In
, Bruno and his family have moved to "a desolate place" because
of Bruno's father's "very important" job. Bruno is most unimpressed and is horrified
at the differences between "Out-With" and his beloved home in Berlin, with the most
amazing banisters to slide down. Bruno's father is the commandant with many soldiers reporting
to him, one of which is Lieutenant Kotler who Bruno sees quite a lot. Gretel, his sister, and
"a hopeless case," is always trying to impress the lieutenant and Bruno's father even
invites him to have dinner with the family. It is at this dinner that Bruno sees a most
unpleasant and even shocking side to Lieutenant Kotler.
Bruno dislikes
Lieutenant Kotler who "strides around as if he owns the place" and he is particularly
unimpressed because he "laughs with your sister and whispers with your mother"
(chapter 13). Both Bruno and Shmuel agree that the lieutenant is a "bully." This is
reinforced when the family are eating dinner with Lieutenant Kotler. Pavel, the waiter (who used
to be a doctor) is behaving strangely and very nervously although no one seems to understand why
and he accidentally spills wine all over the lieutenant. Although it is not explicitly
(actually) stated, it is obvious that he mistreats Pavel and Bruno wonders if that is perhaps
normal practice at "Out-With."
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