De stukken uit Berlijn

by Michael Pye, Paul Syrier (Translator)

Tijdens een diner in Berlijn ontmoette ik het kwaad. Een journalist vertelde me het verhaal van een vooraanstaande vrouw die in antiek handelde. In 1944 reed ze van het verwoeste Berlijn naar Zürich met zeven vrachtwagens vol spullen die ze van haar joodse vrienden had gestolen. Deze vrienden waren vermoord. Daar had ze wel voor gezorgd.
Ze werd uiteindelijk alleen veroordeeld wegens misleiding van de douane aan de Zwitserse grens. Ze overleed, heel oud, fatsoenlijk en stinkend rijk, in haar villa aan een meer.

In De stukken van Berlijn maakt u kennis met Lucia Müller-Rossi - ooit de intelligente dochter van een bankier in Milaan, vervolgens een keurige huisvrouw, daarna een courtisane in het Berlijn van de Tweede Wereldoorlog, misdadigster, en dan, na de oorlog, handelaar in prachtige antieke voorwerpen, bekend en gerespecteerd.

Totdat Sarah Freeman, een oude bekende van Lucia, tot haar afschuw in de etalage van Lucia's winkel haar eigen ebbenhouten tafel ziet. De oorlogsbuit rakelt het verleden op.

Lucia's zoon Nicholas moet zijn kindertijd opnieuw beleven en kan niet langer een stille getuige zijn. Kleindochter Helen betaalt een hoge prijs voor de openbaring van de leugen. Aan vijftig jaar beleefd zwijgen komt een eind.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Germany, World War II, War, Novels

295 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

About the author

Michael Pye (b. 1946) is a writer who reported on business for The Sunday Times of London in the 1960s and 1970s. He has also authored many books, two of which are about the entertainment industry: The Movie Brats: How the Film Generation Took Over Hollywood (with Lynda Myles, 1979), and Moguls: Inside the Business of Show Business (1980).

Reviews

[Diana Petty-stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wartime Berlin, a rather unscrupulous Italian woman married to a Swiss soldier with a German son. A twisty jigsaw puzzle which eventually falls neatly into place.

[Edwin]

#DNF

Het zal door het audio-boek gebeuren komen dat ik dit boek niet heb vervolgd. Al na een paar minuten kon ik me niet concentreren op het verhaal.

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm interested in our contemporary struggle to return art and family treasures lost or stolen during the Nazi regime. Searching for reading material on the subject, this book cropped up in the library card catalogue.

It is a chilling novel that centers on the struggle to survive in Nazi Germany and the painful memories that linger decades later.

For me, this was not so much a book I sought to enjoy, but a subject I am eager to understand a bit more. Pye's novel offers some perspective on how Jewish families may have come to part with their most valued possessions---and what their expectations were regarding their return. It also provided a glimse into the world of the "dealer" who received the art and antiques.

It is a chilling story about loss and survival; anger and memory. The story provided me some additional insight into the horror of the Nazi regime and the grave importance of never forgetting what happened.

[Marilyn Lagier · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of the novel sounded interesting enough that I ripped the "calendar page" from the 2004 Book a Day calendar long ago. I finally got around to purchasing the novel. It revolved around an Italian woman, married to a Swiss man, who received goods from Jews living in Berlin during WW II. The goods ended up in her shop in Switzerland and years later, a woman passes by the window and spots a table she had owned. So, that certainly sounded intriguing. But then I began reading. The plot became so convoluted that I'm still not sure what exactly happened in the closing pages. I found the characters to be quite unlikeable and their attitudes angered me. I wanted things to happen. I wanted people to be found out. I wanted more excitement that I got. Yes, I read the book fairly quickly and I did complete it, but rest assured, it won't be listed on any list of mine of "must-reads."

