Author: Jake Wallis Simons
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1628734647
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 342
Book Description
This powerful, meticulously researched novel is a moving tale of one girl’s struggle against a world in turmoil. In 1930s Berlin, choked by the tightening of Hitler’s fist, the Klein family is gradually losing everything that is precious to them. Their fifteen-year-old daughter, Rosa, slips out of Germany on a Kindertransport train to begin a new life in England. Charged with the task of securing a safe passage for her family, she vows that she will not rest until they are safe. But as war breaks out and she loses contact with her parents, Rosa finds herself wondering if there are some vows that can’t be kept. A sweeping tale of love and loss, with the poignant story of the Kindertransport at its heart, this is an exceptional accomplishment from one of Britain’s bravest and most-vibrant young writers.
The English German Girl
The German Girl
Author: Armando Lucas Correa
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501121243
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER Featured in Entertainment Weekly, People, The Millions, and USA TODAY “An unforgettable and resplendent novel which will take its place among the great historical fiction written about World War II.” —Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife A young girl flees Nazi-occupied Germany with her family and best friend, only to discover that the overseas refuge they had been promised is an illusion in this “engrossing and heartbreaking” (Library Journal, starred review) debut novel, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Berlin, 1939. Before everything changed, Hannah Rosenthal lived a charmed life. But now the streets of Berlin are draped in ominous flags; her family’s fine possessions are hauled away; and they are no longer welcome in the places they once considered home. A glimmer of hope appears in the shape of the St. Louis, a transatlantic ocean liner promising Jews safe passage to Cuba. At first, the liner feels like a luxury, but as they travel, the circumstances of war change, and the ship that was to be their salvation seems likely to become their doom. New York, 2014. On her twelfth birthday, Anna Rosen receives a mysterious package from an unknown relative in Cuba, her great-aunt Hannah. Its contents inspire Anna and her mother to travel to Havana to learn the truth about their family’s mysterious and tragic past. Weaving dual time frames, and based on a true story, The German Girl is a beautifully written and deeply poignant story about generations of exiles seeking a place to call home.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1501121243
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 384
Book Description
AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER Featured in Entertainment Weekly, People, The Millions, and USA TODAY “An unforgettable and resplendent novel which will take its place among the great historical fiction written about World War II.” —Adriana Trigiani, bestselling author of The Shoemaker's Wife A young girl flees Nazi-occupied Germany with her family and best friend, only to discover that the overseas refuge they had been promised is an illusion in this “engrossing and heartbreaking” (Library Journal, starred review) debut novel, perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Lilac Girls, and The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Berlin, 1939. Before everything changed, Hannah Rosenthal lived a charmed life. But now the streets of Berlin are draped in ominous flags; her family’s fine possessions are hauled away; and they are no longer welcome in the places they once considered home. A glimmer of hope appears in the shape of the St. Louis, a transatlantic ocean liner promising Jews safe passage to Cuba. At first, the liner feels like a luxury, but as they travel, the circumstances of war change, and the ship that was to be their salvation seems likely to become their doom. New York, 2014. On her twelfth birthday, Anna Rosen receives a mysterious package from an unknown relative in Cuba, her great-aunt Hannah. Its contents inspire Anna and her mother to travel to Havana to learn the truth about their family’s mysterious and tragic past. Weaving dual time frames, and based on a true story, The German Girl is a beautifully written and deeply poignant story about generations of exiles seeking a place to call home.
English Girl, German Boy
Author: Tessa Börner
Publisher: Hilary Borner
ISBN: 0973892609
Category : Boys
Languages : en
Pages : 138
Book Description
Publisher: Hilary Borner
ISBN: 0973892609
Category : Boys
Languages : en
Pages : 138
Book Description
East German Girl
Author: Sigrid Jackson
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1462042562
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 157
Book Description
War memories do not have an age requirement. They force you to mature and give you no choice but to cope with the realities of the world. In this memoir, author Sigrid Jackson tells what it was like being a child of war in East Germany before and after World War II. In East German Girl, Jackson describes what it was like to live through the bombing raids, food shortages, diphtheria, communism, and being forced to leave her home with her mother and brother to be relocated to a rural farm. Using personal anecdotes to illustrate how God has worked in her life, Jackson demonstrates the courage that was necessary to escape East Germany to freedom in the west when she was just twelve years old. From an alcoholic, absentee father to an unsuspecting future husband, life continuously threw her curveballs, but East German Girl narrates an inspirational story of war, communism, family betrayal, and finally resilience.
