Fortwährender Hass auf Juden – Maxim Billers „Schwarze Samstage“
Summary
This review examines Maxim Biller’s novel *Schwarze Samstage*, which traces the protagonist Ari’s journey from fleeing communist Czechoslovakia to confronting the resurgence of antisemitism after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack. The book contrasts the optimistic 1980s with the current "new barbarism," where left-wing solidarity with Palestine is portrayed as a return to historical hatred. Biller critiques the German literary establishment and cultural spaces for becoming battlegrounds for pro-Hamas activism, arguing that the post-war era of enlightenment has dissolved. The review praises t…
Topics discussed
Introduction: Horkheimer, Adorno, and the novel's premise
Protagonist Ari's background and encounter with post-68 students
The 1980s as a hopeful era for Ari in Munich
October 7, 2023: The shift to a new era of barbarism
Autofiction elements and the rapid revaluation of values in Europe
Cultural conflict and solidarity with perpetrators in the literary world
Personal anecdotes and historical context of anti-Jewish pogroms
Antizionism as a recurrence of old resentments and family history
Theodicy, God's responsibility, and the dialectic of regression
Reflections on unimaginable violence and the 'World Novel'
Loss of faith in reason and similar rhetoric from left and right
Stages as battlegrounds for activists and Hamas marketing
The novel as a documentation of anti-Israeli sentiment
Comparison to Biller's previous works and finding subtle tones
Conclusion: A literary attack and potential 'Novel of the Year'
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