Dr. Erich Schröder

Who hasn't ever thought when looking at a building: "If these walls could speak ..."? Surely not only castles and fortresses but also large and small residential buildings hold many fates and secrets within their walls.

Here walls may speak once. An already somewhat older and rather inconspicuous row house in the north of Düsseldorf enters into a dialogue with its much younger owner, the author, in order to fathom its own history. Older documents and especially diaries are consulted for the prehistory and the first decades. The house itself comments on the events from its very own perspective.

The history of the house reflects the changing history of the author's family. Up to four generations of his family lived there at the same time - at times later, however, the author lived alone. The sometimes funny, sometimes touching and often dramatic events and episodes are initially taken from documents and diaries, later from the author's own and very personal experience. The house survived the horrors of the Second World War. Desperation and hope alternated, as did joy and suffering, new life and death, weddings, and divorce, mourning and happiness. And again and again we find love and harmony in these turbulent events. An old house looks back - and hopeful for a new future.

The book describes the very personal story of the author and his family. It is currently not yet released for publication and therefore not available in bookstores. For the time being it is only available to the author's family and close friends.

After a future publication, the book is aimed at all those who feel a connection to the author and his stories, or who are generally interested in authentic biographies from the time during the two world wars and afterwards.