Because of Romek
Uploaded by snowk25 on Feb 25, 2001
Blood chilling screams, families torn apart, horrifying murders are all parts of the Holocaust. David Faber, a courageous, young man tortured in a Nazi concentration camp shares the horrors he was exposed to, including his brother Romek’s murder, in the book Because of Romek, by himself David Faber. When Nazis invaded his hometown in Poland during World War II, David remained brave throughout his father’s arrest and his struggle to stay alive in the concentration camp. David’s mother inspired him with courage.
First, David’s mother gave him enough courage to keep hope his father would be all right after the Nazis arrested him. Because their own house was no longer safe from Nazi invasion, David’s family was staying with friends. However, Nazis burst into the house they were staying in one evening and apprehended David’s father. Mr. Faber was a Jew fit to work in forced labor camps. On account of the arrest, David’s whole family was intensely fearful for his father’s well being. “We have to hope,” she [David’s mother] whispered, “that’s all that’s left” (Faber, 28). David’s mother portrayed courage to him during that specific ordeal. Eventually, David was himself captured, and ended up in a concentration camp.
Also, David refused the temptation of suicide because he knew his mother wanted him to survive. During David’s stay at the concentration camps, he became terribly ill and did not have the desire to live. At one point, he contemplated throwing himself against the electric fence. “‘Death would be a way out,’ I thought. ‘But there was the promise to Mama…I had to stay alive, no matter how much I hurt’” (Faber, 150), David thought, knowing his mom would not want him to die.
In addition, David kept his promise to his mother he would survive. After the allied forces defeated the German Nazis, Americans liberated his camp. “Sobs shook my body. ‘I did it, Mama!’ I stammered. ‘I survived’” (Faber, 192)! David exclaimed. He had overcome the odds and kept a promise he had made to his mother that he would survive, even though he had to remain courageous throughout the entire, incredibly, difficult circumstance.
Everything David did that was courageous. Most importantly, he survived the Nazi’s horrible control, showing his mother had influenced him. Even though David had a difficult childhood, David’s mother helped him a great deal in his life by encouraging him to be brave. For instance, when...