Good day,
Attached is a press release from the city of St. Ingbert with a request for publication.
Barbara Lesciejewski as a guest at the St. Ingbert City Library
Enthusiastic admiration and deep sorrow – such contradictory emotions did Barbara Lesciejewski evoke among her many listeners at the city library in St. Ingbert during the presentation of her current novel success "It's Beautiful by the Sea".
The enthusiasm stemmed from the confident and almost stage-ready oratory skills of the author who had traveled from Munich at the invitation of the Literature Forum. Every word and every emphasis simply fit perfectly. The sympathy arose from the often harrowing experiences of the young main character in her book. Many in the audience were able to reflect on their own experiences from the 1960s with the topic of “child relocation.”
By the sea it would be beautiful, the parents promise their daughter before a several-week spa stay at the North Sea. But eight-year-old Susanne and the other children spend the worst time of their lives in the "Haus Morgentau." Anyone who does not finish their plate, breaks rules, or otherwise behaves rebelliously is brutally punished by the caregivers. A call for help to the parents is impossible, as the children's letters are checked and censored. The experiences of violence continue to haunt the adult decades later, until she finally decides to confront the trauma of her childhood and steer her life in a new direction.
In his introduction, Jürgen Bost presented the author as a child of the Kusel region, who moved to Munich to study literature, linguistics, and theater studies. After working as an assistant director and dubbing editor, Barbara Lesciejewski devoted herself entirely to writing and published an impressive series of novels. The ILF spokesperson emphasized the thorough research, the empathetic portrayal of the characters, and the confident unfolding of the plot set on two different timelines.
The audience discussion he moderated focused primarily on the grim topic of child relocation, a major business for a four-figure number of institutions where a total of about nine million children were accommodated for several weeks each. The pill break and the era of prosperity eventually brought an end to this. However, scientific research and public awareness only occurred very late. Jupp Feilen from Völklingen was also present at the reading. He is the state coordinator for Saarland for the examination of this long-repressed issue and was able to contribute many interesting insights about the "Röchling children".
Photo: Sonja Colling-Bost
Caption: The author Barbara Lesciejewski, who traveled from Munich, captivated the audience with her reading.
