Daniel Kehlmann's latest novel, "The Director," delves into the controversial collaboration of filmmaker G. W. Pabst with the Nazis. In a discussion, Kehlmann reflects on societal attitudes towards complicity during the Nazi era, highlighting how many Germans rationalize their past actions as a protective humility. He rejects simple narratives of victims and perpetrators, seeking instead to explore the moral complexities in between. This draws from his own family history, including his father's survival of the War, positioning the novel as a critical exploration of historical motivations and ethical dilemmas.
Kehlmann argues that the idea of complicity in the Nazi regime is an accumulation of rationalizations, revealing moral capitulations disguised as humility in societal discourse.
The author finds the conventional storytelling around Nazi victims boring, especially given his Jewish father's survival experiences, prompting a focus on the morally gray area.
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