Unterm Birnbaum

A novel written in the late 19th century. The story revolves around the lives and struggles of the residents in a small village, highlighting the life of Abel Hradscheck, a local innkeeper and merchant, as he deals with various personal and financial challenges, alongside interactions with his wife, Ursel, and their neighbors. The opening of the novel sets the stage in the village of Tschechin, where Abel Hradscheck is busy with his gasthaus and material business. As the new harvest season approaches, he is preoccupied with managing deliveries and maintaining his establishment, while also grappling with thoughts about his family's past tragedies and financial burdens. The conversation with his wife hints at their troubled relationship and shared grief over their deceased children. This early depiction introduces themes of societal expectations, individual striving, and the tension between personal aspirations and harsh realities, laying a complex groundwork for the unfolding drama in the village.