The Wall

The protagonist begins writing her account on November 5, though she is unsure if this date is correct. She no longer knows the precise day after two years behind the wall. She uses this written account as a means of keeping her fear away.

She uses the paper and pens of Hugo Rüttlinger, a man with hypochondria and obsessive collector. Without his foresight, the protagonist likely would not be alive. Hugo was the husband of the protagonist’s cousin, Luise, and he was a wealthy man. While Luise was an adventurous and passionate woman, always hunting and flirting with other men, Hugo stayed inside, using his wealth to stock their hunting lodge with supplies. The prime fear of the day was nuclear war, and Hugo wanted to be ready.

The protagonist begins recording her memories of what led to her life behind the wall. In her flashbacks, she journeys to the Rüttlingers’ hunting lodge in April. Luise invites her, and as the protagonist’s daughters are nearing adulthood, she does not need to stay and watch them. Hugo picks her up in his black Mercedes and drives her into the Alps. On their way, they stop in the nearby village and pick up Hugo’s dog,