Nach dem Großen Kriege

Nach dem Großen Kriege, a story in letter form (see Briefroman) written by W. Raabe in 1860 and published in 1861. It is described as ‘Eine Geschichte in zwölf Briefen’, and has as its background the Napoleonic Wars and their aftermath. The twelve letters purport to be written in 1816 and 1817 by Fritz Wolkenjäger to his friend Sever. Fritz has a new appointment as schoolmaster and tells of his attraction to and eventually of his courtship of Annie, a foundling picked up on the battlefield of Talavera and cared for by Wolfgang Bart, a soldier of the German Legion. Annie lost her memory on the day of Talavera. With Fritz she hears the dark past of the house of Rhoda, especially the action of a Herr von Rhoda, who arrested and helped to condemn one of Schill's hussars. Her memory returns and she realizes that she is Anna von Rhoda. Herr von Rhoda, who proves to be her father, is found unconscious near the scene of the arrest and dies. Anna and Fritz marry with hopes of a brighter future after the sombre events of past years.