Schweigeminute

Between the factual, at times cynical descriptions, uniquely dense sentences unfold, in which the great storyteller designs the entire new world. Stella Petersen was undoubtedly one of the most popular teachers at the Lessing Gymnasium. Her zest for life, intelligence, and erudition earned her the recognition and natural respect of her colleagues as well as that of her students. And certainly, the love for her student Christian, which emerged between the mismatched pair at the end of the summer holidays, led to a confusion of feelings whose intensity and power overwhelmed both of them. Siegfried Lenz has written a magnificent novella about the love of a high school student for his English teacher, a story about coming of age and being an adult, a story in which indescribable happiness stands alongside deeply felt sorrow.