Fiction

The Oppermanns

The Oppermanns

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  • Create Date：2022-10-08 02:19:36
  • Update Date：2025-09-15
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Lion Feuchtwanger
  • ISBN：B09RY4P7TM
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Summary

First published in 1934 but fully imagining the future of Germany over the ensuing years， The Oppermanns tells the compelling story of a remarkable German Jewish family confronted by Hitler's rise to power。 Compared to works by Voltaire and Zola on its original publication， this prescient novel strives to awaken an often unsuspecting， sometimes politically naive， or else willfully blind world to the consequences of its stance in the face of national events -- in this case， the rising tide of Nazism in 1930s Germany。 The past and future meet in the saga of the Oppermanns， for three generations a family commercially well established in Berlin。 In assimilated citizens like them， the emancipated Jew in Germany has become a fact。 In a Berlin inhabited by troops in brown shirts， however， the Oppermanns have more to fear than an alien discomfort。 For along with the swastikas and fascist salutes come discrimination， deceit， betrayal， and a tragedy that history has proved to be as true as this novel's astonishing， profoundly moving tale。

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Reviews

Gayle Gordon ，

This was an amazing read。 It grabbed me from the start and I couldn't put it down。 It's fascinating to read a novel written and set in the middle of the rise of fascism in Germany。 The book was very prescient for its time， but also for ours！ I saw too much of today in the author's words。 This may be an old book， but everyone should read it。 This was an amazing read。 It grabbed me from the start and I couldn't put it down。 It's fascinating to read a novel written and set in the middle of the rise of fascism in Germany。 The book was very prescient for its time， but also for ours！ I saw too much of today in the author's words。 This may be an old book， but everyone should read it。 。。。more

Inna Zolotar ，

Роман про вибір між пристосуванством і гідністю в ситуації， коли гідність може коштувати свободи чи життя。 Ппро межу компромісу та власну відповідальність перед країною навіть， коли ти є жертвою режиму。 Виїзжати чи залишитись， бачити， чи робити вигляд， що нічого не відбувається， заступитись чи ні за товариша， коли його цькують через походження？ Важливо， що всі ці питання Ліон Фейхтвангер ставить перед читачем у 1933-му， коли все лише починалось， і точно ще ніхто не знав， чим завершиться。 І тема Роман про вибір між пристосуванством і гідністю в ситуації， коли гідність може коштувати свободи чи життя。 Ппро межу компромісу та власну відповідальність перед країною навіть， коли ти є жертвою режиму。 Виїзжати чи залишитись， бачити， чи робити вигляд， що нічого не відбувається， заступитись чи ні за товариша， коли його цькують через походження？ Важливо， що всі ці питання Ліон Фейхтвангер ставить перед читачем у 1933-му， коли все лише починалось， і точно ще ніхто не знав， чим завершиться。 І тема ця досі актуальна тут， в Єропі двадцять першого століття。 Рекомендую！ 。。。more

Lusitanying ，

This is a great novel -- very premonitory and prophetic --， especially as it was written in 1933 and is contemporary to the rise of Nazism in Germany。 From the striking scenes and overall plot we can understand how in 1933 this ideology was already start to underlie and infect different stratums of society; the anti-Semitic feelings and atmosphere were already permeating at every corner。The book is divided in three sections， which are basically past （pre 1933， culminating with Hitler’s proclamat This is a great novel -- very premonitory and prophetic --， especially as it was written in 1933 and is contemporary to the rise of Nazism in Germany。 From the striking scenes and overall plot we can understand how in 1933 this ideology was already start to underlie and infect different stratums of society; the anti-Semitic feelings and atmosphere were already permeating at every corner。The book is divided in three sections， which are basically past （pre 1933， culminating with Hitler’s proclamation as chancellor）， present （1933） and future （forecasting how things would turn out in Germany in the years to come）。We see all this evolution through the eyes of a fictionalized tycoon Jewish family who， at that time， owned the flagship furniture stores in Berlin。The descriptions are quite poignant and vivid。No wonder the author had to flee Germany after 1933， and was listed by the Gestapo as one of their main enemies and a target to take down at all costs。Really a must read from a psychological point of view， to understand how the ideology from a small party took over an entire country。 A lesson for the future。 。。。more

