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Land i datid
Ungkommunisten Elisabeth vender i 1975 hjem til Danmark fra en partiskole i DDR. I maven bærer hun østtyske Peter Körbers barn. 30 år senere rejser deres søn, Andreas, for første gang til Berlin. Han er flygtet fra sit universitetsspeciale og fra et kuldsejlet forhold med en rigtig god Hans far er blevet myrdet!
Andreas’ flugt bliver en rejse til en fremmed og ukendt by, på jagt efter den far, han aldrig har mødt, en opdagelsesrejse i fortiden – og lidt efter lidt også en jagt på hans egen identitet.
Andreas’ flugt bliver en rejse til en fremmed og ukendt by, på jagt efter den far, han aldrig har mødt, en opdagelsesrejse i fortiden – og lidt efter lidt også en jagt på hans egen identitet.
336 pages, Paperback
First published March 21, 2017
64 people are currently reading
521 people want to read
About the author
Jesper Bugge Kold
47 books101 followersBorn in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1972, Winter Men is Jesper Bugge Kold's first novel. It was published in Denmark in August 2014, and the same year it was nominated to the prestigious Debutant's Prize at BogForum.
Jesper Bugge Kold grew up in Copenhagen and has a bachelor's degree from the Library School and a master's degree from the University of Information Technology. Later, working as a sports journalist on several Danish TV-channels, he was editor on the national coverage of NFL. In 2009 he and his family moved to the countryside where he found time to start writing.
Based on an enormous amount of research, Jesper Bugge Kold has been in contact with former concentration camps, historians, and museums during the writing of Winter Men.
Quick facts:
-He started working on Winter Men in October 2010
-He lives in the island of Funen with his wife and two children
-He used to play guitar in the band Biff Baxter Band with whom he released two CDs
-He laughs but mostly cries with the soccer team Aston Villa
-His favorite authors are Jorge Luis Borges, John Steinbeck, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Richard Ford and Jonathan Safran Foer among others
-His new novel is published in Denmark april 2016 and takes place in the German Democratic Republic
Jesper Bugge Kold grew up in Copenhagen and has a bachelor's degree from the Library School and a master's degree from the University of Information Technology. Later, working as a sports journalist on several Danish TV-channels, he was editor on the national coverage of NFL. In 2009 he and his family moved to the countryside where he found time to start writing.
Based on an enormous amount of research, Jesper Bugge Kold has been in contact with former concentration camps, historians, and museums during the writing of Winter Men.
Quick facts:
-He started working on Winter Men in October 2010
-He lives in the island of Funen with his wife and two children
-He used to play guitar in the band Biff Baxter Band with whom he released two CDs
-He laughs but mostly cries with the soccer team Aston Villa
-His favorite authors are Jorge Luis Borges, John Steinbeck, Carlos Ruiz Zafon, Richard Ford and Jonathan Safran Foer among others
-His new novel is published in Denmark april 2016 and takes place in the German Democratic Republic
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
May 31, 2018
Very enjoyable read, by an author who I had not previously come across.
Told as two parallel narratives, one in the past and the other the present, this is the story of a family split by the Berlin Wall and bought together by a murder, which is not solved until the last pages.
This is a well paced, well written/translated story which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Told as two parallel narratives, one in the past and the other the present, this is the story of a family split by the Berlin Wall and bought together by a murder, which is not solved until the last pages.
This is a well paced, well written/translated story which I thoroughly enjoyed.
I was given a copy of this book by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
May 3, 2017
A gripping and moving story of the former East Germany.
Andreas lives in Copenhagen and receives a letter informing him that his father who he has never met has been stabbed to death in Berlin, and that he has inherited his flat. Keen to understand more about the father that his mother wouldn’t speak of he travels to Berlin to discover more.
Jesper Bugge Kold combines multiple timelines and characters to produce a brilliant story of the GDR, the Stasi and relationships. This book reminded somewhat of the film “Life of Others” and anyone who liked the film or is interested to the former East Germany should read this.
It’s tautly written but with some almost cinematic descriptions of Berlin. I found it an absolute page turner and read it within a day which is unusual for me.
Highly recommended.
I received this book free from Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review.
Andreas lives in Copenhagen and receives a letter informing him that his father who he has never met has been stabbed to death in Berlin, and that he has inherited his flat. Keen to understand more about the father that his mother wouldn’t speak of he travels to Berlin to discover more.
Jesper Bugge Kold combines multiple timelines and characters to produce a brilliant story of the GDR, the Stasi and relationships. This book reminded somewhat of the film “Life of Others” and anyone who liked the film or is interested to the former East Germany should read this.
It’s tautly written but with some almost cinematic descriptions of Berlin. I found it an absolute page turner and read it within a day which is unusual for me.
Highly recommended.
I received this book free from Netgalley and was not required to write a positive review.
June 19, 2017
Jesper Bugge Kold's previous novel, Winter Men, is one of the best pieces of historical fiction I have ever read. I enjoyed it thoroughly and was greatly impressed by the level of detail Kold incorporated into his story. It was so obvious he had done extensive research (I read somewhere that he spent two years doing so) and did a masterful job of placing his protagonists in the times and places that engulfed Germany during World War II. When I finished Winter Men, my first thought was, I want to read this book again some day. For me that is as high as praise can get!
