Erika Mann and her brother Klaus Mann were the oldest children of renowned German author Thomas Mann; while the siblings strove to earn the love and approval of their father, the elder Mann was a cold and distant person, and Erika and Klaus came to depend upon each other for the emotional support they did not receive from their parents -- so much so that they often referred to themselves as twins, even though they were actually born a year apart. As they grew to adulthood, Klaus went on to a successful career as a writer, and Erika also distinguished herself in literature while making a name for herself as an actress. The Mann siblings were also outspoken pacifists and anti-fascists, and both were homosexual, two factors which would complicate their lives in Europe in the 1930s, with little respite when Erika emigrated to England and Klaus to the United States. Escape to Life: The Erika and Klaus Mann Story combines vintage photographs, a rare interview with Erika Mann, and dramatic re-creations of events from the lives of Klaus and Erika, as well as readings from their works by Vanessa Redgrave and Corin Redgrave.
by Mark Deming
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