Alfred Andersch

The Efraim of the title is journalist George Efraim, who travels to his native Berlin to investigate the disappearance of a woman during World War II. His search for her eventually becomes a journey through his own past.

The Cherries of Freedom: A Report centers on Andersch's desertion from the Wehrmacht. The turning-point in Andersch's life, he interpreted it not as a fear of death but as an existential vote for life, libery and all things non-totalitarian.

The Father of a Murderer is the last narrative written by German author Alfred Andersch. It was published in 1980, the year that Andersch died, and describes a 1928 school lesson attended by grammar school student Franz Kien. The story is considered to be partly autobiographical. The protagonist is Joseph Gebhard …