Salzgitter

Imagine it's 1995! You are 16, live in the village, your hair is dyed bright red and you never have enough money. You secretly smoke your grandma's stolen cigarettes and like to make out with boys. Your mother reads your diary and everyone calls you a slut. You only want one thing: to get out of here! Away from the pensioner neighbours, the gossip on the school bus, the fat driving instructor, the small-mindedness, the narrowness, the stuffiness: Get out of Salzgitter! The best thing is to move to a big city and become an actress! A real actress on stage! Everyone at the Theater Ag will tell you you've got talent! Nothing and nobody will ever keep you here. And then you fall in love with the head Nazi from your high school, of all things: Helge Krentz, who wears side partings and practices Hitler salutes in the schoolyard. No one is allowed to know, because you are actually a highly political member of the Jusos and stand in the front row of every Schacht Konrad demo.

A story about growing up in the provinces, big dreams and lots of beers and boys on the way. All set to the soundtrack of the 90s. A story about love, friendship and loyalty - especially to oneself.

At the end, the certainty: you can leave Salzgitter, but Salzgitter will never leave you.

To be published in January by speak low.