Life After Life

Life After Life

by

Kate Atkinson

Teachers and parents! Struggling with distance learning? Our Teacher Edition on Life After Life can help.

Jürgen Fuchs Character Analysis

Ursula’s husband in Germany and Frieda’s father. Klara introduces Ursula and Jürgen to one another, and they quickly marry. Jürgen is a Leftist, but is forced to become a Nazi because it is the only political party allowed in Germany after Hitler takes power. As he rises through the ranks of the Party, he starts to become increasingly dominant over Ursula, preventing her from returning to England with their daughter in order to avoid whatever fate might befall them in Germany. He dies during a raid in World War II.

Jürgen Fuchs Quotes in Life After Life

The Life After Life quotes below are all either spoken by Jürgen Fuchs or refer to Jürgen Fuchs. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Life, Reincarnation, and Alternate Possibilities Theme Icon
).
The Land of Begin Again, Aug 1939 Quotes

Most people muddled through events and only in retrospect realized their significance. The Führer was different, he was consciously making history for the future.

Related Characters: Ursula Todd, Jürgen Fuchs, Adolf Hitler
Page Number: 351
Explanation and Analysis:

“Hindsight’s a wonderful thing,” Klara said. “If we all had it there would be no history to write about.”

Related Characters: Klara Brenner (speaker), Ursula Todd, Jürgen Fuchs, Adolf Hitler
Page Number: 354
Explanation and Analysis:

Powerful men needed their women to be unchallenging, the home should not be an arena for intellectual debate. “My own husband told me this so it must be true!” she wrote to Pamela.

Page Number: 359
Explanation and Analysis:
A Long Hard War, May 1941 Quotes

“We only have one after all, we should try and do our best. We can never get it right, but we must try.” (The transformation was complete.)

“What if we had a chance to do it again and again,” Teddy said, “until we finally did get it right? Wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

“I think it would be exhausting.”

Related Characters: Ursula Todd (speaker), Edward (“Teddy”) Todd (speaker), Jürgen Fuchs, Adolf Hitler
Page Number: 446
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Life After Life LitChart as a printable PDF.
Life After Life PDF

Jürgen Fuchs Character Timeline in Life After Life

The timeline below shows where the character Jürgen Fuchs appears in Life After Life. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
The Land of Begin Again, August 1933
Fate vs. Choice Theme Icon
...flags with swastikas decorate the field. Klara introduces Ursula to a distant cousin of hers, Jürgen Fuchs. Jürgen kisses her hand. He is very handsome, and Ursula notes the coincidence between... (full context)
The Land of Begin Again, August 1939
War and Death Theme Icon
In private, Jürgen claims to find Hitler and his henchmen tremendously flawed, but in public he behaves like... (full context)
War and Death Theme Icon
...Hitler’s birthday parade, Ursula had been amazed by the theatrics, the precision, and the weaponry. Jürgen commented that the military had helped to rescue the German psyche—returning patriotism to the country.... (full context)
Family and Love Theme Icon
...had grown very ill several weeks prior, quickly become feverish and delirious, and Ursula and Jürgen had rushed her to the nearest hospital. Ursula stayed by her side for two days... (full context)
War and Death Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Expectations Theme Icon
...of her through Klara, as they used to work together and went to kindergarten together. Jürgen wondered if Eva knew that Klara is married to a Jew. Ursula was surprised to... (full context)
War and Death Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Expectations Theme Icon
...as amiable, chatting about inconsequential things and making no attempt to be brainy or astute. Jürgen had told her that “powerful men needed their women to be unchallenging,” and Ursula had... (full context)
Fate vs. Choice Theme Icon
War and Death Theme Icon
...she could escape to Fox Corner. Once, when Sylvie had visited to get to know Jürgen better, Ursula had taken Sylvie to a parade, to show her the adoration showered upon... (full context)
Life, Reincarnation, and Alternate Possibilities Theme Icon
Fate vs. Choice Theme Icon
War and Death Theme Icon
...She had planned to go in May—had even packed suitcases for herself and Frieda without Jürgen knowing—but the day before they were supposed to leave, she found their passports were missing.... (full context)
War and Death Theme Icon
That night at supper, Ursula could barely swallow. Jürgen told her that he wanted to take a holiday to Sylt—where they won’t need a... (full context)
The Land of Begin Again, April 1945
War and Death Theme Icon
Gender Roles and Expectations Theme Icon
Jürgen had died in a raid in 1944. Ursula had been relived, but was ashamed of... (full context)