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Die Hochzeit von Auschwitz. Eine Begebenheit

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Die Hochzeit von Auschwitz - Eine Begebenheit - bk2102; Diogenes Verlag; Erich Hackl; Paperback; 2002

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

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Erich Hackl

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5 stars
19 (9%)
4 stars
54 (26%)
3 stars
62 (30%)
2 stars
47 (23%)
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21 (10%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
Profile Image for Kirsty.
2,792 reviews190 followers
September 25, 2018
This had so much potential, but was ultimately very confusing with its multiple unidentified viewpoints. I ordinarily love historical fiction, particularly that set during World War Two, and as this was based loosely on a true story, I had such high hopes. I found it very disappointing.
Profile Image for Tadzio Koelb.
Author 3 books32 followers
July 27, 2012
From my review in the TLS:

It is fitting that Erich Hackl gives both the living and the dead, survivors and victims, voices with which to speak of the past. Presented as a series of interviews, The Wedding in Auschwitz investigates the lives of Rudi, Marga, and the many people, friends or strangers, who knew them or of them. It is a disconcerting but thematically important ellipsis that Rudi and Marga never tell their stories for themselves. Memory mixes with hearsay: the wedding, and even Rudi himself, took on an almost mythical air as news of the event spread among the prisoners, and because the facts cannot be established, this sense is passed on to the reader.

Although the record is muddied, some things emerge for certain. Rudi, a devoted Communist, travelled to Spain to fight for the Republic, and there met Marga. When the International Brigades were dissolved, Rudi escaped to France, and was interned. Hoping to be reunited with Marga, he accepted repatriation to the Reich despite the danger of almost certain political persecution, and at his insistence she followed. The decision was a bad one: Rudi was arrested and sent to Auschwitz, Marga was forced into wage slavery. It was in this demoralising, dehumanising situation that Rudi sought permission to marry, a strange act of hope at a time of deep despair.

The Wedding in Auschwitz tells an extraordinary true story, but it is the manner of its telling that makes it such an exceptional book. Some artists understand that a document can have enormous emotional power, and Erich Hackl has wisely chosen not to conceal the documentary origins of The Wedding in Auschwitz. Rather than producing the standard researched-based novel, balanced between the requirements of honouring history and abiding by the conventions of the form, he has instead given himself entirely to the subject, and embedded his own art within the record.
Profile Image for Amanda Young.
153 reviews2 followers
January 14, 2011
A little nervous to start this one because it has terrible reviews! It sounds like a wonderfull story though.

Wow... I can't even begin to describe what a terrible book this was. What I thought would be an inspiring story turned into a collection of thoughts. Half the time I didn't understand who was talking. It read as if a bunch of people (still not sure how many) were discussing the story and trying to sort out all the details to it. I wouldn't suggest this book to anyone. I had a hard time getting through it and skimmed a lot of it. Super dissappointing.
Profile Image for Kim.
1,274 reviews
January 1, 2020
It was an interesting enough accounting but was not well-written or maybe it was just how it translated.
Profile Image for Edith.
133 reviews8 followers
September 16, 2014
How It Came That a Political Prisoner in a German Concentration Camp Got Married: The Wedding in Auschwitz by Erich Hackl

Abridged version of my review posted on Edith’s Miscellany on 25 October 2013

The Austrian writer Erich Hackl is famed for his literary adaptations of true stories reminding of Latin-American testimonial literature. In 2002 he brought out The Wedding in Auschwitz which is based on a real event, too, namely the wedding of Margarita “Marga” Ferrer Rey and Rudolf “Rudi” Friemel at the registry of Auschwitz on 18 March 1944 at 11 a.m. It’s not the kind of book that Europeans like me are used to from childhood. Although it tells the true life story of the two protagonists from birth to death, it can’t even be called a biographical novel with full right. It’s much rather the testimony of a dozen of people who have in one way or another been linked to or part of the lives of the Austrian fighter against General Franco in the Spanish Civil War and the young Spanish antifascist who fell in love with him and had to flee from her country when Franco’s troupes marched into Barcelona.

In The Wedding in Auschwitz Erich Hackl worked up the material of his interviews in the same way as a film director might have done for a documentary. The language used is simple and matter-of-fact as suits the topic. The narrators are alternating all the time. Each one of the witnesses is allowed to tell her/his part of the story with her/his own voice and from her/his own point of view. Most of them remain nameless throughout the story of Marga and Rudi, but their identity uses to be revealed through what they say about their relations to the protagonists. This narrating technique necessarily makes it difficult to grasp at once who is currently speaking. Only in the author’s acknowledgements at the end of the book the narrators are given their names.

