Full size book cover of The Past is Myself & The Road Ahead Omnibus}

The Past is Myself & The Road Ahead Omnibus

Christabel Bielenberg

4.33(116 readers)
The Past is Myself


Christabel Bielenberg, a niece of Lord Northcliffe, married a German lawyer in 1934. She lived through the war in Germany, as a German citizen under the horrors of Nazi rule and Allied bombings. The Past is Myself is her story of that experience - and an unforgettable portrait of an evil time.


Published in the USA as When I Was a German.





The Road Ahead


Following the extraordinary success of her wartime memoir, The Past is Myself, Christabel Bielenberg received thousands of letters from readers begging her to describe what happened next. In The Road Ahead she continues her story with the outbreak of peace - a time of struggle for reconciliation with, and the rebuilding of, a defeated nation. She also tells of life in her newly adopted country, Ireland, her involvement with the Peace Women of Northern Ireland, and with characteristic modesty and gratitude, looks back on a rich, full life.

Publisher

Transworld Digital

Publication Date

9/1/2011

ISBN

9781446464939

Pages

528

Categories

History

About the Author

Portrait of author Christabel Bielenberg
Christabel Bielenberg
Christabel Bielenberg (18 June 1909 – 2 November 2003) was a British writer who was married to a German lawyer, Peter Bielenberg. She described her experiences living in Germany during the Second World War in two books: The Past is Myself (1968) and The Road Ahead. She was educated at St Margaret's School, Bushey, Hertfordshire.

Christabel Mary Burton was born in Hertfordshire to Anglo-Irish parents. Her mother, also named Christabel (née Harmsworth), was the sister of Lords Northcliffe, Harmsworth and Rothermere. Christabel Mary won a scholarship to Oxford but decided to study music in Germany. While there she met Peter Bielenberg (1911–2001), two years her junior, who was studying law with a view of joining his father's practice in Hamburg.

They married in 1934 and she took German citizenship, which required her to relinquish her British citizenship. The Bielenbergs lived initially in Hamburg, then moved to Berlin and had three sons, Nicholas, Christopher and John. The heavy Allied bombing raids led Mrs Bielenberg and her children to leave the city, and they eventually settled in the village of Rohrbach, near Furtwangen im Schwarzwald, in the Black Forest.
Both Christabel and Peter Bielenberg were opposed to Nazism and following Hitler's rise to power in 1933, participated in anti-Nazi activity. Peter Bielenberg was a close friend of Adam von Trott zu Solz, who was involved in the von Stauffenberg bomb plot against Adolf Hitler of 1944, and as a result of his suspect political views and this close association was arrested, interrogated and imprisoned in Ravensbrück concentration camp following its failure. In an effort to secure his release, Christabel Bielenberg asked to be interviewed by the Gestapo in order to convince them of her and her husband's political naivety and innocence. She was successful and he was released to a punishment unit but mistakenly allowed leave before joining it. He managed to slip away and remained in hiding near his family until the fighting ended.

After the war, she returned to the UK with her children, visiting Germany as a war correspondent. In 1948, the family settled in Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland, buying a dilapidated farm called "Munny House", which they transformed into a commercial success. As well as writing her autobiography she became involved with the Irish Peace Marches of the 1970s and lectured in Germany. She was made a Commander of the German Federal Order of Merit and was also awarded a Gold Medal of Merit by the European Parliament.

(from Wikipedia)

Questions & Answers

Christabel Bielenberg navigated the complexities of living under Nazi rule and Allied bombings by maintaining a cautious and discreet approach. She was careful to avoid overtly political activities and maintained a low profile to protect herself and her family. Her personal and ethical challenges included witnessing the rise of the Nazi regime and its atrocities, yet feeling compelled to stay and help those affected. She faced moral dilemmas, such as whether to collaborate with the regime or resist, and struggled with the decision to stay in Germany rather than flee to a safer country. Her experiences also involved navigating the shifting social and political landscapes, including the changing attitudes towards Jews and other marginalized groups, and the impact of the bombings on daily life. Despite these challenges, Bielenberg remained committed to her principles and tried to help those in need, often through small, discreet acts of kindness and support.

Christabel's English heritage played a significant role in her perspective and interactions during the war. Her English background provided her with a sense of objectivity and detachment from the intense nationalism of the German people, allowing her to view the situation with a clearer mind. This perspective was crucial in her interactions with the German people, as it enabled her to empathize with them while maintaining her moral compass.

Her English heritage also influenced her actions and decisions. Her ability to communicate in English, combined with her status as a foreigner, helped her navigate the complex social and political landscape of Nazi Germany. This was particularly evident when she was interrogated by the Gestapo; her English heritage likely contributed to her credibility and ability to negotiate her situation.

Furthermore, her English heritage influenced her decision to stay in Germany during the war, despite the risks. She felt a responsibility to her husband and their children, and her English background may have given her a sense of insulation from the worst of the regime's scrutiny. Overall, Christabel's English heritage shaped her as a witness to history, allowing her to document the experiences of the German people under Nazi rule with both empathy and clarity.

Christabel Bielenberg and her husband, Peter, contributed to the resistance movement against the Nazi regime in various ways. Peter, a Hamburg lawyer, was closely associated with resistance circles and was arrested after the failed bomb plot against Hitler on July 20, 1944. Christabel, an Englishwoman of Irish descent, was interrogated by the Gestapo but managed to secure Peter's release by convincing them of his innocence. Their involvement led to Peter spending nearly seven months in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp. Their experiences and the risks they took were significant contributions to the resistance movement, despite the personal consequences they faced.

Christabel's experiences during the war profoundly influenced her post-war life. Her time in Nazi Germany, witnessing the horrors of the regime, shaped her empathy and understanding of different cultures and peoples. Her decision to move to Ireland with her family was partly driven by her husband's desire to escape the aftermath of the war and to start anew. Ireland's neutral stance during the war and its welcoming nature for German refugees also played a role.

Her involvement with the Peace Women of Northern Ireland was deeply influenced by her experiences in Germany. Her exposure to the horrors of war and the need for reconciliation made her passionate about peace and understanding between different communities. Her work with the Peace Women was a continuation of her efforts to promote harmony and understanding, reflecting her belief in the power of dialogue and empathy in healing divisions.

Christabel Bielenberg's narrative significantly contributes to understanding the German experience during World War II by offering a firsthand account of life under Nazi rule. Her memoir, "The Past is Myself," and its sequel, "The Road Ahead," provide a nuanced perspective, highlighting the complexities of living under oppressive regimes. Bielenberg's story illustrates the internal contradictions of the German society at the time, showing both the horrors of the regime and the everyday struggles of ordinary people. Her narrative emphasizes the importance of individual integrity and the courage to resist, even in the face of extreme adversity. Lessons from her story include the importance of critical thinking and the need for moral courage, the impact of propaganda and its manipulation of public opinion, and the enduring legacy of war and its effects on individuals and nations.

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