Number the Stars

Annemarie and Ellen race home from school, while Annemarie’s younger sister, Kirsti, trails behind. Annemarie hopes to win the running race at school the following week. As they barrel down the sidewalk, two German soldiers suddenly stop them. The tall soldier, whom Annemarie calls ‘The Giraffe,’ asks why they are running and questions them about their identities. The girls are scared but the soldier breaks the tension when he tries to touch Kirsti’s hair and Kirsti slaps his hand away. The Giraffe says that Kirsti reminds him of his own daughter back home. The soldiers let Annemarie and Ellen go, reminding them not to run because it makes them look like hoodlums.