Diary from the year 1955

In 1955, Arno Schmidt found himself without a publisher, was charged with blasphemy and pornography, and had to be questioned by a Saarburg magistrate. He had actually decided not to publish his recently written novel "Das steinerne Herz." The meager income Schmidt earned came from newspaper articles until, finally, his first radio broadcast was accepted. After failed plans to emigrate and many relocation attempts, Arno and Alice Schmidt found themselves back in Darmstadt by the end of the year. Here, they deepened their acquaintances with painter Eberhard Schlotter and fellow writers. Inspired by the atmosphere of the Darmstadt "artist colony," which he found rather unappealing, Arno Schmidt wrote "Capriccio Tina oder über die Unsterblichkeit."

In this diary, Alice Schmidt proves to be a loyal chronicler of the difficult life of a writer, but also an optimistic and always encouraging companion to her husband, who was quicker to despair at the numerous obstacles in his path than she was.