Alla Kovalenko ，

Ось вона історія про те， як добрі люди， в своїй наївності й небажанні зректися зручностей， прогледіли зародження тоталітаризму。 Ця історія повторилась і зараз， тільки цього разу в Росії。

Anna ，

Incredible and incredibly important book。 Captures more viscerally than 1984 （which I recently reread） the insidious yet relentlessly tightening stranglehold of life in a totalitarian dystopia。 Written in real time as Adolf Hitler consolidated power， the book hauntingly prophesies （yet still cannot fully predict the extent of） the doomed fate of Jews， represented here by a well to do Jewish family， in 1930s Germany。 A little known book which should be a must read。

Charlie Egon ，

Eindringliches Portrait einer fiktiven jüdischen， bürgerlichen Familie im Jahr 1933; von Feuchtwanger zwischen Frühjahr und Herbst desselben Jahres geschrieben。

Gerardo Daniel Jiménez ，

Comencé a leer este libro como si fuera una novela más para matar el rato， pero me encuentro con una de las mejores recreaciones estéticas de una crisis política que haya visto en una obra literaria。 No se trata de una narración enteramente alegórica ni psicológica， sino que el estilo， o la composición， equilibra muy bien los distintos ámbitos políticos， históricos， económicos， intelectuales， psicológicos， morales， biográficos， etc。， que se entrecruzan en los personajes y sus circunstancias。 Sin Comencé a leer este libro como si fuera una novela más para matar el rato， pero me encuentro con una de las mejores recreaciones estéticas de una crisis política que haya visto en una obra literaria。 No se trata de una narración enteramente alegórica ni psicológica， sino que el estilo， o la composición， equilibra muy bien los distintos ámbitos políticos， históricos， económicos， intelectuales， psicológicos， morales， biográficos， etc。， que se entrecruzan en los personajes y sus circunstancias。 Sin embargo， esta difícil armonía se cristaliza en una prosa exacta， ágil， clara， que fluye sin mayor esfuerzo。 Más que los hermanos Opperman， me resultó entrañable el microcosmos de personajes que gravita en torno a ellos。 En particular el joven Berthold， ese Werther cuya Carlota fue la verdad。 Al parecer Brecht admiró a Feuchtwanger y trabajó con él， y no me sorprende， esta sola obra trata un negro tema político sin incurrir en ninguna pornografía de la barbarie， ni en sentimentalismos agoreros， ni en reduccionismos ideológicos。 Muy bien。 。。。more

Roman Psota ，

Príbeh zamožnej židovskej rodiny Oppermanovcov pred a po nástupe nacistov k moci。 Feuchtwanger bol Žid žijúci v Berlíne a autentickosť prostredia a atmosféry vtedajšej doby sála z každej vety。 Obavy z príchodu fuhrera a jeho protižidovskych programov sa síce nebrali príliš vážne， ale obozretní židia začali dvíhať varovný prst nad možnými ťažkosťami z blízkej budúcnosti， ktorá， žiaľ， prišla。Je cítiť， že kniha bola napísaná ešte v roku 1933 a autor ani len v najhoršom sne nepredpokladal， aké zvers Príbeh zamožnej židovskej rodiny Oppermanovcov pred a po nástupe nacistov k moci。 Feuchtwanger bol Žid žijúci v Berlíne a autentickosť prostredia a atmosféry vtedajšej doby sála z každej vety。 Obavy z príchodu fuhrera a jeho protižidovskych programov sa síce nebrali príliš vážne， ale obozretní židia začali dvíhať varovný prst nad možnými ťažkosťami z blízkej budúcnosti， ktorá， žiaľ， prišla。Je cítiť， že kniha bola napísaná ešte v roku 1933 a autor ani len v najhoršom sne nepredpokladal， aké zverstvá môžu nasledovať， inak by tak často neopisoval （čím vlastne neustále propagoval） fuhrera a jeho mein kampf。 Štýl bol trochu kostrbaty， ale možno to bolo zapríčinené len prekladom alebo mnou 🙂。 。。。more

Jill ，

It’s hard to believe this was written in 1934。 Such an early accounting of the brutality of the early Hitler years。

