Hanas Suitcase By Karen Levine The Suitcase Really

Hana’s Suitcase By Karen Levine

The Suitcase “Really, it’s a very ordinary -looking suitcase. A little tattered around the edges, but in good condition. It’s brown. It’s big. You could fit quite a lot in it – clothes for a long trip, maybe. Books, games, treasures, toys. But there is nothing inside now. ”

Small Wings @ the Tokyo Holocaust Center “Fumiko Ishioka wanted young people in Japan to learn from the Holocaust. It was her job to make that happen. She decided the best way to start would be through physical objects the children could see and touch. ”

Hana Brady - Waisenkind “Hana had blond hair, blue eyes and a very pretty round face. ”

Nove Mesto, Czechoslovakia Hana had a normal childhood, but that all changed when Adolf Hitler invaded her country in 1938.

Tokyo, 2000 The children’s questions: – Who was Hana? – How did it feel to be sent away from her family? – What was it like to be an orphan? – What was THERESIENSTADT?

Nove Mesto, 1939 n March 15 th – the Nazis marched in and set down new rules about the “evil Jews. ” n What do you think some of those rules were?

Tokyo, 2000 n Theresienstadt was Fumiko’s first clue as to who Hana was. She also found out that 4, 500 drawings made by children were found in Theresienstadt after the war. n Could any of these have been drawn by Hana?

Nove Mesto, 1940 -41 n Hana was about to begin the 3 rd grade. n Her mother was arrested by the Gestapo in March.

Tokyo, 2000 n Fumiko wrote to the Terezin Ghetto Museum and received a package in response. The package contained 5 drawings.

1941, Autumn

1942 “Everyone is to appear at the train tracks in one hour. Each person is allowed one suitcase. Twenty-five kilos. Not a gram more. Form straight lines. No talking. Do as you are told. ”

May 1942

Hana’s View

July 2000, Czechoslovakia Fumiko was able to find Hana’s name on a document, along with that of George Brady.

How does the story end? n For Hana? n For Fumiko and Small Wings? n For George?