Publisher: iUniverse
ISBN: 1462042562
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 157
Book Description
War memories do not have an age requirement. They force you to mature and give you no choice but to cope with the realities of the world. In this memoir, author Sigrid Jackson tells what it was like being a child of war in East Germany before and after World War II. In East German Girl, Jackson describes what it was like to live through the bombing raids, food shortages, diphtheria, communism, and being forced to leave her home with her mother and brother to be relocated to a rural farm. Using personal anecdotes to illustrate how God has worked in her life, Jackson demonstrates the courage that was necessary to escape East Germany to freedom in the west when she was just twelve years old. From an alcoholic, absentee father to an unsuspecting future husband, life continuously threw her curveballs, but East German Girl narrates an inspirational story of war, communism, family betrayal, and finally resilience.
The German Girl
Author: Lily Graham
Publisher: Bookouture
ISBN: 1838889337
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 279
Book Description
‘I absolutely loved this… heartbreaking and heart-warming… I was completely hooked… an absolutely amazing book, one which I was completely captivated by… will stay with you for such a long time after you’ve finished reading it.’ Starburst Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Germany, 1938. Fifteen-year-old Asta and her twin brother Jurgen are stopped as they run home from school through strangely silent streets: ‘Your parents were taken. And if you go home, the Nazis will take you too…’ Heartbroken, Asta knows they must make the perilous journey across a hostile country that no longer feels like home to reach Denmark and their aunt Trine, a woman they barely know. Crossing the border is punishable by death. In the middle of the snowy forest, barking dogs and armed soldiers capture Jurgen and Asta escapes. Asta must hold on to hope no matter what. One day she will find her twin, the other half of herself. Even if it means leaving the safety of Denmark, and risking her life in a labour camp to track down the man who took her brother. Whatever the price she has to pay, her brother’s life is worth it. A gripping and poignant read that will break your heart and give you hope. Fans of The Nightingale, The Dressmaker’s Gift and All the Light We Cannot See will be gripped by the story of a brave brother and sister seeking safety during one of the darkest times in our history. What everyone’s saying about The German Girl: ‘Keep the tissues handy… By far the absolute best book I’ve read this year!... I devoured it in one sitting… a historical fiction masterpiece… Please keep writing, Lily Graham, the world needs more of your books! ‘ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh wow. What a powerful, gripping story… Lily Graham really brought the characters to life, during all the different settings and drew me in as though I was an extra in the story. Very moving.’ Karen Loves Reading, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Read to the last Page! Unputdownable!... The author has taken us to a time period we all would like to forget, but shouldn’t because it.could happen again. Her writing is provocative and explosive! The characters are strong and believable! You want to cheer them on so you keep turning the pages. I couldn’t stop so I ended up reading this in one sitting!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What an emotional read full of bravery, perseverance and courage.’ Shortbookthyme, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I simply couldn't put this book down, and I felt I was drawn back to that time. Overall, this book is an emotional and gripping book, that is unputdownable. Worth five stars!’ Tropicalgirlreadsbooks, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What everyone’s saying about Lily Graham: ‘Absolutely one of the best books I have read… Lily Graham has written one of the best books of the year in my honest opinion! If I could have given this a higher rating than 5 stars I would have done so… truly an unforgettable story!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You will cry, you will be addicted from the start and will find it hard to put down. This book ranks high on my favourite books list, a BRILLIANT book and worth far more than 5* in my opinion. EXCELLENT.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Warning! This book will make you cry… The most moving story I’ve read in a long while… I have not wept so much in a while… I fell in love… by the end I was smiling and crying. I was an emotional mess all round really.’ The Book Trail, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Publisher: Bookouture
ISBN: 1838889337
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 279
Book Description
