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They Divided the Sky: A Novel by Christa Wolf (Literary Translation) Paperback – January 26, 2013

by Christa Wolf (Author), Luise von Flotow (Translator)
4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 59 ratings
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First published in 1963, in East Germany, They Divided the Sky tells the story of a young couple, living in the new, socialist, East Germany, whose relationship is tested to the extreme not only because of the political positions they gradually develop but, very concretely, by the Berlin Wall, which went up on August 13, 1961.

The story is set in 1960 and 1961, a moment of high political cold war tension between the East Bloc and the West, a time when many thousands of people were leaving the young German Democratic Republic (the GDR) every day in order to seek better lives in West Germany, or escape the political ideology of the new country that promoted the "farmer and peasant" state over a state run by intellectuals or capitalists. The construction of the Wall put an end to this hemorrhaging of human capital, but separated families, friends, and lovers, for thirty years.

The conflicts of the time permeate the relations between characters in the book at every level, and strongly affect the relationships that Rita, the protagonist, has not only with colleagues at work and at the teacher's college she attends, but also with her partner Manfred (an intellectual and academic) and his family. They also lead to an accident/attempted suicide that send her to hospital in a coma, and that provide the backdrop for the flashbacks that make up the narrative.

Wolf's first full-length novel, published when she was thirty-five years old, was both a great literary success and a political scandal. Accused of having a 'decadent' attitude with regard to the new socialist Germany and deliberately misrepresenting the workers who are the foundation of this new state, Wolf survived a wave of political and other attacks after its publication. She went on to create a screenplay from the novel and participate in making the film version. More importantly, she went on to become the best-known East German writer of her generation, a writer who established an international reputation and never stopped working toward improving the socialist reality of the GDR.

Published in English.

Previous page
  1. Part of series
    Literary Translation
  2. Print length
    232 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publisher
    University of Ottawa Press
  5. Publication date
    January 26, 2013
  6. Dimensions
    5.25 x 0.51 x 7.5 inches
  7. ISBN-10
    0776607871
  8. ISBN-13
    978-0776607870
  9. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

An ardent young socialist convinced of culture's mission to educate, Wolf wrote her first novel in 1963. Originally called "Divided Heaven", it has now been reissued as "They Divided the Sky". The difference goes deeper than the title. Luise von Flotow's faithful new rendering replaces a text that had been badly twisted by a zealous editor who was determined to suppress all straying from the party line. ... The new version introduces in English for the first time the introspective, autobiographical voice that became Wolf's signature and strength. Its fragmented points of view and flashbacks were innovative. From the start her ambition was to honour the inner voice and "bridge the contradiction between party diktat and personal truthfulness", in the words of her biographer, Jörg Magenau. This made her a revered, almost saintly figure to her East German readers; at the same time, her consistently uncertain, questioning tone put her on a collision course with the socialist leadership.-- "PUO-UOP"

Review

An ardent young socialist convinced of culture’s mission to educate, Wolf wrote her first novel in 1963. Originally called “Divided Heaven”, it has now been reissued as “They Divided the Sky”. The difference goes deeper than the title. Luise von Flotow’s faithful new rendering replaces a text that had been badly twisted by a zealous editor who was determined to suppress all straying from the party line. ... The new version introduces in English for the first time the introspective, autobiographical voice that became Wolf’s signature and strength. Its fragmented points of view and flashbacks were innovative. From the start her ambition was to honour the inner voice and “bridge the contradiction between party diktat and personal truthfulness”, in the words of her biographer, Jörg Magenau. This made her a revered, almost saintly figure to her East German readers; at the same time, her consistently uncertain, questioning tone put her on a collision course with the socialist leadership. ― PUO-UOP

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ University of Ottawa Press (January 26, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 232 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0776607871
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0776607870
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 9.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.25 x 0.51 x 7.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.1 4.1 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

Customer reviews

4.1 out of 5 stars
4.1 out of 5
59 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

