Maus Reading #2

These sections of the book show even more how tightly fixed Vladek is with his moeny when Artie shows him the new tape recorder he bought. Vladek continues on with his story of how all twelve of the family was living in one house. They each got coupons for certain amounts of food, which didn't give them much to live on. They could buy things illegally from the black market, but there was a huge risk of getting caught and taken by the Nazi's. Vladek's textile business had been taken over by Aryan managers...like the rest of the Jewish businesses. Vladek started going to people who owed him money when the textile business was runing, and earned some extra cash on the side. He then tried to find a way for safe hiding when Nazi's would search through businesses for Jews, by getting various jobs. The Germans came and took of their valuable. They sold most of them to earn extra cash. Vladek tried to put his son, Richieu, into hinding, however, he later died. All Jews were relocated to Stara Sosnonweic Quarter, where they lived in even smaller spaces. Jews who sold goods without coupons began to be hung and shown out in public on the street. After the hanging of two of Vladek's close friends, he got involved with gold and jewelery. Another notice came saying that all Jews, seventy years old and older, had to be transferred to Theresienstadt in Czechoslavakia. This was when the news about Auschwitz was finally let out, and everyone knew about the killings, and the gas chambers.