Timeline: Vladek's Life

Oct 11, 1906

Vladek's Birth

Dec 1, 1932

Vladek's starts to date Lucia

She becomes attached to Vladek but he realizes he couldn't marry her. She also tries to stop him from marrying Anja.

Dec 1, 1935

Vladek's first time meeting Anja

Vladek meets Anja through a friend and finds her beautiful and smart.

Dec 1, 1936

Vladek moves to Sosnowiec

Feb 14, 1937

Vladek gets married to Anja

Apr 16, 1937

Vladek Opens Textile Factory

Anja's father, who is very wealthy, funds a textile factory for Vladek to run to provide Vladek's family with wealth.

Oct 16, 1937

Richieu (Vladek's son) is Born

Vladek and Anja have their first son and name him Richieu

Jan 16, 1938

Vladek sees his first Nazi Flag

Mar 16, 1938

Vladek's Textile Factory is Robbed

While Vladek and Anja are away on vacation the factory is robbed

Aug 24, 1939

Vladek receives Draft to Fight in the War for Poland

Vladek is in the Polish reserves, so he receives a draft notice forcing him into the war.

Sep 5, 1939

Vladek's moved to the Battlefront

Sep 15, 1939

Vladek's kills someone for the first time in war

Oct 16, 1939

Vladek's is taken as Prisoner of War

Mar 15, 1940

Vladek returns with his family after he is released on Parshas Trama

Vladek is released from the prisoner of war camp and disguises himself as a German soldier allowing him to travel through Nazi Germany safely.

May 20, 1940

Auschwitz Camps Officially Open

Nov 16, 1941

Vladek is forced out of Sosnowiec

Jan 9, 1942

Richieu (Vladek's Son) is given to Tosha hoping he will survive

Feb 6, 1942

Tosha Posions Richieu to avoid the gas chambers

Tosha and her kids are about to be taken to the gas chambers, so she poisons all of them, including Richieu, to let them pass peacefully.

Feb 15, 1942

Gas Chambes start being used

May 12, 1942

Anja's Grandparents are taken

Vladek and Anja try to save Anja's grandparents from being taken by the Gestapo but they are eventually taken and die in the gas chambers.

Jan 14, 1944

Kapo helps Vladek

Vladek is helped by one of the Kapo in return Vladek teaches him English. Vladek is given food and security as well.

Apr 17, 1944

Vladek starts working as a Tinman

After telling one of the Kapo that he used to be a skilled tinman, Vladek is moved to be a tinman in one of the factories where he is provided safety because tinman are not usually killed

Feb 18, 1945

Vladek and other Jews are held in train cars

After Auschwitz was evacuated the Jews are held in train cars for several days where many people died but Vladek survived by hanging his blanket from the roof and sitting on it.