Hanna & Heinz

In this play, we get an insight into what it was like to be in love with a German soldier during and after the Second World War. Hanna, a young girl from a small island in Lake Mjøsa, never thought she would meet the boy of her dreams, but then she met Heinz. What she didn't know was the consequences of falling in love with a German soldier.

When the war ended, Hanna was quickly given the choice of staying in Norway or going to Germany with Heinz. Hanna knew that Heinz could not stay in Norway because of the population's hatred of Germans, and her life would have been in danger. Norwegian women who had been with German men were called German girls. Oppression and persecution would have characterized Hanna's life in Norway. The choice was easy for Hanna. She wanted to go with Heinz to Germany.

We quickly realize that Hanna and Heinz are on the East German side of the Berlin Wall. You get an insight into how isolated the people of East Germany were from the rest of the world, and the difficulties of applying for new citizenship in Norway as a "German girl".

The two actors were very good at conveying emotions in a way that grabbed the audience. The chemistry between the two actors seemed very real and believable. We sat with a smile on our faces and a lump in our throats during the performance. To convey the atmosphere, they used singing and instruments, which worked well. Much of the dialog and singing took place in German, French and English. This can be a problem for understanding the rest of the story. Perhaps that's why the age group was 16+.

We personally thought the play was a hit. It was well suited to teenagers and adults. The play was educational, but entertaining. Through the play, we learned more about the Norwegian women who fell in love with German soldiers. It gave us an insight into how the women felt when they were excluded from Norway.