My first impressions of Berlin were formed thanks to Vladimir Nabokov. In his short stories, Berlin was often another literary hero, personified, moody, cooperative towards the protagonists or not. My most favourite short story ever, called “Blagost” (“Beneficence”), features Brandenburger Tor as a setting where the action takes place and the hero undergoes a personal transformation (read it, preferably in the original – what a treat!). Some other works with Berlin being an important part of them are stories “Putevoditel po Berlinu” (“A Guide to Berlin”), “Pismo v Rossiyu” (“A Letter to Russia”), as well as novel “Mashenka”. It is often said that Nabokov hated Berlin, but in any case, the city played a crucial role in his life. He spent 15 years of his youth years here (1922-1937), published a plethora of poems, short stories and, later, novels, met his future wife and muse Vera, their son was born here.
This house on Nestorstrasse was the family’s last home in the German capital. After that, they escaped to Brussels and Paris, fearing the Nazis that had come to power. Here, Nabokov lived and worked in the third floor apartment that belonged to his wife’s sister. He wrote the novels “Camera Obscura”, “Priglashenie na kazn” (“Invitation to a Beheading”) and major parts of “Dar” (“The Gift”). In this house Nabokovs’ son Dmitry spent his first childhood years. Sadly, the building was almost completely destroyed during the air raids of 1944, but was rebuilt in the seventies. Honouring Nabokov’s 100 anniversary the owners of the house placed on the wall a commemorative plaque in two languages, German and Russian.
