The Schönaus - A German Family

The Schönaus are a German family from the educated middle class who, at the beginning of the story, in 1913, lead a comfortable and peaceful life in Leipzig.

The three children Charlotte, Dorothea and Heinrich – all named after characters from Goethe’s works – are raised in a humanistic spirit with high moral values. Life seems stable and the future is promising. But the turbulent 20th century soon descends upon the Schönaus. The first volume, A Citizen of All Times, accompanies the family through World War I and the shattering of their familiar world. During the turbulent years of the Weimar Republic, in a politically unstable time, the three Schönau children take their first steps into adult life. While Charlotte’s sister Dorchen enjoys the liberal cultural life in Berlin, her brother Heinrich is drawn to the wrong circles. Charlotte herself experiences the versatility of being a university student and suffers the first painful loss of her life.

In the second volume, Life’s Labyrinthine Course, the darkest period of German history has descended upon the country. Each of the Schönau siblings has a different way of getting through the Nazi dictatorship and World War II. Dorothea gets to know the ugly face of the new regime, has to make sacrifices and undergo fundamental life changes. Heinrich has found his place and is leaving behind those who have accompanied him. Charlotte focuses on her family and tries to ignore unpleasant truths. The war brings unimaginable losses and forces almost everybody to make difficult decisions. At the end of the war, the family finds itself facing new trials.
Charlotte’s eightieth birthday on November 9, 1989 ends in a way she would never have thought possible.

For historical background information you can have a look at the English blog articles.