How Is Hans Portrayed In The Book Thief

Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief takes place during the dark times of World War 2. In the book, while there are many negative depictions of how Germans treated Jewish people, there was also many German characters who brought kindness through turmoil into their daily lives. One such character being Hans Hubermann who strives to do what he thinks is right in the face of light and dark times through encouraging Liesel to keep doing what she loves and finds security in and helping those who are sought out to be pests and enemies at that time even if it ultimately means his own death.

Firstly, Hans encourages Liesel to learn new words and teaches her how to read. When Hans finds Liesel's book when she first arrived at Himmel Street he asks her,

One way Hans did this is by helping Max Vandenburg and not forgetting his late friends promise, who was Max's father. Hans says, “‘That’s right.’ Between the hand-holding shadows, the pointed words were scattered about, perched on their shoulders, resting on their hands, and hanging from their arms. ’Liesel, if you tell anybody about the man up there, we will all be in big trouble.’ He walked the fine line of scaring her into oblivion and scattered her enough to keep her calm. He fed her the sentences and watched with his metallic eyes. Desperation and placidity. ‘At the very least, Mama and I will be taken away.’ Hans was clearly worried that he was on the verge of frightening her too much, but he calculated the risk, preferring to err on the side of too much fear rather than not enough. The girl’s compliance had to be an absolute, immutable fact.” (203). Here Hans tells Liesel about not telling a soul about Max because he is a Jew. Hans, even though he knows the consequences of hiding a Jew in Nazi, Germany, hides Max because of a promise he made to Max’s father. This shows how Hans, unlike other Germans, had no hatred against Jewish people. He brings light into darkness by caring and going against Hitler and his follower’s ideology. Another way Hans not only helps a Jewish person but also sets a message for those around is when a group of Jewish prisoners were making their way to Dachau, a concentration camp, stating, “Papa reached into his paint cart and pulled something out. He made his way through the people, onto the road. The Jew stood before him, expecting another handful of derision, but he watched with everyone else as Hans Hubermann held his hand out and presented a piece of bread, like magic. When it changed hands, the Jew slide down, He fell onto his knees and held papa’s shins. He buried his face