Munoz Ryan author study discussion

In the first part we meet Friedrich, do you agree with the father that taking him out of school ultimately did him better?
Do you think he was led to the harmonica?
Did you know before reading these chapters that the Nazi's also tried to do away with people who had any deformity, even if they were German?
What other questions are there that you have after reading these chapters?
Do you think Elisabeth is really a strong Nazi? Will Friedrich make his dream come true or will he be a victim of Hitler?

I feel that was a wise choice to take him out of school. He was drawn to the harmonica, because of this choice. I think this was the authors purpose from the beginning.

I as reading this chapter I stopped and discussed with my husband that it wasn't going to be good for Fredrich, because Nazi killed anyone who was different. Even if they were full German, in their eyes, they couldn't be different.

I feel a lot of Germans felt joining the Nazi government was the only way to stay safe and I think this goes for Elisabeth. She know how against the government her father is and this is how she feels she can safe him and her brother.

I agree that it was a good choice to pull Friedrich out of school. Times were different back then and their country was heading toward a war. I get scared for people any time I read of events during this time and the power of Hitler. I didn't realize that they would basically sterilize those who they thought were impure due to deformities or other issues even though they could prove they were German. I guess they were lucky they weren't just killed.
I do believe that Friedrich was lead to the harmonica. There is no other explanation as to why he ended up in the graveyard and found the harmonica. His path was shown to him.
I don't think Elisabeth is a true Hitlerite. I feel being in the big city the pressure was even stronger to be a strong supporter of Hitler. I want to think she is playing a part to survive and maybe keep any focus or questions away from Friedrich and her father.

I also felt it was a wise choice for Friedrich’s Father to pull him out of school. I feel like Friedrich at that age already knew what his passion was and wanted to strive towards that. For this reason, I do believe that he was led to the harmonica. It was nice that he could be an apprentice in a factory where his father could oversee his work as well.

I knew that Hitler wanted to create a pure German race, but I didn’t realize to what extent. I have a lot of empathy for Friedrich so far in this book. I do believe Elisabeth is already brainwashed as a Hitlerite. I feel worried about her loyalty to her family as it seems she is beginning to replace them and allowing her new community to fulfill her desires.

I predict that Friedrich and his Father will somehow escape Hitler’s tactics, or at least that is my hope. I would hate to see Friedrich become a victim of Hitler.

I agree with Fredrich's father's decision to remove him from school. He lived in fear everyday. With the direction the country was headed, eventually his life may have been in danger and I think the father recognized that. He seemed like the type of father that would make sure his son received an education, even if it wasn't in a typical school.

I do feel that Fredrich was led to the harmonica and I'm excited to see how it ties in to the harmonica from the prologue. I'm curious how far apart Fredrich's and Otto's experiences with the harmonicas were intended to be.

I did not know that Hitler's version of a pure Germany included eliminating members of the population with an imperfection as simple as a birthmark.

I'm holding out hope that Elisabeth is not a true follower of Hitler's, but instead a lost soul looking for a place to fit in. If pushed to choose, I hope that she would choose her family over the party. There is still a lot of book left, so I am also hoping that even when faced with adversity, Fredrich is able to realize his dream of become a conductor.

I do think that it was a good idea for Fredrich's father to take him out of school because I think that it was safer for him to be with his father and have his father, along with his father's co-workers teach him in their strong areas. I might feel differently if it was a different time in history.
I do think that Fredrich was led to the harmonica and that he had some connection to it. That is why he was led to the graveyard to find the one that he did. It seems that it is a natural talent for him.
Before I read this book, I did not know that a deformity would cause you to be done away with by the Nazis. I don't really consider a birthmark to be a deformity, even though that was thought at the time of this book. Fredrich is really concerned about the surgery and where his life will be after it.
I don't think that Elisabeth is a strong Nazi. I think that she feels she needs to prove herself and that by saying she is loyal to the Nazis she feels that she can do this. She wants to prove that she is important, so she wants to convince her family that they need to follow her lead and follow the way of the Nazis. I think that Fredrich is actually strong in his own way, and I think that he will follow his musical dream. He will prove himself, so he isn't under the reign of Hitler.
What will happen to this family that doesn't truly believe in what Hitler is saying, but doesn't want to get into trouble either. How will they survive? Those are my questions.

Given the uncertain state of the time, I feel that Friedrich’s father made the best choice he could have in order to protect his child. Although education continued to be important to him—enough so to line up tutoring at the harmonica factory in the afternoons, learning in a traditional school setting was just not best for Friedrich at the time. There seems to be a “pull” from Friedrich to the harmonica.

