Europe Central is a remarkable work by Vollmann that offers an imaginative exploration of the twin evils of Stalinism and Nazism during World War II.

It delves into Kabbalah mysticism, Germanic myths, and legends, presenting a unique take on history.

The book dissects Shostakovich's music, showing how art can transcend the repressive regimes that try to shape it.

Vollmann's narrative is both impressionistic and surreal, overlapping the stories of different characters.

The Holocaust is presented in a powerful yet understated way, without sensationalism.

The book also touches on the experiences of dissidents in the Soviet Union and Germany, as well as the moral dilemmas faced by military leaders.

While Vollmann is deadly earnest and refuses to judge, his work still manages to be thought-provoking and engaging.

Overall, Europe Central is a must-read for anyone interested in history, music, or literature.

It offers a new perspective on a dark period of the 20th century and shows the power of art to endure in the face of adversity.

This is a captivating and thought-provoking read that delves into the complex and tumultuous conflict between Hitler and Stalin's regimes over the fate of Europe during World War 2. Told through the eyes of a diverse set of emblematic characters, it offers a unique perspective on this historical period.

Vollmann's work carries forward his deep concerns with the moral calculus behind violence, as explored in his previous non-fiction work. The central characters, such as Dmitri Shastakovich, Roman Karmen, Kathe Kollwitz, Andrei Vlasov, Friedrich Paulus, Kurt Gerstein, and Hilde Benjamin, each bring their own story and moral dilemmas to the forefront.

Shastakovich, a Russian composer, struggles with freedom of expression under the Soviet regime, torn between creating music to please Stalin's enforcers and expressing the true angst and suffering of the times. Roman Karmen, a photojournalist, documents the war with bravery and energy, while Kathe Kollwitz, a German socialist artist, captures the ravages of war in her powerful portraits.

The actions and decisions of these characters, along with the others, highlight the moral dimensions of the war and the difficult choices that people had to make. Vollmann's radical modes of presentation, including his use of different viewpoints, tenses, and metaphors, add to the complexity and depth of the narrative.

Overall, this book offers a comprehensive and engaging exploration of World War 2, shedding light on the lives and experiences of those caught up in the conflict. It challenges readers to思考 the moral implications of war and the actions of those involved, and provides a framework for understanding this tragic period in history.

L'Aleph del continente


After years at the top of my reading list, I finally managed to read this enormous and wonderful world-novel. It is a total and profound work centered on the historical-geographical fulcrum of our continent - a zone between Germany and Russia, the yin and yang of this small part of the Earth that we call Europe.


This portrait that Vollmann wrote during a period in Berlin is existential, epic, metaphysical, and absolute. It rests on a series of monographic chapters dedicated to various historical figures, whose complexity and depth are masterfully intertwined by the fil rouge of the continent's symbolic protagonist at the end of the last century: that D.D. Šostakovič who becomes an allegory of all Europeans (that is, of all of us) thrown into the hell of totalitarian control, of absolute massacre, reddened by an impossible relationship with a woman whom Vollmann elevates to the symbol of the entire continent.


When I think of Šostakovič and listen to his music, I imagine a person consumed by fear and regret


The writing is wonderful, dense, expanded, rich in connections, and capable of evocations and suggestions from cabala to metafictional allusions. Vollmann does a complex and tortuous job on the narrative voice: it often changes in an almost imperceptible way - it can be the writer himself, becomes an agent of the NKVD (or a German Nazi), and expresses the mental flow of Šostakovič himself. The allegories and symbols always work perfectly: evocative yet ironic, poetic yet practical and materialistic:


And here we could very well insert another allegory. The metal of those days was steel


This ability to change register while maintaining formal precision and an original and powerful expressiveness is the cipher that makes this book a masterpiece. Every side of the hell that was the continental conflict is represented by relying on the profiles of historical protagonists: from the massacre of Stalingrad seen by Paulus to the final solution narrated by Kurt Gerstein, from the suffering of post-World War I Germany represented by the art of Kathe Kollwitz, to the hard Bolshevik fist exercised by "Red Guillotine" Hilde Benjamin (Walter Benjamin's sister-in-law). And all these absolutely unique and contradictory protagonists brush against each other, meet, intertwine lives and people events, creating with their stories History.


Personally, I prefer the chapter "Operation Citadel" where Vollmann reaches the heights of delirious surrealism and nightmarish horror that makes us follow the extreme nightmare of a Nazi soldier in a desperate infinite journey inside the Kursk salient - here the author shows himself to be a writer of the highest caliber and capable of writing even the indescribable: a capacity also confirmed in the celebrated chapter dedicated to "The Sleepwalker".


I add that the freedom of expression and literary talent are accompanied by a marked cultural bulimia and an absolute historical honesty - 200 pages dedicated to clarifying line by line which words come from historical sources or which points are the fruit of literary creation. Fully postmodern, here, Vollmann: but of the best of postmodernism in terms of relationship with the reader, cultural thickness, and awareness of the quality necessary in good literature.


Yes, undoubtedly this masterpiece could be inserted into an ideal canon of the "Best of Postmodernism".

**"Europe Central": A Comprehensive Analysis**

Bill Vollmann's "Europe Central" is a remarkable work that delves deep into the complex history and moral dilemmas of the 20th century. The novel, which follows closely on the heels of his analysis of the moral calculus of violence in "Rising Up and Rising Down," takes a unique approach by using real life people and events to construct a narrative. This creative and interpretative exercise blurs the line between fiction and reality, much like the role Post-Modernism is supposed to play.

The historical aspects of the novel are thoroughly researched, making it a reliable source of information about the events of World War II and the parallelism between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union. Vollmann explores how both states, despite their different socio-political systems, had similar social and personal dynamics, with centralised power and a lack of individual freedom. He also shows how the war was a gargantuan and panzercruel struggle between the two states, with the success of one meaning the end of the other.

Vollmann personalises the moral issues by focusing on the lives and dilemmas of key players on both sides of the ideological divide. For example, he shows how Shostakovich, a composer, was seen as a threat to cultural harmony in the Soviet Union because of his formal innovation, while Kurt Gerstein, an SS officer, tried to blow the whistle on the Holocaust. The novel also explores the role of women in the war, with Elena being the pre-eminent character, occupying numerous roles and being at the centre of two love triangles.

Overall, "Europe Central" is a thought-provoking and engaging novel that offers a unique perspective on the 20th century. While Vollmann's speculation about the sex lives of the protagonists may seem gratuitous at times, it does not detract from the substance of the novel or its importance as a work of literature. It is a must-read for anyone interested in history, politics, or literature.

Vollmann's language in "Europe Central" is truly remarkable. It is rich and creamy like strawberry cream, capable of being transcribed into T.S. Eliot-style poetry with ease. His themes explore damaged humanity, the power of history and fragmentation, much like the Dada photomontage of Hannah Höch and John Heartfield, which Hitler despised. The novel repeatedly refers to Hitler as the sleepwalker, using vivid images such as the ten-eyed black rotary telephones that are his eyes, looking at all under his command. The interplay of objects and humans is fluid yet deadly, as if Hitler is omnipresent through these telephones.

The first section, "Steel in Motion," offers stunning historical references, like the simile comparing barrage balloons to children's renderings. The author also emphasizes the intertwining of humans with technologies, as seen in the image of the octopus-telephone. Vollmann's use of language is so vivid and packed with similes that it's as if he's stuffing a ten-pound sack with twenty-five pounds of potatoes.
In the section "The Saviors: A Kabbalistic Tale," the author uses Aristotelian compare and contrast to present Fanya Kaplan and N.K. Krupskaya. Their lives are intertwined in a strange way, with Krupskaya marrying Lenin at age twenty-eight and Kaplan shooting him at the same age. The narrator's description of the last four days of Kaplan's life is filled with beautiful and complex similes.
Overall, "Europe Central" is a great novel that offers a wealth of historical facts and lyrical images. However, for the reviewer, it lacks the emotional power of Jonathan Littell's "The Kindly Ones." The shifting first-person narrator in Vollmann's novel creates a certain distance from the other characters, while Littell's novel, with its Nazi SS narrator, makes the evil feel more immediate and real. Despite this, "Europe Central" remains an important literary monument to an incredible time in 20th century European history.

Four months ago…


I say: “I saw that you gave five stars to \\n  Europe Central\\n, but you didn't comment on it. Can you tell me more?”.


He replies: “What can be said about Europe Central? It takes a lot of courage to write such a book, and only an American writer could have done it. It also takes a lot of courage to read it with that dark, obsessive tone that never stops and that unbroken cascade of metaphors.
Did I like it? I don't know. I rewarded the mastery in conducting the game of so many actors, so many voices, but at the same time, as a European reader, I was constantly afraid of sinking into the mire of revisionism: it's difficult to consider in an epic perspective certain very dangerous threads of Ariadne. The chapter \\"The Sleepwalker\\", that description of Hitler in that way, I believe are some of the most beautiful pages of American literature today. In some way, even if very different in its layout, it reminded me of \\"The Kindly Ones\\" by Littell, a book that I loved very much.


Now that I've finished the book, I think this is a perfect comment, summed up in a few (happy few!) lines. What else can I add? Maybe just a touch of music, here it is.


https://youtu.be/JlMHjo7Jwhk

Four months ago, I had an interesting exchange with someone about the book Europe Central. I noticed that they had given it five stars but hadn't provided any comments. So, I asked them if they could share more of their thoughts. Their response was quite thought-provoking. They mentioned that writing such a book required a great deal of courage, and only an American writer could have taken on such a task. Reading it with its dark and obsessive tone, along with the continuous flow of metaphors, also demanded courage. They weren't sure if they liked the book or not. They admired the author's skill in handling the众多的 actors and voices, but as a European reader, they were constantly worried about falling into the trap of revisionism. They found it difficult to view certain dangerous aspects in an epic light. However, they did praise the chapter "The Sleepwalker" and the description of Hitler, considering them to be some of the most beautiful pages in contemporary American literature. In some ways, despite its differences in structure, it reminded them of "The Kindly Ones" by Littell, a book they had loved. Overall, this short but insightful comment left me with a better understanding of their perspective on the book.

**Title: The Complexities of Art and War in "Europe Central"**

As the world burns, Käthe Kollwitz, Roman Karmen, and Dmitri Shostakovich create their art. Kollwitz's paintings of her dead child are seen as having Communist intent, but are eventually supplanted. Karmen documents the war, perhaps because he is in love. Shostakovich composes, amassing material for his Opus 110. Through war and peace, art undulates like non-magnetized ants in a terrible hive mind. Art is love first and foremost, no matter the trivialities about artistic independence. And thus, love in war is a delicate symphony.

  Never trust anyone. Never say anything—except musically, of course. Music is safe because nobody understands it. In other words, only in music is everything clear.

Why art? Artists often say because they have to. It's like a roving demon that can only be cured by creative exorcism. Over time, it becomes the only answer worth giving. Art has been done for lesser reasons, like making money or promoting ego, but deep art has the power to move and conquer. In "Europe Central," the answer is life itself, whether it be love or war. If your art is true, an audience exists for it. The hard part is finding what to write about, not the writing itself.

"Europe Central" is a million-piece puzzle, not an enigma but a pain to put together. It should be read chapter by chapter, not concerned with a central story at first. The narrators speak with the turning pace of a Philip Glass composition, which can be unreasonable and insincere. The choice of narrative style sacrifices intimacy for omniscience, a detriment to reader fluidity. But the stories and characters are interesting enough, and the themes fascinating enough, that it's hard to put down.

  Can music attack evil or not? Certainly not. All it can do is scream.

One thing's clear. All songs end, eventually. Only by letting great pain coalesce can it be committed to something that makes sense. And when composing, assume reality while shunning it. An ability to capture a moment freely and perfectly can only be accomplished if one is listening to all facets of life. In this way, Shostakovich has sown a field of flowers where destruction once stood.

Un portentoso romanzo è qualcosa di davvero straordinario. È un romanzo fatto di storie, molteplici storie che insieme compongono l'enorme politica dell'Europa del '900. Questo è un esempio di Grande Romanzo Europeo. Si tratta di una narrazione che abbraccia un'epoca complessa e tumultuosa, raccontando le vite e le vicende di numerose persone. Ogni storia è un tessuto intricato di emozioni, speranze, sconfitte e successi. Le storie si intrecciano e si incrociano, creando un quadro complesso e coinvolgente dell'Europa in quel periodo. Il Grande Romanzo Europeo riesce a catturare l'essenza della società, delle relazioni umane e delle dinamiche politiche dell'epoca, offrendo al lettore un'esperienza letteraria unica e coinvolgente.

The story of the relations between Russia and Germany, especially during World War II, is told in a most ingenious way through a series of portraits of real life characters.

Most notably, there is Shostakovich, whose experiences and emotions are vividly depicted. The German general Paulus, who surrendered at Stalingrad and thus incurred Hitler's great ire, is another major character.

Equally important is Rostov, the Russian general who changed sides. This novel is not only hugely educational, providing valuable insights into a crucial period of history, but it is also stunning in its imaginative reach and poetic prose.

William Vollman, despite being difficult at times and perhaps guilty of a tendency to overreach himself, has truly become one of my favourite writers. His ability to bring these historical events and characters to life in such a captivating manner is truly remarkable.

His works make me think deeply about the complex nature of war, politics, and human relationships. I look forward to reading more of his novels in the future.

In this video, I will share with you a lot of reading suggestions.

Reading is a great way to expand your knowledge and improve your language skills. It can also be a source of entertainment and relaxation.

I have carefully selected some excellent books and will introduce them to you one by one in the video.

Whether you are interested in fiction, non-fiction, or any other genre, there will be something for you.

