Nach Paris! Roman

A young scholar enjoys a leisurely summer at his family’s Harz estate, savoring long afternoons of cigarette smoke, river fishing, and wandering the picturesque streets of Halle. He basks in the camaraderie of bustling market stalls, the chatter of professors, and the familiar weight of his favorite books—from Goethe to Nietzsche—while proudly displaying a fresh scar as a badge of his university life. The tranquil routine is punctuated by light‑hearted encounters with locals, playful teasing of his sisters, and the simple pleasures of good food and beer.

When the war erupts, his world shifts dramatically. He meets a German officer, a modest man who has already endured two wounds and imprisonment after the brutal fighting at Verdun. The officer shares the longing he feels for his family in Prussia and his hope of reuniting with his fiancée, while the narrator records these raw recollections in his own voice. Their conversation offers a vivid glimpse into the early hardships of the conflict, setting the stage for a journey that will carry their stories far beyond the Harz hills.