The novel is considered a milestone in German post-war literature, conveying a serious message about conscience and guilt.
The novel opens up the topic of desertion, largely taboo in Germany after the Second World War. The novel, originally written in 1951, was prevented from being published in the atmosphere of the Cold War, and the work fell into oblivion. The text was only discovered in the author's estate, was published in 2016, two years after his death, and became a literary sensation both for the circumstances of its discovery and for its qualities.
The main character of the novel is Walter Proska, a young Wehrmacht soldier who deserts to the Red Army after his unit is scattered by partisans; but he himself feels the need to resist the ruling "clique". The nature of the novel corresponds to the image that readers have formed of the author in the past decades - the suspenseful, reader-engaging story is full of twists and turns, the protagonist finds himself in liminal situations, which, with their artistically impressive portrayal, serve the author to reflect on serious topics: reflects on the question of conscience and responsibility, morality, military and civic honor; without pathos, it also touches on patriotism and German nationalism, questioning the consciousness of duty and "German" obedience.