Jak60 ，

Yesterday， Today， Tomorrow， the three broad chapters of the book， symbolise the phases of the escalating terror unleashed by the rise of Nazis in Germany。Almost all books on the subject were written after the events， always with the benefit of the historical perspective。 What’s phenomenal about The Oppermanns is that the author wrote the book at the very beginning of the horror; and his ability to describe what was to come makes you shiver。 This book is the standing proof that the statement “I d Yesterday， Today， Tomorrow， the three broad chapters of the book， symbolise the phases of the escalating terror unleashed by the rise of Nazis in Germany。Almost all books on the subject were written after the events， always with the benefit of the historical perspective。 What’s phenomenal about The Oppermanns is that the author wrote the book at the very beginning of the horror; and his ability to describe what was to come makes you shiver。 This book is the standing proof that the statement “I didn’t know， I couldn’t know” is a pitiful lie。The other big quality of the book is the deep humanism of which the author imbibe his protagonists; in a literary period when the figure of the “flawed hero” was not the flavour of the month， we are presented here with a gallery of characters with a rich array of facets: they are brave with moments of cowardice， they have lots of dignity yet they can bow their head， they are strong but not without weaknesses， hypocrites enlightened by flashes of idealism。 Such complex characterisation is amazing for the period。 In particular， the arc of Gustav’s moral evolution along the story （from contemplative epicurean to martyr） is splendidly rendered。 。。。more

Elena Sala ，

Jewish author Lion Feuchtwanger wrote THE OPPERMANNS in 1933， just months after Hitler rose to power。 He wrote this book in exile， in France。The story starts in November 1932。 The Oppermanns are a wealthy， prosperous， cultured Jewish family in the furniture business。 Yet change is in the air。 There is rising unemployment in Germany， there is some evidence of rising antisemitism in the streets and there is a fascist fool called Adolf Hitler saying nasty things， gaining popularity every day。 Yet， Jewish author Lion Feuchtwanger wrote THE OPPERMANNS in 1933， just months after Hitler rose to power。 He wrote this book in exile， in France。The story starts in November 1932。 The Oppermanns are a wealthy， prosperous， cultured Jewish family in the furniture business。 Yet change is in the air。 There is rising unemployment in Germany， there is some evidence of rising antisemitism in the streets and there is a fascist fool called Adolf Hitler saying nasty things， gaining popularity every day。 Yet， the Oppermanns don't feel threatened by these developments。 Lulled by a false sense of security， they think that the Germans are simply too civilized， nobody could really take the grotesque Adolf Hitler， a clown with a Charlie Chaplin moustache， seriously。 However， we know the story: Hitler rises to power in 1933。 The Oppermanns will lose everything: their business， their money， their homes， most of their friends。 As the Nazi laws take hold， many Jews managed to escape， other were trapped inside Germany， many committed suicide。 The novel is narrated from the perspective of various members of the family， their friends and acquaintances。 In this way， Feuchtwanger achieves a realistic representation of the multifarious reactions of the Germans when Hitler finally rose to power。 This is a gripping cautionary novel: it alerts us to the dangers of fascism。 It is premonitory as well， as it anticipates the nightmarish reign of terror that swept over Germany for 12 years。 This novel is included in the DW list of 100 Must Read German Novels。 Highly recommended。 。。。more

Annie Books ，

▪️This was a really good read。 I liked the way the author set it out in three parts entitled Yesterday， Today and Tomorrow; each introduced by wonderful quotations in turn by Goethe， Nietzsche and words from The Talmud， all very poignant。This read was a total immersion experience in the lives of three successful and hardworking brothers in Berlin from November 1932 to late summer 1933， and of their families， friends and fellow humans。It’s a spine chilling encapsulation of that time in history wi ▪️This was a really good read。 I liked the way the author set it out in three parts entitled Yesterday， Today and Tomorrow; each introduced by wonderful quotations in turn by Goethe， Nietzsche and words from The Talmud， all very poignant。This read was a total immersion experience in the lives of three successful and hardworking brothers in Berlin from November 1932 to late summer 1933， and of their families， friends and fellow humans。It’s a spine chilling encapsulation of that time in history with its insidious rise of hatred and discrimination; the “swamping of a civilised country by the barbarians。” Even more horrifying considering that this book was written in 1933 before the full extent of atrocities and murders were known by the author。We know this history and we know what comes in the following years， but this novel helps us appreciate: the early disbelief of the German Jewish man “do you believe that this whole nation of sixty-five million people has ceased to be a cultured people because it has conferred freedom of speech upon a few fools and scoundrels？”; and the vulnerable mindset of the ordinary disaffected German citizen， as many of those fellow citizens of the Oppermanns become brainwashed and get swept along on the tide as “the fog of deception was spreading more and more densely over Germany。” We see how the anti-semitism started with the wounding of their dignity， the silencing of their opinions， progressing to their utter dehumanisation。 Proud German teachers “in helpless anxiety he watched the rapidity with which the immense， lowering clouds of Nationalism were enveloping his boys。”I am drawn to reading books of this period and I’d say they should continue to be read， so that we don’t forget what we did to each other， and they are still relevant today。 Humanity will continue to suffer consequences if we elect populist idiots to take charge， and we shouldn’t be complacent when confronted with lies and misinformation。Recommended。▪️▪️▪️ 。。。more

