Vor dem Sturm

Vor dem Sturm, a historical novel by Th. Fontane, begun in 1864 and published in 1878 in instalments in the magazine Daheim and later in 1878 in book form. It was Fontane's first novel and bore the sub-title Roman aus dem Winter 1812 auf 13. It is set partly in Berlin, but chiefly in the Prussian countryside to the west of Frankfurt/Oder and Küstrin, which Fontane knew at first hand. The ‘storm’ of the title is the War of Liberation in 1813 (see Napoleonic Wars) and the action takes place between Christmas Eve 1812 and the end of March 1813.

Berndt von Vitzewitz of Hohen-Vietz, a retired officer and a widower, chivalrous and honourable, is moved to take action against the French, partly from patriotic and partly from personal motives; for the French occupation has caused the death of his wife. For the time being the opportunity for action eludes him. His son, Lewin, is a student in Berlin, and his daughter Renate lives at home. Both are on the threshold of betrothal, Lewin to a distant cousin of Polish descent, Kathinka Ladalinska, and Renate to Kathinka's brother Tubal. But Kathinka runs away with the Polish count Bninski and Tubal's affections are clearly unstable. After the publication of the King's proclamation of national solidarity (see An mein Volk) Berndt and his friends plan a night assault on the French in Frankfurt with a local militia they have raised and with Russian support. But the preparations are inadequate and the Russians let them down. In consequence the attack is repulsed with loss, and Lewin is taken prisoner. Knowing that he is likely to be shot as a civilian taken in arms against the military, Berndt, his guests, and some villagers mount an urgent rescue operation which is successful; but Tubal Ladalinski is mortally wounded. Lewin discovers his love for the foundling Marie Kniehase, who has loved him for years, and Berndt, subduing his aristocratic pride, consents. Renate remains unmarried, devoting herself, as a perfunctory postscript tells us, to good works.

The quality of the work lies less in the plot than in the fascinating portrayal of the life of the period, and the gallery of figures, eccentric or orthodox, men and women of all shades of character, among whom, apart from the main characters, the poet Hansen-Grell (who has some features of Fontane himself), Schulze Kniehase, Pastor Seidentopf, the Pietist Tante Schorlemmer, and the grotesque female dwarf, Hoppenmarieken, stand out. Fluent and convincing dialogue plays an important part, though not to the same extent as in Fontane's later novels. The discursive structure represents an original contribution to the historical novel.