Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses torture and police brutality.

Gerta does not set out to be brave. She doesn’t necessarily think her father is brave, either, as she views his rebellion as dangerous. Yet she doesn’t understand just how dire the circumstances are for her family. Once she learns about the realities of East Germany, she equates bravery with taking principled risks and following one’s beliefs no matter the consequences. The novel conveys that bravery means fighting oppression with full knowledge of the potential cost.

Nielsen uses the relationship between Gerta and Fritz to develop the novel’s commentary on bravery. Fritz, at first, is more open to risk, while Gerta is willing to take a risk only if the odds are favorable. However, Fritz tells her, “Courage isn’t knowing you can do something; it’s only being willing to try” (36). This statement frames their actions for the rest of the novel, as they face mounting risks while planning their escape. The fact that their bravery does not only help the two of them but their whole family and two other families conveys that taking principled risks pays off and helps others.

While Officer Muller and, in a more complicated sense,

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