Compulsion by Stefan Zweig. Short summary

5 seconds

An artist is forced to participate in the Franco-German war. Despite his wife’s entreaties, he goes to the front. Seeing wounded on the way, the artist realizes that he does not want to fight and returns.

1 minute

During the war with France, the German painter Ferdinand hides with his wife in Switzerland.

He receives a summons requiring him to report to the German consulate to go to the front.

The artist does not want to fight, but he cannot disobey the order. Despite his wife’s entreaties, he goes to the consulate.

There Ferdinand is quickly processed and given a few days to pack.

Upset, he arrives home. His wife tries to dissuade him from going to war and scolds him for his weakness.

Ferdinand hesitates, but eventually leaves for the front. At the border, the man sees a train with wounded Frenchmen.

The maimed soldiers are greeted by their wives. Ferdinand notices one wounded man on a stretcher. No one meets the man.

The painter gives him all his money and returns home, determined not to go to war.