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Alone in Berlin

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Alone in Berlin

By: Hans Fallada, Michael Hofmann - translator
Narrated by: John Telfer
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About this listen

Berlin, 1940. The city is paralysed by fear. But one man refuses to be scared. Otto, an ordinary German living in a shabby apartment block, tries to stay out of trouble under Nazi rule. But when he discovers his only son has been killed fighting at the front he's shocked into an extraordinary act of resistance and starts to drop anonymous postcards attacking Hitler across the city. If caught, he will be executed.

Soon this silent campaign comes to the attention of ambitious Gestapo inspector Escherich, and a murderous game of cat-and-mouse begins. Whoever loses, pays with their life.

Every Man Dies Alone was published in the UK as Alone in Berlin.

English edition copyright 2009 Melville House Publishing; Translation copyright 2009 Michael Hofmann.

©1994 Aufbau-Verlagsgruppe GmbH, Berlin (P)2010 Hachette Digital Classics Heartfelt Scary Thought-Provoking Inspiring

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All stars
Most relevant
What does the lucky reader get?
1. Authenticity. The novel is set in Berlin in the years 1940-1946, Fallada stayed in Berlin throughout the war and wrote the book in 1946. Fallada had first hand experience both of being denounced to the Gestapo and collaborating with the Nazi party. I love that immediate, first hand, recent feel. It is almost what I read novels for.
2. Lessons in Politics. Explains how a tyrannical system works. How fascism can capture a civilized, educated, modern state. It works by giving power to the wrong people - not on merit but to the party faithful. This creates a hell on earth, but also sows the seeds of its own destruction. In the end, power in the hands of imbeciles and sadists is inefficient.
3. Characters. There are goodies, all with credible flaws and limitations; there are baddies with all their faults, self-justifications and weaknesses, penned with the same level of detail and empathy. I have rarely read a novel where the low-lifers are depicted with such subtlety and intimacy.
4. Plot. Exciting, action packed, satisfying.
5. Good taste. Gestapo interrogation is a pretty grim subject, Fallada writes so delicately that you understand what is happening without it becoming overwhelmingly distressing.
6. A happy ending. Er, no. There is a final battle between good and evil (represented by a blond son waving a horse whip at his evil, corrupt father on a rural, spring morning in 1946) where the son prevails. It is the merest glimmer of hope. Fortunately, we can visit Berlin today and see that hope realized. I’m sorry Fallada never lived to see it – he died within weeks of finishing this book.

This book reminded me repeatedly of 1984 – written at about the same time with a similar political message. I cannot understand how this book was only translated into English in 2009. It should have been hugely famous for years. IMHO it is a truly wonderful book.

Narration: excellent.

A Perfect Novel

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This has to be up there with nineteen eighty-four as a masterpiece of dystopian fiction, except this one in based loosely on a true story of a German couple trying to take a principled stand against the Nazi system. The author conveys with utmost clarity the terrible claustrophobia imposed by the totalitarian system and the care with which one had to go about one's daily business right down to the most mundane minutiae of everyday existence. There are no grand characters such as generals or politicians, and no action heroes, just everyday people reacting to events in very different ways: some exploit the system by becoming bullies, petty thugs and thieves, some try their hardest (often in vain) to keep their heads down, and a few do their best to retain their humanity against a system that exerts huge pressure to conform to an inhumane, pitiless normality. Written very soon after the end of the war, this story is a fascinating insight into a horrendous time in recent human history and ultimately shows the fragility of civilisation as we know it.

Incredible story, masterfully narrated.

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I have enjoyed listening to this book, if enjoyed is the right word! It is very grim in places and many of the characters are nasty. Don't let that put you off though because it is possible to empathize with some of the characters even the nasty ones. It is a really good, fascinating description of Nazi Germany. We hear a lot about the allies experiences of the war but things were very different in Germany.
The narration is excellent.

A different perspective on the war

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Fantastic story I couldn't put it down but the English accent ruined it for me considering it's based in Germany.
Such a shame but the story is strong enough that you can get past it

Fantastic story I couldn't put it down but the English accent ruined it

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Great immersion into the story of regular people trying to fight against a bad regime.

A good listen

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