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Rosa and her husband, Hans, conversing.

Rosa Hubermann is a woman with a fiery attitude, who is the foster mama of Liesel Meminger in the book "The Book Thief". and later its movie adaptation.

Biography[]

Liesel Meminger is sent to her new foster family at 33 Himmel Street, Molching, Germany. Rosa and her husband, Hans Hubermann, had adopted Liesel and her brother Werner, who died on the way to Molching.

In the book, it's stated that the Hubermann family has already "straightened out" a few other adopted kids, as well as raising their biological children, Trudy, and Hans Junior who no longer reside with Rosa and Hans.

During the first year of Liesel's stay, Rosa and her foster daughter have some misunderstandings. However, Rosa genuinely starts caring for Liesel. It's worth mentioning that Rosa has extraordinary ways to showing her affection;

  1. Hitting her kids to teach them lessons
  2. Using two words, saukerl and saumensch (frequently) when talking or referring to almost everyone (including Liesel and her father). Saumensch means "
  3. Dirty/filthy pig girl" while the other term "Saukerl" means " Dirty/filthy pig boy".


To help her family financially, Rosa does the washing and ironing for wealthier families from Molching. Liesel is tasked with the delivery of the washing. She is later relieved by many families due to wartime economical issues.

Rosa dies in 1943 when Himmel Street was bombed leaving only one survivor, Liesel. She is buried beside her husband in Molching.

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