Bruno is a 9 - year - old boy growing up during World War II in Berlin . He lives with his parents , his 12 - year - old sister Gretel and maids , one of whom is called Maria . After a visit by Adolf Hitler , Bruno 's father is promoted to Commandant , and the family has to move to `` Out - With '' because of the orders of `` The Fury '' ( Bruno 's naïve interpretation of the word ' Führer ' ) . Bruno is initially upset about moving to Out - With ( in actuality , Auschwitz ) and leaving his friends , Daniel , Karl , and Martin . From the house at Out - With , Bruno sees a camp in which the prisoners wear striped pyjamas . One day , Bruno decides to explore the strange wire fence . As he walks along the fence , he meets a Jewish boy named Shmuel , who he learns shares his birthday . Shmuel says that his father , grandfather , and brother are with him on this side of the fence , but he is separated from his mother . Bruno and Shmuel talk and become very good friends , although Bruno still does not understand very much about Shmuel and his side of the fence . Nearly every day , unless it 's raining , Bruno goes to see Shmuel and sneaks him food . As the meetings go on , and Shmuel gets more and more skinny , Bruno 's naïveté means he never realizes he is living beside a death camp .

Question: when does the boy in the striped pajamas take place
Answer: during World War II