Ralph Britton ，

This novel deals with the impact of the Nazi party on a wealthy and distinguished family of German Jews just before and after Hitler became Chancellor。 There are already concentration camps， beatings and confiscations of property， forcing Jews out of teaching and medical posts， but not （yet） the full range restrictive laws and planned genocide。 Feuchtwanger chronicles the varied attitudes of the Oppermann family and their friends， colleagues and employees。 Some realise early the way things are g This novel deals with the impact of the Nazi party on a wealthy and distinguished family of German Jews just before and after Hitler became Chancellor。 There are already concentration camps， beatings and confiscations of property， forcing Jews out of teaching and medical posts， but not （yet） the full range restrictive laws and planned genocide。 Feuchtwanger chronicles the varied attitudes of the Oppermann family and their friends， colleagues and employees。 Some realise early the way things are going， but many console themselves with the belief that their problems are only temporary， and saner counsels will soon prevail。 We often view this period with hindsight， knowing the holocaust was on the horizon， so the novel is a fascinating corrective， helping us understand why so many German Jews stayed put， feeling themselves to be an integral part of German society， unwilling to exile themselves or think of Palestine。 Some feel their German nationality is far more important than their Jewish heritage and that they have a duty to defend German culture from those they see as barbarian nationalists。 I felt that a slight disadvantage of the novel is that though the situation of the Oppermanns is marvellously developed， Feuchtwanger lacks a plot that gives the novel a satisfactory conclusion - it fades away with the life of central character who dies in exile， his health broken by hard labour in a concentration camp。The social setting and characters are totally convincing and meticulously described。 I thoroughly enjoyed the novel。 。。。more

Doro ，

Lion Feuchtwanger shows that everyone in Germany knew or at least had an idea about what was happening and what was going to happen。 Written in 1934， before the worst cruelties of the Nazis， Feuchtwanger writes in painfully detailed descriptions how a country can turn into a monstrous apparatus。 Hard to read， cruel to read， because this was only the beginning。

Jay Shuman ，

A prescient， compelling account of pre-war Germany and a cautionary reminder of the dangers we presently face。

Anna Olausson ，

Något av det viktigaste om åren som låg före andra världskriget och Förintelsen。 En fiktiv roman baserad på författarens liv。 Till min förtvivlan alltför lik vår samtid。 Boken utspelar sig 1932-33 och utgavs 1933。 Som läsare sitter vi alltså med facit på hand medan personerna i boken （och författaren？） tror att ondskan redan nått sin kulmen 33 efter Hitlers maktövertagande。 Nu när SD samtidigt som jag läser boken börjar komma med ganska konkreta förslag om uppsökande verksamhet för att ”hjälpa” Något av det viktigaste om åren som låg före andra världskriget och Förintelsen。 En fiktiv roman baserad på författarens liv。 Till min förtvivlan alltför lik vår samtid。 Boken utspelar sig 1932-33 och utgavs 1933。 Som läsare sitter vi alltså med facit på hand medan personerna i boken （och författaren？） tror att ondskan redan nått sin kulmen 33 efter Hitlers maktövertagande。 Nu när SD samtidigt som jag läser boken börjar komma med ganska konkreta förslag om uppsökande verksamhet för att ”hjälpa” folk till ”frivillig” återvandring， känns boken så nära att jag bara klarat läsa den några få kapitel på raken。 Så farligt det är när obildade människor får makt。 Människor som faktiskt föraktar kunskap har inget att skylla på。 De VILL ju inte bilda sig。 Jag rekommenderar den här boken men räkna med att det är tung och träffande läsning。 Att läsa en bok som getts ut av en judisk författare flera år före förintelsen tar nästan hårdare än en bok där facit är oss givet。 。。。more

