Word: herta
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Dates: during 1930-1939
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...that it almost blows out a fuse on its first page. Opening sentence: "No longer does the thoroughbred stallion snort under my loins," which means that Michael is home from the War. Michael goes to Heidelberg, grows lyric about a blonde maiden in the seat ahead: "Do I love Herta Hoik?" he asks himself. "I almost shudder at the crudeness of this word." But when she sends him a red rose: "Herta Hoik, I love you! I transform my little room into a royal palace...
Michael is so inspired that he decides to write a drama based on the life of Christ, commenting matter-of-factly, "Every man of substance somewhere or other or sometime or other in his life has to fulfill a mission." But because Herta is too intellectual, and "woman's task is to be beautiful and to bring children into the world," they separate. Michael writes his play, is rebuffed by Munich intellectuals, becomes a miner in the Ruhr. Then the book really gets creepy. A mysterious Russian, Iwan, appears, tempts Michael, is defeated ("I am stronger than...