So I was very excited when I found out he had another historical fiction novel in the works. I hoped The Wall Between would meet or exceed the standard Kold set with Winter Men.
It came close. The first third of the novel works way too hard to try and impress us with the level of research and detail Kold is able to achieve. It's almost as if he took the praise he received for his efforts on Winter Men to an extreme. But unlike Winter Men, where he fully incorporated the details of location and geography into the plot, in The Wall Between it often felt as if he was simply reciting street names and locations in East Berlin for no reason other than to prove he had looked them up on a map. We really did not need to know the detailed footpath a person took to get from one location to another, and if you are not familiar with the German language, it becomes mind-boggling to try and sound out these incredibly long names in your head. My reading pace came to a standstill and I actually began to be annoyed.
Fortunately Kold picked up the pace and focused on his characters and the story line throughout the majority of the book. And the difference is night and day. It is a wonderfully rich tale that moves back and forth through time effortlessly and provides us rich insights into the tragedy that was Cold-War Berlin. I was impressed with the many layers of torment he was able to create for his protagonists and found myself deeply embroiled in their confusion and ambivalence toward what happened during the final days of a divided Germany. His dialogue is genuine and, as with Winter Men, he wove the true events of the day perfectly with the actions of his characters.
So four stars for being 2/3 of another masterpiece. I'm looking forward to what is next from this writer. And I still hope to one day re-read Winter Men; perhaps this work as well.
So I was very excited when I found out he had another historical fiction novel in the works. I hoped The Wall Between would meet or exceed the standard Kold set with Winter Men.
It came close. The first third of the novel works way too hard to try and impress us with the level of research and detail Kold is able to achieve. It's almost as if he took the praise he received for his efforts on Winter Men to an extreme. But unlike Winter Men, where he fully incorporated the details of location and geography into the plot, in The Wall Between it often felt as if he was simply reciting street names and locations in East Berlin for no reason other than to prove he had looked them up on a map. We really did not need to know the detailed footpath a person took to get from one location to another, and if you are not familiar with the German language, it becomes mind-boggling to try and sound out these incredibly long names in your head. My reading pace came to a standstill and I actually began to be annoyed.
Fortunately Kold picked up the pace and focused on his characters and the story line throughout the majority of the book. And the difference is night and day. It is a wonderfully rich tale that moves back and forth through time effortlessly and provides us rich insights into the tragedy that was Cold-War Berlin. I was impressed with the many layers of torment he was able to create for his protagonists and found myself deeply embroiled in their confusion and ambivalence toward what happened during the final days of a divided Germany. His dialogue is genuine and, as with Winter Men, he wove the true events of the day perfectly with the actions of his characters.
So four stars for being 2/3 of another masterpiece. I'm looking forward to what is next from this writer. And I still hope to one day re-read Winter Men; perhaps this work as well.
March 6, 2017
5 Stars
This is the story of Peter, Andreas and Stefan, and Stefan’s brother Alexander. The book goes back and forth between 1975 plus and 2006.
During his student days in 1975, Peter falls for a girl named Elisabeth. She is a student from Copenhagen. Unbeknownst to Peter when she returns home, she gives birth to a son whom she names Andreas.
Meanwhile Peter works for the Stasi, the German Democratic Republic’s (GDR), secret police. AS he rises in the ranks, he spies, reports and evaluates his neighbors and people he sees on the streets for desirability and to judge whether they are a danger to the state. What constitutes a danger is certainly in the eye of the beholder.
Stefan and Alexander dream of defecting to the West. They plan ways in which they can escape.
Andreas goes to Berlin after the fall of the wall to bury his father and to get to know him. Andreas is kind of a failure. He never finished his masters degree, has never really held a job and generally drifts through life. He decides to stay in Berlin to learn more about his father. That he worked for the Stasi comes as a big surprise.
The Stasi was built on fear and manipulation and a complete disregard for human rights. Repression by the state was transformed into protecting people – from themselves. This is a quote from the review, “…the price of blind allegiance to ideology, and the moral complexity of personal culpability.” Andreas has a very hard time understanding why his father worked for such a system.
This book takes a very hard look at life in the GDR, the Stasi and the lengths some will go to preserve their idea of what is right. It is downright scary. I remember hearing occasional stories of people escaping from the GDR and this book brought it all back. It had to be truly awful to risk all for a taste of freedom. This book was both eye opening and so sad. Even after the fall of the wall, there was a group who still believed in the fall of capitalism and the decadence of the West.
Jesper Bugge Kold is a remarkable author. The book is thoughtful, well written and plotted. I will definitely read more of his work. (And hats off to his translator – he did a very good job as well.)
I want to truly thank Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book to read.
This is the story of Peter, Andreas and Stefan, and Stefan’s brother Alexander. The book goes back and forth between 1975 plus and 2006.
During his student days in 1975, Peter falls for a girl named Elisabeth. She is a student from Copenhagen. Unbeknownst to Peter when she returns home, she gives birth to a son whom she names Andreas.
Meanwhile Peter works for the Stasi, the German Democratic Republic’s (GDR), secret police. AS he rises in the ranks, he spies, reports and evaluates his neighbors and people he sees on the streets for desirability and to judge whether they are a danger to the state. What constitutes a danger is certainly in the eye of the beholder.