Rachel Kowal ，

This whole book is standing on the ground， watching the slow climb to the top of a roller coaster no one wants to be on， when only you can see that the builders didn't finish laying the track on the other side。 An unfolding disaster in slow-motion。 （Not the prose; the content。） This whole book is standing on the ground， watching the slow climb to the top of a roller coaster no one wants to be on， when only you can see that the builders didn't finish laying the track on the other side。 An unfolding disaster in slow-motion。 （Not the prose; the content。） 。。。more

Sibyl ，

Reading this was absorbing， but painful。 I found it hard to experience 'The Oppermanns' as an 'ordinary' novel。 This is partly because some sections - especially those in which the central character Gustav first becomes aware of how dissenters from the new regime are treated - read more like dispatches from a Human Rights organisation。It was aso because Feuchtwanger's novel describes Berlin， the city in which my Jewish grandparents lived。 Like the Oppermann family， their lives were to be profoun Reading this was absorbing， but painful。 I found it hard to experience 'The Oppermanns' as an 'ordinary' novel。 This is partly because some sections - especially those in which the central character Gustav first becomes aware of how dissenters from the new regime are treated - read more like dispatches from a Human Rights organisation。It was aso because Feuchtwanger's novel describes Berlin， the city in which my Jewish grandparents lived。 Like the Oppermann family， their lives were to be profoundly affected by the events of 1932-3。 And like one of the Oppermann brothers， they were both doctors。My chief source of information about my grandparents is an unpublished memoir written by my mother。 In this she tells the story of how her mother and father's decision to leave Germany and of her early years in England。 It's a narrative which has a happy ending。 Arguably， Feuchtwanger's novel also ends happily too。 At any rate， the main character survives。 But unlike my mother， whose autobiography seeks to emphasise the relative normality and continuity of family life， Feuchtwanger shows us how National Socialism immediately affected every single aspect of private and public existence - even though some of his characters try to carry on as if not much has changed。 So this novel has caused me to question significant aspects of the story which was passed down to me。It is impossible to read 'The Oppermanns' without feeling deep sorrow， that the world was unable able heed the clear warnings woven into this compelling story。 。。。more

Nasus ，

Fascinating tale of Jewish family falling apart in 1932-33 Germany as Hitler comes to power。 Amazingly prophetic - LF saw the discrimination and vice that was placed on Jews （and half-Jews） very early （this book was written in 1933）。 The accuracy of what was yet to come， at least up to 1938， is astounding。 The anxiety felt by the characters is palpable。 Very well written。（See also The Passenger by Ulrich Boschwitz， which also describes the anxiety， fear and depredation felt by Jews during Krista Fascinating tale of Jewish family falling apart in 1932-33 Germany as Hitler comes to power。 Amazingly prophetic - LF saw the discrimination and vice that was placed on Jews （and half-Jews） very early （this book was written in 1933）。 The accuracy of what was yet to come， at least up to 1938， is astounding。 The anxiety felt by the characters is palpable。 Very well written。（See also The Passenger by Ulrich Boschwitz， which also describes the anxiety， fear and depredation felt by Jews during Kristallnacht & the week after） 。。。more

charlots ，

it’s a crime that we haven’t read this in school， what grown and developed person can claim that they understand the way the world （and the dangers of a people bullied into extremism） works， not having had a similar eye opening experience？ I am more of a human， pessimist， optimist， and adult after finishing this exceptional report

J。H。M。 ，

De erven Oppermann， een joodse familie in Duitsland in 1933， krijgt steeds meer te maken met de terreur van de nazi's。 Hitler was op 30 januari 1933 tot rijkskanselier benoemd， waarna de nazi's zich steeds meer deden gelden。 De gevolgen waren voor de familie Oppermann verschrikkelijk。 1933 bleek voor veel Duitsers een rampjaar， waarin het heel snel van kwaad tot erger ging， eigenlijk nu niet te bevatten。Goed geschreven。 De erven Oppermann， een joodse familie in Duitsland in 1933， krijgt steeds meer te maken met de terreur van de nazi's。 Hitler was op 30 januari 1933 tot rijkskanselier benoemd， waarna de nazi's zich steeds meer deden gelden。 De gevolgen waren voor de familie Oppermann verschrikkelijk。 1933 bleek voor veel Duitsers een rampjaar， waarin het heel snel van kwaad tot erger ging， eigenlijk nu niet te bevatten。Goed geschreven。 。。。more

