In the Book Refugee Where Is Josef Going? Answer Explained

Alan Gratz’s acclaimed historical fiction novel intertwines the harrowing journeys of three different children fleeing unspeakable danger in search of a safe haven. Among these intertwining narratives is the gripping story of Josef Landau, a young Jewish boy desperately trying to escape the horrors of the Holocaust in 1939. Readers navigating this intense narrative often find themselves piecing together the geographical and emotional map of his journey. In the book Refugee by Alan Gratz, Josef Landau is initially going to Havana, Cuba aboard the ocean liner MS St. Louis to escape Nazi Germany. However, after the Cuban government denies the Jewish refugees entry, the ship is forced back to Europe, and Josef ultimately ends up seeking asylum in France before making a tragic final sacrifice to save his sister from the Nazis.

To fully understand the trajectory of Josef’s journey, it is essential to trace the route from his fractured home in Berlin to the shores of the Americas, and ultimately back to the war-torn European continent. His destination is not merely a single point on a map, but a shifting target dictated by geopolitical forces, prejudice, and survival.

The Fateful Voyage of the MS St. Louis

The beginning of Josef’s journey is defined by a desperate need to leave Germany. Following the terrifying events of Kristallnacht—the Night of Broken Glass—and the traumatic imprisonment of his father, Aaron Landau, in the Dachau concentration camp, the Landau family is given a grim ultimatum. Aaron is released on the strict condition that he and his family leave Germany immediately. Their targeted destination is not chosen out of preference, but out of sheer necessity and availability.

Leaving Nazi Germany Behind

In 1939, securing visas to flee the Third Reich was an incredibly difficult logistical nightmare for Jewish citizens. The Landau family manages to purchase tickets for the MS St. Louis, a luxury ocean liner departing from Hamburg. At this stage of the narrative, Josef is going to the Americas. The physical departure from German soil represents a brief, fragile moment of liberation, as Josef temporarily strips away the oppressive reality of the Hitler Youth and the yellow Star of David he was forced to wear.

The Promise of Havana, Cuba

The primary, documented destination for Josef and the 900-plus passengers aboard the MS St. Louis is Havana, Cuba. The historical context of Gratz’s novel is heavily rooted in reality; Cuba was widely viewed by European refugees as a temporary transit point. The Landau family’s ultimate goal is to reach the United States, but due to strict American immigration quotas, they plan to live in Cuba until their U.S. visas are approved. For the first half of Josef’s storyline, Havana is the promised land—a tropical sanctuary free from the Gestapo and systemic persecution.

A Journey Interrupted: The Rejection at the Border

The tension in Josef’s narrative peaks when the geography of his journey comes to a jarring halt. The concept of “going to Cuba” quickly transforms from a beacon of hope into a bureaucratic nightmare. Gratz brilliantly captures the historical tragedy of the St. Louis, illustrating how shifting political tides can alter the destination of hundreds of lives overnight.

The Cuban Government’s Refusal

Upon arriving in Havana harbor, Josef realizes that his destination has effectively vanished. The Cuban government, swayed by internal political turmoil, economic fears, and rising antisemitic sentiment fueled by Nazi propaganda agents in Havana, invalidates the refugees’ landing permits. Josef is forced to wait in agonizing limbo just off the coast, staring at the lights of a city he is forbidden to enter. He is no longer “going to Cuba”; he is suddenly a boy with nowhere to go.

Diverted Destinations: The Return to Europe

After desperate negotiations fail and appeals to the United States and Canada are ruthlessly rejected, the captain of the MS St. Louis is forced to turn the ship around. Josef’s destination shifts dramatically from the Americas back to the very continent he just fled. The psychological toll of this redirection is immense, forcing Josef to mature rapidly and step up as the man of the family as his father’s mental health completely deteriorates.

Josef’s Final Destination: A Sacrifice in France

As the ship heads back across the Atlantic, intense diplomatic efforts result in a compromise. The passengers will not be returned to Germany. Instead, they are divided among four European nations: the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France.

Josef, his mother, and his younger sister Ruthie are assigned to France. For a brief period, it appears that Josef’s final destination has offered a semblance of peace. However, this safety is entirely illusory. In 1940, Nazi Germany invades France, effectively bringing the terror Josef fled right to his doorstep.

The culmination of Josef’s physical journey takes place in the French countryside as the family attempts to flee toward Switzerland. They are ultimately intercepted by Nazi soldiers. In a heartbreaking climax, Josef’s mother is forced to choose which of her children will go to a concentration camp and which will go free. Josef volunteers himself, ending his journey so that his sister, Ruthie, might continue hers.

The Thematic Weight of Josef’s Trajectory

Alan Gratz deliberately utilizes Josef’s shifting destinations to highlight the unpredictability and sheer terror of the refugee experience. By mapping a route that promises hope but delivers devastating rejection, the novel challenges readers to reflect on historical apathy and border politics.

Analyzing complex historical fiction requires a strong grasp of contextual language and narrative structure. Students and educators deeply analyzing texts like Refugee often supplement their reading with structured vocabulary exercises to fully appreciate the author’s intent. If you are looking to strengthen the language skills required for advanced literary analysis, utilizing resources such as the Wordly Wise Book 10 answer key can help solidify the academic vocabulary needed to comprehend dense historical narratives and interconnected storylines.

Josef’s journey may have ended tragically in Europe, but his legacy survives through his sister Ruthie, who eventually becomes a destination of hope herself for another protagonist, Mahmoud, decades later. The physical location of Josef’s journey is superseded by his moral destination: stepping up to protect his family at all costs.

High-Intent Frequently Asked Questions

Where was Josef trying to go in the book Refugee?

Josef and his family were initially trying to reach Havana, Cuba, with the ultimate long-term goal of securing visas to immigrate to the United States.

Why did Josef’s family leave Germany?

The Landau family fled Nazi Germany because they were facing severe antisemitic persecution, which culminated in Josef’s father being imprisoned in the Dachau concentration camp.

Does Josef make it to Cuba in the book Refugee?

No, although the ship physically reaches Havana harbor, the Cuban government revokes their landing permits, denying Josef and the other Jewish refugees entry into the country.

What happens to Josef at the end of the book?

After being forced to return to Europe and settling in France, Josef is caught by the Nazis and sacrifices himself to a concentration camp so that his younger sister, Ruthie, can go free.

Was the MS St. Louis a real ship?

Yes, the MS St. Louis was a real German ocean liner that famously carried over 900 Jewish refugees to Cuba in 1939, only to be turned away and forced back to Europe in a tragic historical event.

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