Yury Dombrovsky’s first novel addresses Nazism and the rehabilitation of war criminals after the war. The author carefully develops the characters of his protagonists, studies their motives and psychology, to understand how they navigate difficult life situations. The novel was written in 1943, but published only after Stalin’s death. It tells the story of journalist Hans Maisonier, who tries to confront the threat of fascism in Europe. The book describes the danger of the revival of Nazism after World War II and its impact on society.