‘I absolutely loved this… heartbreaking and heart-warming… I was completely hooked… an absolutely amazing book, one which I was completely captivated by… will stay with you for such a long time after you’ve finished reading it.’ Starburst Book Reviews, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Germany, 1938. Fifteen-year-old Asta and her twin brother Jurgen are stopped as they run home from school through strangely silent streets: ‘Your parents were taken. And if you go home, the Nazis will take you too…’ Heartbroken, Asta knows they must make the perilous journey across a hostile country that no longer feels like home to reach Denmark and their aunt Trine, a woman they barely know. Crossing the border is punishable by death. In the middle of the snowy forest, barking dogs and armed soldiers capture Jurgen and Asta escapes. Asta must hold on to hope no matter what. One day she will find her twin, the other half of herself. Even if it means leaving the safety of Denmark, and risking her life in a labour camp to track down the man who took her brother. Whatever the price she has to pay, her brother’s life is worth it. A gripping and poignant read that will break your heart and give you hope. Fans of The Nightingale, The Dressmaker’s Gift and All the Light We Cannot See will be gripped by the story of a brave brother and sister seeking safety during one of the darkest times in our history. What everyone’s saying about The German Girl: ‘Keep the tissues handy… By far the absolute best book I’ve read this year!... I devoured it in one sitting… a historical fiction masterpiece… Please keep writing, Lily Graham, the world needs more of your books! ‘ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Oh wow. What a powerful, gripping story… Lily Graham really brought the characters to life, during all the different settings and drew me in as though I was an extra in the story. Very moving.’ Karen Loves Reading, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Read to the last Page! Unputdownable!... The author has taken us to a time period we all would like to forget, but shouldn’t because it.could happen again. Her writing is provocative and explosive! The characters are strong and believable! You want to cheer them on so you keep turning the pages. I couldn’t stop so I ended up reading this in one sitting!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘What an emotional read full of bravery, perseverance and courage.’ Shortbookthyme, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘I simply couldn't put this book down, and I felt I was drawn back to that time. Overall, this book is an emotional and gripping book, that is unputdownable. Worth five stars!’ Tropicalgirlreadsbooks, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ What everyone’s saying about Lily Graham: ‘Absolutely one of the best books I have read… Lily Graham has written one of the best books of the year in my honest opinion! If I could have given this a higher rating than 5 stars I would have done so… truly an unforgettable story!’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘You will cry, you will be addicted from the start and will find it hard to put down. This book ranks high on my favourite books list, a BRILLIANT book and worth far more than 5* in my opinion. EXCELLENT.’ Goodreads Reviewer, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ‘Warning! This book will make you cry… The most moving story I’ve read in a long while… I have not wept so much in a while… I fell in love… by the end I was smiling and crying. I was an emotional mess all round really.’ The Book Trail, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Letters to Oma
Author: Marj Gurasich
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 0875656390
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 174
Book Description
When fifteen-year-old Christina Eudora Von Scholl learns that her family will leave their German homeland to seek freedom in Texas, her greatest sorrow is leaving behind her beloved grandmother. And so, in a series of letters, she takes “Oma” on this great adventure with her family . . . and takes us as readers. Sometimes the letters are dark with discouragement, for the Von Scholls find, as did many German-Texas families, that the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants, known as the Adelsverein, was unable to fulfill its promises of land, housing, horses, and farm implements. But they are Germans, determined and willing to work hard. More often these letters—and the text woven in between them—are bright with adventure, for Tina finds Texas an exciting, if puzzling, place. There are new customs to learn, new foods to eat, even while the family preserves its traditional German ways. Tina’s adventures include a run-in with a mountain lion, an exciting trip across Texas with her father to Sisterdale, and a frightening encounter with Lipan Indians. Her lessons in being an American are helped by Jeff, a young man who becomes part of the family when he undertakes to teach them to farm in Texas. Tina, in return, teaches Jeff to read and learns a lesson in love that is without nationality. Letters to Oma is a charming, informative novel that sweeps the reader back to a very particular time and place. And Tina Von Scholl is irresistible as correspondent and as heroine.
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
ISBN: 0875656390
Category : Juvenile Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 174
Book Description
When fifteen-year-old Christina Eudora Von Scholl learns that her family will leave their German homeland to seek freedom in Texas, her greatest sorrow is leaving behind her beloved grandmother. And so, in a series of letters, she takes “Oma” on this great adventure with her family . . . and takes us as readers. Sometimes the letters are dark with discouragement, for the Von Scholls find, as did many German-Texas families, that the Society for the Protection of German Emigrants, known as the Adelsverein, was unable to fulfill its promises of land, housing, horses, and farm implements. But they are Germans, determined and willing to work hard. More often these letters—and the text woven in between them—are bright with adventure, for Tina finds Texas an exciting, if puzzling, place. There are new customs to learn, new foods to eat, even while the family preserves its traditional German ways. Tina’s adventures include a run-in with a mountain lion, an exciting trip across Texas with her father to Sisterdale, and a frightening encounter with Lipan Indians. Her lessons in being an American are helped by Jeff, a young man who becomes part of the family when he undertakes to teach them to farm in Texas. Tina, in return, teaches Jeff to read and learns a lesson in love that is without nationality. Letters to Oma is a charming, informative novel that sweeps the reader back to a very particular time and place. And Tina Von Scholl is irresistible as correspondent and as heroine.
The Good German Girl
Author: Erica Marie Hogan
Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing Incorporated
ISBN: 9781649492012
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Omaha Beach June 6, 1944 When battle-hardened Private Bernie Russell witnesses a fellow soldier shoot a young German boy with his hands up, he's shaken to his very core. Then, as that same boy is dying, he presses a packet of photographs and letters into Bernie's hand and utters three words in English. "It must end." After having the letters translated, he discovers they were written by the soldier's twin sister, and the photographs within the packet reveal evidence of Hitler's plan to wipe out the Jews. Berlin, Germany Margot Raskopf is a young art teacher, forced to conform to the education Hitler has designed. Then, when one of her sources with the underground resistance receives a letter for her from an American soldier, she's shocked and filled with renewed hope. But Margot has been harboring a secret. In her house, she hides a young Jewish woman she's known since childhood, risking being discovered by the gestapo with each passing day. As they begin a dangerous correspondence, both Margot and Bernie embark on treacherous journeys. One taking Bernie across Europe and right into Germany. Another taking Margot through the gates of Auschwitz ... and under the scrutiny of Josef Mengele.
Publisher: Elk Lake Publishing Incorporated
ISBN: 9781649492012
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 404
Book Description
Omaha Beach June 6, 1944 When battle-hardened Private Bernie Russell witnesses a fellow soldier shoot a young German boy with his hands up, he's shaken to his very core. Then, as that same boy is dying, he presses a packet of photographs and letters into Bernie's hand and utters three words in English. "It must end." After having the letters translated, he discovers they were written by the soldier's twin sister, and the photographs within the packet reveal evidence of Hitler's plan to wipe out the Jews. Berlin, Germany Margot Raskopf is a young art teacher, forced to conform to the education Hitler has designed. Then, when one of her sources with the underground resistance receives a letter for her from an American soldier, she's shocked and filled with renewed hope. But Margot has been harboring a secret. In her house, she hides a young Jewish woman she's known since childhood, risking being discovered by the gestapo with each passing day. As they begin a dangerous correspondence, both Margot and Bernie embark on treacherous journeys. One taking Bernie across Europe and right into Germany. Another taking Margot through the gates of Auschwitz ... and under the scrutiny of Josef Mengele.