Andrea Henrysen ，

Interesting novel from the beginning of the 1930s in Berlin。 The Jewish siblings Oppermann don't really want to realize what is happening to their beloved county。 Eventually the horrible stories of violent treatments of non-followers to the Führer reach their sense。 Mainly though because the family itself becomes part of this well organized and controlled Hitler-movement。 Well-written and historically revealing - I can strongly recommend it to anyone interested in European history of the 20th ce Interesting novel from the beginning of the 1930s in Berlin。 The Jewish siblings Oppermann don't really want to realize what is happening to their beloved county。 Eventually the horrible stories of violent treatments of non-followers to the Führer reach their sense。 Mainly though because the family itself becomes part of this well organized and controlled Hitler-movement。 Well-written and historically revealing - I can strongly recommend it to anyone interested in European history of the 20th century :-） 。。。more

bxa ，

Auch 35 Jahre nach der ersten Lektüre dieses Buches hat es nichts von seiner damaligen Wirkkraft auf mich eingebüßt: Die Beschreibung von jüdischen Schicksalen unter Hitler， von einem deutsche Juden aus unmittelbarer zeitlicher Nähe zum schier unfassbaren Geschehen geschrieben， hat auch uns und noch später Nachgeborenen sehr viel zu sagen。Schwere Kost， die in ganz leichtem Stil daher kommt。 Ein moderner Klassiker， der unbedingt zum deutschen belletristischen Kanon gehört。

Jakub Kratka ，

Keď sa hovorí o utrpení， ktoré židom spôsobili nacisti， najčastejšie sa （logicky） spomína posedná fáza a masové vyvražďovanie。 Ich situácia sa ale začala v Nemecku rapídne zhoršovať dávno predtým postupným odoberaním základných občianskych a neskôr ľudských práv， ktoré viedlo až k dehumanizácii nevyhnutnej pre genocídu。Feuchtwanger v druhej časti triológie Čakáreň píše o osudoch rodiny Oppermanovcov， židovských intelektuálov žijúcich v Berlíne v roku 1933， ktorí sa neveriacky prizerajú vzniku no Keď sa hovorí o utrpení， ktoré židom spôsobili nacisti， najčastejšie sa （logicky） spomína posedná fáza a masové vyvražďovanie。 Ich situácia sa ale začala v Nemecku rapídne zhoršovať dávno predtým postupným odoberaním základných občianskych a neskôr ľudských práv， ktoré viedlo až k dehumanizácii nevyhnutnej pre genocídu。Feuchtwanger v druhej časti triológie Čakáreň píše o osudoch rodiny Oppermanovcov， židovských intelektuálov žijúcich v Berlíne v roku 1933， ktorí sa neveriacky prizerajú vzniku nového Nemecka， v ktorom takí ako oni sú zrazu považovaní za prekážku。 Kniha je o to mrazivejšia， že vznikala v období medzi aprílom až septembrom 1933 ako správa o udalostiach v Ríši neočakávanom januárovom menovaní istého bývalého neúspešného rakúskeho maliara ríšskym kancelárom。 Hlavnou metódou nacistov je lož， ktorú veľmi efektívne využívajú na šírenie nenávisti voči židom a strachu u tých Nemcov， ktorí by sa proti strašnému zaobchádzaniu s nimi chceli ohradiť。 Oppermannvoci postupne prichádzajú o rodinný podnik， ktorý založil ešte ich starý otec， nemecký vojnový hrdina， o ťažko vybudované pozície v práci a niektorí aj o život。 Priemerní frustrovaní Nemci， ktorým úspech Oppermannovcov dlho ležal v žalúdku， zrazu vďaka príslušnosti k novej politickej sile， získavajú nad svojimi sokmi navrch。 V knihe je ale zobrazené aj utrpenie židov z menej elitných a bohatých kruhov， ktorých bola v krajine väčšina。Horiaci Reichstag， 27。 február 1933， Hitler je už mesiac kancelárom Nemecka。Prvá časť triológie Čakáreň z roku 1930 s názvom Úspech popisovala úvodnú fázu nacistického hnutia v Nemecku v dvadsiatych rokoch。 Hoci nacisti už vtedy páchali zločin， Feuchtwanger si z nich v knihe miestami strieľal a ich podobu karikoval。 Kniha sa skončila neúspešným pučom z roku 1923， po ktorej Hitler skončil vo väzení a jeho ľudia rozprášení v Nemecku。 Práve počas tohto pobytu vo väzení vzniklo neslávne známe dielo nevalnej kvality - Mein Kampf， ktoré slúžilo ako kľúčový zdroj pre hnedý mor， ktorý zachvátil prehratou vojnou ponížené a hospodárskou krízou zdevastnované Nemecko。 V Oppermannovcoch už Feuchtwanger vidí hrozbu nacizmu ako oveľa vážnejšiu a hoci samozrejme nemohol predpovedať zverstvá a rozmery holocaustu， cestu k nemu popísal veľmi pochopiteľne。Túto knihu a celú triológiu by som odporučil všetkým záujemcom o pochopenie toho， ako sa v civilizovanej krajine Európy 20。 storočia mohli k moci dostať primitívi， ktorí sa neštítili žiadneho barbarstva voči svojim blížnym。 。。。more

