They are looking for their mother in switzerland, and they get caught by the germansedek on the moving train. Get an answer for how would you describe margrit balicki in the silver sword by ian serraillier. She went to posen to find edek and to switzerland to find her parents. In 1940, they are living in a warsaw suburb in poland during. But due to ruths love about her, she grew up as a lovely, wise girl. Ian serraillier wrote many childrens books but the silver sword is his most famous and most beloved, and it has never been out of print. The story centres on the balicki family, who consisted of the mother margrit, the father joseph and their 3 young children. I searched for it on line for years hoping that it might be available on a.
The silver sword kindle edition by serraillier, ian. The silver sword study guide contains a biography of ian serraillier, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. The silver sword is only a paper knife but it gives jan and his friends hope. With amazement ruth realized that the sword was the one that had belonged to her father. When they mett the wolff family and when jan was working ruth said he says the farmer has promised him more tomorrow talking about jan. Hungry, cold, and afraid, the four children try to stay alive among the ruins of bombed cities in wartorn europe. The silver sword unabridged audiobook, by ian serraillier. The silver sword what happens is that the balicki children have to go from poland to switzerland and they lose their father and they meet jan. One of the books used for this exhibit is the classic story the silver sword by ian serraillier. The novels main characters include three childrenruth, edek, and bronia balickiwho are left to live as best they can in the streets of warsaw when their father is sent to a prison camp and their mother is. Jan is also very protective with their symbol of hope,the silver sword, he would do anything for it. The silver sword is a book written by ian serraillier that was published by jonathan cape in great britain.
Ruth balicki was the oldest sister in the balickis household. Throughout the story edek was diagnosed with tb tuberculosis he was put in a warshaw medical camp but planned to escape. The silver sword chapters 2529 summary and analysis gradesaver. Jan was a mysterious boy when he first appeared in the book, who doesnt trust people easily and unfriendly, however he tries to be helpful, after jimpy died, with ruth, edek and bronia as it says. The silver sword is the story of the balicki family, joseph and his swiss wife margrit and his daughter ruth, and bronia, 3, and son, edek, 11. I mean about the personal characteristics of each one. Joseph balicki, the school headmaster of a polish school in warsaw, is arrested by the nazi. I searched for it on line for years hoping that it might be available on a dvd but never did find it, then a few years ago i found that you can watch the final episode at the national media museum in bradford so on one of my trips home to the uk we drove to bradford to tour the museum. Books and literature word search, all about silver sword. He has two siblings ruth, his older sister and bronia, his younger sister. They also later found out that he had the silver sword. Bronia balicki was a young girl with a sense of joy and happiness. The silver sword summary the silver sword realistically presents the problems of war as seen through the eyes of a polish family torn apart by world war ii.
Ruth, edek, jan and bronia are all based on real children, and even the silver sword paper knife was real. Can you tell me about ruth, bronia, edek, jan, and joseph. The silver sword and over 8 million other books are available for amazon kindle. When the nazis take their parents away, three children must learn to survive in wartorn warsaw by themselves. The silver sword follows members of the polish balicki family who journey to reunite with each other after being seperated. The silver sword realistically presents the problems of war as seen through the eyes of a polish family torn apart by world war ii. It is a very moving account of a family separated by war and how they find inner strength. Jan became part of the balicki family and they all lived together once again. Their home was in a suburb of warsaw, where the father, joseph balicki, was. Ruth, bronia and edek are left as orphans, when the father is sent to a concentration camp and their mother to work in germany.
Oct 12, 2015 the silver sword maps the balicki family children, ruth, edek and bronias survival in wartorn warsaw in the aftermath of wwii, left behind to fend for themselves. When warsaw, poland is attacked by nazi forces, the balicki family becomes separated. The silver sword also known as escape from warsaw takes place in warsaw during world war ii. Jan has a passion for animals and seems to understand them. Jan is the guardian of the silver sword the small paper knife that belonged to the balicki family.
Ks2 english teaching resources the silver sword is a complete 17 lesson year 5 year 6 teaching unit with a 161 slide editable powerpoint presentation, 30 worksheets and a lesson by. The novels main characters include three childrenruth, edek, and bronia balicki who are left to live as best they can in the streets of warsaw when their father is sent to a prison. The classic tale of a journey through wartorn europe. When they meet jan they recognise the paperknife he is carrying as their fathers, and it becomes their symbol of hope as the four children make the dangerous journey to switzerland. It is the story of the balicki family, joseph and his swiss wife margrit and his daughter ruth, and bronia. Although it may contain some unusual stuff such as a dried lizard or the feather of a rooster, there is one item he values the most, the silver sword. The silver sword tv series 1957 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. In the earlier chapters of the book, he was a lively, healthy boy with no fear who looked after ruth and bronia. Bronia balicki bronia is the youngest of the 4 children.
