“It is not difficult to draw parallels between Germany in the early 1930s and some contemporary political climates,” notes David Woodhams after South Wairarapa Rebus Club hosted Navina Clemerson, author of the historical novel ‘There was a garden in Nuremberg.’
Her book is inspired by the true story of Clemerson’s Jewish mother’s family, who lived in Nuremberg during the years leading up to World War II. Through meticulous research and imaginative storytelling, Clemerson brings their experiences to life in a way that resonates deeply with readers.
The novel follows Helena – based on Navina’s mother – who was just 12 years old in January 1933 when Adolf Hitler became Chancellor and the Nazis rose to power. In 1939 Helena and her family fled Germany, becoming refugees in France and England. Her father Walter – a lawyer, proud German, and WW I veteran decorated with the Iron Cross – is portrayed as deeply committed to his country and his Jewish community. Despite mounting Nazi hostility, Walter resisted emigration until a brutal encounter with Nazi police forced him to act. His reluctance to leave contrasts with his wife Sonia’s urgent warnings.
Clemerson chose to write her family’s story as a novel, changing names and incorporating fictional elements to explore her characters’ inner thoughts. Her writing is enriched by extensive research, including firsthand accounts from her mother and uncle – Max in the book – and Bernhard Kolb’s memoir ‘The Jews of Nuremberg 1839–1945,’ which Clemerson translated into English and published in 2016. Kolb appears in the novel as himself, a friend of Walter and a key figure in Nuremberg’s Jewish community during its subjugation.
The story opens in 1933 when Germany’s Jewish population numbered around 500,000, less than 1% of the German total population. In Nuremberg specifically, 10,000 Jews made up just 2.4% of residents. By 1938, this number had dwindled to around 2,000 due to persecution and emigration. Clemerson vividly depicts this decline alongside the growing restrictions imposed by the Nazis.
The novel explores themes of resilience, intergenerational trauma and refugee struggles. Clemerson’s storytelling not only sheds light on historical events but also prompts reflection on their relevance today.
It is not difficult to draw parallels between Germany in the early 1930s and some contemporary political climates.
‘There was a garden in Nuremberg’ is published by Amsterdam Publishers.
(South Wairarapa Rebus Club https://southwairaraparebus.com meets in the South Wairarapa Working Men’s Club at 9:45 a.m. on the 4th Friday of the month. Anyone in the retired age group who may be interested is welcome as a visitor. Please introduce yourself at the door from the West Street carpark or contact John Reeve 021 560 461).
