The Last Children of Schewenborn
Encyclopedia
The Last Children of Schewenborn (German Die Letzten Kinder von Schewenborn) is a 1983 novel by Gudrun Pausewang
, depicting life in Germany
in the aftermath of a nuclear war
.
The story is fictional, but as the author states in the epilogue, Schewenborn, where the story takes place is modeled on the small town of Schlitz in East Hesse
, where she lives.
situation similar to that at the time of writing. It is told in the first person by Roland, at the beginning a 12-year old (in fact, nearly 13) boy from Bonames (a district of Frankfurt
), who travels with his parents and sisters to visit his grandparents at Schewenborn.
During this journey they are surprised by a nuclear attack. After the explosion, no assistance arrives from the outside. Survivors start to assume that the whole of Germany, or the entire civilized world, may have been destroyed — but this is never clarified until the end of the novel.
The family finds refuge in the house of the grandparents, who at the time of the nuclear explosion were in Fulda
and were probably killed there. Shortly afterwards, Roland's mother takes in a young brother and sister who have been orphaned in the attack.
The later parts of the plot describe the weeks, months and years after this attack, and take place mostly at Schewenborn.
The oppressive story does not have a happy ending
. Gradually, members of Roland's family, including a new-born sibling without eyes, die of radiation sickness
and other illnesses. At the conclusion, only Roland and his father are left, and the open-ended story does not tell whether or not they would survive.
which tries to deliver a dramatic warning: "Let no one say afterwards: we did not know."
It is particularly aimed at a juvenile audience. In some Lands
(states) of the German Federal Republic
, it is part of the instruction material for Eighth grade
students.
A rather similar theme, also particularly aimed at a juvenile audience, appears in another book of the same author, Die Wolke ("The Cloud"). Both books convey the feeling of dark impending danger felt by members of the German Environmentalist
Movement of the 1980s.
Gudrun Pausewang
Gudrun Pausewang is a German writer for children and teens. She is also noted in science fiction for Young-Adult novels like The Last Children of Schewenborn....
, depicting life in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in the aftermath of a nuclear war
Nuclear warfare
Nuclear warfare, or atomic warfare, is a military conflict or political strategy in which nuclear weaponry is detonated on an opponent. Compared to conventional warfare, nuclear warfare can be vastly more destructive in range and extent of damage...
.
The story is fictional, but as the author states in the epilogue, Schewenborn, where the story takes place is modeled on the small town of Schlitz in East Hesse
Hesse
Hesse or Hessia is both a cultural region of Germany and the name of an individual German state.* The cultural region of Hesse includes both the State of Hesse and the area known as Rhenish Hesse in the neighbouring Rhineland-Palatinate state...
, where she lives.
Plot summary
The story starts in a present of a Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
situation similar to that at the time of writing. It is told in the first person by Roland, at the beginning a 12-year old (in fact, nearly 13) boy from Bonames (a district of Frankfurt
Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main , commonly known simply as Frankfurt, is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany, with a 2010 population of 688,249. The urban area had an estimated population of 2,300,000 in 2010...
), who travels with his parents and sisters to visit his grandparents at Schewenborn.
During this journey they are surprised by a nuclear attack. After the explosion, no assistance arrives from the outside. Survivors start to assume that the whole of Germany, or the entire civilized world, may have been destroyed — but this is never clarified until the end of the novel.
The family finds refuge in the house of the grandparents, who at the time of the nuclear explosion were in Fulda
Fulda
Fulda is a city in Hesse, Germany; it is located on the river Fulda and is the administrative seat of the Fulda district .- Early Middle Ages :...
and were probably killed there. Shortly afterwards, Roland's mother takes in a young brother and sister who have been orphaned in the attack.
The later parts of the plot describe the weeks, months and years after this attack, and take place mostly at Schewenborn.
The oppressive story does not have a happy ending
Happy ending
A happy ending is an ending of the plot of a work of fiction in which almost everything turns out for the best for the protagonists, their sidekicks, and almost everyone except the villains....
. Gradually, members of Roland's family, including a new-born sibling without eyes, die of radiation sickness
Radiation Sickness
Radiation Sickness is a VHS by the thrash metal band Nuclear Assault. The video is a recording of a concert at the Hammersmith Odeon, London in 1988. It was released in 1991...
and other illnesses. At the conclusion, only Roland and his father are left, and the open-ended story does not tell whether or not they would survive.
Major themes
The book is clearly written as a cautionary taleCautionary tale
A cautionary tale is a tale told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger. There are three essential parts to a cautionary tale, though they can be introduced in a large variety of ways. First, a taboo or prohibition is stated: some act, location, or thing is said to be dangerous. Then, the...
which tries to deliver a dramatic warning: "Let no one say afterwards: we did not know."
It is particularly aimed at a juvenile audience. In some Lands
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
(states) of the German Federal Republic
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
, it is part of the instruction material for Eighth grade
Eighth grade
Eighth grade is a year of education in the United States, Canada, Australia and other nations. Students are usually 13 - 14 years old. The eighth grade is typically the final grade before high school, and the ninth grade of public and private education, following kindergarten and subsequent grades...
students.
A rather similar theme, also particularly aimed at a juvenile audience, appears in another book of the same author, Die Wolke ("The Cloud"). Both books convey the feeling of dark impending danger felt by members of the German Environmentalist
Environmentalist
An environmentalist broadly supports the goals of the environmental movement, "a political and ethical movement that seeks to improve and protect the quality of the natural environment through changes to environmentally harmful human activities"...
Movement of the 1980s.
Awards and nominations
- Buxtehuder Bulle, 1983
- Zürcher Kinderbuchpreis (ZurichZürichZurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is located in central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich...
Children's Literature Prize) - Preis der Leseratten
- Gustav-Heinemann-Friedenspreis (Gustav HeinemannGustav HeinemannGustav Walter Heinemann, GCB was a German politician. He was Mayor of the city of Essen from 1946 to 1949, West German Minister of the Interior from 1949 to 1950, Minister of Justice from 1966 to 1969 and President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1969 to 1974.-Early years and professional...
Peace Prize)