The Beneficiary

Herr Mommsen's life was spared thirty-five years ago during World War II when a priest voluntarily took his place before a firing squad. Now, when the incident is suddenly revealed, he finds himself bombarded with questions about how it felt to be the beneficiary of such a sacrifice. Barbara Koenig's delicate novel reveals what happens when the unremarkable Mommsen is forced to examine his ordinary existence in the context of this extraordinary event.