Chapter 2, Under the Raft Summary

In the insane asylum, Oskar's drum tells him that his mother Agnes was begotten by the short, stocky Joseph Koljaiczek under the eyes of the police, hiding inside Anna's skirts. That night, he was married to Anna Bronski by a priest who was generous with the sacraments. Anna followed Joseph to the provincial capitol. The priest is summoned by Vincent Bronski, a violently religious Polish nationalist, and Anna's brother. Vincent has a four-year-old son, named Jan Bronski.

Joseph remains in hiding for three weeks before assuming the identity of Joseph Wranka, an oarsman killed in a raft accident. Koljaiczek's crime is painting a fence in the Polish national colors of red and white, and setting fire to the sawmill when his boss, the owner, objected. The couple lives happily in the unnamed provincial capitol, with Agnes taking...