EXTRACT: CH 33 Same-same

“It’s not possible to do what the Nazi’s did with television and the internet connecting everyone,” said Joseph. “Information travels too fast. It could never happen again …”

“Perhaps not on the same scale,” said Yossi, “but it’s happening around you in the form of xenophobia, or whatever the press wants to call it. That’s why this centre, and others like it, is so important. We are the watchdogs of our society and our generation. And people like your grandfather Jacov, who stood up for freedom of speech and provided a platform for the true voices of art to shout and point fingers at our intolerant world, are our heroes. This is our legacy and it’s our responsibility to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” He tapped the boy on his shoulder. “Deal?” he said, hoping he was getting through.

Approximate numbers of European Jews Murdered by Country

Country	Pre-war Jewish Population	Estimated Murdered	%
Lithuania	250000	245000	98%
Poland	3300000	3000000	91%
Greece	75000	65000	87%
Slovakia	89000	71000	80%
Yugoslavia	78000	60000	77%
Latvia	91500	70000	77%
Netherlands	140000	100000	71%
Hungary	825000	550000	67%
Bohemia/Moravia	118000	78000	66%
Norway	1700	762	45%
Estonia	4500	2000	44%
Romania	609000	270000	44%
Belgium	66000	25000	38%
Soviet Union	3020000	1000000	33%
Luxembourg	3500	1000	29%
Austria	185000	50000	27%
Germany	565000	142000	25%
France	350000	77000	22%
Italy	44500	7500	17%
Denmark	8000	60	1%
Finland	2000	7	0%
Bulgaria	50000	0	0%

My First Mass Murder

 “What the hell is going on?” asked Davie, his eyes wide open.

Leah had no words.

“Why are they shooting women and children?” he asked, peering through the leaves to double-check his eyes. “Are they shooting women and children?” he demanded.

“Shhh,” said Leah, putting her hand on his shoulder.

“I can’t be quiet … don’t tell me to be quiet,” he said shrugging her off. “Who are those guys? Nazis?”

“No,” answered Leah. “They are …”

“Who?” asked Davie firmly. “Who are they? Gestapo? Russians? What?”

“The men with the white armbands … they’re the Ypatingas Burys,” replied Leah.

EXTRACT: Ch 38 : Ravi Escape

Ravi stared out at the Mother City and its array of flickering lights. He recognised his reflection in the window, but he didn’t recognise himself. He had mourned for his father, but he had never mourned the loss of his previous self. He never knew why he called himself the Angel of Death to the Nazi. He had never called himself that before. He didn’t know why he had the feeling of déjà vu. Perhaps it was a consequence of the trauma of surviving the unexploded grenade, or the waiting while he lay on top of it, or whether it was something bigger that he just didn’t understand. What he did know, was that there was no such thing as a coincidence and now more than ever he couldn’t stop his heart from missing Shanti.