When will the absurdity be solved? A novel by Albrecht Goes and a lied by Mahler.

"Unruhige Nacht", an unforgettable novel by Albrecht Goes. I was taught about it from a preacher at a bible class I attended in the med school days. I was fiercely touched by this short novel at that time. 

After Goes had worked as a military chaplain in the Nazis era, he has written a number of novels which casted profound insight into human being. I have run across with him at another occasion. In a work titled "Ode to J.S.Bach" written in Japanese, his essay regarding Matthew's Passion was included, which I loved so much. That essay was depicting in lyrical touch how this Passion was played among ordinary people in a countryside in Germany.

It is almost impossible for me to summarize this novel. However, if I dare to, it is as follows;

During WWII, when the war situation became disadvantageous to mother land, a German military chaplain was heading to Ukraine, where he was ordered to attend execution for a young soldier by firing squad. At a hotel he was waiting for the flight bound for Ukraine in the next morning, he was reading through about the young man going to be executed. He had a compelling reason why he had to leave the front.

The hotel was so crowded that the chaplain was spending the night at the same room divided with a curtain together with a couple, an officer and his sweetheart. The officer was determined to Leningrad, where he had to join the front in desperate battle. After having grasped of the young soldier's life reading through the paper, the chaplain has left the couple greeting "Femur fracture!", an ominous word, which was often exchanged among soldiers in stead of farewell praying for safety.      

  

On aboard the plane bound for Ukraine, watching the flowing clouds through the window, the chaplain has reconciled with all the absurdity. 

My memory is not reliable. But the outline of the story may not be far from what I wrote above. I was sure this novel had been based on certain real experience for Goes. And, I am afraid, the same absurdity is being repeated in Ukraine at present. Whenever I hear or watch any news from Ukraine, I could not help recalling of this story. When and how is the real reconciliation coming true?

Or Goes could be hinted for the story from this Lied by Mahler.

Christa Ludwig has died last year. A mezzo soprano built an era. RIP to her.