Los Effinger (original German title: Effingers ), written by , is a monumental multi-generational saga that chronicles the rise and fall of a German-Jewish family from 1878 to 1948 . Often compared to Thomas Mann’s Buddenbrooks , the novel is considered a lost masterpiece that was largely forgotten after its initial 1951 publication before being rediscovered and translated into English and Spanish ( Los Effinger ) in recent years . Plot Overview
The Effingers by Gabriele Tergit - A Berlin Saga - Pushkin Press
The story begins in 1878 in the fictional town of Kragsheim, where the pious watchmaker sees his sons, Paul and Karl , leave for Berlin to seek their fortunes . In the rapidly industrializing capital, they marry into the wealthy Oppner and Goldschmidt families, rising to become prominent industrialist figures—evolving from manufacturing screws to pioneering motor cars . The novel traces their transition from the secure, bourgeois life of the late 19th century through the trauma of World War I, the decadent instability of the Weimar Republic, and finally the catastrophic rise of National Socialism . Key Themes
