A Woman in Berlin
Encyclopedia
A Woman in Berlin is an account of the period from 20 April to 22 June 1945 in Berlin
(Battle of Berlin
). At the author's request, the work was published anonymously for her protection. The book purports to detail the writer's experiences as a rape victim during the Red Army
occupation of the city. Two years after her death in 2003 the anonymous author was identified in the Süddeutsche Zeitung
by Jens Bisky (a German literary editor) as Marta Hillers
. Brisky said that Hillers was a journalist who worked on magazines and newspapers during the Nazi era, and who had also been a small-time propagandist for the Third Reich writing a navy recruiting brochure, but that she was probably not a member of the Nazi Party.
The account describes her personal experiences during the occupation of Berlin
by the Soviets at the end of World War II
and explains many of the horrors that the protagonist
faced and the struggle of the inhabitants to survive.
The German writer Kurt Marek (C. W. Ceram)
was responsible for its initial publication in America in 1954.
In September 2003 (when Hillers' identity was first revealed), requests for access to the original diaries was not granted, and Christian Esch writing in the Berliner Zeitung
stated that if the work was to be fully accepted as an authentic account this was necessary, because as he pointed out the text itself indicates that changes were made between the initial handwritten diaries and the typed manuscript which was then translated into English and published for the first time nearly a decade after the events, and that there are minor discrepancies between editions.
Subsequently, Walter Kempowski
examined the notes on behalf of the publishing house and stated that it was a genuine diary Hillers kept at the time, though the typescript and the published book contain material not in the diary. Antony Beevor
, a British historian who has written a detailed history on the Battle of Berlin, confirmed its authenticity by comparing its content with his own detailed knowledge of the period and the other primary sources he has accumulated.
.
After being raped by a number of Soviet soldiers, the film's protagonist, Marta Hillers
played by actress Nina Hoss
, petitions the battalion's commanding officer for protection and, after an initial cold refusal, the officer finds himself seduced. He subsequently protects, feeds and parties with virtually her entire apartment complex—at what turns out to be a great cost to himself.
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
(Battle of Berlin
Battle of Berlin
The Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
). At the author's request, the work was published anonymously for her protection. The book purports to detail the writer's experiences as a rape victim during the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
occupation of the city. Two years after her death in 2003 the anonymous author was identified in the Süddeutsche Zeitung
Süddeutsche Zeitung
The Süddeutsche Zeitung , published in Munich, is the largest German national subscription daily newspaper.-Profile:The title literally translates as "South German Newspaper". It is read throughout Germany by 1.1 million readers daily and boasts a relatively high circulation abroad...
by Jens Bisky (a German literary editor) as Marta Hillers
Marta Hillers
Marta Hillers was a German journalist and the author of the autobiographical Eine Frau in Berlin , her diary from 20 April to 22 June 1945 in Berlin during and after the Battle of Berlin...
. Brisky said that Hillers was a journalist who worked on magazines and newspapers during the Nazi era, and who had also been a small-time propagandist for the Third Reich writing a navy recruiting brochure, but that she was probably not a member of the Nazi Party.
The account describes her personal experiences during the occupation of Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
by the Soviets at the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and explains many of the horrors that the protagonist
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
faced and the struggle of the inhabitants to survive.
The German writer Kurt Marek (C. W. Ceram)
C. W. Ceram
C. W. Ceram was the pseudonym of German journalist and author Kurt Wilhelm Marek, known for his popular works about archaeology. He chose to write under a pseudonym to distance himself from his earlier work as a propagandist for the Third Reich.Ceram was born in Berlin. During World War II, he...
was responsible for its initial publication in America in 1954.
In September 2003 (when Hillers' identity was first revealed), requests for access to the original diaries was not granted, and Christian Esch writing in the Berliner Zeitung
Berliner Zeitung
The Berliner Zeitung, founded in 1945, is a German center-left daily newspaper based in Berlin, published by Berliner Verlag. It is the only East German paper to achieve national prominence since unification. In 2003, the Berliner was Berlin's largest subscription newspaper—the weekend...
stated that if the work was to be fully accepted as an authentic account this was necessary, because as he pointed out the text itself indicates that changes were made between the initial handwritten diaries and the typed manuscript which was then translated into English and published for the first time nearly a decade after the events, and that there are minor discrepancies between editions.
