To my great relief, I was able to make contact with the Munk family early on. From an old letter written in the 1990s, I found the telephone number for Professor Fritz Munk’s son, Klaus, and made the call. A woman answered the phone. It was Klaus’s widow. When I explained who I was, she said that she knew all about the Alexanders and recommended I speak to her daughter, Bettina Munk, who still lived at the lake. A few weeks later I was eating dinner with Bettina and her cousin Cordula, who have separate houses on the parcel next to the lake house. I was struck by how easily we fell into familiarity, that despite an absence of seventy years, and the span of two generations, they both felt like neighbours. It was from Cordula and Bettina that I found out about the history of the Munk family. It was also through the Munks that I met Chris Partsch, a formidable Berlin lawyer, who helped unearth Wolfgang’s Stasi files and set up the Alexander Haus charity for us.
From the start, my family has been very generous with their mementos and artefacts. My grandmother’s letter, the photographs of the house, the audio recordings with my great-aunts and -uncles, Dr Alfred Alexander’s memoir, Erich’s uncle Max’s memoir, letters between Bella and Harold, Elsie and Erich, as well as items from the house itself, all of these have been invaluable in helping piece together this story. There are too many family members to mention, but I wish to extend my heartfelt thanks to my entire family, for trusting me with this project and for their continuing support.
Elsie died in 2004, at home in her bed in north London. I was sitting next to her at the time, the only person in the room. Right at the very end I told her, in a whisper, ‘I love you, Granny, I love you.’ She squeezed my hand before letting out her last breath. Elsie left her grandchildren certain items in her will. I was given an envelope containing two olive-green passports, and a scrap of fabric embroidered with the letter ‘J’.
I would like to thank all those who helped me in the many archives in which I researched, including: Zeitungsabteilung der Staatsbibliothek in Berlin, Stadtarchiv Potsdam, Grundbuchsachen in Potsdam, Brandenburgisches Landeshauptarchiv in Potsdam, Landesarchiv Berlin, Geheimes Staatsarchiv Preußischer Kulturbesitz in Berlin, Potsdam Planning Department and Monument Authority archives, Bundesarchiv Berlin, National Archives in London. Hauptstaatsarchiv in Dresden, Historisches Archiv des Westdeutschen Rundfunks in Cologne, the Stasi archives held by the Der Bundesbeauftragte für die Unterlagen des Staatssicherheitsdienstes der ehemaligen Deutschen Demokratischen Republik in Berlin, Militär Historisches Museum Flugplatz in Gatow, the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen in Berlin, Yad Vashem in Jerusalem and the Imperial War Museum in London. I also made use of the private Alexander family, Edition Meisel and Wollank family archives.
I would like to thank my hard-working research assistants, Johanna Biedermann, Julia Boehlke, Daniel Bussenius and Maren Richter. Thanks to Dabney Chapman, Catherine Dring, Sheridan Marshall and Kirsten Ackermann-Piëch for their help with translations. I am also grateful to the many others who helped me, including: Joel Agee, John Alexander, Patrick Bade, Peter Benjamin, Birgit Bernard, Captain Jan Behrendt, Bettina Biedermann, Dieter Dargies, Alexandar and Robert Datnow, Heribert Dieter, Albrecht Dümling, Sophie D. Fleisch, Dr Thomas Gayda, Marion Godfrey, Peter and Michael Goldberger, Michael Haas, Martin Luchterhandt, Astred Möser, Mareike Notarp, Julia Riedel, Kate Weinberg, Chris Weitz, Rose Wild and Raymond Wolff.
Thanks also to the interviewees not already mentioned: Wilhelm Bartels, Hans Dieter Behrendt, Peter Daniel, Peter Kaminski, Sylvia Fiedler, Suzanne and Volker Grunert, Frank Harding, Professor Christoph and Dorothea Kleßmann, Annelies Laude, Vivien Lewis, Peter Munk, Andreas Potthof, Betty Rajak, Dr Bernhard Schmidt, Professor Helga and Rochus Schütz, Malte Spohr, Wilhelm Stintzing, Winfried Sträter, Peter Sussmann, Günther and Heinz Wittich, and Dr Gisela von Wysocki.