D. A. Fisher
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on July 14, 2016
Verified Purchase
Excellent writing style.
One person found this helpful
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J C E Hitchcock
4.0 out of 5 stars A Voice from Over There
Reviewed in the United States on February 1, 2020
Christa Wolf (1929- 2011) was one of the best-known writers in the former German Democratic Republic. Her political position can be described as semi-dissident; she was broadly in sympathy with the principles of Communism, and was a member of the Socialist Unity Party (as the Communist Party was officially known) but could be critical of the way in which the East German authorities attempted to translate these principles into practice. During the earlier part of her career, she was highly popular, not only in East Germany but also in the West where she was regarded as a voice from “over there”, a spokeswoman for the other half of a divided nation. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany (a development which she opposed), she seemed to lose relevance.

“Der geteilte Himmel”, here translated as “They Divided the Sky”, but also known in English as “Divided Heaven”, is her first novel, dating from 1963. It is set in the period 1960-61, the months leading up to the building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. In its early days, the East German regime had officially supported German reunification, pointedly adopting the same flag as its West German neighbour and referring to “Germany, united fatherland” in its national anthem. By the late fifties, however, the regime had shifted its position; talk of reunification was banned, the division of Germany was now officially seen as both permanent and desirable, a new flag was adopted, and the national anthem more often played than sung. Wolf’s title refers to a sardonic remark by one of her characters who, commenting on the post-war division of Germany, states “At least they can’t divide the sky”.

The story opens with a 19-year-old woman named Rita Seidel recovering in hospital after an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Throughout the book scenes set in the hospital are narrated in the present tense, whereas Rita’s previous life is described in a series of flashbacks, using the past tense. We learn that Rita, who originally comes from a rural village, was training to become a teacher, although, in line with the Communist doctrine that heavy industry was the most authentically socialist type of labour, she was also required to work part-time in a factory building railway carriages. We also learn about Rita’s relationship with her lover Manfred Herrfurth, an engineer and chemist ten years older than herself, who later defects to West Germany, leaving Rita with the dilemma of whether to follow him or to remain in the East.

Rita’s decision would have been easier if West Germany had indeed been the sort of capitalistic dystopia depicted in much Communist propaganda, with the working class sunk in desperate poverty and people starving in the streets. Wolf, however, was honest enough to admit that West Germans had a high standard of living and that most of them pitied their Eastern neighbours rather than envying them. Her criticisms of the West seem to have been that it was their very affluence that was part of the problem, leading to a complacent, materialistic consumer society, whereas the less affluent East, although it has its flaws, still retains the idealism and discipline necessary for building socialism. Moreover, Rita knows that Manfred’s decision to defect owes less to a belief in Western-style freedom and democracy than to resentment over the fact that development of one of his inventions, an improved spinning machine, has been blocked by Party officials. (There is a parallel here with “Not by Bread Alone” by the Soviet author Vladimir Dudintsev, another novel about an engineer whose career as an inventor is stifled by the Communist bureaucracy).

In keeping with its title, the book divided opinion when it was first published in the GDR. The authorities made no attempt to prevent its publication, and it quickly became a bestseller writer. Wolf was awarded the Heinrich Mann Prize, one of East Germany’s most prestigious literary awards, and the novel was translated into English and other languages. On the other hand, as the translator Luise von Flotow points out in her introduction, the author came under attack from many critics who accused her of having a “decadent outlook on life”, of being too outspoken in her criticisms of the Communist regime, or at least of being insufficiently enthusiastic in her praise of it. (One thing that particularly irked such critics was that Wolf seemed to regret for the divided Germany). She was even criticised for her literary style on the grounds that her use of flashbacks and alternation between the past and present tenses were incompatible with the tenets of Socialist Realism. The war of words over “Der geteilte Himmel” was similar to that which exploded in the Soviet Union over Solzhenitsyn’s “For the Good of the Cause”, also published in 1963.

Von Flotow’s introduction is helpful on the historical context of the novel, although I felt that she spent too much time discussing the alleged inadequacies of the previous English-language translation by one Joan Becker. Her thesis is that Becker’s version distorted Wolf’s meaning by playing down her criticisms of the East German system, but I felt that this discussion would not be of much interest to anyone who had not read both the earlier translation and the original German text (and I must admit that I have read neither).

