My books There are stories behind every book. The creation and everything surrounding it can be found here. And the writing continues...
Hamam The wellness ritual in German-speaking countries
Hamam The wellness ritual in German-speaking countries - Overview I find Hamam fascinating. The water washes away excess weight, the soap foam smells and nourishes the skin, the moist, warm air is pleasant and helps to make every (good) Hamam stay a short vacation. When I travel, I always take a Kese (special peeling glove) and a Hamam soap with me so that I can have a Hamam-style pleasure ceremony even if there are steam baths available. Every Hamam is different, as are the treatments. Some are rather daunting, others a pleasure. As part of the Hamam tests, I gave my husband a Hamam treatment for his birthday, which unfortunately wasn't so good. It was a disaster - no greeting, no introduction, poor massage pressure, not hot enough and the air was too dry. So it was just the name Hamam. Even the peeling wasn't with a Kese. So it's all about trying. Then everyone will appreciate the pleasure. After a historical excursion and a general description of the Hamam, my new book gives an overview of where in Germany, Austria and Switzerland you can enjoy the Turkish or oriental bath. Photos give an individual impression of what guests can expect - and take you into the sensual world of the Hamam ritual. PS: And soon the Hamam section at www.waerme-wasser-wellness.de will be ready when the revised book is published. Via Warsaw to the West - Embassy escapes in 1989 My book "Via Warsaw to the West" was published at the end of August 2019. It is about embassy escapes in 1989 via Warsaw, thanks to which 6,000 people came to the West. The outcome of an embassy escape at that time was open: freedom, prison or even possible shooting at the border. Most people left everything they had lived and worked for up to that point, their friends and families. The fall of the Wall was unimaginable for most of these people in August/September 1989. Since this historical fact was unknown to the public and some of the contemporary witnesses are no longer alive, I wanted to record this part of our history in a way that was both historically accurate and emotionally understandable. I researched for about 9 years, looked for contemporary witnesses during my holidays, rummaged through archives, visited the former accommodations of the refugees. This work gave rise to the Facebook group "Embassy Refugees Warsaw 1989" and the idea of combining the past and present with an event to mark the anniversary. In 2014 the time had come. The German Embassy in Warsaw and the Adenauer Foundation in Warsaw supported the project. The first part of the book consists of historical facts and a description of the situation of German-Polish relations in the 1980s and especially in 1989. The fact that changes could take place in Europe at all is largely thanks to the Poles. Relations between the communist countries of the GDR and the People's Republic of Poland were tense; for trips to the "brother country" a travel permit issued by the local People's Police was mandatory. In the summer of 1989, as in previous protests and strikes in Poland, these travel permits were often refused for fear that the "Polish virus" would spread to eastern Germany. The second part of "From Warsaw to the West" consists of interviews with contemporary witnesses, which, in addition to background information, give an emotional insight into the living conditions at the time. Some of the former refugees in the German embassy in Warsaw, the former ambassador, the former Secretary General of the Polish Red Cross and employees of the German embassy tell their stories. The book also includes the knowledge of the former Solidarity leader and current head of the EU Commission in Warsaw, Dr. Marek Prawda. When he took time out for an interview on the sidelines of a conference, I was unfortunately too underexposed to handle the technology correctly. I was not allowed to record the conversation with former Foreign Minister Genscher, but it was very open, personal and helpful. Information on the topic is also available via the public Facebook group "Embassy Refugees Warsaw 1989", the FB page "Via Warsaw to the West" or directly from me. A meeting in Warsaw is planned for the 2024 anniversary. I would be happy to put you in touch with former refugees for planned interviews with contemporary witnesses. Crow's Feet in Paradise - New Life in the Old People's Residence This story about life in a luxurious old people's residence was published in December 2019 under the name of my alter ego Chris Kralewski in order to separate the author's work from non-fiction and entertainment. The inspiration came from the experiences of my dear friend Medi, who lived in a noble house on the Baltic Sea for a week on a trial basis. She was enthusiastic and was still raving about it years later, always with the glossy catalog in hand. It was surprising how actively and without much ado the residents got straight to the point in order to make the most of every minute of their lives. Wasting time like in their younger years was no longer on the agenda; Medi received two marriage proposals and an enormous number of compliments this week. This story is pure entertainment, peppered with a few words of wisdom. Big philosophical questions are - if at all - only hidden and touched on at a secondary level. The book is full of life and simply entertaining and beautiful. If there is interest, there are sequels. Emilie, a long-term widow, moves into a posh retirement home and this turns her whole life and partly her attitudes upside down. By the way: The e-book can also be borrowed from Amazon Kindle. And what next? In addition to politics, my passion is particularly spa, wellness and marketing. The next books on these topics are already in the works, I am anonymously testing various applications and will let you share in them soon.
Hamam - The wellness ritual in German-speaking countries An overview Readers' comments: "You have done a great job with the book. I immediately feel like having a treatment." (Florian Härtelt, SPA Manager A-ROSA Sylt, June 16, 2020) "When I read the book, I immediately feel like going to the Hamam. I would love to book a wellness vacation right away and enjoy the Hamam nonstop. Nearby." (Gamze Köseoglu-Dogu, My Hamam, June 13, 2020)
