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Stretch: Coming of Age in Post-War Germany
In the aftermath of World War II, the author was among those relocated in what may have been the largest forced resettlement of a population in modern history - the expulsion of at least twelve million people from the former German provinces of East Prussia, Silesia, and Pomerania, as well as from German enclaves in Eastern Europe. As a result, West Germany's population swelled with the arrival of millions of refugees. With housing already scarce, jobs hard to come by, and religious differences often setting them apart, the newcomers were not always welcomed with open arms. STRETCH recounts the thirteen eventful years in the author's life following his reunion with his father in Cologne, West Germany, in 1950. With both humor and suspense, STRETCH provides a fascinating glimpse into German life during a period when the country was experiencing a transformative economic recovery, but also at times struggling to confront the shadow of its recent Nazi past.
444 pages, Paperback
First published October 26, 2010
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About the author
Gunter Nitsch
5 books14 followersI am the author of three books: Weeds Like Us (which was published in German translation in Hamburg as Eine lange Flucht aus Ostpreussen), STRETCH: Coming of Age in Post-War Germany, and A Singular Education: A German Bachelor in New York (1964-1974).
My first book, Weeds Like Us, vividly describes my strange childhood in Russian-occupied East Prussia following World War II.
STRETCH: Coming of Age in Post-War Germany brings my story forward over the next thirteen eventful years. Coming from a refugee camp to my new home in West Germany, with less than four years of formal education, I, like millions of my fellow refugees, had to make up for lost time in order to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings and customs while living in the shadow of Germany's recent Nazi past.
My latest book, A Singular Education: A German Bachelor in New York (1964-1974), picks up my story from the moment I stepped off the boat in New York City in 1964 with just $400 to my name and no prospects. What I experienced and learned over the next ten years on my way to making myself at home in the Big Apple was, in its own way, as challenging as anything I had experienced before.
My wife and I live in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA
My first book, Weeds Like Us, vividly describes my strange childhood in Russian-occupied East Prussia following World War II.
STRETCH: Coming of Age in Post-War Germany brings my story forward over the next thirteen eventful years. Coming from a refugee camp to my new home in West Germany, with less than four years of formal education, I, like millions of my fellow refugees, had to make up for lost time in order to adapt to unfamiliar surroundings and customs while living in the shadow of Germany's recent Nazi past.
My latest book, A Singular Education: A German Bachelor in New York (1964-1974), picks up my story from the moment I stepped off the boat in New York City in 1964 with just $400 to my name and no prospects. What I experienced and learned over the next ten years on my way to making myself at home in the Big Apple was, in its own way, as challenging as anything I had experienced before.
My wife and I live in downtown Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
May 7, 2024
Stretch continues the autobiography of Gunter Nitsch, relating, as the title indicates, his coming of age in post-war Germany. Though the days of the WWII and the family's years in East Prussia under Russian rule are in the past, Nitsch has plenty of challenges ahead of him. Not every decision is life-or-death, and the circumstances might not have the drama of wartime, we have come to care for the young German and his family. How will they rebuild their lives as refugees in rapidly-rising Cold War West Germany?
Relocated to the Rhineland, Nitsch's foremost concern is education. The lost years under the Russians have put him a disadvantage academically. No gymnasium for him! With perseverence and hard work, though, he manages to graduate from the commercial school, which sends him fairly-well prepared to the white-collar job market. His father's skills as a baker seem to be the key to their advancement in the town business. Whether their marriage survives is another matter. Younger brother Hubert has his own problems, overweight and a poor student with little ambition and a penchant for wild stories.
Through his teens and into his twenties, Gunter Nitsch struggles to do the right thing at work, at play, and in romance. His connection to scouting, his service in the army, and the good friends he makes there and at work, continue to serve him well. His travels around Europe continually broaden his horizons. His stature and good looks help him overcome his adolescent awkwardness in the pursuit of love.
Nitsch became a man in war-torn Germany at the same time I was growing up comfortably in lower middle-class Chicago, but much in this book was relatable. Like many German teens, Nitsch was drawn to American music and culture, so his interest in jazz, rock and roll, the American West were all part of my life, too. Interesting to think about how these things were perceived by the German youth. And coming from a German background, I'm always interested in the German experience. Also, I couldn't forget that several of my closest friends lived in this same world as children before emigrating to the U.S. All-in-all a well-written, thoughtful and honest book.
Relocated to the Rhineland, Nitsch's foremost concern is education. The lost years under the Russians have put him a disadvantage academically. No gymnasium for him! With perseverence and hard work, though, he manages to graduate from the commercial school, which sends him fairly-well prepared to the white-collar job market. His father's skills as a baker seem to be the key to their advancement in the town business. Whether their marriage survives is another matter. Younger brother Hubert has his own problems, overweight and a poor student with little ambition and a penchant for wild stories.
Through his teens and into his twenties, Gunter Nitsch struggles to do the right thing at work, at play, and in romance. His connection to scouting, his service in the army, and the good friends he makes there and at work, continue to serve him well. His travels around Europe continually broaden his horizons. His stature and good looks help him overcome his adolescent awkwardness in the pursuit of love.
Nitsch became a man in war-torn Germany at the same time I was growing up comfortably in lower middle-class Chicago, but much in this book was relatable. Like many German teens, Nitsch was drawn to American music and culture, so his interest in jazz, rock and roll, the American West were all part of my life, too. Interesting to think about how these things were perceived by the German youth. And coming from a German background, I'm always interested in the German experience. Also, I couldn't forget that several of my closest friends lived in this same world as children before emigrating to the U.S. All-in-all a well-written, thoughtful and honest book.
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May 12, 2018Gunter Nitsch is an awesome dude...This was a heartfelt journey!
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews