“The past is never dead. It’s not even past.”
Chapter 1: The Faehmel Family Reunion
The novel opens on September 6, 1958, as Robert Faehmel, a reserved architect, meets his father Heinrich, a once-celebrated architect now in decline. The day marks the 80th birthday of Heinrich, bringing together three generations of the Faehmel family in post-war Germany. Robert’s ritualistic daily billiards game at the Prince Heinrich Hotel introduces his detached demeanor, hinting at deeper trauma.
Chapter 2: Heinrich’s Past
Flashbacks reveal Heinrich’s early career, his design of the Abbey of St. Anthony (a symbol of pre-war idealism), and his complicated relationship with his son Robert. The narrative contrasts Heinrich’s artistic pride with the looming shadow of Nazism, which would later fracture the family.
Chapter 3: Robert’s War Trauma
Robert’s WWII experiences as a soldier who refused to blow up the Abbey (despite orders) unfold. His friendship with Schrella, a persecuted schoolmate, and his marriage to Edith—who died in a bombing—highlight his emotional scars. His present-day isolation stems from these losses.
Chapter 4: The Next Generation
Joseph, Robert’s son, struggles with his grandfather’s legacy while navigating 1950s Germany. His romance with Marianne, a waitress, symbolizes tentative hope. Meanwhile, Hugo, a former Nazi turned hotel employee, embodies Germany’s unresolved guilt, creating tension with Robert.
Chapter 5: The Abbey’s Legacy
The Abbey of St. Anthony becomes a focal point: Heinrich built it, Robert saved it, and Joseph questions its meaning. A gathering at the Abbey forces confrontations about complicity, resistance, and the weight of history.
Chapter 6: Revelations and Reckonings
Heinrich admits his passive collaboration with the regime. Schrella returns, reopening old wounds. Robert finally shares his war story with Joseph, bridging their generational divide. The family acknowledges their fractured past but finds fragile unity.
Chapter 7: The Birthday and Beyond
Heinrich’s birthday party becomes a microcosm of Germany’s moral ambiguity. Robert plays one last billiards game, symbolizing his acceptance of the past. The novel ends ambiguously, with Joseph and Marianne looking toward an uncertain future.
Key Ideas
- The psychological toll of war and dictatorship on individuals and families
- The intergenerational transmission of guilt and trauma
- Moral ambiguity in the face of political oppression
- Architecture as a metaphor for national identity
- The struggle to reconcile personal and collective history
Who should read this book?
- Readers interested in post-war German literature and history
- Those exploring themes of memory, guilt, and reconciliation
- Fans of layered, non-linear narratives with psychological depth