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Emilia Stozek
One of the four principal characters and narrators. From the first chapter Sepetys notes that Alfred’s driving emotion is fear: fear of being inferior, fear of rejection. Alfred begins the book as a pompous, if misunderstood German soldier, and as the story progresses reveals himself to be increasingly racist, bigoted, delusional, and possibly psychopathic. He has no friends, and very little loyalty to anyone but himself, and Hitler. Every action he undertakes is to advance himself, and to somehow prove his worth as a “Good German.” He is in love with Hannelore, his former next-door neighbor, to whom all his chapters are addressed. It is later revealed that Alfred reported Hannelore (who was half Jewish) to the Nazi Youth after she rejected his advances. Alfred has a complicated relationship with his parents. His Mutter loves him, but Alfred’s father is ashamed of him, especially after he was rejected from the Hitler Youth, which continues to be a source of shame for Alfred. Alfred remains separate from the other main characters—Emilia, Florian, and Joana—for the first half of the novel, but his storyline intersects with theirs in the town of Gotenhafen, where his ship is stationed, and where they are trying to board a boat and evacuate East Prussia. Alfred becomes instrumental in helping Emilia, Florian, and Joana obtain permission to board the Wilhelm Gustloff. He gets Joana a position as a nurse on board, and gives Florian blank boarding passes, which Florian uses to forge identification papers that will guarantee him passage.
Alfred Frick Quotes in Salt to the Sea
The Salt to the Sea quotes below are all either spoken by Alfred Frick or refer to Alfred Frick. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
4. Alfred
Quotes
Fear is a hunter.
But brave warriors, we brush away fear with a flick of the wrist. We laugh in the face of fear, kick it like a stone across the street. Yes, Hannelore, I compose these letters in my mind first, as I cannot abandon my men as often as I think of you.
You would be proud of your watchful companion, sailor Alfred Frick. Today I saved a young woman from falling into the sea. It was nothing really, but she was so grateful she clung to me, not wanting to let go.
“Thank you, sailor.” Her warm whisper lingered in my ear. She was quite pretty and smelled like fresh eggs, but there have been many grateful and pretty girls. Oh, do not be concerned. You and your red sweater are foremost in my thoughts. How fondly, how incessantly, I think of my Hannelore and red-sweater days.
I’m relived you are not here to see this. Your sugared heart could not bear the treacherous circumstances here in the port of Gotenhafen. At this very moment, I am guarding dangerous explosives. I am serving Germany well. Only seventeen, yet carrying more valor than those twice my years. There is talk of an honor ceremony but I’m too busy fighting for the Führer to accept honors. Honors are for the dead, I’ve told them. We must fight while we are alive!
Yes, Hannelore, I shall prove to all of Germany. There is indeed a hero inside of me.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
167. Alfred
Quotes
Hitler, he understands my theories. And I, his. Protection of the sick, weak, and inferior is not sensible. That is why I told the Hitler Youth boys about your Jewish father. Do you understand that I was trying to help, Lor? Your mother is not Jewish. I thought surely you would have had sense enough to tell the officers that your mother was a gentile, that you would have aligned yourself to the greater being inside of you.
But you decided otherwise.
And now, years later I am still confused by our final conversation. Do you remember it? I remember it so clearly. I ran out onto the sidewalk as they were taking you away. I told them that half of you was the master race. You stopped in your tracks and whirled to face me.
“No,” you yelled. And then you screamed so very loud.
“I am Jewish!”
Your words echoed between the buildings and bounced down the street.
“I am Jewish!”
I am certain everyone heard your proclamation. It almost sounded like pride. And for some reason those words are now caught, like a hair, in the drain of my mind.
“I am Jewish!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Salt to the Sea LitChart as a printable PDF.
Alfred Frick Quotes in Salt to the Sea
The Salt to the Sea quotes below are all either spoken by Alfred Frick or refer to Alfred Frick. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
4. Alfred
Quotes
Fear is a hunter.
But brave warriors, we brush away fear with a flick of the wrist. We laugh in the face of fear, kick it like a stone across the street. Yes, Hannelore, I compose these letters in my mind first, as I cannot abandon my men as often as I think of you.
You would be proud of your watchful companion, sailor Alfred Frick. Today I saved a young woman from falling into the sea. It was nothing really, but she was so grateful she clung to me, not wanting to let go.
“Thank you, sailor.” Her warm whisper lingered in my ear. She was quite pretty and smelled like fresh eggs, but there have been many grateful and pretty girls. Oh, do not be concerned. You and your red sweater are foremost in my thoughts. How fondly, how incessantly, I think of my Hannelore and red-sweater days.
I’m relived you are not here to see this. Your sugared heart could not bear the treacherous circumstances here in the port of Gotenhafen. At this very moment, I am guarding dangerous explosives. I am serving Germany well. Only seventeen, yet carrying more valor than those twice my years. There is talk of an honor ceremony but I’m too busy fighting for the Führer to accept honors. Honors are for the dead, I’ve told them. We must fight while we are alive!
Yes, Hannelore, I shall prove to all of Germany. There is indeed a hero inside of me.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
167. Alfred
Quotes
Hitler, he understands my theories. And I, his. Protection of the sick, weak, and inferior is not sensible. That is why I told the Hitler Youth boys about your Jewish father. Do you understand that I was trying to help, Lor? Your mother is not Jewish. I thought surely you would have had sense enough to tell the officers that your mother was a gentile, that you would have aligned yourself to the greater being inside of you.
But you decided otherwise.
And now, years later I am still confused by our final conversation. Do you remember it? I remember it so clearly. I ran out onto the sidewalk as they were taking you away. I told them that half of you was the master race. You stopped in your tracks and whirled to face me.
“No,” you yelled. And then you screamed so very loud.
“I am Jewish!”
Your words echoed between the buildings and bounced down the street.
“I am Jewish!”
I am certain everyone heard your proclamation. It almost sounded like pride. And for some reason those words are now caught, like a hair, in the drain of my mind.
“I am Jewish!”
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
