The Berlin Stories

The Berlin Stories (1945) is a collection of two novellas by Christopher Isherwood. Mr. Norris Changes Train was originally published in 1935, while Goodbye, Berlin was published in 1939. Goodbye, Berlin was adapted into the Broadway play I Am a Camera in 1951, which then went on to be further adapted into two films. It later served as the inspiration for the award-winning musical Cabaret. In 2010, The Berlin Stories was chosen as one of Time magazine’s 100 Best English Language Novels of the Twentieth Century.

Both stories are set in Berlin, Germany in the 1930s as Adolph Hitler rises to power. They concern expatriates living in the city and interacting with the colorful people there. In the first story, Mr. Norris Changes Trains, the narrator is a young man named William who meets an intriguing character Arthur Norris on a train. Arthur takes a liking to the narrator and befriends him, inviting him to a New Year’s event that turns out to be a sex party. William does not offer up judgment or any strong feelings one way or the other as the party descends into an orgy. However, he is eager to continue his friendship with Arthur.

Arthur reveals his intention to become a Communist. He gives several well-received speeches but is shortly afterward called into questioning by the police. William accompanies him to the interview, and then to the debriefing by the Communist party, where he realizes that the Communists do not trust either of them but are willing to use them.



Shortly afterward, Arthur leaves Berlin in a hurry, presumably because he has gotten into trouble with the Nazi party. However, he returns soon after, now in contact with Margot, a mysterious Frenchwoman. With a seemingly bottomless supply of money, Arthur sets to work getting back into the good graces of his old friends in Berlin.

Soon Ludwig Bayer, the leader of the Communists in Berlin, informs William that Arthur has been caught spying for the French. Pursued by both the Communists and the Nazis, Arthur flees Berlin. The Nazis eliminate most of the Communists, though William escapes to England. He continues to receive despondent notes from Arthur, who is on the run from Nazi spies and assassins.

The second story, Goodbye Berlin, follows the fortunes of several people living in Berlin who are particularly vulnerable to Nazi intimidation and oppression. The story begins in 1930, with a description of the cabaret The Troika and the nearby boarding house where many of the employees and performers live. The Troika is a bustling, hedonistic place, where the staff tends to have a laid-back attitude but spring into action when it is required of them.



Christopher, the narrator of the story, meets young American singer Sally Bowles who works at The Troika. She dates wealthy older men, with the ambition of becoming a famous actor. Christopher befriends her, and together, they have adventures with several con artists in Berlin, their close friendship surviving all obstacles.

For a short period, Christopher moves to a guesthouse so he can get work done on a novel. There he meets Peter and Otto, a neurotic gay couple. Peter is the depressive son of British aristocrats. Otto tries to cheer him up, often by bullying him out of his dark moods. When the couple leaves the guesthouse, Otto steals clothing and money from Christopher. He is annoyed at first but soon realizes that he misses the men in spite of that.

After he returns to Berlin, Christopher looks up Otto and finds him living in a tiny, squalid apartment with his family. Christopher strikes up a friendship with Otto, even accompanying Otto to visit his sick sister in the sanitarium. Eventually, Otto moves in with a wealthy woman who takes care of all his needs.



Christopher gets a job teaching English to Natalia Landauer, a wealthy Jewish heiress. Natalia’s cousin Bernhard manages the Landauer’s department store. He takes an immediate liking to Christopher and the two become friends. Bernhard invites Christopher to leave Germany with him. Christopher plays along, thinking it is a joke, but when he realizes that Bernhard is serious, he refuses to go with him. Soon after, Bernhard begins receiving threatening letters from the Nazis, and Christopher later learns that he has been murdered. Natalia and the rest of her family escape to France.

In 1933, Christopher is ready to leave Berlin. He travels around the city with his friends visiting places that will soon be destroyed. These include a gay nightclub, a Communist meeting, and The Troika. He reflects on how he loves the city of Berlin and cannot believe what is happening to it now that the Nazis have come to power.