Please give details on the challenges faced by professional policeman/Head of the Kripo, Criminal Inspector Schenke - in fighting organised crime in a state run by organised criminals.
SIMON: When I was writing I thought about the fact that Schenke is confronted by a dilemma often discussed down to the present day: if I was a German during the Nazi era, would I have had the courage to defy the regime? Moreover, would I have had the integrity and courage to offer protection to any of the Jews being persecuted at the time as Schenke does with Ruth and others.
An aspect of the series that I am keen to depict is the state of mind of ordinary Germans with respect to the state of play as the war unfolds. From the initial dread of another war in Europe to the elation after the defeat of France, the shock of the invasion of Russia and then the gradual wearing down of the German war machine before the final collapse and fall of Berlin. Of course we know the outcome, but I want readers to go through the same highs and lows of the German people to get under the skin of those who lived through war-time and war-torn Berlin.
The Ace of Hearts club is a risky setting—what inspired this place and its connection to the characters? Was it based on a real place?
SIMON: Although the Nazi regime clamped down harshly on the hedonistic lifestyle that featured under the Weimar Republic they were realistic enough to know that the inhabitants of the larger cities needed places to socialise where they could let down their guard and enjoy a mild laugh at the expense of the regime. Comedians were indulged when they made cracks at the expense of the regime, as long as they made no criticism of Hitler. There was also a degree of sexual freedom in such clubs that was clamped down on outside on the streets. Many of the clubs that survived during the Nazi era were patronised by senior party figures and so enjoyed a degree of protection from any police interference. They were places where those in the know could get hold of black market goods and other luxuries that were increasingly in short supply thanks to the rationing that was put in place even before the war. Once war came such shortages became even more acute and clubs, such as those the Ace of Clubs is based on, thrived initially. However, as the war dragged on and Nazi Germany’s future became ever more precarious, the regime cracked down on the black market and ruthlessly suppressed any hint of criticism of the regime. It even became a capital offence to tell jokes that undermined the authority of the party and particularly its leader. As the war drew to a close, most such clubs had already been closed down.
Question: What inspired your depiction of the city's blend between glamour and a rougher reality, and how did you ensure historical accuracy?
SIMON: Like many populist parties of the far right, the Nazi party harked back to a mythical past when higher moral standards were held to apply. In reality, the leadership had no regard for the rule of law, happy to help themselves to the property of others and keen to indulge themselves in any and vices. While parading their family values in public almost all senior figures in the party kept mistresses. Some, like Goring, were drug addicts. Others, like Hans Frank openly abused political office for self- enrichment, to such an extent that even the party censured him. Of course, all such corruption and self-indulgent excess has a certain glamour to it. One of the ambitions of my series is to strip that away to reveal the cold-hearted, criminal thugs of the Nazi party who thrived under the dictatorial lawlessness it used to rule Germany with an iron fist for the duration of the regime.
Historical accuracy is paramount to the code of Historical Fiction authors, in my view. Otherwise, we might as well write fantasy. There is no excuse for not diligently carrying out research into every aspect of setting, character and apparatus in as far as time permits. This involves a great deal of reading the existing historical research, visiting the places where the book is set in order to tray and capture the ineffable essence of specific locations. Of course, no historian nor any historical novelist is immune from mistakes. In the case of fiction, it is fair to second guess history where the evidence is scant, or in certain circumstances to tweak the historical record, as long as that is owned up to by the author in the end notes of the novel.
The way the gangs seem to ‘rule’ Berlin is interesting. Did you base any of the gangs in the book on real gangs of that time? What made you think of using gangs as a key part of the story?
SIMON: The kinds of crime gangs depicted in A DEATH IN BERLIN thrived during the heady Weimar years and continued to do so under the Nazi regime. Like the Mafia, they developed extensive networks of underworld contacts and were run in a hierarchical fashion by mob bosses who insisted on strict codes of conduct with harsh penalties for those who broke their rules or ran up against them. The gangs of Remer and Guttmann are based on the so called ‘ring clubs’ whose members wore distinctive rings to identify themselves before the Nazis came to power and greater discretion was required to conceal their identities. Most men were hardened criminals who had served time in prison and provided a ready supply of recruits for the gangs when they were released.
Although the Nazi regime promised to crack down on the gangs they were hampered by the high degree of loyalty of the gang members who adhered to the ‘omerta’ demanded by their bosses. As such the gangs continued to thrive and the regime often turned a blind eye to some of their activities, particularly their dealings in the black market. Senior Nazi officials were fond of their luxuries and were more than willing to overlook those who could keep them supplied with goods made scarce when the war began. The epic corruption of party officials was such that the regime was obliged to throw the occasional character to the wolves to demonstrate their rectitude of the party to the public. Those at the very top, no matter how corrupt, were immune however. Then, as now.
As a consequence, policemen like Criminal Inspector Schenke and his those on his team, had to tread very carefully when dealing with gangs who might have powerful political connections. This was an additional burden to working within a regime that was to all intents and purposes a ruthless criminal kleptocracy that tolerated no opposition to its extreme political ideology.
Schenke’s story combines personal risk and professional conflict. How did you develop a character who has to navigate this constantly? What research did you do on Schenke in real life and was the inspiration behind this emotional arc?
SIMON: ‘Anyone who has ever worked for a large institution, particularly in relation to a government, will have encountered situations where there is a trade of with the exigencies of the institution and what the individual knows to be the right and moral course of action. So it is with Schenke, although the stakes are far higher for Schenke as he is in a life or death predicament with regard to the moral positions he chooses to adopt with respect to the police force he works for which ultimately serves a criminal regime. If he leans into his role as an enforcer of the rules imposed by the Nazis then he has sold his soul. Yet if he attempts to defy the regime too openly and flouts their rules then he risks his life. That is always the trade off for those who serve immoral regimes with scant regard for the rights, including the ultimate right to life, of those that they rule. In writing about Schenke facing such dilemmas I was constantly guided by the question of how I might realistically react had I been in his place. The answers aren’t always flattering but they are human.
Help Simon Scarrow celebrate the launch of 'A Death in Berlin' by supporting his book tour including Bath Festival & Bristol (11th March), Imperial War Museum - London (12th) , Farnham Literary Festival (15th March), Cambridge (18th March, Suffolk (19th March) and Norwich (20th March). For more information and to book tickets see the link here: [https://geni.us/uDNx](https://geni.us/uDNx)
A DEATH IN BERLIN published by Headline on 13th March at £22 hbk