Carmen212 ，

thanks Justine for letting me know about this amazing book。

Michael Lewyn ，

A well done novel， written long before the Holocaust or World War II， about the early days of Nazism。 What happened was pretty mild by the standards of a decade later: none of the major characters are killed， although one commits suicide and most leave Germany。 Even so， life was dangerous: Jews were being squeezed out of jobs and businesses， and an ill-chosen word or a denunciation from a personal enemy could land someone in a concentration camp to be beaten and possibly even killed。

Jeanette ，

The New York Times Book Review March 18， 1934 by Fred T March gives a wonderful account of this extraordinary read。…。。"The Oppermanns are a well-to-do， cultured， respected tribe， rooted in that soil which fostered the German democracy of 1830 and 1848 and before and since--a background which has nurtured the flower of German intellectualism since the French Revolution。 They are not， as it happens， very politically minded……。Gustav， talented and reflective， a man of fifty now， still a batchelor pu The New York Times Book Review March 18， 1934 by Fred T March gives a wonderful account of this extraordinary read。…。。"The Oppermanns are a well-to-do， cultured， respected tribe， rooted in that soil which fostered the German democracy of 1830 and 1848 and before and since--a background which has nurtured the flower of German intellectualism since the French Revolution。 They are not， as it happens， very politically minded……。Gustav， talented and reflective， a man of fifty now， still a batchelor pursuing the arts and literature and attractive women has been working for sometime on the monumental work 'Life of Lessing'。。。。。。。。The Oppermann children are in schools and already begin to develop their own youthful philosophies。 The social circle and in-laws are a mixed group of several racial strains， including brilliant people……。。。They are a more or less typical German group of lazy culture， or specialised interests， blind to the forces assembling for the coming Armageddon……" Rich people have the power to move money around and so do the Oppermanns although technically on the face of it lose everything， their generational furniture stores， their beautiful houses， however they still have the house in Lugarno where they have escaped to。The hatred that is spawned by the Nazis is effective with the general population on the likes of the Oppermanns who it appears have suffered very little after the end of WW1 but where many ordinary Germans have found life a struggle。 The rich， like the Oppermanns， if able to see the writing on the wall， leave the country。 So it is for Gustav who idles away his time in a bit of a day dream in the south of France that is until through an acquaintance who visits him presents him with documentations of the atrocities that are now occurring in concentration camps。 Gustav reads and is disturbed by the accounts。 It's by some fortune that he has encountered another expat whereby they become friends， Georg Teibschitz is a look alike Gustav Oppermann， he gains the other's passport。 Georg has other identity papers that he can use。 Gustav in his naivety returns to Germany where he， himself， ends up in a concentration camp。 The author gives Gustav the sense of this internment as an experimental exercise but it's not long before Gustav understands his own stupidity。 Still， powerful friends come to his aid and he is released。 Back in France， his health never recovers。Of course now the world is well aware of such atrocities but the author writing in the mid 30's has created a more or less a prophetic novel for at this time the full extent of the horrors were still to come。 。。。more

