Fundbüro

In the novel "Lost and Found," the 77-year-old Siegfried Lenz writes bitterly about the hatred of foreigners and the readiness for violence that he observes in German society, as well as about the powerlessness of speech. Henry Neff, the main character of the novel, has long advocated for dialogue and listening to what each side has to say. When a biker gang first attacks him, then a Bashkir mathematician, and finally a postman from Nigeria, Henry decides to drive the men away with his hockey stick instead of calling the police. The events are framed within Lenz's overarching theme of loss. The attack and counterattack form the climax of a seemingly calm narrative centered around a lost and found office that temporarily brings together a diverse group of people. The characters lose important items, their great love, or their life perspective. At the same time, as is always the case with Lenz, we encounter principled individuals who are unwilling to give up their integrity and dreams at any cost.