Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What do you know of the German invasion of Poland in 1939? What significance did this event have for the world at large?

Teaching Suggestion: Resistance is set in the historical context of World War II and specifically in Nazi-occupied Poland; the novel mentions the blitzkrieg of Warsaw as a significant event that sets the rest of the story in motion. Considering that the invasion of Poland launched WWII, it may be helpful to have students read about this event and discuss its significance on the world stage, as well as to the book’s particular historical and geographical contexts.

• This Vox article covers the background of Hitler’s invasion of Poland, some details of the event, the impact that it had, and the international responses that followed.
• This Britannica video of the invasion can give students a sense of the scale and impact of the event. The video also contains snippets from those who lived through the invasion.

2. What do you know of the Jewish people’s responses to Nazi atrocities and cruelties during WWII?