I had the opportunity to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. a few years ago. While it is a shocking, unsettling, and heartbreaking experience, I believe that, even with the sadness and horrors that you see while there, it is an important lesson for all experience. There is a section in the museum that addresses what the Nazi’s did to people with deformities and disabilities. Some things are just never meant to be understood. To say that tears were shed during my time at the museum would be an understatement.

I think that Elisabeth is young and has been easily influenced and brainwashed by the Nazis. She was out on her own for the first time in a larger city. She has found a sense of belonging and security in the activities and beliefs of the League. I wonder how her beliefs will affect her relationship with her father and brother. Will it pull them apart or save them in the end? Will Friedrich’s father announce his allegiance to Hitler to save his family/son? Will Friedrich be forced to go into hiding because of the birthmark on his face or be forced to have the surgery? The harmonica has a significant role in the story thus far, how will the fairytale come into play during the story?

I believe Friedrich's father made the right choice to pull him out of school. I thought that was interesting how they were so intent on his education and how they took him under their wing to educate him.
I believe he was led to the harmonica. It will be interesting to see how that continues throughout the story. I am curious to see where that will lead in the end.
Before reading this book I did not realize that the Nazis wanted to get rid of anyone that didn't look like they thought they should, even if they could prove they were German.
I am not sure how strong a Hitlerite Elisabeth is, but I found that it was really sad to me that she would be willing to be sterilized because someone in her family had an imperfection, even if she didn't. Maybe it is because I know what a wonderful feeling it is to have your own child and watch them grow. But that made me sad for her. It seemed like it wasn't a big deal to her.
I am not sure if she would pick her family or not at this point, when push comes to shove. She said that they should just believe as she did. I get that she is probably trying to just stay alive, but it was interesting to me that she would be so quick to join the status quo. I am sure, though, I would have a hard time also, if it meant staying alive or dying, or seeing anything happen to my family. I wonder if this will cause a big rift between her and her father. I look forward to reading more. My questions-How big a role will the harmonica play in the overall story? How will Elisabeth's allegiance to the Nazis affect her and her family's relationship with each other?

Yes, I think Fredrich's father did the right thing taking him out of school. How wonderful that his father's coworkers were so accepting of having Fredrich there at the harmonica factory. Fredrich has a true musical gift and to be able to spend his time there was comfortable for him. He didn't have to worry about being teased and bullied. I am anxious to see how the harmonica plays into the rest of the story. How he could go into the warehouse without being frightened to find where the sound was coming from was quite amazing. Obviously it had quite a hold on him.
I think Elisabeth was just searching for something since her childhood was spent doing things that she was asked to do since their mom had died. That had to be tough. It was sad how her new choices affected the rest of her family. Hopefully she will at some point realize what a huge mistake it is and find her way back to her family.
I had no idea that Nazi's tried to do away with people who had any deformity, even if they were German. I wonder what father will decide to do after meeting with the doctor.

Wow the story really took a turn from the prologue. It is nothing like I expected it to be. I feel that Fredrich's dad made the best decision he could at the time by taking him out of school. I am glad that he didn't make excuses for him and still made him attend school even though it was an unconventional education. It breaks my heart to hear how mean those kids were to Fredrich. I couldn't imagine all the pain that he has gone through.
I believe that Elisabeth has been brainwashed by the Nazi's. I believe that because she was forced to be a "parent" at such an early age that she is a little bit resentful and when she went off on her own was easily swayed to belong to another group. I think this is also why she had no qualms when it came to the idea of being sterilized because she already essentially raised a child. It really angers me to see how much power Hilter had during that time. I hope that Frederich, his father, and his uncle will be able to hold out against the Nazi's.
I am hoping in someway that the harmonica will help all three of them. They all have a gift for music and a love for harmonicas. I don't think it was a coincidence that Fredrich found the harmonica on the day that his sister came home and the day his dad retired. I believe this will lead the three of them down a path that will help others as well.
I knew that Hilter didn't like any imperfections but I did not know how it was all handled. I thought they were just all taken to Concentration Camps. I am a little confused at the connection between the actual story and the Prologue. I am curious to see how that all ties together. Especially Otto and Mathilda.

