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| US troops march through a wood as they move to liberate Germany in 1945. |
The Past is Myself by Christabel Bielenberg is a fascinating account of life in Germany from about 1930 to 1945. 'Oh no, not another turgid Nazi-era memoir!' you're thinking. The 'twist' here is that the author is English.
Christabel is married to a German from Hamburg called Peter. Both husband and wife watch the rise of the Nazis with utter surprise, horror and dismay.
What shines throughout the whole story is Christabel's incredibly strong character and humour. She endures long periods of the war separated from her husband and is more or less left to raise three young sons by herself.
As allied bombing draws closer and closer to their little house in Berlin, the family is eventually forced to evacuate to a little village in the Black Forest. Here, they experience the incredible warmth and hospitality of the locals who more or less ignore all Nazi rules and decrees as far as possible. The experience of liberation by French troops turns out to be a rather terrifying experience as much raping and pillaging ensues.
What stands out in the book are the many German friends that Christabel has who totally despise the Nazis yet are unable to openly express their opposition for fear of being dragged away to Gestapo HQ.
Christabel and her husband are in fact friends with many of the July 1944 plotters who attempted and failed to blow Hitler up with a bomb hidden in a suitcase. Although, this was a popular selling point for the book when it was first published in 1968, it is most valuable for its detailed and insightful observations of everyday life under the Nazis.
The author does employ a rather old-fashioned style which is sometimes a little heavy to get through, but persevere and you will be rewarded. Highly recommended for anyone interested in history as well as fans of memoir and women's history and literature.
The Road Ahead is the follow-up novel by Christabel which recounts her family's emigration to Ireland after the war. There are interesting reflections on Irish life and society at the time, but the book lacks the bite and drama of her first one.
