A novel about departure and decline, the success and failure of rebellion, friendship and family in times of upheaval, about the desire for belonging and the longing for freedom.
"This is the great GDR novel we have been waiting for for decades. This is probably the best book in the German language of this year. (…) I am deeply impressed and hope that it wins major awards." — Eva Menasse, ZDF, The Literary Quartet.
30.000 copies sold in 1 month
Currently #5 of the Spiegel-Bestseller-List
“Sanditz” by Lukas Rietzschel is an impressive novel that paints a multifaceted picture of German society from the time of the GDR to the present day.
The story takes place in the fictional small town of Sanditz, where a variety of characters – including former officers, civil rights activists, local journalists, and dreamers – are intertwined.
Rietzschel skillfully weaves together the narratives of these townspeople and the Wenzel family in a warm-hearted and multi-perspective manner. The novel addresses central aspects of life in Germany, such as rise and decline, friendship and family, as well as the desire for belonging and freedom in times of change. By depicting events that span from the end of the GDR to the challenges of the present, “Sanditz” offers a profound insight into the human experiences and societal upheavals of this era.
Lukas Rietzschel’s novels and plays have been awarded numerous prizes, including the Gellert Prize, the Saxonian Prize for Literature and the Text & Language Literature Prize.
For readers of Eugen Ruge, Uwe Tellkamp and Jonathan Franzen