Das Feuerschiff

A complex intimate play, written by one of the most original voices of post-war Germany. That is how you can characterise the novella “The Lightship” and its author Siegfried Lenz. Very true and a common place. The novella starts as story about a ship. You think it is the main actor and how lame this will be be. I started twice! An I gave it only a second chance because it is Siegfried Lenz. In hindsight I call the beginning poetic – not lame.
Soon after the “poetic” beginning the ship is kidnapped by three criminals on the run. The kidnapping is ambiguous, everybody seems to have certain freedom and choices. In this doubtful context we are forced to think about how to react since any action has consequences for others – even for other ships, which have to trust in the position of the lightship. Is a pacifist strategy successful in the face of brute and inhibited force. How much of your honor is at stake? These and more existential questions are examined in this very reduced constellation on the ship between the few persons present. It is very dramatic but scaled and cooled down by the down-to earth and calm behavior of the ship’s captain avoiding the trap of hollywoodesque überdrama.
I listened to the audiobook version, Volker Lechtenbrink gives every person a unique voice – an exceptional production.