Subsequently, Walter Kempowski
Walter Kempowski
Walter Kempowski was a German writer. Kempowski was known for his series of novels called German Chronicle and the monumental Echolot , a collage of autobiographical reports, letters and other documents by contemporary witnesses of the Second World War.-Childhood :Walter Kempowski was born in...
examined the notes on behalf of the publishing house and stated that it was a genuine diary Hillers kept at the time, though the typescript and the published book contain material not in the diary. Antony Beevor
Antony Beevor
Antony James Beevor, FRSL is a British historian, educated at Winchester College and Sandhurst. He studied under the famous military historian John Keegan. Beevor is a former officer with the 11th Hussars who served in England and Germany for five years before resigning his commission...
, a British historian who has written a detailed history on the Battle of Berlin, confirmed its authenticity by comparing its content with his own detailed knowledge of the period and the other primary sources he has accumulated.
Film
A movie was made of the book in 2008, A Woman in Berlin , directed by Max FärberböckMax Färberböck
Max Färberböck is a German film director and writer. He was born in Degerndorf, Münsing, Bavaria. He began his career at theaters in Buenos Aires and in Italy. He later studied at the University of Television and Film in Munich and worked for Constantin Film and as an assistant for Peter Zadek at...
.
After being raped by a number of Soviet soldiers, the film's protagonist, Marta Hillers
Marta Hillers
Marta Hillers was a German journalist and the author of the autobiographical Eine Frau in Berlin , her diary from 20 April to 22 June 1945 in Berlin during and after the Battle of Berlin...
played by actress Nina Hoss
Nina Hoss
-Early life:Nina's father, Willi Hoss, was a German trade unionist and politician . Her mother, Heidemarie Rohweder, was an actress at Stuttgart National Theatre and later director of the Esslingen-based Württemberg State Playhouse .-Career:In 1997 Hoss graduated from the Drama School "Ernst Busch"...
, petitions the battalion's commanding officer for protection and, after an initial cold refusal, the officer finds himself seduced. He subsequently protects, feeds and parties with virtually her entire apartment complex—at what turns out to be a great cost to himself.
See also
- Battle of BerlinBattle of BerlinThe Battle of Berlin, designated the Berlin Strategic Offensive Operation by the Soviet Union, was the final major offensive of the European Theatre of World War II....
- Mass rape of German women by Soviet Red ArmyMass rape of German women by Soviet Red ArmyAs Allied troops entered and occupied German territory during the later stages of World War II, mass rapes took place, both in connection to combat operations and during the subsequent occupation that was to last many years...
- Red Army atrocitiesRed Army atrocitiesWar crimes perpetrated by the armed forces of Soviet Russia and the Soviet Union from 1919 to 1991 include acts committed by the regular army—the Red Army —as well as the NKVD, including the NKVD's Internal Troops. In some cases, these crimes may have been committed on express orders of the early...
- Operation BarbarossaOperation BarbarossaOperation Barbarossa was the code name for Germany's invasion of the Soviet Union during World War II that began on 22 June 1941. Over 4.5 million troops of the Axis powers invaded the USSR along a front., the largest invasion in the history of warfare...
- Come and SeeCome and SeeCome and See directed by Elem Klimov, is a 1985 Soviet war movie and psychological horror drama about and occurring during the Nazi German occupation of the Byelorussian SSR. Aleksei Kravchenko and Olga Mironova star as the protagonists Florya and Glasha. The screenplay is by Ales Adamovich and...
- Joy Division (2006 film)Joy Division (2006 film)Joy Division is a 2006 British film directed by Reg Traviss. The story is a fictional biopic which follows the life of a boy in Germany at the end of WWII into his adulthood in Russia and London during the Cold War...
External links
- A Woman in Berlin at Strand ReleasingStrand ReleasingStrand Releasing is a theatrical distribution company founded in 1989 and is based in Culver City, California. The company has distributed over 300 auteur driven titles from acclaimed international and American directors such as Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Gregg Araki, Francois Ozon, Jean Luc...
- A Woman in Berlin at MetacriticMetacriticMetacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...