Summary

Scene 7 jumps forward in time to 1924, once again in the Merz apartment. A painting of Gretl in the style of Gustav Klimt hangs on the wall. A table is laid out with food and wine for a small celebration. In the room is Hermine (22, daughter of Hanna), Jacob (now 32, son of Hermann and Gretl) and Nellie (25, daughter of Eva and Ludwig). Also present are Aaron, Nellie’s husband, and Kurt, Hermine’s father.

The housemaid, Poldi, informs Nellie that Sally is having second thoughts about having her baby son circumcised. Rosa, now in her thirties, enters and elaborates on her twin sister Sally’s nervousness about the circumcision. Jacob and Rosa joke about how Jacob was both circumcised and baptized due to his mixed heritage. Kurt and Hermine reveal that Hanna is not there because she is practicing for a piano recital at a...