At the age of 11, Kluger and her mother are sent to a concentration camp in Theresienstadt. (Klüger, 2001) She was previously told that this concentration camp was not as bad as the others and was in a way looking forward to it. However, this concentration camp was just as bad as the others. Kluger saw people die from illness and hunger. In order to identify all the Jewish people, the Nazis gave them all identification numbers. These numbers were tattooed onto everyone 's arm. Kluger writes about how she did everything he could to cover up the identification number. She tried to use make up and wore long sleeves anytime she could. (Klüger, 2001) This concentration camp was also run like a military with very strict rules. If these rules were not followed people would be killed. Kluger describes her experience at Theresienstadt. She states "That was the framework of our existence, this coming and going of Jews who could make no decisions, had no influence on what was decided for them, and didn 't even know when a decision regarding them would be made. Let alone what it would be". (Klüger, …show more content…
She was one of a few Jewish people to make it out alive. Ironically, even though she did not have a great relationship with her mom, her mom was the one who made it possible for her to escape from the Holocaust. There was a time when Kluger and her mother were in different concentration camps. (Klüger, 2001) They reunited at a concentration camp named Christianstadt in Poland. When the camp was invaded, everyone was forced to relocate. It was at this time that Kluger and her mother escaped and fled to Bavaria. After spending some time in Bavaria, the two eventually emigrated to the United States where Kluger later attended Hunter College in New York. She studied German literature. (Klüger, 2001) Kluger 's book is filled with experiences and events that are directly caused by the Holocaust. While she was eventually able to have a better life, Kluger was singled out for being Jewish. She never had time to enjoy her childhood and lost a lot of time that she will never get back. She was separated from her family and as a result the majority of them were killed. She had no one to confide in and basically raised herself. When she learned about concentration camps and then lived in those camp, part of her innocence was lost. The Holocaust was a terrible event that tore many Jewish families a part. Kluger was able to use her experiences to write a book that