Introduction to Alexandra Fröhlich
A lot is still unknown about the death of the 58-year-old German author Alexandra Fröhlich. Fröhlich was found dead on a houseboat on April 22nd, which was moored along the wooden port air in the Hamburg district of Moorfleet, where she lived. Since then, the police have confirmed that "blunt force trauma" led to her death; they are treating the case as a murder. No suspects have yet been publicly named.
Early Writing Career
In her first novels, Fröhlich drew inspiration from her failed marriage with a Russian. Her breakout debut, "My Russian Mother-in-Law and other Disasters," was published in 2012 by Knaur. The semi-autobiographical comedy tells the story of a pragmatic German lawyer, Paula, who falls in love with a Russian man and is quickly drawn into the unpredictable world of his arrogant mother. The novel sold over 50,000 copies in Germany and landed on the bestseller list.
Literary Success
Fröhlich released a sequel, "Travel with Russians," in 2014, in which Paula travels to Kyiv to reconcile with her alienated husband Artjom, only to find out that he has disappeared mysteriously. The novel was described as a humorous work that is part road trip and part meditation on identity. Like its predecessor, the novel was based on Fröhlich’s personal experience as a former wife of a Russian man.
Exploring Family Dynamics
With her third book, "Always Died," published by Penguin Verlag in 2016, Fröhlich offered a family saga wrapped into a crime novel. The story focuses on the 91-year-old Agnes Weisgut, the matriarch of a stone family. "Death was Agnes’ business," says the blurb of the book. The aging woman decides to make a complete confession of the secrets of her life before dying. While the book deals with the trauma of the generation of war in East Prussia, it was also praised for its "quirky humor."
Journalism Career
Before Fröhlich became a full-time novelist, she also worked as an editor-in-chief for various women’s magazines. According to her biographies, she began her career as a journalist in Kyiv, where she founded a women’s magazine during the early post-Soviet era.
Legacy
Fröhlich leaves behind three sons. Her novels have been praised for their unique blend of humor and insight into family dynamics. Her writing often explored the complexities of cross-cultural relationships and the transmission of trauma across generations.
