When The World Was Ours

Content Warning: This section contains descriptions of antisemitism and the Holocaust, including human rights violations, severe abuse, violence, genocide, and gruesome death.

The Ferris wheel and the photograph of that day are key symbols in the story, representing The Eternal Bonds of Friendship that outlast time and great suffering, as well as Hope, Resilience, and the Endurance of the Human Spirit. When Leo, Max, and Elsa sit on the Ferris wheel and watch the world go by, it is as if everything they see belongs to them, and they revel in the endless possibilities ahead. It is a moment full of hope and wonder, and the children enjoy fantasizing about the future. As Leo states, “Climbing high above the city made me feel invincible. Vienna was ours to share. A whole city spread out just for Elsa, Max, and me” (4). In this shining moment, the three friends make a promise of eternal friendship, and Leo’s papa takes a photograph of the moment to preserve it forever.

As the years go by and the friends are separated by time and harsh circumstances, they each continue to carry their photograph, and to take it out occasionally and transport themselves back to that special day.