Norman Ohler is the author of the new book The Bohemians: The Lovers Who Led Germany's Resistance Against the Nazis. His other books include the book Blitzed: Drugs in the Third Reich. He is based in Berlin, Germany.
Q: How did you first learn about Harro Schulze-Boysen and
Libertas Haas-Heye, and at what point did you decide to write a book about
them?
A: I found Harro’s farewell letter to his father in the
Munich Institute for Contemporary History. I was fascinated with his eloquent
writing style - and especially with the content. I thought it was crazy that
Harro’s story is not that known even though he formed the most important
resistance group against Hitler.
Q: You begin the book with a conversation you had as a boy
with your grandfather. Why did you start there?
A: I want to give the readers an account of who I am: who is
the person telling us this story, where does the narrator come from. I believe
it heightens the credibility of the story, makes it more personal.
Q: How did you research the book, and did you learn anything
that particularly surprised you?
A: I tried to meet as many relatives of Harro and his friends
as I could. I also studied numerous documents in the German Resistance Center
in Berlin. The group’s approach to “free love,” their fight against patriarchy
most surprised me.
Q: What do you see as Harro and Libertas's legacy today?
A: That we must dare to fight for freedom, and must always
have a watchful eye towards leaders who abuse their power. Democracy is worth
fighting for.
Q: What are you working on now?
A: I am writing a screenplay for a movie. And then I will
write a book about the years 2015 and 2016.
Q: Anything else we should know?
A: Don’t trust the pharmaceutical companies.
--Interview with Deborah Kalb
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