Do any of the characters in 'Pocket of Guilt' represent living persons?
The activities involved in some of the scenes were at least partially akin to something a couple of living individuals experienced. As many authors of fiction do, Dora used the experiences of friends and family and built upon those experiences by using her own imagination. For example, the character, Wilhelm, was a blend of the author’s grandfather and the father of a friend.
The character, Dieter, slightly resembles the author’s friend, Ralph Hechtle (above) and has characteristics of one of her sons.
Do the locations in 'Pocket of Guilt' really exist?
Yes and no. The one location that is entirely fictitious is the village of Karlsdorf. The author chose to pattern Karlsdorf after the village of Beuron, found in Weurtemburg, Germany. She chose this village because it has a covered bridge and monastery. The actual bridge is large and spans the Donau River, but the author portrays the bridge as one much smaller, kept the river, the monastery, and named the village Karlsdorf. The city of Mannheim, Germany really exists as well as all the streets mentioned in the story. The Augarten Street address across from the coal shed is also real.
The apartment that stands near the bomb shelter built under a tennis court really existed (see picture above). The apartment in Feudenheim really existed (see right).
The landmarks in Mannheim are real such as the train station that was rebuilt after being almost totally destroyed by bombs, the streetcar stop in front of the station, the city museum with lions in front, the Catholic Church, the Kino Shauburg (theater), and the Pestalozi School.
Where did the author get her information for this story?
The main idea for the first part when the main characters were young was from three of the author’s friends who lived in Mannheim, Germany, before, during, and after WWII. The author’s cousin, a business man who traveled to this area of Germany for his work, provided snapshots and descriptions of villages and cities. His wife, who had German ancestors, gave the author the idea about baking bread in outdoor ovens.
Using willow trees as a place to play “hide and seek” came from a friend in Modesto, CA who has an impressive willow tree in her yard.
The author gathered much information about Germany, WWII, and the Jewish persecution from friends, the local library and the Web.
Where did the author get her writing experience?
She had no formal training but was self-taught. Following instructions from a manual, she wrote her own life story and stories about her ancestors. She taught genealogy classes for several years and instructed her students on how to write their life stories. Some experience was gained by reading Writer’s Digest Magazine, The Fiction Writer, and books on how to write. Her favorite guide was How to Write Popular Fiction by Dean Koontz.
