As of: January 24, 2024, 10:52 a.m
By: Sven Trautwein
Comments
Press
Split
Hardly any topic is more challenging than introducing children to political contexts.
Here we present three books on the subject of the wall, division and reunification.
Note to our readers:
If you purchase via the links included, we receive a commission from partners.
This doesn't change anything for you.
The fall of the Berlin Wall and reunification offer a wide range of topics that can also be easily dealt with in children's and young adult books.
It offers material about separation, escape and betrayal.
The big and small dramas that need to be packed between two book covers in simple language and understandable for children.
We would like to introduce you to three children's and young adult books that shed light on this part of history.
Three books for young people skilfully convey the history of the Wall, the fall of the Wall and reunification.
© Hans Lucas/Imago/Rowohlt (montage)
Helen Endemann “Death Strip”
A book that takes you back to the pre-reunification period and an exciting double crime thriller about a daring escape from East to West Berlin.
“Death Strip” tells the story of the effects of escape on families, the brutal re-education methods in the GDR youth centers and the sensational attempt to escape by three young people in a daring tightrope act across the death strip.
This children's crime thriller has it all and should not be missing from any bookshelf.
By the way, you can't just sort a book shelf by author or genre.
How about by color, for example?
It's 1985. You live in East Berlin, in the GDR.
And you're in a lot of trouble because you opened your mouth too wide again.
They'll probably put you in a reform school.
And your grandma will never survive that.
And then suddenly this unique opportunity to escape to the West.
It's just stupid that you have to kidnap a boy who looks exactly like you. But he's a Wessi and what do they have to fear.
Or?
Blurb/Rowohlt
Helen Endemann “Death Strip – Inspector Ingo Behrends Volume 2”
2019 Rowohlt, ISBN-13 978-3-499-21841-5
Price: paperback €14, e-book €9.99, 251 pages (different format)
Order from Amazon
Stay up to date on new releases and book tips with the free newsletter from our partner 24books.de.
My news
Harry Potter: Is there going to be a sequel to the book series? read
Love of books: Harry Potter fan has his own themed reading room
Reading to children: Which books are particularly suitable for reading
“Blood Moon” by Jo Nesbø: his best crime novel with Harry Holelesen
BookTok hit becomes a film: “It Ends With Us” by Colleen Hooverlesen
Literary highlights: The most popular bestsellers of 2023 to devour
Juliane Breinl “My Fall of the Wall”
This non-fiction book for children and young people aged 10 and over clearly presents the origins of the division of Germany and life in a divided Germany.
With a wealth of photos, maps and contemporary witness reports, it conveys the events surrounding the building of the Wall, the Cold War and the uprisings and protests that ultimately led to the opening of the borders in 1989.
It paints a multifaceted picture of recent German history and vividly illustrates that the time of division is still of current relevance.
In November 1989, Germany, and even the whole world, held its breath: after a good 40 years of GDR history, the inner German border was opened and thousands of GDR citizens pushed across the state borders and the wall in Berlin!
That was the beginning of the end of the German Democratic Republic - and a divided people was reunited through the "miracle" of the peaceful revolution!
30 years later, many things that were just beginning back then have become self-evident for today's children and young people, but there are still topics and problems that have not been dealt with and resolved.
Blurb/ars edition
Juliane Breinl “My Fall of the Wall”
From the division of Germany to today
2019 ars edition, ISBN-13 978-3-845-83191-6
Currently still available to order used!
Order from Amazon
Dirk Kummer “Everything is made from sugar sand”
After Jonas' mother applied to leave the country, Jonas got into big trouble at school.
He is now viewed as an enemy of the GDR, and Fred's father forbids him from being friends with Jonas.
The boys meet secretly in the old brickworks, where they share a dream of meeting again on the other side of the world while digging a hole towards Australia.
When Jonas suddenly disappears from Fred's life, he leaves behind a deeply sad friend.
A story of friendship across all borders that touches the heart.
The book is based on the 2017 film “Sugar Sand,” but here with a comforting ending.
For Fred and his best friend Jonas, every day is an adventure.
They prefer to play in the abandoned factory, very close to the border with West Berlin.
But when it becomes known that Jonas' mother has applied to leave the country, the two are torn from their carefree everyday life.
From now on they are no longer allowed to meet.
But the friends have a plan: they secretly start digging a tunnel in the Brandenburg sand.
Even if Jonas leaves the GDR, they will see each other again.
Certainly.
Blurb/Carlsen
Dirk Kummer “Everything is made from sugar sand”
2020 Carlsen, ISBN-13 978-3-551-31967-8
Price: Paperback €7, 137 pages
Order from Amazon
Historical topics in particular are ideal for reading and discussing with parents.
Reading aloud also promotes retention and can lead to better reading comprehension.
The children's book prize also honors great books.
These titles are on the shortlist.