A study by a UK traumatic stress clinic showed that around 90% of people who survived an event where others died experienced feelings of guilt. All over the planet, numerous horrifying events such as wars, genocides, and terrorist attacks, as well as frequent events like natural disasters, and plane and car crashes happen, killing many. Those people who manage to survive often experience horrible guilt, known as “survivor’s guilt.” Survivor’s guilt is defined as “a condition of persistent mental and emotional stress experienced by someone who has survived an incident in which others died” (Oxford Languages). Unfortunately, there have been events throughout history that have caused instances of mass survivor’s guilt, one of which was the Holocaust.
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In the First World War, Hans fought alongside his new friend Erik Vandenburg. Erik volunteered Hans for letter-writing duty instead of going into battle and Erik was sadly killed the same day. After the war, Hans went to Erik’s house and met his wife whom he tried to compensate for Erik's death by saying: "'You know'...'He saved my life'...' He- if there's anything you need,'... 'I'm a painter by trade. I'll paint your apartment for free, whenever you like. He knew it was useless compensation, but he offered anyway" (Zusak 179). Before he left, he gave Erik’s wife his name and address if she needed anything, and Max Vandenburg, Erik’s son, walked into the room. Hans felt the guilt of losing a friend who saved him that day, and the guilt of leaving a child without a father. Hans decided that during World War II, he would take in Max, due to the compensation he had offered many years before. He began to explain to Liesel why Max was in their house, “(explaining) World War I and Erik Vandenburg, and then the visit to the fallen soldier’s wife. ‘The boy who came into the room that day is the same man upstairs.understand?’’ (Zusak Digital
In the First World War, Hans fought alongside his new friend Erik Vandenburg. Erik volunteered Hans for letter-writing duty instead of going into battle and Erik was sadly killed the same day. After the war, Hans went to Erik’s house and met his wife whom he tried to compensate for Erik's death by saying: "'You know'...'He saved my life'...' He- if there's anything you need,'... 'I'm a painter by trade. I'll paint your apartment for free, whenever you like. He knew it was useless compensation, but he offered anyway" (Zusak 179). Before he left, he gave Erik’s wife his name and address if she needed anything, and Max Vandenburg, Erik’s son, walked into the room. Hans felt the guilt of losing a friend who saved him that day, and the guilt of leaving a child without a father. Hans decided that during World War II, he would take in Max, due to the compensation he had offered many years before. He began to explain to Liesel why Max was in their house, “(explaining) World War I and Erik Vandenburg, and then the visit to the fallen soldier’s wife. ‘The boy who came into the room that day is the same man upstairs.understand?’’ (Zusak Digital