“Homeland” by Walter Kempowski
Some of our readers will remember this German author’s name from his earlier book “All for Nothing” which I featured back in 2016. It has since been enjoyed by countless people, and many reading groups.
“Homeland” shares, in part, a location of East Prussia, although this novel is not set during WW2, but does look back at events in that territory during 1945. The year is 1988, a year before the Berlin Wall came down, and when travel into Eastern Europe was not as easy as it is now.
Jonathan Farbrizius [JF] is a journalist living in Hamburg, and we begin by experiencing him residing in that city. JF lives a strange life, his girlfriend Ulla occupies the front apartment, he the back and they in part cohabit. Their landlady a General’s widow lives above, we get to meet her, but in Hamburg the characters are these two, plus Ulla’s boss, and an old friend of JF, who runs an antiques business.
JF is offered the opportunity to write an article in advance of the press launch of a new V8 car, the well paid offer entails him travelling to Poland where in 1945, as the Russian army advanced, he was born. He is initially unsure, delays mentioning it to Ulla, but eventually decides to go.
We experience the flight out in an old LOT Russian airliner, then the welcome party, as obviously this is quite a prestigious event for Poland.
JF has two colleagues he shares the journey with. An ex rally driver full of bravado and very much a macho man and their leader Frau Winkelvoss, who spends many hours recounting her life history as they drive around the countryside, and we do get to know these two diverse characters.
The main part of the book is a record of their journey creating the planned itinerary for the journalists. JF scripting a history as they go, and we experience a few of his more solitary excursions, as he comes to face his past.
His father was killed on a beach, his mother died soon after he was born, his uncle laying her body to rest inside a church, before bringing the new born baby back to the west and raising him as his own. Whilst visiting the sites of each of their deaths was not planned, it happens so we witness his feelings as his past is presented to him.
While this is going on the trio travel around Poland, and often seem to be followed by a bus load of Germans. Their travels are full of adventures and there is a comical undertone to the story, not laugh out aloud, but a degree of farce which brings an extra dimension to a story of self revelation.
This book is different to “All for Nothing,” again well translated; the story flows along, and again I would recommend it for reading groups as there is more than enough to create a lively discussion. That aside it is also a very good read for those who want to experience something a little bit different.
