Das grüne Seidentuch

The green silk scarf by Marcella Maier tells the family story of four women who do not lose their will to live despite the harsh sides of life. The narrative spans four generations, representing the author's ancestors. A life of such deprivation, as depicted by Marcella Maier, seems impossible to today's reader - the way these women tackle their problems and fate with intelligence and perseverance is all the more fascinating.

Their destinies are intertwined like the green silk scarf and its colorful threads. Alma's life as a widow is lonely and barely above the poverty line. Her daughter Lisabetta does not want to live like this and therefore leaves her homeland. She moves to the Engadin, an emerging region where she hopes for a better situation. However, she too becomes widowed at a young age and must fight to survive. Her daughter Maria faces a similar fate when illness threatens their financial security. The fourth woman is Nina, Marcella Maier's mother, who single-handedly ensures the family's well-being in a critical political and economic situation.

Marcella Maier's The Green Silk Scarf is an entirely captivating autobiographical and historical narrative from which every reader can take something for their own life.