Stefan and Alexander dream of defecting to the West. They plan ways in which they can escape.
Andreas goes to Berlin after the fall of the wall to bury his father and to get to know him. Andreas is kind of a failure. He never finished his masters degree, has never really held a job and generally drifts through life. He decides to stay in Berlin to learn more about his father. That he worked for the Stasi comes as a big surprise.
The Stasi was built on fear and manipulation and a complete disregard for human rights. Repression by the state was transformed into protecting people – from themselves. This is a quote from the review, “…the price of blind allegiance to ideology, and the moral complexity of personal culpability.” Andreas has a very hard time understanding why his father worked for such a system.
This book takes a very hard look at life in the GDR, the Stasi and the lengths some will go to preserve their idea of what is right. It is downright scary. I remember hearing occasional stories of people escaping from the GDR and this book brought it all back. It had to be truly awful to risk all for a taste of freedom. This book was both eye opening and so sad. Even after the fall of the wall, there was a group who still believed in the fall of capitalism and the decadence of the West.
Jesper Bugge Kold is a remarkable author. The book is thoughtful, well written and plotted. I will definitely read more of his work. (And hats off to his translator – he did a very good job as well.)
I want to truly thank Netgalley and AmazonCrossing for forwarding to me a copy of this most wonderful book to read.
June 19, 2017
I read Jesper Bugge Kold's first book, Winter Men, last year and really enjoyed Kold's style and his ability to write complex, complicated and believable characters. When I saw that he had another book being translated into English, I was very excited and picked it up as soon as I could.
This book was a little slow to start for me. There was a lot of German geography with very long street names that were hard to distinguish from other street names (as a non-German speaking person). After about 50-70 or so pages, it really starts to pick up steam. He stops focusing so much on the research and geography (although the research is important!) and focuses more on characters and their relationships to each other. The book is told from the POV of three different characters, and weaves seamlessly back and forth through time (1975-2006).
One of my favorite aspects of the book was to read from the POV of someone who fully believes in Communism and their critiques and opinions of a capitalist society. I was very young when the Berlin wall fell, so it seems like ancient history to me. Reading this book helped place it into a more modern time-frame and helped me to realize that that event still has an effect on people living there today. It's not something you fully realize until you're staring it in the face.
As with his last book, Kold has created another excellent work of well-researched historical fiction. His characters are believable and sympathetic, and are easy to empathize with. He builds complex relationships and situations that are so rewarding to read about because the payoff at the end of the book makes it all worth the journey. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend checking out either of Jesper Kold's books. You will not regret it!
This book was a little slow to start for me. There was a lot of German geography with very long street names that were hard to distinguish from other street names (as a non-German speaking person). After about 50-70 or so pages, it really starts to pick up steam. He stops focusing so much on the research and geography (although the research is important!) and focuses more on characters and their relationships to each other. The book is told from the POV of three different characters, and weaves seamlessly back and forth through time (1975-2006).
One of my favorite aspects of the book was to read from the POV of someone who fully believes in Communism and their critiques and opinions of a capitalist society. I was very young when the Berlin wall fell, so it seems like ancient history to me. Reading this book helped place it into a more modern time-frame and helped me to realize that that event still has an effect on people living there today. It's not something you fully realize until you're staring it in the face.
As with his last book, Kold has created another excellent work of well-researched historical fiction. His characters are believable and sympathetic, and are easy to empathize with. He builds complex relationships and situations that are so rewarding to read about because the payoff at the end of the book makes it all worth the journey. If you are a fan of historical fiction, I highly recommend checking out either of Jesper Kold's books. You will not regret it!
July 18, 2016
Bogen handler ikke bare om landet DDR, der med et slag bliver et "land i datid", men også om personernes fortid, og hvordan den har dannet og formet dem som mennesker i dag.
Bogen er længe lidt uforløst - velsagtens fordi hovedpersonen Andreas er mærkelig vattet og utydelig som karakter, men det vejes op til sidst, hvor Andreas tager sin skæbne på sig og bliver sig selv på en helt anden måde end tidligere.
Jeg synes, bogens krydsklipning fungerer godt, plottet er spændende, og der en god fremdrift i bogen.
Bogen er længe lidt uforløst - velsagtens fordi hovedpersonen Andreas er mærkelig vattet og utydelig som karakter, men det vejes op til sidst, hvor Andreas tager sin skæbne på sig og bliver sig selv på en helt anden måde end tidligere.
Jeg synes, bogens krydsklipning fungerer godt, plottet er spændende, og der en god fremdrift i bogen.
January 14, 2017
Fascinating book. Three parallel and interweaving stories focusing on the life of a Stasi officer, his illegitimate son and one of his 'victims'. Rather than criticising the DDR State Sicherheit machine, we are left to draw our own conclusions as the motivation and actions of the three men are considered. Very clever and thought provoking.
July 16, 2016
Anmeldelsen kan læses på bloggen
August 29, 2016
Jeg var fanget fra start til slut... en meget intens og overraskende handling, der absolut ikke lægger fingrene imellem, men også prøver at forstå...
March 21, 2017
When I started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I would like it. But as the story progressed it became obvious this was an engrossing, albeit depressing, story.
Andreas travels from Denmark to Berlin to settle his late father Peter's affairs. He has inherited Peter's apartment and after the funeral decides to stay on to discover the father he never knew.
