Refugee: Josef: On the Atlantic Ocean – 1939, 11 days Summary & Analysis

The ship begins to slow down, and Aaron starts to panic, saying that they have to hide or get off the ship to avoid the Nazis. Josef and Rachel try to restrain Aaron while he panics, and Josef explains that they’re slowing down because an old man on the ship has passed away and they’re holding a funeral, which only makes Aaron even more anxious because he thinks that the Nazis were responsible. But Josef explains that the man had been sick for a long time with cancer.

Aaron finally seems to understand what Josef is saying, and insists on attending the funeral because he had seen “too many men die without funerals at Dachau.” Rachel and Ruthie stay behind while Josef and Aaron go to the A-deck for the funeral with a few other passengers. They rip their garments on the way—a Jewish tradition during funerals.

As the funeral procession starts, Schiendick emerges from below deck. He introduces himself as the Nazi Party leader on the ship, and explains that German law dictates that a body buried at sea must be covered with the national flag—the Nazi flag. Aaron protests angrily and spits at Schiendick’s feet. Schroeder breaks up the two men, and says that they can make an exception in this case. Schiendick looks at Aaron and Josef for another moment, then storms away.

The funeral continues. After the rabbi gives a short prayer, the sailors slide the body of the man over the side of the ship. Josef takes sand from a nearby sandbox and throws it over the rail of the deck. Captain Schroeder and the other sailors salute the man by touching the brims of their caps. After the funeral, Josef notices Aaron lingering at the rail of the ship and looking at the water, saying that at least the old man didn’t have to be buried in “the hell of the Third Reich.”