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Artie visits his father
He is there to record his father's Holocaust memories for a book he plans to write. -
Artie is told about his love life
Vladek was in a relationship with a woman named Lucia Greenberg, who was hot but poor. Though his cousin introduced him to Anja Zylberberg, a sensitive and rich woman (Art’s mother). They start a long-distance relationship with regular phone calls. Though whenever Lucia saw Anja’s picture in Vladek’s apartment, she threw a fit. Vladek then broke off their relationship. -
Vladeck was handed a factory
Anja’s father helped finance a new textile factory for Vladek to own and manage. By October 1937, the factory was up and running. -
Vladeck and Anja get married
They soon after have a son named, Richieu. •Art wonders whether Richieu was premature (October birth – February marriage = only 4 months). Art was premature, and the doctor had to break his arm in order to deliver him. As a baby, his arm kept popping up, and his parents jokingly called out,“Heil, Hitler.” -
Anja gets a bad case of depression
After giving birth to her son, Anja slipped into a deep case of depression known as, postpartum depression. Vladek accompanied her to a sanitarium in Czechoslovakia for her to recover. -
Vladeck's factory has been robbed!
After about three months they return home, and see that Vladek’s factory has been robbed. The robbery may or may not have been motivated by anti-Semitism. Anja’s dad helps Vladek rebuild the factory, and it’s turning a profit again in no time. -
Vladeck is called into active duty
Vladek receives a letter from the government: he’s been called into active duty from the reserves. Now that they know war is imminent, Anja goes with Richieu back to her family in Sosnowiec while Vladek leaves for the army. -
Vladeck is captured by germans
A Polish officer commanded Vladek to shoot, even though he couldn't see anything. Vladek begins shooting and before he knows it, he is also being shot at. Vladek kills at least one man before the Poles lose the skirmish and they are taken prisoner by the Germans. -
Vladeck is set free
One day, Vladek among other prisoners, is released. A rabbi friend points out that the day is Parshas Truma. That day is significant not only because it is the day he was released, but it was also the parsha on which he married Anja, and also the week Artie was born. -
Things grow worse for the Jews
Groups of Jews are rounded up and beaten. Vladek and his friend Ilzecki discuss whether they should send the children somewhere else, until the war ends, but Anja refuses.