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 topic and his great literary talent, Schickele's works have unfortunately fallen into near oblivion today. "Symphony for Jazz" (1929), which Schickele referred to as his favorite novel, is set in the Roaring Twenties and tells the story of the married couple Jan and Johanna, who must first let each other go and immerse themselves in the extravagant life of jazz clubs before they can find their way back to each other.