So, don't miss this video and click on the link below to watch it now!

https://youtu.be/uIDLTd0c9DI?si=OGjcw...

What strikes you when you pick up "Central Europe" by William T. Vollmann is surely its size - 885 large-format pages. However, when you start reading and realize that this is not an ordinary novel like the others, that it differs radically, from the structure and language to the very story, then you forget the size.

It is clear from the beginning that everything will move in fragments, that the writing will go from one story to another, from one thread to another - some parts resemble an erotic tale, but with a trial, some with scenes from a movie. And as you immerse yourself in this magnificent book, you can't believe it was written just in 2005. We are talking about a masterpiece.

William T. Vollmann is American. He is not an ordinary American, of course. He has traveled to all war-torn regions and has written an exhaustive work on violence. But above all, he is an excellent storyteller, a man who knows how to handle History and his stories. He takes 37 narrative threads in this book - the river. Some refer only to a small part, but are central, such as those with Shostakovich as the protagonist. All, however, are integrated into a large framework. The large framework is the parallelism of Stalinism-Nazism. Episodes from Stalinist Russia are intertwined with episodes from pre- and Hitlerian Germany. Akhmatova and Shostakovich also dominate. The one because she did not betray, the other because he decided to betray. At the same time, two traitor generals, poets, artists, martyrs, Shostakovich's love for another woman other than his own, Stalin's wife, all together form an impressive whole that makes you think. Because Vollmann does not write just a historical novel, he writes a novel of awakening. He poses a basic ethical dilemma: what would you do if you were there? Maybe you are already there and are doing nothing? And, do all totalitarian regimes seem the same regardless of their initial ideology?

"Central Europe" is extremely enchanting. Its language is wonderful. As you read, you hear music and poems in your head. The scenes haunt you - and the erotic ones too. And then violence wakes up. And it crushes you. I have no doubt that it is a book that will remain a classic in the years to come. To be precise, I firmly believe that it is a book of the Canon.

http://diavazontas.blogspot.gr/2016/1...

A World War II novel that scarcely mentions America at all

since it has more or less been forgotten in American history that the Soviet Union was the nation that defeated Germany and halted their expanding empire. The story focuses slightly less on the war itself and more on the human experiences during the war, concentrating on Soviet Russia and Fascist Germany. It uses quite a number of obscure (at least to me) historical figures as characters. Vollmann points out that in a war between ideologies such as Soviet Communism and German Fascism, whoever wins ultimately loses.

This book can be appropriately called historical fiction in the non-Harlequin Romance sense, as much of the dialogue and events have been drawn from historical sources. Real-life characters include artist Kathe Kollwitz, Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich, Stalin, Hitler, German Field Marshals Friedrich Paulus and Erich von Manstein, "Red Guillotine" Hilde Benjamin, Soviet General Andrey Vlasov, film director Roman Karmen, Russian poet Anna Ahkmatova, and SS Officer Kurt Gerstein.

The largest portion of the text is dedicated to composer Dmitri Shostakovich, who was persecuted throughout his life by the Russian Communist Party and frequently threatened with imprisonment and death. His life was overwhelmingly tragic, and he died sick and unhappy, with his few friends keeping their distance out of fear of Stalinist agents. To add to the pathos, Shostakovich is given an unrequited love interest that lasts over forty years.

Kurt Gerstein's tale "Clean Hands" is the most effective among a highly affecting group. Appalled by Nazi Germany's crimes against humanity, he joined the SS in an attempt to stop them. Gerstein destroyed barrel after barrel of Zyklon B in an effort to save Jews or at least prolong their lives. At great personal risk, he tried to inform the Swedes, Americans, the British, and the Catholic Church about the Holocaust, only to be ridiculed by all of them. He was arrested and sentenced as a war criminal after Germany's defeat.

There are not many writers who can make German SS soldiers and Nazi field marshals into sympathetic characters. Vollmann probably wisely does not attempt to make his readers feel such sympathy for Hitler, Stalin, Mengele, Goebbels, Goring, and the rest. However, it is difficult not to feel empathetic towards those lower in the hierarchy who are fighting because they will otherwise be killed outright by their own government and who miss their wives and children.

This is a good companion piece to Vollmann's excellent Rising Up and Rising Down, which also covers a significant amount of Soviet Russian sociomilitary history, particularly regarding the Russian Revolution. I would not have known the word "dekulakization" (Soviet Russia's murder of two million prosperous "class enemies") and several other historical facts had I not read that first. It is not often that one hears about WWII from the Russian and German perspectives, and Russia is hardly considered now as its own political entity that fought and triumphed over a better-prepared invader.