My gratitude also to the city of Potsdam and the state of Brandenburg, for their belief in our efforts to save the Alexander Haus, to transform it into a place of remembrance and reconciliation. In particular, my thanks to Jann Jakobs, Matthias Klipp, Frank Scheffler, Saskia Hueneke, Birgit Morgenroth, Klara Geywitz and Pete Heuer. Also to Andreas Kalesse, and his team at the city of Potsdam’s historic monument department, Jörg Limberg, Sabine Ambrosius and Matthias Kartz.
To my readers, thanks as ever: Lucy and Zam Baring, Rupert Levy, Angela and Michael Harding, Amanda Harding, James Harding, Jane Hill, Dominic Valentine and Amelia Wooldridge.
Having been published, I realise that it is truly a team effort. So first, a shout out to those who are rarely acknowledged: the booksellers, sales execs, designers, accountants, administrators, and all the others who have helped get this book into the hands of the readers. Next, a truly enormous ‘thank you’ to my editor, the always good-humoured and tirelessly working Tom Avery (William Heinemann), who was nobly helped by Anna-Sophia Watts. To Anna DeVries (Picador USA), who offered sound advice on the manuscript, and Andrea Woerle (DTV Germany), for all her enthusiastic assistance. To Glenn O’Neill for his superb cover, Emma Finnigan for her publicity brilliance, Darren Bennett for the maps, Neil Cunning for the illustrations, and for their much-appreciated support, Tom Weldon and Gail Rebuck. Thanks especially to my incredible agent, Patrick Walsh, and his superb team of international agents. I really did see a badger running along the border patrol footpath.
Finally, to my daughter Sam, it was a joy to see how much you loved spending time in Berlin, and my wife Debora, for her continued support, brilliant editorial contributions and, most importantly, for her love.
INDEX
The page references in this index correspond to the printed edition from which this ebook was created. To find a specific word or phrase from the index, please use the search feature of your ebook reader.
Page numbers in italics refer to illustrations.
A
Abba 277
Aberbach, Jean 116
Abraham, Anna 135
AC/DC 277
Achenbachstrasse, Berlin 40, 61, 101
Adam, Marcel 322–6, 323, 338, 347
Adlon Hotel, Berlin 82
agriculture 15, 17, 18, 31, 32, 68, 166
air-raid shelters 151, 152, 155–6
air-raid sirens 132, 137, 151, 152, 155
Aktuelle Kamera 256
alcohol 88, 265, 270–1, 277, 289–90, 324, 325
Alexander family 3–5, 33–50, 51–9, 67, 69, 70–86, 92–104, 121, 123, 124, 126, 129, 133, 168–9, 204–5, 208, 234, 247, 302, 304, 312–13
Alexander Haus 350–1, 357–8
Alexander, Alfred John 33–50, 53–7, 54, 59, 61, 62, 67, 71, 72, 78, 85–6, 85, 92–4, 95, 100, 108, 110, 112, 129, 153, 180, 247, 302 1880 birth 35; 1885 death of sister and father 35; 1903 becomes qualified doctor 36; 1905 refuses position at Freiberg University Hospital 36–7; 1906 death of mother 37; 1909 marries Henny Picard 38; 1911 birth of Bella 38; 1912 birth of Elsie 38; 1914 conscripted into the medical corps of German Army 39; 1917 birth of Hanns and Paul 39; 1922 builds