‘At Auschwitz?’ Max knew of Auschwitz from conversations at Hitler Youth. He didn’t know exactly what happened there – it was shrouded in too much secrecy for that – but he knew it was an important place. Perhaps the most important place.

‘Yes. Nothing major. Desk work, minor jobs. To begin with, anyway. And remember, if anyone asks, you are sixteen.’

Max could hardly believe what he was hearing. He was being given the opportunity to work at Auschwitz? He wouldn’t be playing soldiers with the boys from school. He would be working alongside real soldiers.

Of course, he would miss his friends in Munich, but he had left friends behind before and survived. And this time, the move would put him at the heart of the world he had built his life around.

‘Thank you, Father. That would be fantastic!’ Max said.

His father put his glasses on and went back to his newspaper and Max knew that meant he was dismissed. He went back into his bedroom. This time he didn’t want to punch anything. This time the fire in his belly wasn’t rage or disappointment. It was the thrill of adrenalin coursing through his whole body.

Suddenly, he couldn’t wait to get out of Munich. Auschwitz was where he would become a true soldier, body and soul. Auschwitz was where he would put into action everything that he had been building towards for the last five years.

Auschwitz was his destiny.

ELSA

I haven’t seen Vati or Otto for weeks. I don’t know if they are even still alive. No word from them and nothing from Vati’s friend, Kem. Mutti says he hasn’t been in the kitchen for almost two weeks.

We have no way of knowing what has happened to them, not without risking our lives to find out.

And then the day comes. They no longer bother with the slips of paper at night. The transports are too regular and contain too many people. These last weeks, I feel as though we are living in the centre of a revolving doorway. Each day, hundreds come in, hundreds go out, in and out, in and out. And every day, those of us who remain say a small prayer of thanks that we are not being put on the transport.

But today it seems my prayers have run out.

‘You’re leaving.’ The words wake me, along with the prod of a rifle in my side. ‘Pack your bags.’

The guard moves to the next bunk. ‘You’re leaving. Pack your bags.’ And the next, and the one after that.

It seems our whole dormitory is being evacuated.

I gently shake Mutti who is still asleep. I hate to drag her away from the comfort of her dreams – but it will be worse for her if I don’t.

‘Mutti,’ I whisper in her ear. ‘We have to get up.’