The Banished: A Swabian Historical Tale

"The Banished: A Swabian Historical Tale" by Wilhelm Hauff is a historical fiction that drops readers into 16th-century Southern Germany, a land gripped by political unrest. The story revolves around Duke Ulerich of Würtemberg as he battles against the powerful Swabian League. Love, honor, and the burdens of nobility during wartime are strong themes throughout the novel. The story starts in Ulm on March 12, 1519 where townsfolk await the Swabian League's arrival, the tense atmosphere is seen through the eyes of Bertha and Marie, two young female cousins. Their differing personalities and Bertha's hidden feelings for Albert von Sturmfeder, add possibilities of personal drama. As political lines are drawn, the story weaves together personal relationships with the chaos of war.