By Sabine Klier
Eva Jahns (90) is able to experience something that not many women are able to do: she holds her great-great-granddaughter Malika in her arms. She was born 27 days ago. A true Spandau woman, like her ancestors. They are all only children – and have only given birth to daughters!
In the BZ, the unusual 5-generation family tells their story. A story through nine decades of Germany, through good and bad times.
1933, Hitler and the National Socialists take power. The birth year of great-great-grandma Eva Jahns. She survives the war in the bunker. Later works as a saleswoman at Woolworths, runs a scrap metal business with her husband for 14 years. She still lives in the Spandau forest settlement today. “The children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren have all slept in my bed,” she says. Their cheesecake is legendary. She bakes it for all family celebrations. Eva Jahns is happy: “That I can still experience this. I never expected to hold a great-great-granddaughter in my arms.”
Eva Jahns (90) is happy about the new addition to her family: “I never would have dreamed that I would live to see this.” Photo: Charles Yunck
1953, Germany on the way to the economic miracle. Great-grandma Tina (70) is born. She later works in the judicial administration and falls in love with a refugee from the GDR. They only have one daughter because they don’t have that much money: “We wanted to offer her a good future.”
1974, the time of the peace movement – and Germany becomes football world champion. Grandma Diana (49) was born in Berlin. She becomes a mother young, at 20. Like her mother and grandmother before her. Another girl! Diana enjoys sewing, crafting and singing and works as a childminder: “I’m so happy that my daughter also had a daughter. Even if I had to wait a little longer for it.”
1997, reunified Germany is still in its infancy. Mother Katharina (27) is born. She is training to be a hairdresser, but like her mother, she works as a childminder. She met Malika’s father seven years ago: “Last year Samir proposed to me. But the wedding date hasn’t been decided yet.”
In 2023, people will die in war in Ukraine and Israel. Radical Islamists’ hatred of Jews is growing on Germany’s streets. Inflation drives up prices. Little Malika was born with a planned cesarean section.
The calming effect of the great-great-grandmother: Malika lets out a huge yawn in Eva Jahns’ arms Photo: Charles Yunck
In her living room in Hakenfelde, great-great-grandmother Eva Jahns says: “I really want the world to become peaceful again. I want to see Malika grow up happy.”