BELONGING

Enjoyed reading it and rereading it!

Astonishing, gorgeous, moving, absolutely original. YES to a beautiful treatment of some of our most troubling questions.

She has written and drawn a marvellous book on what Naziism has done to the psyche of the inheritors of that regime. There’s even some well chosen humour in it.

The mixed media illustrations are beautifully woven into the personal handwritten narration of the author, evoking an intimate and moving reflection on the difficult subject of guilt in German culture. Highly recommended.

Since the 1980's there has been a whole genre of books and movies by younger German generations who look into the Nazi pasts of their families and towns. This is an excellent example of that type of book - with a good twist thanks to it being an adult illustrated title. I first came across Krug when I read the graphic edition of Timothy Snyder's outstanding "On Tryanny". Her bio blurb sounded interesting, including this winner of numerous awards earlier title. There appears to be an English edition that shares the name of the German edition, "Heimat". This is a much better title, with connotations of her missing Germany (she now lives in NYC). But it was also a Nazi catch phrase for an imagined "pure" Germany from the past (no wonder Snyder chose her to illustrate his book!). I had a hard time putting it down each evening - what will come next in her search into her family's history? This is not only the story of her family's Nazi ties (or not), but also the stories and the truth and the interaction of her families from both sides (her father and his older sister have not spoken in decades). Thankfully there is a family tree for both sides on the end papers - it can become a bit confusing at times. She tells a powerful story here, stunningly complimented by her illustrations. Which are often more collages than drawings. And the occasional one page chapters on WWII photos and letters and other items she has picked up at German flea markets. Or, again, the one page chapters on things that are uniquely German (e.g., Persil, and the difference between American and German washing machines). Such odd twists within the family - such as her father, born after the war, being named the same as his much older brother. Who died in Italy fighting for the Germans, Or who really did the Bambi woodcuts in the family home (Hitler banned Disney films - remind you of someone else more current?). In the end she realizes she will never have definite answers, but she can come close. But I do wish she had spent a bit of time on who her father's father really is (there are DNA tests now, but it might be a bit uncomfortable asking your elderly father to give you a mouth swab!). Or, something you don't hear about much - German guilt, and the younger generations feeling it (she tries to hide her accent in NYC). Just a fantastic story, so well told and shown. I am looking forward to her new book coming out later this year, on Russia and the Ukraine! If I could give this book a 7 out of 5, I would have! One of the few books I finished and immediately handed over to my wife and said, "You've got to read this!"

Bought as a gift