The Welsh Girl
Author: Peter Ho Davies
Publisher: HMH
ISBN: 0547524900
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 345
Book Description
A WWII-era Welsh barmaid begins a secret relationship with a German POW in this “beautiful” novel by the author of A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself (Ann Patchett). Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Set in the stunning landscape of North Wales just after D-Day, this critically acclaimed debut novel traces the intersection of disparate lives in wartime. When a prisoner-of-war camp is established near her village, seventeen-year-old barmaid Esther Evans finds herself strangely drawn to the camp and its forlorn captives. She is exploring the camp boundary when an astonishing thing occurs: A young German corporal calls out to her from behind the fence. From that moment on, the two begin an unlikely—and perilous—romance. Meanwhile, a German-Jewish interrogator travels to Wales to investigate Britain’s most notorious Nazi prisoner, Rudolf Hess. In this richly drawn and thought-provoking “tour de force,” all will come to question the meaning of love, family, loyalty, and national identity (The New Yorker). “If you loved The English Patient, there’s probably a place in your heart for The Welsh Girl.” —USA Today “Davies’s characters are marvelously nuanced.” —Los Angeles Times “Beautifully conjures a place and its people, in an extraordinary time . . . A rare gem.” —Claire Messud, author of The Woman Upstairs “This first novel by Davies, author of two highly praised short story collections, has been anticipated—and, with its wonderfully drawn characters, it has been worth the wait.” —Booklist, starred review
Publisher: HMH
ISBN: 0547524900
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 345
Book Description
A WWII-era Welsh barmaid begins a secret relationship with a German POW in this “beautiful” novel by the author of A Lie Someone Told You About Yourself (Ann Patchett). Longlisted for the Man Booker Prize Set in the stunning landscape of North Wales just after D-Day, this critically acclaimed debut novel traces the intersection of disparate lives in wartime. When a prisoner-of-war camp is established near her village, seventeen-year-old barmaid Esther Evans finds herself strangely drawn to the camp and its forlorn captives. She is exploring the camp boundary when an astonishing thing occurs: A young German corporal calls out to her from behind the fence. From that moment on, the two begin an unlikely—and perilous—romance. Meanwhile, a German-Jewish interrogator travels to Wales to investigate Britain’s most notorious Nazi prisoner, Rudolf Hess. In this richly drawn and thought-provoking “tour de force,” all will come to question the meaning of love, family, loyalty, and national identity (The New Yorker). “If you loved The English Patient, there’s probably a place in your heart for The Welsh Girl.” —USA Today “Davies’s characters are marvelously nuanced.” —Los Angeles Times “Beautifully conjures a place and its people, in an extraordinary time . . . A rare gem.” —Claire Messud, author of The Woman Upstairs “This first novel by Davies, author of two highly praised short story collections, has been anticipated—and, with its wonderfully drawn characters, it has been worth the wait.” —Booklist, starred review
The Cut Out Girl
Author: Bart van Es
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0241978718
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 291
Book Description
WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018 WINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2018 'A masterpiece of history and memoir' Evening Standard 'Superb. This is a necessary book - painful, harrowing, tragic, but also uplifting' The Times __________________________________________________ Little Lien wasn't taken from her Jewish parents in the Hague - she was given away in the hope that she might be saved. Hidden and raised by a foster family in the provinces during the Nazi occupation, she survived the war only to find that her real parents had not. Much later, she fell out with her foster family, and Bart van Es - the grandson of Lien's foster parents - knew he needed to find out why. His account of tracing Lien and telling her story is a searing exploration of two lives and two families. It is a story about love and misunderstanding and about the ways that our most painful experiences - so crucial in defining us - can also be redefined. ___________________________________________________ 'Luminous, elegant, haunting - I read it straight through' Philippe Sands, author of East West Street 'Deeply moving. Writes with an almost Sebaldian simplicity and understatement' Guardian 'Sensational and gripping . . . shedding light on some of the most urgent issues of our time' Judges of the Costa Book of the Year 2018
Publisher: Penguin UK
ISBN: 0241978718
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 291
Book Description
WINNER OF THE COSTA BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018 WINNER OF THE SLIGHTLY FOXED BEST FIRST BIOGRAPHY PRIZE 2018 'A masterpiece of history and memoir' Evening Standard 'Superb. This is a necessary book - painful, harrowing, tragic, but also uplifting' The Times __________________________________________________ Little Lien wasn't taken from her Jewish parents in the Hague - she was given away in the hope that she might be saved. Hidden and raised by a foster family in the provinces during the Nazi occupation, she survived the war only to find that her real parents had not. Much later, she fell out with her foster family, and Bart van Es - the grandson of Lien's foster parents - knew he needed to find out why. His account of tracing Lien and telling her story is a searing exploration of two lives and two families. It is a story about love and misunderstanding and about the ways that our most painful experiences - so crucial in defining us - can also be redefined. ___________________________________________________ 'Luminous, elegant, haunting - I read it straight through' Philippe Sands, author of East West Street 'Deeply moving. Writes with an almost Sebaldian simplicity and understatement' Guardian 'Sensational and gripping . . . shedding light on some of the most urgent issues of our time' Judges of the Costa Book of the Year 2018