I was not able to put the book down! My heart hurt for Friedrich!
I agree with the father taking him out of school. He was held accountable by continuing his studies and the arts. He was taught what hard work looked like at the factory and the supervisors modeled respect to others, Yes, I think he was led to the harmonica. With his background, and calling for music, he was drawn to the harmonica. However, the harmonica was also drawn to him. No, I did not know that the Nazi's tried to do away with people who had deformities. I have background knowledge on Concentration Camps for those who did not follow his ways or beliefs. My wondering is if a connection will be made between the harmonica that was found and his sisters commitment to Hitler. I am questioning, the prologue connection to the beginning of the book. I do not think she is a strong Nazi. I feel like she feels welcomed by the community of people and she is being brainwashed. Elisabeth loves her family and as the story continues I feel she will be torn. I believe that Friedrich will make his dream come true but will have many hardships with Hitler along the way. I am excited to continue reading! Love this book!

I love this book. One of my fifth graders suggested this book to me before I joined this class. I'm so glad she did. It's what made me sign up.

Friedrich is a boy that I would enjoy having in my class. I love music and many of my friends have ears like Friedrich. His father made the correct decision for Friedrich. Friedrich was experiencing pain from kids as well as adults, which makes me sick.

The harmonica called to Friedrich's soul, a soul that needed saving. I am excited to see how the story will wrap up with the sisters.

I did know that about the Nazis. I have been a big researcher of World War 2 my whole life. The older I get, the harder it is to research what took place. I don't think many people knew about the prison camps like Ryan leads to.

The moment that Ryan described their looks, blonde hair and blue eyes. I knew that Elisabeth would be sucked into the Hitler Youth. The brainwashing that took place in German education was immense. My heart breaks for Friedrich when Elisabeth has absolutely no connection to him. She is so brainwashed that she encourages her brother to have surgery so that he is not able to reproduce. I am nervous in what is to come.

I think that Friedrich will have to flee the nation. His "deformity" is a nuisance to the new regime.

I completely agree with Friedrich's father for taking him out of that school. As a father, his job is to protect his son, and he did not feel that school was the best choice for him. I was worried what would happen to Friedrich now that he would no longer be going to school. I love that his father worked at a place that accepted Friedrich, and some employees went out of their way to give him a proper education.
I definitely think Friedrich was being led to the harmonica. He can hear music, and we know that the girls were very talented musically. The sound was different than other harmonicas, I can't wait to find out who led him to the harmonica.
I have fortunately been able to visit Dachau and was aware that only pure and perfect Germans were accepted.
I think Elisabeth is brainwashed right now, but I am hoping that the spirits and Friendrich will be able to bring her back to the girl her family knows and loves. I do not want to believe that Elisabeth is a Nazi supporter. I want to believe that she will ultimately come to her senses.
Friedrich has to make his dream come true (he feels music in his heart and I am a sucker for happy endings) and I hope the girls spirits will be able to help him as he will be able to help them. I worry for Friedrich's safety right now because I feel that Elisabeth may be so brainwashed that she will turn in her family if her father doesn't go and speak to the doctor.
I do have to say, I am so hooked on this book and I can't wait to tell my students about it tomorrow at Morning Meeting.

I commend his father for making the decision to take him out of school. Friedrich is a unique child that has endured more pain and suffering than one should ever tolerate. Music and “Hansel” are his outlets, his way of coping with life. Imagine the things that were said in just the one visit to the school; disfigurement, imperfection, strangeness, unusual, monster boy, he belongs in a zoo. The love and understanding that his father has for Friedrich is inspiring. The dread of having the threat of him being sent to an asylum is unimaginable. A birthmark, intelligence and imagination should not bring up such a stir. It is heartbreaking. Thankfully, Friedrich’s family is compassionate, accepting and driven to give him a life deserving of his greatness. Music is healing, inspiring and Friedrich’s calling. I believe he was led to the harmonica and was meant to spread music to wash over others. The entire factory family is so accepting and it’s refreshing! Friedrich is getting a top-notch education, while working. It’s beautiful! It does, however, make him stand out. As the one man stated, Hitler doesn’t like those that stand out. I have read many books about Germany during the Nazi regime. It fascinates me. In Hitler’s quest of creating a “pure race” he was ridding the country of all those that were not “perfect”. The experiments that were done on the mentally ill, deformed, twins, etc. was horrendous. To think that one could have such a belief and create a state that would carry out these atrocities is unconscionable. Can you imagine, sterilizing those that could pass on certain hereditary traits? The danger of such power and control. I’m terrified for Friedrich. His sister has made it clear that she would do anything for the Party, even turn in her father and brother. Oh, how their lives have changed with Elisabeth’s new beliefs and way of life. She is even against the harmonica, which carries such importance to their family. It was said he was protected by the cloak of music. I hope that music will continue to be a protector and help bring Friedrich to acceptance and fulfill his life’s passion. I’m terrified that he will end up in the hands of his sister’s new Germany. Even if Friedrich is put to the test, I believe that he will remain faithful to himself, his family, his father and music. I think the music will shield him, yet once again from the devastating events that will take place. Will he be the first to be saved by the harmonica?

