Spent a day with August Bebel

Since it was raining here in Philly, I decided to spend a day reading Jürgen Schmidt’s fascinating biography of August Bebel. Many German working class families hung portraits of Bebel in their homes, and he was/is widely regraded as the father of German social democracy. I was fascinated to learn, however, that Bebel himself would have preferred to call the party “Democratic Socialist” rather than “social democratic,” but he was outvoted.

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Berlin days

The first couple of days in Berlin have been amazing so far. I am sinking deep into the history of the DDR, and trying to better understand the transition after 1989. I met with my brilliant German editor at Suhrkamp on Thursday, had dinner with my dear friend Susan Neiman on Friday, and have hit the Berlin Trödel markets hard this weekend.

In front of a portrait of August Bebel in Prenzlauer Berg.

In front of a portrait of August Bebel in Prenzlauer Berg.

Berliner Dom by night

Berliner Dom by night

DDR-era bust of Marx purchased in the Weissensee trödelmarkt for 3 euro

DDR-era bust of Marx purchased in the Weissensee trödelmarkt for 3 euro

Two new typewriters from the trödelmarkt: An Olympia Traveller de Luxe and a Prvileg.

Two new typewriters from the trödelmarkt: An Olympia Traveller de Luxe and a Prvileg.

the Plaza of the 9th of November 1989

the Plaza of the 9th of November 1989