The Crime of a Soldier

A stunning novel about Nazi guilt and projection.

An aging war criminal and his daughter are dining in a mountain lodge in the Dolomites, when they find themselves at a table next to the narrator, who is working on a translation. When they see the Hebrew characters and suddenly realize that he is translating from Yiddish, panic sets in and a confession takes from. As the father explains the mysticism of the Cabala in a desperate bid to rationalize his downfall and justify his antisemitism, his daughter navigates the weight of inherited guilt and the paradox of filial love. 

In The Crime of a Soldier, Erri De Luca delivers a profound exploration of guilt, legacy, and the unrelenting grip of history. Told through the perspective of a daughter coming to terms with her father’s dark past as An unrepented war criminal, the narrative intertwines personal reckoning with philosophical reflections on obedience, defeat, and the corrosive pursuit of purity. 

Anchored by De Luca’s signature lyrical prose, the story ventures into the complexities of identity, the haunting aftermath of war, and the intricate interplay of justice and vengeance. A gripping tale of moral ambiguity and the scars of history, this novel challenges readers to confront the enduring shadows cast by war and memory. 

Rights sold
France (Gallimard)
Spain (Seix Barral/Bromera)