Der Untertan

In a provincial German town at the turn of the century, a shy boy named Diederich grows up under the shadow of an imposing father who blends hard work with an iron sense of duty. The household hums with the clatter of a paper mill, the smells of rag‑filled factories, and the weight of expectations that turn even innocent mischief into a test of loyalty. Diederich’s world is populated by stern fathers, meddling mothers, and a community that watches every slip as a moral failing.

Through the eyes of this uneasy child, the story sketches the uneasy balance between fear and affection, the small betrayals that stir a restless conscience, and the early stirrings of a personality that will later mirror the larger forces shaping his nation. Listeners will find a richly detailed portrait of family, class, and the quiet cravings for approval that drive a generation toward both conformity and rebellion.