Book club in the Fritz Bauer Library

The Fritz Bauer Library’s collection focuses on (auto-)biographies of survivors with their diverse stories of resistance and commitment to human rights. Together with you, we want to read selected (auto-)biographies and talk about what gives people the courage to make the world a better and fairer place in terms of human rights through their actions.

How does the book club work?

The book club takes place on 4 dates and deals with 1 book each, which you should have read in advance. We are looking forward to your input, your opinion and the general exchange about the activism of the respective persons and topics. (The 4 dates can be attended independently of each other).

Together we want to answer the following questions:

• What form of resistance and advocacy for human rights does the book/person address?
• What motivates and encourages the person?
• How does this encourage me?
• What can we learn from it today?

Reading on 27 May 2024:

Nora Hespers – „My grandpa, his resistance against the Nazis and me“ (ISBN 978-3-518-47163-0)

Nora Hespers grows up with many stories about her grandfather: the resistance fighter Theo Hespers, who was hunted down and executed by the Nazis. Her father tells them at every opportunity. Over and over again. So often that the teenage Nora eventually switches off. Years later, Nora Hespers is now working as a freelance journalist for radio and TV and is confronted with her grandfather again. And at a time when the liberal democratic values he fought and died for are under threat like never before. For Nora Hespers, it is the starting point for coming to terms with her grandfather’s story. But what can we learn from the resistance back then for today?

Together with you, we want to share your and our reading experiences, discuss passages from the text and talk about the courage to resist under National Socialism and its significance today.

Note: On 7 May 2024, Nora Hespers will be a guest at the Fritz Bauer Forum and willread from her book „Mein Opa, sein Widerstand gegen die Nazis und ich“. You can find more information about the event here.

Next book club: Thursday, 27.06.2024 | 17.00 – 18.30 | Reading: „One Life“ by Megan Rapinoe