FunnyFunnyQuestion (7,000 words)

Question (7,000 words) is a 1925 novel by German writer Walter Kempowski. It is his first such work since graduating from high school. It was broken up into three volumes and released in 1979, 1980, and 1984. Kempowski died in 2007.<br><br>The story is set during the period of inflation in the Weimar Republic. It is a fictionalized account of Kempowski’s mother’s trip down the Rhine. The story is told through the eyes of Morty, a 19 year old woman. She lives in a large town home in Hamburg. Her family is well to do. Or, they were. The inflation was so bad, loads of people were starving.<br><br>Morty’s father is a solicitor. She has a sister, Hilde, who is married with two little girls. Their mother died in 1914, so that’s 11 years before the start of the story.<br><br>It starts with Morty and her father awaiting the arrival of a wealthy client, Mr. von Hartwig. He arrives with an offer. Morty is to go to the Rhine, then to Portugal, with his daughter. The daughter is Herta, and she’s about seven years old. Von Hartwig found out that Herta isn’t his daughter. He wants Morty to take her to her real father. He is a sailor on a Portuguese ship. But the ship is on the Rhine in Holland, and von Hartwig is very busy. <br><br>Morty is not thrilled with the idea. But her father is. He is very concerned about the inflation. It’s the reason that her sister Hilde and her family moved in with them. But Hilde hates Morty, and the feeling is mutual. Or so it would seem.<br><br>Morty isn’t sure about the trip because her boyfriend, Roderich is very possessive. He doesn’t like the idea. So Morty doesn’t say anything. But von Hartwig’s offer is very generous. So Morty decides to go anyway. She plans to go without telling Roderich.<br><br>Morty keeps her plans a secret. She tells a few lies to keep her family from finding out. She’s afraid her family will tell Roderich. She also lies to von Hartwig. She never intended to go all the way to Portugal. <br><br>Morty and Herta set off on the train. The trip was very long. Morty is excited because she’s never been away from Hamburg. She notices that the culture in different places is very different. <br><br>After a few days of travel, they come to the Rhine. They get advice from other travelers. Some people are very nice, while others are not. Some are very strange. There is a lot of poverty, and Morty never knew anything like it. She once gives away most of her money to two starving boys. <br><br>They arrive in Koblenz, and Morty is excited to be in such a big city. But they have to get off the train. Herta wants to go to the station agents. She sees a man, and she calls him Daddy. But it’s not who Morty was expecting. It’s not the Portuguese. He’s a German. He and Herta walk away, and Herta doesn’t know Morty is following close behind. <br><br>Morty overhears the man talking to Herta, and she realises what’s happening. The man is Herta’s biological father. Von Hartwig was just a lover. The man is a station agent for the German Railway. He is also married with children. He doesn’t want anything to do with Herta. He is very hateful to her. He is very hateful to Morty, too. Morty asks him how he could be so callous. He said he was very young when he got her mother pregnant. He was scared, and he ran away.<br><br>Morty is shocked. She asks what she should do. The man doesn’t know. Or he doesn’t want to know. He doesn’t want anything to do with either Herta or Morty. Morty goes back to Herta, and she’s crying. She said she hated him, not so much. Morty was crying too, so she lied to Herta. She said she was his wife, and he wasn’t Herta’s biological father. Herta believed it, so she was ok.<br><br>Morty and Herta walked around the city. Morty is heartbroken because she was expecting something very different. She already regretted coming. She thought of her mother, who she barely remembered. Morty wondered how she died. She wished her mother was around to help her. <br><br>Morty learned a lot in a very short time. She learned a lot about herself, too. Even though she was very disappointed, she was also grateful for the experience. She made a lot of new friends.<br><br>Morty and Herta end up on a steamer. They are sailing down the Rhine. They see a lot of interesting and colourful characters. The captain, von Hennig, is very nice to Morty, and she feels very comfortable around him. She confides in him, and he helps her with advice. Morty enjoys being alone for the first time in her life. She learned a lot about herself.<br><br>This is my second Kempowski book. The first was Tadellöser & Wolff (Lotterproof & Wolf. It was published in 1971). I haven’t read a lot of German books. Or German authors, for that matter. But Kempowski is one of my favourite authors. I can’t say anything in particular, but I really enjoy reading Kempowski’s books. <br><br>The best Example is the character, Morty. She is very likeable. I would be so happy if I ever met her. I’m not a big dog lover, but I would love owning a dog like Morty’s, Marley. He’s a German Spaniel. My German Shepherd, Bear, is nothing like Marley. He’s a little shit, but he’s funny.<br><br>When Morty first meets von Hennig, it reminded me of when I met my wife. He asked Morty her age, and she said 19. Von Hennig said, “That’s not very old.”<br><br>“I know,” said Morty. “But what can I do.”<br><br>Von Hennig said, “I don’t know. I’ll have to think about it.”<br><br>That’s what my wife said when we met. I was 28, and she was 25. But not the exact quote. She said the exact opposite. She said, “You’re TOO old to change.”<br><br>Speaking of which, she is not too thrilled about this trip. I’m going to make it next year, after she retires. I’ve always wanted to sail in Europe. I’m also going to sail the Rhine.<br><br>Morty was very lucky to find a crew that liked her. Or did she like them? I have no doubt that I will also find a crew that likes me. I already had that experience while sailing in the Mediterranean. I was a shy, introverted kid. But I felt so comfortable in the crew. I could talk to anyone, and I was very funny. <br><br>I wasn’t the only funny one, though. There was also a guy named Bernie. He was a very sarcastic guy, and he was very funny too. I wasn’t a sarcastic guy. I was not very bright. I was very naive. I was just funny.<br><br>I loved reading this novel for so many reasons. I know I would love the trip I’m planning to take. I just hope it’s not too late. I hope I’m still able to sail. I know I’m not as bright as I used to be. I’m not as sharp. But I’m not sarcastic, so that’s a plus.