As a parent, I would have to agree that Friedrich's father did the right thing by pulling his child from the school. Friedrich did not belong in the looney bin. He was gifted and not sure that his needs could have ultimately been challenged in school back then. Children can and have been mean to things that are out of their norms or different. Friedrich was different, but that is only part of the problem that was ahead of him. My first thought was that the principal would eventually turn on this family and inform the Nazi's of his face.
I believe he was lead to the harmonica and the harmonica found him. Music is his strength and love, just as the sisters loved music. It is his identity and outlet in life.
I did know that the Nazi regime was a supremacy group that was radical and totally against anything different (ideas, viewpoints, people, cultures). In my masters class for special education, this was a topic of how the Nazi's tortured and exterminated anyone with disabilities and deformaties. They wanted a PURE race....more extreme than the Royal families of ancient times. If you were unable to work and requiring assistance, then you were exterminated. you were of no use to the Hitler Regime, especially during war.
I think Elisabeth is finding her survival route and not as gritty as her brother. I tend to want to believe that she won't be a true Hitlerite and come to terms with her upbringing. She is in nursing and this is a way for her to remain safe in terrible times. I want to believe that Friedrich will be saved and not be a victim of Hitler.

Taking Friedrich out of school was a good choice for him because he wasn't getting what he needed at that school. I found it very inspiring how the Father's workplace banded together to help educate Friedrich. After the conversation in the principals office I stopped to reflect about how the education system has changed so much. Friedrich needed enrichment and connections to music to be successful. I was proud of the Father for standing up and doing what was right for his son.

Friedrich was led to the harmonica by fate. Of course he latched onto the musical instrument because of his passion for music in general.

I do have background knowledge about Hitler's intentions to create the "pure race". I do questions what kind of connections my students would make to the Nazi ideas. I don't think my students have much knowledge on the topic so I wonder how they would feel about Elizabeth and her new vision.

I think Elizabeth went with the bandwagon and that is how her believes changed. I do wonder if she was partially trying to protect her father and brother by getting them to hop on the bandwagon too.

I think that given the perspective of the headmaster of the school, Friedrich needed to be removed for his own well-being. He is clearly a savant and very bright, but it is seen as mental illness. Without any support from school leadership, chances of success for him there was unlikely to say the least. It is clear that the men at the factory care and want to help.
I do think the music led him to the harmonica, and that he was meant to find it.
I knew that the Nazi party wanted to create a pure German race, but I was unaware of The Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring." It never even occurred to me that part of creating the pure race included prevention of imperfect offspring.

I am reading A Night Divided with my class right now, which is about a family trying to escape East Berlin after the Berlin wall went up in the 60s. I think my students would be shocked by Elizabeth's loyalty to the Nazi Party. I think Friedrich will be strong and make his dreams come true!

I think that it was a good choice for the father to take Friedrick out of school. I feel like knowing about that time frame he was in great danger and his father seemed to be able to provide him with a safe environment and a good education.
I do think that he was led to the harmonica since he has a deep passion for music. I am excited to see how the harmonica continues to be a big part of this story.
It surprised me that the Nazi's tried to do away with people who had a deformity such as a birthmark.
I believe that Elisabeth feels the pressure to be a supporter of Hitler. I think she wants to fit in since she struggled with having a brother with a birthmark and losing her mother at a young age. I am hopeful that she won't go through the surgery to make herself sterile. I also hope that she finds her way back to her family instead of being a Hitlerite and is able to help her brother.
I am curious what will happen to Friedrick and his dad since they don't believe in what Hitler is saying. I think he will be able to make his dream come true.

Friedrick's father did the right thing by taking him out of school. I feel like the father knew he was in danger and was able to provide some protection and try to help better his son's life. I think that his passion for music lead him to the harmonica. I think it was a way for him to escape and feel free. I knew that Hitler tried to rid of gypsies, people with special needs, but didn't know that if you had a deformity like a birthmark, you would be in the same classification. Elisabeth definitely feels pressured to support and follow Hitler. He was a very persuasive speaker and I think at that time it was do what he wanted or fear that you would be exiled. I think that she wants to help her family and not put a "bad" mark on the family name. I am curious to see how the harmonica, the sister's story, and the Friedrick will continue on in the story.

