The Glassblower (39 page)
Authors: Petra Durst-Benning
AFTERWORD
All the names and characters are my own invention, as is the story I have told.
It is true, however, that glass Christmas tree decorations were invented in Lauscha, though there is no way to know which family first began to make them. Indeed, it seems clear today that there was no single “inventor” but rather that several different glassblowers simultaneously developed the idea. Researchers believe that the first glass Christmas ornaments were produced by the mid-nineteenth century, rather earlier than in my book. We can also be sure that for many, daily life was much harder than I have described.
It is true that Frank Winfield Woolworth exported Lauscha baubles to America and that these sold remarkably well in his stores.
Lauscha remains the glassblowing capital of Germany today.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank everyone whose help shaped this story, but above all Michael Haberland and his family, who create Christmas ornaments in their glassblowing workshop using the old techniques.
I would also like to thank Dr. Helena Horn of the Museum of Glass Arts in Lauscha, who gave me valuable advice on books to read, both in person and through her catalog
400 Jahre Glas aus Thüringen
(
400 Years of Thuringian Glass
).
Readers who want to know how the story of the Steinmann sisters progresses can follow their lives in the sequel,
The American Lady
.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Photo © Privat
Petra Durst-Benning lives near Stuttgart, Germany, with her husband, Bertram, and their dog, Eric. Before writing her first novel she worked as an import/export translator and edited a magazine for dog owners. All this changed with the publication of
The Silver Thistle
, which was set against the background of the peasant uprising in Germany in 1514. Her next dozen books take place in times ranging from the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century, and are set in Germany, France, Russia, and America. They bring tales of historical times, love and family, happiness and hardship to an ever-growing readership.
The Glassblower
is the first part of a trilogy.
ABOUT THE TRANSLATOR
Photo © 2013 Maria Pakucs
Samuel Willcocks is originally from Brighton on the south coast of England but now lives with his family in the historic city of Cluj, Transylvania, where he spends as much time in the cafés as he does in the libraries. A keen reader in many genres including science fiction and historical novels, he studied languages and literature in Britain, Berlin, and Philadelphia before winning the German Embassy Award (London) for translation in 2010. He has been a full-time translator from Czech, German, Romanian, and Slovene ever since. When not overindulging in cakes or dictionaries, he can be found at book festivals and other literary events, sharing his enthusiasm for Central European books and writers.