The Fall of the Wall. Stories Between East and West

Der Mauerfall. Stories zwischen Ost und West

Top German Titles Marking the 30th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall.

Compiled by Alyson Coombes and Rosie Goldsmith Non-Fiction

______Finale. The Dream Is Over. Cross Over Then! The Last Year of the GDR But We‘d Give Everything An East-West Reader and to Make it Real. 4th Novem- its History ber 1989 and the Story Behind it Finale. Der Traum ist aus. Aber wir Geh doch rüber! Das letzte Jahr der DDR werden alles geben, dass Ein Ost-West-Lesebuch er Wirklichkeit wird. und seine Geschichte Der 4. November 1989 und seine Geschichte

HANNES BAHRMANN & CHRISTOPH LINKS PATRICK BAUER FRANK BLOHM

In this updated and extended edition The dates 9th October and 9th No- First published in 1986, edited by of the seminal work Chronik der Wende vember have been burned into Ger- psychologist Frank Blohm, Geh (first published in 1994), Bahrmann man memory, but 4th November doch rüber! is a collection of texts and Links use photos, documents and 1989 is often forgotten. On this day, by various writers about the real- eyewitness accounts to explore the 500,000 people gathered in East life relationships between people events of the year from 7th October Berlin’s Alexanderplatz, with speak- on both sides of the wall. As a stu- 1989 to 3rd October 1990, when Ger- ers ranging from writer Christa Wolf dent, Blohm (himself living in West many was reunified. March 1990 to ex- General Markus Wolf Berlin) had been keen to prove that saw the only democratic vote in GDR and Politbüro member Günter the two Germanys were not com- history, after which the victorious East Schabowski. They all believed a pletely estranged; following publi- German conservative party alliance, new was possible. cation of the book, even under a supported by West German chan- But after the wall fell, the group pseudonym, he was monitored closely cellor Helmut Kohl, pushed through dispersed. Journalist and author by the Stasi. In this updated version, their plans to reunify Germany without Patrick Bauer gathers recollections Blohm tells the story behind the cre- delay. This is a vital record of the end from those who lived through one ation of the book and some of the of the GDR and the technicalities of of the most significant but over- original contributing authors discuss reunification. looked days in German history. how life has changed over the last 30 years.

Ch. Links Verlag, 978-3962890612, Rowohlt Verlag, 978-3498001513, Lukas Verlag, 978-3867323260, 2019, 320 pages, HC 2019, 368 pages, HC 2019, 231 pages, SC 18.00 € 20.00 € 19.80 €

2 Non-Fiction

______Literary History of German The Berlin Wall. How it All Stays Different. Unification 1989-2000. History of a Political Stories from East Germany Foreignness Between East Structure and West Literaturgeschichte der Die Berliner Mauer. Wie alles anders bleibt. deutschen Einheit Geschichte eines Geschichten aus Ost- 1989–2000. politischen Bauwerks deutschland Fremdheit zwischen Ost und West

ARNE BORN THOMAS FLEMMING JANA HENSEL

How has literature responded to The division of Germany was most Jana Hensel, bestselling author of ? In the first keenly felt in the capital, Berlin. In Zonenkinder, has spent years re- comprehensive overview of the Die Berliner Mauer, historian Thomas searching the life of East Germans canon of ”reunification literature“, Flemming tells the story of this city, and the GDR, producing numerous Born is able to demonstrate how starting from the Berlin Crisis in 1948 articles, essays and interviews. Her German unity was the dominating and ending with efforts to protect new book explores the situation 30 theme of German literature in the the remaining parts of the wall fol- years on from the fall of the wall to 1990s. Featuring voices from both lowing reunification. Using photos show how the former East Germans sides of this debate, he charts the and documents from the time, see themselves today. Drawing on evolution from political writings to Flemming shows the evolution of personal experiences and those of more reflective, personal accounts. the wall from barbed-wire fence to some prominent East German citi- The result is a highly original and the planned electric ”high-tech zens, such as Angela Merkel, Hensel fascinating insight into a subject that border“. He brings to life the dra- provides a captivating account of has become a crucial and popular mas and escape attempts along a unique country – which disap- topic for writers over the last three what was then the world’s most peared. decades. heavily armed border.

