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And Never Said a Word

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First edition
(publ. Kiepenheuer & Witsch)

And Never Said a Word (German: Und sagte kein einziges Wort) is a novel by German author Heinrich Böll, published in 1953. The novel deals with the thoughts and actions of Fred and Käte Bogner, a married couple. Fred, feeling sick of the poverty of their house, has left her with their three children. They continue to meet on a casual basis every time Fred can find money enough to book a hotel room. As in numerous works from the German writer, the main theme is the situation in Germany after World War II.[1]

The title stems from a song listened to by Käte in the fourth chapter, creating a parallel between her and Jesus; like Christ, she is shown bearing all humiliations without rebelling.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ A Study Guide for Heinrich Boll's "Christmas Not Just Once a Year" 1410342786 Gale, Cengage Learning "his second novel, And Never Said a Word, which appeared in 1953, sold well enough to allow Böll to continue as a ..."