Bryan Van Sweringen

HistoriCity or Fragments of Berlin Bryan Van Sweringen

Written in the style of the German Bildungsroman, HistoriCity or Fragments of Berlin recreates the vibrant cultural and political ferment in and surrounding West Berlin in the early 1980s. Intrigued by references to Berlin in secret documents found in the National Archives, journeyman archivist Thomas Vonaechron decides to leave Washington, DC for West Berlin to immerse himself (and the reader) in the city's multi-layered history. Once on-site, he is drawn out of the past into the present, where he joins a crew of students, professors, artists, punks, soldiers and monks, as he searches for the city, and finds himself among the ruins.

Friendship and unexpected opportunity allow Thomas to participate in events leading up to the "Fall of the Wall" and the reunification of the divided city. Love manifests itself as a potential way out of history.

While focused on the past, HistoriCity raises questions about the future, and "The End of History." Witty and thought-provoking, HistoriCity is an engaging examination of the meaning and uses of history against the background of Berlin, Capital of the 20th Century.
show more