Posted by: Emily Jennings

Gerda was usually a quiet girl; she never acted in such a powerful manner as she did when she went to see the Commander in Sosnowitz. I thing Gerda was fed up with the way she was being treated, no one told her what was going on! She no longer cared what people thought of her; that is why she acted so superior to the Commander. In a way, this was a good thing; Gerda’s actions earned her respect from the Commander. The Commander gave Gerda what she wanted because he thought she earned it. If I had been in Gerda’s position, I don’t think I could have been so brave as to stand up to the Commander as she did. Gerda had no idea what consequences her actions could have had. For all she knew, the Commander could have had her sent to Auschwitz! “Then he did me an honor that he probably accorded to no one else but the SS: he got up and stood while I left the room I was thoroughly shaken. I hardly knew myself. I had never spoken like that.” (Gerda 100). This quote describes everything that happened because of Gerda’s determination. Gerda herself says that she was shaken, but she showed no fear. Gerda also tells us that she has never acted like that before, that she was different. We can also understand that this Commander respected Gerda because of her bravery, but why did he show respect to a Jewish girl? The Commander was a powerful figure in the Government at that time, how could he afford to be kind to a Jewish girl? Whatever the reason, this simple yet powerful sign of respect helped Gerda make it through the next few years of horror.