Izabrana djela 10: Noć u Lisabonu

The story is set in Lisbon in 1942, one of the few European cities from which refugees could still travel to the United States and escape Nazi persecution. The unnamed narrator, a German emigrant without valid documents, is desperately trying to get ship tickets to America. At the port, he meets a mysterious man Josef Schwarz, who offers him his passports, visas, and ship tickets on one condition – that he listen to his life story for one night.

Schwarz then tells the story of escaping Nazi Germany with his wife Helen. Their life is marked by constant border crossings, hiding, false identities, and fear of arrest. Although they are constantly exposed to danger, their love remains a source of strength and hope. However, Helen falls seriously ill, and Schwarz is faced with the loss of the person he fought for all along. Through this confession, Remarque depicts the fate of thousands of European refugees who have lost their homeland, security, and civil rights.

The novel explores themes of love, sacrifice, identity, and human dignity in a time of war and totalitarianism. Lisbon becomes a symbol of the last hope and the transition between a life marked by persecution and the possibility of a new beginning. The work strongly warns of the consequences of hatred and political violence, and emphasizes the importance of compassion and solidarity between people.