Wolfgang Koeppen (1906–1996)

I’ve had this book on the shelf for awhile. Reason to read it now is that is is the BOTM for March 2022 in Reading 1001. This book is a post WWII novel by German author Wolfgang Koeppen. It was published in 1953 (my birth year). The main character is a person who managed to avoid being a soldier in WWII and has now returned and is in politics. The story describes the political nuances of Germany after the war. The main character is also grieving the death of his wife who was a victim of the war having lost both her parents. I found the novel difficult to engage.

Quotes:
Pg. 133 “…in the way that metropolises take a man out of his neighborhood and make him alone,…”

I suspect that this novel does belong on the 1001 Books list, nevertheless, it was a chore to read and worked well to initiate sleep. I’m glad I finally read it and I hope to never read it again (tho I agree a reread would probably be helpful). I think as a novel that discusses politics it is probably pretty accurate, I also think the author’s look at war, the profits of war, the profits of commercialism, and the depiction of the “happy family” were elements that were good. Parts of the book reminded me of James Joyce. It is mostly SOC. The mood of the novel is dark, sense of failure, and hopeless.… (more)

You won't enjoy this if you're looking for 'three dimensional characters,' and you won't enjoy it if you're looking for anything about Rome: someone is dying in Rome because it's like dying in Venice, except it's the seat of empire. If you're willing to tread the line between actual human beings and symbols of German history, on the other hand, this is a very moving novel, very well translated and rather insightful. The ex (sic)-Nazi Judejahn is too bad to be true, but, on the other hand, Nazism was too bad to be true; his family includes a priest (desperately trying to purify himself for his youth in Hitler's school); a composer (trying to flee his youth...); a politician (trying to cover up his Nazi past, but not too much, because really, they were mostly right...); a conformist (who wants Germany to be great and misses the old greatness but, on the other hand, really would like a well-paying job); and Judejahn's wife, surely one of the most appalling characters in all of modern fiction--more Nazi than Himmler, if you like. These character-symbols wander around Rome and struggle with their historical situation in various ways. There are a few pointless formal tricks (paragraphs that don't end in a full stop!!! WOW!!!!), but this is a serious, well-formed, discomforting book.… (more)