The Upstairs Room

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussions of antisemitism and genocide.

The author’s Introduction provides historical context, detailing the rise of Hitler and his reign over much of Europe. After losing World War I, Germany was coerced into a peace settlement mandating that they not assemble an army. Adolf Hitler, an angry soldier, entered politics to revive his country. Glorifying German soldiers and vilifying Jews, his newly formed Nazi party gained popularity among discontented Germans, and Hitler became Germany’s chancellor in 1933. Despite the peace settlement, Hitler immediately rebuilt the army and promoted the idea that Jews were to blame for Germany’s woes and global evil. Antisemitism ran rampant, and the government soon mandated that Jews lose their jobs, their property, and, eventually, their lives.

All of this was in motion when Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939, to initiate World War II. England and France, along with Canada and Australia, immediately formed the Allied forces against Germany. Nevertheless, in 1940, Germany invaded much of northern Europe, capturing Denmark, Norway, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and France and sending Jews to death camps across the continent. In 1941, Hitler’s army attacked both North Africa and Russia. At this juncture, Germany, Italy and Japan formed the Axis Powers.