The Wedding in Auschwitz is a good read for everybody interested in life under the Nazi regime and in the concentration camps.

For the full review please click here to go to my blog Edith’s Miscellany. I hope that you'll like it!
Profile Image for Colleen.
189 reviews3 followers
September 17, 2010
I did not enjoy reading this book. However, I did like the story. The story is told from several different points of view. Half the time I couldn't figure out whose niew it was until midway through their story. I also felt the story lacked emotion. I felt as if I was reading from a history book instead. So much more could have been done in the way the story was told. I really feel like this book could have become a popular read.
Profile Image for Melissa Blanco.
134 reviews13 followers
January 28, 2015
I chose this book out of a list given to me to read for a university course titled "The Origins of Nazism: Shoah in cinema and literature".
I was spoiled majorly by the summary on the back cover of the book, so I started reading it without a bit "bummed".
The story is original and very interesting but the way it's written is very confusing. There are many narrators and nobody specifies who is talking so the reader gets a bit mixed up.
Profile Image for Janet.
86 reviews17 followers
April 15, 2015
An interesting novel, based on a true story. Slightly difficult to follow at times, as it was written from the point of view of a number of people, each with different memories of happenings, and it wasn't always clear right away whose 'voice' was coming over. Worth reading for a personal picture of events at an historic time.
Profile Image for Katie Grainger.
1,268 reviews14 followers
August 2, 2011
I found this book a little hard going and not just because of the subject matter. I kept getting confused with who was narrating which got irritating over time. However this is a powerful little book with a very moving story.
Profile Image for Stefanie Robinson.
2,394 reviews17 followers
April 5, 2021
I was really excited about this book, which I got for a dollar at the used book store. I didn't look at the reviews beforehand, or I would not have been so excited. I was beyond disappointed in this book. The story sounded great, but it was just boring and all over the place. Very unfortunate.
Profile Image for Stephonour.
65 reviews
November 15, 2013
Tragedy! A book that should shimmer with hope is eclipsed by terrible writing.
26 reviews
June 3, 2022
Good book verry confusing lot of characters and perspectives
Profile Image for Birgit.
505 reviews55 followers
June 16, 2022
Erich Hackl präsentiert in seinem Roman Die Hochzeit von Auschwitz eine wahre Begebenheit. Er erzählt die berührende Geschichte des Sozialisten Rudi Friemel und der Spanierin Marga Ferrer und ihrer alles überdauernden Liebe. Durch die Lebens- und Liebesgeschichte der beiden veranschaulicht der Autor die Geschichte Europas während der nationalsozialistischen Herrschaft. Hierbei thematisiert er jedoch nicht nur die Verhältnisse in Deutschland, sondern auch den spanischen Bürgerkrieg, das Franko-Regime und das Schicksal der Spanier*innen, die aus ihrer Heimat nach Frankreich fliehen mussten. Rudi und Marga lernen sich kennen, als Rudi in Spanien an der Front kämpft und von wo aus sie über Frankreich ins Deutsche Reich kommen. Doch Rudi wird ins Konzentrationslager gebracht. Rudi kämpft, damit er seine geliebte Marga heiraten darf. Erzählt wird die Geschichte im Rückblick durch deren gemeinsamen Sohn und anderen Stimmen, die damals dabei waren.
Durch diese unglaubliche Geschichte zeigt Hackl mehrere Dinge. Durch die innovative Erzählweise zeigt er, wie spannend es sein kann, sich über die eigene Familiengeschichte zu informieren und Ahnenforschung zu betreiben. Der Sohn, der anfangs kaum etwas über seinen Vater weiß, lernt durch seine Nachforschungen und den Gesprächen mit Beteiligten, eine ganz besondere Geschichte kennen. Auch scheint es, als wolle der Autor die Botschaft vermitteln, dass selbst in den kältesten Zeiten, Emotionen wie Liebe, Hoffnung und Wärme einen Platz finden. Dies gelingt jedoch nur ansatzweise durch die Hochzeitsszene. Durch den weiteren Verlauf und die Hintergrundinformationen, die die Lesenden erhalten, wirkt die Erzählung doch eher entmutigend.
Die Hochzeit von Auschwitz ist ein interessanter Roman, der eine Geschichte erzählt, die unglaublich erscheint und ohne Hackls Engagement vermutlich in Vergessenheit geraten wäre. Trotzdem hat der Roman seine Schwächen, denn der Erzählstil ist oft schwer nachzuvollziehen und sorgt leicht für Verwirrung.
Profile Image for Gamze Kaplandere Taşlı.
151 reviews11 followers
September 2, 2019
Kitabı okurken sürekli “KİM KONUŞUYOR?!?” diye çığlık atmak istedim. Olayları anlatan, yorumlayan bir sürü kişi var ama ne bir isim ne de başka bir şekilde ayrıntı düşülmesi gerek görülmemiş. Bir yerde Marina konuşurken bir bakıyorsun bir yerde Rudi konuşmaya başlamış. Bir yerde olaya tanık olanlar görd��klerini anlatıyorlar ama bunu belirten en ufak bir şey yok. Paragraf bitiyor ve diğer paragrafta başka biri başka bir şeyden bahsetmeye başlamış. E az önceki konuya ne oldu??? Başka konuya geçtik tamam ama bari kim konuşuyor şu an belirtilseydi...
Bu durum beni çıldırttı. Kitabı anlamak bir yana hikayenin içine girebilmekte bir o kadar zordu. Ve bu yüzden birçok kez kitabı yarım bırakmayı düşündüm. Etkileyici ve bir o kadar da üzücü bu olay o kadar karmaşık yazılmıştı ki anlaşılması çok güçtü. Bu kadar karmaşık yazıldığı ve ordan oraya, konudan konuya atlandığı için doğal olarak aktarılması gereken duygunun okuyucuya düzgün bir şekilde aktarılabildiğiniz düşünmüyorum.






