The Alsatian writer and journalist René Schickele (1883-1940) repeatedly made the strained German-French relations in his homeland the subject of his numerous novels, stories, and essays. Schickele felt a sense of belonging to both nations and sought to pave the way for political, social, and cultural commonalities through his texts. Despite his sensitivity to this issue and his great literary talent, Schickele's works have unfortunately fallen into near oblivion today. The novel "Benkal, der Frauentröster" was first published in 1914 and tells the story of the young good-for-nothing Benkal, who gradually transforms into a true artist and creates sculptures that help women who have lost their sons and husbands in the war to overcome their grief.