THE GIRL FROM
BERLIN BY ELLIE MIDWOOD 26.5.23
THE GIRL FROM
BERLIN BY ELLIE MIDWOOD 26.5.23
The
Girl from Berlin is a fast-paced
and utterly enthralling novel that chronicles the years leading up to World War
II through the eyes of a young ballerina, Annalise Meissne. Germany in the year
1943 was in a mess under Hitler.Continued bombing by the allies was reducing
Berlin into a rubble. On the other side the extermination of the jews in the
concentration camps was reaching its peak. Already 3 million jews were gassed
or shot. In the midst of this destruction Annalise who performed as a ballerina
came to the realization that this persecution of the jews was unjustified.
Annalise was beautiful. She had long hairs and a magnetic smile. But she held a
secret. She was a jew . Everybody around thought she was a Aryan German.
She married Heinrich Friedmann who was working
in the security deptt of the Gestapo . After a while they both started working
for the US intelligence. They passed secret information to the US intelligence
which
could help the persecuted jews .
The real story starts when she starts working as
a secretary to Ernst Kaltenbrunner the head of the dreaded Gestapo.
Kaltenbrunner was a intimidating figure. He was
around seven feet tall and his dreadful face had ugly scars. His outer
demeanour did not however reflect his inner nature. As a secretary to the Gestapo head
Annalise has access to all the confidential documents and used to copy them and
send to her US contacts.
Kaltenbrunner
became obsessed with Annalise . Finally he succeeded in making her fall for
him. Annalise started loving him passionately even though she was married.
In
May 1945 Germany was defeated. The Nuremberg trials began and Kaltenbrunner was sentenced to death by the international
jury. In Oct 1946 he was hanged. Annalise was heart broken but would search for
happiness while nursing the boy which she had from Kaltenbrunner.
There
is a final twist to the story which would surprise you.
The
story is based on actual events.
Do
read this absolutely fabulous book .
ASHOK
KUMAR
