A co-author project, Ypres and an upcoming reading tour

The past three months were very busy for me. I wrote a book for Mareen Behrendt-Deter as a co-author which is based on personal interviews with her and deals with her life experiences: She lost her three-year-old son to a brain tumour, went through a long process of overcoming her grief and suffered a burnout. Through her book, she wants to tell her story and share how she found herself again.

For several weeks I was in Ypres again where I further researched and worked on my own projects about war remembrance, understanding and reconciliation. I enjoyed it to be back in the city where I am always aware of what I do my work for. Among others, I spoke to Nele Bille from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and visited military cemeteries and the former battlefield together with Iain McHenry. 

Now the second part of my book reading tour begins. It lasts 2,5 months and takes me this time through Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxemburg and the Czech Republic. I am particularly curious about the Czech Republic with North Bohemia and Prague where I have not yet been to. As part of the reading tour and directly afterwards, I will visit further historically relevant places from both world wars, such as Dresden, Buchenwald and Verdun. 

I am looking forward to the journey, discovering new places, speaking with people, sharing my great-grandfather’s story and learning more about remembrance and reconciliation across Europe.