In what ways do you feel community is expressed in this book? Which expressions are positive and which are negative?
Its expressed in the amazing support, love and friendship of those who spent time at the clubs and it continued outside the club. Acceptance was the most positive part of that expression. Its unfortunate Bertie and Sophie didnt realize they could have had a community with their elderly neighbor.
The importance of a sense of community plays an integral part of this book. Tolerance and acceptance were crucial to the positive experiences the characters had in their community. I loved the way the author expressed this community in the book.
I was relieved and happy when Frau Bauer helped to hide Bertie. That is community!
Community is an important theme in the book, illustrated in both positive and negative ways.
Bertie was part of a tolerant, supportive, and loving community of people who were rejected by society but found acceptance, solace, and belonging when they found each other. Bertie and Sofie never lost that sense of community after they escaped to Ulm, and Bertie continued to mourn having lost it and dream about again finding it.
In contrast, Nazi Germany was characterized by a community of hate, bigotry, antisemitism, judgment and condemnation, and the infliction of atrocities. Those who refused to become part of that community paid the ultimate price. Bertie is wracked with guilt and shame, noting that during the War, “we never stood up and declared our resistance.” Sofie quickly reminds him that to do so “would’ve been suicide.” Thus, they became part of a community of silence (& escape) in order to survive which caused Bertie to feel extreme shame, remorse, and regret. Bertie is convinced he could and should have done more to save members of his community at the Institute, second-guessing himself as a characteristic of his extreme survivor’s guilt. The phenomenon has been studied and written about extensively, including in historical fiction.
On the positive side, Bertie, Sofie, and Karl form an improvised family after Karl is rescued from the vegetable garden. Their bond is created from shared survival and trauma, but also in care and commitment. There is a community arising from shared suffering and mutual support. The three become connected, highlighting their human need for relationships. Also, efforts to protect people like Karl from the Nazis suggest a larger network of resistance. Even when people risk their lives, they come together to help others, showing courage and responsibility. Another element is the song “Das Lila Lied,” which symbolizes identity, resilience, and the LGBTQ+ community. For the characters, it’s a reminder that they are part of something larger than themselves, even if that community is persecuted.
On the negative side, during the Nazi era, the broader German community was portrayed as fearful, apathetic, or complicit. A community can become destructive when it turns a blind eye to cruelty. Karl’s initial betrayal and imprisonment are the results of this societal failure. Also, Bertie and Sofie face judgment and social tension due to their activist choice to shelter Karl. Lack of support from neighbors reflects how a community can isolate those who resist rules.