The Silver Sword Ian Serraillier

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The Silver Sword Ian Serraillier

• by Third and Fourth Class
• Scoil Ábán Naofa
• Baile Mhúirne
• (read on tape by Sean Barrett)

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Location Poland, Germany and Switzerland
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(No Transcript)
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Time 1940s
During World War 2
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Characters
The Balicki Family Joseph (Father,
Headmaster) Margrit (Mother) Ruth (Daughter,
almost 13) Edek (Son, 11 years) Bronia (Daughter,
3 years)
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Chapter 1. The Escape.

• The Balicki family are spilt up during the
  invasion of Warsaw in World War 2.
• Joseph escapes from a Nazi prison camp in
  southern Poland.

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Chapter 2. Journey through the air.

• Joseph escapes across the valley in a cable car.

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Chapter 3. The Hiding Place

• Joseph meets and is cared for by an elderly
  Polish couple.
• The Nazis came searching but Joseph hid up a
  chimney to avoid being shot or captured.

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Chapter 4. The Silver Sword.

• Joseph returns to Warsaw to find it destroyed.
• He meets Mrs Krause.
• Joseph finds the silver sword and gives it to a
  young boy.
• New characters Mrs. Krause.

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Chapter 5 The Goods Train.

• Joseph meets the boy again.
• The boy whose name is Jan introduces himself to
  Joseph.
• Joseph gives the silver sword to Jan.
• With Jans help Joseph gets on to a goods train.
• New character Jan

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Chapter 6.The Night of the Storm Troopers.

• Margrit is taken away by the Nazis.
• Edek shoots at them and the tyre of their van.
• The Nazis return to blow up the house.
• The children escape by running along the rooftops.

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Chapter 7. Winter and Summer Homes

• Ruth, Bronia and Edek make a summer home in the
  woods and a winter home in a bombed cellar in
  Warsaw.
• Edek goes missing.

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Chapter 8. The Newcomer

• The Nazis are under attack from all sides by the
  Allies (England, America and the Russians).
• Bronia finds a sick boy lying on the street.
  They care for him.
• A girl finds a wooden box that belongs to the
  boy.
• He told them his name . It was Jan.

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Other People in Chapter 8

• Marshal Rokossovsky (Russian Army)
• General Bor (Polish Army)
• P.M. Churchill (England)
• Stalin (Russia)
• Yankel (a boy in the street)
• Eva (one of the school children)

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Chapter 9. The Russian Sentry

• Ruth visits the Russian control post.
• She meets Ivan at his sentry post.
• She passes him and requests school supplies from
  the lieutenant.
• She makes friends with Ivan who visits them.

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Chapter 10. More help from Ivan

• Ivan provides boots for the children on their
  long journey to Switzerland
• War does strange things to young people

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Chapter 11. The Road to Posen.

• The children travel to Posen on the way to
  Switzerland.
• They are hoping
• 1. To find Edek,
• 2. To get some food,
• 3. To get a lift.
• Edek who has T.B. has ran away from Warthe Camp.

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Chapter 12. The Hand

• The children get food.
• They are reunited with Edek.
• Jimpy the cock dies in a stampede.

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Chapter 13.Frozen Journey

• The children travel by train towards Berlin.
• Edek tells everybody about his adventure.
• Some did not believe him.

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Chapter 14. City of the Lost

• They reach Berlin at the end of May.
• They go to a camp where they are cared for.
• Jan runs away to go find an escaped chimpanzee.

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Chapter 15. Jan finds a new pal.

• Officer Mark writes a letter to his wife Jane and
  daughter Jenny.
• He tells her about
• the state of Berlin.
• Jan and the Balicki children.
• The escaped chimpanzee and its antics.

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Chapter 16 Through the Russian Zone
As they pass through the Russian Zone Edek
tells them many tales of his adventures
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Chapter 17 The Signal

• The children rest to take care of Edek.
• Ruth and Jan get jobs.
• Edek is arrested at the train signal while
  following Jan who was stealing food from the
  trains.

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Chapter 18 Captain Greenwood

• Ruth defends Edek in court.
• She tells the judge, Captain Greenwood that Jan
  was guilty of the crime.
• Jan prompted and scolded by Ruth tells the judge
  about stopping trains and stealing food.
• Jan is sentenced to detention for a week.

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Chapter 19. The Bavarian Farmer

• The children rest in a barn.
• While searching Kurt is struck by turnips thrown
  by Jan.
• The children eat breakfast and tells of their
  journey.
• Kurt tells them of the Burgomasters work to send
  all refugees Kurt puts them all except Edek
  working on the farm back to their own countries

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Chapter 20. The Burgomaster

• The Burgomaster crashes while coming to visit
  Kurt.
• Edek, who pretends to be German helps to replace
  the burst tyre.
• Bronia interrupts and speaks in Polish.

