Mt. Vesuvius erupts and destroys Pompeii, killing an estimated 16,000 people (307).
1346
The Bubonic plague kills an estimated 50 million Europeans over the course of seven years (307).
World War I begins
WWI - Erik Vandenburg saves Hans' life, dies in battle, and leaves him his accordion (178).
World War I ends with a death toll of approximately 20 million.
Hitler rises to absolute power in Germany as 90% of Germans support him (63).
The anti-Semitic Nuremberg Laws are enacted, severely limiting the ability of German Jews to remain a part of society (192).
The Jesse Owens Incident: Jesse Owens sets a world record in the 100m dash at the 1936 Berlin Olympics and Rudy Steiner, covered in charcoal, reenacts the feat (56-61).
Hans applies to join the Nazi Party, witnesses a Jewish shop being vandalized, punches the windows of the Nazi party office, and takes back his application (181-182).
Kristallnacht (51)
Max goes into hiding with the help of his childhood friend, Walter Kugler (192).
Liesel's brother, Werner, dies on the train (20).
Liesel steals The Gravedigger's Handbook from the snow (24).
Liesel arrives at 33 Himmel Street and meets the Hubermanns (27).
Liesel turns ten and receives a used doll as a gift (40).
Liesel starts reading The Grave Digger's Handbook with Hans (54).
After Walter Kugler approaches him, Hans agrees to hide Max (184).
Nazi Germany invades Poland and World War II begins (73).
Liesel moves up to the fifth grade (74).
Liesel beats up Ludwig Schmeikl after he makes fun of her reading abilities (78).
Liesel and Hans finish reading The Gravedigger's Handbook (86).
Liesel is given two books for Christmas (88).
Liesel writes a letter to her mother (94-95).
Liesel turns 11 but receives no gift because the Hubermanns have no money (98).
Liesel steals The Shoulder Shrug from the book burning (120).
Hans and Hans Junior argue and Hans Junior storms out of the house (105-106).
Liesel first steps into the mayor's library (134).
Hans sends Max a copy of Mein Kampf, with a key to his house taped to the book's inside cover (195).
Rudy and Liesel steal apples (152-153).
Rudy and Liesel steal food from Otto Sturm and later from a potato farmer (162-166).
Max arrives at 33 Himmel Street seeking shelter (173).
Liesel turns 12 and receives a used book from the Hubermanns; Max is uncomfortable because he didn't know it was her birthday (221).
Max gives Liesel a belated birthday gift, The Standover Man (223).
Liesel gives Max a haircut (244).
Liesel first turns down Ilsa Hermann when she offers Liesel The Whistler (246).
Max asks Liesel for a weather report and paints it on the wall of the basement (249).
Germany breaks its secret alliance with Russia and invades the Communist superpower (257).
The Hermanns let Rosa go, Ilsa offers Liesel The Whistler again, Liesel refuses, and she berates Ilsa for being rich and pathetic (259-263).
Britain and Russia join forces against Nazi Germany (257).
Viktor Chemmel beats Rudy after their failed apple-stealing exploits (276).
Rudy is "all out of laughter and lies" after being forced to roll around in the mud during Hitler Youth training (282).
Rudy and Liesel steal The Whistler from the Hermanns' library and Liesel is officially "branded with her title" of book thief (292).
Rudy's first act of stupidity: he tries to steal the biggest potato from the grocer and is caught (293).
Rudy's second act of stupidity: he throws a rock at Franz Deutscher on Munich Street, starting a fight which he loses (298).
Rudy's third act of stupidity: "skipping the Hitler Youth meetings" (299).
After Viktor Chemmel throws The Whistler into the Amper River, Rudy jumps in after it and rescues it for Liesel (241, 303).
Liesel brings buckets full of snow into the basement to cheer up Max. Together with Hans and Rosa, they have a snowball fight and build a snowman (313).
Max's health deteriorates and he collapses into a coma (314).
Liesel turns 13 but there are no gifts and there is no cake; Max lies comatose in her bed (317).
Desperate for Max to wake up, Liesel spends the second half of February gathering presents for him. She comes up with 13 (323).
Liesel wants to steal another book from the Hermanns' library so she can read to Max. Rudy comes along and they steal The Dream Carrier (327).
Liesel has the nightmare about her brother's death on the train, except that this time, Max takes the place of her brother (331).
Max wakes up and Rosa comes to school to tell Liesel (332).
Max's health improves and he moves back to the basement (335).
Allied forces bomb the German city of Koln, killing about 500 people and increasing Death's workload (336).
The Hubermanns and Max survive a basement inspection by the Nazis (346).
Rudy dies (242).
World War II ends with a death toll of approximately 85 million.