"The German House" by Annette Hess

The German House by Annette Hess; Elisabeth Lauffer (Translator)
Call Number: FICTION Hess
Set against the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials of 1963, Annette Hess's international bestseller is a harrowing yet ultimately uplifting coming-of-age story about a young female translator--caught between societal and familial expectations and her unique ability to speak truth to power--as she fights to expose the dark truths of her nation's past. If everything your family told you was a lie, how far would you go to uncover the truth. For twenty-four-year-old Eva Bruhns, World War II is a foggy childhood memory. At the war's end, Frankfurt was a smoldering ruin, severely damaged by the Allied bombings. But that was two decades ago. Now it is 1963, and the city's streets, once cratered are smooth and paved. Shiny new stores replace scorched rubble. Eager for her wealthy suitor, Jürgen Schoormann, to propose, Eva dreams of starting a new life away from her parents and sister. But Eva's plans are turned upside down when a fiery investigator, David Miller, hires her as a translator for a war crimes trial. As she becomes more deeply involved in the Frankfurt Trials, Eva begins to question her family's silence on the war and her future. Why do her parents refuse to talk about what happened? What are they hiding? Does she really love Jürgen and will she be happy as a housewife? Though it means going against the wishes of her family and her lover, Eva, propelled by her own conscience , joins a team of fiery prosecutors determined to bring the Nazis to justice--a decision that will help change the present and the past of her nation.

Translation and Understanding:
- How does the protagonist, Eva, grapple with the challenges of translating the testimonies at the Nuremberg Trials? In what ways does translation impact her understanding of the events and people involved?
Post-War Guilt and Responsibility:
- Discuss the theme of guilt and responsibility among the characters, especially those who were directly or indirectly involved in the war crimes. How do different characters cope with their past actions?
Individual vs. Collective Responsibility:
- Explore the novel's exploration of individual responsibility versus collective guilt. How do characters reckon with the actions of the larger society, and what choices do they make in response?
Impact of Historical Events:
- How does the novel portray the lasting impact of historical events, particularly World War II and the Holocaust, on individuals and families? Discuss the generational effects and the ways in which characters navigate their personal histories.
The German Perspective:
- Consider the novel's focus on the German perspective during the aftermath of the war. How does it shed light on the experiences and challenges faced by ordinary Germans in coming to terms with the atrocities committed during the Nazi era?
Cultural Shifts and Changing Values:
- Explore the cultural shifts and changing values in post-war Germany as depicted in the novel. How do characters adapt to a new societal framework, and what conflicts arise as a result?
Family Dynamics:
- Analyze the family dynamics within Eva's family. How do their relationships reflect broader societal changes, and how do family members cope with the challenges posed by the past?
Role of Women:
- Discuss the roles of women in the novel, particularly Eva's journey as a young woman in a society undergoing transformation. How do societal expectations shape her choices, and in what ways does she challenge these expectations?
Justice and Reconciliation:
- Consider the novel's exploration of justice and reconciliation. How are these themes addressed within the context of the Nuremberg Trials, and what role do they play in the characters' personal journeys?
Language and Communication:
- The novel delves into the complexities of language and communication. How does language shape the characters' understanding of the past, and how is it used as a tool for both connection and evasion?
Ethical Dilemmas:
- Explore the ethical dilemmas faced by characters in the novel. How do they navigate moral complexities, and are there moments where their choices surprise or challenge your expectations?
Legacy and Memory:
- Discuss the theme of legacy and memory. How do characters grapple with the legacy of the past, and what role does memory play in shaping their identities and relationships?

The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials, officially known as the "Auschwitz Trial" (Auschwitz-Prozess), were a series of trials that took place in Frankfurt, West Germany, between 1963 and 1965. The trials were notable for being one of the first major attempts to prosecute individuals involved in the crimes committed at Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II. Here is a brief timeline of the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials:

1963:

August 20: The Auschwitz Trials commence in Frankfurt, West Germany.
Accusations: The trial focuses on the crimes committed at Auschwitz, including mass murder, medical experiments, and other atrocities.
Defendants: 22 former SS members, including camp personnel and officials, are accused of various crimes.
Lead Prosecutor: Attorney General Fritz Bauer plays a key role in initiating and overseeing the trials.

1964:

August 19: The first phase of the trial concludes, and the court delivers verdicts and sentences.
Convictions: Several defendants are found guilty, receiving sentences ranging from life imprisonment to shorter terms.

1965:

December 20: The final verdicts are delivered, marking the conclusion of the Auschwitz Trials.
Outcome: Of the 22 defendants, six receive life sentences, four receive shorter prison terms, and the rest are acquitted or have their charges dropped.

Significance:

The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials were significant in that they brought perpetrators of Holocaust crimes to justice in post-war Germany.
The trials contributed to raising awareness about the atrocities committed at Auschwitz and other concentration camps.
The legal proceedings established a precedent for subsequent trials and prosecutions related to Nazi war crimes.

