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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Part I of A German Requiem, how many countries occupy Germany?

2. What does Gunther tell the parents of the missing girls?

3. What is Reinhard able to recover on his own?

4. Who is the weakest link in the secret anti-Semitic group?

5. Who contacts Gunther to thank him for helping his girlfriend?

Short Essay Questions

1. What do the American counter-intelligence officers want from Gunther?

2. Who is Neumann and what does he tell Gunther that helps him in his case?

3. Describe how Captain Linden and Becker meet.

4. What does Gunther learn from Reinhard through harsh interrogation?

5. What is Gunther surprised to see in Vienna as compared to Berlin after the war?

6. What does Liebl reveal to Gunther about many Austrians in the War and its aftermath?

7. What does Colonel Poroshin ask Gunther to do?

8. What does Gunther learn at the Berlin Documents Center?

9. What is life like in Berlin as the Cold War begins?

10. How did Becker escape from imprisonment during the war and get his assignment with the American company in Pullach?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Since Berlin Noir deals directly with World War II and its aftermath, the issue of freedom is constantly present. Is Bernhard Gunther free and in what way? What other characters exhibit freedom and in what way? Is the desire for personal freedom, such as physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual space, narcissistic? Is it necessary for survival? Describe your thoughts based upon the effects of war on characters such as Bernhard Gunther, Inge, Hermann Six, Captain Linden, Becker, and Belinsky.

Essay Topic 2

One of the main themes in the book is good versus evil. However, unlike other works of fiction, in Berlin Noir, this line at times can seem hard to distinguish. For example, when Gunther is employed by the Gestapo, he shares investigative results with Nazi officials that use this information for destructive purposes. In looking at the actions of the characters in Berlin Noir, who emerges as a "good" character and why? Who emerges as an "evil" character and why? What frailties are present? How do you think circumstances affect the definition of "good" and "evil" in Berlin Noir? Explain.

Essay Topic 3

Kerr is a master at dramatic devices. Choose an example of symbolism, metaphor, and irony, briefly describe them, and identify the technique which they embody.

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