Her main character is Max von Hofmannswaldau, half-Jewish, half-Protestant, born in 1905 and raised on a Silesian country bestate/b until he leaves for the Breslau Gymnasium to continue his studies. ... Von bTreuburg/b is studying medicine and he introduces his friends to a fellow medical student, Jacob Halperin, a Jew from Vilna, and his sister Anna. Music is intrinsic to their lives. Max and Jacob play the violin, Joachim the cello and Ann, the viola; a quartet is formed. ...
