The loss

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The loss is a novel by Siegfried Lenz . The work was published in 1981 and is about the speech loss of the protagonist Ulrich Martens.

Table of contents

Ulrich Martens works as a tour guide on city ​​tours . During a city tour, he feels uncomfortable and breaks off the tour.

Martens' partner Nora Fechner works as an employee of the municipal library and checks the sinner's file at home when her landlady, Ms. Grant, rings the doorbell. Nora removes a splinter from her finger when Ulrich appears. He tells her how bad he is. Ulrich's condition worsens and suddenly he can no longer speak. Nora is desperate and Mrs. Grant calls an ambulance. Ms. Grant suspects that Ulrich has suffered a stroke . After Ulrich was admitted to the clinic , Nora went to his brother Frank. This is an artist (painter), and Nora brings him one of his pictures, which Ulrich gave her. But she doesn't think she can accept this picture. She informs Frank about his brother's health. Frank is shocked and tells Nora that he and Ulrich have not had any contact for 16 years. Ulrich always saw his brother as a competitor, and Frank married the woman who Ulrich wanted to marry. He asks Nora to keep informing him. Frau Grant brings Ulrich the most essential things to the clinic; Ulrich is disappointed that Nora did not do this. Ulrich's doctor, Dr. Nicolai, suspects that Ulrich suffers from some form of aphasia . Ulrich feels misunderstood and isolated, and when his brother shows up, Ulrich turns away and sobs. Frank leaves without a word. Dr. Nicolai advises Ms. Grant that Nora should visit Ulrich as soon as possible. Ms. Grant has been supporting Nora since Ulrich has been in the clinic. One day Ms. Grant takes Nora to visit the Beutin family. Their son, Herbert, disappeared a few days ago. Herbert is a former student of Ms. Grant, who is now the headmistress . In the library, Nora reads several books on language and speaking . After work, she visits her parents, whose apartment was given notice after 30 years. So she decides to move in with them.

Dr. Nicolai tries to get Ulrich to communicate via notes, but this doesn't always work. Ulrich gets a visit from his colleagues. Frank writes a letter to his brother, but only Dr. Nicolai and a sister read, whereupon Dr. Nicolai decides that Ulrich will only receive the visit he wants. Dr. Nicolai visits Nora, who is now back in her apartment, to bring her letters from Ulrich. A short time later, Nora and Mrs. Grant are informed that Herbert Beutin was found dead. Herbert was strangled. Nora then receives another call from Frank; he asks her to pick up a package from him, which she should bring Ulrich. Nora decides to visit Ulrich, but she finds his room deserted.

Ulrich fled the clinic and returned to his apartment. From there he tries in vain to reach Nora. In the library, Nora's colleague Erna tells him that Nora is with her parents. Ulrich then visits Nora's parents, but Nora is no longer there, so Ulrich decides to go back to the clinic. On the way back to the clinic, Ulrich thinks she sees Nora walking into a stadium with an unknown man . Ulrich follows her, but when he realizes that it is not Nora, he leaves the stadium and loses consciousness. Meanwhile, Nora meets Frank and accompanies him home; there she met his wife Hilde. Hilde tells Nora that Ulrich always felt betrayed and therefore broke off contact with them. Nora returns home because she believes that Ulrich will look for her there. A police officer takes care of Ulrich when he comes to and takes him to the station. Ulrich collapses again at the station and is brought back to the clinic.

Nora visits Ulrich in the clinic and tells him that she would like to move into an apartment with him. Ulrich is happy because he was always afraid that Nora would leave him. Nevertheless, he writes that he does not want pity. Nora realizes that Ulrich is a stranger to himself and cannot defend himself against himself.

expenditure

Web links