Immer geradeaus

Measuring the world with his feetWhen Landolf Scherzer sets out, he walks straight into adventure. This time he hiked for almost five weeks along the borders between Hungary, Croatia, Serbia and Romania. The plan was to travel through seven Eastern European countries by tractor and caravan, but the tractor gave up just before Hungary. So Landolf Scherzer had to start walking with his old Kraxe, always straight ahead, from border to border. What began as a disappointment turned out to be a stroke of luck, because how else could he have had so many encounters along the way: Hungarian field guards, Croatian cemetery caretakers, Romanian soccer coaches, hospitable Roma and all the border crossers from the army of those who follow the work. Strange examples of globalization, Eastern European improvisational talent, absurd EU projects, the latest technology next to the most primitive conditions awaited him. He got to know hatred of the neighbor, business acumen as well as magnanimity - and not least his own limits. "It is the contrasts and the eye for detail that make this reportage so worth reading. ... Scherzer's answers are as direct as they can only come from direct contact with people, far removed from the fast-moving, colorful images of our time." Birgit Koß, Deutschlandradio Kultur "The master of literary reportage." Neue Presse Coburg "Scherzer describes unvarnishedly what he has seen, tasted, heard. He is curious about real life. His books live from this unbiased view, trained by Scherzer's role model Kisch." Rainer Kasselt, Sächsische Zeitung.