43 pages • 1 hour read
AnonymousA Woman in Berlin
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1953A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Sexual Violence and Trauma
The central theme of the novel concerns rape and sexual violence, and the trauma that these experiences cause. The book portrays many instances of rape; Marta describes some of them in the first person, and others in the third person. Some rapes are witnessed by Marta, reported to her by friends, or simply a background detail of everyday life in Berlin at this time. Marta portrays these harrowing incidents in a blunt, honest way, revealing the extent to which rape becomes normalized after only a short amount of time.
The numerous descriptions of rape are defined by Marta’s apparent numbness and cynicism. Marta’s narration often takes a detached, distant tone, even when describing moments in which she is raped. The detachment speaks to the pervasiveness of the act; rape has become commonplace, and Marta finds it difficult to muster the energy necessary to feel anything. Each successive rape robs Marta of her hope and ambition, leaving her a cynical and numb figure.
This numbness and detachment lead Marta to ponder the nature of rape. She notes at one point that the women in Berlin do not use the word rape. She herself says it aloud once. Rather, the women refer to rape in cryptic terms, and these vague allusions enable them to discuss the matter in frank and practical ways. For example, the widow offers advice regarding unwanted pregnancies and shares her Vaseline with the many victims she encounters. This sharing of emotional trauma and practical remedies binds the women together, and their shared trauma allows them to cope in a communal manner. The communal aspect to sexual violence has something to do with the reason why the author’s identity remained unknown for so long. The memoir is not just one woman’s account of her experience of rape; it is also an experience known to all the women of this place and time. Marta’s story is not the story of one woman, but of all women.
Cultural Differences and Languages
Another central theme of the text concerns the way cultural differences and languages intersect. Marta occupies an important position in her community because she is able to speak Russian. Though she is not fluent, she knows enough Russian to hold a conversation and to navigate difficult situations which arise when the Russian arrive in Berlin. Knowing both languages allows Marta to have a unique perspective on various individuals and events. Because most Germans in Berlin do not speak Russian, the arrival of the Red Army is akin to a horde of inhuman beasts rushing into the city. Most Germans are unable to reasoned with the Russians nor can they understand them, so they relate to one another as creatures instead of humans. Marta, however, meets Russians with whom she is able to have enlightening and engaging conversations. She can discern their personalities and their characters, a process that individualizes and humanizes the members of the invading army.
At times, Marta wonders if she would prefer not to be able to speak Russian. If she thinks of them as a force of nature or as a pack of mindless, violent brutes, like other Germans, she could remove the evil or the maliciousness from their actions. It would be like blaming a hurricane for destroying houses; no one is expected to forgive or comprehend the hurricane.
Humanity
The text poses a key question to its audience: how it is possible to retain one’s humanity while surrounded by so many inhumane acts? Marta documents rape, starvation, war, and the truth about the concentration camps in her diaries, as well as her struggle to stay alive. Her diary also functions as a means of interrogating her own humanity during the most difficult period of her life. Rape, violence, and death all remove Marta’s faith in humanity to some extent. Her starvation leaves her looking less human than before, in her own opinion. As well, her growing awareness of the crimes of the Nazi state suggest that she, as a German, has been complicit in one of humanity’s greatest tragedies.
Despite the degradation she faces, Marta is able to access her own humanity and maintain her sense of herself at different points in her narrative. Food plays a key role in this process. When Marta can eat, she does so. Though the widow warns her to be more careful with her rations, Marta indulges her appetite. When the Major brings around plentiful food, she eats well and fattens herself up. Though this bounty does not last, the food does help her recover the sense of humanity that she has lost while withering away without any hope of supplies. Eating and sharing food is a warming, communal joy that reminds her of a time before rationing, of a time when she did not have to think about plucking nettles from alleys in order to stay alive.
Similarly, Marta’s bicycle ride through Berlin gives her a moment of freedom. She borrows the bicycle from the Major and rides through the devastated city. While she sees many tragic images, she cannot ignore the wind in her face and the freedom in her heart. For the first time in a long time, she actually enjoys herself.
Finally, the diary itself is a declaration of humanity. Marta is raped, starved, and assaulted throughout the narrative. By documenting these events in the first person, she is performing a declarative action. She is writing down her pain, stating for posterity that she existed as a sentient, emotive human being.
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