Projekt 1065 is about a 13 year old spy named Michael. He has to pretend to be loyal and stand with the Nazis, but he is secretly a part of an Allied mission. I will be discussing a quote’s significance. 

“But nothing, What if you’d been caught? .. Michael, it’s terrible to say so, but sometimes you have to weight the cost of one man’s life against the value of an entire operation.”(66).

In this particular scene, Michael and his parents discuss his reckless action of hiding a British airman in a barn, risking getting caught and exposing all his secrets. While Michael thinks it was courageous of himself to do the right thing, his parents worry that Michael’s boldness will undermine the success of the mission; it could get them into serious trouble.

This quote reveals what Michael’s personality is like. Michael is ambitious and determined, yet not selfish. He evidently takes his role as a spy very seriously. His intense hatred for the Nazis causes him to get caught up in the moment and do reckless things, as opposed to thoroughly thinking about the consequences of his actions. For example, he completely loathes the idea of Nazi book burning and censorship. When a small boy named Fritz is bullied and beaten by the older boys for supposedly hesitating to burn books, Michael is blinded by rage, “Without giving it another moment’s thought, I threw myself into the fight”(39). 

Why does Michael feel compelled to help people? His past experiences have shaped his way of thinking. The horrifying memory of his young self witnessing Kristallnacht is seared into his memory. He never wants to feel helpless again. 

Not only does this scene demonstrate his personality, but it also serves as foreshadowing. Although this time, Michael managed to sneak Simon, the British airman, safely into his home, it was a huge risk. This close call suggests that in the future, Michael’s personality will get him into trouble and he will eventually get caught. It also foreshadows him needing to let go of things and sacrifice them.