Chapter Four - The Noose Tightens Summary

Artie visits his father and they discuss Vladek's life's experiences. Vladek mentions that much of the deportation process was managed by Jewish police—Nazi collaborators who gained some temporary advantage by working against their own people. Artie appears surprised that anyone would do such a thing, but Vladek appears to take it as a matter of course.

Vladek fortunately arrives in Bielsko and lives in a house with eleven other Jews, including Richieu, his son, Anja, his wife, Anja's parents (Anja's mother is named Matka) and grandparents, Anja's sister Tosha and her husband Wolfe and baby Bibi. Also living in the house are Lolek and Lonia, the children of Anja's brother Herman and his wife Helen. Herman and Helen have been traveling in the United States of America when the war erupted...