New Lives

A tale of the reunification of Germany, told through a collection of letters, "edited" by Schulze, who provides footnotes throughout, clarifying points, pointing out inconsistencies, making the book almost feel like what it is purported to be. The letters are from East German Enrico Türmer to his sister, his childhood best friend, and the unattainable woman of his dreams. In January 1990, as the Berlin Wall is no longer a barrier between East and West, Türmer leaves his previous life in the arts, abandons his literary ambitions and joins a startup newspaper. The changes in East Germany are reflected in Türmer's life, as he develops material needs and ambitions that he never knew he had. The letters provide often interrupted flashes of his life, and the relationships between himself and his correspondents. As you go further into this "collection" of letters, you discover the incestuous nature of his relationship with his sister and the homosexual relationship he develops with Johann, his childhood friend. This exploration of Türmer's life also explores the changes happening in Germany; the cultural and political upheavals and the Westernification of the East Germans. Even with its fictional nature, the story provides a unique view of the German reunification.