Berlin in the year 1942: Friedrich, a quiet young man from a wealthy family, comes to Nazi Germany. The Swiss man whose mother defines herself as an artist meets the attractive Kristin in an art school. Friedrich takes the blonde to the forbidden jazz clubs. She sings. Both drink and party together. With her he can imagine that the war is far away. The two become a couple. But one morning Kristin knocked on his door, injured, with welts on her face. She confesses: "I didn't tell you the truth." Her name is Stella, she is Jewish and has a terrible secret ...
"Stella" by Takis Würger is a very special historical novel.
My opinion:
The story is told from the first-person perspective from Friedrich's point of view. Each chapter begins with a list of historical events during that month. Letters and the recorded testimony from a trial are embedded. In addition, the novel ends with an epilogue. This setup works well.
The writing style seems quite reduced and straightforward, yet still intense and captivating. With just a few words and sentences a power of speech unfolds again and again, which impressively demonstrates the ability of the author. Lots of dialogues, a dense atmosphere and pointed formulations characterize the novel.
With Friedrich and Stella the focus is on two charming, quite different characters. I found both of them interesting. The other characters also seem authentic.
Fact and fiction are skillfully interwoven. I liked the fact that the novel focuses on a historical personality: Stella Goldschlag, the Jewish Gestapo collaborator who tracked down Jews hidden in Berlin during the Second World War and denounced them. The novel inspired me to want to learn more about this woman.
In addition, the story offers a lot of material for discussion and reflection. It's about guilt, betrayal, morality, love and the struggle to survive in a cruel time. The question is repeatedly raised: How would I have acted myself? That makes the novel a demanding and difficult to digest, but also worthwhile reading.
The high-contrast cover and the great design are beautiful. The title also goes well with the content and meets my taste.
My conclusion:
"Stella" by Takis Würger is an outstanding, moving and touching novel. An impressive read that I can warmly recommend and that will resonate with me for a while.
"Stella" by Takis Würger is a very special historical novel.
My opinion:
The story is told from the first-person perspective from Friedrich's point of view. Each chapter begins with a list of historical events during that month. Letters and the recorded testimony from a trial are embedded. In addition, the novel ends with an epilogue. This setup works well.
The writing style seems quite reduced and straightforward, yet still intense and captivating. With just a few words and sentences a power of speech unfolds again and again, which impressively demonstrates the ability of the author. Lots of dialogues, a dense atmosphere and pointed formulations characterize the novel.
With Friedrich and Stella the focus is on two charming, quite different characters. I found both of them interesting. The other characters also seem authentic.
Fact and fiction are skillfully interwoven. I liked the fact that the novel focuses on a historical personality: Stella Goldschlag, the Jewish Gestapo collaborator who tracked down Jews hidden in Berlin during the Second World War and denounced them. The novel inspired me to want to learn more about this woman.
In addition, the story offers a lot of material for discussion and reflection. It's about guilt, betrayal, morality, love and the struggle to survive in a cruel time. The question is repeatedly raised: How would I have acted myself? That makes the novel a demanding and difficult to digest, but also worthwhile reading.
The high-contrast cover and the great design are beautiful. The title also goes well with the content and meets my taste.
My conclusion:
"Stella" by Takis Würger is an outstanding, moving and touching novel. An impressive read that I can warmly recommend and that will resonate with me for a while.