Peter worked his way up as a Stasi operative from 1975 on, climbing the ladder of success. Blindly devoted to the cause he reports on the activities of the people around him, with disastrous results for some of them. The regime's claustrophobic, terrifying rule is ruthless and makes for dark reading.
As Andreas delves into his father's past he realizes the man he fantasized about didn't exist and as the truth finally opens his eyes, he falls apart.
Upon returning to Denmark, his soul searching changes him irrevocably. Realizing he and his father were probably more alike than not, he turns his life around and the book ends on an optimistic note.
Very well written, I couldn't tear myself away - despite the grey, dreary and hopeless feelings engendered by the descriptions of life in East Germany. It beggars belief it took so long for the regime to collapse and also that history repeats itself over and over again.
When will we learn...
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for the eARC.
Andreas travels from Denmark to Berlin to settle his late father Peter's affairs. He has inherited Peter's apartment and after the funeral decides to stay on to discover the father he never knew.
Peter worked his way up as a Stasi operative from 1975 on, climbing the ladder of success. Blindly devoted to the cause he reports on the activities of the people around him, with disastrous results for some of them. The regime's claustrophobic, terrifying rule is ruthless and makes for dark reading.
As Andreas delves into his father's past he realizes the man he fantasized about didn't exist and as the truth finally opens his eyes, he falls apart.
Upon returning to Denmark, his soul searching changes him irrevocably. Realizing he and his father were probably more alike than not, he turns his life around and the book ends on an optimistic note.
Very well written, I couldn't tear myself away - despite the grey, dreary and hopeless feelings engendered by the descriptions of life in East Germany. It beggars belief it took so long for the regime to collapse and also that history repeats itself over and over again.
When will we learn...
Thank you Netgalley and Amazon Crossing for the eARC.
May 9, 2017
The Wall Between is the first novel I've read that features the falling of the Berlin Wall and life in Germany before the fall.
In it we meet Andreas, a son searching for and trying to get to know his father following his death.
Andreas' father is former Stasi officer and Andreas is forced to search for answers from people whose lives in East Berlin have led them to be cautious or even fearful of the truth.
They do not want to answer Andreas' questions, but he is desperate to know the truth.
The wall between offers us three differing perspectives, those of Peter; the deceased Stasi officer, his illegitimate son; Andreas and one of his 'victims'.
But rather than damning the DDR State Sicherheit, this novel lets us draw our own conclusions as we given the perspectives of those living through the troubled and difficult periods.
It is a clever and thought provoking novel and one that should be considered by anyone looking for something a little different to read.
In it we meet Andreas, a son searching for and trying to get to know his father following his death.
Andreas' father is former Stasi officer and Andreas is forced to search for answers from people whose lives in East Berlin have led them to be cautious or even fearful of the truth.
They do not want to answer Andreas' questions, but he is desperate to know the truth.
The wall between offers us three differing perspectives, those of Peter; the deceased Stasi officer, his illegitimate son; Andreas and one of his 'victims'.
But rather than damning the DDR State Sicherheit, this novel lets us draw our own conclusions as we given the perspectives of those living through the troubled and difficult periods.
It is a clever and thought provoking novel and one that should be considered by anyone looking for something a little different to read.
June 21, 2021
This is probably the best book that I have read this year. The book starts with a murder in the united Berlin in the early 2000s. The victim's son (who he had never seen his father) travels to Berlin in a search to know who his father was and also find himself.
The novel switches between the "current" day and the past (starting in the mid-70s and ending in the present). We see the son find information out, update his views of his father (always to see him as a good man) and then we see the events play out as they happen often differently than his son imagined.
We learn that his father was a member of the STASI (the East German secret police) and it would have been simple for the author to paint him as evil, but as we get into the mind of the father we see why he worked for them and how he was drawn slowly deeper into the STASI.
At the end of the book we again revisit the murder and understand so much more.
The novel switches between the "current" day and the past (starting in the mid-70s and ending in the present). We see the son find information out, update his views of his father (always to see him as a good man) and then we see the events play out as they happen often differently than his son imagined.
We learn that his father was a member of the STASI (the East German secret police) and it would have been simple for the author to paint him as evil, but as we get into the mind of the father we see why he worked for them and how he was drawn slowly deeper into the STASI.
At the end of the book we again revisit the murder and understand so much more.
August 3, 2017
After a life dedicated to a cause in which he believed over all else, a lonely man faces his death at 54, recognizes his murderer, and knows why he is dying. This book depicts difficulty of living in communist East Germany--some by choice, others merely captured by circumstance. You buy the lies, you own the product. Regrets? No joy to be found in this tale. Is it possible to really get to "know" a person you never met who is no longer alive even though you have a direct genetic link to him?
The story is marred by having to stumble past too many, too long and difficult to read names of places and streets. It also was confusing keeping track of the many stories jumping back and forth 30 years, 20 years, 10 years, present time, etc.--where are we now and with whom?
Lastly, it needed a proofreader, not just an automated spellcheck, in order to correct or remove misplaced words.
The story is marred by having to stumble past too many, too long and difficult to read names of places and streets. It also was confusing keeping track of the many stories jumping back and forth 30 years, 20 years, 10 years, present time, etc.--where are we now and with whom?
