Q&A med Anne Stern

What inspired you to write: "Fräulein Gold”?

Fräulein Gold and I met (in my fantasy) on a cold, windy day at Winterfeldtplatz in Berlin-Schöneberg where the story takes place. I just had a quick lunchbreak during school day since I worked as a teacher nearby at this time. In the area you still can see the historic buildings from 1900, and suddenly I knew I wanted to tell the history of this place through the eyes of an insider - and a woman.

Could you describe her?

Hulda Gold is a tall, dark haired, modern woman who has a slightly weird perspective on things which makes her unique. She is very stubborn and as a midwife she tends to help people at any time - even if this takes all her own strength and even if it's dangerous.

Why did you choose the setting in Berlin 1922?

In 1922, the Weimar Republic was still in the making. It's just three years after one of the most destructive wars history has ever seen, and people in Berlin were still coping with all the trauma and damage. But at the same time they had a deep wish to overcome the problems and to build an utopy - democracy. It's not yet the era we call "golden twenties" but still a very hard, dark time with the hyperinflation still ahead. As a storyteller this gives me many opportunities for a story full of tension and emotion.