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A review by stanley_nolan_blog
The House by the Lake: A Story of Germany by Thomas Harding
3.0
While the book is well-written and nicely paced between the periods of time and historicizing, there's a big problem with the reality of this feel-good read and 'story of hope', in the words of the author.
The story of this house and property is told so that it can become an immovable fixture in Germany history, preserved as such through upkeep. The Jewish family who had built the house and originally owned the land fled in the nineteen-thirties, which led to the multiple other ownership claims, all legally invalid, rightly so. But if the author, who descends from this family that comfortably re-established their lives in London, really wanted to commemorate this house, it would be more appropriate to use the property for what it was originally meant: housing residents wanting to improve their lives.
Berlin and it's surrounding areas, especially in the time this process with the author started, have a massive housing shortage problem. So much so that local politics is largely influenced because of it. The reality is that properties like this one are prime spots for Potsdam/Berlin/Groß Glienicke residents, and blocking off the entire property via a Londoner family claim is irresponsible. The history is the family, this book, and the memories of local residents, not the property. And to be blunt, the history of this house doesn't come close to monument status, which was decided because of organized local pressure, with the help of the press, against politicians not looking to stir the pot. Taken to its logical conclusion, this book can provide a blueprint for every dilapidated property in Germany and nothing new could be built without causing large disruptions in urban areas, which would create gentrification hell.
Feel good all you want reading this book, but at the end of the day, the author doesn't have to live in this area with political problems caused by housing shortages. The original plan from Potsdam to level the house and build affordable housing was a great idea and it's a shame that didn't happen, which was probably due to local citizens' pressuring the government so that they could keep their ruralized, lakeside setting without dealing with poor people. But at the end of the day, it was the Alexander family and many others that needed this land in order to build a decent middle-class lives for themselves. It would be selfish to solidify that legacy through making sure others can't do the same.
Finally, I should stress that this book is a highly enjoyable read (even though it continues much of the pre-revisionist, uncritical, Soviets bad / Westerners good history, especially regarding the reasons for the the airlift, splitting of the country, and Wall). My problem is instead with the reality of the conclusions.
The story of this house and property is told so that it can become an immovable fixture in Germany history, preserved as such through upkeep. The Jewish family who had built the house and originally owned the land fled in the nineteen-thirties, which led to the multiple other ownership claims, all legally invalid, rightly so. But if the author, who descends from this family that comfortably re-established their lives in London, really wanted to commemorate this house, it would be more appropriate to use the property for what it was originally meant: housing residents wanting to improve their lives.
Berlin and it's surrounding areas, especially in the time this process with the author started, have a massive housing shortage problem. So much so that local politics is largely influenced because of it. The reality is that properties like this one are prime spots for Potsdam/Berlin/Groß Glienicke residents, and blocking off the entire property via a Londoner family claim is irresponsible. The history is the family, this book, and the memories of local residents, not the property. And to be blunt, the history of this house doesn't come close to monument status, which was decided because of organized local pressure, with the help of the press, against politicians not looking to stir the pot. Taken to its logical conclusion, this book can provide a blueprint for every dilapidated property in Germany and nothing new could be built without causing large disruptions in urban areas, which would create gentrification hell.
Feel good all you want reading this book, but at the end of the day, the author doesn't have to live in this area with political problems caused by housing shortages. The original plan from Potsdam to level the house and build affordable housing was a great idea and it's a shame that didn't happen, which was probably due to local citizens' pressuring the government so that they could keep their ruralized, lakeside setting without dealing with poor people. But at the end of the day, it was the Alexander family and many others that needed this land in order to build a decent middle-class lives for themselves. It would be selfish to solidify that legacy through making sure others can't do the same.
Finally, I should stress that this book is a highly enjoyable read (even though it continues much of the pre-revisionist, uncritical, Soviets bad / Westerners good history, especially regarding the reasons for the the airlift, splitting of the country, and Wall). My problem is instead with the reality of the conclusions.