Lastly, it needed a proofreader, not just an automated spellcheck, in order to correct or remove misplaced words.
February 14, 2019
After recieving the book by Kindle version from goodreads first read, I met Andres and his father Peter. The two have never met. After the death of peter, Andres sets out on a mission to learn more about the father that had been absent from his life only to uncover secrets that may have been left unknown. Peter narrates chapters which open doors to show east Germany before the berlin wall fell and his devotion to communism during that period. Andres must come to grips with his father's secrets and those of his cousin and aunt he meets along the way. As the story progresses Andres must determine how like his father he wants to remain and if he can be happy with his choices. An interesting perspective into the time of the wall and the segregation that occured.
February 23, 2021
This was a good story but for me there was too much descriptive text and not enough dialogue between characters. I feel like I could find my way around any Berlin park but I don't really know what the people who were there were doing. Having said that, the background and the concept were very original and despite my reservations I did enjoy it and would recommend it for those who like a kind of cold war thriller.
October 18, 2022
Hvordan kan man være overbevist om, at det diktatur, man lever i, er sin nabo langt overlegen? Kan det mon kun lade sig gøre, hvis man er en (lille) del af magten, eller kan det også handle om en forkærlighed for begrænsninger og regelrethed? At man foretrækker et liv, hvor alt er tilrettelagt for én, fordi man reelt er for fantasiforladt til at kunne tænke selv? Det er en del af, hvad denne roman beskæftiger sig med
July 20, 2020
Some things cannot be reunited!
An interesting period story of "divided Germany" life and it's eventual reunification. In parallel, the story of a divided family, whose reunion came too late. Lies, secrets, exposed with the crash of the wall, and lives affected and shattered much like Humpty Dumpty's fall !
Highly recommend.
An interesting period story of "divided Germany" life and it's eventual reunification. In parallel, the story of a divided family, whose reunion came too late. Lies, secrets, exposed with the crash of the wall, and lives affected and shattered much like Humpty Dumpty's fall !
Highly recommend.
May 5, 2017
This is the second book that I've read by this author and I continue to be impressed by his skilful storytelling. The joy of this book for me was to discover the story and watch it grow and evolve. A really interesting subject matter, populated by deep and intriguing characters.
June 23, 2017
This was an interesting story about a son looking into the life of a father he didn't know and piecing together information he finds out from those who thought they knew him. Surprise ending that links all the stories together in the end. Well written!
July 15, 2017
This book told an interesting story. There is sadness in this and the the book goes back and fourth between time periods which get me a little lost. Still a wonderful book to read, a must read for any and all lovers of books.
January 12, 2019
A good read
I liked the ambiguity of the main characters especially, and this was the first novel that gave me an insight into life behind the Wall.
I liked the ambiguity of the main characters especially, and this was the first novel that gave me an insight into life behind the Wall.
July 3, 2019
Unrepentant
Anyone interested in how the paranoia and power of the Stasi over the lives of East Berliners should read this excellent story of historical fiction.
Anyone interested in how the paranoia and power of the Stasi over the lives of East Berliners should read this excellent story of historical fiction.
January 24, 2023
Solidt plot, god research, DDR/Stasi/Berlin - spændende
April 18, 2016
4.5 stjerner. Stedvist er jeg meget tæt på at overveje de fem stjerner og det er det meget stærke plot, som løfter romanen helt derop. Jeg har ofte introduceret Jesper Bugge Kold til potentielle læsere som ekspert i ondskabens anatomi og dette ekspertområde, som han opdyrkede i debutromanen Vintermænd, følger han på fornem vis op på i Land i datid, hvor vi følger Stasi-manden Peter, som er linientreu helt ud til fingerspidserne. Emnet ondskab og det spørgsmål, som der i særlig grad interesserer forfatteren, er som et genfærd, der genopstår og også hjemsøger den nye roman og vi får igen stillet spørgsmålstegn ved skillelinjen mellem at udvise ansvarspådragende adfærd i en om ikke juridisk, så i hvert fald moralsk forstand og så det at agere i systemets tjeneste – enten i den naive tiltro til klogere mænd højere oppe i systemet, som præger Peter eller for brødrenes vedkommende i Vintermænd simpelthen for selv at klare skærene uden at blive ofre for den samme ondskab som de ender med selv at udøve.
Med Das Leben der Anderen fik vi en nutidig fiktiv fortolkning af de menneskelige omkostninger DDR havde og samtidig lever Ostalgie-bølgen i bedste velgående. Der er – i det mindste på overfladen – tale om modsatrettede fremstillinger af livet i DDR og så alligevel ikke og det er dette modsætningsforhold, der er så interessant ved Jesper Bugge Kolds roman. Som emne behandles DDR netop under denne dobbelte synsvinkel: Der var mennesker, der trivedes i DDR og som længes tilbage mod en tid, hvor deres eget liv var bedre, sådan som Peter gør i romanen. Første gang jeg stiftede bekendtskab med det synspunkt var under et tilfældigt møde med en ældre herre i en park i Berlin, hvor jeg dengang boede og foretog mine egne ekspeditioner ud i Berlins fascinerende, forfærdende og ikke mindst komplekse historie. Tanken om, at der fandtes mennesker, der havde foretrukket at blive ved med at leve i DDR var første gang jeg mødte den fuldstændig ufattelig for mig. Vi er vant til én udlægning af DDR, nemlig mere eller mindre som ondskaben inkarneret og det er også denne synsvinkel vi får præsenteret gennem romanens hovedperson Andreas, mens hans far Peter introducerer den modsatte synsvinkel og jeg kunne forestille mig, at det for de fleste læsere føles ligeså fremmedartet at læse om murens fald, som begivenheden beskrives fra Peters vinkel – som det værst tænkelige der kunne ske – som det var for mig at møde mennesker i Berlin, som mente DDR-tiden var værd at længes efter.
