His generosity is coupled with a pragmatic side, seen when he gifts some refugees with clothing, a small piano keyboard, a block of land and, eventually, a place to stay. His inquisitive nature is prominent as he designs lists of questions to ask the refugees but, to his credit, he is flexible and sees that the questionnaire is too blunt a tool to dissect such a complex issue. At first, when a meeting is plunged into darkness, he fearfully retreats then berates himself, fully aware of his own cowardice. Richard’s character is seen in each encounter. Richard slowly gets to know the men, his life starts to change, and his own sense of belonging is thrown into question. Determinedly, he sets about investigating in a way that is typical of an academic. His ignorance bothers him, and like a good researcher, he decides to find out more. The narrative questions, as does Richard later, why he had not seen the men. He finds out about their protest only later on the news, and learns that Oranienplatz had been occupied by African refugees and their supporters for over a year. On a visit to town, he walks past a new community on Oranienplatz, the plaza, where African asylum seekers have set up a tent city. With time on his hands and fluctuating between finding something new to do and wrestling with the past, Richard brings his skills and experience into a new environment.
The novel’s protagonist is a retired Professor of Classical Philology named Richard, a man who has lived alone in Berlin since the death of his wife.
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