Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your immediate emotional reaction after finishing Gerda’s story? Did the memoir’s message of hope and survival resonate more strongly for you than its depiction of atrocity, or was it the other way around?

2. How does Gerda’s experience of ghettoization, forced labor, and the death march provide a different perspective on the Holocaust when compared to other well-known accounts, like Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl?

3. Which aspect of Gerda’s journey was the most unforgettable for you? Was it a specific relationship, a particular act of cruelty or kindness, or a moment of profound realization?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Gerda’s promise to her father never to take her own life became a sacred vow that she recalled at her lowest moments. Has a promise ever anchored you during difficult times?

2. Do you have any mementos that remind you of lost loved ones? How do you interact with these items?

3. Throughout her life, Gerda had to navigate complicated feelings of obligation, particularly in her relationship with Abek. When have you struggled with similar feelings of obligation? How did you handle the situation?

4. The final chapters detail Gerda’s thoughts on forgiveness. Have you ever chosen not to forgive someone? Why?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. What does the memoir suggest about how quickly societal norms can collapse, as seen in how Gerda’s neighbors almost immediately celebrated the German invasion and participated in the family’s dispossession? What parallels do you see in the contemporary world?

2. The memoir functions as a form of bearing witness. Why is it important for survivor testimonies like All but My Life to continue being read and discussed today?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. How does Gerda’s depiction of Moses Merin compare to her depiction of a figure like Frau Kügler? Does the memoir draw a moral distinction between different kinds of complicity?

2. What kinds of imagery does Gerda associate with the different settings she describes? What is the effect of this?

3. How did the dual-narrative perspective, blending the immediate terror of a teenager with the reflective wisdom of an adult survivor, shape your reading experience and emotional response to the events?

4. How does Gerda’s focus on female relationships, domestic memories, and the will to create a future family compare to the focus of other classics of the genre, such as Elie Wiesel’s Night?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Gerda’s memory of peaceful evenings at home became a “beacon” that guided her. Create a “beacon” for a different figure in the memoir, like Ilse or Suse. What specific memory, sensory detail, or hope would you choose for them to hold onto, and why?

2. For her 19th birthday in the Bolkenhain camp, Gerda wrote and staged a play to lift the group’s morale. What do you think the central theme of her play might have been, drawing on her character and the shared experiences of the women?