Eyewitness to History
By Logan Stonesifer, Scotland Elementary School, Scotland, PA
World War II started in 1939, after Germany invaded Poland. Led by
Adolf Hitler, the German army went on to conquer much of Europe.
The United States and its allies defeated Germany and its allies, Italy
and Japan, in 1945. Logan Stonesifer talked with Gustav Rewwer, a
German soldier who fought in World War II.
Gustav Rewwer was born in 1924 in northern Germany. In 1942, when
he was 18, he was drafted into the German air force. That same year,
Americans bombed Romania, which supplied 80 percent of Germany’s
gas. Most of the air force was grounded.
As a result, Gus spent five months in the infantry1 on the Eastern
Front, fighting the Soviet Union. He spent almost an entire month just
digging trenches, often digging more than 14 hours a day. His feet
were always cold and wet, and there was mud and more mud. The
wind howled, and the nights were so dark you could not see your hand
in front of your face until the Soviet flares went up. Despite all this
misery, Gus was still able to describe the beauty of a mortar shell
exploding in the snow, the impact creating a red ring and black puff of
smoke.
On March 15, 1945, Gus was wounded by shrapnel.2 He didn’t know
that he was hit until he felt his left foot getting warm as his boot filled
up with blood. Later he was hit by a much larger piece of shrapnel that
shredded through three layers of clothing but spared his left knee. He
believed a superior force must have interceded.3 He was still able to
walk, often passing his buddies who were wounded. The dead were
always left behind, frozen to the ground.
He was treated at a makeshift first-aid station. He remembers this as
"a most horrible scene." Bloody young soldiers were everywhere—
some screaming as doctors operated on them. Gus’s wound became
seriously infected. After several months, it started to heal.
1 infantry: trained soldiers on foot
2 shrapnel: metal piece from an exploded bomb or mine
3 intercede: to plead on behalf of another
1
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.
Gus was discharged in September 1945. When he came back to his
house, it was completely destroyed. He felt "absolutely lost." He
couldn’t understand that he didn’t need the "safety and protection" of
the trenches.
In 1957, Gus met an American woman, June. Gus and June moved to
the United States on May 6, 1958, and got married four days later.
Conclusion: After talking with Gus, I see how tragic war really is. I look
at Gustav Rewwer as a great person and a brave man.
2
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Article: Copyright © 2007 Weekly Reader Corporation. All rights reserved.
Weekly Reader is a registered trademark of Weekly Reader Corporation.
Used by permission.
Name:
_____________ Date: _______________________
1. How old was Gustav Rewwer when he was drafted into the German air force?
A
B
C
D
16
18
21
24
2. Gustav spent five months fighting the Soviet Union. What was the effect of his time in
the infantry?
A
B
C
D
He
He
He
He
became a doctor and helped wounded soldiers.
was killed when he was hit by enemy shrapnel.
was wounded by shrapnel but survived.
avoided being hit by shrapnel by hiding in a trench.
3. Which of the following conclusions about Gustav is supported by the passage?
A
B
C
D
He
He
He
He
experienced the tragedy of war.
had an easy time as a German soldier.
was not at all affected by World War II.
didn’t see much bloodshed during the war.
4. Read this sentence from the passage: “Despite all this misery, Gus was still able to
describe the beauty of a mortar shell exploding in the snow, the impact creating a red
ring and black puff of smoke.”
In this sentence, the word impact means
A
B
C
D
territory
wilderness
boundary
collision
5. The primary purpose of this passage is to describe
A
B
C
D
how soldiers prepared for battle during World War II
how the United States and its allies defeated Germany
Gustav Rewwer’s experience during World War II
why Gustav Rewwer decided to move to the United States
1
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
6. Where was Gus born?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. When Gus was wounded, he “believed a superior force must have interceded.” Why
do you think Gus felt this way? Please cite examples from the text.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes
the sentence.
Gus Rewwer was drafted into the German air force _______ World War II.
A
B
C
D
about
during
beyond
since
2
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
In 1957, Gustav Rewwer met an American woman and moved to the United States.
Who? _________________________________________________________________
(did) What? ____________________________________________________________
When? in 1957
10. Vocabulary Word: intercede: to plead on behalf of another.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: ______________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
Teacher Guide and Answers
Passage Reading Level: Lexile 880
Featured Text Structure: Cause/Effect – the writer presents the reason an event happened and its
results
Passage Summary: “Eyewitness to History” describes Gustav Rewwer’s experience as a German soldier
who fought in World War II.
1. How old was Gustav Rewwer when he was drafted into the German air force?
A
B
C
D
16
18
21
24
2. Gustav spent five months fighting the Soviet Union. What was the effect of his time in the infantry?
A
B
C
D
He became a doctor and helped wounded soldiers.
He was killed when he was hit by enemy shrapnel.
He was wounded by shrapnel but survived.
He avoided being hit by shrapnel by hiding in a trench.
3. Which of the following conclusions about Gustav is supported by the passage?
A
B
C
D
He experienced the tragedy of war.
He had an easy time as a German soldier.
He was not at all affected by World War II.
He didn’t see much bloodshed during the war.
4. Read this sentence from the passage: “Despite all this misery, Gus was still able to describe the beauty
of a mortar shell exploding in the snow, the impact creating a red ring and black puff of smoke.”
In this sentence, the word impact means
A
B
C
D
territory
wilderness
boundary
collision
5. The primary purpose of this passage is to describe
A
B
C
D
how soldiers prepared for battle during World War II
how the United States and its allies defeated Germany
Gustav Rewwer’s experience during World War II
why Gustav Rewwer decided to move to the United States
1
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.
6. Where was Gus born?
Suggested answer: Gus was born in northern Germany. [paragraph 2]
7. When Gus was wounded, he “believed a superior force must have interceded.” Why do you think Gus
felt this way? Please cite examples from the text.
Suggested answer: Gus felt this way because the attacks spared his left knee, and he was able to walk
to the first-aid station to get treated, while many of his buddies were wounded and left behind.
[paragraph 4]
8. The question below is an incomplete sentence. Choose the word that best completes the sentence.
Gus Rewwer was drafted into the German air force _______ World War II.
A
B
C
D
about
during
beyond
since
9. Answer the following questions based on the sentence below.
In 1957, Gustav Rewwer met an American woman and moved to the United States.
Who? Gustav Rewwer
(did) What? met an American woman and moved to the United States
When? in 1957
10. Vocabulary Word: intercede: to plead on behalf of another.
Use the vocabulary word in a sentence: answers may vary.
2
®
© 2012 ReadWorks , Inc. All rights reserved.