Three Comrades
First published 1936 · German · 497 pages
- Novels
- Historical fiction
- War
- Love and romance
Set in Germany around 1928 to 1930, this novel follows three veterans of the First World War who run a struggling car repair shop. Their friendship is tested by poverty, the unstable economy and rising political violence in the streets. One of them, Robert Lohkamp, falls in love with Patricia Hollmann, a fragile young woman whose illness shadows their happiness. The book blends tenderness, dry humour and sadness, showing how loyalty and love can matter most when the world around seems to be breaking apart.
Quotes
Birthdays weigh heavily on one's self-esteem. Early in the morning especially.
"Karl," we christened him—Karl, the Road Spook
Keep things at arm's length, Köster used to say. If you let anything come too near you want to hold on to it. And there is nothing a man can hold on to.
Modesty and conscientiousness receive their reward only in novels. In life they are exploited and then shoved aside.