Wehrhahn Verlag, 978-3865256393, be.bra Verlag, 978-3898091657, Aufbau Verlag, 978-3351034825, 2019, 656 pages, HC 2019, 240 pages, HC 2019, 317 pages, SC 39.80 € 22.00 € 16.00 €

3 Non-Fiction

______Immediately, Without Delay. Make Yourselves Heard! 1989 in Germany. Chronicle of the Fall of Women for Peace in East Sites of the Peaceful the Wall Berlin Revolution Sofort, unverzüglich. Seid doch laut! 1989 in Deutschland. Die Chronik des Mauerfalls Die Frauen für den Frieden Schauplätze der in Ost-Berlin friedlichen Revolution

HANS-HERMANN HERTLE RUTH LEISEROWITZ & ALMUT ILSEN INGO JUCHLER

Hans-Hermann Hertle is an award- In March 1982, the GDR passed a The of 1989 – winning historian and political scien- law that allowed women to be when protests rose up across the tist. First published in 1996, and now called up for military service. But GDR – is one of the most important expanded and updated, this book not everyone was happy to fall in events of the second half of the twen- covers the events of 9th and 10th line – seven women, among them tieth century. Author and political November, when SED Politbüro Almut Ilsen, organised a petition, scientist Ingo Juchler takes readers member Günter Schabowski inad- marking the start of the group to some of the main locations, from vertently announced at a press con- ”Women for Peace“, which would , Berlin and to Pots- ference that the wall would open become one of the longest-run- dam, Jena and beyond. Packed ”sofort, unverzüglich“ (”immediately, ning opposition groups in the GDR. with informative texts on the back- without delay“) instead of the next 35 years on, 18 of the women look ground to the events as well as nu- day, as planned. Thousands of East back at the action they took. Ilsen merous photos, this is a valuable Germans stormed the wall and and Leiserowitz present their personal source for those wanting to explore entered the West. Using thorough take on the events alongside previ- one of the most crucial periods of research and hundreds of eye- ously unpublished photos, documents modern German history. witness interviews, Hertle paints a and extracts from Stasi files. vivid picture of the events of that extraordinary night.

Ch. Links Verlag, 978-3962890605, Ch. Links Verlag, 978-3962890650, be.bra Verlag, 978-3898091589, 2019, 368 pages, HC 2019, 304 pages, SC 2019, 128 pages, SC 20.00 € 30.00 € 14.00 €

4 Non-Fiction

______And Where Were You? I Hoped We Could Fly David and Goliath. 30 Years Since the Fall of Memories of the Peaceful the Berlin Wall Revolution Und wo warst du? Ich hatte gehofft, David gegen Goliath. 30 Jahre Mauerfall wir können fliegen Erinnerungen an die Friedliche Revolution

FREYA KLIER CAROLINE LABUSCH BERND-LUTZ LANGE & SASCHA LANGE

The fall of the wall had a profound Caroline Labusch, a scriptwriter On 9th October 1989, the Leipzig and lasting impact on post-war and playwright, first brought this police faced 70,000 pro-democ- German history. But how did people true story to life as a theatre pro- racy demonstrators – but failed on both sides spend that extraor- ject in 2015, then as an award-win- completely to prevent their peace- dinary day when the Berlin Wall fell? ning radio play. In spring 1989, in East ful protest. It was a key turning point What dreams and fears did they Berlin, a young couple hatch a plan in the end of the GDR. As one of have as the wall came down? And to fly over the wall in a home-made the ”Leipzig Six“ freedom fighters, what became of those dreams – hot air balloon. But the day after the Bernd-Lutz Lange helped write a and of the nightmares? Civil rights escape attempt, West German radio appeal to ensure the protests campaigner and film-maker Freya police find the man’s body in a garden. remained peaceful. They did. 30 Klier interviews 23 eyewitnesses, from There is no trace of his wife. More years on, together with his historian- politicians to former Neo-Nazis and than 25 years later, Labusch reopens son Sascha, Lange looks back at RAF terrorists, as well as those who the case – and discovers the story those demonstrations and with the helped the refugees. By asking them: of a tragic flight to freedom, and a help of Stasi files reveals the lengths ”And where were you?“ Klier provides love that is put to a heartrending the socialist state planned to go to a colourful panorama of German- test. in order to prevent its citizens from German history. fighting for freedom.

Herder, 978-3451385537, Penguin Verlag, 978-3328104117, Aufbau Verlag, 978-3351037871, 2019, 272 pages, HC 2019, 304 pages, SC 2019, 221 pages, HC 20.00 € 14.00 € 18.00 €

5 Non-Fiction

______The Zookeepers‘ War. Post-Reunification Children. Unsigned Letters. An Incredible True Story The GDR, Our Parents and How a BBC Broadcast from the Cold War the Big Silence Challenged the GDR Der Zoo der Anderen. Nachwendekinder. Briefe ohne Unterschrift. Als die Stasi ihr Herz für Die DDR, unsere Eltern und Wie eine BBC-Sendung Brillenbären entdeckte & das große Schweigen die DDR herausforderte Helmut Schmidt mit Pandas nachrüstete

JAN MOHNHAUPT JOHANNES NICHELMANN SUSANNE SCHÄDLICH

The people of – an is- Born in Berlin in 1989, Johannes From the late 1940s to 1974, BBC Ra- land in Germany, behind the wall Nichelmann is an author and jour- dio’s German Service broadcast and constantly watched by the rest nalist. In Nachwendekinder he tells a programme called ”Briefe ohne of the world – often described their the story of three young people, all Unterschrift“ (”Unsigned Letters“). lives like living in a zoo. In fact, Berlin’s born around 1989, who are trying to Each week, East German listeners two zoos quickly became symbols find out their families’ East German were given a new address to write of the divided city’s two halves. pasts, and to come to terms with the to in West Berlin, and various letters The head zookeepers, both East part they played in this chapter of would be read out – both from sup- and West, began a competition to history. Through numerous discus- porters and critics of the regime. collect the most animals; politicians sions and interviews, Nichelmann has The letters were anonymous, as on both sides began discussing zoo produced a sensitive book and star- listening to the BBC was ideologi- policy in order to persuade their cit- ted an honest debate about how cally unacceptable in the GDR. This izens that having the best zoo proves we can explore the legacy of memory highly readable and engaging book they had the best political ideology and identity and accept the past in contains direct quotes from the letters too. This is an extraordinary, true story a world where nothing is ever black as well as from the Stasi’s reports of of desperate rivalries within a bitterly or white. the programme. divided nation.

Hanser Verlag, 978-3446255043, Ullstein fünf, 978-3961010349, Knaus Verlag, 978-3813507492, 2017, 302 pages, HC 2019, 272 pages, SC 2017, 288 pages, HC 20.00 € 20.00 € 19.99 €

6 Non-Fiction

______Over There and Over There. The Uncanny Lightness of Two German Childhoods the Revolution. How a Group of Young People in Leipzig Dared to Rebel in the GDR Drüben und drüben. Die unheimliche Leichtigkeit Zwei deutsche Kindheiten der Revolution. Wie eine Gruppe junger Leipziger die Rebellion in der DDR wagte

JOCHEN SCHMIDT & DAVID WAGNER PETER WENSIERSKI

Writers Jochen Schmidt and David Peter Wensierski, a West German jour- Wagner were born a few months nalist and documentary film-maker, apart – Wagner in the West and was a regular reporter from inside Schmidt in East Germany. They de- East Germany. In this book, he tells scribe their childhoods; watching the true story of a group of fearless TV, riding bikes, stealing sweets from young people from Leipzig who fought their siblings. At school, they were back against the state, spending both told that life on the other side their days printing clandestine leaf- – ”drüben“ – was not nearly so good. lets and standing on the picket line, In this entertaining and honest book, and their nights partying in illegal two of Germany’s most successful bars and sleeping in derelict build- contemporary authors explore what ings. Determined to challenge the growing up on their side of the wall system, they were the leaders of meant for them. How much were Germany’s first successful revolu- German children aware of the politics tion, a fight so many others thought that dominated their countries? was futile, but which ultimately proved worthwhile.

