"Wallenstein. 1 (of 2)" by Alfred Döblin is a historical novel written between 1916 and 1919. Set during the Thirty Years' War, it traces events from the Catholic League's victory at White Mountain through the assassination of General Wallenstein and beyond. The narrative contrasts Emperor Ferdinand II's spiritual struggles with the chaotic warfare driven by military leaders. Wallenstein emerges as a war profiteer who revolutionizes military financing but ultimately falls to political intrigue, while Ferdinand's inability to control events leads him toward despair and resignation. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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