Bernd Haber: Germany and the Winds of History | Episode 147

Bernd Haber is the author of Fritz Häber, The Complete Diary: 16 Months in an American POW Camp, drawn from his grandfather’s journal and interview. We discuss German history, communism and capitalism, East Germany, Berlin, ideology, freedom and control, family memory, generational change, communication, war, sudden shifts, personal turning points, and how an ordinary life can be shaped by circumstance, intertwined with other people, history, and forces that push us in new directions. 

Bernd’s own story mirrors these themes. He grew up in East Berlin, watched the wall fall, stepped into the West, and eventually built a new life in America. His path is shaped by history, serendipity, opportunity, unexpected conversations, and small moments that opened new possibilities. This episode looks at how history, choice, external forces, and timing collide to redirect a life, and why talking with parents and grandparents, and understanding their experiences, can transform how we understand ourselves.

Connect and Learn More

Book: Fritz Häber, The Complete Diary: 16 Months in an American POW Camp

Website: 16monthsaspow.com

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/berndhaber

RESOURCES

Bands: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Steppenwolf

Books: Blitzed by Norman Ohler, Life of Service, Man of Purpose by Jim Waite, Steppenwolf by Hermann Hesse,

People: Albert Einstein, Barbara Minton, Bob Dylan, Herbert Haber, Hermann Hesse, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, John Kay, Joseph Goebbels, Tom Gundelfinger O'Neal, Wilhelm I, Wilhelm II, Winston Churchill

TV Series: Babylon Berlin, Titans: The Rise of Hollywood