Rowohlt Verlag, 978-3499620478, Penguin Verlag, 978-3328103493, 2014, 336 pages, HC 2017, 464 pages, SC 12.00 € 12.00 €

7 Photo Volume

______Years of Change. Eastern Germany 1990-1995

Wendejahre. Ostdeutschland 1990–1995

DANIEL BISKUP

Daniel Biskup, one of Germany’s most important contemporary pho- tojournalists, was there when the wall fell. He watched as East Germans’ initial euphoria gradually faded in- to disillusionment, capturing key periods such as the flood to the West to find work – and their disappoint- ment. In 400 photos, Biskup exposes the reality of life for the majority of East Germans who did not benefit from reunification, andprovides a timely reminder that these early ex- periences of feeling let down and abandoned have contributed to the current discontent and rise of the far-right in Germany and Europe.

Salz und Silber Verlag, 978-3982020754, 2019, 360 pages, HC 45.00 € 8 Fiction

______Crane Country Best Intentions The Last Red Year Kranichland Beste Absichten Das letze rote Jahr

ANJA BAUMHEIER THOMAS BRUSSIG SUSANNE GREGOR

It is the 1960s in and Thomas Brussig is a prize-winning Susanne Gregor was born in Czech- Charlotte Groen is following in the novelist whose works have been oslovakia in 1981. In Das letzte rote footsteps of her father, a committed translated into 30 languages. Set Jahr, three friends, Misa, Rita and socialist. Charlotte’s sister, Marlene, in East Berlin in 1989, Beste Absichten Slavka, are living in the same building yearns for freedom and eventually tells the story of the members of the in Slovakia in 1989, during the final decides to flee to the West with her band ”Die Seuche“ – the epidemic year of the socialist regime. The girls boyfriend. Decades later, Theresa – who have only one fan (who is al- each try to find their own feet as Groen is surprised to hear she has so their manager) and are strug- they struggle through adolescence, inherited a house from her sister gling to get their big break when while the precarious political situ- Marlene, whom she’d always be- suddenly the wall falls and every- ation threatens to destroy every- lieved had died as a girl. As Theresa thing changes. This warm-hearted thing they hold dear. Highly topical investigates, she uncovers a web of novel is a tribute to the music of a even today, this beautifully written lies and betrayals in this fascinating bygone era and an exploration of coming-of-age novel gives a valu- family story spanning 80 years of those pivotal moments when one able insight into a corner of Eastern German history. thing comes to an end and another Europe and a fascinating period of begins. history.

Rowohlt Verlag/Wunderlich, S. Fischer Verlag, 978-3596297382, Frankfurter Verlagsanstalt, 978-3499274015, 2017, 192 pages, SC 978-3627002633, 2017, 432 pages, HC 10.00 € 2019, 224 pages, HC 10.00 € 22.00 € 9 Fiction

______Confusion God of the City Punching at the World Verwirrnis Der Gott der Stadt Mit der Faust in die Welt schlagen

CHRISTOPH HEIN CHRISTIANE NEUDECKER LUKAS RIETZSCHEL

Christoph Hein is a highly acclaimed Set in the 1990s in a newly reunified Lukas Rietzschel’s bestselling debut author who grew up in the GDR. Berlin, Der Gott der Stadt by author tells the story of two brothers, Philipp Verwirrnis takes readers from the and theatre director Christiane and Tobias, born in the 1990s in the post-war years through to the 1990s Neudecker is a tightly plotted literary former GDR. At first their family seems as the young student Friedeward novel – and a study of evil. A group to be making a success of life in re- battles to come to terms with his of fiercely competitive students at unified Germany, but as the boys get homosexuality, and later his lover’s an elite acting school are staging a older, their parents divorce and decision to move to the West. play based on Georg Heym’s obscure Tobias falls in with a group of neo- Against the backdrop of this turbu- Faust fragment when they find a Nazis determined to prevent refugees lent and often dangerous period of body on the stage. It is 16th January from settling in their area, the future history, Hein movingly explores a love and the same date that Heym him- looks less bright. This highly topical that for years defies all odds – and self drowned decades earlier while novel offers an unusual take on the provides a vivid panorama of Ger- ice-skating. What is the cause of ”GDR novel“ and provides a timely man intellectual life. this uncanny death? Is it murder, sui- insight into the rise of right-wing cide, or even a pact with the devil? extremism in Germany and Europe today.

