The story of the Holocaust and my life

For me, the story of Maus humanized the struggle of a families survival in the time of the holocaust. This story made me connect with all the characters on a level that a history book could never do. I really couldn't imagine being a Jew at the time of the death camps, but I can relate to some of the hardships Vladek's family endured.
The story of Vladek and Anja's family really intrigued me because my Grandmother is suspicious that our family was in danger during the holocaust. She told me that my mother's maiden name Mataska had been changed. It was originally Malachowski, which leads her to think we are linked Jewish heritage. I am still curious to this day about why my Great grandparents decided to change their last name. Was it for safety, or for mere convenience?
There were particular parts of Maus that really bothered me. One part of the story that really struck me was when a notice was sent in the mail ordering all Jews over 70 years of age to report to Czechoslovakia for a transfer. At this point in the story the family was a bit gullible. They thought they were going to be sent to an old age home. They were ever so wrong. They started hiding Anja's grandparents because they all wanted to stay together . This worked for a while until the Germans came to there doorstep. The grandparents were forced to transfer. Later the family would learn they were gased. Vladek told his son that he learned about the gas chambers right away.
This upset me because I think about how harmless the elderly are and I can't imagine the fear they must have endured during their death. I can't help but think about my own Grandma. She is innocent and does no harm to anyone. If I lived during this time she would have been sent before me to this "transfer in Czech." This is probably where the families trust was broken. Anja's innocent grandparents were murdered all for the reason of being Jewish.
I was really disturbed that the Jews were constantly lied to about certain things too. The Gemeinde told all Jews that they must register at Dienst stadium. The Germans acted like this was routine. "..there's no cause for alarm-it's only a matter of inspecting your documents and stamping them. This will protect you as a citizen of the region!"
I'm sure people still had some trust left and thought it'd be no big deal, they are just checking out papers. Although, other's knew exactly what would happen in that stadium. These people had no choice. They probably felt so out of control during this time. There was nothing they could do really...
This brings me to a time when I felt out of control in my life. It doesn't at all compare to the murders, but death is something that really makes a person feel out of control. There was a time in my life where I had 3 grandparents die within a year. I felt helpless.. It's like a feeling of despair that never goes away. It led me to evaluate my own life and realize that one day I would die. I had to accept the face of death and move on.