“Der geteilte Himmel” is in form a love story, but in a divided society even love could be political, and Wolf invests the problems of Rita and Manfred with a much wider significance. The West might no longer need a “voice from over there” as we did in the days of the Cold War; we still need voices which point to the dangers inherent in an authoritarian system.
2 people found this helpful
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Yaakov Ben Shalom
2.0 out of 5 stars Famous, but not necessarily enjoyable
Reviewed in the United States on May 22, 2013
This is a new translation of Christa Wolf's novel _Der geteilte Himmel_, originally published in 1963.

The book became famous for its overall story about a young couple in East Germany in the early 1960s. The man decided to flee to West Berlin, while his girlfriend decided to stay in East Germany and help build a better society. Also, part of the book's fame was the author's frankness about dissatisfaction with life in communist East Germany. People were unhappy, and the Communist Party was not perfect or without blame for the inefficiencies or absurdities in a planned society. In this way, _They Divided the Sky_ (Der geteilte Himmel) is like the film "Trace of Stones" ("Spur der Steine") from 1966. It was shocking for East Germans that one of their own had the courage to write what everyone knew but no one would say.

However, the writing and the basic story are not very good. Manfred is a 29-year-old chemistry graduate student. He is from a big city. He is reserved, cynical, and even arrogant. He is frustrated that bureaucrats can squash his chemistry research. Rita is a 19-year-old village girl. She is naive and just learning how things "really work" in the world around her. She is cautiously optimistic. 1) They couple doesn't really match up. Their relationship seems forced. Sometimes it just seems ridiculous and unrealistic. 2) The story is basically told from the woman's perspective, and her sappy, half-naive, half-earnest tone gets old. The digressions about her emotions as she learns to "see things clearly" for the the first time or as she truly sees her boyfriend are tedious. It was not that good of a read. That being said, the chapter where Rita goes to West Berlin is extremely interesting. It was fascinating to see how a provincial, naive East German would view life in West Berlin, i.e. a big city, a consumer-oriented city.

As for this particular edition, the translation seems fine. What is not fine is the editing or typesetting. The translator has included explanatory footnotes in various places, but the footnotes don't line up with the items they clarify. In other words, the reader will see a superscript "6" at the end of a sentence, but the actual footnote 6 might be a page or two later. I saw footnote 1, but I couldn't find the "1" in the text. So I don't know what it clarified. There are also a few stray typos, which is rather unusual to see in a novel.
7 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
Annette Clarke
5.0 out of 5 stars Christa Wolf tells it like it was, as she lived it: Germany descending into division.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 15, 2016
Verified Purchase
This novel gives such a good insight into Germany of the 1960s, a very good read.
One person found this helpful
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George Room
5.0 out of 5 stars L'histoire d'une histoire
Reviewed in France on October 2, 2013
Verified Purchase
Une histoire pleine de matière de réflexion sur les pensées de l'auteur à une epoque bien marquée.
Et l'histoire de cette histoire - son écriture, ses messages cachés et, surtout, les péripéties des deux traductions.
Un "must" pour tous ceux qui s'interessent à cette période en Allemagne.
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Katazina
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 9, 2015
Verified Purchase
really really great translation! perfect for the close reading
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J C E Hitchcock
4.0 out of 5 stars A Voice from Over There
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 1, 2020
Verified Purchase
Christa Wolf (1929- 2011) was one of the best-known writers in the former German Democratic Republic. Her political position can be described as semi-dissident; she was broadly in sympathy with the principles of Communism, and was a member of the Socialist Unity Party (as the Communist Party was officially known) but could be critical of the way in which the East German authorities attempted to translate these principles into practice. During the earlier part of her career, she was highly popular, not only in East Germany but also in the West where she was regarded as a voice from “over there”, a spokeswoman for the other half of a divided nation. Following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the reunification of Germany (a development which she opposed), she seemed to lose relevance.

