WW2 Novels from the German Perspective?

Nobody seems to have mentioned Jenny Erpenbeck's book 'Visitation' (Heimsuchung). She's an East German writer who looks at German history through the story of a house in East Berlin, from the time of its building through two world wars up to the fall of communism. Wonderful, lyrical writing.

Last Train from Kummersdorf - about 2 teens with different war experiences fleeing the Russians.

The Reader

Another one I should have remembered as it's very good is Frauen - about women in the Third Reich. Written by Alison Owings based on interviews she did. Despite the title it is in English. AO is a US researcher/historian, I think. It's out of print but I see Amazon has some 2nd hand for 1p plus postage. And of course, when I clicked on that, other suggestions came up - including 'A Social History of the Third Reich' (Richard Grunberger) - catchy title but maybe the kind of thing the OP was after?

On non-fiction, I've just begun reading 'The Fire' by Joerg Friedrich. it certainly is from the German perspective, about the destruction of Germany by Allied bombing. Less sure it's 'social history' though.

There was also a book/long essay by WG Sebald - something about 'destruction' in the title. It was more on the theme of German guilt but also the inability of Germans to talk about what had happened in the war, when Germany was destroyed. He wrote it a bit after, maybe the 1980s????

The Twins is also a film, not called the Twins ( not sure what though - will look). It's written by a Dutch rather than German author, but obviously similar theme anyway. While on Dutch theme, Harry Mulisch is worth a read - The Assault, for example.

I don't know if this has been translated into English but Isabella Nadolny's memoir Ein Baum waechst uebers Dach covers her life before, during and after the war. It is beautifully written, well worth reading.

The Twins by Tessa de Loo is a beautiful book.
It is about two girls that get separated, one grows up in Germany, the other in the Netherlands.

I read a book about fifteen years ago called True To Both My Selves which is about a half German, half British girl who grew up in both countries. I found it fascinating.

It's quite expensive on Amazon, so I would try ordering it via your local library.

www.amazon.co.uk/True-To-Both-My-Selves/dp/1860495877/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1400780176&sr=8-1&keywords=True+to+both+my+selves

The Undertaking by Audrey McGee is about soldiers out on the Russian front and those left in Berlin. One of the current Bailey's Prize shortlist books. It's an interesting read (I have caveats about the writing and I don't think it will win the prize but that's another matter!).

Another yes for Christabel Bielenberg.

Agree with bielenberg

Can't see Schindler's Ark by Thomas Kenneally mentioned on here, so am adding that one. Harrowing read - had to study it for A Level English, but so worth ploughing through.

Was going to recommend Christabel Bielenberg's two-volume memoir: obviously not a novel, but very interesting as an English-woman married to a German.

Some more ideas ....

Other G Grass ones include Dog Years; Crabwalk
Rachel Seiffert: The Dark Room
Bernard Schlink - The Reader and Homecoming both involve ww2 (with flashbacks, I think).
Cristabel Bielenberg's memoir is good
The Blind Side of the Heart - Julia Frank
Soldaten - written in English - forgotten the author (it's about military)
Klaus Mann did a sort of satire on Third Reich base don Faust story - Mephisto (I haven't read it - yet)
Two Brothers - Ben Elton - involves both Jewish and non-Jewish characters thought the main family is Jewish.

Alone in Berlin is a marvellous book.

Not a fan of The Book Thief.

I recommend two novels by Gert Ledig The Stalin Organ and Payback. Ledig fought at Stalingrad and was back in Germany when their cities were being flattened by bombs. So these books are not easy reads but you will never forget them once you have read them.

I have Alone in Berlin in my to read pile - I must get on to it. There is also a series of books set over about a hundred years (3 books - each one a different time period) in Berlin and I think one of those is set in the 30s and 40s - I just can't remember the name of them.

Another vote for Alone in Berlin - read it recently and enjoyed it very much.

Also there is Winter by Len Deighton which is a family saga type thing - enjoyed that one too!

I was going to recommend Alone In Berlin, but I see Raia beat me to it

A Woman In Berlin is a very well written book, although not a novel (diary) and I found it upsetting and disturbing and hard to read. That said, it should probably be on a must-read list for everyone.

or 'Patterns of Childhood' depending on translation

A Model Childhood - Christa Wolf

Das Boot (The Boat). It's a memoir about being in a submarine crew, but lots of everday detail and attitudes. The misogyny may shock you, but I fear it is accurate.

Wolfgang Borchert's short stories are well worth reading. Yes, they're not novels, but really highly recommended.