The classic novel of Berlin (plus TripFiction’s top tips for a ‘different’ visit)

14th August 2018

Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada, the classic novel of Berlin.

Alone in Berlin by Hans Fallada was written just after the war. It was based on the case of Elise and Otto Hampel, a poorly educated and impecunious couple living in the city, who had no history of political activity but felt inspired to civil insubordination against Nazi rule. They started writing and then distributing postcards encouraging civil disobedience, which enraged the police who handed investigations over to the Gestapo. The authorities thought they were dealing with a large gang of people, such was their coverage of the city – in reality only two ordinary citizens were behind the quiet revolt.

The author acquired their file and was inspired to write the now classic novel of Berlin: Alone in Berlin.

The novel opens with chapters detailing the various residents living in a house in fictional Jablonski Street in 1940, a time when there were rations cards, but goods were still available and the odd British strike on the city was not something that caused too much consternation. France had just fallen and people generally, believing the upbeat rhetoric, assumed that Britain would succumb fairly soon.

Otto and Anna Quangel reside with a cross-section of the populace in the house. They have recently been advised that their son has been killed. Otto experiences first hand how those around him behave and gradually he feels driven to quiet protest. Of course, the Gestapo will become involved – any insurgency is always squashed as the regime cannot afford any form of dissent. There are those in the house who espouse the cause; others who don’t. there is Frau Rosenthal, a Jewish woman who has had her store closed down and now lives as quietly as she can in the house. There are chancers and rogues who take their opportunities… and there are the Quangels.

There is such strong resonance of footsteps past in this novel just short of 600 pages. Alexanderplatz is a very different square than it is today. Police Headquarters stood proud there, it was a major rail intersection at that time. Prenzlauer Berg and Friedrichshain, including Frankfurter Allee (where the photo of the book “in location” was taken), are all there to inspire readers of today and offer a feel for times past.

Thus setting is strong and the feel of the city and its inhabitants is tremendous. The translation is clearly of another era but nevertheless still very readable.

Tina For the TripFiction Team

Here are two previous guest posts on things to see and do in Berlin, one by author Dan Fesperman, the other by Anna Stothard.

A couple of  TF Tina’s favourite top tips for a visit are:

1) Take the train out to Wannsee (in the south west corner of the city, it’s about 40 minutes on the S Bahn, really easy to get to). This was author Dan Fespermann’s suggestion in his post, which he recently wrote for us. On arrival take the 114 bus and stop at Max Liebermann’s Villa and enjoy the history of his home and take the opportunity to admire his paintings and some by Paul Klee. Continue along the route of the bus (5 minutes on foot) and see the house of the Wannsee Konferenz, which is now a monument to the Holocaust (free entry). From there take a walk down to the Lake and enjoy ambling through the woods (about an hour) to the jetty for the Pfaueninsel – the island of peacocks with a fairy-tale castle and if you are lucky, you will bag a feather to take back home. Then, back at your starting point, hop on the vintage bus (running every hour weekdays, every half hour over the weekend) that will take you back to Wannsee S Bahn.

Prepared for a city break in Berlin

2) Book well ahead to visit the Boros Collection (2 months!) founded by Christian Boros, adman, media magnate and art collector. It is only a open a couple of days per week and it houses the selected art pieces from his personal collection, displayed in the last remaining Bunker of the city, which itself is a fascinating edifice, with quite some history. Built to shelter 1400 people during WW2, it ended up housing 4000 at its peak (not a lot considering the size of the city). It is built in the classical style, intending that it should be a real feature of the city when the war ended. It went on to be a cool house for storing bananas during the Communist era and once the Wall came down, it was a club (with many a dark room, look that phenomenon up!), until the Boros family bought it and built their own cutting edge penthouse atop the building. It can be found at Friedrichstrasse U Bahn (and check out the Art Nouveau buildings that are still standing in the vicinity).

3) Hop on the U Bahn to Ullsteinstrasse and visit the UFA Fabrik, an oasis of sustainable culture, just across the road from the subway stop. There is a bakery, pub, performing arts space, film studios and it is generally a very ‘Berlin’ experience (see our photo left of a bike cemented into a vertical wall). It’s “alternativ” and the people are very welcoming. Cross back over the main road and drop down to the Hafen (harbour) where there is a great fish restaurant and you cannot believe you are still in Berlin.

Enjoy!

Tina for the TripFiction team

Check our our Ten Great Books set in Berlin post

Do come and join team TripFiction on Social Media:

Twitter (@TripFiction), Facebook (@TripFiction.Literarywanderlust), YouTube (TripFiction #Literarywanderlust), Instagram (@TripFiction) and Pinterest (@TripFiction)

Subscribe to future blog posts