Jeg vil undlade at komme ind på detaljer som afslører for meget da hver eneste læser bør have lov til at opleve det suveræne plot uden at have været udsat for spoilers. Jeg vil derfor nøjes med at konstatere, at Jesper Bugge Kold har fuldstændigt styr på en række fortælletekniske greb der i den grad løfter romanen op i superligaen: Eminent brug af foreshadowing og ikke mindst motiver der på meget meningsfuld vis spejler de forskellige karakterers historier i hinanden på forskellige tidspunkter.
At jeg ikke kan give fem stjerner skyldes udelukkende min subjektive aversion mod halvlange beskrivelser der indeholder mange metaforer, noget som især fylder i romanens første tredjedel. Omvendt står det klart for mig, at forfatterens evner for det beskrivende også er medvirkende til at der i romanen er en detaljerigdom i fremstillingen af livet i DDR, som dels bygger på en grundig research og dels på en insisteren på at vi skal have det fulde billede af, hvordan livet i det samfund var, som måske ikke ville være der, hvis forfatteren ikke havde fokus på det beskrivende. Så der er næsten en vis poesi i min reception af romanen, for dobbeltheden som findes mellem Andreas’ og Peters holdninger, gentager sig i min splittelse mellem dels at være relativt stor modstander af lange beskrivelser med fokus på metaforer og dels at være stor fan af detaljerigdommen som især i romanens sidste to-tredjedel er medvirkende til at gøre den til en meget nærværende fortælling. Måske er det på tide at jeg reviderer min aversion mod det beskrivende og mod metaforer? Jeg kommer for eksempel netop frem til den erkendelse, at jeg med min ovenstående lignelse af tematikkens gentagelse til et genfærd allerede må være blevet påvirket!
Land i datid er obligatorisk læsning for enhver med interesse for (tysk) historie, for hvad det vil sige at være et ondt eller et godt menneske og ikke mindst for enhver som sætter pris på en velskrevet og velkonstrueret roman som med stor succes stiller flere menneskers version af samme historie over for hinanden.
Med Das Leben der Anderen fik vi en nutidig fiktiv fortolkning af de menneskelige omkostninger DDR havde og samtidig lever Ostalgie-bølgen i bedste velgående. Der er – i det mindste på overfladen – tale om modsatrettede fremstillinger af livet i DDR og så alligevel ikke og det er dette modsætningsforhold, der er så interessant ved Jesper Bugge Kolds roman. Som emne behandles DDR netop under denne dobbelte synsvinkel: Der var mennesker, der trivedes i DDR og som længes tilbage mod en tid, hvor deres eget liv var bedre, sådan som Peter gør i romanen. Første gang jeg stiftede bekendtskab med det synspunkt var under et tilfældigt møde med en ældre herre i en park i Berlin, hvor jeg dengang boede og foretog mine egne ekspeditioner ud i Berlins fascinerende, forfærdende og ikke mindst komplekse historie. Tanken om, at der fandtes mennesker, der havde foretrukket at blive ved med at leve i DDR var første gang jeg mødte den fuldstændig ufattelig for mig. Vi er vant til én udlægning af DDR, nemlig mere eller mindre som ondskaben inkarneret og det er også denne synsvinkel vi får præsenteret gennem romanens hovedperson Andreas, mens hans far Peter introducerer den modsatte synsvinkel og jeg kunne forestille mig, at det for de fleste læsere føles ligeså fremmedartet at læse om murens fald, som begivenheden beskrives fra Peters vinkel – som det værst tænkelige der kunne ske – som det var for mig at møde mennesker i Berlin, som mente DDR-tiden var værd at længes efter.
Jeg vil undlade at komme ind på detaljer som afslører for meget da hver eneste læser bør have lov til at opleve det suveræne plot uden at have været udsat for spoilers. Jeg vil derfor nøjes med at konstatere, at Jesper Bugge Kold har fuldstændigt styr på en række fortælletekniske greb der i den grad løfter romanen op i superligaen: Eminent brug af foreshadowing og ikke mindst motiver der på meget meningsfuld vis spejler de forskellige karakterers historier i hinanden på forskellige tidspunkter.
