German author Bernhard Schlink had major success with his novel The Reader, the 2008 film of which won Kate Winslet the Best Actress Oscar, the BAFTA, the Screen Actor's Guild Award and the Golden Globe.
In The Weekend, a group of old friends reunite in a secluded country home after decades apart. They were once part of revolutionary leftist group (passionate RAF and Baader-Meinhof sympathizers in their youth), although their paths have diverged since then. One is a dentist, another a priest, one is stirred to write about her experiences. The event is the release of Jorg, a convicted terrorist and murderer, from twenty-four years in prison, who casually brushes the violent killings into his past. The pardon will send shockwaves throughout the country, but first a weekend reprieve. How does he begin again?
Grudges are raised, putting many on the defensive. Although they were once for the cause, it seems time has mellowed enthusiasm - was it all worth it?
Someone new invited to the weekend is Marco, who forcefully pressures Jorg to be a voice for the new Leftist project. Then, they are joined by a young student of German manor houses, who adds a surprising piece to the puzzle.
I know little about German politics, but Schlink makes a good point about the efficacy of local terrorists against the state when you now have globally operated businesses that claim losses to avoid paying taxes. The fight is at a higher level. Looking back as an older man, Jorg can see where his parent's conforming led to a generation who had to fight, even if it was a struggle they could not win. There are a lot of layers to Schlink's characters, and this short novel is really well written. The subject of a German Leftist group did not immediately interest me, but in the end, the portrait of friends examining their past, assessing their future, is rewarding and recommended.
This was filmed in 2012.
2010 / Hardcover / 215 pages
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