Novels inspired by historical realities and social history set in Germany are interesting for me because they fictionally expand the limits of my knowledge about the country and its history.
Ruhrgemüse, polnisch by Birgitta M. Schulte is a relatively short novel, inspired by the Polish immigration to the craddle of German industry, the Ruhr area, at the end of the 19th century. At the time, over 500,00 Polish immigrants, mostly from the Mazurian region, arrived to Germany looking for job opportunities in the expanding fields of the metal and mining industry. Until today, this part of the country remains an attractive pole of investments and opportunities, with a clear appeal for the working force.
The characters of Schulte´s debut novel are young couples, caught in the struggle for a better future while actively taking part to the equally important social struggle for equality and safe working conditions promoted by the nascent trade unions.
Adam and Zusanna and the other Polnish immigrants are part of this new realities, while building up their own identities - changing their Slavic-sounding names with ones with a more German resonance, among others.
The story concentrates personal and socio-historical events covering end of the 19th century until close to the 1930s. I´ve found the interaction between characters less intense than the positioning of the characters towards the social movements, which limits in my opinion the plot development.
It was a short, intense, informative and well written story that help me to understand a historical episode I never knew about before. Exceptionally, the book also includes abstract illustrations for some chapter openings that, at least, from the colours point of view are matching the general mood of the book.
Rating: 3.5 stars
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