“Der geteilte Himmel”, here translated as “They Divided the Sky”, but also known in English as “Divided Heaven”, is her first novel, dating from 1963. It is set in the period 1960-61, the months leading up to the building of the Berlin Wall in August 1961. In its early days, the East German regime had officially supported German reunification, pointedly adopting the same flag as its West German neighbour and referring to “Germany, united fatherland” in its national anthem. By the late fifties, however, the regime had shifted its position; talk of reunification was banned, the division of Germany was now officially seen as both permanent and desirable, a new flag was adopted, and the national anthem more often played than sung. Wolf’s title refers to a sardonic remark by one of her characters who, commenting on the post-war division of Germany, states “At least they can’t divide the sky”.

The story opens with a 19-year-old woman named Rita Seidel recovering in hospital after an unsuccessful suicide attempt. Throughout the book scenes set in the hospital are narrated in the present tense, whereas Rita’s previous life is described in a series of flashbacks, using the past tense. We learn that Rita, who originally comes from a rural village, was training to become a teacher, although, in line with the Communist doctrine that heavy industry was the most authentically socialist type of labour, she was also required to work part-time in a factory building railway carriages. We also learn about Rita’s relationship with her lover Manfred Herrfurth, an engineer and chemist ten years older than herself, who later defects to West Germany, leaving Rita with the dilemma of whether to follow him or to remain in the East.

Rita’s decision would have been easier if West Germany had indeed been the sort of capitalistic dystopia depicted in much Communist propaganda, with the working class sunk in desperate poverty and people starving in the streets. Wolf, however, was honest enough to admit that West Germans had a high standard of living and that most of them pitied their Eastern neighbours rather than envying them. Her criticisms of the West seem to have been that it was their very affluence that was part of the problem, leading to a complacent, materialistic consumer society, whereas the less affluent East, although it has its flaws, still retains the idealism and discipline necessary for building socialism. Moreover, Rita knows that Manfred’s decision to defect owes less to a belief in Western-style freedom and democracy than to resentment over the fact that development of one of his inventions, an improved spinning machine, has been blocked by Party officials. (There is a parallel here with “Not by Bread Alone” by the Soviet author Vladimir Dudintsev, another novel about an engineer whose career as an inventor is stifled by the Communist bureaucracy).

In keeping with its title, the book divided opinion when it was first published in the GDR. The authorities made no attempt to prevent its publication, and it quickly became a bestseller writer. Wolf was awarded the Heinrich Mann Prize, one of East Germany’s most prestigious literary awards, and the novel was translated into English and other languages. On the other hand, as the translator Luise von Flotow points out in her introduction, the author came under attack from many critics who accused her of having a “decadent outlook on life”, of being too outspoken in her criticisms of the Communist regime, or at least of being insufficiently enthusiastic in her praise of it. (One thing that particularly irked such critics was that Wolf seemed to regret for the divided Germany). She was even criticised for her literary style on the grounds that her use of flashbacks and alternation between the past and present tenses were incompatible with the tenets of Socialist Realism. The war of words over “Der geteilte Himmel” was similar to that which exploded in the Soviet Union over Solzhenitsyn’s “For the Good of the Cause”, also published in 1963.

Von Flotow’s introduction is helpful on the historical context of the novel, although I felt that she spent too much time discussing the alleged inadequacies of the previous English-language translation by one Joan Becker. Her thesis is that Becker’s version distorted Wolf’s meaning by playing down her criticisms of the East German system, but I felt that this discussion would not be of much interest to anyone who had not read both the earlier translation and the original German text (and I must admit that I have read neither).

“Der geteilte Himmel” is in form a love story, but in a divided society even love could be political, and Wolf invests the problems of Rita and Manfred with a much wider significance. The West might no longer need a “voice from over there” as we did in the days of the Cold War; we still need voices which point to the dangers inherent in an authoritarian system.
6 people found this helpful
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scorpioeyes
1.0 out of 5 stars unreadable
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 5, 2023
Verified Purchase
one of my favourite subjects,but I found this unreadable. I read 30 pages then gave up.
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