Keşke bu etkileyici hikaye başka birisi tarafından kaleme alınsaymış.
Profile Image for Marisol.
946 reviews85 followers
May 21, 2020
Por el título ya se sabe en qué periodo está ambientada la historia, he oído de muchas personas quejarse sobre el tema de los nazis, los judios, que está muy manoseado, que se ha explorado hasta el cansancio. Pero yo creo qué hay más de seis millones de historias diferentes y que todas merecen ser contadas.

En este caso particular el personaje principal es Rudy, un austriaco que siempre ha sido un idealista y mujeriego, estando en España, durante la guerra civil española se enamora de Margarita, una joven de familia roja, es decir de los que estaban en contra de Franco.

Bajo la perspectiva de varios narradores íntimamente ligados con Rudy se va contando su historia, de cómo pasan de una guerra a otra, de cómo pasan de un país a otro, pero siempre con la etiqueta del perseguido.

Dentro de todo este horror, Rudy quien tiene sus ideas muy bien puestas siendo un luchador social siempre, deja un poco de lado sus ideales y actividades, piensa en Margarita, en su hijo, en una boda que no fue reconocida, y se impone la obligación de conseguir que estando en un campo de concentración, le permitan que Margarita llegue y puedan volver a casarse para formalizar legalmente su unión.

Considerando que la historia es real, el libro le hace muchísima justicia, pues los personajes son complejos, ni buenos, ni malos, solo la época y las condiciones imponiéndose en todos.




Profile Image for Valentina P.
222 reviews3 followers
March 9, 2021
"Una boda en el campo. Donde todos mueren".

Es un libro que se lee de una sentada y contiene las voces de distintos narradores, me pareció increíble cómo en las peores circunstancias y al borde de la muerte, para algunos queda algo de esperanza.
Se abordan temas políticos y esa guerra interminable entre los revolucionarios rojos que mueren en la lucha y los cazadores de judíos.
Sin embargo, esperaba un poco más de la historia, ya que en vez de trama, hay una línea de pensamientos o fragmentos inacabados de algunos testigos de Auschwitz, pero me quedó un sinsabor, este libro no tocó mis fibras o me conectó del todo.
Profile Image for Almrausch.
171 reviews2 followers
November 26, 2025
Geschichtlich ist das Buch extremen interessant. Es geht um die Europäer, die mit den Spaniern gegen Franco gekämpft haben, um die Flucht der Kommunisten nach Frankreich, um ihre Zeit in Lagern und, im Fall der Hauptfigur, eines Österreichers, um die Liebe zu einer Spanierin, die Rückkehr nach Österreich und das Leben der politischen Gefangenen in Auschwitz, bis zur Inszenierung einer Hochzeit. Die Geschichte wird in kurzen Kapiteln durch die Perspektive von verschiedenen Leuten in der Ich-Form erzählt, vom Sohn, von den Freuden, von den Familienmitgliedern. Immer wieder war ich verloren und habe nicht mehr gewusst, wer da redet. Dieser Aufbau ist etwas verwirrend.
318 reviews1 follower
February 22, 2025
Documentaire très intéressant, mais écrit comme un reportage télévisé. La différence de cet écrit, c'est qu'on ne sait pas qui témoigne. Chaque témoignage est séparé des autres, mais on ne sait pas qui s'exprime.

