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Süß und ehrenvoll
Frankfurt am Main, 1914. Bürgersohn Ludwig kann nach Kriegsausbruch seine Einberufung kaum erwarten, obwohl der Dienst an der Front die Trennung von seiner geliebten Karoline bedeutet. Als deutscher Soldat fühlt er sich endlich voll akzeptiert und will sich für sein Vaterland auszeichnen. Bordeaux, ebenfalls 1914. Der Bäckerssohn Louis wird mit der deutschen Kriegserklärung aus einer unbeschwerten Rekrutenzeit gerissen. Trotz aller Ängste schreibt er stolz seinem Vater, an der Front könne er dem französischen Volk endlich zurückzahlen, was es für ihn getan habe. Inmitten der Grauen des Ersten Weltkriegs werden die beiden jüdischen Protagonisten einander zum Schicksal werden. Auf der Grundlage zahlreicher historischer Dokumente hat Avi Primor einen Roman geschrieben, der unter die Haut geht - über die erste Liebe, über die Absurdität des Krieges, über die Suche nach Zugehörigkeit. Eine ergreifende, große Geschichte, wie sie in Deutschland noch niemand zu schreiben gewagt hat.
383 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2013
About the author
Avi Primor
16 booksAvraham "Avi" Primor is an Israeli publicist and former diplomat.
From 1987 to 1993, he served as Ambassador to the European Union, and from 1993 to 1999 as Ambassador to Germany.
From 1987 to 1993, he served as Ambassador to the European Union, and from 1993 to 1999 as Ambassador to Germany.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
June 19, 2014
The 100th anniversary of the beginning of WW 1 has resulted in a new wave of books on any number of related topics, whether nonfiction or fiction. Among the latter the novel by Avi Primor stands out for its sensitive telling of a human interest story, a story that shines a light on a little known or discussed subject: the involvement of Jewish soldiers on all sides of war. Written in Hebrew, translated into German in 2013, Avi Primor, Israel's former Ambassador to Germany (1993 to 1999) has placed two young men into the novel's centre: Ludwig, son of a respected Jewish-German medical doctor in Frankfurt and Louis, son of a Jewish-French baker in Bordeaux. Raised to identify strongly with their respective home country, both volunteer for their national army in 1914. Both are filled with pride and patriotism, committed to the task and their comrades.
In alternating sections, Avi Primor explores the parallels as well as the noticeable differences in Louis and Ludwig's experiences and treatments, from the first military training through the intense trench combat and, in the case of Ludwig, placement at the Eastern front as well. Told in part through their letters to loved ones and accounts of visits home, we learn about much more than the often haunting day to day survival on the battle fields; we are invited to share, separately of course, important events in the two young men's lives among their families, get to know the important loves of their lives, and, imagine with them their hopes for a future after the war that "must surely end soon". The surprise encounter between the two protagonists seems initially like a convenient coincidence. Its importance will become evident later on.
In his telling of the young men's stories Avi Primor balances the highly personal with the wider socio-political. Basing himself on many contemporary sources, he combines the two distinct, deeply moving love stories, set against the brutality of combat action with a thorough exploration of the very different conditions Jewish soldiers found themselves in within the ranks of French and German armies. While Ludwig was only vaguely aware of discrimination against Jewish-German soldiers, such as prevention for them to advance to the officer rank, the military leadership demanded in 1916 an official census of the number and positions of Jews in service, the so-called "Judenzaehlung". An official investigation was undertaken, the 1916 "Judenzaehlung", counting the active Jewish participation in the military actions of the war. While Primor only touches on this important aspect in the novel, as the antisemitic tendencies were little noticeable among the rank and file or their superiors on the battlefields. Ludwig's reality in Frankfurt tells a very different story. Any reader of this novel will feel motivated if not compelled to read more about this census, its motivation and fallout that fundamentally influenced Germany in the postwar years and beyond.
In alternating sections, Avi Primor explores the parallels as well as the noticeable differences in Louis and Ludwig's experiences and treatments, from the first military training through the intense trench combat and, in the case of Ludwig, placement at the Eastern front as well. Told in part through their letters to loved ones and accounts of visits home, we learn about much more than the often haunting day to day survival on the battle fields; we are invited to share, separately of course, important events in the two young men's lives among their families, get to know the important loves of their lives, and, imagine with them their hopes for a future after the war that "must surely end soon". The surprise encounter between the two protagonists seems initially like a convenient coincidence. Its importance will become evident later on.
In his telling of the young men's stories Avi Primor balances the highly personal with the wider socio-political. Basing himself on many contemporary sources, he combines the two distinct, deeply moving love stories, set against the brutality of combat action with a thorough exploration of the very different conditions Jewish soldiers found themselves in within the ranks of French and German armies. While Ludwig was only vaguely aware of discrimination against Jewish-German soldiers, such as prevention for them to advance to the officer rank, the military leadership demanded in 1916 an official census of the number and positions of Jews in service, the so-called "Judenzaehlung". An official investigation was undertaken, the 1916 "Judenzaehlung", counting the active Jewish participation in the military actions of the war. While Primor only touches on this important aspect in the novel, as the antisemitic tendencies were little noticeable among the rank and file or their superiors on the battlefields. Ludwig's reality in Frankfurt tells a very different story. Any reader of this novel will feel motivated if not compelled to read more about this census, its motivation and fallout that fundamentally influenced Germany in the postwar years and beyond.
January 21, 2019
A very interesting topic portraying two jewish soldiers in WWI - one on the German and one on the French side. Both eager to serve their country and puzzled to see jewish soldiers among the enemy showing how insane and ridiculous war is and how difficult to identify which side you're on.
From the historic perspective I learned new insights on how "normal" anti-Semitic thoughts were in Germany and France already in those days, how eager the Jewish minority was struggeling to be accepted as a loyal community - and even though the book end with a forgiving gesture between leading generals and the jewish communities in both countries we know from history that these gestures were nothing but lip service and nothing to rely on...
As important as I feel the book and especially the topic are - the diappointed I was about how it was written and how uninspired the story was told.
From the historic perspective I learned new insights on how "normal" anti-Semitic thoughts were in Germany and France already in those days, how eager the Jewish minority was struggeling to be accepted as a loyal community - and even though the book end with a forgiving gesture between leading generals and the jewish communities in both countries we know from history that these gestures were nothing but lip service and nothing to rely on...
As important as I feel the book and especially the topic are - the diappointed I was about how it was written and how uninspired the story was told.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews