Woman in Berlin

A Woman in Berlin: Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary by Anonymous, translated by Philip Boehm, 261 pages

A revision of entries from a diary kept by an anonymous female journalist living in Berlin from April 20 to June 22, 1945,  A Woman in Berlin is a story of loss, horror, and survival in a situation unimaginable only a few years earlier, although the author is only too aware that Berlin is experiencing at the hands of the Russians what other cities experienced at the hands of the Germans.  In this personal account of the climax of the long nightmare that lasted from 1914 until 1989, there are many such instances of what the author calls "a logical reversal" - ill-fed German POWs laboring where starving Russian POWs had before, the loot of Germany carted off to Russia by the trainload, swastika flags cut up to make red flags to salute the conquerors.  As the diary begins, it is poignantly revealed how Berliners have regressed to prehistoric conditions - without electricity, telephones, or running water, huddled together in cavernous basements, scrounging for food and water, with only rumors for news, aware only of the immediately neighboring communities living similarly troglodytic existences.  The terrible chaos of the fall of the city follows, and it is as horrible as might be imagined - a time when the bodies of suicides were hurriedly buried in backyard gardens, injured horses were butchered by hungry mobs while still alive, and the number of times a woman had been raped became a subject of her small talk over ersatz coffee.  This is gradually replaced by a seeming return to normalcy, but the author's own personal life reflects the fact that some things are forever changed, which leads into the story of the effect of the war and its aftermath on the German psyche, a story at which this book only hints.

Although, as a result of its narrow timeframe, it only hints at the aftereffects of the war, the book is itself a notable part of that story.  It was first published in 1954 in an English translation in the US, and only after five years was a German-language edition produced by a Swiss publisher.  Not surprisingly, it was criticized by many who would have preferred to forget what they had done and endured, and a controversy ensued in the course of which the identity of the author was revealed against her wishes.  The author requested that the book not be reprinted until after her death, which occurred in 2001, leading to it becoming available again after decades as a rarity.

The Bunker Diary

The Bunker Diary by Kevin Brooks, 260 pages

Linus has been kidnapped by a strange man.  He’s in what appears to be some kind of underground bunker.  Because he ran away a few months ago, no one even realizes that he’s missing.  Over the next few days, five more people appear in the bunker:  Jenny, a nine year old girl, followed by Anja, Fred, Bird and Russell, all adults.  The kidnapper eventually starts sending down food and other supplies but gives no indication of what he wants.  Time passes and the group tries to plot an escape, but after a failed attempt, the kidnapper punishes them by withholding food, drastically changing the temperature from one extreme to another and playing loud noises.  As time passes, Linus begins to give up hope.  This is a really well written teen book about an unusual kidnap situation.  I really liked but I was really unsatisfied with the ending.  I’m not sure I would personally recommend it because of that but I think that there are people who would like it who would be ok with the ending.

Rose Under Fire

Rose Under Fire by Elizabeth Wein          356 pages

Rose is a courier pilot in England during WWII.  Although she is an American, she has managed to secure this job because her uncle, who is English and in the Royal Engineers, has managed to help her get the job.  Unfortunately, while ferrying a plane, Rose is captured and sent to a concentration camp in Germany.  While there, she endures unspeakable horrors, and meets many women who have seen and gone through worse situations.  The story is told almost entirely from Rose’s perspective, in a diary type format.  It’s an incredible story, and incredibly well told, about a part of the camps that hasn’t had much focus.  Any teen that has an interest in this period in history will want to read this book.