Background of the Story: Judith Kerr wrote “Anna and Max” , an excerpt from her semi-autobiographical novel When Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit . The story is based on Kerr’s own childhood experiences during the rise of Nazi Germany under Adolf Hitler . Like the characters in the story, Kerr and her family fled Germany to escape the persecution of Jews. The story explores racial prejudice, friendship, injustice, and the effects of Nazi ideology on children and society. Summary in Points Anna and Max escape Nazi persecution with their parents and stay at a lakeside inn in Switzerland. They become close friends with the innkeepers’ children: Vreneli, Franz, and Trudi Zwirn. Two German children, Siegfried and Gudrun, arrive at the inn. Initially, all the children happily play together. Their mother suddenly stops them from playing with Anna and Max because they are Jewish. Anna feels confused and hurt by the German lady’s rude behaviour. Anna and Max later realise ...
Anna and Max by Judith Kerr Anna and Max Judith Kerr Anna and Max is an excerpt from the timeless semi-autobiographical novel When Hitler Stole the Pink Rabbit by Judith Kerr. Kerr, like several other Jews living in Germany, fled from her home to escape Nazi persecution. In this excerpt, she deals with the themes of racial prejudice, ever-changing friendships, and the challenges of being neutral in the face of injustice. Anna, Max, and their parents take shelter at a lakeside inn in Switzerland to escape the Nazi persecution in their homeland, Germany. They befriend the innkeepers’ children, Vreneli, Franz, and Trudi Zwirn, and develop a great bond with them. One morning, they are joined by two German children, Siegfried and Gudrun, who are staying at the inn with their parents. While engaging in an energetic game of chase, the children are interrupted by the mother of the German children, who forcibly takes her children with her. She also expresses great disgust towards Anna. The beha...