Blaue Buche

Life can only be understood by looking back, but it can only be lived by looking forward. Søren Kierkegaard. At the forefront of the plot of this novel is a fictional family story that serves as an example of the fate of the families in an entire village. The village in question is Wahn, located in the heart of Hümmling, which fell victim to political, economic, and military interests in the 20th century. It is a unique story, as unique as the Blue Beech tree, which held special significance for the people of the village. Against the backdrop of real political events, the author unfolds the story of the eradication of Wahn in favor of a military shooting range and the resettlement of the people, among others, to Rastdorf. The Esterwegen Emsland camp, the cities of Haren and Meppen that became Polish, and the entire Emsland region along with the Cloppenburg district were under Polish occupation for several years after the war, all play a role in this Emsland novel.