The Boy Who Dared pages 60 to 80

In these next few chapters of the boy who dared Hulmeth and his good friend Rudi decide to become real detectives. Hulmeth and Rudi travel together to the local police station at Hammer Deich 57. Hulmeth and Rudi go to the police station and to there surprise an inspector gives them an open case to try and solve after Hulmeth persuades him that Rudi and he can solve the case. After a lucky lead the boys stumble upon a name and a possible suspect, Franz Seemann an unemployed dockworker. Hulmeth and Rudi give the name to the inspector and to there dismay they learn that later on the Nazi arrest Franz even though there is no real evidence. Hulmeth cautiously questions the inspector about this and he tells Hulmeth that It is very suspicious that Frenz is unemployed considering all the jobs that Hitler is making available to the German people. Hulmeth regrets his decision about telling the inspector about Frenz because he knows that he has a terrible fate awaiting him. Helmuth wishes he could undo what he just did.

Later on Hulmeth meets Rudi but relies that he has been injured. Rudi's arm is all bandaged up and Rudi tells him what happened to him. Rudi tells Hulmeth that it was an accident; he was playing with some other boys when he fell through a window and cut his arm badly severing an artery in his wrist. He was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery. Hulmeth begins to shudder as Rudi tells him what happened next. Rudi told Hulmeth how the nurses found there fake detective card in his wallet and they reported him as a potential enemy agent. The Gestapo also known as Nazi who brutally enforce Hitler’s law Came to Rudi and questioned him and wanted to know who he was working for. Rudi was very afraid because he also told Hulmeth that they hit him and abused the power that they had and tried to play sick games with him and twist his words. He remembers the look in there eyes as if they enjoyed scaring him. From then on they decided not to play detectives anymore.

Once again we are taken back into Hulmeth's present state in the prison where exercise time is ending and the gaurs is taking them back in to there cells. Hulmeth begins his daily morning chore of cleaning and dusting his small cell, dust is Verboten in this prison he fears what punishment they will give him if he does not do his "duty". Hulmeth's mind works vigorously as he thinks about Frenz Seeman and the terrible Gestapo investigations he must have gone through on behalf of Hulmeth. Hulmeth can still recall his Gestapo interrogations. He wishes badly that he could tell Franz Seeman how sorry he his.

Soon it becomes the crisp fall of 1938 and the Germans are starting to become very mad and upset about the stories that they hear that the Czechs and the Poles are abusing ethnic Germans living in Czechoslovakia and Poland. Hitler becomes outraged and sends troops to the borders of Czechoslovakia to send a strong warning to anyone who dares mistreat the Germans. Hitler is also starting to arrest and ship Polish Jews living in Germany back to Poland, Poland does not want them back. Hulmeth feels very sorry for them. Hugo, Mutti's boyfriend troubles Hulmeth even more with his rude and discriminatory remarks about the Jews mocking then constantly Things only get worse from there.

Then on November 7 Hulmeth hears terrible news crackles over there old "poor people radio". The newscaster states with what seems like a mixture of anger and fear in his voice telling the German people that a young Jew called Herschel Grynszpan has shot a Nazi official, Ernest Von Rath in Paris. The German people become terrified as they hear the news that the official lies near death in a Paris hospital. Hugo warns Hulmeth and his brothers yelling in outrage "It’s a plot" "It’s a plot!" "They are planning a cowardly plot!" Hulmeth shudders at his next words, “Another plot to bring Germany to its knees, to cripple the Fatherland!" Later on they learn that the official has died and this outrages Hitler and the Nazi. Along with Hugo at there side they destroy everything Jewish ransacking the city and leaving a path of utter destruction behind them. Hulmeth feels sickened at their vulgar actions. Just as Hulmeth begins to feel more afraid and sad Mutti , his mother drops her own kind of bomb on him and his family. Her and Hugo are getting married, Hulmeth feels very disappointed and sad at his mothers decision.
Later on Hulmeth is now 14 and his brother Herhard who is 18 receives his letter recruting him to fight for Hitler. Hulmeth fears for hi brother’s life.

During this insight into Hulmeths life we discover even more fears and challenges that he had to face at a very young age. Sometimes even though we don’t relies it the fears and challenges that we face in our life will and have determined the people that we are. Usually they make us stronger and a little more prepared for what we are to face ahead in life. I think that because of the challenges that Hulmeth is facing now he will grow up to be a very strong and brave young man.