A Woman in Berlin

Eight Weeks in the Conquered City: A Diary

By: Anonymous, Philip Boehm - translator

Narrated by: Isabel Keating

A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice

For eight weeks in 1945, as Berlin fell to the Russian army, a young woman kept a daily record of life in her apartment building and among its residents. "With bald honesty and brutal lyricism" (Elle), the anonymous author depicts her fellow Berliners in all their humanity, as well as their cravenness, corrupted first by hunger and then by the Russians. "Spare and unpredictable, minutely observed and utterly free of self-pity" (The Plain Dealer, Cleveland), A Woman in Berlin tells of the complex World War II relationship between civilians and an occupying army and the shameful indignities to which women in a conquered city are always subject—the mass rape suffered by all, regardless of age or infirmity.

A Woman in Berlin stands as "one of the essential books for understanding war and life" (A. S. Byatt, author of Possession).

©2002 Hannelore Marek. Copyright AB – Die Andere Bibliothek GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin 2011 (First published by Eichborn Verlag, Frankfurt am Main, 2003). Translation copyright 2005 by Philip Boehm. Foreword copyright 2005 by Hans Magnus Enzensberger. Introduction copyright 2005 by Antony Beevor. (P)2017 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

"A WOMAN IN BERLIN ranks as one of the great historical diaries." -AudioFile Earphones Award

“A devastating book. It is matter-of-fact, makes no attempt to score political points, does not attempt to solicit sympathy for its protagonist, and yet is among the most chilling indictments of war I have ever read. Everybody, in particular every woman, ought to read it.” —Arundhati Roy, Booker Prize-winning author of The God of Small Things

“Her journal earns a particular place in the archives of recollection. This is because it neither condemns nor forgives: not her countrymen, not her occupiers, and not, remarkably, herself. . . . Stands gritty and obdurate among a swirl of revisionist currents that variously have asserted and disputed the inherent nature of Germans' national guilt . . .To put it briefly, Anonymous writes a merciless account of what individuals can be faced with when all material and social props collapse.” —The Boston Globe

“A riveting account of a military atrocity . . . The author doesn't try to explain or moralize the horror. She simply records it as perhaps no one else has, in all of its devastating essence.” —The New York Observer

A Tragic Period Vividly Written and Performed

Wow, I was blown away by this diary. I’ve read highly acclaimed bios of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini, as well as good works of historical fiction set in nearly every country and from varying perspectives - this short slice of Life absolutely adds an additional dimension to everything else I’ve read. I highly recommend it.

The author has an amazing sense of humor in spite of her desperate circumstances and the narrator does an awesome job of conveying that humor.

I did listen to it at 1.2x speed and I recommend that if it suits you.

A Woman in Berlin is a Eye Opening Book

I lived in Berlin from 1984 to 1990. it was a great bustling city. The author takes us back to when it was all rubble when the allies stopped and let the Russian take the city. Rape and the Russian army just go together but the author of this book opens our eyes as to what it was like on a daily basis many time a day in some case. The women of Berlin continued on and at a great cost I really enjoyed this book and the narration was perfect.

The most moving

This is the most moving account of war from a women’s or anybody’s perspective I I have ever read. If you think you understand the effects of war, read this!

Excellent

This book is a new favorite! I have a paperback copy as well! I highly recommend the audio version it was easy listening.

heartbreaking, and insightful.

a well written, and read historical account of the vanquished becoming the spoils of the victor.

Mixed Feelings

The author is brave to have recorded her degradations at the hands of the victors. No one should have had to endure what she did. But even after learning of the deaths of millions of Jews she regrets that Germany lost the war. She was a "good German" to the end. And I cannot feel sympathy for her complaints at the hard labor she endured dismantling a factory for the Russians after reading what happened to the Ravensbruck inmates. An engrossing story that was not told before at the time of publication.

Winner's revenge on the German people

The Russian treatment of the female civilian people was realistically described. A great aunt and a group of refugees sponsored by my voiced a similar account of their experiences with the Russians. The British and French were slow in providing food and medical services to the Berlin . The US was mainly responsible for providing food and shelter for the first winter in Berlin.

Very sad story

I'm not one yo comment or write long reviews so here goes...excellent and highly recommend.

Excellent

Realistically portrayed. Of the difficulties of the time.I truly appreciate the historical context. I definitely would recommend this audiobook.

Brutal Honesty

Where does A Woman in Berlin rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high

What was one of the most memorable moments of A Woman in Berlin?

I wouldn't phrase the constant rapes and memorable... but they were certainly standouts. Today's society talks about problems... but frankly our problems pale in comparison to what some of our forebears endured. Its humbling to know our lives have been spared many atrocities that others have not.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

Survival is enough