Chapter 43, On the Atlantic Wall or Concrete Eternal Summary

Schuman, the Onion Cellar's proprietor, amuses himself by hunting sparrows in the park. He always shoots exactly a dozen birds, no more. On one excursion, accompanied by his wife Billy, Oskar and the other two band members, Schuman shoots a 13th bird. On the way home, hundreds of sparrows fly into the car's windshield. Schuman's black Mercedes runs off the road into a gravel pit. Schuman is killed. Billy, Klepp and Scholle have minor injuries. Oskar, who had opted to take the streetcar home, is unharmed.

At Schuman's funeral, Oskar is approached by a concert promoter called Dr. Dtzsch, a frequent Onion Cellar guest. Dtzsch offers to set up a solo concert tour for Oskar. Oskar hesitates, but finally agrees. First, he decides to take a brief pleasure trip...