“We still have a lot to sort out”. An interview with Holger Schlageter, author of “Unter deutschen Betten. Eine polnische Putzfrau packt aus” (“Beneath German beds. A Polish cleaning lady reveals all”)

PP: How did you compile the material for the book?

HS: I conducted a lot of interviews, gathered people’s stories, and did research. Among the cleaning ladies, I had one main source who also gathered stories from her colleagues and passed them on to me. I decided to write under a pseudonym to bring the whole thing alive and make it more direct. I also wrote in a simple, humorous style in order to reach as many readers as possible. I wasn’t interested in writing a sermon; I wanted to lend a voice to a fictitious, typical cleaning lady.

PP: What features did you take into account when you created “Justyna Polanska”?

HS: I based her on the cleaning lady who was my main source. She’s a smart, dynamic, tough person, who is a keen observer and doesn’t get easily offended. But of course, she’s a fictitious character. The language already gives it away: this isn’t the kind of German that the Polish cleaning ladies spoke. 

PP: Could you perhaps be accused, at least today, of cultural appropriation? You used a topic to write a book that isn’t your own and made money from it.

HS: Of course, it’s obvious that I’ve made myself open to criticism. I shared half of all the profits from the book with the woman who inspired “Justyna”. Like so many other cleaning ladies, she wouldn’t have been able to write the book herself, and in all probability, she would never have had the idea to do so. And I wouldn’t have been able to write it without cleaning ladies like her. I see it as a win-win situation and not as yet more exploitation. 

PP: How did the Polish cleaning ladies react to the book?

HS: Their response was very, very positive. Many of them were simply super happy to read it and to show it to their relatives, friends and acquaintances. A lot of them told me that it made them proud and that they were grateful. That was great to hear. 

PP: Was the overall reaction just as positive?

HS: Actually, it was. The book was published just at the right time and it hit a nerve. I was given a lot of encouragement from people in Germany and Poland, and got some really good feedback. Even on social media, at least 80 percent of people’s comments were positive. The other 20 percent were along the lines of “These stupid cleaners shouldn’t make such a fuss. If they don’t like it, they should clear off back to Poland.” Unfortunately, sentiments like these were only to be expected. They reflect the kind of narrow-mindedness that is also described in the book.