Spanning almost a century, this novel continues what Ursula Krechel, who has been widely awarded and celebrated, began with "Shanghai fern von wo" and "Landgericht." "Geisterbahn" tells the story of a German family, the Dorns. As Sinti, they are subjected to the murderous policies of the Nazi regime's organized brutality: sterilization, deportation, forced labor. By the end of the war, which transitions seamlessly into the beginning of the Federal Republic, they have lost most of their family, their means of existence, and all trust in neighbors and institutions. Anna, the youngest of the children, sits in a class with the children of other parents. No one asks who survived by chance or skill. They share much, but not the ghosts of the past. It is told with great artistry and linguistic elegance.