German Lesson

Of course this book is about duty. Also about adolescence. Also about art. Everyone in the book has a duty to something. Siggi is a great character and seeing the world through his eyes makes one think about their own duties, makes one wonder when to face them and when to see that they are wrong. I really enjoyed this book because to me it wasn't so much about the Nazi time, but about censorship and the duty to do art.This is a book that if you like history, Germany, art or just a really good story you should read. It appeals to both sexes too.

A young pupil in post-war germany, Siggi Jepsen, is forced to write an article, because he failed in the german lesson. The theme is: The joy of duty. When thinking of duty, he is forced to think about his father, a police officer. During the Nazi Era, the so called "forbidden art" was removed by state forces. Jepsens father, in his urge to do his duty, whatever it may be, not asking about the consequences, does, whatever he has to do. Young Siggi Jepsen (10 years old) has another thinking of duty. He thinks, his duty is to preserve the paintings of the "forbidden art" of the artist Nansen and tries to conceil those sympathies from his father. This more or less silent conflict about duty is the intruiging part about the book.what is the duty of man? What is the reaction of a small countryside town of the northernmost germany to the cruel Nazi-era? What are "normal people" like in extreme situations? This is described in Lenz'book in a very silent, innerflecting way.

What can I say about this this book, apart from that it is an absolute must for anybody who is interested in Germany. Beautifully written, with strong characters that cover the whole spectrum of the German society. In my eyes within the top ten books ever.