[altosburg]

Trotzdestonichts oder Der Wendehals is not a masterpiece, maybe, whatever that means, but it is a delight, from the first to the last page. In 1989 and 1990, half of Germany was turned on its head, and for the second time, German citizens had to renege their beliefs and adapt to a new society. The GDR has left scars upon the German consciousness, partly, certainly, because of all the disappointed hopes and dreams that were invested into that country. Books like Braun?s provide an insight into the hurt and resentment of many former citizens of that strange country, who were told that everything they believed in was a wrong and flawed as the dictatorial bureaucracy that used to govern them and that the West German system was the only way to go. Volker Braun, evidently, doesn?t believe that, which leaves him in an intellectual state of inbetweenness and which makes this book so readable. the full review's here Turnaround: Volker Braun?s ?Trotzdestonichts? shigekuni.


Volker Braun's really an extraordinary writer. His selected poems Lustgarten, Preu?en is one of my favorite poetry collections in German,.