On oublie souvent que des prisonniers politiques ont été envoyés dans des camps comme Auschwitz-Birkenau, ce journaliste nous le rappelle grâce à ce documentaire.

Malgré la difficulté à suivre le cours des témoignages, je recommande ce reportage écrit.
Profile Image for Mareike.
14 reviews
August 25, 2023
Nach anderen Büchern von Hackl hatte ich recht hohe Erwartungen, bin aber stark enttäuscht worden.

Das Buch ist durch die vielen verschiedenen Erzählperspektiven unglaublich verwirrend. Zu keinem Zeitpunkt werden die Charaktere wirklich vorgestellt und es bleibt stets unklar, welche Figur gerade erzählt. Die plötzlichen Zeitsprünge verwirren zusätzlich.
Macht einfach keinen Spaß zu lesen.
38 reviews
January 21, 2025
Mon résumé :
En mars 1944, en plein cœur du camp de concentration d'Auschwitz, un mariage est célébré.
Plonger dans l'histoire de Rudolf et de Margarita qui vous s'unirent au cœur de l'enfer, qui a été Auschwitz.

Mon avis :
J'ai d'abord été attiré par ce livre pour l'histoire ; cette période m'a toujours intéressé, c'est une période de notre histoire horrible, mais j'aime les histoires vraies et les témoignages, donc ce livre avait tout pour me plaire.
Malheureusement, je n'ai pas réussi à apprécier ma lecture. Je pense que l'écriture de l'auteur n'est tout simplement pas faite pour moi. J'ai eu beaucoup de mal à me plonger dedans et me suis perdu plusieurs fois dans ma lecture.
J'ai quand même voulu lire jusqu'au bout, car je n'aime pas abandonner mes lectures, surtout quand elle me donne envie, mais malheureusement, cela n'a pas suffi à me faire aimer ma lecture.
Profile Image for Laura Rojas.
224 reviews
June 6, 2023
Mas que una novela es una recopilación de testimonios, cartas y demás, así que no puedo decir que sea malo, sin embargo, no me gusta cque no explica quien es el testigo que narra, así que al menos en mi caso, me perdía y me hacía perder interés.
Profile Image for BookMutant.
25 reviews
November 13, 2024
There is a lot of talking, but no mention of who is talking or who it’s about so there isn’t really a story to follow. Halfway through it still felt like someone was just rambling about who knows who or what?
1 review
July 2, 2025
Das Buch klang sehr vielversprechend - leider war es sehr verwirrend mit den verschiedenen Perspektiven. Man wüsste nie, von welcher Perspektive man gerade liest und wie viele Perspektiven es überhaupt gibt.
Profile Image for Tom.
56 reviews7 followers
March 6, 2021
Trotz anfänglicher Konfusion wegen der wechselnden Erzählperspektive, ein zutiefst berührendes Buch.
Eine Leidensgeschichte zum Mitfiebern.
Profile Image for Fernanda Olivares.
38 reviews
August 4, 2023
Menos 1…
Súper confuso y aburrido. A pesar de ser un libro corto me pareció una lectura muy pesada.
No lo recomiendo.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
34 reviews
April 28, 2024
Ich muss gestehen, ich hab mich durch das Buch gezwungen. Der Autor soll ja grundsätzlich schwierig zu lesen sein, aber die ständigen Wechsel der Protagonisten ohne zu wissen wer diese sind, war sehr verwirrend. Und immer wenn ich dachte, jz hab ich ein Bild bin von der Person, kam wieder alles anders. Die Grundgeschichte ist eine interessante und historisch relevante, die Schreibweise jedoch sehr gewöhnungsbedürftig.
Profile Image for Senem Arat.
11 reviews
Read
December 13, 2024
A very interesting topic and i will research more about it. But the writing style is often Very confusing.
Profile Image for Eva Steepe.
590 reviews3 followers
November 15, 2025
While this was an interesting read, it lacked any clear structure and was a confusing timeline to follow.
Profile Image for Samo.
8 reviews1 follower
December 29, 2021
Ein Buch das über eine Liebe schreibt, die stärker ist, als die herrschende Politik.

Die vielen Perspektiven in dem Buch geben ein Abbild einer traurigen wie auch mutigen Geschichte.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews

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