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Stein is a relative of Eliezer’s, related to him through marriage on his mother’s side of the family. He is from Antwerp, and he encounters Eliezer and his father during their time at Auschwitz. Like many Jews, Stein was separated from his wife and young children, and, knowing that Eliezer’s mother often wrote them letters, he hopes that he can find out what happened to them. His brief appearance in the novel serves as yet another painful reminder of how families were torn apart and sheds light on Eliezer’s compassion for others. Similarly to the thematic significance of father-son relationships, Stein’s desperate search for his wife and sons highlights the power of a family bond more broadly. The hope that they may still be alive gives Stein the strength to fight for his own life in the concentration camp, a dynamic that Eliezer later experiences with his father. When Eliezer lies and tells him that his family is safe, he is overcome with relief and shows his gratitude by caring for his relatives at Auschwitz. This moment is significant because it reveals how the connection that Stein feels to his family allows him to maintain a sense of respect for himself and those around him. Eliezer’s decision to lie also highlights his own compassion, suggesting that he values Stein’s life over the truth. Stein mysteriously disappears, however, after he learns of a transport arriving from Antwerp. Eliezer implies that Stein died after learning the truth about his family, and this outcome reinforces the link between belief and survival.
