What did you make of Sara's relationship with Dieter? What do you think her life would have been like had she chosen to stay with him and get married?

What did you make of Sara's relationship with Dieter? What do you think her life would have been like had she chosen to stay with him and get married?

He was my least favorite character in the book. I don't think her life with him would have been very satisfying for her. She was not ashamed to be Jewish culturally if not strictly religious. I can't imagine that Dieter's compromises would have made for a truly good relationship. She might have had an easier time during the war but happy -- I doubt it.

Dieter's mother hated that Sara was Jewish. She didn't want her grandchildren raised Jewish. Sara's parents weren't crazy about their second daughter marrying a non-Jewish man, as their first daughter had. They weren't obviously hostile though. I think Sara and Dieter did love each other, but realized their differences were too much, especially when he followed the Nazi's. If they'd married, perhaps he could have protected her but he would have probably had pressure from the Nazi's to leave her. It was better they both went their own way.

I think Sara was falling out of love even before he followed the Nazi’s. Being Jewish there was no way she could have stayed with him. His mother would have made her life unbearable. It was best that she ended the relationship.

I think the relationship between Sara and Dieter was doomed to fail. Mostly because of the time in history in Germany. To put it mildly, it was unhealthy for a German to be married to a Jew since Hitler determined Jews were no longer German. Also, Dieter’s mother not liking Jew would have been problematic for them. In spite of everything I do think they loved each other.

I believe that Sara and Dieter loved each other, but their relationship was doomed from the start. They faced insurmountable obstacles which prevented their ever being together for a lifetime. On the other hand Sara's sister Amalie and her husband Wilhelm were very successful in their marriage.

Even though Sara had academic plans, marriage for her was also important. Dieter's profession was respectable but not intellectually challenging. His Aryan family and Sara's Jewish heritage would prove to be unresolved as ble for them. As time goes on towards WWII, no one knew what terrible things would come from the Hitler government. Sara eventually comes to the realization that wanting to be in love and being in love are different things especially when dealing with the
Nszis.

I agree that it wouldn't have been in Sara's best interest to marry Dieter, but I also don't know that I would say their relationship *couldn't* have worked out—it mostly seemed to come down to Dieter not understanding or respecting Sara's identity, culture and autonomy. It doesn't necessarily seem to me that their relationship was just doomed, more that Dieter wasn't supportive of Sara in the ways she needed him to be.

Most likely if Sara had married Dieter they both would have been sent to a prison camp. Although Dieter might have tried to denounce her, he would have been punished too. Because Dieter lived as part of the Nazi culture that would have called them constantly to the attention of the Nazi authorities, to their own detriment.

I think the turning point for Sara was when Dieter began wearing the Nazi symbol pin. He said it was because of his work, but Sara was horrified that he would do such a thing. Besides, with no support from either family, I think they would have had a difficult time had they actually gotten married. The Reich ended up forbidding marriage between Aryans and Jews. Those who were already married found their marriages to be declared illegal. How could anyone possibly have a happy and successful marriage under those circumstances? They might have been able to get around certain laws because of Sara looking like an Aryan and having fake papers. But with the political goings-on and no family support, I think that relationship was doomed.

Nothing good would have come of a marriage between Sara and Dieter. It would have been a death sentence for both of them.

I think she would have been miserable had she stayed with him. He was not a good fit for her. He seemed spineless. I don’t believe his mother would have ever accepted her. Being married to him may have protected her, but no guarantees.

I think the bloom would have worn off the rose in this relationship. She was smarter than Dieter and had more strength of character and courage than he did. I don't believe he would have stood up for her when the Nazis came into power. Even if that had not happened, I think Dieter's mother would have made her life miserable. She was anti-Semitic and was very unkind to Sara during their courtship. Her family may not have liked Dieter for an in-law but they were still open to him because Sara loved him.