Suhrkamp Verlag, 978-3518470107, Luchterhand Verlag, 978-3630875668, Ullstein Verlag, 978-3548061030, 2018, 303 pages, SC 2019, 672 pages, HC 2018, 320 pages, SC 12.00 € 24.00 € 12.00 €

10 Fiction

______All Done Properly One Clear Ice-Cold You Would Have Missed January Morning at the Me Beginning of the 21st Century

Alles richtig gemacht An einem klaren, eiskalten Ich freue mich, dass ich Januarmorgen zu Beginn geboren bin des 21. Jahrhunderts

GREGOR SANDER ROLAND SCHIMMELPFENNIG BIRGIT VANDERBEKE

The third novel by acclaimed author Nominated for the Leipzig Book Set in in the early Gregor Sander tells the story of child- Fair Prize, this first novel by cel- 1960s, Ich freue mich, dass ich ge- hood friends Thomas and Daniel. ebrated playwright Roland boren bin tells the story of a little After the wall falls, they move to Schimmelpfennig is a contem- girl who arrives in the West from the Berlin, fall in and out of love, and porary Berlin fairy tale. Set in the GDR with her parents. They are forced Daniel disappears to the USA after former East Berlin, the story opens to live in a camp for displaced peo- dealing in illegal art. When he re- with a crash on the motorway. ple – a common experience for East turns out of the blue, he finds When a wolf is captured on camera German refugees. It’s a hard life: Thomas struggling after being left at the scene, after crossing the her father is abusive, her mother by his wife. Could Daniel have had border from , it is the first negligent. In her novella, by revis- something to do with it? And have of many sightings that connect a iting her own childhood, Birgit either of them done anything right series of individuals whose paths Vanderbeke – whose debut Das in their lives? Witty and warmheart- intersect and diverge. Musschelessen won the Ingeborg- ed, Sander’s novel is a story of a Schimmelpfennig writes in powerful Bachmann-Preis – shows how the reunited Germany and, above all, prose and has created a hypnotic little girl escaped her own brutal of friendship. and visually arresting novel. reality with the help of a globe, as she imagined distant countries and faraway futures.

Penguin Verlag, 978-3328606673, S. Fischer Verlag, 978-3596034765, Piper Verlag, 978-3492311120, 2019, 420 pages, HC 2016, 256 pages, HC 2016, 160 pages, SC 20.00 € 11.00 € 10.00 €

11 Fiction

______Balloon File. Two Girls, One Wall, a Friendship for Life Akte Luftballon. Zwei Mädchen, eine Mauer, eine Freundschaft fürs Leben

STEFANIE WALLY

In 1977, a young West German girl attaches her address to a yellow balloon and sets it free. She soon receives an answer from a girl in East Germany, and a correspondence begins. This beautiful story of an in- nocent friendship – which becomes more complex as the girls reach ado- lescence and begin to ask increas- ingly difficult questions – is based on Stefanie Wally’s own experiences of a childhood friendship that tran- scended all borders. In 2016, Wally directed the stage adaptation of Akte Luftballon.