[Ella · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucia is een Italiaanse, getrouwd met een Zwitser Hans. Ze hebben een zoon Nicholas, als Hans het Zwitserse leger in moet gaat Lucia met haar zoon naar Berlijn. Ze zoekt het wufte leven papt aan met hoge heren van diverse ambassades en maakt overal vrienden. Iedere avond wordt ze opgehaald en Nicholas is praktisch altijd alleen. Dit speelt aan het begin van de tweede wereldoorlog.
Het verhaal is niet chronologisch en wordt verteld vanuit de verschillende personages. Aan het eind van de oorlog komt Lucia terug naar Zwitserland samen met 7 vrachtwagens met "huishoudgoederen". Ze begint een kunsthandel. De herinneringen en verhalen worden ook verteld als Lucia al in de negentig en Nicholas zes en zestig is. Zijn dochter Helen wil ook graag weten waar haar grootmoeder allemaal schuldig aan was. De Joodse Sarah Freeman ziet een bekende tafel in de etalage. Ook een Engelsman die lang krijgsgevangen is geweest speelt een rol en ook hun verhalen en herinneringen spelen een grote rol. Mooi geschreven niets wordt echt duidelijk dat mogen we zelf invullen. Heel boeiend.

[Dru · Rating 2 out of 5]

The pitfall of this book, for me at least, was the marketing. I was expecting a first-person narrative of events in 1940's Berlin detailing a woman's life before and during WWII, and the actions she takes in response. I wanted her story; I ached for her story throughout the entire novel. I wanted her motives, her thoughts, her actions, her circumstances. Instead, I received a roundabout novel about a granddaughter attempting to rid herself of inherited shame. I could not share completely in her outrage since the circumstances of the 1940's were never spelled out. The characters were mute on the subject and it was very frustrating to be left to assume what happened.

The story of Berlin and Lucia's crimes is finally told in the last fifty pages. It is interesting. It is riviting. It is heart-wrenching and emotional. It does not however make up for the rest of the book.

[Benedetta Ammannati · Rating 1 out of 5]

RECE: Oggetti da Berlino - Pye - Voto: 3
La storia sembra interessante, per la protagonista Pye si è ispirato a Andreina Schwegler-Torré, la ladra d'arte che depredava gli ebrei durante la guerra.
Lucia la protagonista ha avuto una vita ricca e tranquilla in Svizzera quando una donna riconosce nel suo negozio di antiquariato un suo tavolino.
Il libro è lento, i personaggi non sono ben delineati, la storia è così sgranata che è difficile capire chi è il buono e chi il cattivo. Solo nelle ultime 50 pagine si capisce che Lucia non solo si dedicava ai furti d'arte a discapito degli ebrei ma anche alla delazione e al mercimonio del proprio corpo. Secondo la sua mente veniva fatto tutto per il figlio, in realtà è la vittoria dell'amoralità.
Il libro comunque non decolla, i personaggi sono scialbi, inconsistenti.
Assolutamente sconsigliata la lettura.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quietly understated book that gradually gains momentum, until the final resolutions resonate like bomb shaken Berlin. An elderly woman sees a piece of her past in another old womans store and sets up of events that force all the characters to evaluate their roles in WWII and the consequences of decisions made or not made. Thought provoking , and not cliched, this book forces one to ask what they would have done in the same circumstances. We finally must conclude that evil, sugar-coated is evil nonetheless.

[Tuck · Rating 3 out of 5]

based on true stories of berliners secreting fine art out of germany to switzerland, then selling said meissens, picassos, etc.. and making millions. this is the story of one such woman, and her family, and those that try to bring her to justice. its a good story, but i don't prefer author pye's style of "reportage" rather than narrative. that said, this is a significant novel and will be around for many long (centuries?) years, let us hope.

[Becky · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deep look into how survival fuels greed's grip. The past does not stay the past when it is ignored, instead it becomes a hidden prison that drives us to hide from the truth of living with our imperfections. Fascinating read that actually gave me pause to notice the ways what one experiences is a part of what one becomes...but the final chapter is still being written in our lives by what we choose now.

