Das falsche Leben

The true story of Thomas, whose father is a GDR spy and lures his family to the GDR under false pretenses: Hanover 1979. Pack your bags, inform the school - Thomas, 16 years old, sets off with his family to the GDR literally at night and in the fog. The reason for the hasty departure is not his terminally ill grandfather on Usedom, as Thomas' father claims. His father is a "peace scout", a spy for the GDR, who has been exposed and must now flee to the East. Thomas suddenly finds himself in a false life
life: in East Berlin, at a school with roll call and military training, spied on by the Stasi. All the family's attempts to return to the West fail. Thomas and his parents end up in the notorious Stasi prison Bautzen II. Maja Nielsen's stories have been published as books, audio books and radio features. Her successful "Abenteuer!" series has won numerous awards. She was awarded the Buxtehude Bull in 2025 for her young adult book "Der Tunnelbauer".