Bookclub meeting in April

“Frauen lesen” is a monthly book club focused on literature by female authors. Together, participants read and discuss texts from various genres and time periods. The aim is to highlight female perspectives in literature and create a space for meaningful exchange.

In April, we’re reading: Reichskanzlerplatz by Nora Bossong
Nora Bossong’s new novel paints an intense portrait of the woman who would become Magda Goebbels, as well as that of her young lover. Two people caught in the machinery of historical events, entangled in different ways, and burdened with different forms of guilt — including toward themselves.

When Hans meets the young and beautiful stepmother of his school friend Hellmut Quandt, he has no idea what role Magda will come to play in his life — personally, and years later as a fanatical National Socialist and model mother of the “Third Reich.” The Weimar Republic is still in a moment of upheaval, and Hans is passionately yet hopelessly in love with Hellmut. But after an accident, Hans and Magda begin an affair from which both hope to gain comfort and advantage: she wants to escape her marriage, he wants to hide his homosexuality. Only when Magda meets Joseph Goebbels and joins the NSDAP does the relationship between her and Hans break apart. While Magda soon appears in newsreels with her children, Hans finds himself increasingly in danger. A story that spans two decades, charting the lives of two individuals and a nation as they move toward a future that could have unfolded differently.

Important Information:
The books will be read in German, and discussions will also take place in German. A language level of at least C1 is required.
By the way, the books are usually also available as e-books, audiobooks, or through our Onleihe library.

Interested in joining? Send us a quick email to info.wellington@goethe.de to express your interest! We’ll keep you informed about future reading cycles and let you know when new spots open up — so you won’t miss a chance to be part of Frauen lesen.

We’d love to hear from you!