Quote 55
He slapped Liesel Meminger squarely in the face. (19.23)
This is Hans, in a rare moment of violence. Hans does not hit Liesel in anger, but because he wants to communicate the seriousness of her situation. Saying such a thing within the hearing of the wrong person could mean a death sentence. Hans is also motivated by the knowledge that he'll soon, if things go as planned, be hiding a Jew in his home. In which case, such statements would be doubly risky. Could he have found a way to impress this upon Liesel without violence?
Quote 56
In the basement of 33 Himmel Street, Max Vandenburg could feel the fists of the entire nation. One by one they climbed into the ring and beat him down. (38.112)
This is how Max perceives the majority of German people. It refers to the fact that the Holocaust could not have been carried out without the consent of the majority of the German population.
Quote 57
I witness the ones that are left behind, crumbled among the jigsaw puzzles of realization, despair, and surprise. They have punctured hearts. They have beaten lungs. (1.22)
From Death's point of view, living with the loss of a loved one is much worse than dying.