistance against the Nazis during World War II but for the frank and unblinking look it takes at the many issues that young adults face as they struggle to mature and discover their identity. Because the book is told from a male and a female point of view, it is interesting to both adolescent boys and adolescent girls. The book deals frankly with subjects that concern teens such as sexuality, friendship, and love. The book is extremely well-written and received many awards. Recommended for Grade 8 and older.

Lowry, Lois. Number the Stars. New York: Random House. 1989. In 1943 Copenhagen, Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen manage to enjoy some of the carefree pleasures of girlhood in spite of the shadow of Nazi occupation. But when the Nazi�s plan to �relocate� Denmark�s Jews is announced, Annemarie and Ellen�s lives changes dramatically. The Rosens flee but leave Ellen behind, where she moves in with Annemarie�s family and masquerades as Annemarie�s deceased older sister, Lise. Both the Johansens and Ellen know that they cannot deceive the Nazis forever, and that the only way to ensure Ellen�s safety is to smuggle her out of the country to Sweden.

Number the Stars is notable because it features a female protagonist who risks her life to save her best friend. The book features the themes of friendship and courage. Annemarie�s mission to save her friend Ellen is a dramatic illustration of how the courage of one person can make a big difference in the lives of many. Recommended for younger teens.

Pausewang, Gudrun. The Final Journey. Trans. New York: Puffin Books. 1996. Eleven-year-old German girl Alice Dubsky is pampered and sheltered by her family. She is kept unaware of the horror that the Nazis are perpetrating against German Jews, until she and her Grandfather are forced by the Nazis onto a train that is bound towards an undisclosed destination. During the train journey Alice loses her innocence as she is exposed to the realities of life and the truth of what has been happening to Jews in Germany. But as Alice arrives at Auschwitz, she still retains enough of her childish innocence to remain unaware of the horrible fate that the concentration camp holds for her.

The Final Journey is a chilling book that allows readers to experience the journey that millions of Jews took towards the German concentration camps and their eventual death. The narrative is rendered even more poignant because it is told from the point of a young, na�ve, girl. While Alice is unaware of the fate that awaits her at Auschwitz, readers are not. This book is a grim portrait of the reality of the Holocaust and it does not have a happy ending. Yet, it is a valuable reminder of the evil that racism can lead to and a reminder that a mass-extermination like the Holocaust must never be allowed to happen again. Recommended for 8^th grade and up.

Zusak, Marcus. The Book Thief. New York: Alfred E. Knopf. 2007. Nine-year-old Liesel Meminger�s father is a communist who has been arrested by the Nazis. Liesel�s mother decides to send her daughter and her young son Werner to live with a German foster family. But young Werner is very ill, and he dies while traveling towards his new home. At Werner�s funeral, Liesel becomes The Book Thief when she steals a copy of The Gravedigger�s Manual that has fallen from the pocket of a young worker. Liesel�s crime marks the beginning of a new life for the sad little girl. Liesel has been poorly educated, and she must struggle to learn how to read so that she can enjoy her stolen treasure. Liesel also must try to overcome the devastating loss of her mother and brother and build a new life with her foster family. As Liesel enters adolescence, World War II begins to escalate. The Nazi rule over Germany becomes more and more despotic, and death and danger stalk Liesel and those whom she loves.

The Book Thief is an award-winning novel that features a brave and intelligent female protagonist. The novel�s portraits of anti-Nazi Germans shows that the citizens of an enemy country are not necessarily all enemies. The book depicts several strong friendships and features an unconventional but loving family. The book�s most moving sections show the power of literature to bring joy and hope into even the bleakest lives. Recommended for all ages.

Films

Casablanca. Dir. Michael Curtiz. Perf. Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, Claude Rains. 1942. DVD. Warner Home Video, 2000. Set in French North Africa in 1942, Casablanca is the story of Rick Blaine, a popular caf� owner who must choose between self-interest and the greater good when the fate of freedom fighter Victor Laszlo is put into his hands. While Rick is no friend of the Nazis who are hunting Laszlo, he is reluctant to help him escape to freedom because Laszlo is accompanied by Rick�s ex-girlfriend Ilsa, whom Rick still loves. Rick knows that helping Laszlo escape the Nazis who control Casablanca will aid the fight against the Germans, and yet, Laszlo�s escape will mean that Rick will never see Ilsa again.

