The book presents the story of Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, whose birth name was Lothar Berfelde, a German transgender woman and museum curator who gained fame for her efforts in preserving and documenting the cultural history of the GDR (German Democratic Republic) during the Cold War era.
She was born on March 18, 1928, in Berlin, Germany, and died on April 30, 2002.
Charlotte von Mahlsdorf survived the Nazi regime and later the oppressive East German regime. She openly identified as a transgender woman and became known for her unique museum, the Gründerzeit Museum, which housed a collection of everyday objects from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The museum was located in Mahlsdorf, a district of Berlin.
Her life and achievements became widely known through the play "I Am My Own Wife" by Doug Wright, which premiered in 2003. The play, based on interviews with Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony Award for Best Play in 2004. The play explores themes of identity, survival, and the impact of political regimes on individual lives.
