review
Ginsterburg is a profoundly moving and haunting novel that focuses on ordinary Germans grappling with impossible choices under the Nazi regime.
Set between 1935 and 1945 in the fictional German town of Ginsterburg, Arno Frank’s novel is authentic and original, with richly developed characters. The novel’s protagonist is Lothar Sieber, a bright young boy who has to endure relentless bullying from Bruno and Knut, the mayor’s twin sons. As the years go by, Lothar grows into a skilled aviator, eventually becoming a test pilot for the doomed Bachem Ba 349 rocket plane. His journey is both inspiring and heartbreaking.
Meanwhile Eugen von Wieland, the town’s journalist, is torn between documenting Ginsterburg’s history and his clandestine affair with Merle, Lothar’s mother. Other compelling characters in the novel include Uta Mohelsky, who descends into madness after the disappearance of her Jewish husband, and Zola Vovoni, the circus fortune teller, whose prophetic visions enrich the story with symbolic depth and add a layer of magical realism.
Ginsterburg is cleverly structured, alternating between third-person narration and historical inserts that include letters and Nazi press releases. These elements give the novel a historical weight and authenticity while never distracting from the emotional core of the characters. The ensemble cast is handled beautifully, their lives intersecting in ways that feel both natural and meaningful. The narrative builds toward an unforgettable climax on 1 March 1945, when British bombers reduce Ginsterburg to rubble. Each character’s fate feels both inevitable and deeply human, making the final chapters emotionally devastating but also incredibly rewarding.
Arno Frank’s writing is evocative and lyrical. The detailed depiction of life in Ginsterburg, combined with the broader historical context, is vivid and immersive. The novel’s exploration of moral complicity, propaganda, and the human cost of war feels both timeless and strikingly relevant, offering a unique perspective on a well-documented historical period. By spanning a full decade and focusing on an entire community, Ginsterburg provides a comprehensive exploration of complicity, ideology, and survival. This is a novel that will undoubtedly captivate English-language readers. Its themes of moral accountability and resistance are universal, and its warning about the dangers of unchecked ideology feels as urgent as ever.
Find out more: https://www.klett-cotta.de/produkt/arno-frank-ginsterburg-9783608966480-t-8970
All recommendations from Spring 2025