It was a load off the Au.’s mind to have at least a partial explanation for this embarrassing episode in Leni’s life, but he had no luck when it came to confronting further potential informants as soon as they opened their front doors and greeted him with the question: “Are you for or against ‘68?” Since the Au., riddled with the most varied motivations, torn this way and that between the most varied emotions, did not immediately, at least not the first time, understand why he should opt in favor or otherwise of an entire year in the twentieth century, he pondered too long over this particular year and finally decided, on the basis of what he frankly admits to being an almost habitual compulsion to the negative, on the reply: “Against”—thereby closing those doors to himself for all time.

—Heinrich Böll, Group Portrait with Lady