It's Maria Levy's tenth birthday, February 27th 1933. Her little brother, Fritz, and her parents are anxious to help celebrate her special day. But what would otherwise be a happy occasion for a little girl becomes marred by the burning of Reichstag, the German Parliament in Berlin. The rise of Hitler's Nazi party bodes ill for many citizens, including Maria and Fritz's parents. Their Uncle Herbert decides to immigrate to America with his family, but the Levy family chooses to stay, hoping that the madness which surrounds them will soon come to an end. No work and little food puts a strain on the poverty-stricken family, but news of a job brings hope and they are escorted to a train station. Their hope soon turns to horror as they realize the job was only a ruse and they are soon headed directly to a camp. With no other option and a heavy heart, Maria and Fritz's parents bundle them up in their own coats, bid them to search for their cousin, Alfred, and throw them off the slow moving train. This is where their Journey begins.