At jeg ikke kan give fem stjerner skyldes udelukkende min subjektive aversion mod halvlange beskrivelser der indeholder mange metaforer, noget som især fylder i romanens første tredjedel. Omvendt står det klart for mig, at forfatterens evner for det beskrivende også er medvirkende til at der i romanen er en detaljerigdom i fremstillingen af livet i DDR, som dels bygger på en grundig research og dels på en insisteren på at vi skal have det fulde billede af, hvordan livet i det samfund var, som måske ikke ville være der, hvis forfatteren ikke havde fokus på det beskrivende. Så der er næsten en vis poesi i min reception af romanen, for dobbeltheden som findes mellem Andreas’ og Peters holdninger, gentager sig i min splittelse mellem dels at være relativt stor modstander af lange beskrivelser med fokus på metaforer og dels at være stor fan af detaljerigdommen som især i romanens sidste to-tredjedel er medvirkende til at gøre den til en meget nærværende fortælling. Måske er det på tide at jeg reviderer min aversion mod det beskrivende og mod metaforer? Jeg kommer for eksempel netop frem til den erkendelse, at jeg med min ovenstående lignelse af tematikkens gentagelse til et genfærd allerede må være blevet påvirket!
Land i datid er obligatorisk læsning for enhver med interesse for (tysk) historie, for hvad det vil sige at være et ondt eller et godt menneske og ikke mindst for enhver som sætter pris på en velskrevet og velkonstrueret roman som med stor succes stiller flere menneskers version af samme historie over for hinanden.
February 20, 2017
En ung dansk mand - Andreas - i vildrede, arver sin far, som han aldrig har kendt. Faderen var østtysker og på overfladen handler bogen om at søge tilbage til, hvem faderen egentlig var.
En god research har der været, man kan nærmest lugte stemningen i det gamle DDR. Alene af denne grund er bogen værd at læse.
Men samtidig er det en udviklingsrejse for Andreas - han bliver voksen i løbet af bogen.
Mest rørende er beskrivelsen af stedfaderen, en bifigur med stort hjerte. Andreas har været heldig at få ham ind i sit liv.
En god research har der været, man kan nærmest lugte stemningen i det gamle DDR. Alene af denne grund er bogen værd at læse.
Men samtidig er det en udviklingsrejse for Andreas - han bliver voksen i løbet af bogen.
Mest rørende er beskrivelsen af stedfaderen, en bifigur med stort hjerte. Andreas har været heldig at få ham ind i sit liv.
April 26, 2016
Andreas bliver kaldt til Berlin hvor hans far, Peter er fundet i baggården der hører til hans lejlighed, han er blevet stukket ihjel med en stor køkkenkniv.
Idet Andreas er Peters eneste barn, skal han arve sin far, sørge for begravelse og i det hele taget ordne alt det praktiske omkring faderens bortgang.
Problemet er bare - Andreas har aldrig kendt sin far. Peter har hele sit liv boet i Østtyskland - bag jerntæppet og Andreas er opvokset i Danmark. Han er opdraget af en mor som bestemt ikke har brudt sig om at fortælle noget som helst om Peter og slet ikke til Andreas.
Det viser sig at Peter i mange år har arbejdet for Stasi - og har været med til at forråde, arrestere og sladre om sine landsmænd i hobetal. Kan man være stolt af sådan en far ?
Sideløbende med Andreas tur til Berlin følger vi Peters historie - fra han bliver aktiv i det kommunistiske Parti til hans ansættelse i Stasi og videre til murens fald, hvor hans livsgrundlag virkelig trænger til en revurdering.
Forfatteren har skrevet en rigtig flot bog. Sproget og fortællerstilen er helt unik. Personerne i bogen bliver beskrevet så levende at man lynhurtig føler man kender dem og man kan se dem for sig.
Selve historien er meget fængslende og hvis man ikke kender ret meget til Stasi og hvordan man levede på den "forkerte" side af Berlinmuren kan man få lejligheden her.
Man vil hurtig finde ud af at det hele ikke er sort og hvidt.
Denne bog er den bedste jeg har læst længe og den har klart fortjent
5 stjerner !
Idet Andreas er Peters eneste barn, skal han arve sin far, sørge for begravelse og i det hele taget ordne alt det praktiske omkring faderens bortgang.
Problemet er bare - Andreas har aldrig kendt sin far. Peter har hele sit liv boet i Østtyskland - bag jerntæppet og Andreas er opvokset i Danmark. Han er opdraget af en mor som bestemt ikke har brudt sig om at fortælle noget som helst om Peter og slet ikke til Andreas.
Det viser sig at Peter i mange år har arbejdet for Stasi - og har været med til at forråde, arrestere og sladre om sine landsmænd i hobetal. Kan man være stolt af sådan en far ?
Sideløbende med Andreas tur til Berlin følger vi Peters historie - fra han bliver aktiv i det kommunistiske Parti til hans ansættelse i Stasi og videre til murens fald, hvor hans livsgrundlag virkelig trænger til en revurdering.
Forfatteren har skrevet en rigtig flot bog. Sproget og fortællerstilen er helt unik. Personerne i bogen bliver beskrevet så levende at man lynhurtig føler man kender dem og man kan se dem for sig.
Selve historien er meget fængslende og hvis man ikke kender ret meget til Stasi og hvordan man levede på den "forkerte" side af Berlinmuren kan man få lejligheden her.
Man vil hurtig finde ud af at det hele ikke er sort og hvidt.
Denne bog er den bedste jeg har læst længe og den har klart fortjent
5 stjerner !
April 28, 2016
Købte bogen pga rosende anmeldelse. På de første to sider beskrives oplevelsen af at blive myrdet i detaljer. Åh nej, ikke den kliche igen!
Og klicherne fortsætter hele vejen igennem. Det er så tykt, at jeg gennemskuer plot i næsten alle detaljer 250 sider før sidste side.
