WWII and Postwar Germany in Graphic Novels: Interview with Hannah Brinkmann
How the German artist turns real lives and hidden history into powerful comics.
I recently attended the WWII-themed comics exhibition I Will Not Be Silent! Drawn Memory in Comics, in Wiesbaden, featuring artists Nora Krug, Hannah Brinkmann, Birgit Weyhe, and Tobias Dahmen. Having recently reviewed Krug’s memoir Heimat, I was already familiar with her work. But it was Hannah Brinkmann’s pieces—drawn from her two graphic novels, Gegen mein Gewissen (Against My Conscience) and Zeit heilt keine Wunden (Time Heals No Wounds)—that truly stood out. Her storytelling and illustration not only captivate but also confront Germany’s complex postwar history with unflinching honesty. As someone deeply engaged with WWII graphic memoirs, I knew I had to speak with her.
I connected with Brinkmann via Zoom to discuss her two published works, the family tragedy and judicial injustices that inspired them, her contribution to the October 7 anthology Wie Geht Es Dir?, and her ongoing exploration of Germany’s difficult legacy. She also spoke about the artists who have shaped her approach, particularly Rutu Modan, whose research-driven process she admires and models in her own work. Neither of Brinkmann’s books has yet appeared in English, though the first has been published in French, and she hopes they will reach English-speaking audiences one day.
“I Always Wrote Stories”
Brinkmann’s journey into comics began in Hamburg, where she studied illustration. “I always wrote stories and was interested in non-fiction,” she recalled. “I wanted to be a journalist for a while. Then I realized I could combine drawing and writing through comics.”
Though she hadn’t read many graphic novels at the time—mostly Tintin—her perspective shifted when she took a class with comics artist Anke Feuchtenberger. That’s where she began work on what would become her debut, Gegen mein Gewissen.
The Family Tragedy That Became a National Story
Gegen mein Gewissen centers on Brinkmann’s uncle Hermann, who tragically took his own life while serving in the West German military in the 1970s. As a conscientious objector, Hermann faced a flawed system that required young men to prove their pacifism—often in front of judges with Nazi pasts. “It was a quote from the constitution,” Brinkmann explained, “but it was twisted in practice. These trials were often random and ideologically driven.”
What began as a personal family story grew into a broader investigation. “It was a family secret, but when I started asking questions, people talked. Then I found Hermann’s political obituary. That opened up a whole other layer—it connected his suicide directly to his objection.”
The book took six years to complete, spanning Brinkmann’s bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Visually restrained yet emotionally raw, it draws influence from artists like Rutu Modan, Daniel Clowes, Chris Ware, and David B.
Uncovering Continuity in Zeit heilt keine Wunden (Time Heals No Wounds)
Her second book stemmed from the unsettling continuity between the Nazi-era justice system and postwar West Germany.
Initially intrigued by the Nuremberg Trials, Brinkmann struggled to find an entry point until she discovered Ernst Grube—a Jewish survivor imprisoned after the war for his communist beliefs. “He had been imprisoned three times. His trial in the late ’50s was a complete inversion of justice,” she said. The judge presiding over his case was a former Nazi.
The book tells both Ernst’s story and that of the judge who sentenced him, tracing the latter’s uninterrupted career from the Third Reich into the democratic Federal Republic. Published by Avant Verlag, the work is a natural progression from her debut, but also more collaborative and professional—commissioned from the outset.
The Weight of Research, the Precision of Art
Brinkmann’s approach is inspired by artists she admires, including Rutu Modan. Modan has described her own process as research first, then writing a full script, and finally laying out the pages with rough sketches. “One thing that sets me apart is how seriously I take the research phase,” Brinkmann said. “I fill notebooks with notes, connections, and questions—this is where the artistic images begin to emerge.” Even when collaborating with writers, she insists on doing her own deep research. “I need to fully understand the story to be able to draw it.”
Germany’s Graphic Novel Landscape—and a Publisher That Cares
Both of Brinkmann’s books were published by Avant Verlag, a small but influential German publisher. “They’re not a big house—just a few people. But I like that. It gives you creative freedom,” she said.
Her relationship with Avant began at the Erlangen Comic Festival in 2013. “I walked up to their booth and thought, ‘If I ever publish a book, I want it to be with them.’ A few years later, they reached out.”
Avant continues to champion German voices in comics—a rare feat in a market flooded with translated works. “They give German artists a real platform,” Brinkmann emphasized.
On October 7th and How Are You?
Brinkmann’s most recent work appears in the anthology Wie Geht Es Dir? (How Are You?)—a response to the trauma of the October 7 Hamas attacks and the subsequent rise in antisemitism and Islamophobia—published by Avant Verlag.
Though not Jewish herself—she was raised Catholic—Brinkmann has close ties to Israel through her aunt and spent a semester studying in Tel Aviv. “When October 7 happened, I didn’t want to just repost something online. It felt too impersonal,” she said.
Artist Barbara Yelin (Irmina) invited her to join a group creating a collective response. “We decided to simply ask: How are you? We started by interviewing people close to us—I began with my aunt. Eventually, we interviewed 60 people. Some Jewish, some Muslim, all deeply affected.” Yelin, meanwhile, interviewed Emmi Arbel and two others for the book.
On the Wiesbaden Exhibition
The Wiesbaden exhibition came about through Birgit Weyhe, one of Brinkmann’s professors and an early supporter of her first book. “She mentioned my books—Ernst’s story and mine—as fitting for the theme,” Brinkmann said.
“It was really special because Ernst came to the opening, and we did a talk together in front of the artwork. He’s 93, yet he traveled all this way and was so supportive. The whole opening was deeply meaningful with him there. We also had two readings during the exhibition.”
Tobias Dahmen’s work, which focuses on Syria and the Assad regime, extended the exhibition’s dialogue into the present.
History, Identity, and What Comes Next
Brinkmann’s work is part of a growing wave of graphic novelists wrestling with the long shadows of 20th-century history. From Nora Krug’s Heimat to Barbara Yelin and beyond, a collective reckoning is unfolding—one panel at a time.
She recently spent a day with Krug during a Yale-organized workshop on survivor narratives. “Her work is so thoughtful,” Brinkmann reflected. “She explores the identity questions I ask myself, too.”
Looking ahead, Brinkmann is working on a contemporary project about the German political system but remains committed to history. “There are so many untold stories in Germany’s past,” she said. “I’ll keep coming back to them.”
A Note on Translation
Neither Gegen mein Gewissen (Against My Conscience) nor Zeit heilt keine Wunden (Time Heals No Wounds) has yet been published in English. The first has appeared in French, and the second is currently being translated by Brinkmann’s longtime French-speaking editor.
Given their universal themes—justice, memory, resistance—these books would undoubtedly resonate with English-speaking audiences. As a fan and fellow chronicler of WWII history, I sincerely hope that day comes soon.
Interview by Jonathan Sandler, Author of THE ENGLISH GI: WORLD WAR II GRAPHIC MEMOIR OF A YORKSHIRE SCHOOLBOY’S ADVENTURES IN THE UNITED STATES AND EUROPE published in April 2022.