"Old Monastery" by Werner Koch is a compelling novel that addresses the existential questions of faith and human responsibility. In a small, isolated community of the damaged and restless, the monastic ritual becomes a stage for profound inner conflicts. The residents are asked to fill out questionnaires, the central question of which always is: Do you believe in God? This recurring question plunges the narrator into a whirlpool of doubts and defenses as he attempts to complete his book about Pilate. Koch's laconic yet intense language creates an atmosphere of the uncanny and oppressive, captivating the reader. The novel is not only a narrative but also a deep reflection on human existence and the search for meaning in a seemingly godforsaken world.