I agree with Friedrich’s father for taking him out of school. By not having Fredrick attend school, his father was able to keep him safe. I think Fredrick was led to harmonica. He has a passion for music. I am curious to see the part the harmonica plays in the story. Yes, I knew that the Nazis tried to do away with people who them deemed to be different then them, even if they were German. It surprised me that something as simple as a birthmark would be considered a deformity. I think Elisabeth is trying to find a place to fit in. Hitler was a persuasive leader/speaker and she may have found herself being persuaded that his way of thinking is the way to go. Yes, I think Friedrich will make his dream come true. I am curious how everything will play out during the story.

When Father went in to talk to the school I don't believe his intentions were to pull his son out of school; however, given the way the headmaster responded to father, he had no other choice but to pull Friedrich out of school. I am most certain Friedrich was led to the harmonica, he has a special gift for music that I am expecting will somehow keep him from being killed by the Nazi's.
I have had the pleasure of living in Germany and took advantage to visit a few Concentration Camps and learn a little of life during the Nazi regime. While living there I taught fifth grade, many of my students were very interested in reading children's literature on this topic and we had many class discussions to try to understand and connect everything going on at this time. I was familiar with the various types of people Hitler was trying to extinguish and believe Elisabeth is very much a Hitlerite. As she reveals in the story, being part of The League provides Elisabeth the opportunity to not be associated with her brother, who was labeled as 'The Monster' from fellow classmates. I believe The League first reveals itself as a group which really has its best interest for the community, makes you feel like one big family, and as you get deeper involved you are so brainwashed you don't even recognize the reality of what you have become involved in. I am uncertain if Friedrich's dream will come true, I am wondering if there will be a time when Elisabeth will be torn to reveal the truth of her brother's birthmark to show her loyalty to Hitler.

I believe most parents do what they think is best for their children and Friedrich's father is no exception. With the response of the Headmaster, I do not think there was another option for Friedrich. I think everyday would have been a struggle for Friedrich and his family and the option to take him out of school was best for all.
I like to think that he was led to the harmonica. He seems to have an unexplainable gift for music. I did learn that people with disabilities were sent away to concentration camps, but I was surprised to learn that even people with physical deformities, such as Friedrich's were deemed undesirable. I think Elisabeth wants to believe she is a strong Nazi, but with her upbringing and the morals her family has instilled in her, I don't think she is a strong Nazi. Throughout this reading, I kept wondering what the significance of the harmonica is. I want to hope for a happy ending and that Friedrich's dream will come true.

As a parent, I would have done the same thing. I would have removed him from school. It was clear that the Headmaster at the school was not interested in providing a safe environment for him.
I believe that Friedrich was led to the harmonica. I belive that many times when we are going to have need for comfort we are guided tot he very thing that will provide that comfort to us. Based on chapters 1-10 I see that Friedrich is going to have a need for the harmonica.
I have German ancestors and have studies about what they went through during Hitlers reign. I did know that it was just Jews that were persecuted by him. As for Elisabeth, we see young adults often get caught up in exciting movements. Many times they do not understand what it is about. They want to belong and feel a part of something. Clearly at this point she sees only the good that is being done. I am excited to see what develops as the story continues.

I agree with his father's decision to pull him from the school. Friedrich was not only in danger from his peers, but also the staff and administrators. It really seemed like no one at school was in his corner. It ended up being the best thing for him as he got to learn from so many different people who ended up really caring for him.
Yes. Friedrich was totally led to the harmonica, just like some people are led to different paths in life. Circumstances draw us to different events.
Yes. I was able to go to the Holocaust museum at 4 different points during my HS years. Every year you learned something new and it is somewhere I hope everyone can go. Lest we forget.
I wonder how Friedrich will cope with realizing that his sister has some resentment toward him. He idolized her so much, that I wonder how his character will change and grow with this new knowledge.
No. Elisabeth seems like she found a group of people who made her feel she was important and she belonged. It could be wishful thinking, but I hope she isn't so brainwashed that she would turn in her own brother.
I worry that Friedrich will be a victim of Hitler. Him finding the harmonica gives me hope that it will lead him to a destiny of greatness and that he will accomplish becoming a great musician.