clinic on Achenbachstrasse, Berlin 40; 1927 leases land in Groß Glienicke 33–5, 40–1; arranges construction of lake house 41–2; enters lake house for first time; tacks mezuzah onto entrance 46; 1928 appointed head of Berlin Chamber of Physicians 56; 1929 death of Otto von Wollank 61, 62; 1933 anti-Semitic mob forms outside apartment 78; wedding of Bella and Harold 81–2; 1934 advised by Fritz Munk to leave Germany 85–6; celebrates Lucien Picard’s 79th birthday 92–3; medical business threatened by anti-Semitic policies 93–4; family members express desire to leave Germany 94; Bella gives birth to Peter 96; 1936 visits Bella in London; warned not to return to Germany 100; 1937 Wilhelm Meisel leases Groß Glienicke land 112–13; 1938 rejects Wilhelm Meisel’s offer to buy lake house 126; 1939 name appears in Ausbürgerungslisten; Groß Glienicke property seized 129–30
Alexander, Bella (1855–1906) 35, 37
Alexander, Bella (1911–2000) see Jakobi, Bella
Alexander, Elsie see Harding, Elsie
Alexander, Hanns 33, 39, 47
, 53, 54, 56, 93, 99, 100–1, 104, 129, 168, 316
1917 birth 39; 1927 enters lake house for first time 47; 1928 11th birthday at lake house 56; 1934 celebrates Lucien Picard’s 79th birthday 93; 1935 called a ‘dirty Jew’ in streets of Berlin 99; 1936 moves to London 100–1, 104; 1939 name appears in Ausbürgerungslisten 129; 1940 joins British Army 168; 1946 visits lake house 168–9
Alexander, Henny 33, 38–9, 54–5, 54, 71, 83–5, 85, 94, 100, 101, 123, 108–9, 110, 112, 204
1909 marries Alfred Alexander 38; 1917 birth of Hanns and Paul 39; 1934 expresses desire to leave Germany 94; 1936 warns Alfred not to return to Germany 100; decides to leave Germany; puts clinic on market to pay flight tax 101; finds buyer for clinic; closes up lake house 103; travels to London 103–4; 1937 Wilhelm Meisel leases Groß Glienicke land 112–13; 1939 name appears in Ausbürgerungslisten; Groß Glienicke property seized 129–30; 1952 petitions German government for compensation for loss of property 108–9; 1960 attends court hearing on lost property 109
Alexander, Hermann 35
Alexander, Paul 33, 39, 47, 53, 54, 56, 93, 99, 100, 104, 129, 168
1917 birth 39; 1927 enters lake house for first time 47; 1928 11th birthday at lake house 56; 1934 celebrates Lucien Picard’s 79th birthday 93; 1935 called a ‘dirty Jew’ in streets of Berlin 99; 1936 moves to London 100, 104; 1939 name appears in Ausbürgerungslisten 129; 1940 joins British Army 168
Alexander, Paula 35
Alexanderstraße, Berlin 62
algae 228, 342
Alsace-Lorraine 29, 39
Alter Weinberg 2
Am Gutstor, Groß Glienicke 318
Am Laufenden Band 256
AmorSäle (Love Salons), Berlin 114
Ampelmännchen 317
Amsterdam, Netherlands 103–4, 135
Anhalter Bahnhof, Berlin 71
Anti-Fascist Protection Barrier 234, 254, 255
anti-Semitism 64–9, 77–86, 93–4, 96, 98–104, 108–10, 117, 120, 121, 127–33, 134–5, 146, 148–51, 153, 172–3, 178–83, 204–5, 233, 333, 349, 355–6
anti-Slavism 68
Apfelkorn 270–1
ARD channel 256
aristocracy 17, 22–3, 27, 28
Arnold, Erich 144
Arnold, Henry 162
aryanisation 111–13, 129, 179–80, 181–3, 188, 302, 345
Aryans 98
