A Woman in Berlin- Eine Frau In Berlin

A subject that was taboo for a very long time afterwards and denied by the perpatrators as well. The true numbers of those violated will probably never be known.

 

Totally shameful.

 

Disgusting. I remember reading about this Beevor's Berlin book and being shocked about how prevalent it was.

 

Like Craig I read about these events in Beevor's book Berlin.

It was a very bad time for any female from young girls up to old women.

A lot was as I recall caused by the second element of occupying troops and not the front line fighters initially.

Many committed suicide rather than face the Russians.

As Robert stated earlier, it was a Taboo subject for years.

Regards
Tom

 

I've never seen the film but I have read the book and indeed my brother and me tried to find out where her apartment was whilst in Berlin, somewhere around Templehof. The building isnt standing anymore as I recall. The subject has been raised by Berlin historians such as Peter O'Donnell and Anthony Beevor but that was the first account of it. Unfortunately it wasnt the only place it happened but Berlin is certainly the most famous. The women of Vienna, Budapest and indeed Prussia can all tell a similar tale.

 

I thought this was quite common knowledge?

I believe there are several German women interviewed in one of the last programmes of the World At War Series who were mere girls at the time of the Soviet Occupation and told stories of them and or their mothers being raped on several occasions.

I wasn't aware of the film though. Just checked Amazon and there are three copies available from USA and Canada. Hopefully it will be released over here sometime soon.

 

I can highly recommend that film, it's very well done indeed, distressing and powerful.
I find it shows in a very impressive manner what war does to humans. In no other war film I've seen so far dispair, uncertainty and emptyness were so palpable - and yet it doesn't just leave you depressed but also gives hope and imo gives an idea how Europe was able to get back to life after '45.

It seems when Anonyma published her diary it caused so much ruckus in Germany (they said it was a shame for a German woman) that she forbade the book be published again till after her death and even then only anonymously.

 

In part 3 of Berlin, written and narrated by Matt Frei, the subject was covered. He said 100’s of thousands had been raped and the true figure would never be known.

A generation of women had been traumatised and he interviewed several ladies who told their own stories from that time.

Then a man told of his story as a child born out of such an event.

His Mother was in the East occupied by the Russians and her husband was a POW. Her fellow Germans called her an American Whore as she had become pregnant whilst her husband was away. The boy was put up for adoption, so she could move away and escape this tag. The man identified himself with America from an early age and after being granted an exit Visa from the East, sought out his real Mother as he wanted to find out the American man’s name in order to try and find his real Father.
He found his Mother in the West and the real story of his conception came out. His Mother was taken by Russians in a truck to a field where she was raped by 2 of them. The Man said that he wanted nothing to do with finding a Father who was a rapist. He no longer felt American, but had become “Russified” as a result of knowing about his Mothers experience.

A second generation had also been affected/stigmatised by these events.

 

There was a programme about this film on Radio 4 about a year ago. They said it was at times distressing and disturbing. I remember there being a good pannel being interviewed.. I just wish I could remember more... damn my thyroid gland!

I remember wanting to go see the film but my wife couldnt face it, so it must have had a release of some kind. In London probably.

 

I thought this was quite common knowledge?

I believe there are several German women interviewed in one of the last programmes of the World At War Series who were mere girls at the time of the Soviet Occupation and told stories of them and or their mothers being raped on several occasions.

I wasn't aware of the film though. Just checked Amazon and there are three copies available from USA and Canada. Hopefully it will be released over here sometime soon.

I have to agree with Drew

Cornelius Ryan wrote The Last Battle in 1966 and this subject was a significant part of the book. I recall being shocked by the number of suicides which occurred in those last days as the Russians entered Berlin.

 

I've now got it on disc, will watch it soon.
I'm into depressing films about women it seems ,at the moment, after watching The Reader and Lilya4-Ever.
Cheers Kate.

Owen,

The reader is quite a well put together film I thought.

Regards
Tom

 

Just finished the book today.
Only took a day to read, I prefer the film.
Anyway back too Anonyma.....


Are you a speed reader, Owen? I'm still listening to Child 44!

 

Owen -
as someone mentioned these were not front line troops who did these atrocities - at least not in Vienna anyway as it was known that a corps of First Class Russian troops finally entered Vienna - to be replaced two days later with a corps of Mongol Troops whose orders were " here is Vienna - do as you will" - and to their eternal shame they raped and pillaged for weeks - until the Allies finally put their collective feet down.

There was a maternity hospital - near Meidling I think - which was full of just delivered and women in labour - all were raped repeatedly - and finally bayonetted through their stomachs - the just born infants were also killed by the bayonet. These monsters were our allies - but some of them ran afoul of the Argyll and Sutherlands of 78th Division - the result - the Agiles & Sufferins were posted back to Spittall far from the Russian zone.

The suicides which followed them were astronomical - I still haven't forgiven that regime of hatred - now they are all good chaps ! And spreading like a disease all over the world....USA next !
Cheers

 

Although I would never excuse the crime but the saying "you reap what you sew" comes to mind.

I think it would have been almost as shocking if the Russian soldiers hadn't behaved the way so many did given the destruction they witnessed first hand in their own country. I also believe that the majority of Germans expected this, as they probably had a pretty good idea of what happened to Russia and who did it.

Again, it can not be excused but I think it was completely expected.