Dog Years

“Memory likes to play hide-and-seek, to crawl away. It tends to hold forth, to dress up, often needlessly. Memory contradicts itself; pedant that it is, it will have its way.”

Dog Years by Günter Grass is a sprawling, fragmented novel divided into three books, each narrated by different characters who recount their intertwined lives before, during, and after World War II in Germany. The story weaves together myth, history, and personal memory, exploring themes of guilt, complicity, and the lingering scars of war.

Book One: Early Years

The first section is narrated by Harry Liebenau, who reminisces about his childhood in Danzig (now Gdańsk) during the rise of Nazism. He recalls his friendship with Walter Matern, a rebellious boy, and their shared fascination with a black dog named Perkun. The narrative blends folklore with the ominous political climate, as Hitler’s influence grows and the boys’ innocence erodes.

Book Two: War Years

Walter Matern takes over as narrator, recounting his experiences as a soldier in the war. His account is chaotic, filled with violence, betrayal, and moral ambiguity. The black dog, now a symbol of both loyalty and destruction, reappears in different forms. Matern grapples with his own complicity in Nazi atrocities, though he never fully acknowledges his guilt.

Book Three: Post-War Years

The final section is narrated by an omniscient voice, shifting between perspectives as it follows Matern and Liebenau in post-war Germany. Matern, now a disillusioned actor, embarks on a vengeful quest against former Nazis, while Liebenau becomes a writer, struggling to reconcile memory with truth. The black dog’s legacy persists, embodying Germany’s unresolved past.

Key Ideas

• The unreliability of memory and history
• Collective guilt and moral ambiguity in post-war Germany
• The persistence of myth and symbolism in shaping identity
• The destructive and redemptive power of storytelling
• The cyclical nature of violence and trauma