In spring 1945, Friedrich Mahr, code name Edelweiss, jumps out of a U.S. Air Force twin-engine B-26 over German territory near Salzburg as head of a special commando. The OSS agent has a secret mission to gather information about the Alpine fortress allegedly planned by Hitler.
Günter Wels tells the gripping story of a paratrooper mission in the Second World War in his debut novel. He describes Mahr's desertion on the Western Front, the espionage training in a French training camp and the dramatic fight for survival that "Edelweiss" has to endure during the final weeks of the war.
"Edelweiss" is a story about war, morality, guilt, courage and the limits of the law. It is told on the basis of the protagonist's recorded memories. His daughter finds these notes many years later, while Mahr is dying. Her life is also shaken up by the events, late but nevertheless.
Moderation Robert Misik, Author and journalist
Musical organisation: Bertl Mütter, Trombone
Günter Wels, Born in Bad Ischl in 1963, he grew up in the Upper Austrian city of Wels. Under the name Günter Kaindlstorfer, he works as a journalist for ORF, Deutschlandfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, WDR, SWR, Swiss radio SRF and 3sat, among others. In 2010 he published the short story collection „Maitage.”
Bertl Mütter, freelance musician, composer and author
Günter Wels: EDELWEISS
2018, Czernin Verlag, ISBN-10: 3707606457, ISBN-13: 9783707606454
Publication date: 29/08/2018