Why a Booktrail?
1930s – 1969s: The gripping historical debut about a family separated by the Berlin wall
1930s – 1969s: The gripping historical debut about a family separated by the Berlin wall
Lisette is in hospital with her baby boy. The doctors tell her to go home and get some rest, that he’ll be fine.
When she awakes, everything has changed. Because overnight, on 13 August 1961, the border between East and West Berlin has closed, slicing the city – and the world – in two.
Lisette is trapped in the east, while her newborn baby is unreachable in the west. With the streets in chaos and armed guards ordered to shoot anyone who tries to cross, her situation is desperate.
Lisette’s teenage daughter, Elly, has always struggled to understand the distance between herself and her mother. Both have lived for music, but while Elly hears notes surrounding every person she meets, for her mother – once a talented pianist – the music has gone silent.
Perhaps Elly can do something to bridge the gap between them. What begins as the flicker of an idea turns into a daring plan to escape East Berlin, find her baby brother, and bring him home….
Berlin
After World War II and following Berlin’s occupation, the city was split into West Berlin and East Berlin, divided by the Berlin Wall.
East Berlin was declared the capital of East Germany, while Bonn became the West German capital. Following German reunification in 1990, Berlin once again became the capital of all of Germany.
This is the human story of that divided city.
Destination/ location: Berlin Author/guide: Josie Ferguson Departure Time: 1930s – 1960s
Back to Results