The Book Thief Timeline

By Makaylah Mangundayao

  • Max loses his job

    Before his arrival at the Hubermann house, Max Vandenburg worked at the "Jedermann Engineering Factory in '35," (Zusak 191) but was forced to quit because, "the Nuremberg Laws came in, forbidding Jews to have German citizenship and for Germans and Jews to intermarry," (Zusak 192).

  • Kristallnacht

    Kristallnacht, "The Night of Broken Glass," occurs. "It destroyed so many...fellow Jews, but...it was Max Vandenburg's moment of escape" (Zusak 192). Max was twenty-two years old at this point.

  • Werner's death

    Liesel's brother, Werner, dies at age six, while "[they] were traveling down toward Munich, where they would soon be given over to foster parents" (Zusak 19).

  • Liesel's first book

    Liesel steals her first book, "The Gravedigger's Handbook" after her brother's death.

  • Hitler's Birthday

    "Molching, like the rest of Hermany, was in the grip of preparing for Hitler's birthday," (Zusak 101). To celebrate their leader, citizens burned "un-German" books in a fire pit.

  • Liesel's second book

    Liesel steals her second book after the book burning to celebrate Hitler's birthday. The mayor's wife witnesses her steal it.

  • Max Vandenburg's arrival

    "In November 1940, when Max Vandenburg arrived in the kitchen of 33 Himmel Street, he was twenty-four years old," (Zusak 185).

  • The Parade to Dachau

    Jews, "[came] down the road like a catalog of colors" (Zusak 391) from Dachau to Molching. "The noise of their feet throbbed on top of the road" (Zusak 391). Hans gives a Jew some bread. Because of this, Max is forced to leave.

  • Hans Is Sent To War

    After he is caught and whipped by a Nazi for giving a Jew bread, Hans receives a letter stating that he will be sent away to a training camp.

  • Bombing of Himmel Street

    "The Allies had feigned a raid on Munich in order to strike at Stuttgart...there were warnings...in Molching, they came with the bombs" (Zusak 530). Liesel's loved ones die in the bombings.

  • Liesel's Death

    "Liesel Meminger lived to a very old age...[and] died in a suburb of Sydney" (Zusak 543). Death collects her soul states that it was "sitting up" (Zusak 543).