Edzard Schaper was one of the leading German Christian novelists in the years immediately following World War II, a period when a number of German Christian writers enjoyed a wide readership. Schaper was not only known for his novels, short stories, and essays; his many lectures and appearances on radio and television also made him a familiar figure.

The scene in most of Schaper's works is eastern Europe, particularly the Baltic region, where he lived for many years. Three major themes of his works--borderlands, refugees, and prisoners--reflect his life experiences and his belief that these phenomena are symbolic of modern existence, both physically and spiritually. Beginning with his birth in a border region, Schaper experienced what it meant to live on the border, to live as a refugee in a strange land, and to be a hunted man who narrowly escaped imprisonment and death. Spiritually, Schaper saw man...