I never considered writing anything but science papers. Not until my family and I moved into a house with a history dating back to 1529. While ripping off all modern improvements to restore some of the building’s historic charm, we found a treasure. Hidden underneath the attic’s floorboards, among thick layers of clay, sand, and larch needles, were a dozen slender books bound in dark leather. These were the journals of an extraordinary woman.
Reading her story left me shocked, awed, and wishing I could ever be as courageous as she. Her wish to not reveal her identity will be respected. Instead, I mixed the names of a friend, a German beer (sorry about that), and the last part of my family name to end up with ‘Anna Kronberg.’
People close to Anna, such as her lover and her father, bear false names as well, while others kept their true identities.
This little horse — which makes an appearance in The Fall — is one of the things we found underneath our attic’s floorboards. Photo is a courtesy of Magnus Wendeberg (copyright protected)