Legacy:

The Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials were a crucial milestone in the efforts to hold individuals accountable for the crimes of the Holocaust.
They paved the way for subsequent trials, including the Nuremberg Trials and other legal actions against individuals involved in Nazi war crimes.
The trials also played a role in fostering public awareness and remembrance of the Holocaust.

While the Frankfurt Auschwitz Trials were significant, it's important to note that they were just one part of broader efforts to address the crimes of the Nazi regime and seek justice for the victims of the Holocaust.

Background:

Annette Hess was born on March 10, 1967, in Darmstadt, Germany.

Career:

Annette Hess initially gained recognition as a television screenwriter. She has contributed to various German TV productions, showcasing her talent for storytelling.

Literary Works:

Hess made her debut as a novelist with the book "Deutsches Haus" ("The German House"), which was published in 2018. The novel explores themes related to the aftermath of World War II, the Nuremberg Trials, and the impact of historical events on individuals.

The German House:

"The German House" gained attention for its exploration of the moral and emotional aftermath of the war, particularly through the eyes of a young woman working as a translator during the Nuremberg Trials. The novel delves into questions of guilt, responsibility, and societal change.

Multidisciplinary Career:

Annette Hess has demonstrated her versatility by engaging in both literature and television. Her ability to address historical and societal themes in her writing has contributed to her recognition in both mediums.

Those Who Are Saved by Alexis Landau
Call Number: Fiction Landau
As a Russian Jewish émigré to France, Vera's wealth cannot protect her or her four-year-old-daughter, Lucie, once the Nazis occupy the country. After receiving notice that all foreigners must report to an internment camp, Vera has just a few hours to make an impossible choice: Does she subject Lucie to the horrid conditions of the camp, or does she put her into hiding with her beloved and trusted governess, safe until Vera can retrieve her? Believing the war will end soon, Vera chooses to leave Lucie in safety. She cannot know that she and her husband will have an opportunity to escape, to flee to America. She cannot know that Lucie's governess will have fled with Lucie to family in rural France, too far to reach in time. And so begins a heartbreaking journey and separation, a war and a continent apart. Vera's marriage will falter under the surreal sun of California. Her ability to write--once her passion--will disappear. But Vera's love for Lucie, her faith that her daughter lives, will only grow. As Vera's determination to return to France and find Lucie crystalizes, she meets Sasha, a man on his own search for meaning. She is stronger with Sasha than she is alone. Together they will journey to Lucie. They will find her fate.
Mercury Pictures Presents by Anthony Marra
Call Number: FICTION Marra
Like many before her, Maria Lagana has come to Hollywood to outrun her past. Born in Rome, where every Sunday her father took her to the cinema instead of church, Maria immigrates with her mother to Los Angeles after a childhood transgression leads to her father's arrest. Fifteen years later, on the eve of America's entry into World War II, Maria is an associate producer at Mercury Pictures, trying to keep her personal and professional lives from falling apart. Her mother won't speak to her. Her boss, a man of many toupees, has been summoned to Washington by congressional investigators. Her boyfriend, a virtuoso Chinese American actor, can't escape the studio's narrow typecasting. And the studio itself, Maria's only home in exile, teeters on the verge of bankruptcy. Over the coming months, as the bright lights go dark across Los Angeles, Mercury Pictures becomes a nexus of European émigrés: modernist poets trying their luck as B-movie screenwriters, once-celebrated architects becoming scale-model miniaturists, and refugee actors finding work playing the very villains they fled. While the world descends into war, Maria rises through a maze of conflicting politics, divided loyalties, and jockeying ambitions. But when the arrival of a stranger from her father's past threatens Maria's carefully constructed facade, she must finally confront her father's fate--and her own. Written with intelligence, wit, and an exhilarating sense of possibility, Mercury Pictures Presents spans many moods and tones, from the heartbreaking to the ecstatic.
The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
Call Number: FICTION Quinn
1947. In the chaotic aftermath of World War II, American college girl Charlie St. Clair is pregnant, unmarried, and on the verge of being thrown out of her very proper family. She's also nursing a desperate hope that her beloved cousin Rose, who disappeared in Nazi-occupied France during the war, might still be alive. So when Charlie's parents banish her to Europe to have her "little problem" taken care of, Charlie breaks free and heads to London, determined to find out what happened to the cousin she loves like a sister. 1915. A year into the Great War, Eve Gardiner burns to join the fight against the Germans and unexpectedly gets her chance when she's recruited to work as a spy. Sent into enemy-occupied France, she's trained by the mesmerizing Lili, the "Queen of Spies", who manages a vast network of secret agents right under the enemy's nose. Thirty years later, haunted by the betrayal that ultimately tore apart the Alice Network, Eve spends her days drunk and secluded in her crumbling London house. Until a young American barges in uttering a name Eve hasn't heard in decades, and launches them both on a mission to find the truth...no matter where it leads.

Historical Fiction Book Club - Past Titles: "The German House" by Annette Hess

"The German House" by Annette Hess

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