The silver sword is the story of the balicki family, joseph and his swiss wife margrit and his. The silver sword teaching resources powerpoint and. He is fearless, for he breaks out of prison using only a catapult to get past his cell guard. Named by the times as one of the top 50 childrens books of all time, the silver sword is set in poland in the immediate aftermath of wwii and follows the balicki.
Later on, she finds joseph and meets her children and jan. Unfortunately, she gets sent away by the nazis too. Joseph balicki is the father of the three children, ruth, edek, and bronia, and worked as the headmaster of a polish primary school before his capture by the nazis. In the book captain greenwood said we take it then that you have no parents, but that this young lady, ruth balicki, sister of edek balicki.
The book opens with the main character, joseph balicki. Ruth was a girl who was the eldest child in the balicki family. He was later found by the three children and was adopted by ruth. Review of the book the silver sword by ian serraillier. Soon they will begin the jan opened his wooden box and took out the silver sword. Both books tell the story of escape from nazi germany, through a childs eyes. His school had been taken over by the nazis after the invasion of austria and france and he was forced to teach lessons entirely in german. Write joseph balicki s journal entry as he waits to call ruth. Walter hodges, the silver sword is about the balicki family who are torn apart during world war 2.
The silver sword study guide contains a biography of ian serraillier, literature essays, quiz. The book tells of the travails of the balicki family from warsaw. Edek was like a leader of a pack his mind was filled with ideas. Jan jan was an orphan, he was very tricky and stole a lot from others. He is given the silver sword to put in his treasure box. In 1942, the children, ruth, edek and bronia are left vulnerable and alone to fend for themselves in a suddenly unfamiliar and threatening world. He is sent to a prison camp by the nazis, but when he escapes begins a. During the war polish siblings edek, bronia, ruth and there new friend jan run to. Silver sword word search puzzle find these words in this books and literature wordsearch balicki, bombings, bronia, edek, hitler, ivan, jan, joseph, margrit, nazi, ruth, silver, switzerland, sword, warsaw, zakyna. Edek gets very sick and ruth gets traumatised, and they both have to protect little bronia. The silver sword, a little paperknife, is a symbol of hope to four children as they make their way across the wastes of postwar europe from warsaw to. Jan can sometimes be a little thief and that is one of the things on the bad side of him. Chapter 1 summary the silver sword by ian serraillier opens with a description of the polish family at the heart of the story.
Edek balicki is the son of joseph balicki in the story the silver sword by ian serraillier. The silver sword is a novel by ian serraillier, a childrens classic, first published in the uk in 1956 by jonathan cape and then by puffin books in 1960. The silver sword questions and answers discover the community of teachers, mentors and students just like you that can answer any question you might have on the silver sword. The silver sword is a novel by ian serraillier, a childrens classic, first published in the uk in 1956 by jonathan cape and then by puffin books. When the second world war began the nazis took joseph to prison in the mountains. Silver sword word search puzzle find these words in this. The silver sword is an epic tale of a family who were separated when the nazis invaded poland in 1940. Hes quite harsh and violent but he really love animals, he once had a cock named jimpy, that he really loved. What do bronias drawings and illustrations represent in. He met joseph balicki who was ruth, edek and bronia s father, he asked jan about his children and gave him the silver sword.
Whereas his book, escape from warsaw, has over 5,000. The silver sword aka escape from warsaw, by ian serraillier. During the war polish siblings edek, bronia, ruth and there new friend jan run to switzerland. At the beginning of the book, the author states, this is the story of a polish. The silver sword, a little paperknife, is a symbol of hope to four children as they make their way across the wastes of postwar europe from warsaw to switzerland in search of their parents.
It is a small paper knife joseph gave his wife as a present. The silver sword written by ian serriallier and illustrated by c. It is a very moving account of a family separated by war and how they find inner strength to survive their wartime lot, always holding on to the hope that someday they may find all or some of their family. He hates soldiers and he always carry the box with silver sword. Im kurdish i translated this book the silver sword. Bronia balicki bronia is the youngest among the three.
