Brandenburg: A Story of Berlin - Large Print Edition

The story of a great city and four couples who lived there during exciting and dangerous times, commencing with World War I in 1914, and in the years following, until the takeover of Adolf Hitler.The joys, trials and tragedies of some of those people are portrayed in this historical novel. The interactions and conflicts between them cross lines of religion, social levels and sexual orientation. A fascinating city of dazzling elegance and decadence, Berlin is the stage on which the drama of history is played during a period of strident patriotism, wrenching sorrow, exuberant optimism, dashed hopes, terror and ultimate descent into one of history's darkest periods.

James Cloud was born and brought up in New Mexico shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Cloud’s first grade teacher in 1943 was Jewish. Minerva Kohn was a loved and respected woman in Las Vegas, New Mexico. His memories of her led to an interest in Jewish culture and traditions. At the same time, his circle of friends and acquaintances included many people from the German-American community. The effects of World War II had a profound influence on him, leading to a lifelong fascination with these two cultures. He also developed friendships with many Jewish people during his years in Boston, where he worked at the Gillette Company. The author attended the Institute of Arts in West Berlin during the Cold War years. While working as an interpreter, he developed an intimate knowledge of both East and West Berlin. Cloud later completed a Masters Degree in German Linguistics and Literature at California State University in Fullerton. More than forty years of teaching German and English as a Second Language brought him in contact with people of many nationalities and cultures. Cloud has attempted to bring together in this novel his impressions gained from interactions with these groups-most especially with German and Jewish people-and how they in turn have related to each other.