Reading with Reinhold Beckmann: Aenne and Her Brothers – The Story of My Mother

Reinhold Beckmann tells and reads from his deeply moving book. His Spiegel bestseller about the life of his mother Aenne is a memorial against forgetting, especially now that war has returned to Europe - and at the same time a work full of love and hope. The life of Reinhold Beckmann's mother Aenne was marked by loss from an early age. She became an orphan at just five years old. She had four brothers, all of whom fell in the war. Yet, it was a successful life. Unlike many of her generation, she never remained silent about her grief and fears. Aenne's brothers and parents were always present, in conversations, photos, memorial days, and memories. In his book, Reinhold Beckmann tells the story of his mother and of Franz, Hans, Alfons, and Willi, amidst the harsh everyday life in the village, Catholic tradition, and the onset of dictatorship. And about what war does to people when no one returns. Throughout her life, Aenne was haunted by the fate of her brothers – and it also shaped the life of Reinhold Beckmann: Taking a stand against war and violence was a matter of course for both of them. Tickets are available at the Tourist Information in Münsingen, the city library, and the adult education center in Münsingen.