asthma 37
atomic bombs 164, 191–2, 220
Ausbürgerungslisten 129
Auschwitz concentration camp 110, 179
Australia 131
Austria 128, 146, 164, 166, 174, 181
Austria–Hungary 24
Austrian Military Cross of Merit 31
Avro Lancaster bombers 144–5, 187
Avus motor-racing circuit, Berlin 102
B
B1000 Wartburg 227
‘Bach School’ 141
Bad Gastein, Austria 146
Badenweiler 302
Badewiese bar, Groß Glienicke 127, 138, 238–9, 276–7, 283, 291, 308
Ball, Rudi 126
ballet 113
ballroom dancing 113
Baltic Sea 91, 186, 288
Balz, Bruno 188
Bamberg 35, 56
banking 16, 38, 67–8, 71, 79, 92, 100
Bartel, Sieglinde see Fuhrmann, Sieglinde
Bartels, Wilhelm 151, 159–60
Basel, Switzerland 98, 100
Basic Law (1949) 191
Basic Treaty (1972) 269
Bauer, Leopold 196–8
Bauhaus movement 58
Bavaria 30, 35, 98
Bayerstraße, Groß Glienicke 281
Beatles, The 277, 303
Bebauungsplan 345
beehives 88, 266, 271, 286
van Beethoven, Ludwig 72, 115
Behrendt, Hans Dieter 297
Behrenshagen 288
Behrenstraße, Berlin 143
Beick, Operation Group Leader 221
‘Being Merry and Singing’ 267
Belgium 55, 315
Belling, Maria 144
Belsen Trial (1945) 172
Bennett, Alan 259
Berchtesgaden 91
Bergmann Hospital, Potsdam 275, 320
Berlin: Achenbachstrasse 40, 61, 101; Adlon Hotel 82; air raids 136, 137, 141, 144–5; Alexanderstraße 62; AmorSäle (Love Salons) 114; Anhalter Bahnhof 71; Avus motor-racing circuit 102; Behrenstraße 143; border patrol regiments 208, 209, 217, 219, 221, 236, 239, 253–4, 257, 265–6, 288, 290, 291, 294–7, 341; Brandenburg Gate 212, 250, 294; British Consulate 100, 103; Bundesallee 38; cabaret clubs 114; Charlottenburg 58, 60, 164, 167; City Palace 16, 163; Colosseum 171; Damschkestraße 60; Deutsche Oper 58
Deutsches Theater 40, 57; division of 164–5, 174, 183, 184–7, 190, 198–9; see also Berlin Wall; Droysenstraße 60, 61; Eulenspiegel (Owl Mirror) 114; expansion 58; Fasanenstraße 52; Freybrücke 33, 167; Friedenstempel synagogue 81; Friedrich Wilhelm University 16, 36, 70; Friedrichstraße 163; Gatow airfield 90–1, 130, 132, 151, 155, 156, 161–2, 165, 184–7, 185, 190, 249, 259–61, 280, 297, 316–17, 329; Geisterbahnhöfe (ghost stations) 214; Gestapo headquarters 162; Giesebrechtstraße 167; Halensee 60; Heerstraße 33; Jäger Casino 114; Jagowstraße 109; Kaiser Friedrich Museum 16; Kaiserallee 38, 40, 77, 97, 98; Karlsbader Straße 109; Kladow 31, 165, 211, 298, 338; Köthener Straße 203; Kroll Opera House 77; Kurfürstendamm 38, 49, 60, 98, 112, 163, 177; Küstrinerstraße 60, 61; Luisenstraße 133; Martin Luther Hospital 41, 85; Meisel School of Dance 113; Meistersaal 203; Metropol Theater 140, 143–4, 145, 171, 173; migration 198–9, 232–4, 250, 257–8, 288–90, 293–300; Ministry of Aviation 90; Mitte district 143; Moabit 133; Nedlitz fire station 238; Neukölln 58, 113; Olympic Village 101–2, 159, 195, 343; Palais 114; Pankow 17, 23; Paprika 114; Passauer Straße 144; People’s Court 162; Perleberger Straße 109; pollution 52; population 16, 17, 58; Potsdamer Chaussee 20, 33, 62, 66, 102, 107, 236, 252, 264, 277, 291; Potsdamer Platz 58, 203, 212, 250; Potsdamer Tor 1, 18, 20, 33, 34, 53, 62, 62, 66, 