When they narrowly escaped the Third Reich and found refuge in Britain, Peter Gumbel’s parents and grandparents cast off their German Jewish heritage to become a perfectly British family. Cricket, Marmite and Church of England. Two generations later, deeply unsettled by Brexit, Gumbel reaches out to Germany again in search of a new passport – and a reckoning with history. In conversation with Isabelle Roughol, Gumbel explores the fragility of identity and who we still are when we can no longer recognize the nations we call home. It’s the story of one family and the story of Europe. Show notes: 00:00 Intro01:47 "Home is where I am"03:14 From the Third Reich to Cool Britannia06:35 How Brexit tore through his identity07:56 Choosing a new passport11:21 Coming to terms with a German Jewish heritage15:10 How identity diverges within a single family 17:09 Reconnecting (or not) with a Jewish identity22:57 How to become a Borderline member24:06 His relationship with Britain since Brexit29:26 Could this all happen again?32:08 OutroSources:Citizens of Everywhere: Searching for Identity in the Age of Brexit, by Peter Gumbel. Haus Publishing, London, 2020.📬 Read, join & support on Substack | 🍎 Listen on Apple Podcasts | 🎧 Listen on Spotify | 📺 Watch on YouTube | ⭐️ Support on Patreon | 🌍 borderlinepod.com
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