The German Refugee by Bernard Malamud

 The German Refugee by Bernard Malamud


 

This is an excellent story, which was to be expected. Bernard Malamud is the author of a novel, The Assistant, included in the TIME Top 100 best books. I have read about a quarter of The Assistant and realized that I love it so much, that I want to prolong the pleasure, so it is now on standby.

The German Refugee could have been a case where I come with expectations and get disappointed. However, I started reading without being attentive to the author, this being a short story, it is included together with a few others I have not enjoyed so much, even if collected under the name Best American Short Stories.

The German refugee could (should?) have been named the Jewish refugee, since the hero is Jewish and hates the Germans: “who are pigs that act like peacocks”- he is referring to the Nazi Germans, or maybe all of the Germans of that time.

 

This is so packed with emotions, terrible things, human strengths and values that I wonder why bother with a full novel, when we can read in that time 20 short stories which are absolute gems…it is a joke, but the truth is that I find it amazing how much can be said, in such a short space by a great author.

Our refugee has a hard life, little money and lots of worries. Like many other great, mainly Jewish people who had to escape the Nazis he was a well established, reputable man in Berlin, but once in America he has to learn the language. He finds it difficult, gets depressed and even slides back with his new, accumulated knowledge.

He hates the people back home, but has not adopted to his new condition, of a person without a status, a job which means insecurity, fears and anxiety.

He feels his wife of 27 years, even if in appearance tolerant, did not like Jewish people and his mother-in-law was a Jew hater.

To avoid saying what happens, the climax, the drama of the short story, I will only say that it affected me, I found the tale powerful, very well written and I am glad I have the confirmation, after being thrilled by The Assistant, that I found a writer I love and respect: Bernard Malamud, as write the name again, I wonder if he is not somehow Jewish and this story reflects the ordeal of his family or friends. With or Beyond that, it is a wonderful story.

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