102, 138, 152, 165, 167, 185–6, 210, 236, 239, 252, 263, Potsdamer Tor 265, 270, 274, 277, 305, 308, 340; Putlitzstraße station 110; Quitzowstraße 109; radio stations 116, 171, 251, 256, 324; Reich Chamber of Culture 117, 128, 144, 149–50, 177, 180; Reich Chancellery 162; Reichstag 15, 69, 75, 79, 159, 162; Royal Court 114; Sachsenhausen concentration camp 128; Schlüterstraße 177; Spandau 1, 18, 23, 58, 164, 169, 214, 308, 342; Staaken 165, 214, 233, 288, 294, 297; Stadtschloss 163; tax office 126, 129–30, 302; Tegel airport 190; Tempelhof airport 90, 117, 190; trains 213–14, 233, 308; Unter den Linden 82, 84, 114, 163, 212, 250; Wannsee 40, 41, 99, 99, 102, 134; Wilmersdorf 120, 164, 175; Wittelsbacherstraße 170, 175, 176; Wochenende exhibition 42; Yorkstraße 43
‘Berlin bleibt doch Berlin’ 188
Berlin Blockade (1948–1949) 183, 184–7, 190
Berlin Chamber of Physicians 56, 78
Berlin Children and Young People’s Sports Academy 273
Berlin Labour Court 111
Berlin State Archive 108
Berlin Transport Company 58
Berlin Wall 3, 5, 203, 231–7, 235, 242, 246, 249–60, 262, 265–6, 268, 270, 279, 280, 284, 287–90, 288, 293–300, 298, 299, 301, 306–10, 312, 343–4, 349
1961 construction begins 231–4; 1962 US and Soviets swap intelligence agents at border crossing 258; 1964 UK and Soviets swap intelligence agents at border crossing 258–9; 1980 murder of Ulrich Steinhauer 288–9; 1988 men drive truck through barrier at Glienicke Bridge border crossing 289; 1989 Bernd Kühne crosses from east to west for a night 290; Günter Schabowski announces easing of DDR travel restrictions 293–4; mass border crossing; demolition begins 294–7; new border crossing opens at Groß Glienicke 297–300, 298; demolition of Berlin Wall section at Groß Glienicke 306–7
Berliner Abend 195
Berliner Morgenpost 228
Berliner Presse 117
Berliner Rundfunk 171
Berliner Straße, Potsdam 275
Berliner Tageblatt 23
; Berliner Zeitung 194
Bible 210
Binder, Sybille 56
bison 343
black alder trees 12, 34, 234
Black Forest 98
Blaue Engel, Der 115
Böhse Onkelz 324
Bolshevism 157
Bomber Command 136
Boney M 303
book burning 80
border patrol regiments 208, 209, 217–21, 236, 239, 253–4, 257, 265–6, 288, 290–1, 294–7, 341
border security zone 236, 252, 255, 265, 270, 272, 276, 277, 279, 284
Bosnia 24
Bowie, David 203, 303
Brahms, Johannes 115
Brandenburg xix, 12, 23, 102, 187, 195, 273, 330, 353
Brandenburg Criminal Police 196
Brandenburg Gate, Berlin 212, 250, 294
Brandt, Willy 250, 251, 269
Brazil 303
Brecht, Bertholt 58
brickworks 18
bridge (game) 95
‘Bridge of Spies’ 258–9
Brighton Rock 116
Bristol Blenheim bombers 137
Bristol Hercules 186
Britain see United Kingdom
British Army 168, 260; Dragoon Guards, 1st 17
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) 136, 154, 181
British Cultural Relations Branch 188
British Information Services Control 177
British Licensing Control Section 188
Brownshirts see Sturmabteilung (SA)
Budapest, Hungary 135, 259
Bullenwinkel 192
Bundesallee, Berlin 38
Bundesrepublik Deutschland (BRD) see West Germany
Bunge, Egon 288–9
The House by the Lake Page 37