Stasiland
Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall
(Author) Anna FunderIn 1989, the Berlin Wall fell; shortly afterwards the two Germanies reunited, and East Germany ceased to exist. In Stasiland, winner of the 2004 Samuel Johnson Prize, Anna Funder tells extraordinary tales from the underbelly of the former East Germany, a country where the headquarters of the secret police can become a museum literally overnight, and one in fifty East Germans were informing on their countrymen and women. She meets Miriam, who as a sixteen-year-old might have started the Third World War, visits the man who painted the line which became the Berlin Wall and gets drunk with the legendary 'Mik Jegger' of the East, who the authorities once declared - to his face - to 'no longer exist'.
Anna Funder
Anna Funder is an Australian author known for her exploration of human rights issues and the impact of political regimes on individuals. Her most notable work is "Stasiland: Stories from Behind the Berlin Wall," a non-fiction account of life in East Germany under the Stasi secret police. Funder's writing style is characterized by its meticulous research and empathy for her subjects, bringing to light untold stories and shedding light on the complexities of oppression and resistance. Through her work, Funder has made a significant contribution to the genre of narrative non-fiction, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths and consider the lasting effects of totalitarianism on society.