Which Novel Begins, "Warum..."?

[uncletony48]

Which classic novel, written [in English] prior to 1980, begins with some dialogue in German - possibly the word "Warum.."?

[Khandro]

I don't know the answer to that question, but it brings to mind Primo Levi's autobiographical book 'If This is a Man', in which he recounts his terrible time spent in Auschwitz, him being one of the few to survive the ordeal.

As you will know, warum means why. When Levi entered the camp in freezing winter conditions he had been without water for days and was desperately thirsty, he broke off an icicle hanging from some low guttering to suck on it, but a guard knocked it out of his hand, Levi said to him, "warum?" and the guard answered:

"Hier gibt es kein 'Warum'.

(There is no why in here.)

It's a very good book, by the way.