The Setting of "The Book Thief"

Setting
This excerpt from the Book Thief describes an eerie shop owned by and even describing Frau Diller, a good German, or in other words, one who supports the Nazi party. The shop seems to cast a sense of unease over the street, perhaps that's why the building near by it "shivers" as it is "compressed", suggesting the loss of independence, against this dead and bloodless shop.
“The shop itself was white and cold, and completely bloodless. The small house compressed beside it shivered with a little more severity than the other buildings on Himmel Street" (Zusak 106-107).

In contrast to Diller's shop, Liesel's foster home on Himmel Street may not seem as unwelcoming as it looks. Himmel literally translates to "heaven" in German, but it's name contradicts its description.
“The buildings appear to be glued together, mostly small houses and apartment blocks that look nervous. There is murky snow spread out like carpet. There is concrete, empty hat-stand trees, and gray air.” (Zusak 56) The buildings seem to depict a deeper and more horrible event, where the subjects walk in groups and nervously wait for something to happen. I believe this setting is almost whispering to the reader's ear of the horrors of NAZI reign, almost as if, describing the buildings to be more human like and being nervous as they stick together marching on towards a bleak plateau, just like Diller's shop. As loyal and prideful of a country you can be, the direction this movement takes people may be bleak.

Time
The time period of this book takes place before and during World War 2, near the beginning of the story, Zusak fills in a vital that is self-explanatory at least. “SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 1939
1. World War Two begins” (Zusak 157). If that didn't exist to clarify what time period the story took place, then this quote will. “Ten years old meant Hitler Youth. Hitler Youth meant a small brown uniform” (Zusak 85). Joining the Hitler youth was a tradition for Germany's youth whenever they turned ten. It also meant learning how to perform the infamous "heil Hitler" and following the youth programs developed by the Nazi. Especially, if the main character joined the Hitler youth, it most likely means that the story takes place during the WW2 era, because the Nazi reign only lasted around that period of time. Enjoy the video below of an example of some a Hitler Youth Rally for boys, and they are all 10-14 years old some of them as old as Freshman high school students today.