It had also been published in the us under the title escape from warsaw. He sometimes been a little bit rude at somebody else and couldnt trust people. The silver sword is a novel by ian serraillier, first published in 1956. The childrens book the silver sword, by ian serraillier, is set after the invasion of poland during wwii. I have read this book many, many times to my students and it was nice to hear someone else read it.
It is the story of the balicki family, joseph and his swiss wife margrit and his daughter ruth, and bronia, 3, and son, edek, 11. The silver sword was gifted to jan by joseph balicki. Although quite different from one another, both are poignant, and. Oclc 154290268 the silver sword is a novel by ian serraillier, a childrens classic, first published in the uk in 1956 by jonathan cape and then by puffin books in 1960. Joseph is a polish school teacher who is arrested by the germans after he is seen turning adolf hitlers picture to face the wall. Throughout the book, she disapproves of a lot of jans behaviour, and tries to educate him to behave better. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. In ian serrailliers the silver sword, bronia balicki s drawings and illustrations serve to represent her struggle with posttraumatic stress disorder. The novels main characters include three childrenruth, edek, and bronia balicki. Ourboox is the worlds simplest free platform for creating, sharing and promoting digital picture e books. Their children were very young when the nazis attacked them. Jul 18, 2011 one of the books used for this exhibit is the classic story the silver sword by ian serraillier. The silver sword kindle edition by serraillier, ian, serraillier, jane. How would you describe margrit balicki in the silver sword by.
The father, joseph balicki, is a headmaster at a primary school on the outskirts of. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the silver sword. Edek is the second oldest child in the family of three. The silver sword joseph balicki, the headmaster of a primary school in warsaw, was arrested by the gestapo in early 1940 and taken away to a prison camp. She likes to share things and love to hug and hold to ruth hand. Jan does not except anything that does not goes his own way he looks very tough on the outside but inside he is just as normal as everybody else. He has two siblings ruth, his older sister and bronia, his younger. Ruth showed great responsibility in the the silver sword by becoming bronia, jan and edeks foster mother for several years. Ruth, edek, bronia, and jan eventually meet up and spend months making. He is very brave, and will stand up to anyone, but sometimes this fearless behaviour gets him into trouble as he confronts the wrong people. It is the wartime story of the three balicki children, ruth, edek, and bronia, aided by their friend, jan, as they try to reach switzerland in.
Get an answer for can you tell me about ruth, bronia, edek, jan, and joseph from the silver sword. Alone and fending for themselves in a poland devastated by world war two, jan and his three homeless friends cling to the silver sword as a symbol of hope. Jan is ruth, bronia and edeks friend who joined them as a part of family. It is like a lucky charm and a sign their parents may be safe in switzerland. Joseph balicki is told by neighbours that his three children have not been seen since and they are widely believed to be dead. The silver sword paperback by ian serraillier and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Silver sword joseph balicki was a polish man who was married to margrit from switzerland. Ruth was thirteen, edek was eleven, and bronia was three.
The silver sword chapters 16 summary and analysis gradesaver. An orphan that joseph found on the streets and gave his silver sword to. The silver sword was written by ian serraillier and published in 1956. Its a paper knife which he received for joseph balicki on his farewell with joseph who set off for switzerland for his family. Edek is another main character in the silver sword. The name of the book, the silver sword is significant, as this sword belonged to the story centres on the balicki family, who consisted of the mother margrit, the father joseph and their 3 young children. The silver sword is a book created by ian serraillier, the story is based on three kids in the second world war. Jan explained that joseph balicki had escaped from the prisoner of war camp where he had been imprisoned and he had come towarsawto find his. Thank you, sean, for bringing this book to life through your reading. She likes to teach other children, she wants to have the same job as her father and she is the bravest out of her brother and sister. I would have been 8 or 9 when i watched the silver sword on tv. The silver sword audio through the looking glass childrens. It is a symbol of hope that will all find each other one day.
In these beginning chapters, readers meet joseph balicki, the patriarch whose. The night the nazis come to take their mother away. It is the wartime story of the three balicki children, ruth, edek, and bronia, aided by their friend, jan, as they try to reach switzerland in the hope of meeting up again with their father and mother. The balicki family of warsaw was forcibly separated as world war ii raged. When jan got better ruth discovered that he carried a small silver sword with him, which he kept in a wooden box.