Britannica AI Icon

The Train Was on Time

work by Böll
Also known as: “Der Zug war pünktlich”

Quick Summary

"The Train Was on Time" (Der Zug war pünktlich) is an early novel by German writer Heinrich Böll, published in 1949. The novel, along with others like Adam, Where Art Thou?, depicts the grim realities and despair experienced by soldiers during and after World War II. Böll's work often captures the changing psychology of the German nation, drawing heavily from his own experiences as a soldier in the German army during the war. His writing is characterized by austere prose and sharp satire, reflecting his antiwar and nonconformist viewpoint. Böll was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1972 for his contributions to literature.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
2 Britannica Sources
  1. Heinrich Böll
  2. Böll

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.