Insel Verlag, 978-3458364337, 2019, 218 pages, SC 10.00 €

12 Graphic Novel

______Autumn of Decision. Children‘s Country. No Man‘s Land. A History of the Peaceful A Childhood in the Shadow Actions Against the Wall in Revolution of the Berlin Wall West Berlin 1989 Herbst der Entscheidung. Kinderland. Todesstreifen. Eine Geschichte aus der Eine Kindheit im Schatten Aktionen gegen die Mauer Friedlichen Revolution 1989 der Mauer in West-Berlin 1989

PM HOFFMANN & BERND LINDNER MAWIL DIRK MECKLENBECK & RAIK ADAM

Herbst der Entscheidung is a graphic Winner of the Max & Moritz Prize for Arriving in West Berlin from East Ger- novel set in Leipzig in autumn 1989. best German-language graphic many in the late 1980s, full of op- Seventeen-year-old Daniel has left novel, Kinderland is a story of cour- timism over their new-found free- school and wants to go to univer- age and friendship. In 1989 in East dom, Dirk Mecklenbeck, Raik Adam sity but must first serve in the army Berlin, Mirco gets into trouble with and two friends were shocked at for three years. His parents are com- the local group. the indifference they encountered mitted to the East German state Only the strange new kid at school in the West towards the wall and and want him to do his duty, but can get him out of this pickle. Mawil conditions in the GDR. Keen to make Daniel leaves home and ends up uses personal recollections and care- a radical statement, in June 1989 joining the Peaceful Revolution in ful research to portray life growing they threw several Molotov cocktails Leipzig. With beautiful black-and- up in the GDR, with ”disappearing“ over the wall, triggering a series of white illus-trations by PM Hoffmann, fathers and constant rumours of protests against the GDR. In this ac- this political coming-of-age story escape attempts. A moving yet claimed graphic novel, Mecklenbeck will resonate with young people entertaining book that really brings and Adam tell the story of this protest, who are beginning to shape their the last few months of the GDR to from idea to execution, and of their own views in today’s turbulent times. life. desperate fight to secure freedom for their fellow East Germans.

Ch. Links Verlag, 978-3861537755, Reprodukt, 978-3956401763, Ch. Links Verlag, 978-3861539933, 2014, 96 pages, SC 2014, 304 pages, SC 2018, 96 pages, SC 15.00 € 9.95 € 10.00 €

13 Children’s Books

______It‘s All Just Sugar Sand No Man‘s Land Alles nur aus Zuckersand Niemandsland

DIRK KUMMER MATTHIAS FRIEDRICH MUECKE

Director and screenwriter Dirk Matthias Friedrich Muecke’s auto- Kummer grew up in East Berlin. biographical story is set in Pankow, This story follows the lives of two East Berlin, during the 1960s and boys whose friendship is threat- 1970s. Two boys swear to always ened by the harsh reality of life in remain best friends, and as they communist East Germany. When grow up under the authoritarian Jonas leaves the country, Fred is regime they support each other left alone to deal with the loss of through thick and thin. But the de- his best friend. The strict censorship sire for freedom and adventure will laws seem set to stop them writing have disastrous consequences. In to each another until Fred’s retired this atmospheric and heartfelt true neighbour, whose mail is not scru- story, Muecke not only writes of his tinised quite so closely, saves the own childhood memories but illus- day. Alles nur aus Zuckersand is a trates them with his own black-and- universal and moving story of the white drawings. It was a fairytale unbreakable bonds of friendship. childhood, shaken by fear, in a long- forgotten era.

Carlsen Verlag, 978-3551553904, Kunstanstifter Verlag, 978-3942795852, 2019, 144 pages, SC 2019, 208 pages, HC, 12.00 € 24.00 €

14 Planning and Organisation ______Planning and organisation: With support from: Frankfurter Buchmesse German Federal Foreign Office Braubachstraße 16 60311 Frankfurt am Main buchmesse.de ______Contact: ______For questions please contact Editing: Bärbel Becker. Compiled by Rosie Goldsmith E-mail: [email protected] and Alyson Coombes Phone: +49 (0) 69 2102 258 buchmesse.de/german_collecti- Design, setting: ve_stands weirauch-mediadesign.de ______© Frankfurter Buchmesse GmbH, Proof reading: Frankfurt am Main 2020. Katharina Gewehr, No reproduction without prior Frankfurt am Main permission of the publisher.

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