Wenn Landsleute sich begegnen, und andere Novellen

In a small provincial town, Leonie Wilten’s quiet evening is interrupted by the arrival of Dr. Erdmann and his sister, whose car has broken down on the frosty March road. Grandfather Neuhaus, ever wary of automobiles, welcomes them into the warm kitchen where a table already set with fresh snowdrop bouquets awaits. As the guests settle, the cramped room fills with laughter, stories, and the clatter of a hastily repaired carriage, turning an inconvenience into an unexpected gathering.

During the meal, Leonie is drawn to the doctor’s thin white scar, a detail that awakens a vague memory she cannot place. When the conversation turns to hometowns, the word “Landsleute” – fellow countrymen – hangs in the air, and a sudden flash of a long‑forgotten encounter stirs within her. The novella follows Leonie’s gentle probing of this mystery, exploring how a chance encounter can reopen old feelings and reveal hidden connections.