Zwischen Himmel und Erde

by Otto Ludwig

"Zwischen Himmel und Erde" by Otto Ludwig is a novella written in 1856. Shy Apollonius and Christiane secretly love each other but cannot confess their feelings. His manipulative older brother Fritz exploits their hesitation, deceiving them both to win Christiane for himself. When Apollonius returns years later to help the family's slate-roofing business, the web of lies begins to unravel. The story explores what happens when someone has too much conscience, contrasted with a brother who has too little.