Why a Booktrail?
WW2: Three women, haunted by the past and the secrets they hold
The Women in the Castle
What you need to know before your trail
Marianne von Lingenfels – widow of a resister murdered by the Nazi regime – finds refuge in the crumbling Bavarian castle where she once played host to German high society. There she fulfils her promise to find and protect the wives and children of her husband’s brave conspirators, rescuing her dearest friend’s widow, Benita, from sexual slavery to the Russian army, and Ania from a work camp for political prisoners. As Marianne assembles this makeshift family she is certain their shared pain will bind them together.
But as Benita begins a clandestine relationship and Ania struggles to conceal her role in the Nazi regime, Marianne learns that her clear-cut, highly principled world view has no place in these new, frightening and emotionally-charged days.
All three women must grapple with the realities they now face, and the consequences of decisions each made in the darkest of times . . .
Locations
Reset- Germany - Lindenfels
- A: Burg Lindenfels
- B: The Castle's Dragon
- C: The German Dragon Museum
Travel Guide
Burg Lindenfels
What a magnificent castle! Lindenfels town is known as the “Pearl of the Odenwald”
After the Second World War ended in May 1945, Lindenfels found itself in the American Zone of Occupation. The US military built a displaced persons camp to house displaced Jews but this was dissolved in 1948.
In the novel:
A party is held at Burg Lingenfels. Marianne von Lingenfels is part of the family who live in the castle and who host the most marvelous and feted parties. They host a yearly gathering of German intellectuals and their guests include many important figures from all fields to discuss liberal and bohemian topics. Some would even be deemed a little risque for the time.
The most dangerous and demanding of plots is hatched – to assassinate Hitler. The women take on different roles and have different stories to tell of their own experiences. This is a novel of guilt and shame and the ability to overcome and to work on their personal and collective grief.
On a happier note, as you might hope for with such a castle – there’s a dragon living there and a museum dedicated to them!
Booktrail Boarding Pass: The Women of the Castle
Destination : Lindenfels Author/Guide: Jessica Shattuck Departure Time: WW2
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