Autofiction set in Southern Germany

16th December 2020

Paula by Sandra Hoffmann, translated by Katy Derbyshire, autofiction set in Southern Germany.

Another title from V & Q Books, who specialise in ‘remarkable writing from Germany‘.

Paula is the grandmother in this story, who has been part of the author’s childhood and early adulthood until she dies in 1997. This is very much a fictionalised biography set firmly in the latter half of the twentieth century. It underlines that every family unit is made of quasi jigsaw pieces and when larger elements are missing, there can be quite an impactful ripple effect through the generations.

Photo: Flickr

The writer and chronicler deftly shows how a child, growing into an adolescence, needs to understand her heritage and make sense of the gaps. Gaps, if left open, will inevitably be filled by a child’s imagination. The ever present hole in this particular family drama is the lack of grandfather, and her grandmother Paula will not divulge who he was. For the writer this almost becomes a quest to put together clues – maybe joining the dots of what is left unsaid or through photos that she happens to discover; however, building up a picture in this way can never fully make a whole and comprehensible family map, resulting, in this instance, in family therapy and an eating disorder. Secrets in the family can have devastating consequences.

Paula remained ‘stumm’ in response to the inquisitive little girl’s questions, she focussed on her housewifely duties and job as a cleaner. The writing style underlines the stream of consciousness as the writer casts around her to try and find answers, but little, if anything, is forthcoming.

Photo; Collector’s Weekly

The backdrop of the era and the German childhood is beautifully brought to life. The family travelled in the early days in a Gogglemobil. The child would watch Bonanza, a popular American TV programme. The 1970s was also the time of terrorism and the Baader Meinhof (Red Army Faction) gang and ‘wanted’ posters were pinned in every Germany village and city (and once one of the perpetrators was caught, a designated person would mark the captured enemy of the state with a red cross).

Her Grandmother pickled and bottled all the while, wearing a distinguished apron every day (bar Sundays) and was a devout Swabian Catholic. Paula went to her grave with her secrets and silence intact.

It is a truly affecting story and in order to really appreciate it I think it would be helpful to have some familiarity with the German language and knowledge of German culture. It is beautifully translated by Katy Derbyshire.

Tina for the TripFiction Team

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