Shopkeeper transformed into Professional Lorry Driver
Revamped Recollections: Magnolias in Times of War
Stepping back to the spring of '45, Hanna Krause, a resilient woman hailing from East Germany, vividly remembers the garden's magnolia tree at the hospital where she lost her daughter Kirstina. Amidst the ruins of war, the pristine blossoms felt almost surreal.
Devoid of funds to give Kirstina a proper burial, the baby ended up in the hospital's anatomical collection, a tragic fate. Her husband, a heavy drinker, might have imbibed the formaldehyde, if hunting for alcohol was his plight. In future, Hanna would visit her deceased daughter, showering her with flowers, and finding resemblances with her living offspring. In her life, Hanna bore seven children, with two, her son Johannes and Kirstina, perishing at such a young age. By her last child, Judith, Hanna's hair had turned white. Despite her hardships, she never complained, a fact you won't find in Annett Groeschner's gripping novel "Floating Burdens".
"The Woman Voices her Experiences: Kaiser, Fuhrer, War"
"Floating Burdens" is a powerful tale about a hardworking woman born Borowski, with an unknown father. From her roots in Magdeburg, she blossomed as a florist before transitioning to a crane operator. Her time in Berlin was limited to just a few months in her youth. She endured Hitler, the Second World War, two dictatorships, and multiple visits to the abortion clinic. She brought life into the world, witnessed her children die, and couldn't provide them the burials they deserved. And yet, she tolerated her one-legged, heavy-drinking husband, Karl, who squandered their money at the tavern on inferior beer. Upon acquiring their neighborhood's first television, those tavern visits became a distant memory.
From her lofty crane vantage point at a heavy machinery plant, Hanna observed the lives of those below her. Sometimes, people seemed less human to her than the flowers she adored. Flowers, her constant companions amid adversity, had graced her life long after she was forced to close her flower shop. She carried azaleas in her crane cabin, and cornflowers bloomed on her work apron. In her twilight years, wrinkles etched intricate patterns on her face like frost on flowers.
The life she led, filled with highs and lows, was harsh, yet ordinary. Her story, without victimhood or heroism embellished, is a tribute to the unsung women who bravely faced the 20th century. Groeschner, a Berlin-based author, has penned novels, poetry, and articles about the true stories of humans.
"The Bookstore Proprietor: Mimosa and Violets"
It's likely that the botanical explanations included before each chapter in Groeschner's novel serve as a source of comfort in the harsh reality. Mimosa, violets, and chessboard flowers endure amidst hardships, offering a touching contrast. Groeschner recounts in stoic, matter-of-fact language, the life of a woman who, though ordinary, may have been a heroine by force of circumstance. The novel frankly portrays the hardships suffered by countless women in the 20th century, who were never given the opportunity to choose. Groeschner, born in 1964, is a Magdeburg native and an accomplished author, renowned for her works detailing people's authentic lives.
People like Hanna, who fought to live with dignity, without seeking attention. During the war, she secretly offered her factory coworkers, including Ukrainian and Polish forced laborers, butter sandwiches. The air-raid shelter she sought refuge in with her children denied them entrance, sealing the doors with the words "We're full". Until her death, Hanna consistently inquired about her lost son through the Red Cross search service. And in her final days, when she no longer understood the world, she arranged the most beautiful bouquet of her life.
- Hanna, despite the formaldehyde that surrounded her life during those difficult times, still found solace in the anatomical garden's magnolia tree amidst the ruins of war.
- In the fashion-and-beauty sector, Hanna's love for flowers blossomed into a career as a florist before she became a crane operator.
- The tragic loss of her daughter led Hanna to a lifestyle where she couldn't afford a proper burial and resorted to visiting her daughter's grave with flowers instead.
- Hanna's personal growth was evident as she continued to persevere through her hardships, even educating herself about life and self-development during challenging times.
- After her children's deaths, Hanna's fashion choices reflected her personal growth, with the intricate patterns on her face resembling frost on the flowers she loved.
