A century before our literary eyes. The epochal work of the master storyteller of Southeast Europe is now finally available in an exemplary, conscientious translation by Gero Fischer and Silvija Hinzmann. "The Banners" presents a kaleidoscope of European intellectual and cultural history, which establishes Krleža as a major European writer of the 20th century. Ina Jun-Broda called me to her in 1978. She urged me, "You must publish The Banners." I, young and inexperienced, was nearly overwhelmed by the thickness of the novel. Five volumes, 3000 pages. My publishing life had just begun. In 1979, Ina Jun-Broda, the legendary translator from the Yugoslav languages, told me about her conversation with Miroslav Krleža: "For a German-language translation, I will condense The Banners to 800 pages. It can't be less. And you will translate it!" K.