Lead Review

• Book: Pollak’s Arm
• Location: Lazio
• Author: Elisabeth Lauffer (Translator), Hans von Trotha

Review Author: Tina Hartas

3.5*

Pollak’s Arm by Hans von Trotha needs just a quick background detail….

“Not knowing how a journey will end…is no reason not to take it…”

The statue of Laocoön and his sons, housed in the Vatican Museums, was excavated in the early 1500s. It is an all round depiction of human agony. Upon discovery, Laocoön himself was missing an arm and it was Ludwig Pollak (the Pollak of the book title) who discovered what was thought to be the missing arm. That explains the title and there is also helpfully an image of the sculpture featured in the book.

Pollak himself was an all round man of culture, caught as a Jew during WW2 in Rome. Jews were being offered safety within the confines of the Vatican, which came particularly urgent when the Nazis’ plan to round up Jews on 17 October 1943 became known. An envoy from the Vatican was sent to assist the Pollak family into safe housing but upon arrival, he has to listen to recounting of Pollak’s life and experiences to date. it is against this background that Pollak start to reminisce. However time is of the essence as the Nazis are moving in fast. This is a wonderful example of the German saying “Er hat die Ruhe weg” which roughly means “he is chilled” – and not what was needed at that point in time, I imagine.

Pollak was an antiquities dealer and had links with J P Morgan, who himself had a marvellous collection of ancient artefacts, and missed, by only a hair’s breadth, sending items on the Titanic to New York. Pollak was a man who looked for opportunities – as he states: “collecting has always been synonymous with life to me…” whether for himself or on behalf of others.

He ponders life, he ponders culture, the notion of home and items in his collection. He reflects on Mussolini, his barbarism and destruction, and juxtaposes the evils of the day with culture and civilisation, the nature of life and of Rome.

I feel you really need the background information, otherwise the basis for this novel seems a bit random; and it still feels a little contrived. It is certainly a solid mini-tome which offers the echoes of footsteps past to Rome and its culture, and a lot more besides. The Märkische Oderzeitung says “This book belongs in the luggage of every Rome-bound traveler” and I guess I would say yes, well, sort of.

Tina for the TripFiction Team 3.5*

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