This film won the Academy Award for Best Film in 1944 and was named by the American Film Institute as one of the best 100 films of all time. Although it is considered entertainment, the film is a reasonably good depiction of the Nazi influence in North Africa and the underground network of those who fought against them. The film also features the themes of friendship, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. This film is perhaps �history-lite� and yet is worth viewing alone for its iconic status. Appropriate for all ages.

Conspiracy. Dir. Frank Pierson. Perf. Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci, Colin Firth. HBO Films. 2001.

In 1942, a group of Nazi officials met at a villa in the town of Wannsee, outside of Berlin, to decide what to do with the population of eleven million Jewish people who had come under Germany�s control. The answer to this problem, the �Final Solution�, was determined at this meeting which is known to history as the Wannsee Conference. The movie depicts the chilling inhumanity of the Nazis, who discuss the extermination of Jews as easily as one might discuss the extermination of rats.

Conspiracy features a gripping script and a host of excellent performances. The film�s value lies in its shocking depiction of the way the Nazis dehumanized the Jews in order to justify their extermination. The movie is similar to a filmed play and is dominated by dialogue. Appropriate for 8^th grade and up.

Saving Private Ryan. Dir. Steven Spielberg. Perf. Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon. 1998. DVD. Dreamworks Video, 1999. After surviving the brutal D-Day invasion of the French coast of Normandy, Captain John H. Miller and his US Army unit are sent to the French countryside to retrieve the remaining surviving brother of three dead American soldiers. The film is loosely based on the real-life story of the Niland family of New York. The film is known for its stunningly accurate portrayal of the bloodshed that took place on D-Day and its realistic portrayal of the physical and mental challenges that soldiers face during war.

Saving Private Ryan has been called one of the best films about World War II ever made. Its value lies not only in its depiction of the events of World War II but also in its powerfully realistic portrayal of men in battle. The soldiers in Saving Private Ryan are not stereotypical movie heroes – they are brave and courageous but also display the very human emotions of fear, doubt, and distress. The movie is violent – the opening scene in particular – yet the violence is not gratuitous, but necessary to the story. Recommended for older adolescents.

Schindler�s List . Dir. Steven Spielberg. Perf. Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Kingsley. 1993. DVD. Universal Studios, 2004. In 1939, German businessman Oskar Schindler takes possession of a bankrupt enamelware factory in Krakow, Poland. Schindler hopes to profit from the coming war, and with a view to saving money, he arranges with the Nazis for a contingent of 1,000 Jewish forced laborers to staff his factory. However, as Schindler becomes aware of the Nazi atrocities against the Jewish people, he forgets his financial goals and instead uses his factory as a tool to save as many Jews as possible.

Schindler�s List is a valuable film because it destroys the stereotype that all Germans were Nazis and prejudiced against the Jews. The film also provides a powerful example of the power of one individual to make a difference in the lives of many. The film is realistic and violent and yet its ultimate message is uplifting. Recommended for older adolescents.

Websites

The War. 2007. Public Broadcasting System. 3 December 2009. <http://pbs.org/thewar/>. This is the companion website to Ken Burns� acclaimed PBS Series on World War II. The website offers an extensive amount of information on World War II including sections on the effects of the war in America, stories of the life of soldiers, and interviews with people who were first-hand witnesses to the war. The website offers an array of tools to facilitate further research on the subject, including a searchable database of almost 1,000 topics, a tool for organizing research done on the site, and an extensive list of helpful websites. A section for educators offers 14 lesson plans which coordinate with the series. Although the website is designed to be used in tandem with the series, it also stands alone as a wonderfully informative and easy-to-use tool for students interested in researching World War II.

BBC: World Wars in Depth: World War II. 2009. British Broadcasting Company. 30 November 2009. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/worldwars/wwtwo/>. This website offers a comprehensive array of information on the War. Particular focus is made on the effects of World War II on Britain and France. The over one-hundred resources on the web site include animated maps of battles, audio recordings, and video presentations. There are sections that cover the build-up to the War and its political aftermath. There is an extensive section on D-Day with audio recordings from witnesses, animated maps, and sections detailing the actions on each beach. This website is a valuable resource for students and teachers wishing to research World War II.