TagComedy in a Minor Key

“Comedy in a Minor Key” by Hans Keilson is a quietly powerful novel set during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. The story revolves around Wim and Marie, a Dutch couple who shelter a Jewish refugee named Nico in their home. When Nico unexpectedly dies of pneumonia, Wim and Marie face the challenge of disposing of his body without drawing attention from the authorities. Through their interactions with Nico before and after his death, Keilson explores themes of compassion, guilt, and the moral complexities of resistance in times of oppression. The novel’s understated prose and nuanced characterizations highlight the resilience of the human spirit and the ordinary acts of kindness that defy the dehumanizing forces of war.