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Chapter 21. Orders

• The Burgomaster returns to tell Kurt that the
  children are to be collected and sent back to
  Poland.
• Kurt appeals on behalf of the children and shows
  him the Silver Sword.
• The Burgomaster is not impressed.

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Chapter 22. The Farmer hits on a plan.

• Using two canoes repaired by Kurt the children
  escape.
• Jan hides Ludwig (the family pet dog) in his
  canoe.
• They plan to go as far as the Danube.

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Chapter 23. Dangerous Waters

• The children travel in two canoes along the
  Falkenberg River.
• They meet dangerous rapids, boulders and rocks.
• A soldier shoots at and attempts to grab Ruth and
  Bronias canoe.
• The canoes are separated but the children are
  reunited.

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Chapter 24. Missing

• The Silver Sword goes missing.
• Edek is seriously ill.
• Jan and Ludwig go missing during the night.
• A lorry driven by Joe Wolski stops and offers
  help.

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Chapter 25. Joe Wolski

• Joe Wolski, an American G.I. of Polish parentage
  transports the children to the Red Cross camp on
  the shore of Lake Constance.
• He talks happily to the children and tells them
  about the hyena and the bear in the back of the
  truck.
• They turns out to be Jan and Ludwig.

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Chapter 26. News at last

• The superintendent tells Ruth that he has
  received messages from their father and from Kurt
  Wolff.
• Father is in Appanzell (on the Swiss side of the
  lake).
• He promised to phone Ruth.
• Kurt forwards the Silver Sword.

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Chapter 27. The Storm

• The children are caught up in a storm.
• Edek is seperated from the family.
• They find a boat and climb aboard.
• Ludwig runs away.
• Jan makes a big decision - the family or Ludwig.

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Chapter 28. The Meeting

• Ruth wakes up in the cabin of a boat.
• She is concerned about the children but meet them
  later.
• No one understand her except one person who is
  her father.
• She is reunited with her father and mother.
• Jan tells about all the treasures that he has
  lost but still has the Silver Sword.
• Jan asks to be adopted by Margrit.

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Chapter 29. The New Beginning

• An account of the families new life 1946-7.
• Margrit and Joseph are in charge of the Polish
  House in the International Children's Village.
• Bronia drew many pictures of war.
• Edek suffered from TB but studies to become an
  engineer.
• Jan mends his ways and is often called to care
  for sick animals.
• Ruth eventually becomes a teacher and marries a
  French man.
• She is in charge of the French house.

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Our comments on the story 1

• I thought the book was the best book I ever
  read.Lisa.
• I liked this book because it was happy at the end
  and the family got back together. Labhaoise.
• The best part of the story was all the adventures
  that the children had through Germany to
  Switzerland.Paul
• It is a very good book.The best part of story is
  when all of the family get back together. It is
  the best book I every read. Eoin
• I liked Jan because he steal things. Ronan.
• My favourite part of the story was at the end
  when all the family meet again. Id definitely
  suggest it for other people to read. Muireann

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Our comments on the story 2

• My favourite chapter is the storm it is really
  exciting. Kevin.
• I thought this book was very inspiring to read.
  Síle.
• It was very long but good. I think I would read
  it again. Eadaoin
• I thought the Silver Sword was a very interesting
  story. It tells people about children's lives in
  the war and how hard it was. Peggy.
• I liked this story because it told us about war.
  Denis.
• I thought this book was very exciting because war
  was involved in the book. Sarah

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Our comments on the story 3

• I thought Joe Wolski and Ivan were really cool
  and the book was brilliant. Eimear
• I like Jan because hes always up to mischief
  Andrea.
• I thought the Silver Sword was an excellent book
  and definitely worth reading. Sharon
• I thought the book was good but it was really
  long for a story.
• I thought it was the best book I ever read. Emma.
• I like the Silver Sword because it is for
  children Cian .

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Our comments on the story 4

• I like the Silver Sword and I would like to read
  the book again. Gearoid
• It was sad at the start but better in the end.I
  thought it was great. Kevin.
• I liked the book but I think it is more suitable
  for adults than for children. Darren

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Teachers comments

• Class novel suitable for 5th or 6th.
• Adapted for use with 3rd and 4th using audio
  tapes from local library.
• Geography Maps, European countries, climate, Alps
  etc.
• History W.W.2, Holocaust,
• Social issues Effects of war on children, World
  aid organisations, Red Cross U.N. etc..
• Art responding to story.
• English discussion and debate on issues raised,
  dictionary and Google and Encarta searches.
• I.C.T Powepoint, editing, backgrounds, spell
  checks, formatting and re-sizing, and ordering