[Acrasia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Appassionante solo nelle ultime 100 pagine, in cui si riesce finalmente a capire il senso di tutto il libro. Molto confusionario e superficiale, viene raccontata una vicenda molto forte senza però entrare nei particolari, anche i personaggi sono solo abbozzati e non ben delineati, per questo non sono riuscita ad amare od odiare nessuno di loro, forse solo il povero Nicholas, che è stato l'unico capace di commettere un'azione eclatante in un appiattimento generale.
Il titolo prometteva bene...

[Sue Gabianelli-danneker · Rating 3 out of 5]

this book is based lightly on a true event in history. a woman born of swiss/italian decent is entrusted with peoples monies and valuable during the war for safe keeping. She takes these pieces and benefits over time selling and reselling them herself but never forwarding the profits back to those owners or the families of the original owners. It comes back to haunt her in her old age after the war is long over.

[~mad · Rating 2 out of 5]

I plugged my way through this one - I usually an interested in Nazi Germany and that time - this one was hard - would not recommend.
The story was very depressing on top of the subject matter. While I loke to read books of people who persevere, this one portrayed a woman with little or no remorse.

Don't bother. Sorry.....

[Caroline · Rating 2 out of 5]

eh - the book seemed to be in need of some editing. It didn't flow and lots of parts were just clunky in both dialouge and pace. It seemed to have the potential to be very interesting especially being based on a true events (the main character was based off a real person) but for some reason, it just didn't work.

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael Pye's underrated gift as a writer is the ability to portray the wholeness--good, bad, ordinary--of character through vivid observation of human action, reaction, and gesture. He makes you feel the very heart of humanness struggling to make personal autobiography meaningful--palatable even--in the face of the past's hard truths.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

A novel about the aftermath of WWII and the Jews whose property was stolen, as well as of the people who stole the property (mostly art work). Several generations are affected by the actions of one woman who, according to the way she justifies it, was just trying to provide for herself and her son.

[Roberta · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yet another book club tedious read. I couldn't care less about Lucia (the smuggler), her son Nicholas, or her granddaughter Helen. I did get one good quote out of it: "They were a closed society, not ready even for a biological intruder". Apt for childless couple who choose to be that way.

[Sarah · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting story about an ethically challenging topic. However, the author writes in an obtuse way that seems intended to infuse the story with depth, but instead just makes the descriptions of everything that happens somewhat vague.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

An interesting topic that falls short due to some mediocre story-telling. The plot develops slowly and then characters are introduced, complications barely explained and nothing is ultimately settled. The short, choppy paragraphs left me feeling frustrated. Overall this felt incomplete.

[Ali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was a great interpretation of what happened in the black market in Berlin and throughout Europe during WW2. Had some language in it but not too much, came with the times I think.

Not as exciting as I hoped BUT still interesting to read and possibly purchase later in the future

[Bonnie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It seemed kind of odd to me that Lucia's granddaughter was so eager to turn her in and see her punished, when she wasn't even really sure what her grandmother had done. I actually feel a little unsure about exactly what she did too - the author kind of left it up to your imagination at the end.

[Carrie]

It starts out so well, but the later half of the book is unreadable. No praise for this book. The writer really gave up half way through.

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

A woman whose antiques business was based on selling items left in her care during WWII is confronted by a stranger who recognizes one of the items as her own.

[Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

curious writing style. The whole story is given away with the book jacket. thought it was anti-climactic.

[Rachel · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a snore. Anti-climactic, blah. The whole story is given away in the dust-jacket.

I want the last hour I spent finishing it back!

[Clare · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novel takes place both in the present and in World War II. It lent itself to some good discussion points for my book club.

[Marvin · Rating 1 out of 5]

Another one I gave up on. It looks back at WWII in Europe in short, choppy sections made up of short, choppy sentences, and with little sense of story line.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

Yet ANOTHER one of those books that has a fabulous cover, but anything but fabulous insides.

[Aiisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

non-linear storytelling

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe I should clarify and say that the 4 stars is really for about 1/2-3/4 of the novel. I couldn't put it down at first, but the ending was anti-climatic.