SHARD

Drug abuse is one of the the most serious and also the most common social diseases. Informaton about heroin in West Berlin shocked people in early 70s. The drug was killing more and more people, especially local teenagers. Christiane Felscherinow was a witness and victim of these events. Her autobiography became a bestseller in Germany and several European countries. 

12-year-old Christiane lives with her family in Berlin. She has no interest. One day, she goes to the club, where drug trade fluorisches. There, she meets a bit older Detlef who is addicted to heroin. The girl starts from inhaling white powder, but later sinks deeper and deeper into addiction. When the money runs out, she becomes a street prostitute. 

Natja Brunckhorst as Christiane F. in We Children from Bahnhof Zoo (1981)

Christiane's parents were to enrich themselves at their own marriage bureau, she was to be a good student... But everything came different. Also the two-hour interview with the German weekly Stern unexpectedly turned into two months of talks with journalists. 
Gradually, without further ado, the girl acquaints a reader with the drug world. She doesn't edify, but simply tells her experiences, in a certain sense seeks absolution for mistakes of the past. We Children from Bahnhof Zoo is a reportage about people and so strong emotions that after reading it, you want to find out some more information about the author's life nowadays. 
The book contains quite expanded documentation, e.g. authentic photographs, copies of official papers.

Felscherinow had had her first experience with heroin at David Bowie concert. In 1981 Uli Edel directed the movie Christiane F. - We Children from Bahnhof Zoo. Bowie appeared in a few scenes and wrote most songs from the soundtrack. 

Was fate of children from Bahnhof Zoo a foregone conlusion? That's a difficult question to answer. I think they got lost, but no less than the other (adult) characters in the book. Drugs became a solution to all their problems, but they didn't take after-effects into account. In my opinion We Children from Bahnhof Zoo is very interesting, very exciting and also the very sad story. Gripping, moving, sometimes shocking. Definitely worth reading. 

The amazing combination of music by Clams Casino and scenes from the movie Lost In The New York (1989).