Toast ，

Its one of those worthy books rather than enjoyable books because it tells of the raise of the Nazis in Germany and highlights the savagery against the Jewish population and the horrors to come。 It was also a screenplay first， then become a book so it tends to be a tad unbalanced in its focus。 Having said that， it is still a book with passion and fire， that burns with injustice and screams in 1933 to its readers to heed its warnings。 Toast

Mela ，

What history had taught him was Amazement。 A tremendous amazement that each time those in jeopardy had been so slow in thinking about their safety。 It was an interesting point of view about the 1930s in Germany。 How Jewish people （of course not only them， but the book was mostly about them） watched what was happening。 I was asking myself， whether I would have behaved （and believed in） the same。 The most horrifying thing is， that probably I would have。There were moments when I couldn't unders What history had taught him was Amazement。 A tremendous amazement that each time those in jeopardy had been so slow in thinking about their safety。 It was an interesting point of view about the 1930s in Germany。 How Jewish people （of course not only them， but the book was mostly about them） watched what was happening。 I was asking myself， whether I would have behaved （and believed in） the same。 The most horrifying thing is， that probably I would have。There were moments when I couldn't understand why Lion Feuchtwanger wrote this or that， but most of such paragraphs later turned out to be needed。As a novel - 4 stars， but as a reminder and a warning - 5 stars。 。。。more

Justine ，

This is a novel， published in 1934， about the rise of Hitler; it was written in media res as the Jewish-German author Lion Feuchtwanger viewed events from the first stage of his exile， beyond the French border。 The Oppermanns are a Jewish family in Berlin; their affluence is based on an inherited mid-range furniture retail business。 Of the middle-aged brothers only one， Martin， is truly involved in the operations of the enterprise; Edgar has devoted his life to his medical work; Gustav， about wh This is a novel， published in 1934， about the rise of Hitler; it was written in media res as the Jewish-German author Lion Feuchtwanger viewed events from the first stage of his exile， beyond the French border。 The Oppermanns are a Jewish family in Berlin; their affluence is based on an inherited mid-range furniture retail business。 Of the middle-aged brothers only one， Martin， is truly involved in the operations of the enterprise; Edgar has devoted his life to his medical work; Gustav， about whom we learn the most， has dawdled away his， accumulating several mistresses and writing a still unpublished life of Gotthold Ephraim Lessing， eighteenth-century playwright， philosopher and friend of Moses Mendelssohn。 From this family core the author extends his view to take in wives and in-laws， young-adult and teenaged children， employees， business connections， friends and lovers both Jewish and otherwise。 Through them he explores a variety of personal responses as the voices of the ‘Nationalists’ grow louder and more insistent through 1932 until， in January 1933， Hitler is named Chancellor。 Even after that shock， most continue to believe they are not in any real danger; when thugs take to the streets， many argue， as does Gustav， that A people which had reached so high a point of technical and industrial development did not lapse into barbarism in twenty-four hours。 And had not someone recently calculated that Goethe’s works alone circulated to German-speaking territories to the extent of more than a hundred million copies？ Through the accumulation of small and large incidents – a friend and customer requesting that a set of Oppermann chairs be delivered in an unmarked van， a suicide – the reality of Nazi rule becomes impossible to wish away。 Gradually， everyone is forced to heed the shrewd lawyer Mühlheim’s warnings thatour opponents have one tremendous advantage over us， their absolute lack of fairness。 That is the very reason why they are in power today。 （And before we criticize the characters for their foolishness， evasions and cowardice， let’s not forget how such enlightened and powerful nations as Great Britain and the United States dragged their heels and appeased the German regime for some years after this。）As the historian Richard J Evans writes in his Foreword to the 2020 Persephone edition， a great strength of The Oppermanns is that it ‘transcends any political sympathies’。 With his claim that it ‘is all too relevant in the twenty-first century’ and that as ‘the first great masterpiece of anti-fascist literature’ it ‘deserves to be as widely read today as it was on its original publication’ I heartily concur。 。。。more

Reference

google book https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=The Oppermanns

hathitrust digital library https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/ls?q1=The Oppermanns&field1=ocr&a=srchls&ft=ft&lmt=ft

The British Library https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=any,contains,The Oppermanns&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&offset=0