Forargelsen over det kommunistiske styre og mennesker, som kunne tro på det - i eller udenfor blokken - er tyk. Jeg legede med tanken om at sammenligne de onde stasier med vores DJØFferes, evalueringer, målstyring, ledelse, og at sammenligne østblokkens propagande (som der ikke gøres så meget ud af i denne bog) med de mængder af bullshit, newspeak og propagande, som vi/jeg er syltet ind i her. Fx følgende, hvor stasi-skurken tænker på borgernes uvidenhed:
"De anede intet om politiske sammenhænge og om, hvordan et land fungerede, og alligevel dannede de sig en mening, den uvidendes mening, som trodsede dem, der rent faktisk vidste noget. ...Man måtte stole på dem, der havde viden".
Udskifter man "de" med "folkeskolelærerne" og ser på udviklingen efter den seneste reform, er der vel ikke så stor forskel på øst og vest. Hermed ikke sagt, at der ikke er betydningsfulde forskelle mellem øst og vest. Forfatteren holder sig dog på tryg afstand af at nuancere det onde billede, han skaber af dem og det implicitte gode billede, han skaber af os.
Men det er godt håndværk. Der er også en fin undergangsstemning, som selvfølgelig passer godt med beskrivelsen af et styres undergang.
Og klicherne fortsætter hele vejen igennem. Det er så tykt, at jeg gennemskuer plot i næsten alle detaljer 250 sider før sidste side.
Forargelsen over det kommunistiske styre og mennesker, som kunne tro på det - i eller udenfor blokken - er tyk. Jeg legede med tanken om at sammenligne de onde stasier med vores DJØFferes, evalueringer, målstyring, ledelse, og at sammenligne østblokkens propagande (som der ikke gøres så meget ud af i denne bog) med de mængder af bullshit, newspeak og propagande, som vi/jeg er syltet ind i her. Fx følgende, hvor stasi-skurken tænker på borgernes uvidenhed:
"De anede intet om politiske sammenhænge og om, hvordan et land fungerede, og alligevel dannede de sig en mening, den uvidendes mening, som trodsede dem, der rent faktisk vidste noget. ...Man måtte stole på dem, der havde viden".
Udskifter man "de" med "folkeskolelærerne" og ser på udviklingen efter den seneste reform, er der vel ikke så stor forskel på øst og vest. Hermed ikke sagt, at der ikke er betydningsfulde forskelle mellem øst og vest. Forfatteren holder sig dog på tryg afstand af at nuancere det onde billede, han skaber af dem og det implicitte gode billede, han skaber af os.
Men det er godt håndværk. Der er også en fin undergangsstemning, som selvfølgelig passer godt med beskrivelsen af et styres undergang.
June 18, 2017
I received this book for free through Goodreads Giveaways.
This is a very interesting read. Like a collection of puzzle pieces, all of the characters and the differing viewpoints and settings fit together perfectly at the end. There's Peter, a Stasi member in the 1970s and 80s; Andreas, the son Peter has never met visiting Berlin in the 2000s; and Stefan, a citizen of East Berlin who serves almost as the bridge between the father and son's stories.
I love the time period of the novel. Literature about Berlin usually falls into 3 categories: nostalgic tales about the Weimar Republic, stories about WW2, and stories about the fall of the Wall. It is interesting to read a story that doesn't take place during any of those times. Also, Peter is such a unique character when it comes to literature about East Berlin. He is in the Stasi, he shouldn't be likeable. However, he simply cannot understand why what he is doing is wrong. The author perfectly captures the brainwashing the East German government had its citizens under. Like Andreas, the reader wants to hate Peter but really can't do more than pity him.
This is a very interesting read. Like a collection of puzzle pieces, all of the characters and the differing viewpoints and settings fit together perfectly at the end. There's Peter, a Stasi member in the 1970s and 80s; Andreas, the son Peter has never met visiting Berlin in the 2000s; and Stefan, a citizen of East Berlin who serves almost as the bridge between the father and son's stories.
I love the time period of the novel. Literature about Berlin usually falls into 3 categories: nostalgic tales about the Weimar Republic, stories about WW2, and stories about the fall of the Wall. It is interesting to read a story that doesn't take place during any of those times. Also, Peter is such a unique character when it comes to literature about East Berlin. He is in the Stasi, he shouldn't be likeable. However, he simply cannot understand why what he is doing is wrong. The author perfectly captures the brainwashing the East German government had its citizens under. Like Andreas, the reader wants to hate Peter but really can't do more than pity him.
July 16, 2016
Der er ingen tvivl om, at Jesper Bugge Kold er en fremragende forfatter. Sproget er godt, og forfatteren har virkelig noget på hjertet. Jeg synes ikke, at bogen har helt den samme dybde og nerve som "Vintermænd", og samtidig bruges der en del steder billedsprog, som jeg ikke synes fungerer. Når det er sagt, er bogen bestemt læseværdig. Den giver et godt indblik i en svunden tid, nemlig et land i datid som DDR. Samtidig tager bogen fat i store eksistentielle emner og folder dem ud på bedste vis. Jeg er "fan" og ser frem til at læse flere af forfatterens bøger i fremtiden.
April 17, 2016
Fantastisk god bog! Kan varmt anbefales!
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