Berlin
Author: White-Spunner Barney
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1643137239
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 528
Book Description
The intoxicating history of an extraordinary city and her people—from the medieval kings surrounding Berlin's founding to the world wars, tumult, and reunification of the twentieth century. There has always been a particular fervor about Berlin, a combination of excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and a feeling of the unexpected. Throughout history, it has been a city of tensions: geographical, political, religious, and artistic. In the nineteenth-century, political tension became acute between a city that was increasingly democratic, home to Marx and Hegel, and one of the most autocratic regimes in Europe. Artistic tension, between free thinking and liberal movements started to find themselves in direct contention with the formal official culture. Underlying all of this was the ethnic tension—between multi-racial Berliners and the Prussians. Berlin may have been the capital of Prussia but it was never a Prussian city. Then there is war. Few European cities have suffered from war as Berlin has over the centuries. It was sacked by the Hapsburg armies in the Thirty Years War; by the Austrians and the Russians in the eighteenth century; by the French, with great violence, in the early nineteenth century; by the Russians again in 1945 and subsequently occupied, more benignly, by the Allied Powers from 1945 until 1994. Nor can many cities boast such a diverse and controversial number of international figures: Frederick the Great and Bismarck; Hegel and Marx; Mahler, Dietrich, and Bowie. Authors Christopher Isherwood, Bertolt Brecht, and Thomas Mann gave Berlin a cultural history that is as varied as it was groundbreaking. The story vividly told in Berlin also attempts to answer to one of the greatest enigmas of the twentieth century: How could a people as civilized, ordered, and religious as the Germans support first a Kaiser and then the Nazis in inflicting such misery on Europe? Berlin was never as supportive of the Kaiser in 1914 as the rest of Germany; it was the revolution in Berlin in 1918 that lead to the Kaiser's abdication. Nor was Berlin initially supportive of Hitler, being home to much of the opposition to the Nazis; although paradoxically Berlin suffered more than any other German city from Hitler’s travesties. In revealing the often-untold history of Berlin, Barney White-Spunner addresses this quixotic question that lies at the heart of Germany’s uniquely fascinating capital city.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 1643137239
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 528
Book Description
The intoxicating history of an extraordinary city and her people—from the medieval kings surrounding Berlin's founding to the world wars, tumult, and reunification of the twentieth century. There has always been a particular fervor about Berlin, a combination of excitement, anticipation, nervousness, and a feeling of the unexpected. Throughout history, it has been a city of tensions: geographical, political, religious, and artistic. In the nineteenth-century, political tension became acute between a city that was increasingly democratic, home to Marx and Hegel, and one of the most autocratic regimes in Europe. Artistic tension, between free thinking and liberal movements started to find themselves in direct contention with the formal official culture. Underlying all of this was the ethnic tension—between multi-racial Berliners and the Prussians. Berlin may have been the capital of Prussia but it was never a Prussian city. Then there is war. Few European cities have suffered from war as Berlin has over the centuries. It was sacked by the Hapsburg armies in the Thirty Years War; by the Austrians and the Russians in the eighteenth century; by the French, with great violence, in the early nineteenth century; by the Russians again in 1945 and subsequently occupied, more benignly, by the Allied Powers from 1945 until 1994. Nor can many cities boast such a diverse and controversial number of international figures: Frederick the Great and Bismarck; Hegel and Marx; Mahler, Dietrich, and Bowie. Authors Christopher Isherwood, Bertolt Brecht, and Thomas Mann gave Berlin a cultural history that is as varied as it was groundbreaking. The story vividly told in Berlin also attempts to answer to one of the greatest enigmas of the twentieth century: How could a people as civilized, ordered, and religious as the Germans support first a Kaiser and then the Nazis in inflicting such misery on Europe? Berlin was never as supportive of the Kaiser in 1914 as the rest of Germany; it was the revolution in Berlin in 1918 that lead to the Kaiser's abdication. Nor was Berlin initially supportive of Hitler, being home to much of the opposition to the Nazis; although paradoxically Berlin suffered more than any other German city from Hitler’s travesties. In revealing the often-untold history of Berlin, Barney White-Spunner addresses this quixotic question that lies at the heart of Germany’s uniquely fascinating capital city.